by Jude Watson
Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll wait for the reinforcements. They'll most likely return to brief Striker."
"As soon as I can return to help find Anakin I will," Yaddle said.
Yaddle moved down the tunnel quickly, her robe swinging. Obi-Wan stepped back behind the utility box and waited. The tramp of running feet announced the arrival of the reinforcements.
They took one look at the spreading water, the still-sizzling droid parts, and the absence of the guards. The superior officer activated his comlink and spoke into it. Then he signaled to the others.
"Nothing we can do here," the officer said.
"Aren't you going to search the tunnels?" another one asked.
"Do I look crazy? Back to headquarters."
They tramped off. After a moment, Obi-Wan emerged from behind the utility box and followed.
Chapter Eleven
He was grateful, at least, for the food. Anakin had considered rejecting the plate of vegetable turnovers with harima sauce, but what good would that do? He'd finished the plate and downed a carafe of water when suddenly Granta Omega strode out of his private room and the hideout exploded in movement.
He couldn't hear the orders Omega rapped out but suddenly everyone was busy. Computers were shut down. Bins were closed and locked. Weapons were gathered. Gravsleds appeared and gang members began loading them.
Obi-Wan, Anakin thought. He smiled.
Within minutes, the substation was cleared.
Still cuffed, Anakin was hustled into a speeder with the same lmbat guard. He zoomed down the tunnel at a fast clip. Anakin kept his mind focused so he could remember the many turns.
At last they arrived at their destination, a smaller space that had once been a refueling center. Anakin was tossed out of the speeder by the Imbat, but this time he was able to land on his feet. He watched while the gang members busily began to set up the hideout again. He could see that they had done this many times.
Granta Omega strode toward him, his boot heels clicking on the floor.
He looked grim. "It's time to contact Yaddle."
"As long as I can tell her who you are and I can speak freely." He had nothing to lose by contacting Yaddle. He had complete confidence that she'd be able to handle Granta Omega. And Yaddle would be able to tell Obi-Wan that he was still alive.
Omega waved a hand. "Of course. I'm not trying to trick you, Anakin.
I'm a businessman. I want to make a deal."
"I'll need my comlink."
Omega tossed it to him.
"As long as I have it, I'd like to contact my Master, too," Anakin said. It was worth a try.
"Do you think he's worried about you?" Omega barked a laugh. "What you don't know about your Master could fill your precious archives. Kenobi doesn't have a heart. Beings are just a means to get what he needs to be — the great Jedi in his own mind."
Anakin suddenly grasped a feeling that had floated in his mind, something he could not put words to. Now it formed into a belief.
"This is personal for you, isn't it?" he accused Omega. "You hate Obi- Wan."
Omega flushed. "No calls to your Master. I deal with Yaddle only. I only have so much hospitality to offer."
Anakin contacted Yaddle. There was nothing else to do. He quickly explained that Striker was actually Granta Omega, and that he was his prisoner, which was hard to get out. He still felt ashamed that he had allowed himself to be captured.
"Omega has requested a meeting," he finished. "He will only meet with you."
"Hold you hostage, he did not need to do," Yaddle said. "Talk to him, I would have done, if he had asked."
"I guess he feels he needs some insurance that you will come alone,"
Anakin said. "He's afraid that if he sets up a meeting he will be betrayed.
" "I'm not afraid," Omega hissed to Anakin. "Just careful."
"I can't tell you where I am, because I'm not sure," Anakin said. "We just moved to a new hideout. And I don't know how sincere Omega is about making a deal. He says he is, but I don't trust him." Omega grinned at Anakin, not bothered in the least. "It is up to you to decide, Master Yaddle. All I ask is that you do not come because of me. I am fine here."
"So far," Omega said so that Yaddle could hear. "Come, I will," Yaddle said. "But inform Obi-Wan first, I must."
"I have a list of coordinates," Omega said to Anakin. "I'll release them one at a time. If at any point it seems that Yaddle is not alone, I will disappear… with you."
"Understood," Yaddle said, after Anakin had conveyed this information.
Anakin clutched his comlink. He hoped they both had made the right decision. "May the Force be with you," he told Yaddle.
Omega rolled his eyes. "Oh, please," he said.
"Striker is Granta Omega?" Obi-Wan hissed into his comlink. He had concealed himself in the near-empty substation to watch the activity. The gang he had followed had come directly here, but it was obvious the main hideout had been moved. Now they were occupied in gathering up the last weapons and equipment and loading them onto speeders with cargo holds.
"Going to meet him, I am," Yaddle said.
"I'm coming with you."
"Best you do not," Yaddle said.
"He is my Padawan — "
"And trust me with his security you do not?"
Obi-Wan held the comlink away and sighed. He rested his head against the smooth surface of the tunnel wall. It was hard being matched up with an esteemed Jedi Master like Yaddle. He would not win any argument.
"Moved his hideout, Omega has. It would take us too long to find it. A shortcut, this is." Yaddle's voice softened slightly. "Watch out for him, I will, Obi-Wan. But need you I do, to help with the Mawans. Agreed they have to go aboveground. The exodus is proceeding. A Jedi presence is needed here."
Obi-Wan took a moment to accept this. It went against everything he wanted. He needed to see Anakin with his own eyes, to make sure he was safe and well. But Yaddle had told him that Anakin said he was fine, and his voice had sounded strong.
He needed to see Granta Omega, too. Anger rose in him, anger that made him want to put his fist through a wall. Anger he must learn to accept and release.
Omega had his Padawan. His most dangerous enemy had his most treasured companion. And instead of helping to release Anakin, Yaddle was asking him to shepherd complete strangers back to their homes.
It was that thought that helped him. He was a Jedi. The needs of strangers were most important. His own needs meant nothing in comparison to theirs. Obi-Wan repeated the words again in his mind, this time with the compassion and power that they warranted. He had to bring strangers safely to their homes.
"All right," he said to Yaddle. "But tell Omega that I will see him soon."
"A threat that is," Yaddle said sternly. "And so deliver it I will not."
Obi-Wan rested his head against the wall again. "Unless I have to,"
Yaddle concluded.
Anakin stood, waiting for Yaddle. Omega was using tracking droids to make sure Yaddle came to each coordinate alone.
They were in one of the airlift tube stations, smaller than the one Anakin had used to come below only hours ago, though it felt like days. He guessed he was about twenty levels down, near the northeast quadrant of the tunnel system. If he had to find his way back to Obi-Wan, he might be able to.
"She's following my instructions," Omega said.
"Smart.
"What did you expect?" Anakin said. "She's not afraid of you."
"Yes, I can always depend on Jedi arrogance," Omega said. "In an uncertain galaxy, it's so comforting to have one thing you can count on.
Tell me, Anakin. Have you thought about what I said? I'll make the deal with Yaddle and we can go to Tatooine tonight. You could see your mother as early as tomorrow. I have a fast ship."
"I didn't need to think about what you said."
"Ah, but you did think about it, I can tell. This is your last chance.
I hate to be dramatic, but.." Ome
ga shrugged. "Choose."
"There is no choice," Anakin said.
"Too bad. Your loss. Mine too, that's the sad thing. Ah, the wee one approaches."
Yaddle came toward them, her robe swinging with the motion of her walk.
"Thank you for coming," Omega said courteously.
Yaddle studied Anakin for a moment. He saw her gaze rest on his stun cuffs, then move on. Her eyes met his, and he nodded to show her that he was all right.
"Understand I do that you have conditions, but willing you are to leave Mawan," Yaddle said.
"Willing? Hardly. I have a good thing here," Omega said.
"Choose to leave you may not, but warn you I must," Yaddle said.
"Hunted you will be, by Senate security forces. By midday, under our control Naatan will be."
"Impressed with your speed I am," Omega said, mocking Yaddle.
Yaddle did not show anger or impatience, yet Anakin saw something flare in her eyes, something very much like defiance. "And wish he did for me to tell you, Obi-Wan will meet you soon."
Omega laughed. "I'm sure he did. I wish I could say I'm looking forward to it, but Kenobi puts me to sleep."
"Waiting to hear your conditions I am," Yaddle said.
"Let me start by telling you that I am in possession of a highly illegal bioweapon."
Anakin felt his stomach twist. He remembered the fingers tapping out information. B I 0 P ON — Bioweapon! He should have put that together! And the next letters he'd glimpsed had been T 0 X X…
"It is a simple device, really," Omega went on. "Beautifully simple.
Basically a canister packed with a powerful explosive. But the canister is filled with dihexalon gas. Are you familiar with it?"
"Toxic to life-forms, it is," Yaddle said. "Deadly."
"Good, then you know what we are dealing with. The canister has been loaded into this airlift tube. The detonator is controlled by a remote device that is not on me, but I can transmit the order in seconds. I know you've been leading the Mawans back to their homes on the surface. That's Obi-Wan's job, isn't it? Pity they all will die."
"You targeted Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked, fury ticking beneath his words.
"No, your Master is just a bonus." Omega eyed Yaddle. "You should know by now that I have bigger ambitions."
Yaddle met his gaze. Anakin felt the Force stir. It seemed to rustle around his ankles, then move up his body, as if Yaddle was drawing it from the ground itself. He felt it like a physical sensation.
"Wish you do to kill a Council Member," Yaddle said. "I'm afraid so,"
Omega said.
Anakin realized then that he was just a pawn in this struggle. Omega had used him. He had let himself be used. He had been so stupid!
"You must choose," Omega said. "The lives of the Mawans — or the life of Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One."
"Or my own life," Yaddle said. "So many lives, you play with."
"That's my job. Those cuffs on Anakin's wrists are not stun cuffs,"
Omega said. "They carry enough of a charge to kill him."
Anakin looked down at the cuffs on his wrists. He had done this. He had been the bait to lure Yaddle here. Omega had lied. He still wanted to impress a Sith. And what better way than to kill a Jedi Council member?
"Your death will be painless, Master Yaddle," Omega said. "I'll give you that. I'm not interested in giving you pain. Anakin will bring the news back to Obi-Wan. It will soon be known around the galaxy."
"And the bioweapon?" Yaddle asked.
"That's my insurance that I will get off-planet," Omega said. "With my soldiers, with my equipment, with my wealth, with my records. But The One Below will remain below. I will seal your legend, Master Yaddle."
The One Below will remain below…
Omega would have revenge on Anakin as well. Anakin would have to live knowing he had caused Yaddle's death.
"So what do you — " Omega started.
The movement was so sudden and so fast that even Anakin couldn't track it. Yaddle's lightsaber was activated without him seeing her move so much as a finger. She used it in a surgical strike at his wrists. He did not have time to flinch, which was lucky, because she could easily have cut off his hands. Anakin felt only a flash of heat, as though he'd touched something hot and then pulled his hand away.
The cuffs clattered to the floor.
The cuffs, falling…
That was in his vision, too! But the cuffs hadn't been on Shmi. They had nothing to do with Shmi. Obi-Wan and Yoda had been right.
"Launch it!" Omega screamed, then turned to Yaddle and added, "You have just ensured the deaths of thousands."
Anakin realized in a flash that Omega must have had an open channel on his comlink. That had been an order. He heard the rush of air in the tube.
He only saw the flash of the hem of Yaddle's robe as she Force-jumped toward the airlift tube. She pressed the maximum eject button with the hilt of her lightsaber as she passed. She burst into the airlift tube and shot upward like a blast from a laser cannon.
Omega was too stunned to move. Anakin didn't hesitate. He jumped after Yaddle into the tube, pressing the maximum eject button as well.
The velocity was incredible. He shot upward to the surface so fast he lost his breath and his ears protested with a scream of pain. He shot out into a night sky that glittered with stars. The lights of the city were a blur as he passed them. He started to fall back down, the wind whistling past his ears. Only the Force saved him from an extremely bumpy landing. He called on it to slow his descent but still he landed hard, bending his knees and rolling with the impact.
He lay on his back, still dizzy, trying to catch his breath. Yaddle had not landed. He felt the Force so strongly it served to yank him to his feet. Again, it was like a physical presence to him, as though he could feel it on his skin and even in the roots of his hair.
Yaddle hung above him, above the tallest building of Naatan, the Force holding her temporarily aloft. She held a silver canister against her chest.
She was high above, but he heard her voice clearly. It was in his head, he realized.
If you lose your anger, find you it will. Embrace it and disappear it will. Chosen, you may be. But for what? Your question to answer, it is.
He barely registered her words. A terrible certainty was growing. And then everything was suddenly clear to Anakin, as clear as the hard-edged stars. He realized what Yaddle was about to do.
"No!" he shouted. But he could already feel it. Yaddle was drawing in the great net of the Force she had created, drawing it around her so tightly and fiercely and strongly that Anakin fell to his knees. He had never felt the Force move like this. He couldn't speak or move.
From far below, Granta detonated the explosives.
Anakin heard a sharp pop, nothing more. The Force grew until Anakin was dazzled. Instead of exploding, the canister imploded, and Yaddle drew the toxic gas and the explosive power in, absorbing it into her body.
Then she simply disappeared. A shower of light particles swirled, hung in the air, then evaporated.
Anakin's face was wet. Tears flowed and he did not feel them. The night sky was empty, and Jedi Master Yaddle was dead.
Chapter Twelve
Anakin sat, staring at the ground. He did not feel time passing.
Somewhere in his mind he knew he should find a comlink, find a way to contact Obi-Wan, but the thought was distant and he did not pursue it.
Yaddle was dead. He knew it, but he couldn't grasp it. A member of the Jedi Council, a wise being so practiced in the Force that she was a legend.
A being whose strength and wisdom the Jedi needed in these times. She had sacrificed herself for him. Because he had seen a thermal detonator too late. Because he had been captured. Because he had been tricked. A chain of events had brought him to this moment. At any time he could have changed his course. Instead he had blundered on.
She had saved him first, then gone after the bomb.
Anakin puz
zled over that. She had risked thousands of lives for his.
Why?
Chosen, you may be. But for what? Your question to answer, it is.
Was that why she had saved him?
If that was the reason, he could not bear the responsibility. Her death was his fault.
