AN: Hope you're all ready for the next chapter. Thanks for the continued support.
Halcyus Lance - I answered you in a PM, but not sure you saw it, and I figured your review was worth answering here for others who might be wondering the same things. Still, thanks for the review! To answer, not much has changed yet, large scale that is, other than Siri and Obi-Wan's relationship. Part of that is that it's still early, but it also comes down to their are is no open distrust of Palpatine yet. I have sprinkled some small things throughout the story which will have some larger repercussions later, but so far in the story, I'm still just fleshing out the characters and telling some of their adventures with additions.
As for why Kastor hasn't seen visions about Anakin? Because you are right and Anakin's future is pertinent to the story. The thing is that to me Anakin's story is fluid. The Force works to make sure that he'll bring balance whichever way he goes, so Kastor really can't see it. To me, Anakin's one of the few people in this universe that truly gets to choose how his life turns out. Unfortunately, he's being manipulated in pulled in multiple directions, which balanced with his poor childhood leads to his sometimes poor choices. However, in the end it is still his choice to do what he does.
Kastor has seen snippets of Anakin's fate . . . he just hasn't realized that he's seeing some of Anakin's possible futures. He's just seen darkness and possible Sith Warriors, and he's seen Old Ben, so he feels Obi-Wan is key with Siri being very important as well. kastor doesn't believe in the "Chosen One" so while he likes Anakin, he isn't putting stock in Anakin being the one to bring balance.
Second (and arguably just a plot point) is that Kastor's ability is psychometry. He sees the past when he touches things, but not necessarily the future unless the Force chooses to reveal the future. The Force likes to cloud Anakin's future. As the Father said in the Clone Wars when Anakin was shown his future . . . it was something that was not meant to be seen.
To me, the Force favors those who work to its will. If Darth Vader needs to be born to eventually lead to Palpatine's death, since he does his best to control the Force and cause imbalance, then the Force will make it happen, even if that means that hundreds and thousands of Jedi will die.
Chapter 24 - Avoni Invasion (Radnor Part III)
Curi sat in the office, a plate of untouched food pushed away from her and a datapad in front of her. She rested her head against her hand, and, behind her mask, her eyes were closed.
Obi-Wan and Siri paused. If Curi was resting at last, they didn't want to disturb her.
Without opening her eyes, she spoke. "We can't find it. Whatever makes Wilk immune to the toxin, we might never know. We've checked out everything."
"I'm sorry," Siri said, and Obi-Wan could feel her sorrow through the bond.
Curi opened her eyes. She started to scratch her head, then remembered she was in her bio-iso suit. She grimaced. "There's something else. We used our lab facilities to run the tests. While we waited for results, I looked up everything on the toxin. I'd already done that when this first happened, but things were moving so fast . . . I didn't have time to look closely. There are gaps in the research."
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked. "Gaps in the way it was conducted?"
"No," Curi said. "Gaps in the records. There are files missing."
"So it's possible that –" Siri began.
"That the accident wasn't an accident," Curi finished, looking extremely troubled.
They left Curi, who was about to return to her lab to investigate further. Obi-Wan looked at Siri.
"The ferry ships should have landed by now."
She nodded. "Let's go."
The Avoni fleet had landed on the outskirts of the Isolation Sector. Obi-Wan and Siri took Curi's airspeeder, which she'd made available for their use. They stopped the speeder a few hundred meters away from the ferry ships, hiding it behind a rocky outcropping.
The wind was strong here, driving the dust against their clothes, but thankfully the bio-iso suits protected their eyes and skin from the peppery blasts.
The gleaming black ships had landed in formation. A few Avoni workers dressed in bio-iso suits were ferrying skiffs out the cargo loading doors.
"No doubt they're going to use the skiffs to ferry the Radnorans from Aubendo to the fleet," Obi-Wan murmured. "There must be another ship on the other side of the energy gate for Tacto."
"Then why off-load them now?" Siri asked. "And why are they full of durasteel crates?"
"Good question," Obi-Wan said with a frown. "Let's move closer."
They moved from rock to rock, trying to get close enough to see what was inside the skiffs. As they lingered in the shadow of a ship's wing, the passenger ramp suddenly lowered. An Avoni officer strode down.
"Progress report!" he called out to the workers.
The worker quickly approached him with a datapad. Obi-Wan glanced at Siri, and after a wordless communication they both dashed up the passenger ramp. The ship hallway was deserted. Quickly they made their way down it and found themselves in the cargo hold of the ship. There were no ground craft here. No guards or officers.
Obi-Wan accessed a door, keeping himself well out of sight as it slid open. He peered into the doorway. He found himself looking inside a large cargo bay. It was filled with battle droids that were ominously familiar.
"These are the Prototype Droids we fought in the Clear Sector," Siri said. "How did the Avoni get them?"
They stepped through the doorway. At that instant, a detector light turned red.
"Mistake," Obi-Wan muttered. "I think we just tripped a silent sensor."
Suddenly an alarm sounded. "Intruder," a pleasant voice announced. "Intruder."
"Not so silent," Siri said dryly. "Let's get out of here while we can."
But even as they turned, the first line of attack droids snapped to life. Behind them, the next line flipped into position, and blaster fire erupted around the Jedi.
Obi-Wan and Siri knew they couldn't defeat all of the droids, especially since Avoni troops could appear at any moment, and blaster fire was pinging around them as the doors behind them began to slide shut.
Obi-Wan and Siri deflected blaster fire as they moved backward. The frequency of the fire was astonishing. The air filled with smoke. In their bio-iso suits, the Jedi could not move with their customary grace. Obi-Wan felt blaster fire uncomfortably close to his shoulder.
Obi-Wan decided to use a trick he learned from Revan's holocron, something that Kastor had once used against him and Siri and he waved his hand, sending seven of the droids around him flying with a powerful Force wave.
"Obi-Wan!" Siri called.
The doors were closing, and they were too far to make it.
Obi-Wan stepped forward and, with one smooth motion, sliced a droid that had gotten close in half. He took the severed trunk of the body and tossed it back just in time to land between the closing door and the wall. With a grating noise, the door tried to close on the droid. The metal began to compress with a terrible groaning sound as the door struggled to shut. The gap was just wide enough for Siri to fit through. Even as she squeezed past, the door was closing. Obi-Wan's lightsaber danced, a blade of light that deflected the ongoing blaster fire of the droids. He squeezed through the opening after Siri.
A droid tried to follow and smashed into the door. Obi-Wan tumbled into the hallway as another droid fired between the gap. Blaster fire zinged past their ears. Siri raised her hand, and Force pushed the droid away and into a wall, crushing it.
Obi-Wan and Siri didn't hesitate. As more droids thudded against the half-closed door they ran for the ramp.
The Avoni officer was still busy with the workers. He must have received a shipboard communication through his headset, for he turned and scanned the area. "Intruders!" he snapped to the workers. "Leave the skiffs. Secure the ferry ships! Lock down all cargo holds!"
The workers began to move. In their bio-iso suits, Obi-Wan and Siri were able to blend in. They made their way along the line of ships, looking busy. Then they ducked behind the rocks and doubled back to their speeder.
They jumped inside and took off.
"At least we weren't seen," Obi-Wan said. "The Avoni won't know we're on to them."
"They'll know someone was aboard when they find several smashed droids, several cut down by lightsabers, and a broken door," Siri said as she piloted the speeder.
"They could think that it was a droid malfunction," Obi-Wan said. "At least for a while."
"Well, that reminds me. What exactly are we on to?" Siri asked. "If all of those cargo holds are full of battle droids, we're in trouble. What I don't understand is how they're going to get the droids to Aubendo. It seems like they're using the skiffs for cargo."
"I don't know, but there's no doubt in my mind that the Avoni are planning an invasion," Obi-Wan said. "That much is clear, but we have a worse problem."
Siri nodded, her clear blue eyes suddenly clouded. "We might have to let them."
**The Will of the Force**
They found Ry-Gaul and Soara with Curi. Ry-Gaul and Soara were studying some results on Curi's datapad. Everyone looked grave.
"Bad news?" Siri asked.
"No, it's actually good news," Curi said. "It's just puzzling news. We discovered why Wilk is immune to the toxin. He was never exposed at all."
"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked. "He snuck back into the Isolation Sector."
"Exactly, and he didn't get infected," Curi said. "When one of the immunity tests checked out, I went back and checked the research. We ran more tests. The toxin has a short half-life. The poison is already benign. It doesn't threaten the Clear Sector at all."
"Are you absolutely certain of this?" Siri asked.
For her answer, Curi slowly removed her mask. Then she stepped out of her bio-isolation suit.
"I am willing to test it," she said. "I suggest you keep your suits on, for now. If I'm wrong, you should be here to run things."
Obi-Wan admired Curi's courage. "If you're right, this is good news," Obi-Wan said. "We suspect that Avon is attempting a takeover of your planet."
"Wait a second," Siri said. "They must know the toxin has dispersed. That's the key to their takeover. They get everyone off-planet, and then they move in.
"But the Avoni were wearing bio-iso suits," Obi-Wan said.
Siri shrugged. "Just in case someone came by – like we did."
"Maybe that accounts for the missing research records?" Soara said. "Could someone have gotten past your security system, Curi?"
Curi didn't say anything for a moment.
"Curi, we don't have time for your hesitations," Soara prodded bluntly.
"No, our security is first-rate," Curi said hesitantly.
"So it would have to be an inside job," Obi-Wan said.
Curi bit her lip. "I want to say no, but there is something I haven't told you about Dol Heep. I've had direct dealings with him. Somehow he found out we were working to develop a new weapon with that toxin. The Avoni wanted exclusive rights to it. They were willing to pay a fortune. I was opposed – I have told you of my feelings about the Avoni. Not to mention that we weren't even close to completion of our research, but Galen wanted to do the deal. He pointed out that we sell to anyone in the galaxy who will pay the price. Why stop now? He had a point. He did not like that I had come to believe we needed to do business a different way. We had terrible arguments. In the end, we agreed that our relationship as brother and sister was more important than business. So Galen agreed to my point of view. He had no choice, really. He wouldn't be able to run the lab. He's strictly a research scientist. Dol Heep was furious at our refusal to deal with his planet. When the toxin was released, I just assumed it was an accident."
"And now?" Soara prodded when Curi fell silent.
"And now I'm wondering why Galen didn't know that the toxin has a short half-life," Curi burst out. "He was the one who developed it. How could Galen have made this mistake? How could he not have known?"
"I think you know the answer to that," Obi-Wan said solemnly. "He does know."
**The Will of the Force**
When Ferus and Darra arrived at the communication center, they were shocked at the news that the communications were being jammed from space.
Darra grabbed the end of her sandy Padawan braid and chewed on it nervously. "Do you think it's the Avoni?"
Anakin and Ferus nodded at the same time.
"It sure looks that way," Ferus said. He glanced at the communication console, then at Anakin and Tru. "Good work, you two. I never could have figured out that system."
"It's a perfect plan," Tru said. "Evacuate everyone off-planet. They all go willingly. Then move in."
Darra realized she was chewing on her braid and made a disgusted face. She flung it behind her shoulder. "Talk about an easy takeover."
"The question is, do we still move the Radnorans onto the Avoni transports?" Anakin asked. "We need to tell Galen this news. Maybe there's a way to delay the process until we can get more information."
"Not so fast," Darra said. "Ferus and I discovered something. The factory that made those prototype droids belongs to Galen and his sister Curi."
"Isn't it too much of a coincidence that there were security lapses at both factories?" Ferus asked. He swung one powerful leg over a chair and sat astride it.
Thoughtfully, Tru leaned back in his chair. He wrapped both his rubbery legs around each other several times, then crossed his ankles. "So Galen could be involved in the release of the droids," he said. "Or even the original industrial accident."
"Or Curi," Darra said. "Or both. Or neither. It could be an employee of theirs. Or an ex-employee. In other words, it could be anyone on this planet, and we have to find them in less than an hour! Not too much of a problem for a first mission." She reached for her braid again.
Ferus leaned over and slipped his hand into Tru's pocket. He tossed Darra a piece of figda candy. "No stress, Darra."
"We have threads, but no patterns," Anakin said. "Our Masters could be in danger. They don't know about Curi's connection to the prototype droids. She could be dangerous. We have to go over to the Isolation Sector and warn them."
"Hold on," Ferus said. His dark eyebrows lowered. "First of all, we were ordered to remain here, no matter what. We've been taught to heed our Masters – it's an important part of the Jedi Order."
"But things have changed," Anakin argued.
"And second, there are no bio-iso suits for us," Ferus added.
Anakin lifted his chin. "I'm not afraid. If my Master is in danger, I'll go. You can stay here and be safe."
For the first time, Anakin saw Ferus flush with anger. "This isn't a bravery contest, Anakin. Think like a Jedi."
"Don't give me orders!" Anakin shot back hotly.
"Our first duty is to the citizens of Radnor!" Ferus snapped.
Darra stepped in between them. "Okay, ferrocrete heads, let's calm down. We're supposed to work together, remember? Time is running out for the citizens of this planet. Let's focus on that."
"It's him!" Anakin and Ferus exclaimed together.
Darra's lips quirked. "Ah. At last you agree on something."
"Anakin is right. Our Masters could be in danger," Tru said. Anakin started to speak, but he held up a hand. "Ferus is also right. We must think like Jedi, and that means we must trust our Masters. We can't assume that they haven't discovered the same information that we have. They might even know more than we do. We must proceed with the mission. If we have to cross over to the Isolation Sector, we will, but not yet."
"What do you suggest?" Darra asked.
"If the Radnorans remain on the planet, they will die," Tru said. "Therefore, we must allow the Avoni to transport them off-planet, but we must foil the invasion somehow."
"Four Padawans are going to foil an invasion from an entire planet?" Darra asked. She glanced at Ferus. "If you say no stress, I'll bite you."
"Okay, some stress," Ferus said with a worried smile.
They could see outside the windows of the communication center that the population of the Clear Sector was beginning to report to the evacuation points. So far things were going smoothly, but as time ran out, that could change.
"Our first step is to follow through and make sure the evacuation takes place peacefully," Ferus said. "We have to monitor the two checkpoints. Galen gave us the locations. Let's go."
Anakin trailed after the others. Once again the Padawans split into teams to cover the two evacuation points. He headed for his designated spot with Tru. So far the lines were proceeding with little incident. Names were being checked off on datapads. The skiffs from the ferry ship had not yet arrived. There was little he and Tru could do. Anakin still wasn't happy with their decision.
"We have to find out what's really going on," Anakin said restlessly to Tru. "Our Masters could be in danger."
"It doesn't seem in character for them to just give up," Tru said.
"Our Masters?"
"The Raiders," Tru mused. "Think of all the goods in that warehouse. They went to a lot of trouble to steal it. Remember the Manikons on Coruscant? No thief likes to leave their plunder behind."
"Why are you worrying about the raiders?" Anakin asked. "They're the least of our problems."
"Maybe they're part of our problem, only we don't know it," Tru said. "They have access to the evacuation files. They've been able to breach security and steal some major battle droids. We know they're connected to the evacuation effort somehow. What if –"
"They're connected to the Avoni?" Anakin asked.
Tru shrugged. "Maybe. It's worth checking out. Considering the greed of the raiders and their willingness to take advantage of their devastated fellow citizens, they'd hardly leave the planet without all the things they stole."
"You're right," Anakin said excitedly. "They might return to that warehouse." He eyed Tru. "Ferus won't like it."
"As you keep pointing out, Ferus is not our leader," Tru said. "So let's go."
Anakin felt a surge of excitement as he and Tru hurried through the streets to the warehouse. This was more like it. Jedi didn't sit passively by and wait for events to unfold. They made things happen. Tru understood that.
The population of Tacto was beginning to spill out, carrying bundles of belongings. Most citizens had blasters strapped to their waists. Tension ran high. Everyone was intent on sticking up for themselves and their own family. No one seemed to be helping anyone else. Each Radnoran was focused on his or her place on the evacuation ship and getting there as quickly as possible.
Anakin wasn't sure how long he and Tru would be willing to wait at the warehouse. They really shouldn't have left their posts at all. The Force was dark on this planet. Violence could erupt at any time.
But they were lucky. When they slipped inside the warehouse, they found one of the raiders already there.
He was loading a gravsled with stolen goods as quickly as he could. Because of his haste, he stacked the goods clumsily. Some durasteel bins fell off the back of the gravsled, scattering their contents.
"Need some help?" Anakin asked impulsively.
He and Tru activated their lightsabers and stood before the raider. They knew they would not have to use them.
The Radnoran was small and slight. He looked from Anakin to Tru and back again. Then he tried to smile.
"Greetings. The name is Ruuin. My buddy told me that he left some of his things in this warehouse. Gave me a key, so I –"
"Save it," Anakin deactivated his lightsaber. "Time's up. The evacuation is beginning. You can get aboard a ship –"
"Or we can stick you in a detention cell," Tru said.
"And things are so confusing around here, we just might forget to get you out before the winds shift," Anakin said.
Ruuin's eyes darted nervously. "C'mon. You wouldn't do that. You're Jedi."
"Technically, we're not," Anakin said. "We're training to be Jedi."
"There's quite a difference actually," Tru said. He shrugged. "We're just learning the rules."
"So let me think. Is it against Jedi rules to leave a suspect imprisoned when we know a deadly toxin is in the air?" Anakin frowned, pretending to ponder. "You have any idea, Tru?"
"I think I skipped that class," Tru said.
"Wise guys. I always meet up with wise guys," Ruuin said under his breath. "All right, all right. What do you want to know?"
"Who are you working for?" Anakin asked.
"How do I know? Some guy," the Radnoran said with a shrug. He quickly put his hands up in protest as both Anakin and Tru took a step toward him. "I'm telling the truth. I was paid a wage and a share of the spoils. The guy's name is Nonce, if that helps you. If you were security police, you'd know him. He's been in detention most of his life, but somebody hired him. I don't know who. Now can I go?"
"How did you get access to the evacuation plans?" Anakin asked.
"I didn't. Nonce did, and I don't know how he got them. Now can I go?"
"If you stayed around long enough to raid all those homes and businesses, how could you be sure to get a place for the evacuation?" Tru asked.
There was a subtle shift in Ruuin's gaze. He didn't look away, but something changed. Anakin knew he was about to lie.
"We would have been done in time."
"No, you wouldn't," Anakin said. "And you wouldn't endanger yourself and your new riches by taking a chance. So what was the plan? How were you going to get off-planet?"
"The same way everyone else is," Ruuin said. "Those ferry ships. Can I go now?"
Anakin didn't know what to do. It was obvious that Ruuin wasn't going to tell them the truth. He was more afraid of someone else than he was of the Padawans.
Suddenly, Tru reached over and snatched Ruuin's datapad from his belt. "Maybe this will tell us something."
"Hey! Hey! That's my property!"
Anakin glanced at the stolen plunder around them. "Do you really think you're in a position to complain?"
Tru was busily clicking keys. "Look," he said to Anakin, tilting the datapad toward him. "See these coordinates? This must be a landing site, and it doesn't match the ones we know for the ferry ships."
"You have an escape plan," Anakin told Ruuin. "Let me tell you something. You're not going to make it. You're not going to make it onto a ship at all. Let em tell you something else." He took a step closer to Ruuin. "You have much more to fear from the Jedi than you do from anyone else. Even the Avoni."
"The Avoni?" Ruuin's tongue darted out nervously. "I never mentioned the Avoni. Look, you've got to let me go, all right? You don't understand the penalty I'm facing. I could be imprisoned for treason." He stopped suddenly.
"Treason," Anakin said slowly. "That means there is another planetary government involved."
"Like the Avoni," Tru said.
Ruuin wiped his perspiring forehead. "All right. Yes, it was the Avoni. The coordinates are for another Avoni ship. They're airlifting the raiders off-planet. They don't want us to get caught here. We need to leave before the Senate ships arrive. They promised us that no matter what happens, we'll get off. They backed our raids. They wanted as much disruption and panic to spread as possible. We're all supposed to get houses and money once we get to Avon."
"Didn't you ask yourself why the Avoni were doing this?" Tru asked, disgusted. "Were you just going to allow them to invade your planet?"
"I don't ask questions," Ruuin said. "I'm a thief, not a philosopher."
"The panic would distract the population even further," Tru murmured to Anakin. "They wouldn't have time to figure out what the Avoni were planning."
Anakin nodded. He turned to Ruuin. "Who was Nonce's contact? How did you get those prototype droids? Who is the contact with the Avoni?" he rapped out.
"I don't know anything," Ruuin said desperately. "I'm just a thief. I'm nobody. There's no one left to talk to. Now can I go?"
**The Will of the Force**
"Avoni Fleet, this is Master Kastor Shan of the Jedi Order. You are illegally jamming the communications to and from the planet of Radnor. Cease all hostile actions now and continue with the promised humanitarian relief effort."
Kastor waited behind the controls of the Ebon Hawk, waiting for the Avoni fleet's response. Rhys was in his fighter ready to engage, especially since both he and Kastor assumed the Avoni would fire upon them.
Kastor felt the warning from the Force and he took his ship into a roll as four of the escort craft and one of the light freighters started firing a volley of shots at them. Kastor felt only disappointment as he pushed the Ebon Hawk at full speed, deftly slipping between the turbolaser blasts. He dove down, and then spun and rolled his way back up, coming up from below the jamming cruiser. Grimly, he unleashed a full volley of all four loaded proton torpedoes which ripped the cruiser apart in the resulting explosion.
Kastor flew through the debris, and brought the ship around, seeing that Rhys had already used several of his own proton torpedoes to destroy the light freighter and was now using his ship's superior speed to decimate one of the escort craft. Kastor opened up with the front guns and destroyed the engines of another one of the escort craft.
"They're bugging out," Rhys's voice came through the comms as Kastor observed the two remaining functioning escort craft that had engaged them disengage firing and fly back towards the rest of the fleet.
"Scrappy, please reroute medium range communications to the cockpit," Kastor ordered, and the astromech quickly did as asked. "Radnor Jedi Team, this is the Ebon Hawk, do you copy?"
"Kastor, thank the Force," Siri's voice came crackling through the speakers."Radnor is being invaded by their neighbors, the Avoni."
"I'm tracking, Siri," Kastor responded. "Rhys and I just destroyed the cruiser that was jamming communications, and a few of their other craft, which should have sent them a clear message."
"That explains why communications have reopened," Siri muttered, sounding a bit breathless for a moment. "We're pinned down in a canyon between the two cities. They sent two MTTs after our speeders and shot us down, and then deployed several hundred droids that we're trying to evade. Soara's leg was injured when we were shot down, and Ry-Gaul took a blaster wound to his shoulder. We've been pinned down for nearly two hours now, and we've destroyed dozens of droids, but they still have at least another 140 or so."
"Understood," Kastor responded. "Rhys and I are on our way to provide air support. Stand fast."
"Understood. Tachi out."
"Rhys, stay weapons hot. Battle droids and two MTTs have our comrades pinned down in a canyon outside of the Clear Sector. We're going to provide close air-ground support."
**The Will of the Force**
Anakin and Tru managed to find one of the few security officers left on the planet. They left Ruuin in his care, and then went off to find Darra and Ferus so they could convince them to confront Galen.
They reached Darra and Ferus and quickly told them what they had found.
"We don't know for sure that it's Galen," Ferus pointed out.
"We don't have time to come up with another suspect," Anakin insisted. "We have to move now. We don't know what's going on in the Isolation Sector. Our Masters could be in danger."
"Anakin is right," Darra agreed. "We won't lose anything by confronting Galen."
Ferus finally nodded in agreement and the four Padawans hurried to the command center. Galen was just tossing a small survival kit into his airspeeder.
"Going somewhere?" Anakin asked.
"Of course I am," Galen answered. "As soon as everyone is safely off the planet."
"You seem to be in a special hurry," Darra observed.
Galen gave an exasperated sigh. "What are you getting at now?"
"We have solid information that the planet Avon was behind the raids and also the theft of those Prototype Droids," Anakin said, "and we think you know something about it."
Galen chuckled, shaking his head. "You kids sure come up with some incredible theories. I've been trying to help the citizens of Radnor!"
"What about the original toxic accident?" Ferus asked, "And the theft of the droids? Both things happened at your facilities."
"It's called bad luck," Galen said. "I'm one of the top scientists on Radnor. Maybe someone targeted me, and as soon as all this is over, we'll be going over our safety procedures very carefully, but I'm not responsible. I've been risking my life by staying here. I could have left long ago. I had the money. My sister and I decided to stay to help our fellow citizens. Why are you accusing me?"
Now Galen looked hurt, not angry. Anakin did not pick up anything amiss. He wished Obi-Wan were here. He was not yet adept at reading the true motives of other beings.
Anakin remembered Ruuin's anxiousness to get away. No doubt he had a rendezvous time with the Avoni as well as a rendezvous point. Maybe Galen had the same problem.
"I saw we just hold him until the Avoni ships take off," Anakin told the others. "He can wait here with us for the Senate ships."
Tru's silver eyes flickered as he understood Anakin's strategy. "I agree."
"This is ridiculous!" Galen exploded. Finally, they had cracked his wounded composure. "I refuse, after all I've done, to subject myself to these suspicions."
He jumped inside the airspeeder and revved the engine, but he hadn't counted on the quick reflexes of the Padawans. Anakin reached over and shut off the engine as Tru jumped in and accessed the onboard computer. He read out the coordinates that flashed on the screen. They were the same Ruuin's.
"I'm sorry, Galen," Anakin said. "We now have proof. Those are the same coordinates of an Avoni landing site. You are going to be airlifted off-planet."
"Yes, so what?" Galen bellowed. "Along with everyone else!"
"I don't think so. I think you cut a special deal with the invaders. You and your conspirators would have had new lives on Avon – thanks to your betrayal of your planet."
A small, shocked voice came from behind them. "No."
Anakin turned. A small woman with features similar to Galen's stood in the doorway. He recognized Galen's sister Curi from the hologram Galen had received the day they'd arrived. "It can't be true. Galen? Is it true?"
"Of course not, Curi," Galen said. "These Jedi are children. What do they know?"
Darra ignored Galen's comment. "Did you leave our Masters in the Isolation Sector?" she asked urgently.
Curi tore her sorrowful gaze from her brother and faced the Padawans. "They were on their way here. The toxin is no longer dangerous. It has a short half-life, we've just discovered. The winds will bring no danger to Tacto."
"And our Masters," Darra asked. "Where are they now?"
"They are in great danger," Rui said. "They are pinned down by the Avoni invaders outside the city of Aubendo in the ground canyon fields. Dol Heep had them under surveillance. I discovered that he had placed tracking devices in my transports. When I found out I went after them. I was just in time to see two large vessels force them down. They are under attack from a company of battle droids. Our battle droids," she added, with a glance at Galen.
"How can we trust her?" Ferus asked the others in a low tone. "What if she and Galen are in league together? What if they're trying to get us out of the Clear Sector so they can take off?"
The Padawans looked at one another, confusion on their faces. Yes, Curi could be lying. Galen definitely was. Who could they trust?
Trust yourself. Breathe in your instinct. Then act.
Anakin closed his eyes for a moment. He touched the river stone in his pocket, sliding his fingers over its warmth. He reached out to the Force, to a place that he knew well. He felt a distant tug – Obi-Wan. Yes, his Master was in danger, and Curi . . . Curi was telling the truth.
Unease was still on his fellow Padawans' faces, but Anakin locked eyes with Ferus. "We can't take a chance with our Masters' lives."
Ferus hesitated only a fraction, surprised at the depth of Anakin's contact with the Force. "You're right. Let's go."
The Padawans commandeered Galen's airspeeder. The four of them squeezed inside. Curi gave them the coordinates of where she had last seen the Avoni transports and the Jedi.
"Look at all these Radnorans in bio-isolation suits," Darra observed. "I sure hope Curi is telling the truth, or we'll be in for a big surprise when the winds shift."
Darra spoke lightly, but no one felt entirely easy about their decision. Even Anakin was a little worried. He was betting everything on his intuition. If he was wrong, the consequences would be severe. He could die, along with the other Padawans.
I'm not wrong.
He could feel Ferus's eyes on him. He kept his gaze forward as he piloted the craft. He wasn't about the retreat now.
Ahead they saw the energy gate that led to the Isolation Sector. Curi had given them the coordinates to bypass it. Anakin entered them into a signal beam and the energy gate opened. They zoomed through.
For a moment, they all held their breath. Then Ferus took a deep breath. Darra did the same.
"Well, there's no turning back now," she said.
Ferus accessed the mapping device on the shipboard computer. He studied the ground canyon site. "There are several access points," he said.
"We have to assume that they're probably still very close to where Curi saw them," Darra said. "She said their speeders were destroyed."
"She also said the transports following them were quite large," Tru added. "So if we take a narrow route through the canyons, we might have the element of surprise."
"We're going to need more than surprise if those transports were filled with prototype droids," Ferus remarked. "Not only that, the transport probably has some sort of blaster cannons."
"If you're trying to raise our confidence level, it's not working," Darra said snarkily.
"We're coming up on the ground canyons," Ferus warned.
Anakin slowed down slightly. Ahead he only saw what looked like scribble markings on the ground. Then he realized the markings revealed deep cracks in the ground surface.
Ferus read out a coordinate. "Take that route," he said. "It will bring us close to where Curi saw our Masters."
Anakin zoomed down the canyon. He hugged the canyon walls, going as fast as he dared. By the look on Ferus's face, it was faster than the other Padawan would like. Anakin pushed the engines up a notch. He knew he was in complete control.
Ahead he saw the large, hulking shape of one of the Avoni transport ships. It was idling, its repulsorlift engines on low, keeping it a few meters off the ground. Dust rose around it in a filmy cloud. Anakin grew excited.
"I've seen that kind of transport before," he said. "It was years ago, in the Trade Federation battle for Naboo. This is a slightly smaller version of an MTT – a Multi Troop Transport. They store battle droids and are usually piloted by two droids."
"They also have heavy frontal armor. The ship itself can be a weapon." Tru looked uneasy. "They can go through rock walls."
"It looks like this one already did," Darra said, swallowing hard.
A solid wall of rock had been splintered into fragments. Droids littered the ground.
"Our Masters must have battled there," Ferus said in a hushed tone.
Anakin hovered near the sigh, careful to keep out of sight of the MTT's bridge. They saw no evidence of their Masters.
"I hear blaster fire," Darra said suddenly. "We're close."
Then Anakin could hear it, too. He placed his hands back on the controls ready to zoom ahead.
"Wait!" Ferus commanded.
Annoyed, Anakin turned to him. "What now? More planning?"
"Yes," Ferus said steadily. "If we rush in there without a plan, we won't be much help to them."
"What kind of a plan do we need?" Anakin asked. "They're being attacked by droids and another MTT! We go in and help them!"
Darra groaned. "I thought the worst thing about being on this mission was protein cubes for breakfast. Now I know it's you two. Ferus, what are you thinking?"
"How many droids did the MTT on Naboo hold?" Ferus asked.
"I don't remember," Anakin said. "Over a hundred, I think."
"One hundred and twelve," Tru said softly.
"And this is only a little smaller," Ferus said. "So, let's say it holds about seventy to ninety droids, at least. We know there are two of them. What are the chances we can battle that many with our lightsabers?"
Darra swallowed. "I can't tell you how much I hate to hear the odds before a battle."
"So, what are you saying?" Anakin asked. "We call for more Jedi?"
"Or more lightsabers," Darra said, with a small attempt at humor.
Ferus shook his head. "Of course not. We just need to think, that's all. We have a couple of advantages. One is surprise. The other is the fact that you and Tru seem to know a lot about that transport."
Anakin nodded. He had explored one on Naboo after the battle.
"The question is, how do we get aboard?" Ferus asked.
"Can you deactivate the droids from the MTT?" Darra asked.
Anakin shook his head. "No, they're controlled from either the landing ship or from orbit."
"No stress with that," Ferus said. "If you get aboard, can you pilot the ship?"
"I can pilot anything," Anakin said flatly.
"Didn't you say that the ship is also a weapon?" Ferus asked.
The four Padawans looked at one another.
"Of course," Anakin said. "If we control the ship, we can use it to destroy the other MTT and then help destroy the rest of the droids."
"There's the deployment hatch," Tru said, "but the release valve is on the bridge."
"I think the only way is – " Anakin began.
"You're right," Tru said, "but we'd have to do it – "
"Exactly, but the venting system – "
"So we don't have to worry about being seen." Tru nodded rapidly. "Okay, that's it, then."
"That's what!" Darra cried. "Are you two speaking some weird language from the Outer Rim?"
Anakin turned to her. "The MTT is designed by the Baktoid Workshop. The Trade Federation buys most of their ships, but they rotate out the old ones and sell them off to various planets. I'm betting that's what this transport is. Which means that its exhaust and cooling system is vented straight down towards the ground. There's some unusually large vents on the bottom. That's why you see all that dust around it. It's kicked up by the wind coming out of the ship."
"So, the dust will give us cover," Tru said, "and the vents are big enough. We can just climb up them to get aboard."
"Won't the wind blow you back?" Ferus asked.
"If the ship was moving, it would," Anakin said, "but the engines are idling. The ship is in passive mode. We shouldn't have too much trouble."
We've got another problem," Darra said. "If you get control of the ship, our Masters won't know it. They'll most likely attack the ship when it comes toward them."
"That's why we have to split up," Ferus said. "Darra, you and I have to make contact with the Masters while Anakin and Tru steal the ship. We have to get the droids to follow us to an ambush." He looked at Anakin and Tru. "Does that sound okay to you?"
It was the first time Ferus had asked his opinion. Anakin nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."
"We have an agreement," Darra muttered. "Remind me to declare this an annual holiday once we get back to the Temple."
She leaned over and accessed a map to the canyons. Quickly she flipped through different sites. Then she stabbed at the viewscreen with a finger. "There. If you can maneuver the ship there, we can bring the droids through that smaller canyon and out into the clearing. Then we've got them."
The four Padawans looked at one another, exhilarated. They were going to save their Masters.
"No stress with that," Ferus said confidently.
"Completely," Anakin echoed.
There was a pause. After the initial confidence, the weight of the task ahead settled on them.
"May the Force be with us," Tru said quietly.
**The Will of the Force**
The Jedi crouched behind a screen of boulders and splintered rock. They had been pinned down for two hours. They had fought off three assaults from the droids. The droids held a position across the canyon where they could fire at any flicker of movement from the Jedi. Thankfully only one of the MTTs was around to fire at them, but it was still one more than Obi-Wan would have liked. Ry-Gaul had a blaster wound to the shoulder. Soara's ankle had swelled, but she'd fashioned a makeshift crutch from a felled droid's leg. A splintering rock had cut Siri over the eye, and they were all exhausted.
Over the course of the day they had kept moving from one small canyon to the next, but the smaller canyons were a maze that always led back to the large clearing, and the second MTT. That was what the Avoni had known. They had known they would be able to run the Jedi down until they were exhausted.
The droids were relentless, and there were so many of them. They estimated nearly two hundred droids had been deployed. They had taken out at least a hundred, maybe more, but the remaining droids seemed endless. While the Jedi were pinned down, the Avoni would conduct their invasion. The Jedi Masters had not spoken of it, but they knew they were each thinking of their Padawans.
"Look!" Siri said, and Obi-Wan followed her pointing finger and to his shock, saw Ferus and Darra heading for them, moving from rock to rock for cover. The droids turned to fire at them, keeping up a steady barrage, but the two Padawans managed to dodge or block the bolts before diving behind the rocks with the Masters.
A pang shot through Obi-Wan. Where was Anakin? If something had happened to him, I would know it. I would feel it.
"So glad you could join us," Soara said.
"Thought you might have missed us," Darra said with a grin. Then she noted Soara's injury. "Master, you're hurt!"
"Just a minor inconvenience," Soara answered.
"Anakin and Tru are capturing one of the MTTs," Ferus told them. "We hope. Our plan is to lure the droids to a clearing and then use the MTT to destroy them."
"Didn't you get a hold of Master Shan?" Obi-Wan asked aghast, and Ferus frowned worriedly, shaking his head. "He and Rhys are coming in now to start bombarding the droids and MTTs from the sky. If Anakin and Tru are in one of those MTTs, they'll be destroyed!"
"The clearing will be a better place to fight the droids, and provide better fields of fire for Kastor and Rhys," Siri said. "We should move and then we can contact Kastor and Rhys and warn them to watch their fire on the second MTT."
"Good point. We'll certainly have no issues getting the droids to follow us," Obi-Wan said grimly.
"No time like the present," Ry-Gaul said.
"I was getting tired of this spot anyway," Siri said, wiping the blood off her forehead with her sleeve.
Despite the exhaustion, the Jedi gathered themselves for the next and final phase of the battle. They rushed out together, lightsabers drawn. The prototype droids moved toward them, the front line blasting heavy firepower at them, and the MTT opened up on them. The Jedi kept on the move. Siri and Obi-Wan were careful to ensure that Soara and Ry-Gaul were protected at all times. With his shoulder injury, Ry-Gaul could only swing the lightsaber to one side, and that was painful. Soara's limping progress was remarkably fast with the help of her makeshift crutch. Soara, while limping along quickly, sent a message to Kastor, and they could only hope he would get it.
They reached the shelter of the passageway. They had just a moment to catch their breath. The droids wheeled in formation and followed. The MTT started following behind the droids, firing away as it went, keeping the Jedi on their toes.
They ran, letting the droids keep them in sight, but staying out of blaster range except for the MTT which had greater range, but they were able to avoid the vehicle's slower blasts. Ferus and Darra led the way. They snaked through the passageway and came out into the clearing.
The droid company was behind them. Sheer rock was ahead of them.
"How is the MTT going to get in here? Obi-Wan asked.
Ferus turned pale. "There was a route . . ."
Darra looked around wildly. "Where is the passage? It should be there! She pointed to an area that appeared to be a wall of boulders.
"Rock slide," Ry-Gaul said. "See the markings there?"
"We're trapped," Soara said, glancing around quickly. "We'll have to fight them in the open." She gripped her crutch with one hand and her lightsaber with the other.
"We'll be okay," both Obi-Wan and Siri said together.
The droids poured into the clearing with the MTT behind them. The Jedi stood, ready to face them when they all heard a welcome sound. Rhys's N-1 Starfighter flew down swiftly and did a rapid strafing run, blasting a group of droids. As he pulled back up, he launched a torpedo that hit the MTT and decimated the vehicle in a large explosion, the shrapnel destroying several droids around the vehicle.
The Ebon Hawk came flying in, and started hovering above them, firing its forward cannons down on the droids, who were now splitting their fire between the Shadow Hawk, the Ebon Hawk, and the Jedi. The battle was swinging their way.
A tremendous noise shook the canyon, and the huge boulders on the side of the canyon began to tremble. Suddenly, a battered MTT burst through the wall, scattering boulders like pebbles as it mowed through the canyon. It immediately started opening fire on the remaining droids in the clearing, compounding Rhys, Kastor, and the Jedi on the ground's efforts to wipe out their assailants. Within minutes, the remaining droids had been destroyed.
Obi-Wan saw Rhys fly back up towards the atmosphere, and the Ebon Hawk started moving to land in the clearing. He glanced at the battered MTT and smiled in relief as the bent hatch on top of the bridge popped open, and Anakin emerged, waving with a wide grin.
**The Will of the Force**
The Avoni had planned a bloodless invasion. Once the Jedi returned to Aubendo in the Ebon Hawk and confronted Dol Heep, their plans were foiled. They did not have enough firepower to defeat a roused population, especially with the Jedi supporting the Radnorans.
"A complete misunderstanding," Dol Heep boomed. "Invasion was not the intention. A few rogues in our military saw an opportunity and regretfully tried to take control. Of course, we will deal with them . . . at least those that survived," he said, glancing at Rhys and Kastor with a hint of trepidation. "We came to help Radnor. The battle droids were merely here for crowd control. So sorry about the malfunction." He eyed Soara's injured leg, Ry-Gaul's blaster wound, and the cut above Siri's eye. "However, I can see why you are so testy. Since there is no danger from the toxin, the Avoni will be happy to leave."
"We will be happy to escort you," Obi-Wan said firmly.
While Ry-Gaul and Soara had their wounds tended, Siri contacted the Temple. The Senate ships were ordered to return to Coruscant. They suspected that there had been a sabotage of their engines, but there was no way to prove it.
The Radnorans would file a protest with the Senate, which would most likely get mired in debate and details. The Avoni would not pay for their plans for some time, especially with their government throwing several of their military leaders under the proverbial cruiser.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan contacted the remaining security officers on the planet and ordered them to quickly spread the word about the safety of the planet. Radnorans could return to their homes.
"And put Galen into custody immediately," Obi-Wan added.
"He already is," the officer replied.
**The Will of the Force**
The Jedi arrived at the Tacto prison and were shown to a holding cell. There, Curi faced her brother across a battered metal table.
"She held a blaster on him for two hours," the security officer murmured to them. "She told him she would kill him if he tried to escape, and I guess he knew she meant it."
The Jedi stood in the doorway. Curi looked ravaged by pain and exhaustion.
"You have been a traitor to your planet," she said in a flat voice to her brother, "and you have broken my heart."
"I had no choice!" Galen said. "Don't you see I had to do what I did?"
"No," Curi said brokenly, shaking her head.
"You refused to deal with the Avoni. That made no sense! We dealt with anyone with the credits to pay, and so they threatened me."
"You could have told me."
"They told me that if I told you what they wanted – if I told anyone – they would destroy our business!" Galen went on rapidly. "I had to agree to show Dol Heep the weapons plan we were developing. That's when the toxin was released. He did it before I could stop him. I got us both back to the Clear Sector before it took hold."
"So you could have brought the toxin back and endangered Tacto as well," Curi said angrily. "It is just luck that you did not."
Galen ignored this. "Dol Heep contacted his superiors. He told me that if I kept my mouth shut about the half-life of the toxin, they would pay us money and relocate us –"
"Don't say us!" Curi shouted suddenly. "This is about you, Galen!"
"I did it for us!" Galen pleaded. "They said that if I didn't do what they wanted, they would say that I was the one who released the cloud deliberately. I didn't know what to do. They asked me for the research records and for the access code to our prototype Battle Droids –"
"And they paid you money for this," Curi said bitterly. "They paid you a small fortune to betray me and yourself and your planet."
"I didn't know they were planning an invasion!"
"A child would have known they were planning an invasion!" Curi shouted. She stood and leaned over the table. "It is all excuses and lies. It always has been. I've never seen you so clearly. You brought me into this business. You made my life what it is. I made weapons to destroy beings and planets. I found money to fund your research into the terrible, cunning ways beings can kill other beings. I sold these weapons and put the credits in my pocket. I helped bring these things into the galaxy and I will never get the smell of death out of my nostrils. No matter what I do now, no matter where I go."
"Curi, don't. I need you! They're going to imprison me for years –"
"You are lucky they don't kill you! Though I'm glad. That would be too kriffing merciful."
Curi turned and walked out the door.
Galen turned furious eyes on the Jedi. "You see what you've done? You've poisoned her against me!"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Your planet is in ruins. Your family is destroyed. Thousands are dead, and still you blame others. You have not learned anything."
"There is nothing to learn!" Galen shouted.
The echo of his words followed them as the Masters and Padawans walked down the hall.
They walked out into the bright morning. The devastation of the city of Tacto was revealed. The mobs had burned and rioted. Businesses were destroyed. Houses were barricaded. All air transports had been destroyed and looted for parts.
Now the Radnorans were busy returning to their homes and businesses. The sick were being cared for. The dead were being mourned.
"The Radnorans of Tacto are refusing to help any in the Isolation Sector who have survived," Ferus said.
"And they blame the Avoni for everything," Tru said. "They do not look to themselves for blame."
"Just like Galen," Darra said. "Tell me something. Are all missions this hard?"
"No," Soara said quietly. "Some are harder."
"Neighbor turned on neighbor when the disaster occurred," Obi-Wan said tiredly. "This could have been an opportunity for generosity and sacrifice. Cowardice and violence erupted instead. This city was destroyed by greed and fear, not by a toxin.
"Not a good sign for the future of Radnor," Siri said sadly.
"Yes, I won't be surprised if we are called here again someday," Ry-Gaul said, as they made their way to the Ebon Hawk.
"Next stop, Coruscant," Kastor said with a welcoming nod as they boarded his ship.