Shattered Mission, Chapter 8

As her master left them, Sikka turned to Oren and asked, "What do you think he's going to do?" Still staring after Anakin, Oren shook his head and replied, "I don't know, Cee." She smiled at the nickname he'd given her. He continued, "At any rate, let's get out of sight, as he instructed us." He took her hand and pulled her into the thicket where he had awaited their arrival.

Anakin made no effort to conceal himself, but walked straight to the main gate in the fence surrounding the former Intergalactic Banking Clan Chairman's estate. At each side of the entrance, a Muun guard stood, holding blaster rifle at the ready. They stepped forward, blocking Anakin's way. One of them challenged him.

"Stop where you are! You are not permitted to enter here. Who are you?"

Anakin dropped the hood from his cloak and eyed the speaker. "I am Master Jedi Anakin Skywalker. I will see San Hill."

"Chairman San Hill will not see you. Jedi are not welcome here."

"Well, imagine that," Anakin said, as he waved his hand and the two guards collapsed when he walked between them, his golden locks curling about his face. Having seen the incident at the main gate, the captain of the guards sent four more to stop him. They soon joined their comrades, slumbering on the manicured lawn; and they were the fortunate ones.

Guards emptied the barracks and charged toward Anakin, firing their blasters as they ran. Calling both his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers to his hands, Anakin ignited them and deftly deflected the blaster bolts back to the shooters. Before long, many of them lay wounded on the ground; those still able to ran back into the building. Standing fast, but with fear in his eyes, the captain spoke into a commlink as Anakin stared at him, some twenty meters away. The short conversation over, the captain looked back at him and nodded, slightly.

Reattaching the lightsabers to his belt, Anakin continued up the fine gravel drive that led to the palatial home of the former Chairman. The residence was quite large, a multi-story home with double doors fronted by a spacious stone porch, which was deserted. Grim determination on his face, Anakin strode up the steps and approached the doors, which opened before him. Keeping his senses at highest alert, he walked further, finding himself in a grand entry hall, also devoid of beings. As he moved down the hall, he passed several open doors leading into rooms of various purposes, until he came to the only door that was closed. He sensed someone inside and waved his hand, expecting the door to open. It did not.

"All right, then," he muttered, calling upon the Force and throwing a powerful kick at the door, shattering the door and its frame and part of the wall, as well. A cloud of dust hung in the air within the room.

From the interior, he heard a slight cough and a cultured voice. "It's open. Come in." He stepped over the debris and looked to his right. There, seated in a plush high-backed chair, was the former Chairman of the Intergalactic Banking Clan, San Hill. Anakin approached him and stopped at the low table separating him from Hill.

"Take a seat, if you will," the slender being said to him, indicating another chair to his right. Anakin stood silently in front of him. "Very well, Master Jedi Anakin Skywalker," Hill said, sighing. "If you wish to stand while we talk, that is your choice." Still Anakin said nothing. "How may I help you then?"

"I am here to arrest Shu Mai, formerly of the Commerce Guild and the treasonous Confederation of Independent States," the Jedi Master stated. "And, Poggle the Lesser, since you are probably harboring him, as well."

"Shu Mai? Poggle the Lesser? What makes you think they are here? The last time I had the pleasure of their company was on Mustafar, where we heard of the Chancellor's deception. It seems he deceived all of us." He stood and walked around the table to face Anakin. "Personally, I am glad you killed him. I'm sure he would have destroyed us all in his quest for power." He began to move around the room while he spoke. "As Lord Darth Sidious, he promised high positions to us in his empire, and we were gullible enough to believe him." He sighed. "As it was, your friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi took it upon himself to come here and arrest me." He turned swiftly, glowering at the Jedi. "Me! The Chairman of the Intergalactic Banking Clan, as if I were a lowly criminal. And shuttled me off to Coruscant for that ridiculous trial. Hmph! Now, with most of my wealth gone, I sit here, disgraced!"

Anakin stepped toward him. "Ah, yes, I can see that. Well, I'll be taking you back to Coruscant again, to stand trial for the murder of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his apprentice Oren Kendrel."

Hill whirled, and spoke. "Murder? I think you are mistaken, Master Skywalker. There has been no murder here." He placed a long, slender finger to his chin, as if in thought. "Oh, unless you are referring to that terrible accident that occurred not far from here yesterday. Such a shame. Well, I must admit to some small satisfaction, myself, of course, not being a fan of your former master." Anakin's hands clenched and his face darkened. "Well, now, as my captain of the guards explained to me, your master was standing at the edge of a precipice and was startled when my guards were drilling nearby. Apparently, he slipped and fell to his death. I have no idea what happened to his apprentice. Oh!" He walked over to a small desk and opened a drawer. "One of my guards found this nearby. I believe it is one of your Order's weapons?" He approached Anakin and held out Oren's lightsaber.

Anakin snatched it from his hand and said, "So, you think your fabrication will keep you safe here, Hill? I will get to the bottom of this and you will return to Coruscant to stand trial for murder!" He turned and strode to the hole in the wall he'd created. Looking back at the Muun, he said, "This place is under surveillance now. Do not try to help your traitor friends to escape!" With that, he waved the debris from his path and left the room.

He stopped before descending the stone steps to the ground and gazed around, taking in what he could see and what he could feel. Though he knew San Hill was not guilty of actual murder in this case, he figured he'd given the traitor something to think about. And, if Obi-Wan were to die after all, Hill would be taken to Coruscant to pay for his crime; if Hill managed to stay alive long enough to stand trial, that is. Anakin sighed and dropped his head. Jedi do not take revenge, he thought.

San Hill watched the Jedi Master begin to roam his estate, probably looking for Kenobi's apprentice. Or Shu Mai and Poggle, he mused. He motioned to the captain of the guards, who made his way to his master.

"Quickly, Captain! Make sure the Jedi does not discover the boy," he ordered. "Take him to my cousin's. He can be hidden there, along with our colleagues. We cannot let him be found; he knows what happened."

"Yes, Chairman!" The captain saluted and spun on his heel. He headed for the draft horse barn, noting that the Jedi Master was far away near the show horse training pen, where several of the elegant beasts were being put through their paces. "Good," he muttered to himself, "I can get the boy out while he's over there." He entered the barn, pulled out his blaster and unlocked the trapdoor. Carefully, he peered down through the hole. Unable to see the young Jedi, he leaned over further to see the entire storage room. There was a body lying in the corner. "Here, bring me that ladder," he ordered one of the Muun-dohs grooming the draft horses.

Once on the floor of the storage room, he prodded the body with his blaster and a sleepy Muun-Doh rolled over and blinked up at him. "You! What are you doing here! Where is the boy, the Jedi?" The squat native stood and looked at his surroundings. "What am I doing here? I don't—" The captain slapped him, knocking him to the floor. "Did someone take him out of here? Where is he?" he screamed at the frightened creature, who merely cowered before him. "Aah!" he exclaimed, disgusted, and he turned around and climbed out of the hole. Staring around at the cringing workers, he asked, his teeth clenched, "Does anyone here know what happened to that boy? Has someone taken him?" Several of them nervously shook their heads. The captain looked heavenward and sighed. Then he heard a humming sound from behind and he spun around. There, silhouetted in the doorway, stood the Jedi Master, a lightsaber burning in his left hand.

Anakin took two steps into the barn, and his glowering features became visible. Having seen the uselessness of firing a blaster at the Jedi, the captain holstered his weapon and waited. "Where is he?" Anakin asked, quietly.

Unblinking, the man replied, "He is not here."

Anakin raised one eyebrow. Hmmm, he does not deny that someone was here. He knows I am looking for someone and he knows who it is. And he is not lying. He walked up to the Muun and glanced into the hole. "This is where you kept him? In a hole in the ground?" Staring up into the taller Muun's eyes, Anakin asked his questions, communicating his disapproval of the padawan's accommodations.

Fearing reprisal, yet standing his ground, the captain repeated, "He is not here. I do not know where he is." Anakin nodded slightly, backed up a step and turned and walked out of the barn, a small smile on his lips. That should keep them busy, trying to find him. He could sense relief from the captain. Interestingly, Anakin felt no anger toward the man, sensing that he was a fair, if hard taskmaster.

He pretended to search the rest of the estate, having already determined that Shu Mai and Poggle the Lesser were not there. He had sensed mostly open fear, but no real deception from the estate workers. One had actually answered his inquiry, saying that he had seen them leave yesterday, but he did not know where they went. Yesterday, eh? Hill knew we would send someone to search for Obi-Wan and Oren, so he moved them. He left the estate to return to Oren and Sikka.

Sitting across from her friend and sensing his feelings, Sikka asked, "What's wrong, Oren? You're upset about something. Is it Master Kenobi? You should be happy that he is alive."

He raised his head and replied, "I am, Cee, of course I'm happy about that. I just feel like I let him down, like I should have been nearer to him. Now he's off somewhere and probably hurt and we can't find him. I still can't sense him." She watched him and shook her head. How could he possibly think he had let his master down? "Oren, from what you told me, you didn't do anything wrong. Master Kenobi told you to move away to spread out their fire. All you did was obey him. How can you think you're at fault?" He shrugged and was silent for a moment, staring at the ground on which they sat. Finally, he huffed and said, "I think I'm bad luck, Cee. Master Sumehr-Kalee was killed on Dantooine and now Master Kenobi was almost killed. He could still die." She was aghast; she didn't even know how to answer that. He continued, "Maybe I shouldn't even be a Jedi. Maybe I should—"

"That's ridiculous, Oren!" she exclaimed, glaring at him. "It wasn't your doing that your first master died; it was in war! Things happen in war, people die. I think you're lucky, lucky to be alive yourself! Now I don't want to hear any more of this 'bad luck' nonsense. And stop feeling sorry for yourself!" She was now standing before him, hands on hips. Mouth agape, he looked up at her for a moment and then burst out laughing. She gasped and was just about to berate him further when Anakin arrived. Oren scrambled to his feet and both padawans bowed.

"Well, it's good to see you're paying attention to your perimeter," he said sarcastically, looking from one to the other.

"We're sorry, Master," Sikka began, but Oren interrupted. "It's my fault, Master Sky—"

"Nevermind," Anakin said. "We're fortunate you both haven't been abducted. Now come on. We're going back to the ship." As he walked away, Oren turned and quickly hugged Sikka. "Thanks, Cee. You've made me feel lots better." They followed the master. "But why were you laughing?" she asked quietly. "I didn't say anything funny." He replied, "You reminded me of Master Nu, the way you were standing there, yelling at me. You could be the next Temple Librarian." He chuckled. She smacked him on the arm.

Inside his ship, Anakin told them to sit quietly while he contacted the Harnaidan spaceport and asked for the flight controllers.

"Flight control."

"I am Master Jedi Anakin Skywalker. Have there been any ships arriving or leaving Muunilinst anywhere except through the spaceport, today or yesterday?"

"Hold please." There was silence for a minute. "Only your ship, Master Skywalker. No others."

"Thank you. Please transfer me to Security."

"Spaceport Security. Master Skywalker?"

"Yes, your office has received the Jedi Council request to watch for Shu Mai of the Trade Federation, and Poggle the Lesser of Geonosis?"

"Yes, sir."

"And has either or both of them been seen at the spaceport?"

"No, sir. Neither of them has been seen here."

"Thank you. Contact me immediately if you do see them, and detain them. Skywalker out." He closed the connection and was silent for a moment. Then he turned to the two padawans and stared at them. "I am not going to review the lesson on maintaining security around your position. I am not going to stress its importance or how disappointed I am right now. I am going to assume that you both simultaneously had a youngling moment, and we'll just leave it at that. Are we clear?" They both nodded, bowed and kept their heads down.

After a moment, Anakin said, "All right. I discovered that Shu Mai and Poggle are not on San Hill's estate, and that they left there yesterday. As you overheard just now, neither of them has been seen in the spaceport and no ships have arrived on or left this planet outside of the spaceport's control except for this one. So, we know they are still here, somewhere." He turned to the ship's controls and was about to start the departure sequence, when he said over his shoulder, "Oh, Oren. They didn't know you were gone until just a little while ago. Good job getting out of there unseen." The two padawans smiled at each other.

As the ship lifted off, he said, "We're going to the Intergalactic Banking Clan in the capital. I'm hoping they don't have any love for their ex-Chairman and will assist us in finding his relatives and acquaintances. If they won't, we'll check the city records library; there may be old news sheets or city records about him. There's a good chance he allowed our fugitives to stay with someone he knows."

...

Janelle completed the horse's bedding change and took care of some other minor chores around the barn, then checked on the animals in the pasture to be sure they were all right. She would groom them when she brought them back in this evening. Returning to the house, she heard her father's voice coming from the guest bedroom.

"Hello," she said, as she entered the room. Willem was seated on the only chair in the room and their patient was sitting up in the bed, wearing one of the shirts they had provided. She noted an empty bowl and spoon on the dresser; her father must have given him something to eat. Janelle went to her father's side and leaned against the dresser. "Janelle," Willem greeted her, "we've been having a very one-sided conversation." They both smiled at her. "I've been telling our friend all about us and our little operation here. He's very interested."

"Yes, I am," the injured man said. "I've never seen these animals before, these draft horses. Willem said you breed them and sell them mostly to people who show them in order to win recognition and prizes." He looked to Willem, who nodded. "And some are sold to small farms as draft animals?"

"That's right," she replied. "Our mare, Essie, produces some wonderful offspring, and they're much in demand. In fact, she's in foal now, but won't be delivering for some months. You know, we were returning from the stock auction when we found you. Did you tell him about that, Pop?" Her father shook his head and said, "No, go ahead."

"We always take that route so we can see San Hill's horses." The patient looked confused, so she explained, "It was near his property where you fell. Essie was mated with one of his stallions a few years ago, and we like to keep track of where our babies go. We heard the blasters and hid behind some rock formations, and then we saw you fall. After everyone had gone we brought you here. It was very fortunate that we were passing by at that time."

"Yes, it certainly was," he replied. "And I thank you, again, for helping me. I imagine I'd be dead by now if you hadn't."

"Of course, young man," Willem said, rising from his chair. "Janelle, I asked our friend here, if we could give him a name until he remembers his own, and he said yes. What do you think about 'Cohl'?" He looked toward the younger man. "That was my father's name and my middle name. Seems appropriate."

"That's fine with me," the newly-christened Cohl answered. Both of the men looked to Janelle.

"Wonderful! Now we're all set," she said. "Now, how are you feeling?"

"A little better, I think," Cohl replied. "When can I get out of bed?"

"'Out of bed?' Pretty optimistic, aren't you? Have you tried to stand today?" she asked. When he shook his head, she said, "Well, try it now. Just take it slow." Janelle and Willem stood by the side of the bed to help steady him. He pushed the covers away and swung his legs over the side, and then slid his feet down to the floor. As he pushed up from the bed, the room started to spin and his legs buckled. They caught him and helped him back onto the mattress.

"Whew!" he breathed, holding his head. "I guess that was too soon. Maybe we'll try again tomorrow," he said, laughing and blinking his eyes.

"I think that's a good idea," Willem said. "You'd better get some sleep now. That's the best thing to let your body heal."

Janelle patted his hand and said, "I'll check your wounds tomorrow morning. Depending on how they look, you'll probably be up and about then," she smiled at him.

"Great," he replied, moving back under the covers. "Thank you, Janelle."

Back in the kitchen and with the guest room door closed, Willem said, "He's doing better than I would expect, Janelle. I'm surprised he could sit up in bed, much less try to stand."

"Perhaps he wasn't hurt as badly as we thought," she replied. Her father looked sideways at her and shrugged his shoulders.