Chapter Eight
"Master! This is impossible!"
The words 'nothing is impossible with the Force' came to the forefront of Obi-Wan's mind, but this was not the time for masterly quotes. It was a time for concentration and careful maneuvering.
The steps carved into the mountain leading to the Cro-Hyt village were treacherously steep and wide, which made sense if you were several meters tall as the natives were. Well, he and his Padawan were not, which made their advance rigorous and painstakingly slow.
"The entire village will have burned down by the time we get there!" the young man observed with irritation. Obi-Wan turned back to regard his student, intent on guiding him through a short mantra about controlling his emotions, when he was struck with an idea.
Just a ways over was a wooden tunnel, which was bolted to the rockface. It was the aquaduct the Cro Clan had shut down. It would be dry, and would be much easier to climb than these arduous rock steps.
Taking the initiative, Obi-Wan slung a grappling hook upward against the mountain, catching upon a crag in the stone a few meters up. He then began a pendulum walk across the face, tightly grasping onto the thin line of durasteel.
He made it to the wooden passage without any problem, where he awaited his Padawan. Once they had both reached the aquaduct, Obi-Wan used his lightsaber to carve a hole in the tube just large enough for them to drop into.
They slid several feet down until grabbing onto a joint, the moonlight shining through the opening they had created, allowing just enough illumination to find their way. Slowly, but surely, a thin glowlight pressed between his teeth, they made their way up the mountain, finding purchase on each joint edge.
When the duct leveled out, Anakin created an exit above their heads, and the two Jedi stood up and leaped out and into the village of Cro-Hyt.
"Una jed! Una jed!" A young clan member shouted as she raced across the snow-packed ground.
The majority of the village was hidden from view of the wooded valley, and Obi-Wan was surprised to see how substantial it had become over the years. Regardless of their complaints, the Cro Clan seemed to be flourishing. New buildings of stone and durasteel were planted in the frozen ground, and powered glowlights lit up the paved streets.
The youngling had apparently drawn the attention of the clan and a ripple of conversation passed through the growing crowd until a highly-decorated clansmen strode up amongst them.
"Dun nol tul, Che Cro. Uni Jedi Kenobi," Obi-Wan recited the proper greeting slowly, slightly bothered that the more he spoke, the more jagged teeth this particular Crohytian revealed.
"Obi-Wan," the broad leader grinned as he spoke before slapping the Jedi's shoulder roughly with a meaty hand. "You do not remember me?"
He hated to admit it, but he was having trouble tracing his memory that far back. It had been many years since he had visited here with his Master.
"Teaching a brethren has robbed your mind I see," the Chieftan indicated Anakin, who stood slightly behind his Master. "I was born Bon-Cro, son of Non-Cro, great Chief of Cro-Hyt."
"Of course!" Obi-Wan beamed, extending his hand, which was accepted graciously, despite his blunder. "I heard about your father's accident. May he rest with the Great Chiefs."
"Non-Cro was strong. No avalanche could kill my father."
Obi-Wan eyed the new clan leader with interest. It appeared there was much more to this mission than he had predicted. "Perhaps we should move this conversation to a more private location," he suggested.
"Of course," the Chieftan agreed with another toothy, horned grin. "Besides, you Jedi are without fur. You will freeze soon."
The private residence of their host was a comfortable one of stone and wood, leathers, and furs, with a roaring fire built in a pit which took up most of the common area. It was here he and Anakin were led, told to sit upon cushions of animal hides and furs, and handed goblets of sour wine by female servants.
"As you were saying," Obi-Wan prompted, while he did his best to appear as if he enjoyed the drink, when in fact, it wasn't to his liking at all.
"There are those who wish to unite the clans. One rule under Gaw. To force us out of the mountains and into the woods where the Cro do not belong." the Cro leader explained.
"Do you know who these insurgents are?" Anakin asked.
"I think they may be the same who sabotaged the water system a few years ago."
"Were they Cro or Gaw?" his Padawan pursued his line of questioning.
"Both," was the answer which surprised Obi-Wan. "Mix of both Clans; unruly, spoiled youth who demand their own way."
Obi-Wan pondered the situation carefully while the attending servant refilled their goblets, although his didn't need any. The information provided was vital, but it did not answer the question which had driven them up the mountain.
"Do you think they are the ones who set off the explosions in the Gaw village earlier today?"
"I believe, yes." The Chieftan announced with confidence. "We heard the noise, saw the fire. It was not Cro who attacked Gaw."
Obi-Wan believed his old friend, although that did nothing to provide a solution to their problem. The fact still remained the Gaw Chieftan was dead, as were many of the Gaw clansmen. According to Lin-Hyt law, someone had to pay for the crime.
Obi-Wan was considering asking for some assistance in convincing the Gaw of this theory when a thin Crohytian burst into the room, immediately bowing and kneeling to the floor, his furs littered with leaves and other debris obviously from the woods below the mountain.
"Ton dun una dey." The Cro Chief demanded the messenger to speak quickly.
"Dey jed!" the younger clansman spoke excitedly. "Dey una jed sen fon! Tan sen fon una don! Una don tet!"
With a nod from his leader, the messenger backed his way out of the common room. Obi-Wan looked at the Chief expectantly. He had picked up on just a few words. Something about an attack or something got stolen, which concerned the Jedi.
He had a bad feeling about this.
"It seems as if our friends have attacked your ship," the Cro Chief translated. "They have stolen everything inside."
Apprehension swept down Obi-Wan's spine and settled in his stomach. Not a good combination with the bitter, sour wine he'd consumed.
A quick glance back to his Padawan confirmed the young man shared his worry.
"The girls!" Anakin spouted, his eyes wide with alarm.