Jedi Apprentice 18: The Threat Within (звёздные войны) Page 3

  As he listened, Obi-Wan felt sure that he'd discovered Vorzyd 4's secret. The kids on this planet were up to something; there was a lot more going on than the adult laborers knew. It was even possible that the kids themselves were responsible for the sabotage.

  Obi-Wan was wondering what the kids' motives were — as well as what their next prank would be — when he looked off to his right. The shuttle was about to enter a narrow tunnel, and he wasn't going to fit!

  Chapter 6

  Obi-Wan squeezed himself tightly against the side of the shuttle as it zoomed into the tunnel. The hard duracrete surface grazed the back of his tunic, but didn't scrape his skin. A moment later the tunnel widened and the shuttle came to a screeching halt.

  Obi-Wan nearly went flying. Using all of his resolve, he tightened his grip on the railing. His knuckles were white and the tips of his fingers throbbed with pain. But he couldn't fall and risk being discovered.

  After what seemed like a long time, the shuttle came to a full stop. Obi- Wan let out a deep breath and slid carefully to the ground.

  The shuttle doors opened again, and Grath exited along with the driver, who Obi-Wan now saw was female. The two chatted animatedly as they disappeared down a passageway.

  Obi-Wan followed several paces behind. The passageway was dark, and he had to walk carefully because the floor was not entirely smooth.

  Grath and the girl quickly made their way through a maze of hallways and up several flights of stairs. Obi-Wan noted that Vorzydiak kids walked rapidly, like the adults. For efficiency, he supposed. But their animated discussion was nothing like their parents' clipped method of communicating.

  When they emerged at the top of the stairs they were in a deserted office building. Empty desks and dusty tables and chairs were scattered around the space, which had clearly not been used for a while. A small group of kids had already gathered in a large, empty office. Obi-Wan decided not to enter the room, and hid under a large desk just outside the door.

  "What took you so long?" one of the kids asked as Grath and the girl entered the office.

  "Shuttle hang-up," Grath replied slowly.

  There was a pause, and for a moment Obi-Wan was worried that Grath was talking about him. But he couldn't imagine why Grath would pretend not to see him if he had.

  "Nania was late," Grath added.

  Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief.

  "My parents were watching me like a pair of harks," Nania explained.

  "I had to wait until they were asleep."

  "Well, you're here now," a boy's voice said. "The Freelies meeting can officially begin."

  There was a moment of silence while the kids all dropped their hands to their sides. Then everyone spoke at once. The words "It is to remain secret. It is to remain peaceful. It is to remain a surprise," echoed off the walls.

  Obi-Wan was struck by how different this chanting was compared to the low drone the laborers made at the end of their workday. The kids' chant sounded alive and full of energy.

  With the rules recited, the meeting began in earnest. From what Obi- Wan could gather, it centered around the youth reporting on their latest pranks and acts of sabotage. They took turns speaking, telling one another what they had done and how things had turned out. There was a lot of excitement in the voices, but the teens also waited patiently to speak. The meeting was energetic but orderly.

  "We changed the traffic signals and the workers were an hour late for their posts," a boy reported.

  "My father came home furious about that," a girl piped up. "But I think I saw my mother smile when he told her about it."

  "Good," Grath said. "We want to get them thinking."

  "The fake work orders we gave at the electronics factory really got everyone confused," someone else said. "They were actually putting the machines together the wrong way for half the morning."

  "I heard those machines played music instead of giving off static,"

  reported another voice.

  "Did they know it was music?" a girl asked.

  As Obi-Wan listened, he felt torn. He was not sure that what the kids were doing was right. He had seen firsthand that it was causing confusion and distress to the adults. And the accusations against Vorzyd 5 were unfair. But he had to admit that if he were a boy on Vorzyd 4, he would get pleasure out of pulling pranks such as these — especially if faced with the bleak, work-filled future that lay ahead. And the kids were working together, putting their minds to creative use. Not to mention that they clearly trusted, liked, and relied on one another. That was more than many of the laborers could say.

  Besides, Obi-Wan reasoned, nobody was really getting hurt. The Freelies' own rules plainly stated that the pranks were to be peaceful. And though he couldn't be certain, he suspected that they had a good motive.

  One Obi-Wan could believe in.

  All of a sudden, images of Melida/Daan flashed in Obi-Wan's head.

  Death, destruction..

  Melida/Daan was a planet ravaged by generations of civil war, and a group there called the Young was trying to bring an end to the fighting.

  Obi-Wan had felt strongly about the Young's cause, and had even left the Jedi path to join them.

  The decision had been a mistake. While the ideas of the Young were just and good, the situation was complicated. There was fighting among the leaders, and deceit between the generations. Many of the Young were killed, and there was much bloodshed on the planet. Obi-Wan had been caught in the battle. When it was all over he felt as ravaged as the planet itself. He was grateful that the Jedi Council had agreed to take him back. He knew from experience that it was dangerous to believe too quickly in the causes of others.

  Suddenly Obi-Wan felt crowded under the desk. He needed air and space. Sitting up, he felt better and could actually see the kids in the office. He noticed that some of them had adorned their jumpsuits with brightly colored scraps of fabric. Others wore homemade hats or bandannas on their heads. The group was still talking animatedly. Lost in his observations, Obi-Wan did not see the Vorzydiak girl coming toward him.

  "Hey, what are you doing out here?" she asked.

  Startled, Obi-Wan looked up and quickly pulled his hood over his head to hide the fact that he did not have antennae. Luckily the office building was quite dark.

  "I'm not feeling well," Obi-Wan said, getting slowly to his feet. "I came out here to rest. But I think I should just go home."

  The girl eyed him curiously. "What's with the funny clothes?" she asked.

  Obi-Wan looked down at his Jedi robe. "It's my new bathrobe. I had to sneak out at the last minute and didn't have time to change." He looked at the girl's plain tunic and hoped that Vorzydiaks had different nightclothes. "Weird, isn't it?" he added shyly.

  "I guess," the girl replied. Obi-Wan thought she looked a little doubtful, but she smiled casually before he headed down the corridor and out the door.

  As he made his way down the steps, he heaved a sigh of relief. So far, so good.

  Chapter 7

  Qui-Gon opened his eyes and sat up in a single fluid movement. The room was dark, but he did not need to look at his timepiece to know that it was very late. He did not need to see the empty couch to know that the room was still empty. Obi-Wan had not returned.

  Where is he? Qui-Gon thought in frustration. He should have conferred with me before leaving.

  Reaching into his Jedi robe, he found his corn-link and switched it on. He was about to contact his Padawan when something told him not to.

  Let the boy do some exploring. He is not a child who needs constant instruction any longer. He may be doing something important. And his investigations may prove fruitful to the mission.

  Qui-Gon put his comlink away with a sigh. Again he was bombarded with images of his Padawan — images of a talented, impatient boy becoming a man.

  They had been through a lot together — revenge, deceit, war, death. And things had not always been smooth between them. They each had a strong will and those wi
lls sometimes clashed. But they had also grown to depend on and trust each other. More than a formidable Jedi team, they loved each other and were true friends.

  As he looked around the empty room, Qui-Gon wanted Obi-Wan to stay a young man forever. He did not want him to change, to grow up.

  If he does, I will lose him, he thought. Just as I have lost TahL Qui-Gon was horrified at his own desire — how could he want such a thing? Obi-Wan had his own life to live, his own destiny. It was not Qui- Gon's place to interfere with or wish it to be any different than it was meant to be.

  As he lay back on his sleep couch, guilt and sadness kept him awake.

  He tried to let the emotions flow out of him.

  It was a long time before they finally did.

  Qui-Gon was resting peacefully when Obi-Wan returned. As the door slid closed behind his Padawan, Qui-Gon sensed his excitement. Energy sparked from the boy like an electric current. Qui-Gon sat up.

  Obi-Wan turned on a soft light and sat down on his sleep couch.

  "Master," he said, his eyes shining. "I have news. I have learned many things that will help us in this mission."

  Qui-Gon smiled. Just a year or so ago Obi-Wan would have burst out with whatever news he had like an excited boy. Now he was introducing it in a logical fashion, in spite of his stimulated state.

  "Go on," Qui-Gon prodded gently.

  "There are two things," Obi-Wan explained. "The first is that Vorzydiaks are capable of sharing strong emotional bonds. I saw a young girl with her grandmother, and it was clear from their interaction that they loved each other very much."

  Qui-Gon was glad to hear this news. Somehow it was comforting to know that the Vorzyd 4's had more emotions than they usually displayed. "And the other piece of information?"

  "That is even bigger news," Obi-Wan said. "Vorzyd 5 is definitely not responsible for the pranks."

  Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. "And I assume you are going to tell me who is?" he asked.

  Obi-Wan inhaled slightly. "Freelies Vorzydiak kids."

  Qui-Gon was quiet for a moment, letting this information sink in. It changed their mission considerably.

  "I followed some kids to a secret meeting and listened from outside the room," Obi-Wan explained. "If I can pass myself off as a Vorzydiak boy, I can pretend to join the cause and gather all kinds of information about the kids and what they are trying to do. Then we can — "

  "Absolutely not," Qui-Gon interrupted. "Infiltration is not part of our assignment. We must tell Chairman Port what is happening."

  Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. Qui-Gon got the feeling that it took all of his Padawan's resolve not to explode in frustration.

  Obi-Wan took some time to gather his thoughts, standing up and moving across the room before turning back to face his Master. Qui-Gon could almost see his mind working.

  "This society is clearly unhealthy," Obi-Wan finally said in a calm voice. "It is not working for its people. The youths' actions are an obvious cry for help. If we are not careful about how we expose their involvement, we risk ruining everything. We may as well say good-bye to any hope of change."

  Obi-Wan stopped speaking for a minute but continued to look his Master in the eye. Qui?Gon sensed that he was not going to back down.

  "The Vorzydiak 4's would be better served if we prepare both sides for the confrontation ahead," Obi-Wan finished. "It will still be a mediation, just not between the parties we expected."

  Qui-Gon looked at his Padawan. He stood near the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes burned with determination, but not an angry one. He simply believed that this was the best path for the mission to take.

  Qui-Gon disagreed. They had not been summoned by the Council to infiltrate the Vorzydiaks. They should simply explain that Vorzyd 5 was not to blame and leave Vorzyd 4 to sort out its own troubles. The Jedi were keepers of peace, not politicians or spies.

  But then, missions often didn't go as planned. And this one was no exception. Nothing on Vorzyd 4 was as they'd expected. The dinner they'd shared with the Ports was not just culturally different, but stifled and awkward. He'd sensed that Bryn was unhappy, perhaps even depressed.

  Relations between the generations could certainly be described as unhealthy. But was this the way to fix it, and was doing so within their mandate?

  Qui-Gon stood up and paced the room. Wasn't he constantly telling Obi-Wan to trust his instincts? How could he give the boy such guidance and then never let him act on it?

  Because you are afraid to let him go, afraid of the day you won't be his Master.

  "Master?" Obi-Wan's voice cut into Qui-Gon's thoughts. He had not meant to be silent for so long. Obi-Wan was looking at him, waiting patiently for a response.

  Qui-Gon exhaled a long breath. "You may gather information for three days," he said. "But you must keep me informed of all happenings. And if after that time you have not convinced the Freelies to come forward and discuss matters with the adults themselves, I will have to report their involvement in the pranks to Chairman Port."

  Obi-Wan dropped his hands to his sides and smiled. His blue eyes clearly showed his gratitude. "Thank you," he said.

  Qui-Gon nodded. He was not at all certain that he'd made the right decision.

  Chapter 8

  Obi-Wan immediately began to formulate his plans. He was a bit surprised that Qui-Gon had let him take the lead in the mission, but he was pleased as well. It was the first time Qui-Gon had given him so much responsibility.

  Perhaps he is beginning to think of me as a peer and not just a pupil, Obi-Wan thought. The young Jedi had been waiting a long time for an opportunity like this, and was determined to succeed.

  Lying on his sleep couch, Obi-Wan recounted what he'd overheard at the Freelies meeting. The more he could remember, the better his chances of infiltrating successfully. It seemed he had just fallen asleep when his Master was gently rousing him awake.

  "Time to get up," Qui-Gon said. "The Ports will be waiting."

  Obi-Wan got up and dressed quickly. But when they arrived at the Ports' dwelling the family had already left for the day. Cold kibi and patot panak were on the table, and the Jedi dutifully sat down to eat despite the fact that the food did not look particularly appetizing.

  A message on the databoard asked the Jedi to come to Chairman Port's office in the workspace as soon as they could. He wanted to contact Vorzyd 5 immediately.

  "I'll have to find a way to stall him," Qui-Gon said aloud as he bit into a panak.

  Obi-Wan nodded. "I'd like to visit the Vorzyd school today, Master,"

  he said. "There's no point in waiting for another secret meeting to occur — it would waste valuable time."

  "That is probably wise. But be careful, Padawan." He paused, then added, "And I suppose I do not need to tell you to keep your eyes and ears open at all times, since that's exactly what got us to where we are right now."

  Obi-Wan thought for a moment that his Master was scolding him, but his eyes showed amusement as he looked across the table at his apprentice.

  "No, I suppose you don't," Obi-Wan agreed.

  When Qui-Gon had left the homespace, Obi-Wan found his way to Grath's clothing container and borrowed a drab, one-piece jumpsuit. Then, to conceal the fact that he didn't have antennae, he made a makeshift turban using the hood from his robe.

  "It's not exactly high fashion," he told his goofy-looking reflection. But some of the kids he'd seen the night before had been wearing doctored outfits and homemade hats — attempts to make themselves stand out and look different. If he was lucky, his hat would pass for an example of self-expression and would not be suspected as a coverup.

  With a last once-over in the reflector, Obi-Wan left the dwelling and made his way to the shuttle platform. It was mid-morning, and most of the laborers were already at work. The shuttle car was nearly empty.

  The city was neatly organized, so it was not difficult to find the schoolspace. Obi-Wan had assumed that t
he educational buildings would look like all the other buildings on Vorzyd 4, and he was right. Three identical and dull-looking structures stood in a row, housing students of different ages.

  As he circled the buildings, Obi-Wan peered into as many classrooms as he could. With the exception of the students' ages, they all looked the same. Glazed eyes stared at large screens placed in the front of the rooms.

  Adults stood by, drilling what could only be work techniques into the students' heads. The institution looked more like a work-training facility than an actual school.

  But then, Obi-Wan knew from experience that there were all kinds of schools in the galaxy. He was suddenly reminded of the awful Learning- Circle on the planet Kegan. In spite of the warm day, he shivered at the memory of the "school" where he and Siri, another Padawan, had been imprisoned.