Alex Rider: Jedi Knight
Jedi Goat
Disclaimer: I don't own Alex Rider or Star Wars.
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Chapter 18: Preparation
"You weren't going to leave without me, now were you?"
Sabina froze. Slowly, she turned around. She blinked to make sure the person standing there was not only a figment of her imagination.
Then she was running toward him.
"Alex!"
Alex grinned. Sabina flung her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. "I'm never, ever, ever letting you go," she murmured.
"Yeah. Um, could you just let go for a moment?" Sabina released him and he coughed, clutching his side. "Ow…"
"You're hurt." Sabina was observing him with concerned blue eyes.
"Obviously," he grunted.
Ferus approached them. "What happened?"
"I fell through the window and landed in a dumpster." He grimaced. "Yeah. So then I decided to come back up here to find you guys."
Sabina hugged him, more gently this time. "Well, we're glad you're here."
"We're going to go to the Temple," Ferus explained. "That's where the Sith are heading, we think. Hopefully we won't be too late."
Alex's gaze darkened. "Jack's there," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone else. "And Obi-Wan."
Sabina nodded, determination settling over her face. "Let's get going."
After uncovering the small ship hidden behind the building, the three friends boarded. Alex looked around; the ship was only the size of a car, with a cockpit occupying most of the space and a few seats taking up the rest of the room.
Ferus glanced at him. "Do you want to pilot?"
"Sure," Alex shrugged, sliding into the pilot's seat. Ferus took the co-pilot's chair beside him, while Sabina sat just behind, watching them with interest.
Alex pulled down the lever and the ship rumbled to life. "Let's fly."
"Cloak up," Ferus announced.
The ship rose unseen from the back alley. Alex focused on the flight, maneuvering the ship carefully up through the air crowded with buildings.
Then they were up in open sky, clouds brushing over the hull. They skirted a stray airplane and rose higher still.
Bursting from Earth's atmosphere, the ship shot through the black emptiness of space. Ferus entered the coordinates for Coruscant and the stars outside fused together into a white blur.
The three Jedi sat back, looking at each other dubiously.
"What now?" Sabina finally voiced.
Ferus exchanged a glance with Alex. "We should go back to the Temple and see what happened. If…if there's anyone left, we'll take them with us."
"To where?" she wondered.
"We'll have to defeat the Sith somehow," Alex told them. "It's just Darth Sidious now. But he's the strongest of all of them."
Ferus nodded thoughtfully. "If it is just him, how could he wipe out all the Jedi in the Temple? Surely we're more powerful."
Alex thought for a moment. Then he remembered the droids he had seen in millions at the Sith monastery. And Obi-Wan had said they were all gone.
Alex glanced sideways at Sabina. "He has an army."
She nodded, suddenly understanding. "The battle droids!"
Ferus groaned, "Oh man. This isn't going to be good."
Alex closed his eyes. Please let Jack and Obi-Wan be okay. And Yassen, too, I guess.
Sabina reached for his hand. Alex smiled weakly, looking up at her.
"We have to be ready," Ferus said softly. He dug out the lightsaber Siri had given him and passed it to Sabina. "This is yours now."
Sabina bit her lip, staring down at the silver hilt. "I'm sorry about your Master."
"It's okay." Ferus tried to laugh. "Ironic, isn't it, how we're all apprentices."
"Yeah," Alex sighed. "Let's just hope the Jedi hold on until we come."
Sabina then remembered she still had Alex's lightsaber. Tossing it to him, she said grimly, "You're gonna need it."
The ship settled on the Jedi Temple landing platform, engine whining and finally dying. Alex paid it no attention, too busy gaping at the building.
The majestic Jedi Temple was a burned-out shell. One of its towers had fully collapsed, reduced to a pile of broken, crumbling marble on the ground. The creamy white exterior walls were scorched and blackened, and the windows were shattered, blown-out holes.
"Oh, my God," Sabina whispered. She sat frozen in shock, blue eyes wide. Her hands, clutched together on her lap, were white.
Ferus bowed his head. "The Force is weak."
Sabina closed her eyes, murmuring, "Then we're too late."
Alex stood, face grim and determined. "No. There's got to be some Jedi left alive." And Jack!
"Alex." He turned to see Ferus. The Padawan stood, taking a deep breath. "Going into that place will be a nightmare. Even if we do find survivors, we will find many more lost. And we'll have to fight our way out."
Alex looked out at the Temple, unable to give up hope. He wouldn't leave Jack and Obi-Wan to die! "We've got to try."
Sabina bit her lip, thinking for a long moment. Then she stood, holding out her hand. "I'll come with you."
Alex smiled weakly, "Thanks, Sab." He drew her in close, holding her warmth against him.
"I'm coming, too," Ferus announced grimly. There was a fierce light in his eyes, as if he wanted to avenge his Master's death.
"Let's go," Alex said, starting toward the door.
"Wait!" Sabina caught his arm.
"What?"
She slipped her arms around his neck, murmuring, "In case we don't make it back."
And then she kissed him.
When she stepped back, smiling shyly, Alex was still in shock.
"Thanks," he mumbled, feeling his face redden. Sabina laughed.
Alex nodded to Ferus and the three of them strode out of the ship.
The air tasted like ash. Sabina coughed, unhooking her lightsaber. Alex and Ferus took out their own weapons, holding them ready. For a moment they stood, facing what would surely be the battle of their lives. Alex glanced back at his friends: fear fluttered over Sabina's face, but she gave him a small smile and nodded; Ferus looked determined, features hard.
"This is it," stated Ferus. He met Alex's gaze. "May the Force be with us."
Alex nodded, turning back to the Temple.
"Come on," he announced, leading the way inside.
To be continued...
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