The Threat Within

by Jude Watson

  THE THREAT WITHIN

  CHAPTER 1

  Obi-Wan Kenobi stood perfectly still. He sensed no movement in the

  darkened room, yet his muscles were tensed, ready for attack. The only

  light came from the glowing blue blade of his lightsaber. The only

  discernible sounds were the hum of the blade and the Jedi's almost

  undetectable breathing. Obi-Wan had been standing in the same position,

  balanced on a thin rail, for nearly an hour. Still, he waited.

  Suddenly Qui-Gon's voice penetrated the silence, breaking Obi-Wan's

  concentration. A message from his Master over the comlink was not what Obi-

  Wan had expected. Momentarily distracted, he almost missed the stealth-

  training probe moving rapidly toward his head. That was what he had been

  waiting for.

  Obi-Wan turned awkwardly on the slim rail and sliced the probe out of

  the air. Leaping high to another unseen rail, he knocked out two more

  probes. A moment later the lights in the room came on and the young Jedi

  deactivated his lightsaber.

  Obi-Wan shook his head. The exercise was complete, but the seventeen-

  year-old Jedi was not pleased with his performance.

  "Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied to Qui-Gon over the comlink.

  "We've been summoned by the Council. Meet me there."

  "Of course," Obi-Wan replied. Hope sprang within him. Perhaps the

  Council had at last summoned them for a mission. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had

  spent the last two months at the Temple. It was always a relief to come

  home when a mission was complete, but Obi-Wan did not like to stay too

  long.

  Being a Jedi was constant work. And somehow the dedication, energy,

  and patience it required seemed to intensify when Obi-Wan was at the

  Temple, when he wasn't working toward a mission's specific objective.

  Jedi never stopped learning. But after endless training exercises,

  Obi-Wan could feel his focus begin to slip. He should not have been so

  clumsy with the training probes. He should have been prepared for anything.

  He was growing bored, and that was dangerous.

  Outside the Council Chambers, Obi-Wan spotted his Master's large

  frame. Even with his back turned, Obi-Wan could sense that Qui-Gon shared

  none of his eager anticipation, his anxiety. As always his Master exuded

  calm. Qui-Gon was almost always content with training and meditation alone.

  Why did Obi-Wan crave action?

  Qui-Gon smiled and nodded at his approaching Padawan before

  activating the door and entering the chamber. A half step behind, Obi-Wan

  followed as Qui-Gon strode to the center of the room and acknowledged the

  seated Masters.

  Obi-Wan's pulse quickened slightly. But it was nothing like the

  nervousness he used to feel when summoned to appear before the Council.

  Mace Windu leaned back in his chair, his arm draped across the back.

  "We've received a message from Vorzyd 4," he said plainly. "They report

  that they are being sabotaged by Vorzyd 5 and have requested mediation. The

  planets in the Vorzyd system have never been engaged in war of any kind.

  But tensions have been brewing between the fourth and fifth planets. All of

  the planets are interdependent and a dispute between two could trigger a

  chain reaction, disrupting the whole cluster. Clearly this is something we

  wish to avoid."

  "So the situation is delicate," Obi-Wan finished Master Windu's

  thought and immediately regretted it. It would not do to reveal his

  impatience to the Council.

  "Very," Mace continued, appearing to notice neither Obi-Wan's

  eagerness nor his interruption. "And to make matters more complicated,

  Vorzyd 5 denies any wrongdoing."

  "Before you can bring these planets together to talk you will need to

  assess the matter carefully," Master Yarael Poof added. "There may be more

  at stake here than meets the eye."

  Obi-Wan saw Qui-Gon nod slowly, and knew that their work would begin

  before they even left the Temple. He had heard of the Vorzyd cluster

  before, but only in passing. The next step was a visit to the Temple

  archives. Mediation required a good deal of research and background

  knowledge. The Jedi would have to be prepared for any possible conflict.

  Jocasta Nu was ready when the Jedi arrived. She spent most of her

  time pulling research for Jedi missions. Although she was regularly briefed

  by a member of the Council as to what planets or systems might soon require

  Jedi assistance, her ability to access just the right information at just

  the right time was uncanny. She could almost always sense the moment when a

  brewing problem was about to boil over.

  The viewscreen in the archives was playing a recorded communication

  from Chairman Port, the leader of Vorzyd 4, when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon

  entered the room. Jocasta quickly shut it off.

  "Sending you to Vorzyd 4, are they?" she asked with a chuckle. "I'm

  sure that will be a productive trip." Obi-Wan did not get the joke. But as

  Jocasta told them more about the Vorzyd 4's, he began to understand.

  The small planet was best known for its amazing production and sale

  of goods. Alone, Vorzyd 4 produced almost all of the food and hard goods

  used by the five planets in its system.

  "All of the inhabitants of Vorzyd 4 work," Jocasta explained.

  "Children begin working at the age of ten, when their school cycle wanes.

  Instead of attending school seven days they attend six and work one. Each

  year thereafter they gain another day of work until the age of seventeen,

  when they begin to work full-time. From then they work seven days a week."

  Jocasta narrowed her eyes. Obi-Wan thought he sensed disapproval. Even Jedi

  rested sometimes.

  "At age seventy, laborers are required to retire," Jocasta continued.

  "Vorzydiaks fear that the elderly will not be able to keep up with the work

  pace. Sadly, most of the retirees die within a few weeks of being forced

  out of their jobs. The cause of these deaths is unknown. Most retirees are

  in good health until they are forced to stop working."

  Obi-Wan glanced at his Master to see what he thought of this

  practice. Qui-Gon was in his fifties, and Obi-Wan could not imagine that

  anyone would think of him as anything other than productive. And Master

  Yoda was over eight hundred years old. It was unthinkable that he be asked

  to retire. His wisdom was one of the Council's most valuable assets.

  The thought of someone asking these Jedi to step down made Obi-Wan

  smile, but Qui-Gon shot him a stern look and he quickly checked himself.

  Of course, Vorzydiaks on Vorzyd 4 were unique beings with unique life

  cycles and cultural practices. Although they looked mostly human - their

  bodies were humanoid but they had a pair of long antennae and slightly

  larger eyes - Obi-Wan knew better than to judge them by any other beings'

  standards.

  "What of Vorzyd 5?" Qui-Gon asked. "And the tensions between the two

  planets?"

  "
Vorzyd 5 produces less than half of its planetary needs and depends

  largely on trade with Vorzyd 4 for its subsistence. In the past they

  struggled and were often in debt to Vorzyd 4, though relations between the

  two have remained peaceful and friendly. Debt did not matter to the 4's

  because they had a constant surplus. Neither were the 5's troubled that

  they owed so many credits to their neighbor. But now things have changed."

  "How so?" asked Obi-Wan.

  "Vorzyd 5 has begun building casinos. The profit they've made has

  allowed them to pay off many of their interplanetary debts."

  "And they are no longer beholden to Vorzyd 4," Qui-Gon said softly.

  "Exactly. Vorzyd 4 claims that Vorzyd 5 now wants to be the planet in

  power. That they are sabotaging Vorzyd 4's production in order to appear

  stronger to the rest of the system, and the galaxy. Vorzyd 5, of course,

  claims this is nonsense. And the continued accusations are making them very

  angry."

  Handing Qui-Gon a stack of disks, Jocasta replayed Chairman Port's

  message. The large man on the screen looked uncomfortable, but his plea was

  direct.

  "I am contacting you to request mediation. We are being attacked.

  Vorzyd 5 is to blame. All diplomats and suspected spies have been expelled.

  The sabotage continues. Please contact us at once." As he talked, the ends

  of Chairman Port's antennae moved about like birds looking for a place to

  land.

  "It is unusual that the chairman has contacted us," Jocasta said once

  the image had disappeared from the screen. "In the past Vorzydiaks have had

  little contact with the galaxy outside their cluster. They were even

  reluctant to have representation in the Senate. The fact that they have

  requested outside help can only mean that they feel their situation is

  desperate."

  Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan thanked the archivist and left with stacks of

  additional information to review on their own. Obi-Wan did not relish the

  task. This mission, he realized, would not provide the action he craved.

  The Vorzyd system sounded dull, and diplomacy was often a long and tedious

  process. Obi-Wan sighed and inwardly scolded himself. He knew he should be

  grateful for any mission. At least it was a change.

  CHAPTER 2

  Qui-Gon started down the shuttle ramp before it touched the floor of

  the hangar on Vorzyd 4. He had spent the entire journey reviewing

  information about the planets and their history, and was anxious to move

  around and get some fresh air. All of the disks held data about the

  planets' corporate history, and while Vorzyd 4's success as a peaceful

  corporation was admirable, it had been dry research. Qui-Gon had been

  totally unable to get any sense of what Vorzydiaks were like as

  individuals.

  The hangar they'd landed in was uncluttered. Aside from the workers

  loading cargo on what appeared to be export ships, there were not many

  beings about.

  "Are we being met?" Obi-Wan asked. He stifled a yawn as he joined

  Qui-Gon outside the shuttle. Qui-Gon guessed his Padawan's research had not

  been any more entertaining than his own.

  Before Qui-Gon could reply in the affirmative, a young Vorzydiak

  appeared before them. He stood for a moment, then bowed slightly to the

  Jedi. His demeanor was calm, but his antennae twitched nervously. Qui-Gon

  knew that it was unlikely the Vorzydiak had encountered beings from outside

  his planetary system before.

  "Welcome. Follow me," their guide said without expression. He turned

  and walked quickly out of the hangar. The Jedi had to follow at a rapid

  pace to keep up.

  Qui-Gon had been looking forward to talking with the young Vorzydiak.

  He'd hoped it would help him to understand the species better. But after

  the brief greeting, the Vorzydiak offered nothing more. He simply led them

  briskly through the streets.

  When Qui-Gon tried to ask one or two questions it was obvious by the

  confused looks and twitching antennae that they made the guide

  uncomfortable. Perhaps Chairman Port had asked their guide not to say

  anything. Qui-Gon decided to give himself over to the observation of his

  surroundings. He would come to know the Vorzydiaks soon enough.

  The streets of Vorzyd 4 were nearly empty. Though it was midday there

  were no beings about. Nor did Qui-Gon see any refreshment vendors or public

  spaces.

  The buildings were tall and six-sided. There were no arched doorways

  or awnings. No large windows or ornamentation. Not one scrap of material

  was wasted on style or aesthetics. Everything appeared to be designed for

  maximum efficiency, including the hexagonal system the buildings were laid

  out in and their drab color-coding.

  Glancing at the Vorzydiak in front of them, Qui-Gon realized that the

  same was true of clothing on Vorzyd 4. So far everyone he had seen wore a

  plain, closely fitted one-color jumpsuit. They did not even have collars.

  The three had not been walking long when the Vorzydiak stopped in

  front of a nondescript, pale brown building. The plate next to the entrance

  read MULTYCORP. The guide activated the door and motioned the Jedi inside.

  Expecting to enter some sort of portico or hallway, Qui-Gon was surprised

  to find that they were inside a turbolift that was rising to the twenty-

  fourth floor. A droid like voice called the names of each floor as they

  whizzed past. "Assembly seven, Assembly eight, Manufacture nine,

  Manufacture ten..." until they reached "Accounting twenty-four."

  The door slid open and a tall Vorzydiak rushed into the lift without

  waiting for the others to get off. He nearly ran into Obi-Wan.

  "Unproductive entrance," the Vorzydiak guide murmured.

  The tall Vorzydiak glared at the group but said nothing. Qui-Gon

  wondered who he was.

  "Do you know him?" he asked the guide.

  The guide shook his head and led the Jedi out of the turbolift and

  through a maze of beige workspaces. Hundreds of jumpsuit-clad Vorzydiaks

  sat close together, speaking into headsets and inputting information onto

  data-screens.

  Though many of the beings spoke at once, the overall effect was a low

  drone. No single voice could be heard above another. There was no idle

  chatter among the laborers. And aside from the Vorzyd numeric symbol posted

  above each station, there was no way of telling the workspaces apart.

  Could this be where Chairman Port rules his planet? Qui-Gon wondered.

  From a Vorzyd plant? Qui-Gon glanced at his Padawan and Obi-Wan raised his

  eyebrows slightly. Obviously he was as surprised and perplexed as his

  Master.

  "Wait here," the guide instructed. He motioned the Jedi into a small

  room dominated by a large table surrounded by benches. Then he scurried

  away, disappearing into the maze.

  A moment later Chairman Port appeared in the doorway. Had he not seen

  the chairman's image in the Temple archives, Qui-Gon would not have been

  able to guess that this man was a planetary leader. He wore the same pale

  jumpsuit as the rest of the planet's inhabitants, and his manner was no

  more self-assured. Though hi
s expression did not change, his antennae

  twitched when he spoke.

  "We are glad you have come," he said. He crossed the room quickly and

  sat down at one of the benches surrounding the large table. "All known

  Vorzydiaks from Vorzyd 5 have been cast off our planet. Still there are

  attacks. They want to lower our productivity. The attacks must stop."

  Qui-Gon drew a deep breath. "I understand that so far no one has been

  hurt in the attacks."

  "That is true." Port's antennae twitched faster.

  "The saboteurs have concentrated on things that slow productivity?"

  Obi-Wan prompted, hoping the chairman would fill in the details.

  "Yes. Productivity is hurt. We are unable to work." Chairman Port's

  head bobbed up and down in a nod.

  "Why do you suspect Vorzyd 5?" Qui-Gon asked. "Have they taken credit

  for any of the attacks? Have they outlined terms or made any demands?"