Jedi Apprentice – Skywalker's Rescue
Chapter 8
"Have you seen Anakin?" Obi-Wan demanded.
"Is Anakin about this tall," the young Togruta held out his hand, "sandy hair, claims to be a Jedi but doesn't have a lightsaber?"
"Yes, that's him!" Obi-Wan said, "Where is he?!"
"He's in big trouble, mister! I can take you there, but those guys are no joke," he said.
"Whatever it is, I promise you I can handle it. Let's go!" Obi-Wan said, his patience stretching thin.
The boy seemed equal parts intimidated by him and genuinely wanting to help. He motioned for Obi-Wan to follow him and took off at a run, "It's not far from here."
They ran for a few blocks and then the boy slowed to a stop by a dark alleyway. "Down there. The door on the right."
Obi-Wan started towards it but noticed the boy hesitating, clearly thinking about bolting. "Not so fast! Now before I walk down there, why don't you tell me what's going on here?"
The boy looked at him with a pained expression, "It's sort of complicated…"
"Give me the short version then," Obi-Wan said, steel in his voice.
The boy swallowed. "Alright, alright. So I uh, borrowed something from the kid and then he, um, followed me here and then my Bo-these bad guys, they suddenly came out and grabbed him. The kid slammed one of them into the wall. It was wild! But anyway, they blasted him with a stunner. That was my cue to get going, you know. I managed to slip away and then I found you…"
"How many guys?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Three. …but there might be more inside," the boy said.
"How many more?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Probably, um… no more than ten, total," the boy said, grimacing.
"Okay then," Obi-Wan said, more to himself than the young thief. Everything about this situation yelled that it was a trap, but what choice did he have? It was time to spring the trap.
At the door, he waved a hand over the locking mechanism and then pushed it open. A startled Twi'lek on guard duty got to his feet. Obi-Wan casually waved his hand in the air and said, "I'm welcome here."
"Oh. Welcome. Come on in," the guard said, settling back onto his stool.
Obi-Wan strode down a long hallway that opened into a disused warehouse. A few old crates were set up as a sabacc table and others as a makeshift bar. A large man sat on the ground leaning on a crate, holding a medpack against the side of his head. There were five more men gathered around and the one with the nicest clothes and a loud, deep voice was berating the others. A few tried to reason with him, but the rest just nodded dumbly. Finally Obi-Wan's eyes fell on Anakin. He was slumped over on a cot, his hands in binders.
"Hello there," Obi-Wan said and was satisfied to see more than one person jump before they all turned to him.
"And who are you?!" the leader's voice boomed.
"I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and I've come to retrieve my apprentice," he answered.
This caused a stir and the leader started sputtering. A massive man, at least a head taller than Obi-Wan and maybe twice his weight, stepped forward.
"I know all about you Jedi," he said with a sneer, "You prance around all important but you are useless without your lightsabers! Come one now, put your lightsaber on the ground and fight me like a man!"
Obi-Wan merely raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure? It would really be best for you if you surrender now."
The man huffed and slammed his fist into his open palm. He was sure.
"Alright then," Obi-Wan said, "As you wish." He unclipped his lightsaber and held it out to the side, never breaking eye contact, and let it fall to the ground. Despite the display of nonchalance, he did send a small Force tendril to cushion the fall, letting the lightsaber land gently on the floor without a sound. No need to rattle the delicate Khyber crystal unnecessarily.
The man wasted no time. He lunged forward and launched a wide right hook, moving faster than someone his size might be expected to move. Obi-Wan was faster. He ducked and sidestepped out of the way.
The man swung again, and again, and again and Obi-Wan ducked and dodged each attack. The man quickly grew frustrated and, seeing his opening, Obi-Wan stepped forward, inside his opponent's reach, and his fist connected with the man's throat.
The man stumbled back, clutching at his neck, and Obi-Wan spun, channeling his momentum into a sharp back kick that landed on the man's torso. He folded in half and fell to the ground. This gave Obi-Wan a second to catch his breath. From his peripheral vision he saw that the young Togruta had snuck inside and was hunched over Anakin, messing with the binders.
The other gangsters didn't hold back. Now they came at him all at once, slashing with vibroblades and metal knuckles. What Obi-Wan couldn't dodge, he got in close and blocked the blows with his forearms. He swept the feet out from under one attacker. Then dislocated the shoulder of another. One after another fell down around him until there was one left.
The leader stood with a fierce expression. His outstretched arm held a small hand blaster, pointed directly at Obi-Wan's face.
Obi-Wan held out his hands in a placating gesture, hoping to buy a few seconds as he called his lightsaber. The seconds stretched out and his lightsaber didn't come. The gangster boss looked nervous. Obi-Wan risked a glance at the ground. His saber had gotten knocked around during the fight and had rolled under some debris. With a sharp flick of the Force, it was knocked free and sailed to Obi-Wan's hand. He ignited it with a snap.
When Obi-Wan looked forward again, already cursing himself for the potentially deadly second of distraction, the man had already turned and was running away. He quickly disappeared behind a pile of crates and there was the sound of a door opening and closing. Maybe the man had lost his nerve. Or he simply had the good sense to know what would happen to him if he actually shot a Jedi, on Coruscant, with multiple witnesses. Whatever the reason, Obi-Wan was relieved. And, he thought harshly, glad that Qui-Gon wasn't there to see him make such a foolish mistake.
Around him, the injured fighters started helping each other to their feet and limping away.
"I can't believe the Boss just left us like that!" one muttered, shaking his head in disgust. "Should have listened to Ma about this job. Not worth the trouble."
"Go on, get out of here before I have you all arrested!" Obi-Wan said. He had no intention of arresting anyone, but it did speed them along.
He disengaged his lightsaber and went over to where the Togruta boy had somehow managed to pick the lock on Anakin's binders. Anakin was a bit dazed from the aftereffects of a stun blast, and pretty roughed up, but no serious injuries, thank the Force.
For a long moment Obi-Wan could only stare at Anakin. He was so relieved to find Anakin, he wanted to hug him. At the same time, he wanted to shake him and demand what he'd been thinking. Anakin looked up at him uncertainly and Obi-Wan was struck by how young Anakin was. The kid was so advanced, so talented and confident, that it was easy to forget he was still a youngling.
"Let's get out of here before anyone else shows up," Obi-Wan decided. He turned around and crouched down, patting his back to tell Anakin to climb on. Once Anakin was on his back, arms linked around his neck, Obi-Wan stood up with a grunt.
They left the way they had come in, passing the now empty stool that the guard had wisely abandoned. Obi-Wan walked the few blocks towards the transit station in silence, taking the time to catch his breath and try to get his thoughts in order. He barely noticed the young Togruta following a step behind.
….
TBC!
A/N: How's that for a rescue? Thanks for the reviews and support!
Preview: What will happen to Anakin now? Will he be punished for running away? Or will Obi-Wan take him back and forgive everything? And what about his plan to rescue his mom?