Thank you to the 20 people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the greatest. This chapter will cover Chapter 16 through Chapter 24 in Labyrinth of Evil so it will likely be a long chapter though some of the chapters in that 8 chapter arc will not be written out. I hope that you like this chapter and reviews, as always, are much appreciated
Chapter 51
Charros IV was a patchwork of dull red and pale brown that filled the viewports of the antique Republic cruiser Anakin and Obi-Wan had been given for the journey. It had once been red but that color was obscured by pristine white paint. Also, laser canons were carefully tucked astern under the radiator panel wings and beneath the cockpit.
"Landing coordinates coming in," Anakin said eyes fixed on a display screen set into the instrument panel.
He flicked a glance to his former master in time to see him nod. "Usually, when Intelligence says they've done the advance work, I've found that to be anything but the case but at least I do not have to worry about that this time," he said.
Anakin chuckled.
Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose. "Is there something I missed?"
Anakin smirked. "I was just thinking, here you are again…"
Obi-Wan smiled a little in response but said nothing so Anakin decided to go on.
"I only mean that, for someone with a reputation for hating space travel, you've certainly taken part in more than your share of exotic missions. Kamino, Geonosis, Ord Cestus…"
"The war has prompted me to take a long view of things."
"Master Qui-Gon would have been proud of you."
Obi-Wan's eyes shone with remembrance and a flicker of sadness but he said nothing in response for a long moment. "Perhaps," he said quietly and the cockpit fell into silence.
Anakin gazed at Charros IV as he guided the cruiser toward it. It was several long moments before he decided to break the silence. "Do you think the Xi Char will talk to us?" he asked.
Obi-Wan swiveled to face him. "I am sure they will be accommodating. After the Battle of Naboo, after the Republic refused to do business with them because they had supplied the Neimoidians with the weapons they used to attack Naboo, they've been eager to atone for that mistake. That is especially because their signature designs are being mass-produced more cheaply by Baktoid Armor or other Confederacy supplies.
Anakin's lips thinned into an expression of wariness. "I hope they won't hold it against us that I destroyed so many of their fighters."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "Yes, let's hope your fame hasn't spread this far into the Outer Rim. But everything hinges on whether TeeCee Sixteen can speak Xi Char as fluently as he claims."
"Master Kenobi, I assure you that I can speak the tongue almost as well as the indigenous Xi Charrian," the protocol droid chimed in from one of the cockpit's rear seats. "My term of service to Viceroy Gunray demanded that I familiarize myself with the trader's tongues used by all the hive species, including the Xi Char, the Geonosians, the Colicoids, and many others. My fluency will ensure complete cooperation on the part of the Xi Char. Although I expect they will be rather disgusted by my physical appearance."
"Why's that?" Anakin asked.
"Devotion to precision technology forms the basis of Xi Char religious beliefs. They accept as a matter of faith that meticulous work is no different from prayer; indeed, their workshops have more in common with temples than factories. When a Xi Charrian is injured, he goes into self-exile, so that others won't have to look upon his imperfections or deformities. An Xi Char adage has it that 'the deity is in the details.'"
"Wear your flaws proudly, TeeCee," Anakin said raising and clenching his right hand. "I do mine."
Obi-Wan watched as the cruiser descended into Charros IV's ice-clouded atmosphere toward the arid, almost treeless world below. The Xi Char lived on high plateaus, hemmed in by ranges of snowcapped mountains. Expansive black-water lakes dotted the landscape.
"It's rather bleak planet but I'll still take it over Tatooine any day," Anakin said making adjustments to the controls to compensate for strong winds that were buffeting the ship.
"I can think of several places that were worse than Tatooine," Obi-Wan replied; the one that haunted his dreams was only one of them.
Into view came the landing platform to which they had been directed. Oval in shape and perfectly sized to the cruiser, it looked newly built.
"I'm certain that it was constructed specifically for us," TC-16 said. "That's why the Xi Char were unremitting in their request to know the cruiser's exact dimensions."
Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan. "The Republic could use the Xi Char right about now."
He set the cruiser down on its broad disks of landing gear and extended the vessel's starboard boarding ramp. At the top of the ramp, Obi-Wan raised the hood of his cloak against a glacial wind that howled down the slopes. Ahead, a gleaming alloy runner ran from the edge of the landing platform to a cathedral-like structure half a kilometer distant and to both sides of the runner stood hundreds of excited Xi Charrians. It was no different from the first time Obi-Wan's been on that planet.
"Guess they don't get many guests," Anakin said as he, Obi-Wan and TC-16 started down the ramp.
The Xi Char's technological creations mirrored their anatomy and physiology. With their short, chitinous bodies, quartets of pointed legs, scissor-action feet and teardrop-shaped heads, they might have been living version of the shapeshifting droid fighters they had helped produce for the Trade Federation—in walk/patrol mode, at any rate. The wild chitterlings of the hundreds-strong mob of welcomers was so loud that Anakin had to raise his voice to be heard.
"Celebrity treatment! I think I'm going to enjoy this."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes although a faint smile played on his lips. "Follow my lead, Anakin."
"I'll will, Master."
The closer the Jedi and the protocol droid drew to the edge of the landing platform, the louder the chitterlings became. Anakin didn't know what to make of the sheer eagerness he felt from the aliens It was as if some sort of footrace were about to begin. Frequently, an individual Xi Charrian, carried away by enthusiasm, would leap onto the sleek runner, only to be yanked back into the crowd by others.
"TC, are they normally so zealous?" he asked glancing at the protocol droid.
"Yes, Master Skywalker. But their zest has nothing to do with us. It's the ship."
The meaning of the remark became clear the instant the three of them stepped from the landing platform. At one the Xi Charrians surged forward and swarmed the cruiser, covering it from flat-faced bow to barrel-thrustered stern. Anakin watched in awe as patches of carbon scoring disappeared, dents were straightened, pieces of superstructure were realigned and transparisteel viewports were polished.
"Let's remember to tip them when we leave," Anakin said.
Obi-Wan smiled a little in response.
Occasionally a Xi Charrian would leap on TC-16 or make a grab for one of his limbs, but the droid was able to shake his assailants off.
"In their eagerness to perfect me, I'm afraid they'll wipe my memory," the droid said.
"Would that be such a bad thing after what you claim to have been through?" Anakin said.
"How can I expect to learn from my mistakes if I can no longer remember them?"
They were halfway down the runner hen a pair of larger Xi Charrians scurried out to meet them. TC exchanged chitterlings and stridulations with them and explained. "These two will take us to the Prelate."
"No weapons," Anakin said quietly. "That's a good sign."
"The Xi Char are a peaceful species," the droid explained. "They care only about the engineering of a piece of technology, not its intended use. That was why they felt unjustly accused and harshly judged by the Republic for the part their droid fighters played in the Battle of Naboo."
The enormous building TC-16 had called a workshop topped two hundred meters in height and was crowned with latticework spires and towers that evoked strains of eerie music from the steady wind. Arrays of tall skylights lit the vast interior space, in which thousands of Xi Charrians toiled. Arcades of exquisitely engraved columns supported a vaulted ceiling of exposed roof trusses, among which roosted several thousand more Xi Charrians, suspended by their scissor feet and humming contentedly.
"The night shift?" Anakin wondered aloud.
No one answered his rhetoric question.
Their pair of escorts led them into a kind of chancery whose tall doors opened on a spotless room that could have passed for the captain's cabin of a luxury space yacht. Occupying a throne-like chair in the center of the room was the large Xi Charrian, being attended to by a dozen smaller ones. Elsewhere, groups of tool-wielding Xi Charrians were going over every square millimeter of the chamber, scrubbing, cleaning, and polishing.
Without ceremony, TC-16 approached the Prelate and tendered a greeting. The droid had tasked his vocoder to provide Obi-Wan and Anakin with simultaneous translations of his utterances.
"May I present Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Anakin Skywalker," he began.
Waving away his retinue, the Prelate pivoted his long head to regard Obi-Wan before it looked at the droid and chittered.
"Excellency, I speak your language as a result of my former employment in the court of Viceroy Nute Gunray." The droid listened to the Prelate's response, then said: "Yes, I realize that does not endear me to you. But may I say in defense that my time among the Neimoidians was the most trying of my existence. To which my physically appearance surely attests and is cause for my great shame."
Clearly mollified, the Prelate chittered again.
"These Jedi have come to seek permission from you to pose questions to a devotee in Workshop-Xcan—a certain t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak." TC-16 supplied the glottal stops and clicking sounds necessary to pronounce the name.
"A virtuoso engraver, to be sure, Excellency. As to the Jedi's interest in him, it is hoped that a work of art to which he devoted himself will provide a clue as to the current whereabouts of an important Separatist leader." The droid listened, then added: "And may I add that anything that brings joy to the Xi Char brings contentment to the Republic."
The Prelate's eye grooves found the Jedi again.
"The lightsaber are not weapons, Excellency," TC said after a brief exchange. "But if permission to speak with t'laalak-s'lalak0t'th'ak rests on their surrendering the lightsabers, then I'm certain they will comply."
Obi-Wan reached for his lightsaber but he noticed Anakin hesitate for an instant before he also followed suit. They unclipped their lightsaber before handing to TC-16, who presented them to the Prelate for inspection.
"It hardly surprises me that you see room for improvement, Excellency," the droid said after a moment. "But then, what tool could fail to benefit from the touch of a Xi Charrian?" He listened, then added: "I'm certain that the Jedi know you will honor your pledge to leave the imperfections intact."
t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak was engrossed in engraving a corporate logo into a piece of starship console when the Xi Charrian escorts escorted TC-16 and two Jedi toward him. Upon hearing TC call his name, he glanced up from his work.
The escorts chittered to him briefly before TC-16 took over.
"t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak, first allow me to say that your work is of such exceptional quality that the deities themselves must be covetous."
The Xi Charrian accepted the compliment in humility and chittered a response.
"We appreciate the offer to watch you at work. But in fact, we are not unacquainted with some of your finer pieces, and it is because of one piece in particular that we have journeyed so far to speak with you. An example that recently came to light on Cato Neimoidia."
The Xi Charrian took a long moment to respond.
"A mechno-chair you adorned for Trade federation viceroy, Nute Gunray, some fourteen standard years ago." TC-16 listened, then added: "But surely it was yours, for the inner portion of the rear leg bears your devotional symbol." Again he listened. "A Baktoid forgery? Are you suggesting that your work could so easily be imitated?"
Anakin nudged Obi-Wan: Xi Charrians working nearby were beginning to take a keen interest in the conversation.
"We understand your reluctance to discuss such matters," TC-16 was saying quietly. "Why, the very fact that you autographed a piece could be interpreted by the Prelate as a statement of pride."
t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak's anger was apparent.
Anakin briefly saw Obi-Wan grimace out of the corner of his eyes. "TC," Obi-Wan said before TC-16 could say anything in response to whatever it was t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak said. "Tell him that we only wish to know a few simple things and then we shall leave him to his work."
TC-16 repeated Obi-Wan's words to the Xi Charrian.
t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak was silent for a moment before he chittered a response.
"I am sure they will only be a few, quick questions, t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak," TC-16 said.
"Also tell him that he does not have to say anything that may incriminate himself," Obi-Wan added calmly eyes narrowed while Anakin frowned wondering why Obi-Wan decided to say that.
t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak chittered a response.
"I am sure Master Obi-Wan means what he says," said TC-16 before he listened to the response though Anakin noticed it sounded a bit hesitant and added, "He said he will answer your questions, Master Obi-Wan."
"Ask him does he remember the chair?"
TC-16 listened before saying, "Yes he does."
"Was the engraving done here?"
"He answers, "'yes', sir."
"Was the chair brought to Charros Four by the Neimoidians or by another?"
"He says, sir: 'By another.'"
Anakin felt eagerness go through him as he realized they were getting closer to discovering the truth. "Was the hyperwave transceiver already affixed to it?"
TC-16 listened. "Both the transceiver and the holoprojector itself were already affixed to the chair. He says that he did little but inscribe the legs of the chair and teweak some of its motion systems." Lowering his voice, the droid added: "May I say, sirs, that t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak voice is…quavering. I suspect that he is hiding something."
"He's afraid," Anakin said. "And not of Nute Gunray."
Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "Ask him who made the transceiver. Ask him where it shipped from."
t'laalak-s'lalak-t'th'ak chitterings sounded contrite.
TC-16 said, "the transceiver unit arrived from a facility known as Escarte. He beliegves that the device's maker is still there."
"Escarte?" Anakin echoed.
"It's an asteroid mining facility belonging to the Commerce Guild," Obi-Wan said before TC-16 could respond.
Anakin glanced at his former master with narrowed eyes.
Obi-Wan didn't meet his gaze. "Tell him that we say thank you and we appreciate his time and help."
TC-16 repeated Obi-Wan's words to the Xi Charrian.
"Master, how…?" Anakin began.
"No time for that now, Anakin," Obi-Wan said placing a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Let's head over to Escarte."
Anakin, frowning, nodded slowly before following his former master as he led the way out of the western colonnade of the workshop.
Jedi Master Mace Windu was poised on the edge of a desk in the windowless chamber that was the data room within the Jedi Temple listening to Intelligence officer Dyne as he explained what occurred on Charros IV. There wasn't much to say; the Xi Charrian had agreed to answer Obi-Wan's questions and there wasn't an incident.
Yoda nodded slowly. "But come to tell us only these things, Captain Dyne hasn't," he said.
Dyne grinned. "We've succeeded in deciphering the code Dooku—and, we have to assume, Sidious—has been using to communicate with the Council of Separatists. Using the code, we were able to intercept a message sent to Viceroy Gunray through the mechno-chair."
Mace came to his feet. "Your people have been working on cracking that ode for years."
"The chair's hyperwave transceiver provided us with our first solid lead," Dyne said and went on to explain how the code embedded in the transceiver's memory was a variant on codes used by the InterGalactic Banking Clan and how they spoke with one of the Muuns arrested after the Battle of Muunilinst.
"Eventually, the Muun told us that the Confederacy code comes closest to a code used on Aargau, for transferring bank funds and such. Remember the missing credits that became the basis for accusations leveled against Chancellor Valorum back in the day?"
Yoda nodded. "Remember the incident well we do."
"The credits that allegedly disappeared into the pockets of Valorum's family members on Eriadu were routed through Aargau."
"Interesting this is."
Dyne opened an alloy briefcase and removed ribbed data fell. Moving to one of the holoprojector tables, he inserted the cell into a socket. A meter-high holoimage appeared in the table's cone of blue light.
"General Grievous," Yoda said narrowing his eyes.
"You'll be pleased to learn that I've chosen a world for us, Viceroy," Grievous was saying. "Belderone will be our temporary home." The cyborg fell silent for a moment. "Viceroy? Viceroy!" Whirling to someone off cam, he barked: "End transmission."
Mace narrowed his eyes as Dyne paused the transmission. He knew Grievous would attack and kill millions on Belderone to make a point but he also knew that the Separatists must not learn that they have eavesdropped on their transmissions. In the end, he knew of what Master Yoda was going to decide and he found that he agreed with it.
Obi-Wan guided his starfighter toward the Separatists ships easily keeping up with his wingmate as they flew through the space above Belderone. The battle was going just like it had the first time around but Obi-Wan honestly didn't think it would change. There wasn't much that could be changed so Obi-Wan decided to let things play out as they did the first time around and, perhaps, he might make a few minor changes but only if the opportunity to make subtle changes presented itself.
"I say we leave the small stuff to odd Ball and the other pilots and go straight for the ones that matter," Anakin said over the battle net that connected them.
"Five hundred or so droids positioned between Grievous and us and the capital ships heavily shielded, what's your plan to get through them?"
Obi-Wan could almost feel the smirk that he was sure was gracing his brother's face. "Just follow my lead, Master."
"All right."
Obi-Wan followed Anakin as his starfighter shot forward firing at any starfighter that Anakin missed, which weren't many. He watched as droids flared and flamed on all sides of the two starfighters. Anakin swerved hard to starboard and caught one of the two droid fighters attacking him with a sideslip shot. The second fighter sheared off as quickly as it could from the expanding fragmentation cloud. As it did, Obi-Wan fired on the second fighter and, in a ball of fire, it went careening into a flak-dazzled tri-fighter and the two of them exploded.
"Nice shooting, Master, but that one was mine," Anakin said over the battle net.
Obi-Wan smirked. "Arfour wanted to help," he said.
Anakin laughed. "Stay with me."
"It's not like I really have a choice."
"You always have a choice Master."
The two starfighters headed deeper into the melee now, ARC-170s, v-wings and droid fighters were joined in a great cloverleaf of combat, chasing one another, colliding into one another, twirling out of the fight with engines smoking or wings blown away. Weapons themselves, the droids were accurate with their bolts but slower to recover and easily confused by random maneuvers. While at times this made for effortless kills, there were just so many of them…
Obi-Wan fell back almost as soon as Anakin began to harass the enemy leader of the cloverleaf clash with laser bolts. He leapt his starfighter into kill position and opened up.
"Nice shot!" Anakin said when the wing leader vanished.
Obi-Wan smiled. "Nice setup," he said.
Anakin signaled to Obi-Wan to follow and climbed out ofh te main battle, veering tangent to it and rocketed toward the nearest of the Separatists' needle-nosed picket ships. Unleashing two missiles to draw the picket's attention, he yawed to port, pushed over, then came back at the vessel with lasers.
"Run the hull! Target the shield generator!"
Obi-Wan nodded before following unleashing with all cannons.
They were in the thick of the heaviest fighting now, where ranged fire from the Republic capital ships was breaking against the particle and ray shields of their targets. Blinding light pulsed behind the canopy blast tinting. The picket Anakin had piqued with missiles was under heavy bombardment.
Obi-Wan watched as the torpedo tore from between Anakin's starfighter's cockpit-linked fuselages and burned its way toward the picket.
The picket's shield failed for an instant, and in that instant the huge incoming turbolaser bolts did their worst. Struck broadside, the picket burst like an overripe fruit, venting long plumes of incandescence and spilling light and guts into space.
"We've got a clear shot at Grievous!" Anakin shouted over the comlink.
Obi-Wan smiled a little at his former apprentice's enthusiasm before shaking his head slightly. "Then why don't you go on ahead? I very much doubt I will be able to keep up with you. Just keep an eye out for those point-defense arrays."
"I will, Master." Anakin banked to starboard before pushing his starfighter to its limits as he flew toward General Grievous's cruiser.
Though he knew Anakin would be fine on his own, Obi-Wan remained behind his brother keeping guard of his stern.
Grievous's reptilian eyes tracked the audacious maneuvers of the yellow-and-gray starfighter that was attempting to strafe the bridge. Firing with precision, anticipating the response of the forward batteries, taking chances even a clone wouldn't take…the pilot could only be a Jedi.
Grievous knew who the Jedi was; his dauntless determination, his abandon. He could sense that there was a lack of rage in the Jedi's attacks. There was anger there, yes, he could sense as much but there wasn't rage. Nevertheless, Grievous would very much want to have the lightsaber of that Jedi dangling from his belt.
Anakin Skywalker.
Positive that the yellow-and-gray starfighter was Skywalker, Grievous easily figured that the starfighter that was guarding Skywalker's stern belonged to Obi-Wan Kenobi; currently, the biggest thorn in the side of the leader of the Separatists, Count Dooku.
Elsewhere in the battle arena, Republic forces were demonstrating similar enthusiasm, atomizing droid fighters and punishing the capital ships with long-range cannon fire. Grievous was confident that, if pressed, eh could turn the tide of the battle, but that was not his present mandate. His Sith Masters had ordered him to safeguard the lives of the Council members despite the fact that Gunray had been arrested already by the Republic—though, in fact, the Confederacy needed none other than Lords Sidious and Tyranus.
He turned to watch the simulation playing above the tactical console before waving for one of the droids on the bridge of the Invisible Hand.
"Alert our vessel commanders to stand by to receive revised battle orders.
"Yes, General," the droid acknowledged in monotone.
"Raise the ship. Prepare to fire all guns on my command."
Anakin continued to pepper the shields of Grievous's ship with laser bolts. Obi-Wan was attempting to hail him but he was too focused on his attack that he didn't acknowledge the call. He didn't even hear it.
Suddenly, Grievous's ship began to reorient itself. It continued to rise until it was well above the plane of the ecliptic, with its bow angled slightly Coreward. Then it fired.
Not at the Republic battle group, nor at Belderone itself but at the convoy of evacuees and its escort starfighters.
Anakin winced as a great disturbance struck in the Force. Ship after ship disintegrated or erupted in flames. Thousands of voices cried out and the battle and command nets grew shrill with shouts of dismay and outrage.
Anakin felt anger burn through him at the many senseless deaths caused by Grievous. When he recognized that it was anger he was feeling, he closed his eyes before slowing releasing the anger into the Force. Anger was not something a Jedi felt and, because, Anakin wanted to be the best Jedi in the entire Order, he knew he had to learn ignore the power his anger offered him and release it into the Force.
Obi-Wan's advice Power does not equal greatness was something that Anakin always kept close to him whenever he felt anger or frustration or any other emotion that offered him power. He would be great, he was determined to be great, and power was not going to give him the greatness he sought.
Tri-fighters and Vulture droids were suddenly slinking back to the ships from which they had been disgorged. At the same time, the entire Separatist fleet was turning tail. Naturally, Grievous realized that his barbaric act had caught the Republic forces by surprise, but he apparently had nothing more in mind than escape into hyperspace. Obviously, the general made up his mind that Belderone simply wasn't worth the risk—not with so many defenseless Outer Rim worlds still up for grabs.
"Anakin, the evacuees need our help!" Obi-Wan's voice drifted over the comlink.
"I'm coming, Master," Anakin called back before breaking off the futile pursuit of the cruiser. Farther out, Separatist ships were disappearing from sight as they made the jump to lightspeed.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: and that was chapter 51 and also I have a note. The next chapter is going to take a while and, when I say a while, I mean over two weeks and that is because I am a college student, I have work that needs to be done especially now with finals less than a week away. I need to study for those finals and work on final assignments for my college classes. So, updates are going to be very slow for this story, and for all other stories, until summer vacation begins in two weeks
Darth: I'm sure everyone will understand
Severus: we hope
Harry: always thinking in the negative, Snape
Severus: oh shut up, Potter
Sirius: don' talk to my godson like that
Anakin: you guys are weird
Darth: yes they are. Do or do not, there is no frappuccino? WHERE THE HECK IS MY FRAPPUCCINO?!
Severus: Palpypie took it
Darth: where's my…?
Padmé: WHO TOOK MY CHOCOLATE?! (Points E-web repeater blaster at Palpypie)
Palpypie: I didn't do it (eating chocolate and drinking frappuccino)
Severus: don't deny it when the evidence is in your hands
Darth: he dies…slowly
Blaze: uh, Padmé beat you to him
Padmé: (firing repeater blaster at Palpypie)
Blaze: (laughs) please review and I shall post chapter 52, which will hopefully cover chapters 24 through 33, as soon as I possibly can but, like I said earlier, it will be more than two weeks before the next chapter is posted.