Chapter 5

Marietta

I felt bad for Michelle. I believed every word she was saying about Ventress, but I wasn't going to speak up for a few reasons. Reason number one: I have a past of talking back to some of the masters, trying to changer their minds. That usually resulted in polishing R-2 units with some clone cadets. Not the way I want to hang out. Reason number two: I still was bound and gagged, but, of course, no one noticed. Reason number three: I was sure that the decision was made that it was just Padme playing the part, but we couldn't ask because she had gone back to the senate building as soon as she landed. At that very moment, I heard a scream, high pitched and short, cut off by the sound of a lightsaber cutting through something. Everyone else heard it too, and they took off.

"Wait fotr mey!" I called, and Anakin raced back and pushed my wheelchair towards where the sound came from. We got there just as a crowd was forming. Ahsoka un-tied and un-gagged me, and I pushed my way through all the people. When I got to the front of the crowd, I saw a youngling, about eleven years old, laying in the middle of the floor. She had a missing hand and foot, but other than that she seemed alright. I think somewhere I heard that her name was Leetah, and she was just getting ready to be a padawan. Her eyes were wide with horror, and rolled back up in her head. Leetah's chest was rising and falling, and another youngling about her age was cradling her head. Leetah's dirty blond hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she even had a braid behind her ear, which shows padawanism. The other girl was weeping now, and the medical droid that treated Barris was pushing throught the crowd. Some clones were carrying a stretcher, and the other girl and some other kids helped her on it. But... I could hear her mumbling a word...

"Jason..." She was mumbling, her voice getting softer and softer each time she said it. Jason O' Conna? He was the only Jason that I knew of in the Jedi Temple, and I often hung out with him in my free time. He was a nice guy, with a little bad boy inside him, he often played pranks on the other padawans. One time, he stole a study book from the Archives, and spent the day polishing R-2 units. But he made a prank out of that too! He found some paint, and painted all the R-2 units crazy colored. One was painted tie-dye,another had flowers all over it, and another had an excellent painting of a Zilo Beast. He even got punished for THAT and had to help the five year olds with studies. And if he messed that up, well, he would get in serious trouble. I had to find out more. I searched the crowd for the boy, and saw him at the back of

the crowd looking pale. My sister seemed to get the clue also. She was on the other side of the group, but she pushed her way over to Jason. I was right on her heels, literally. I stepped on the back of her boots so many times she turned around and told me to stop. When we reached Jason's spot, there was no one there! He had vanished into thin air. I scratched my head. Makina did the same. Then I heard footsteps in the distance.

Click, Clack. Click, Clop. We headed towards the sound. When we got to where the sound came from, I cast out my senses. "He was here..." I mumble.

Makina nods, then heads into a door labeled 'South Hall'. I followed my sister, unsure of what to do. I never remembered a South Hall, but I assured myself that I just wasn't paying attention. My sister must have been thinking the same thing I was. Makina looked left to right, looking at the doors. There was something strange about these doors. They all had a plaque saying who's living quarters it was. One was spray painted gold, with sloppy handwriting carved in: LILA SANDLEFT & JASON O'LOCCA. I saw this clue. The L and two C's had been carved out in different handwriting. Jason O'Conna's handwriting.

"Makina!" I hissed, and she hurried over from a different plaque she was investigating.

"What?" She whispered back, a little annoyed. Then she noticed what I had. "Marietta, you're a genius!"

I blushed a little, then knocked on the door. A girl's voice answered, "Who is it?"

"Makina and Marietta." My sister called through the door.

"Who?" The voice asked, a little fainter this time.

"We're friends of Jason." I answered.

"Who's Jason?"

I stood a little confused. "The plaque on your door says you have a Jason for a room-mate." I answered.

"Now tell them you don't have a roo-" Jason's voice said. I burst through the door. I caught him force-choking a girl, about twelve or thirteen years old. When he saw me in the doorway, he dropped the girl and ran. The room wasn't too big, but he managed to jump out a window. I didn't notice his mistake until it was too late. I ran to the window, poked my head out and screeched, "JASON!" We were on the 56th floor of the Jedi Temple! I watched him fall.. fall.. fall.. until I couldn't see him. Makina had no idea what I was doing, and I ran out of the the room, crying. When I got out the door, I realized Jason's Evil-Genius plan. No wonder I never remembered a south hall. Jason had somehow created a magic system so that people could get in, but not out. But, I had an idea. I pulled out my holoprojector, and contacted Tula.

"Hello?" She answered, and her picture flooded into view with a CRRREET!

"Tula, go to the main hall, look to the left and open the door to 'the south hall', but don't come in, just open it.

"O-Kay?" Tula said, a little confused, and her image disappeared.

I sighed and sat down on the floor. Makina leaned against a wall. She pulled out her holoprojector and began playing a game. I felt so guilty. Jason was probably dead now, because of me. A voice in my head told me, " It's okay! Jason must have been the one to hurt that girl, and he almost killed his room mate." Then it hit me. Jason must be a Separatist spy! Those girls, Leetah and the room-mate girl must have some kind of information. Just then, a wall opened, and Tula stood infront, with her lightsaber dangling from her belt.

"Hold it open!" Makina shouted, and Tula did as she was told. Makina and I ran to her, and finally we were out of that creepy hallway.

"Jason O'Conna is a Separatist spy." I said to Makina and Tula.

"I had my suspicions." Tula mumbled.

"Where is Valerie and Michelle?" I asked.

"Valerie is searching some scenes of the crimes and interviewing other Jedi and younglings. Michelle I think went back to her room. I haven't seen her for about an hour." Tula informed us.

"Well, let's help Valerie. We may find some interesting facts to our mystery."