Jedi Apprentice 3: The Hidden Past - Джуд Уотсон

At last they reached a room where the disruptor beams were thicker than before. They crisscrossed the room in a thick web. It would be impossible for the Jedi to evade them.

The whirr of the two floaters was behind them now. Any moment they would burst into the room. Qui-Gon quickly took several steps back from the threshold of the room until he was almost in the corner. He directed Obi-Wan to take the opposite corner. Obi-Wan nodded bravely at Qui-Gon, letting him know that he had guessed the desperate plan Qui-Gon had devised.

They would have to gauge the exact speed and height of the floaters a second before they appeared. Then they would run, using their momentum and the power of the Force to leap into the air. They would attack the first speeder, colliding with it midair, hoping to dislodge both the pilot and the droid. And then they would have to land safely themselves.

There was no time to review. Qui-Gon only hoped Obi-Wan could follow him.

The whirr of the floater grew closer. Qui-Gon began the charge. Obi-Wan took off at the same moment. The built up speed in the huge room as they ran, and both lifted off the ground at the exact moment the floater burst into the room.

Qui-Gon had time to see the surprised gape of the Syndicat guard before he hit him full in the chest. The guard flew off the bike, with Qui-Gon managing to get a lightsaber blow to his neck as he fell. The assassin droid had time to fire a quick burst before Obi-Wan hit him, feet-first, and sent him flying.

The power of their leap kept them in midair. Obi-Wan somersaulted before landing.

Then the second floater burst into the room and immediately collided with the first. The crash sent the second guard and droid flying. The two floaters kept moving through the air and hit a disruptor beam, which sent them careening out of control. The room shook as they crashed into the wall.

Suddenly, a portion of the huge wall dislodged with a groan, revealing an opening. The disruptor beams sizzled and went silent.

The Syndicat guards were just as surprised as the Jedi. Only the assassin droids kept moving, damaged but nat destroyed. One had lost an arm, one a piece of its control panel. Their blasters were still operational. The shots missed the Jedi by a distance so small it sounded like a whisper by their ears.

The Force told Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to jump, and they did, vaulting over the guards to attack the assassin droids first. Qui-Gon cut through one, rendering it worthless. Obi-Wan went straight for the other's control panel and with a stab of his lightsaber turned it into a sizzling junk heap.

The Syndicat guards had recovered from the surprise of being knocked off their floaters and uncovering a hidden room. They pulled out force pikes and advanced on the Jedi.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood their ground, lightsabers held down, pointing at the floor. Qui-Gon counted off the seconds in his head. He hoped his Padawan would have the same battle rhythm. They would need to keep their head clear their blows methodical. They could not let their exhaustion drive them. He reached out to the Force. It surged around him now; he had only to tap into it.

The Syndicat guards were still a few steps away when Obi-Wan leaped forward. Too early! Qui-Gon cried in his head. But he sprang to the right to cover Obi-Wan's flank. Obi-Wan attacked in a fury, his lightsaber a blue blur in the dimness. Qui-Gon had to match his speed or be unable to protect him. He tried to slow down the boy's rhythm, but Obi-Wan had let his exhaustion push his control to the breaking point. Qui-Gon realized that he could not always count on Obi-Wan to pick up on his pacing. Something to work on later, when they had time. If they had time.

Together the Jedi slashed and Jabbed, always moving, ducking, rolling, lunging until they had defeated their opponents. The two Syndicat guards fell heavily.

Qui-Gon stepped over them, sheathing his lightsaber in the same movement. He went to the opening and peered inside.

"I think we found the vault," he told Obi-Wan.

Chapter 9

A voice came from behind them. "Good work, Jedis!" Guerra approved in a hushed, reverent tone.

"We knew that even though you were greatly outnumbered, you would win," Paxxi assured them.

Qui-Gon lifted an eyebrow. "Not so?"

"So!" the brothers chorused.

Obi-Wan tried to control his shallow breathing. The last stand against the guards had drained him of his energy. He knew that he had been at the edge of his control. Qui-Gon had remained cool and methodical, covering any sloppy moves of Obi-Wan's with his own swift strokes. Although they had defeated the guards, Obi-Wan was disappointed in himself. He knew he had given in to his impatience and had lost his focus. It had been a difficult fight.

"Thanks for your help," Obi-wan said irritably, deactivating his lightsaber.

"Oh, we help by hiding, Obawan," Guerra assured him. "The Derida brothers are no good on a battle. We'd be in the way."

"Yes, you are so much better at fighting!" Paxxi said, beaming.

Obi-Wan wiped the seat from his forehead with his sleeve. He wished he could feel as enthusiastic as the Deridas about his abilities.

He turned to find Qui-Gon studying him. "You fought well, Padawan," his Master said quietly. "Next time, you will do better. It is time to focus on the now. We achieved our aim here."

"Yes, you found the vault! Excellent!" Guerra exclaimed. He frowned when he took in the fallen Syndicat guards and assassin droids. "This isn't good. We have to leave without the Syndicat knowing we were here. It is better so."

"I'll find a place to hide them," Paxxi said

"Paxxi is good at that," Guerra said.

"We won't ask why," Qui-Gon said with a sigh.

"No, is better so," Guerra agreed. "But first, we should take the armor coats. Might come in handy. Blaster fire seems to follow Jedi."

"You're the one who brought us here!" Obi-Wan cried. He couldn't help being irritated at Guerra. He was beginning to realize how his friend twisted facts to suit his own purposes.

"True, Obawan!" Guerra said cheerfully. "You make a point!"

Paxxi found an equipment room piled with old parts for speeders and various circuits. There was inch-thick dust on the parts and the floor.

"Good," Qui-Gon approved. "The room is no longer used. The guards won't be discovered for quite some time."

Using the floaters and carefully avoiding the remaining disruptor beams, they transported the fallen guards and droids there. They took four armor coats and visors with them and closed the panel door behind them.

"I saw a pen for the floaters by the stairs, so we can leave them there," Guerra said. "Now let's see the vault."

"Let us go first," Qui-Gon directed. "Obi-Wan and I will alert you to disruptor beams."

But before they could take a step, a comlink embedded in one of the coats began to signal.

"Guard check," a voice said. "Guard check. Why were disruptor beams activated?"

Guerra's orange eyes went wide. Paxxi threw a hand to cover his mouth. Qui-Gon frowned.

He found the comlink and activated it, using the Force to respond in a way that would not draw attention. "Routine check. Repeat, routine check. All safe below. Suggest shutting off disruptor security beams on lower level for further check."

"Done."

With a buzzing noise, the disruptor beams retracted.

"Beams retracted," Qui-Gon said.

"End shift," the voice responded. "Leave premises. Lockdown in ten minutes."

"Message received," Qui-Gon responded. He shut off the comlink and looked at the others. "We don't have much time."

"Then we must hurry," Paxxi said.

They hurried to the vault and eased into the wall opening. Obi-Wan gasped. He had thought the room upstairs was grand. This room glittered with treasures. Rich rugs were piles on the floor, one on top of the other. Sleeping platforms were draped with the finest, softest coverlets. Large pillows embroidered in golden and silver thread were stacked next to the platforms.

Qui-Gon prowled, looking at the various boxes and cartons stacked along the wall. "There's enough food and medical supplies here to last for months."

"Music, hologram visuals," Paxxi said, poking into another corner.

"Emergency supplies and weapons," Obi-Wan added, checking the cartons near him.

"It's their sanctuary," Qui-Gon said. "They could last here for months if they had to."

"Here!" Guerra called.

They hurried toward him. A door with a control panel was almost completely concealed in the corner.

"This must be the treasury," Guerra said.

"Well, at least you were right about that," Qui-Gon said.

"All right, break in," Obi-Wan urged. "We don't have much time."

Guerra looked at Paxxi. Paxxi looked at Guerra.

"Of course, Obawan, no problem," Paxxi agreed. "Oops, I lie, not so! Just one problem."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and took a breath, as if to gather his shredded patience. "What?"

Thy both looked at the floor. "Ah," Guerra said. "So. We told the whole truth, yes. But not the complete whole truth. Yes, we can break in to treasury. So easy! But we need something first. You see, the Syndicat robbed us first. They broke into our hiding place and stole everything! Everything we had spent so much effort and time to accumulate?"

"To steal," Obi-wan corrected.

"Just so, Obawan, we stole it, yes, but only to sell it back to the people," Guerra said earnestly. "We had speeder parts, circuits, engines? all things we used to have here on Phindar in great abundance, but no more. We would sell to the people for much cheaper prices that the Syndicat! So you see we do a great public service?"

"Just stick to the facts, Guerra," Obi-Wan interrupted impatiently. His friend was really beginning to test their friendship. Why hadn't Guerra told them this before?

"Of course, good advice, Obawan," Paxxi agreed. "So they stole from us. But what they did not know is that among those things was something very valuable."

"Something my good brother Paxxi invented," Guerra added eagerly. "An anti-register. It can undo the action of a transfer register."

The two brother nodded and smiled at the Jedi. A transfer register was a method of recording transactions in the galaxy. An electro-optical device recorded the prints of the buyers and sellers.

"Paxxi's device can duplicate any print in a security or registration system," Guerra told them.

Obi-Wan understood at once. Paxxi's anti-register device could be valuable beyond measure. It would allow the user to seize property and goods and break into any print-reliant security system throughout the galaxy.

"That device is very dangerous," Qui-Gon said quietly.

"Dangerous?" Guerra asked. "Not so, Jedi-Gon! It will help us!"

"But if the Syndicat knew you had it? if anyone knew, it would put you in great danger."

Paxxi waved a hand. "we are not afraid. Not so! I lie, of course we are. But that makes us careful. We can steal the treasury, leave the planet if we have to, even sell the device on the black market?"

"Can you imagine how much it's worth?" Guerra chortled. "Twelve fortunes!"

Qui-Gon looked stern.

"Not that this is important," Guerra hurriedly said. "First, we break the Syndicat, yes?"

"Which brings us back to our problem, my brother," Paxxi said. "Our stolen goods were here. Now they're not. So," he said to Qui-Gon, "we can't break in."

"Yet," Guerra added. "But so, we will."

"As soon as we find the device," Paxxi added helpfully.

"We had better return," Guerra said. "Lockdown will be soon. Duenna will be waiting."

With an exasperated sigh, Qui-Gon followed them from the room. They located the device that moved the wall, and it slid smoothly back into place. Then they took the floaters back to the pen behind the staircase. Quickly, they headed up to the main level.

"You're late," Duenna whispered worriedly when they appeared. Her bright orange eyes swept the corridor behind her. Then her tense face softened when she looked at Paxxi and Guerra. "But I am glad to see you. They ordered a random routine sweep of the lower floors. I could not warn you."

"We took care of the guards," Paxxi assured her. "But downstairs is empty now. No goods are stored."

"So sorry to tell you now," Duenna said, walking quickly down the corridor with them. "I just found out after I left you. The supplies were moved to the warehouse by the spaceport. Most of them will be loaded onto Prince Beju's transport to be taken back to Gala." She paused near the door. Now you must go. Quickly! Terra and Baftu have returned. Lockdown is in only a few minutes."

"Duenna!" The voice was sharp, commanding. Footsteps clicked in the corridor off to the right. "Duenna!"

Duenna's face went pale. "It is Terra!" she whispered.

Chapter 10

The corridor was wide and empty. There was nowhere to hide. Duenna put a finger to her lips. Then she scurried around the corner into the adjacent corridor.

Qui-Gon commanded them all with his sharp blue gaze to be still. He pondered their situation. Terra was only meters away. Obi-Wan's hand drifted to the hilt of his lightsaber, prepared for anything.

"No need to run me down, old woman." Terra's voice cracked like a whip. "Where have you been?"

"In the kitchens," Duenna said. Her voice was a murmur.

"In the kitchens. Eating again? Or avoiding me?" Look at me."

There was a pause. Guerra and Paxxi suddenly reached out and gripped each other's shoulders.