Chapter 5 kiddie missiles


LUKE POV

Crawling up and down air ventilation shafts is definitely not my forte

He had been doing this for what had felt like hours. Or maybe he was just exaggerating. But with no way to tell the time it certainly felt that long.

Attempting at masking his very ever so bright force presence took more than a lot out of him than he'd like to admit. He was easily growing tired. As much as he'd hate to admit it he was hopelessly lost as well, only navigating the maze by following a certain familiar presence. It was quite difficult to pinpoint it because it was slightly mingled in with that of almost every other freakin Jedi who lived at the temple. And that was a lot of Jedi.

I can't stop now. I need to get to master Yoda. Then I can rest and have a decent meal. I just hope doing all this is worth it. Luke thought looking down at his now dust covered clothes. His stomach rumbled hungrily begging for much needed food.

He could feel master Yoda's force presence more clearly now. He was getting closer.

Almost there he thought excitedly. It was coming from one or two floors above him and alittle to the left this time.

With renewed vigor he began the tedious task of crawling through the airshaft once again.

Up ahead there was another large grated vent that took up all the bottom of the airshaft. Most of the vents were smaller in size. He would have to crawl over the vent because there wasn't any room to go around it like there was with the smaller ones.

Crawling toward the large vent he heard voices down below. Peering through he couldn't see anybody, only a stack of empty brown boxes below on the floor. Though the force presences pinpointed the occupants to be on the other side of the room so no one would see him climbing over the vent if he did so, which was a good thing.

He carefully clambered his way across the vent as fast as he dared; almost to the other side of the shaft he felt the vent under him unexpectedly give way.

LAGUAN POV

Laguan, a ten year old mon calamari, was bored. Really really bored. He and his class were practicing sparing in the spare sparing room. It wasn't too big. Two opponents would face off against each other at a time while the rest of the class watched.

He found this all pretty boring. He desperately wished to know more details about the events four days before. It was said that a dark Jedi had broken in to the temple. It was rumored that the perpetrator had attempted to steal some sith holocrons but to no avail. Extra security was sent to where ever the holocrons were kept to prevent anyone without authorization from entering so the intruder would have no way of getting in or accessing the holocron chamber. But still the dark Jedi still managed to get away though and some of the masters were fearing he might come back even with that area secure. No one got to see his face really good either so this dark Jedi could be anyone anywhere on Coruscant.

I bet the masters might know who it is though. But as usual the secretive bunch won't tell us he thought.

Lauguan was bored. He wanted to help some way just like the rest of the younglings instead of being babysat all the time. The masters always said that it was "for your safety, every life is precious, and we wouldn't want anything to happen to you younglings who still have your whole life ahead of you. No need to try to waste it chasing around a dark Jedi when we have perfectly capable knights and masters working on the situation. I assure you it will be resolved soon."

But not soon enough. I just can't sit here and do nothing. I wish there was some way I could help catch the fallen Jedi

Just as lauguan finished that thought the metal vent grating in the far corner of the room plunged down from the ceiling carrying something humanoid, black clothed , and very dusty down with it into a stack of brown boxes that was supposed to be moved out a couple days before but for some unknown reason never was.

There was only one conclusion to this intrusion that laguan thought off.

It's the dark Jedi he thought excitedly. Who else goes around wearing all black and climbing in ventilation shafts. Certainly not any type of respectable master or knight.

Now's my time to actually do something productive. I'll catch him and show everyone how big of a help I can be he thought determinedly.

LUKE POV

Luke landed heavily on the ground, successfully crushing the big brown boxes that did little to nothing to soften his fall.

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow. That hurt more than I expected he grumbled annoyed in his head.

Just then he turned and noticed a group of kids staring, well more like gaping, at him. The youngest in the group seemed to be about five years old and the oldest ranged to around the age of twelve. It seemed as if the younglings had been sparing because they were all holding practice sabers or had them strapped to their belts.

No one moved.

Sixteen pairs of eyes stared at him. Seemingly to stare right in to him. Right into him.

Searing into his soul.

Actually maybe not that strong but geez those little childlike eyes literally pinned him to the floor so much so that he was paralyzed and couldn't find it in himself to possibly move anytime soon and it was surprisingly very scary.

There were visible expressions of disbelief, fear, surprise, caution, and… determination?

The tension in the room was near palpable.

Then the silence was shattered with a cry of "it's the dark Jedi who attacked the temple! Let's get him!"

A mon calamari then charged at him with a battle cry. Swinging his practice saber fiercly.

Then as if on cue the rest of the fifteen younglings charged as well.

Their little voices rising high and squeaky as they barreled forward straight toward luke.

His only thought was oh shite!

It was almost as if some force was controlling them directing the little brats at him and saying TARGET LOCKED. ENGAGE IN COMBAT.

Broken out of his reverie by the incoming little kiddie missiles, he sprang up from the pile of now crushed boxes with cry and ran for his life toward the only visible door.

The stampede of children ran after him crushing the already crushed boxes even further, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

He looked back wincing thinking that could have been me.

Flinging the door open so it slammed against the wall he sprinted down the ornate hallway, not even having time to admire the interior of the temple as the stampede of younglings swept after him yelling obscenities at the top of their lungs such as:

"There's the Sith!"

"He's the dark Jedi who broke in to the temple!"

"Vent climber!"

"Don't let him get away!"

"Get the dangerous man!"

"Let's capture the fallen Jedi. He's wearing all black!"

"We'll get you!"

"You won't get away!"

"You'll be sorry for attacking our temple Sith!"

"Help us catch him!"

"You'll pay for what you did!"

Their screeching and screaming was hurting his ears and giving him the beginnings of a major headache.

Have kids ever been this annoying. Damn kids. Their drawing unwanted attention that I definitely don't need. When will they shut up. He thought furious.

All his efforts to see master Yoda were for naught.

Now even knights and masters were chasing him. Actually believing him to be the Sith or dark Jedi because of all the commotion those friggin kids were causing.

Already drained and weary he could do nothing but run from the mob who thought he was some fallen Jedi and were hell bent on capturing him or –gulp- killing him. He didn't even bother to try to hide this force presence anymore.

Just because I wear all black doesn't mean I'm a dark Jedi and or sith he thought complaining to himself also adding how was I supposed to know the Jedi temple was broken in to a couple of days ago.

He cursed aloud for his bad luck while sprinting down hallways and practically flying down flights of stairs as fast as he could, running as if the demon were on his heels.

The throng of masters, padawans, knights, and younglings grew larger and larger. Objects as well as light sabers were flung at him which seemed very un-Jedi like as well as dangerous. He kept having to counter attack the force pushes and shoves sent his way. It was all very draining.

He finally entered a very long large enormous hallway. He would have like to stop to admire it if he hadn't been fighting for his life. A sign on the wall called this area the Great Hall and there was an exit at the end of it.

Using all of his strength he bounded toward the open large door. Sunlight poured in as if it was the gateway to heaven itself.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be that easy to get to the door. There were about ten mysterious masked figures holding double bladed staff like yellow lightsabers. They blocked his path to the entrance of the Jedi temple but it was acting as his soon to be he hoped exit. He had to get their fast because the door was being slowly closed.

All noise seemed to be droned out. Every presence in the force slowly fading away. Becoming muffled and muddled as if a thick woolen blanket were draped over them all. All but that exit that practically sang freedom to him. The world seemed to dim around him and that door with holy sunlight streaming through was the only thing he saw. No more screams, shouts, taunts, or yells reached his ears. They weren't important now.

Not anymore.

I need to escape. I need to get out that door. I can't die yet. I can't be captured either. I need to stop Sidious. He thought as time seemed to slow.

Using as much of the force as he dared, careful not to exhaust himself completely, he leapt over the temple guards or sentinels, as he presumed that was who they were, and soared toward one of the many pillars in the great hall, kicking off of it he sending his spinning body flying cartwheel through the crack in the closing door while, at the spur of the moment deciding to do something rash, flipping off every single jedi present as he sailed outside landing perfectly on his feet. The door shutting with a loud thud behind him. Closing all the gaping jedi and dumbfounded guards inside with it. He couldn't help the crooked smile that broke out upon his face.

Not wanting to stick around and see the dire consequences for his actions he dashed away muddling his force presence so that it fit that of a normal non force sensitive. No matter how tired he was or how much he felt like he would faint right then and there on the spot he had to get away and replan things.

He headed for the underworld of Coruscant, trying to get lost in with the rest of the crowd