Chapter 3 Forced Cooperation
12 Hours Earlier
"I said put them down." The leader ordered again when neither apprentice moved to comply with his first order.
"What do you want?" Ferri asked.
"Justice; put those weapons down, now." The leader replied, pulling the youngling closer and pressing the barrel of his blaster into her head until she cried out.
"Alright, alright, just don't hurt her." Zak relented, powering his weapon down and laying it on the floor.
With an angry huff, Ferri followed suit, "Alright, we've done what you asked, now let her go." He demanded.
The leader smirked and shoved the girl back with the other younglings, "It's too bad you dragged your friend into this, Zak; but if you cooperate, I'll think about letting him live." He said.
"Do I know you?" Zak asked.
"Not me personally, no." The leader answered.
"Then how do you know me?" Zak asked.
"Let's just say we have a mutual friend." The leader said with a smile.
Zak crossed his arms across his chest, "Well, I'm not helping you." He replied.
"That's too bad." The leader said and aimed his blaster at Ferri, "Because your friend is going to suffer for it."
The leader fired and Ferri collapsed, moaning in pain and clutching his right leg, "Do what you're told, or I'll shoot his other leg, and then I'll move on from there." The leader told Zak as Ferri writhed in agony.
Zak knelt down next to his stricken comrade, "Ferri?"
"Don't…don't…" Ferri murmured.
"I don't have a choice, Ferri; I can't let him hurt you again." Zak answered.
"No, Zak." Ferri gasped.
Zak ignored him as he ripped the bottom of his tunic and started to wrap it around Ferri's injured leg, "I'll do what you ask, just don't hurt him anymore." He said.
"Good, now you gather up the rest of the abominations." The leader instructed.
"Abominations?"
"Oh come now, has it been that long that you have forgotten what you are?" The leader wondered.
"Is that what this is about? That law is no longer valid." Zak said as he knotted the cloth tightly.
"Says who? You can't just come in and dictate how we live; Belarid has its own laws." The leader replied, "Now, get up and get those little freaks ready to go."
"Zak, don't….don't do…this." Ferri pleaded.
"It will be alright; I'm sure every Jedi in the Temple is on their way down here." Zak whispered as he stood up, "Alright; but I don't know how far you think you'll get."
"We've worked that all out; you just get them dressed." The leader ordered pointing to a group of younglings standing apart from the others.
Zak shook his head, "Where are you taking them?" He asked as he moved toward them.
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough; you don't think we'd leave you behind do you? You're the biggest abomination of them all." The leader answered as Zak began to help the younglings.
"What do they want, Zak?" One of them asked.
"I don't know; but don't worry, I will not let them hurt you." Zak assured the frightened child.
"They killed Master Horan." Another said.
"I know; and that is why we must do what they say for now, alright?" Zak replied as he slipped a small foot into a boot.
"Will they kill us too?" Yet another wondered.
"I won't let that happen; it will be alright, help is on the way." Zak answered, chancing a glance back at Ferri.
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Several Knights pulled up short as they reached the wing housing the younger Jedi; the security door, closed only during emergency situations, had been slid closed and secured. It was a safety precaution put in place just after Sidious had been destroyed, prompted by the revelation of Anakin's alternate future nightmares. Now, their precaution had turned against them, and they were barred from reaching the endangered younglings. Obi-Wan closed his eyes and reached out to his Padawan; but before he could connect, a sense of horror and shock hit him, and he staggered back as if struck.
"Obi-Wan?" Mace inquired in concern.
"Something has…" Obi-Wan started and then was suddenly distracted, "Anakin?"
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The trip from the Skywalker flat to the Temple was a short one; Anakin shot into the bay at such a high rate of speed that he nearly slammed his vehicle into the parking ramp and leaped out almost before the craft had come to complete stop. He nearly reached the residential wings when the pain hit, causing him to drop to his knees until he could gain control of it; in a flash, Obi-Wan was standing over him, "I'm alright; it was Ferri." Anakin explained as Obi-Wan helped him to his feet.
"Yes, I thought as much." Obi-Wan answered.
"We must get to them quickly." Anakin said.
Obi-Wan shook his head, "We can't; the assault door has been sealed." He replied.
"What? Who would have done that?" Anakin wondered.
"I don't know; but we can't get in that way." Obi-Wan answered.
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Zak closed his eyes and reached out again to his master, "Oh no, none of that Jedi nonsense." The leader said, pulling out a second weapon and touching it to Zak's neck.
Before the young Jedi had a chance to react, the jolting shock had rendered him unconscious; Ferri struggled to move toward the still-open doorway only to find his way blocked by one of the invaders, "Say goodbye, Ferri." He said, leering as he aimed his blaster in Ferri's face.
"What's happening in there? Are you on your way out?" A disembodied voice asked.
The leader took a comlink from his belt, "We're just tying up some loose ends." He answered.
"How many do you have?" The voice asked.
The leader counted the small group now huddled next to Zak's limp body, "Seven, plus the older one you wanted." He replied.
"You won't get…away…with this." Ferri said through gritted teeth.
"Who is that?"
"A loose end named Ferri, I believe; we were just about to take care of him." The leader informed the voice.
"Well, take care of this 'Ferri' and get out of there; you're running out of…" The voice started to order, "….wait a moment…."
The leader shook his head at the man standing over Ferri, and the man nodded in acceptance; Ferri closed his eyes, trying, through a haze of pain to connect with Anakin.
"Did you say this other boy's name was Ferri?" The voice asked after several moments of silence.
"Yeah, that's what your friend, Zak, called him." The leader confirmed, "Does that mean something?"
"Well, not to me; but there's someone here who would like to see him."
"Does that mean we're not to tie up this particular loose end?" The leader asked.
"Not yet; neutralize him and bring him along." The voice ordered.
"You're the boss." The leader replied, "We'll be joining you shortly."
"Just remember, you're…"
"Yeah, yeah; running out of time." The leader finished and clipped the com back to his belt, "Well, boy, this is your lucky day."
"Master?!"
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"Blast!" Anakin exclaimed, "I had Ferri for a moment, and now he's gone again. We have to get in there."
"Well, that will take time; this was designed to prevent anyone from getting in there." Obi-Wan replied.
"Our only consolation is that they cannot get out; we can only hope they do not plan on killing all the Jedi in that wing." Mace added, "We will lose our future."
"What of the tunnel? Could we not get to them through it?" One of the Knights suggested.
"Not easily; we would face the same problem there as we do here." Anakin answered with a shake of his head.
Present Time
Anakin took Lida and her father to one of the private Council chambers; he sat down on one of the cushions and Lida pulled a cushion over and sat down in front of him. Darvin, unsure of what to do, stood near the door, "It would help Lida if you joined us, Lord Arnel." Anakin suggested.
"But I'm not like you." Darvin pointed out.
"It doesn't matter; she can feel your love, she needs that right now." Anakin answered.
With a nod, Darvin positioned another cushion and sat down between them.
"Alright, now I just want you to relax, Lida, and let me in. It might be a little scary at first, because the memories you've been hiding from yourself will come out, but I promise, once they are out, I can take them away from you." Anakin explained.
"You mean so that I won't remember anything? I don't think I want you to do that, Master Skywalker." Lida told him.
"I won't take everything; just the very bad parts, alright?" Anakin replied.
Lida thought for a moment, "Alright; I guess I would like to forget some of it." She conceded.
"I'll let you decide." Anakin said.
Lida nodded then took a deep breath and closed her eyes; Anakin placed a hand on each side of her head as he merged with the Force and reached out into her mind.
The part of Lida's mind containing the memories of her abduction and captivity was filled with fear and anxiety; and as Anakin released those repressed memories, Lida whimpered, "It's alright; these are only memories, they cannot hurt you. Your father is here, can you feel him?" Anakin assured her.
Immediately, he felt Darvin Arnel's love surround her; not Force love, but simply the love a father felt for his daughter, and that, Anakin felt, was enough as the painful memories flooded both their minds. Anakin sifted through them, searching through the fear of being snatched in plain view by a masked assailant while she and her mother were shopping. He saw, as Lida had, the look of helpless terror on her face as Lida was taken. He felt Lida as she fought to escape, kicking and lashing out, before being dragged into a waiting speeder. Anakin eased the painful sharpness of those images, blurring them until they were nothing more than vague recollections of what they had been; Lida relaxed visibly. The Jedi Master continued on, searching for anything that would reveal the identity of….and there it was, a clear image. Even having found what he needed, Anakin continued to sort through everything; blurring the frightening images and obliterating the most painful ones Lida chose not to retain. After nearly an hour, Anakin could feel that Lida was at peace with her ordeal and he gently eased back. She sighed, "Did you find what you needed, Master Skywalker?" She asked.
"Yes, thank you, Lida; are you feeling better?" Anakin asked.
Lida nodded and then yawned, "But I feel so tired." She complained.
Anakin smiled, "I expected that; why don't you and your father stay here for a bit and you can take a little nap." He suggested and then stood up.
"Oh…alright." Lida replied, yawning again.
Darvin smiled tenderly as he put his arm around her and pulled her close before looking up at Anakin, "Thank you." He whispered.
Anakin returned the smile and patted his shoulder, then turned to leave, "Remain here as long as you wish; I will post a Jedi outside to escort you when you're ready to leave, and if you need anything, just let him know." He said quietly.
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The Council reconvened soon after Anakin had finished with Lida; each one eager to hear if Anakin had been successful. As the last of them arrived and the chamber door closed, Anakin stood to reveal what he had discovered, "I think we can be certain that there is a definite connection to Belarid." He announced.
"So she did catch a glimpse of her kidnappers." Shaak Ti assumed.
"She fought like a nexu and managed to pull the mask from one of them." Anakin answered.
"I'm surprised they let her go after she did that." Luminara Unduli replied.
"Well, apparently they thought about it, and then decided it would take too long to find another youngling. They were definitely looking for Belaridians; and they may not even be finished. I think we have to bring all the fostered younglings here to protect them." Anakin advised.
"How did they know about her to begin with, Anakin?" Mace wondered.
"Ah, that's a good question; one of them knew her." Anakin answered.
"Who?" Eeth Koth wondered.
"Her brother." Anakin replied.
"Her brother is behind this?" Plo Koon interjected.
"Not behind it, no; but he is part of it." Anakin corrected.
"Was he the one she saw then, Anakin?" Adi Gallia asked.
"No, that was Melak Perrin." Anakin informed them.
"Perrin? As in Zak Perrin?" Stass Allie guessed.
"Zak's uncle, yes." Obi-Wan confirmed, "Why does that not surprise me."
"So, it is a group of extremists then." Eeth Koth said.
"But what are they planning to do with our younglings?" Depa Billaba wondered.
"Carry out Belaridian law, more than likely, and exile them." Obi-Wan answered, "Perhaps it would be best to contact the penal colonies concerning…"
"The Belaridians who were convicted in connection with the experimentation there; yes, that would be wise." Ki-Adi Mundi finished.
"And Zak's family; if his uncle a part of this is, perhaps more of them involved are." Yoda added.
"That is a distinct possibility; and could be the prime reason why Zak was singled out." Mace concurred.
"Yes, Terak's personal vendetta." Obi-Wan agreed with a shudder as he remembered the hate he felt from Terak as he was led from the courtroom following his conviction.
"That still leaves Ferri's abduction a mystery; he and Zak were barely on speaking terms when that happened." Anakin puzzled.
"I'm sure the reason for it will reveal itself, my brother." Obi-Wan assured him.
"Hopefully before it's too late." Anakin replied.