CHAPTER FOUR

ASTEROID

The stars passed them on the ship. They took a break in the mess. The galaxy was a beautiful sight out here, with nothing between them and the stars.

The had exchanged some of their forces, the Jedi assault ship returning to Yavin IV, he supposed, unless they had additional mission parameters – they themselves were going to check out of a suspicious location they had uncovered in the system. Macron had joined them as well, of course – she was still, in essence, his pupil, although he occasionally felt woefully unprepared to teach.

They had been forced to take the Basshan girl with them. For now. The planet had been blockaded off with cruisers, and they were on the look-out now. Per'l had no idea how he was going to return her, but he had no doubt it would be made his responsibility.

"We followed the signal out here – it looks like that asteroid is our destination."

"It's the last true Imperial post in the sector, and it looks unguarded. It might have all the information we need."

They landed their transport inside – it used to be a docking station of some kind and the walls had been carved and mined away to accommodate large ships. The ship was relatively slender compared to most. The cave suddenly seemed a lot smaller with it inside though. They could see the lights of a control station ahead – but there were still no life-signs.

"Where's the atmosphere coming from?" Macron asked, observing the life monitors.

"It must be a fragment of some habitable planetoid that was destroyed. Trapped the atmosphere in a pocket."

"It's odd, it's not dispersing. It should have all rushed out of here."

"There must be a vacuum trapping it."

A vacuum in a vacuum?

"Are you sure? Well I'm not up on my geophysics."

"Hang on, I'll set up the atmospheric bubble."

After the crew was ready to disembark, there was a pause as Macron talked to Per'l.

"Our bacta reserves are a little low – we should stop at the next system."

"I thought we just did our shopping."

"But no bacta."

"We're on an ex-Imperial station, maybe we should just look around, see if we can pick up anything here at the same time."

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't trust Imperial reserves. Besides, they might have the place booby-trapped."

"We'll be careful."

"Okay. Just don't overdo it. Last thing we want is some less than retired cruisers warping in and blasting this asteroid apart."

Per'l packed on his thermal boots, strapped on his cantina and his blaster, and dropped down into the thin atmosphere.

Maybe the way these tunnels open into space and on themselves created some kind of vacuum seal. Maybe it's possible.

Wait a second! He just realised. There was gravity. And it continued beyond even the ship's generator. The facility itself must be generating it, and therefore it must also be generating whatever field kept the atmosphere compressed. It was a much simpler explanation.

Strange that he hadn't detected anything, these rocks must be hiding the signal. He had hacked the information off their personal command center mainframe, he didn't think it was supposed to be easily found.

"At least that explains the atmosphere. The machinery must still be working." He transmitted in to the ship.

They had made a quick camp, with e-battery lights, and crates for seats, around a fireless set that nonetheless produced warmth and light.

Their Trandoshan companion offered his expertise.

"Atmospherrre pocket. It happens - sometimess. The combination of atmospheresss glues it together like a hyyydrogen bubble and traps it. It insulatesss itssself against the vacuum of space and resists it like a water bubble, multipled mannny-fold." He made odd claw movements to emphasis his explanation.

He was a veteran of space exploration and knew many of these things to tell them. Partly why Per'l had been glad for the Trandoshan's company. His Galactic Standard was excellent, but he still hadn't cured that odd jaw-clicking accent. He was smart too, which was easy to overlook when he sounded unfamiliar with the language. Probably why he worked so hard to master it.

And yet he never spoke in his own. Per'l decided that the Trandoshan must have decided it was some kind of politeness in non-Trandoshan company. Odd, but definitely made you like the fellow.

Per'l thought he was an engineer physicist of some sort before this, but he hadn't inquired too deeply. The Trandoshan was sensitive about his past.

They went exploring, Macron with him. The station extended into what appeared to be some defunct military Imperial barracks, and large medical extension modules. Bunks and oxygen converters collecting dust in the half-gloom, the station lights at emergency stasis power.

He found empty genetic capsules. "Looks almost like some kind of laboratory. This isn't like the other clone tanks I've seen."

Macron touched the surface of a console with her finger. "Dust. Probably means people. But not for a while."

The Empire had reverse-engineered the secret of cloning, and it was rumoured they had many places for which to produce new corps members. One day it might have replaced their recruitment rosters, and the galaxy would truly be under an iron, mechanical and ruthless thumb. It was rumoured that Darth Vader himself was partly mechanical, perhaps some experimental warrior – but Per'l thought that it was more likely the power of the Force.

So many mysteries created in the wake of the Rebellion's fight against the Empire. Its battles were legend, but still the stories were filtering back, trying to paint in a clear picture of what happened on those momentous occasions.

He saw it again. The shadow had followed them. He knew it.

You are no Jedi, the figure had said, and laughed. Hiding behind one of the station supply crates this time.

There was a dark side in all of us, he was beginning to suspect.

He went further. Beyond the hollowed out rooms, and metal facility construction, and into the tunnels that must have existed eons before. He found what he was looking for, lurking deep inside. There was something living here.

He touched it.

Yearning. He heard from the centipede like thing. Struggling for the stars. You could pick up small things like that.

Most Jedi interrogation was a matter of finding the right key words, based on responses and acting on them. He wasn't entirely trained at it, but he did have some skill at it. He had seen Luke do it once and it had been almost unbelievable, a man just spilling his entire life, ills and misfortunes and shames, in front of him for all to see with hardly a nudge. Strangest of all, the man didn't even seem ashamed afterwards, he was just very quiet, as if finally having a rest from so many burdens, although not free in the physical sense. Until he was returned home.

It had been almost frightening. Luke had such powers, they even made other Jedi sceptical.

Luke wished to train them as well as his own master, that he knew, and that would be something to see.

Per'l had simply been curious. He got no sensation that it had encountered others before. But there was something about it that was strange to him. As if this entire place was tainted in a darkness he couldn't see. He had felt it even before they had approached, but ignored it in order to complete their mission.

What would you prefer? Greater power at risk to your soul? Or to remain as you are, with no risk?

He sometimes wondered if the spectre that haunted him was master Luke in disguise, but he had been too afraid to ask.

It was his personal battle, and he would win it. At any cost. He would prove himself worthy of the rank of Jedi. He was eager too. He wished to be one who represented the name, and well, with pride. He felt a little uneasy with that deficit of rank around people like Kell, as if he was failing in some small way, as if perhaps he wasn't the best example of the Jedi Order – and he wished to be, it was in his heart to be.

He approached the subject circumspectly, returning to camp, wondering if a Force user could have hidden themselves from him.

"Mm. A shadow master, someone who can obscure himself in the Force. I had heard rumours of such dark creatures, but reckoned them to simply be stories of the sort that occurred. Jedi have a pretty strange reputation already, not always trusted." Was Per'l's offer, and his companions had plenty of opinions to offer.

It's the actions you choose to take, that define you as a soul. It is a Jedi's job to train it.

Hmm. So what action would he take now?

He took a roam on the surface, tiny directional energy markers in his boot keeping him anchored. Unlike the droid's high-powered magnetic treads, which only worked on metals. Of course the surface actually was metal, but that was neither here nor there, it paid to be prepared. Not everyone carried jet-packs and booster rockets or flying hover-sleds.

"The Jedi way demands difficult things from those who would follow its path."

The Jedi way. Not the Jedi order... It seemed meaningful to him somehow, like all Jedi wisdom was.

The first to be seduced by the Sith and their ways were themselves. But it was difficult to remember while they perpetrated evil upon the innocent. He didn't understand how Skywalker could find their philosophies in any way humourous when they led to such barbarities as they were famous for.

Sith was something he knew something about, he had studied them, even requested files from the galactic codex. The ancient enemy of the Jedi, he wondered about them often. If they could lurk on forgotten worlds as the last of the Jedi did.

If they were truly the twin order of the Jedi...

Luke had grown cold at the suggestion. He didn't explain why, but Per'l got the sense that that wasn't how Luke thought of it at all.

There were two. He said. And then there was one. The last one. And now he's gone. And he broke off the conversation as if that was the end of the matter. But Per'l didn't think it was the end at all. Sooner or later, those sympathetic to the Sith religion had to become again – as the Jedi Order grew, its dissidents would also gain power, it was a simple fact.

And so he wondered, and thought about how to be prepared. He wondered what Luke's thoughts were, but he never learned.

In a way, it would be a positive sign. Evil must bring itself to light, the Jedi's light. He was almost eager for it. Never again must they dominate the universe as the Emperor had.

Far away at that moment, Luke's thoughts were indeed on that subject. But as far away as he was, Per'l could not be aware of it. Or how abruptly his thoughts would turn to immediate circumstances.

Macron was sitting next to the Basshan when he returned. He still hadn't learned a name.

"How'd she even get on board?"

"It's a dangerous galaxy, we better look after her."

"I didn't even realise there were any Basshan out here." She said.

"You recognise her then?"

"Of course. They're adorable."

Macron picked her up and tickled her fur. At least she knew what she was doing around her.

"And she's more like thirteen. Although for a Basshan that doesn't mean entirely the same thing as with humans."

"Well I don't have an eye for that sort of thing."

The Basshan's own eyes seemed to glitter in reponse.

"We can't go back, there's an imperial cruiser. But her parents will think we stole her."

"Well I guess little miss britches here can just explain that herself. I mean, you didn't, did you?"

"She just stowed away, I had no idea, I swear. I don't even know how she kept up – in fact, she must have gotten ahead of us."

He squinted at her suddenly. She seemed like the same creature. They were going to have to set up the universal translator in the ship and interrogate her anyway. Not sure how much luck it'd have though. Maybe Macron would make it easier, she seemed to have some familiarity with the species.

She seemed fascinated by the lightsaber, but he wasn't about to hand over his jedi's weapon just to satisfy her curiosity.

They had broken out the food supplies as well.

"What are these?" a recruit asked. A New Republic soldier, Per'l could tell by the fresh uniform he wore with pride. Looked like a good addition to the ranks. Unam was his name.

"Biscuit rations. Be careful with them, we don't have many."

And they sat around the heat-fire, and in the vague camp-like comfort, they swapped a few stories and passed the time with games.

"I think this used to be some extended mining and refuelling complex for their starfighters. A lot of hydrogen cells and ion pumps."

"Asteroid belts like these are rich in trapped gas pockets and fuels."

He decided to get some last minute exploring in, while Macron handled the resupply and got the ship ready. It had been a nice rest from ex-Imperial troubles, in the most ironic location they could find, but they couldn't stay here that long.

"Find anything else?" Unam asked him, having replaced Macron as his companion.

"Not so far." he held up his cortical drive. "Still, I got everything I could here too. And I-"

He cut off abruptly.

There was an explosion. Something had happened near the ship.

(*)

Kell sold him out. They had them cut off at the entrance.

"Not often one gets a Jedi, rare breed these days, but just as expensive." Kell said, when the two were standing there, astonished.

I never picked up any sign of deceit in his mind, no notion of betrayal. What is he, some kind of disguised droid?

"I see you're attempting to figure me out, how I got past your vaunted Jedi powers. You'll just have to keep wondering." Kell taunted him.

The ship must be deactivated, they must have sabotaged it right away. Or... of course... Kell must have anticipated this.

Pointing the blaster at him.

"Turns out the only defense against a Jedi is a Sith." Kell added, strangely to Per'l's ears.

The crew were being held there under blaster guard – Kell had about fourteen troopers with him, far more than the six companions he had. The only person missing was... Macron. Naturally. And the little Basshan. He smiled to himself. She must have hidden the little thing, smart girl, he knew he could rely on her.

The Sith! If that was the shadowmaster, then it answered two questions.

Too bad that assault ship's gone. They're already reporting back to Luke.

He whipped out his blaster, and fired off shots at the roof. Kell didn't even see the fuel cells that had been bracketed up there for easy loading. The entire asteroid mass shuddered. It threw them off-balanced and distracted, and he was already running for cover behind a bulwark embedded in the rock.

He was risking his crew, but better to take a chance than to deliver themselves over to the last of the evil Empire. If Macron had some more subtle notion, there wasn't time to explore it.

At first he hadn't believed it, and then the certainty came over him, as his memories realigned with this new surprise, and he realised it made sense.

He should have been aware of it, he was shocked. Kell must have taken some kind of perverse pleasure in fooling him. He had never been in danger, he had been drawing the danger to Per'l. He had never felt so foolish.

But how? How did Kell keep it hidden from him?

Everyone, enemy and crew alike, suddenly scrambled for cover in the ruckus, shots firing off wildly.

Blast, without weapons, they're helpless.

He fired his own blaster, trying to keep the enemy on guard before they rushed his crew. With relief he saw they made it into the ship. They'd grab the weapons there, have a fighting chance. Their own blasters must have been confiscated, they must have been taken by surprise.

The pistol had an accelerator module. It charged a few seconds before being primed for firing. He used it because often the enemy would wait those few precious instants too long to duck, and the accelerated speed would catch them off-guard, reduce them those few extra instants to find cover.

Not easy to find a blaster with the right balance of speed and fire-power and accuracy, especially against blaster armour.

Personal shields changed the rules of combat a little, you could take a little flak for a fire-fight, and just as well, because the weapons they used on the battlefield could sizzle a man right inside his armour. Storm-trooper armour was efficient, but it wasn't invulnerable.

One of the gun turrets on the ship were activated, and the stormtroopers were surprised a it suddenly opened fire. That sent them running, as the energy bolts started blasting their ranks, hitting one after another. Suddenly the battle had turned against them.

Bloodies and battered, Kell followed after him, crawling in through the window, and standing up to accost him. His eyes were wild and red, recognising that he was alone now. Most of his troops had fallen.

"Don't worry. More will be coming. They're landing even now." He hissed, exchanging his blaster from one hand to another, noting that Per'l's was gone. He was not foolish enough to shoot directly at him, but they were standing a little too near a row of thermal canisters. One shot, and they'd both go out.

His eyes twitched. Per'l knew he had made a decision. Against a Jedi, he couldn't have made any other.

Per'l dived through the window, smashing the reinforced blaster-proof material with his lightsaber and an application of the Force – just as the entire room exploded.

The shockwave still hit him, and he tumbled through the air and hit rock hard, making an "oof" as the air whumped out of his lungs.

The storm-troopers were already in retreat. When it had cleared, he found Kell again. Pinned under a metal girder and rubble.

He approached. Kell was struggling to say something. Per'l was still struggling to understand this switch in allegiance. He shouted at Kell to answer him for what he had done.

"The Jedi are people who believe in something so strongly, they speak lies as if they are truth," he spat, blood on his lips. "I will never trust a galaxy with any of you in it."

"But you serve a Sith of the dark side!" he exclaimed. Kell had not revealed who, but Per'l didn't see a reason not to believe his own dying words.

"Then there would only be one. I serve only my own purposes."

"That's what the Sith told you." He said sadly. "Don't you see where it's brought you? You've just become a tool of their existence. Just like I foreseen might happen if they arose again."

If only Luke had listened.

Per'l could not have anticipated his idle fancies coming true so soon, and in such a manner. But if those loyal to the Emperor still remained, it was something he could understand... But something he would have to understand later.

They ran for it. "Come on, get this ship moving!"

The lightsaber cut through the supports with heavy fission. With the gravity generator set to multiply itself and keep increasing, this whole place would implode on itself.

Kell was pinned, yelling incomprehensible curses after him.

All Jedi have a connection to the Force.

The ship started up. They got out of there as they felt the cave rumbling around them.

But something appeared on their radar.

"Crap! Something's on us. And while we're in an asteroid field."

The one thing Luke told us to be sure not to do.

The shield generator had been disabled, and Per'l was still trying to restore it as Macron piloted.

The no-longer operational complex must have had starfighters waiting there. It could have been a very clever trap, but one they had adroitly missed.

The canisters' thermo-gravity kept it suspended in the air while he worked.

"Twenty more seconds and those fighters will be on us! Hurry!"

"Got it!" Kicked it into place, and scrambled into place, snatching up his satchel on the go.

He remembered that odd feeling when the Death Star entered the system. He knew now that it was a gravity distortion, everything on the planet had felt it as they became slightly lighter or heavier. He thought about it, because he was having something like that sensation now.

A disturbance in the Force.

A moment more and he had it. The shield generator came back on-line. He retook his place amid the consternation.

The station exploded behind them. Soon thereafter, they had fought off the fighters and plotted their new course. They went to warp.

One must remain calm.

They had escaped...

"Not today, Jedi killer."

THE END