Chapter 3

Ari called on the Force to stop herself from being thrown too far. That was all she had time to do. Her left shoulder hit the ground. She grunted in pain, using the momentum of the explosion to roll onto her feet, crouched low. Her shoulder was aching and her ears were ringing. She could hear shouts from around her, but they sounded distant, as if they were underwater while the persistent ringing was loud and constant.

Ari instantly reached out with the force to access the situation. It was chaos. She felt the fear, confusion and panic of the crowd. Immediately she connected to Luke. He was also getting to his feet, his lightsaber in his hand but not ignited.

Are you okay? He asked her, glancing over.

I think so.

Using the Force, Ari could tell there were a few injuries, such as Leia's wrist, which was possibly broken. Most of the others had similar issues, especially Chewie, who had a piece of the temple wall hit his side. The children seemed mostly scared and disoriented, but only had a few bruises. Overall, her family and friends were safe at that moment.

Ari could sense that some were calmer when they saw the Jedi. Ari would help, but first she wanted to calm the children. She could feel Ben's distress standing out among the feelings of the children, who were huddled together.

All of a sudden there was a flash of light and Ari tried to cover her eyes to protect them. She heard a few shouts of surprise. Then she felt a sharp fear. It wasn't just the crowd though. It was the children.

Eyes stinging from the flash, Ari caught onto the children's fear and followed it. It was moving and she rushed toward the children.

Through the Force she heard a shout from Tiri. Help!

Ari was running now and felt the others turning to the problems. She felt Luke's flash of terror hearing their daughter. She could sense Taylor being pulled away from helping others, more focused on her children.

Ari reached where the Force was telling her to go and saw a small ship, hovering. It was a shuttle, not made for long distance travel, but usually it would join another ship out in orbit. There were armed, masked figures, possibly human. The beings had the children. She could sense Ben, the twins, Anakin, Reslina and Hope. Though they were struggling they were smaller and even with Force training, they couldn't defeat the beings who had captured them. Tiri was being pulled up the ramp by two of them. Though she was fighting, the ramp was rising as the ship started to move.

"Mom!" Tiri shouted, seeing Ari.

Ari was running toward the ship. She knew that she couldn't get through the opening, no matter how fast she moved. It was closing too fast. She wasn't going to just let them take the children though. She would die for any of them, whether they were her children or not.

Ari called on the Force and she flung herself onto the shuttle, landing in a crouch on it. Just as she was landing, she sensed another right behind her. She reached for her lightsaber, but then she saw the flaming red hair and realized it was Mara.

Though she and Mara were not close, she knew that Mara would do whatever was needed to help save the children. There were so many questions, such as who blew up the temple? Was it just a diversion to take the children? Was it one group or two? Why would anyone take the children? Ransom?

She couldn't focus on those thoughts. She had to focus on this one task. The shuttle was moving faster and Ari tilted her leg, using it to give herself some balance as she stayed low. She ignited her lightsaber.

Ari! She heard Luke through the Force. She glanced briefly and saw that he was on the platform. It was too far to jump.

We will rescue them.

Might want a ship or speeder too Mara interrupted them.

Luke nodded and shouted for someone. Ari was just focused on the task. She pushed her lightsaber down into the main part of the shuttle. Though lightsabers could cut through anything, it was taking some time. She would have tried to get into the cockpit, but she worried about damaging the engine or controls. That could result in a crash and she didn't want to risk it.

Mara took the same stance as Ari and her lightsaber also went into the metal. The two blades moved in a circle and once they had cut the entire part, Ari used the hilt of her lightsaber to hit the metal. It took two tries before it fell into the shuttle with a clang. She could barely hear it over the sound of the engines of the shuttle and the constant sounds of Coruscant.

Though Ari wanted to jump in, she and Mara both ducked as gunfire came from the interior of the shuttle. Ari knew that blaster bolts could be deflected, but she wouldn't risk any of those children.

A man started to climb out of the opening that Ari had made. Without needing to talk, Mara and Ari used the Force to toss the man onto a roof of a nearby building. Ari send a message through the Force to the others to tell them where to find the man. If lucky, he might have answers as to who was behind this.

The shuttle tilted suddenly and Mara and Ari had to grab on. Ari's fingers dug into the edge of the hole. Mara slid, but she managed brace her feet against the wing of the shuttle.

It wasn't hard to see that they were trying to shake off the Jedi.

"Mom!"

Ari looked down the hole to see that Ben was being pushed up the hole. Though the movement had been to throw the Jedi off, apparently it had through the captives off their feet. Tiri and Hope were using that moment to get Ben to the adults.

Ari grabbed him from the girls, pulling him up.

Ben was whimpering and she could see tear stains on his face.

Mara managed to slide herself closer and through Ari wanted to hold him close, she handed him to Mara.

Mara grabbed Ben with one arm, the other grabbing onto part of the ship. They had no warning as the ship turned quickly. Ari struggled to hold on as the ship turned again. At that same moment, it climbed sharply into the air. Fearing more for her son than herself, Ari reached with the Force to try and help Mara and Ben from slipping.

She heard a few more shouts from inside the shuttle, including a few curses.

She could also sense Luke. He was tracking them through the Force. He was moving fast, probably in a speeder or another shuttle.

Ari was about to slide into the shuttle when the ship dropped again. She hit her head so hard, she saw stars. Her vision went double and she felt like she might lose consciousness. However, she held. One of her arms slide through the hole. She felt small hands grab her arm. She shifted and pulled herself back up and saw Anakin, who was being pushed up by Jacen. It appeared the older children were attempting to get out the younger children.

Ari heard shouting from below and heard the sounds of a struggle. She couldn't get there while holding Anakin, but she was not about to let her youngest nephew be in harm's way.

Over the sound of the other traffic and the whine of the engines, Ari heard shouting then. It sounded like a struggle, then she heard the sound of a blaster being fired.

She heard a cry from below and Tiri's voice shouted "Hope!"

Ari could feel the fear and the panic, as well as the pain.

Luke, we need help.

We are coming. Lando is almost to you.

Just at that moment, as the shuttle turned again, once against trying to shake loose the Jedi, a speeder appeared. It was Lando. The speeder was small, only made for him and one other person. Or perhaps two small ones.

Bracing herself and Anakin for the turn, Ari could only hold on, watching Mara do the same.

We need to get them into the speeder.

Mara nodded and as the ship started to climb, Lando kept beside it. Mara whispered to Ben, who shook his head. He was terrified.

Ari reached out with the Force. You can do it, Ben. Go.

Ben looked at his mother, then nodded. Mara helped him slide to the wing, still holding onto one arm. Lando moved quickly, letting go of the controls just long enough to grab him and put him into the passenger seat.

Ari felt a small sense of relief, seeing her son safe. But there were others that needed help. Much like she had with Ben, she handed Anakin to Mara.

She made sure that Mara had the boy before she ignited her saber again and dropped through the hole she had made.

Even before she landed, she was being shot at. She did her best to deflect the bolts away and not at the children. There were small quarters.

She saw her daughter and Tiri with Hope, who had tears in her eyes, clutching her arm. They had shot her. Whether by accident or not, Ari knew she must be in a lot of pain.

Hope, get up on top. Mara is there. She sent that message to her using the Force. Reslina and Hope paused, then rushed to the hole while Ari covered them. Reslina helped Hope get up on top. Just as she disappeared from sight, the shuttled turned sharply again, throwing all of the occupants to one side. Ari managed to only fall to one knee, using the Force to balance herself.

She felt a flash of pain through the Force. Whose?

I'm hurt. She heard that from Mara. Going with Lando. Hope is safe.

Ari was sad the red head was hurt, but was glad that some of the children were safe.

The shuttle jarred the other way and Ari wondered what the pilot was doing.

She heard the hissing of the door and just as she turned to try to face the new foe, she felt herself stuck. She couldn't move. She felt a panic, calling on the Force, only to be met with a darker presence. She didn't even question what it was. The Dark Side of the Force. She saw Tiri with Reslina, holding hands. They were standing in front the twins. Force sensitive children with someone who could the Dark Side of the Force.

Tiri looked like she wanted to go to her mother.

Stay back. I don't want you hurt. Ari was firm about that. She also was wondering about the coward keeping her trapped. Strong with the Force, but unwilling to show themselves.

Ari struggled harder, then stopped as she heard a voice. Through the Force and it was an unfamiliar one. Male, but she couldn't distinguish the age or even the species.

Soon two more. Two more to join us.

Ari attempted to lash out with the Force. Never.

She could sense the other hesitating. Then you are no use to us.

Without warning, she sensed a surge of the Dark Side of the Force, she felt herself pushed back through the hole she had made. It felt as if someone had wrapped a tow cable around her as she was violently flung. She couldn't even shout. One hand was still around her lightsaber hilt, but the other tried to grab onto the shuttle. She managed to grab with just the edges of her fingers, dangling hundreds of feet above the actual ground of Coruscant.

Luke! She shouted to him using the Force. She clipped her lightsaber onto her belt so she would be able to grab on with both hands.

The shuttle turned again. Ari tried to reach out with the Force to keep her hold, but she couldn't. Her fingers slipped and then she was falling.