Chapter 22 Break Before Bending
Obi-Wan could sense no deception from the man who identified himself as Park; and could see no reason to continue restraining him. With a wave of his hand, he released the binders and returned them to the skeptical Bell. Park smiled congenially, "I will show you the way to our Caves." He offered with a gesture in their general direction.
Obi-Wan nodded in return and Park turned to lead the way; while they walked, he revealed the same history he had to Ferri before leading into the story of how he had come upon the missing Jedi and answered all of the Jedi Master's questions without hesitation. Moving swiftly, they reached the Caves much quicker than the younglings and the injured Ferri had and were greeted as the younger Jedi had been. Ket appeared from the mouth of the cave to join her mate and ushered the newcomers in, "You are here for your missing little ones." She said, "They were certain someone would come for them."
Waves of relief flooded Obi-Wan as he entered the cave; the younglings had felt his presence. Shel walked toward him and bowed, "We knew someone would come." She stated.
"And so they have; are any of you injured?" Obi-Wan asked as he knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Only Ferri during the attack; but he and Zak took good care of us." Shel answered.
"Where are Ferri and Zak now?" Obi-Wan questioned.
"Park took Ferri in there." Shel told him, pointing to an alcove, "We don't know where Zak is; he left the ship to figure out where we were and he never came back."
"The Lodgers have him." Ferri answered as he hobbled out, "And we have to get him out before Park has him killed."
Obi-Wan stood up quickly and whipped around to face Park, "What?"
Park looked at the ground, "Apologies. We felt it was necessary to prevent Li from using him against us; we had no way of knowing when anyone would come for them." He explained.
The Jedi master put a hand over his mouth and closed his eyes for a moment, "I cannot let that happen." He said and then turned toward the clone leader, "Bell, take Ferri and the younglings back to the ship."
"Yes, Master Kenobi." Bell replied and then began to give orders to his men.
"What are you going to do, Master Kenobi?" Ferri wondered.
"Save Zak's life." Obi-Wan answered, pulling the comm from his belt.
"I will guide you to the Lodge." Park offered.
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After delivering his charges to Anakin, Boba returned to his ship to contact the Obi-Wan, who instructed the young ex-bounty hunter to join him in the search for his missing apprentice to the north. After a brief 'discussion' with Dena, the pair left together heading for the coordinates Obi-Wan had relayed to him. They had not gone very far, however, when the plan to join the searchers was altered; the sharp eyes of the young Clone had spotted the body of the dead growler. Remembering Anakin's warning, Boba pulled his comm from his belt, "Master Kenobi." He announced.
"Yes, Boba." Obi-Wan's voice responded.
"Dena and I have come upon the body of...well, it appears to be a primitive humanoid." Boba replied.
"It is probably a native to this moon; I am on my way to meet Lieutenant Bell, who appears to have encountered another native. I advise you to continue on to join with the search group heading north; Commander Cody is in charge now." Obi-Wan instructed.
"Yes sir; there is just one thing. Unless these natives have blasters, it appears we are dealing with more here than just them." Boba added.
Several minutes of silence followed, "Master Kenobi?" Boba prompted.
"Terak and the hunters from Alderaan were not among those we took into custody on Corellia; Melak revealed they had left sometime before we arrived. If your primitive was killed by blaster fire, it is most likely them. Have a care, Boba; they have something personal against you." Obi-Wan warned.
"I'll keep my eyes open, Master Kenobi." Boba assured the Jedi master.
"Head for the coordinates I gave you; it is best if you are not alone too long." Obi-Wan advised.
"Will do; Boba out." Boba answered, ending the transmission; then turned toward Dena, "This is why I wanted you to stay with the ship."
Dena folded her arms, "When are you going to accept that I can take care of myself, Boba Fett?" She demanded.
Boba shook his head and took her hand, "Come on." He replied, pulling her away from the slaughtered primitive.
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Li entered the harnessing room to the sound of numerous warning alarms and a frantic Asjen trying to bring the malfunctioning systems under control, "What is happening, Asjen; what are you doing?" Li demanded.
"Apologies." Asjen replied as she continued to work, "It appears Tog has lost all control."
"Tog has never been this erratic; are you certain it is him?" Li asked.
"There is no other explanation." Asjen answered, managing to effectively correct one system and moving on to another.
Li folded her arms, "Is there not?" She wondered turning her attention to the harnessed Jedi.
Asjen hesitated as she too turned to regard her captive, "Impossible; he was completely subdued." She insisted and returned to her work.
"Subdued but not broken, Asjen." Li corrected, "He may be trying to free himself."
"Perhaps." Asjen admitted and moved to the console controlling Zak's stanchion.
"Well?" Li prompted.
"It appears he has managed to gain control of more systems than I thought possible." Asjen informed her, "However, I do not believe it will take much to bring him into line."
She waved a hand over a section of the console and the humming of the energy field surrounding Zak increased. Zak's fingers twitched and he tossed his head, fighting Asjen's disciplinary attempts as another alarm sounded to signal yet another system malfunction.
"It is not working, Asjen." Li observed.
Asjen shook her head as she waved her hand again over the console causing the energy field to crackle; Zak moaned as he head jerked, his fingers began to twitch convulsively and his breathing became erratic. But the punishment seemed to have no effect on the young Jedi's control as two more alarms sounded.
"He'll destroy the entire energy grid, Asjen." Li cried out.
"Not without destroying himself." Asjen countered.
It suddenly occurred to Li what Zak's true intentions were, "He does not care; he told us what we are doing here is wrong, and he has found a means to destroy it." She stated.
Asjen turned to meet Li's eyes with puzzlement, "Even if he is forced to move on?" She wondered.
Li reached out to touch the mind of the tortured Jedi, "Yes." She answered with a mixture of wonderment and awe, "To prevent us from harnessing any others, and from...from using our weapon."
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Zak's consciousness pushed into another system, causing it to overload; he found it strangely simple to ignore what he perceived to be Asjen's attempts to control him through pain as he continued his work. He had given himself to the task of eliminating any chance that Ferri or another unfortunate primitive would be enslaved through harnessing and destroying Li's weapon; if he had to destroy himself to accomplish this, then so be it. He was only vaguely aware when, some time later, the physical torture ceased and failed to understand or even care why until the gentle touch of his master's Force presence brushed his.
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After separating from Terak, Devan and Kien continued their search for more of the now seemingly elusive throwbacks. After an hour of fruitless tracking, Kien was ready to quit and return to the ship; but Devan was determined to take her second trophy and stubbornly continued on despite Kien's numerous protests. What they encountered, though, was something neither of them expected.
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"Ssh." Boba hissed as he held his hand out and crouched down.
"What?" Dena whispered as she crouched down beside him.
"Listen." He whispered in response.
For several minutes, they remained silent as they listened to a male voice repeatedly voicing his desire to 'return to the ship'. Something about the voice seemed vaguely familiar to the ex-bounty hunter but it wasn't until a woman's voice silenced his protests that Boba realized why. He turned to Dena, "Devan." He whispered.
Dena gripped his arm, sensing just what her friend intended to do, "You can't." She whispered.
"You stay here." He ordered, brushing her hand away as he stood up.
But Dena shook her head and stood with him, "Where you go, I go." She whispered firmly.
Boba regarded her for a moment, then nodded and took her hand, leading her closer to the voices; under the cover of the trees, they waited. And they did not wait long as a crashing of brush preceded Devan's voice, "It's no wonder we haven't found any other throwbacks with all the noise you're making." She complained.
"I didn't even want to come here, remember." Kien retorted.
Dena touched Boba's arm and he nodded; together they stood and stepped out several paces in front of the pair of hunters.
Kien's jaw dropped as Devan brought her blaster up only to be find herself facing three weapons; two in the possession of a dark haired young man and the third in his companion's, a girl with shoulder length blond hair. Kien took a step back and raised his own weapon, "I wouldn't." The girl warned, training her blaster on him.
Kien, lacking Devan's gall, dropped his rifle and raised his hands above his head in surrender.
Devan ignored him and smiled, "Well, well, what do we have here? Another pair of hunters? What do you say to a truce?" She offered.
"Heh, heh, heh; you've got to be kidding." The young man replied sarcastically, "You don't recognize me, Devan?"
Devan cocked her head as her smile disappeared, "How do you know...?" She trailed off, letting her weapon slip.
"Oh, come now; have I changed that much?" The man continued, "I never thought you'd have forgotten the kid who broke your nose."
Devan's puzzlement turned to recognition and she moved a step toward him, "Bounty hunter!"
"Huh uh, not another step." The man Devan now recognized warned, "And I'm not a bounty hunter."
Devan heeded Boba's warning for the moment and stopped, "Well, you've certainly grown into a looker, Bounty Hunter, I must say." She said, flashing her smile at him and taking another step, "I see you've got yourself a girl; but you could do better."
Boba shot the ground at Devan's feet, "I won't warn you again." He threatened, "Drop your weapon and lie down."
"What?" Devan questioned.
"Drop your weapon and lie down." Boba repeated, waving his blaster at her, "NOW."
"Alright, alright; don't get huffy." Devan replied as she let the rifle fall and knelt down, "Look, no hard feelings; I didn't mean to insult your girl, I just thought you'd want more of a woman."
"Like you? I don't go for bantha cows. Down, all the way." Boba ordered.
"We can work out something, can't we?" Devan asked, but she obeyed, hoping for a chance to gain the upper hand.
"No." Boba answered and then turned his attention to Kien, "You too."
Kien quickly complied without protest, "Dena." Boba prompted.
The girl, Dena, nodded, removed a pair of binders from her belt and moved to secure Kien's hands behind his back before taking another pair from Boba's to similarly bind Devan. But just as she bent down to pull Devan's hands behind her, the older woman lashed out, tripping the former Jedi, allowing her to make a grab for Dena's weapon. There was a brief struggle ending as the weapon discharged before Boba could even intervene.
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After leaving instructions with Bell, Obi-Wan, with Park as his guide, headed out in the direction Park indicated would lead them to the Lodge. They had not quite caught up to Cody and his men when they were joined by Anakin, "Family matters handled?" Obi-Wan asked as he grasped the younger man's arm.
"For the time being." He answered, similarly grasping his former master's arm, "And this is Park?"
"Yes; he is going to lead us to where Zak is being held." Obi-Wan answered and he turned to Park, "This is Anakin Skywalker, Ferri's Master."
"I am pleased to meet you, Anakin Skywalker." Park replied as he held a hand out to Anakin.
Anakin nodded and gripped the Clan leader's hand as Obi-Wan dropped to one knee.
"Obi-Wan?" Anakin knelt next his brother Jedi in concern.
Obi-Wan took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before struggling to his feet, "It is Zak; we must hurry." He said.
Park nodded, "It is not too much farther." He told them.
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"Get him under control." Li ordered, as one of the overloaded systems fizzled and went dead.
"Do you think I am not trying?" Asjen demanded as she continued to bombard the stanchion with increasingly more powerful energy, "His will is greater than we anticipated; it may break before it bends."
"Then break it; he is no good to us if he cannot be controlled. Better to have his Power even if it means it must be managed by a Lodger." Li instructed.
"It may damage him irreparably." Asjen warned.
"It matters not as long as we can retain his Power." Li replied coldly.
"Are you certain, Li? Once this is done, it cannot be undone." Asjen questioned.
"Break him." Li answered without hesitation when another panel sizzled and darkened, signaling the loss of yet another system; but then sighed and looked up at her prisoner, "Such a waste, young Jedi; why could you not just accept your fate?"
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Terak moaned and tried to rub the back of his head only to find a short length of rough material wrapped around each of his wrists binding them together. Shaking his head to clear his dazed mind, he realized he was seated on the ground against a post; his ankles were hobbled with the same material that bound his wrists. When he tried to reach down to free his legs, he found himself choked by tether apparently wrapped around his neck and secured to the post. He reached up and pulled the tether away from his neck so he could breathe, "Ta ees wit oos." Something grumbled to his right.
Terak swiveled to see several throwbacks standing nearby, "Ees betta, yos?" One asked.
"What?" Terak asked.
Another approached carrying something, "Vant dees?" It asked bending down.
Terak tried to scoot away and was choked by the neck tether, "Ah, no goot, dat." The throwback said, putting down what it was carrying to loosen the the tether, "No goot."
The throwback nodded as Terak reached up to rub his neck, "See? Ees betta." It said and then held out the parcel he had been carrying.
Terak eyed it suspiciously as he cringed away, "No vant?" The throwback asked, "Ees goot; see?" He insisted, reaching into the parcel, taking a portion of the contents and stuffing it in its mouth, "See?"
Terak shook his head and scooted as far as he could without choking himself again; the throwback shrugged and stood up but left the parcel next to the post, "Lata, my bee?" It stated and turned to join the others.
Terak watched as they seemed to talk amongst themselves, too quietly for Terak to catch what they were saying, even if he had been able to understand their strange speech. One of them nodded and approached with what appeared to be a balloon, "Tosty? Vant vatta?" It asked offering the balloon to Terak.
Terak licked his lips; it appeared the balloon was filled with liquid of some kind, and while he could resist what he assumed was food, he could not deny that he was parched. With a nod he reached out for the balloon and allowed the throwback to help him drink, "Betta, yos?" It asked after Terak had finished half the contents.
"Uh, yeah, sure." Terak answered, assuming it was asking him if he felt better.
The throwback nodded as if it understood and then stood up, leaving the remainder of the balloon with the food parcel before retreating to rejoin the others, "Hey, you can let me go any time now; I promise not to tell anyone about you." Terak called out.
One of them turned and approach, "Oo stais wit oos." It said bending down menacingly close and grasping a handful of Terak's hair, "No go."
"Uh...right; yeah, no go." Terak agreed hastily.
The throwback nodded, releasing Terak and pushing him so that the tether tightened around his neck, "Goot." It said as he Terak struggled to breathe.
The throwback stood up and retreated again. Terak loosened the tether; realizing it was only a matter of time before they found the body of the throwback Devan had shot. They may be primitive, but they did not appear to be stupid; they would assume he had something to do its death...and from the way he was already being treated, his life would become decidedly more unpleasant. Hopefully, with night now coming on, he would be able to escape before that happened.