Alex Rider: Jedi Knight
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Star Wars.
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Chapter 7: Life and Death
"Alex!" the voice called again.
"Sabina?" Alex couldn't believe it. Yet there she was, looking overjoyed to see him. Kneeling in front of the cage, he was face-to-face with her.
"How did you get here?" he demanded.
"How did you get here?" Sabina responded with a small smile.
Alex smirked, and then he stood to examine the lock. "Stand back, Sab. I'm getting you out of here."
"No!" Sabina threw herself against the bars. "There's an alarm. The droids will come."
Alex reached through the bars and gently touched her hand. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."
She took a shaky breath. "You'll protect them, too?"
"Them?"
Sabina glanced back into the shadows. "Jack and Yassen."
"They're here?" Alex was glad Jack was all right. But Yassen? Why was he here?
"Yeah."
Alex weighed the lightsaber in his hand, thinking. "All right. This is what we'll do. I'll open the door, and we'll run that way before the droids arrive." He pointed to the doorway he had come through. "I've got some friends down there. They'll help us escape, too." If they're done fighting Grievous, Alex added silently.
He turned on his lightsaber and sliced it through the lock. As the metal clanged to the ground, Alex pulled open the door.
Sabina limped out, catching hold of Alex's shoulder to remain upright. Instantly an alarm started wailing. She made a face at the laser beam she had just walked through. "Oh, great."
Alex could already hear the droids' footsteps as Yassen and Jack slipped out.
"Let's go!" he shouted above the clamor. Yassen nodded and hurried ahead with Jack. Sabina limped as fast as she could toward the doorway. But Alex knew the droids would be here soon, and they had to go faster.
Easily catching up with her, Alex looped an arm around her waist, guiding her forward. They had reached the doorway. Alex jabbed the button as he passed, and the door slid shut behind them.
Obi-Wan raced up to them, panting. "We defeated Grievous," he explained hurriedly. "The droids…they're starting to come through."
"There's droids on this side, too," Alex told him.
"This isn't good."
For a moment he was silent, and Alex could hear blaster fire hammering against the doors. Both doors.
"We are trapped." It was Yassen who voiced what everyone was thinking.
"Maybe if…" Anakin began thoughtfully, "We charge the droids, we can force a way through and run back out of this place."
Jack spoke up. "What about us? We don't have any weapons."
Obi-Wan paced around them. "That's a good idea, Padawan. We could use the Force to jump over the droids. Then we'd just have to run."
"I can't," Sabina lamented, indicating the makeshift bandage on her leg.
"I'll carry you then." Alex spoke with a determination that he didn't quite feel.
"And us?" Jack asked. "We can't use the Force, either."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan ordered, "You will have to carry her for the jump."
"My name is Jack," she piped up helpfully.
Obi-Wan turned to Yassen. "I'll carry you."
"Let's go." Anakin set off down the corridor, dragging Jack behind him.
"Wait, Padawan!" Obi-Wan cautioned. "If the droids get in here, we won't be able to get out. We have to all get out at the same time."
He nodded to Alex and the six of them headed for the door. Anakin's irritated glare was nearly invisible in the darkness.
Alex braced Sabina against him with one arm, holding his lightsaber aloft with the other. His eyes were fixed on the door, which was turning an angry red as the droids attempted to burn through the metal.
"On my order, run," Obi-Wan stated, standing in front of the door. Everyone else was only a step behind.
Alex tensed.
"Go!" shouted Obi-Wan, slicing his blade through the metal. As the door sunk to the ground in a melted heap, Anakin charged out with Jack. His lightsaber flashed once, decapitating the first droid. Then he leaped out of sight.
Obi-Wan, Yassen, Alex and Sabina rushed out next. Alex kept himself in front of Sabina, his lightsaber a blur as he advanced. Then he was out of the doorway and into the giant room, surrounded by a beige sea of battle droids. Focusing on the Force, he jumped.
For a moment they were suspended high in the chamber, level with the Sith's empty balcony. The air whistled in Alex's ears as he fell. Sabina screamed.
Then they hit the ground running. Sabina stumbled and Alex tugged her back up and dived for the shelter of the next corridor. The door slammed down behind them and Alex leaned against it, panting, clinging Sabina to him. For a moment it was almost silent, and he could hear blaster fire hammering at the door.
"Come on," Obi-Wan called curtly, starting off down the hall. The others were quick to follow. Sabina was limping as fast as she could, and Alex allowed her to walk on her own, hovering nearby in case she needed help.
A few feet in front of them, Alex saw Jack trip over something. The door leading to the exit clanged shut.
Obi-Wan slid to a stop. "What the-"
Alex looked around nervously. What kind of trick are the Sith pulling now? He stepped protectively closer to Sabina.
"Water!" Yassen suddenly announced. Alex looked down and saw he was right. A layer of water was quickly covering the floor.
"They're gonna drown us!" gasped Anakin, splashing over to the exit door. He attempted to drill a hole through the metal with his lightsaber. Instantly another thicker door slid down over the first one.
Cursing under his breath, Anakin shoved his blade deeper into the steel. Alex and Obi-Wan moved to help him. The second layer peeled slowly.
Way too slowly, Alex noted grimly. The water continued to rise. Now it was up to their knees.
"Come on," Obi-Wan hissed, pushing his whole weight against the door in an effort to drive his lightsaber in deeper.
Abruptly the fiery red section of the metal they were burning melted away, leaving a small hole to the next door. The celebration was short; the Jedi paused momentarily to regain their breath and rest their sore muscles. Then they returned to work.
Alex plowed his lightsaber into the steel, forcing it deeper with a push from the Force. He grunted, feeling a trickle of sweat running down his back. The work was hard, yet his legs were freezing in the water pooled up to his waist.
Alex felt a hand touch his shoulder; he looked up. Yassen nodded to him. Understanding the silent command, Alex stepped away from the door. Yassen took his place. At the same time, Jack relieved Anakin of his duty.
Alex moved to stand beside Sabina. With a quiet sob she leaned against him, and Alex wrapped an arm around her.
"The next time you tell me something crazy, I'll be sure to believe you," Sabina murmured.
Alex tried to laugh. If there is a next time.
For a moment they watched the others struggle with the door. Then Sabina approached Jack, who seemed to be having the most trouble.
"Let me try," she suggested softly.
Jack nodded and gratefully retreated. Sabina grasped the lightsaber with both hands and attempted to ram it deeper into the metal. With a shock Alex sensed the Force surging around her. Sab's Force-sensitive!
With a sudden yelp Sabina slipped down into the frigid water. Yassen caught her arm before she was completely submerged, and hauled her back to her feet.
Teeth chattering, Sabina managed to gasp, "Thanks."
Yassen nodded to her. Alex waded over to them. "Sab, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I think." She shuddered. "That was a bit more terrifying than it needed to be."
Abruptly a gold blade sliced through the first door and began steadily cutting a hole. A second blade, this one blue, soon joined it.
The captives stared upward at the lightsabers, frozen for a moment.
Then Obi-Wan launched himself back at the door. "Keep going!"
The group shifted back into motion, driven with new strength. Alex and Sabina both grabbed the lightsaber – for a second her blue eyes flickered up at him – then together they stabbed the blade into the door and began to cut.
Soon the water's icy fingers had curled themselves around Alex's chest. Each breath seemed to suck the warmth out of the sinister chamber. Now all six of them were clustered around the door, desperately trying to burn a way out.
Then a small portion of the first door fell away, and fresh air flowed in. A face peered in at them.
"Are you all right in there?" Ferus inquired.
"We're drowning!" yelled Jack.
Alex observed the hole they had made. "Sabina, you can fit through there, can't you?"
"Maybe," she sighed, sounding impossibly tired.
Alex gestured for the others to step back. He grabbed Sabina around the middle and lifted her out of the water. She scrambled into the hole and Ferus helped her through from the other end. As soon as Sabina disappeared from the opening, Obi-Wan called, "Anakin, you go too."
Anakin looked about to complain, but then his Master hefted him up to the hole. A moment later Anakin was out too.
Obi-Wan turned to him. "Alex?"
Alex took back his lightsaber and flicked it off, keeping it in his hand. "Ready."
Obi-Wan lifted him up. Alex grappled for a hold on the door. Ferus reached in and pulled him through the hole.
Alex's torso burst out into the dim room. Gasping for breath, he wiggled further out and then slithered down to the ground, exhausted. His lightsaber rolled away from his hand and Sabina picked it up, moving back against the door to make the opening larger for the others. Ferus and Siri joined her, while Anakin hovered behind them.
Alex pushed himself off the ground and looked around. They were almost at the exit. He could see the columns of light filtering in the roof.
When he turned back to the door, Jack was struggling her way out. She slumped against the wall and Alex went over to her, kneeling beside her. "Jack?"
"I'm okay." Taking a deep gulp of air, Jack stood up shakily. Alex raised his eyebrows. Jack caught the look and punched him lightly. "Really!"
They returned to the door just as Obi-Wan forced his way out. A moment later Yassen joined them.
"Let's get out of here," Siri suggested.
"How did you get here anyway?" Obi-Wan asked as they started off across the chamber.
Siri laughed. "You're my friend! Did you think I'd just ditch you here? Ferus and I decided to hang around in case you needed help."
"Well, it's a good thing you did," Obi-Wan responded lightly.
Meanwhile, the two Sith were watching the whole thing on their security cameras, deep in their fortress.
"You let them get away!" Count Dooku raged.
Darth Sidious smiled darkly from beneath his hood. "Patience, my apprentice. This is all part of the plan."
He strode toward the door. "Ready my ship."
To be continued...
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