Alex Rider: Jedi Knight
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or Alex Rider.
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Chapter 5: Friends and Fiends
Early the next morning, the Jedi headed down to the landing platform. A silvery ship was already waiting for them. Two Jedi – only shadowy figures in the light of the fire of the sunrise – moved about, checking their ship before takeoff.
Obi-Wan nudged Alex in front of him as they approached the Jedi. "Good morning, Siri," he greeted.
One of the Jedi looked up. "Not if you're up at six for a mission briefing." Then she caught sight of Alex. Brushing back a stray strand of blond hair, she asked, "Who's this?"
"This is Alex Rider. He's sort of my second Padawan." Obi-Wan grinned. "MI6 asked me to train him."
Nodding down to Alex, he said, "Alex, meet Siri Tachi and her Padawan, Ferus Olin."
"Hello." The second Jedi had joined them. He looked about Alex's age, with dark hair streaked with gold and serious eyes.
Alex nodded to them. "Hi."
Siri gestured toward the ship. "C'mon. Let's go."
Sabina drifted, lost in her thoughts, for several hours before an idea finally came to her. It must have been the middle of the night; the lights had powered down and the only sound was the occasional tramping of metallic feet as droids passed outside. In the near darkness Sabina could barely make out the figure sprawled out against the back wall. Jack had long since fallen asleep. Yassen had also retreated to his own corner.
Sabina silently crawled to the bars. She examined them cautiously, narrow beams of light slicing between them and illuminating her pale face.
There was a door set in to the middle of the barred wall. Sabina felt around the cold metal frame and grasped the lock. It had a keyhole on the outside.
Slipping the bobby pin out of her pocket, Sabina reached through the bars and began to pick at the lock. It was slow work; she had to hold the lock steady with one hand so that it would not clang against the bars. Sabina could hear her heart pounding and she prayed that no guards would come by and see her. With each passing minute she paused, listening intently for footfalls. But she heard nothing and continued working.
Then she heard a click. Exhaling a long breath, she tugged at the lock. It rattled loudly as it came undone and Sabina cursed under her breath. Surely anyone nearby would have heard that.
But no guards came. Sabina set the lock down and pushed open the door. It squealed on old hinges as it swung out. Sabina quickly hooked her fingers around the door to slow it to a stop. She listened for a moment and then, taking a deep breath, stepped out into freedom.
Abruptly an alarm screamed in her ears. Sabina froze in fear as the laser beam she'd just walked through in the doorway blazed a menacing red. Now she could definitely hear the footsteps of many battle droids rushing to the scene. She could faintly make out their shapes in the hallway. They were coming from both directions. She was trapped.
"Intruder!" one of the droids announced.
Sabina heard a voice hiss in her ear, "Get down!"
Then she was tackled to the ground. As she fell, a jolt of pain went through her right leg and she screamed. One of the droids had shot her!
Sabina felt herself dragged farther back into the cage until she was braced against the back wall. She could still see the brilliant flashes as the droids continued shooting.
"Halt!" One of the droids in the front row raised a hand.
Finally darkness returned.
"It is only the prisoners. Report to Darth Sidious." Immediately the droids dispersed, while their leader locked the cage and then followed.
Sabina was shaking badly. Her leg felt as though it was on fire and she held it against her, feeling sickeningly warm blood seeping through her clothes.
Whoever had saved her released her, and Sabina heard them swear in a foreign language. It might have been Russian.
"What did you think you were doing?" Yassen finally growled.
"Trying – to – get – out – of here," panted Sabina, wincing in pain.
"Sabina? What's going on?" Jack leaned over her. She gasped quietly. "You're hurt! What happened?"
Sabina began to explain as Yassen examined the gash on the side of her lower leg. "Ow!" she yelped suddenly.
"Sorry." Yassen released her leg. "The wound is not too deep. You will still need a bandage." He began tearing off a portion of his shirt.
"Thanks," Sabina murmured shakily as he tied the makeshift bandage around her leg.
Yassen didn't answer; he finished and then moved off into the shadows, leaving Sabina sitting with Jack and wondering if they would ever be able to get out of here.
To be continued...
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