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The cave was cool, with moisture-tinted air that stroked Alee's face with clammy, wispy fingers. The atmosphere was made thicker by the unrelenting darkness. Alee hesitated to use the glowrod in her pack, relying instead on the Force to show her the way.
The Force painted pictures in her mind - pictures that were three-dimensional holovids leeched of their color. Even a holovid failed to explain what Alee experienced, for if she examined a rock in her mind, she could tell its weight and texture and what, if anything, was hiding under it. Focus was everything - the farther she extended her senses, the less distinct the details on nearby objects.
The nature of a cave required she keep a narrow focus. In spots the ceiling had dipped down, forcing her to walk bent over. Once she had had to crawl through a stricture. Once she had to grope through a room-sized grotto filled with stalagmites. And the deeper under the mountain she went, the more often she found herself splashing through puddles.
It was slow going, but there had been no branches, no detours. One path to lead her to her destination. One path to lead her pursuers to her.
Alee had expected to see some sort of light from the search party floating along behind her, but they were staying well back of her. They know I have to return. Maybe they'd rather just wait for me. But how could they be sure I'll leave the same way?
The air suddenly felt less oppresive. Alee paused and searched ahead in her mind. Another grotto. She took three steps into the room and stopped. Water stretched before her, deeper than anything she'd come across yet. Something splashed. Her mind's eye revealed a wide ledge on the right and she decided to bypass the water.
Half way across the ledge Alee detected a hollow in the outer wall. She examined it and knew it was nothing's home, so she curled up in it. Drawing on the Force for almost three hours had been taxing. Weariness weighed down on her like the tonnes of rock above her head. Alee pushed it back - she'd rest later. Opening herself fully to the Force, so it flowed through her without her consciously touching it, brought a refreshing almost as complete as sleep.
A half hour later, a warning niggled on the edges of her consciousness. She stretched out her senses. The hunters were on the move. She retrieved some dried meat and a chunk of flatbread to eat along the way. Before Alee hopped off the shelf, she tossed a piece of bread into the water. A flurry of splashing broke out as two creatures fought over her gift. She picked up her pace.
Ten minutes later, the floor fell away, as the tunnel went vertical. Down three meters. Alee probed the bottom and was satisfied. She stepped off the ledge and fell gracefully down the tube, landing in a crouch. Nothing ahead except more tunnel. She continued forward.
Sensory deprivation. Alee could see less with her eyes open than closed. This blind exodus was reinforcing how critical sight was to every other sense. Alee had a fair idea how much time had passed on the surface - somehow it didn't seem to exist down here. She didn't need to touch the walls to move forward, but if she did, she could well imagine the fear that could consume you, not knowing what you'd touch next. A shiver ran down her spine. If not for the air stirring, this would feel like a tomb.
Alee halted. Air stirring? She stretched out her senses
and hurried forward. A fork in the path.
Where she had been going down and down and down, the left tunnel
seemed to have a slight incline. And the air was lighter, filled
with the slightest, barest hint of movement. A chimney to the
surface? Or another exit? The temptation to go left
was strong. Sothar said 'deep in the bowels,' ... so deep it
is.
Alee swung right into the downward fork. Minutes later, the path became steeper. Twice her footing gave way and she had to scramble to regain it. The ceiling, which had been at least two meters for some time, started to close in, sinking as the weight of the mountain became too much too bear. Water trickled down the walls and ran in rivulets where wall and floor met.
The floor levelled out and Alee sensed an opening ahead. She stepped out of the tunnel, into an enormous cavern, and crouched to survey her surroundings. She was on a slender shelf, less than a meter above water. A lot of water. She wrinkled her nose. The water may be draining into this lake, but the fetid odor of decay suggested it wasn't going anywhere very fast. Alee leaned over and dipped her finger into the frigid liquid to find it coated with a slimy, slightly oily scum.
Through the Force, Alee gave the place a closer examination. No exits, at least, not above water. Several pillars rose up from the depths where stalagmite and stalagtite had met eons ago, suggesting this had not always been a lake. How long would it take this much water to collect? How much was here when the contract was hidden?
Standing up, Alee slipped out of her cloak with a sigh. She dropped her pack, took off her boots, then unclipped her lightsaber and held it tight. If I leave it here and the hunters find it I will be defenseless. But the water will render it temporarily useless, and who knows what that slime would do to it. Alee let the weapon slide off the ends of her fingers and onto the pile at her feet.
Where are my shadows, now? The Force told her they had reached the small pond where she had rested. Her thoughts lingered on them - there are six, so the other three must be at the entrance. Apparently they had stopped again. Alee dug the breather out of her utility belt and clipped it over her nose. She closed her eyes and took two deep breaths. Just think of it as the indoor lake at the Jedi Temple.
The dive sliced cleanly through the scum, barely making a ripple, taking Alee meters below the surface. In moments her fingers and toes were tingling from the cold. She pulled herself through the liquid darkness towards the closest pillar. Something swam on the edges of her knowing, attracted perhaps, by the movement. It wove back and forth, staying far below her, tracking her.
Alee's fingers bumped into the first pillar. She rested her palms against the column, searching for ... what? She pushed off and swam towards the next one. Again nothing. The creature was circling now, spiralling closer.
With strong strokes, Alee surged through the water toward the third column. She grabbed on to it, floating vertically. This is it. The Force thrummed through the rock beneath her fingers, warming them. She bent and kicked, driving herself down, walking her hands along the pillar as she dove. The creature was at the same depth as Alee, alternately widening and narrowing its circling. She ignored it and continued down.
Several minutes later her fingers brushed something. She circled the pillar, feeling what the Force had already shown her. A carving in the stone. The same woven grass pattern that adorned Falk's, and every Agri's arm. Alee ran her fingers over the etching. Perhaps this design wasn't always a sign of servitude.
A meter below the carving Alee found the hollow. Wedged inside was a square waterproof packet as long and wide as her lightsaber and four fingers deep. She wiggled it out of its nest and held it to her chest. The creature veered near the pillar, then away.
Orienting herself, Alee pushed away from the pillar, angling toward the surface and the shelf of rock above. She moved forward by kicking her legs and making slight course corrections with one arm, hugging the parcel with the other.
The creature darted closer, swinging away, brushing her leg with its tail. Alee kicked harder. It circled for another pass. She sensed it slicing through the water, a giant eel-like animal, easily twice her length. She dove and rolled as it swept past, its sleek underbelly jostling her arm and almost knocking the packet loose.
Half way there. Alee cycled the Force into her legs, pumping faster. The eel swung around and came at her from behind. This time she arched upwards. The eel caught Alee in the center of her back and propelled her upwards. It sped up as they neared the surface and nudged Alee hard as they broke from water into air. Alee was tossed like a child's toy through the air. She clung to the packet and twisted as she sensed a wall rushing toward her.
Alee slammed into rock and water at the same instant. Air punched out of her lungs. The momentum held her pinned against the cavern wall for a few seconds before she started to sink. She struggled noisily to breathe before the water closed over her head. The Force nudged her; air rushed into her lungs and she realized she was almost at the shelf.
Alee grabbed at the wall, digging her fingers into a crack. She floated toward the ledge, arm length by arm length as she found new handholds. At last she reached it and heaved the packet up onto the shelf. Alee pulled herself up and curled into the fetal position, shivering. Her stomach heaved from the rank odor of the scum coating she wore. It smelled and tasted like she'd just eaten a pile of Nal Hutta delicacies. Shock receded and tremors of agony mixed with the shivers until she didn't know where pain began and cold ended. Tired. So tired. Sleep numbed her toes and crept upwards. Her thoughts were sluggish. The Force. Must reach ...
With the last of her energy, Alee opened herself to the Force, and it rushed in with a blast of heat. The desire to sleep was flung off with a violent shudder. After a few moments she felt revived enough to move. She crawled to her pile of belongings and retrieved her cloak. Just the fact that it was dry made it feel warm. She sat bundled tight and stared into the darkness. A swoosh of water alerted her to the creature breaching. It made a mewling sound before it crashed into the surface, spraying the shelf and soaking Alee's cloak, which, to Alee's relief, was made to shed water. Almost like it's inviting me to play. The Force save me, if that was play, from ever getting that thing angry.
After nibbling on the last of the flatbread, Alee gathered her belongings. She tested her lightsaber, blinking at the first light she'd seen since dawn. As she powered down and fastened the weapon to her belt, she suddenly realized she had had no visitors. What are they up to? Searching through the Force, she found them, still at the pond. Only four, though. One was closer, almost at the fork. Advance scout? To warn if I try to slip out the left tunnel? It's about time we introduced ourselves.
Stuffing her treasure into the pack, Alee set out. Her legs still felt a little rubbery from the swim, but were energized by the Force with each step. She leaned into the climb, up the steep path. As she neared the fork, her danger-sense prickled the back of her neck. Alee drew her lightsaber and moved forward slowly. She sensed movement ahead and started to run, igniting her weapon as she went.
The rumbling started ahead of Alee and quaked toward her through the rock. Realization struck. They're blowing the tunnel. She sped up. Just before she reached it, the fork collapsed. Alee planted her foot and changed direction. She slipped on wet rock, scrambled to her feet and charged down the tunnel. The thundering roared past Alee. Dust billowed around her, and the floor started to shake.
Alee leapt, flingin the pack ahead of her. As her lightsaber was knocked from her hand by a falling rock, Alee's mind screamed Qui-Gon!
Qui-Gon shot to his feet, lightsaber on, and circled cautiously. The Force pounded urgency through his veins, speeding his heartbeat and clenching his muscles. He scanned the tower room, the spaces beyond.
Voices broke through his gut-renching dread.
"What be wrong, Jedi?"
"What is it, Master?"
Master. Obi-Wan. He sought his Padawan's eyes and powered down his shimmering blade. He felt the concern in that green gaze and couldn't keep the despair out of his own. His chest heaved. His mouth tasted like dust. 'Alee?' came Obi-Wan's wordless inquiry. Qui-Gon swallowed hard and nodded. His hand started to shake and Obi-Wan gently took away the lightsaber. Qui-Gon grabbed the back of the chair and bent over until the desire to hyperventilate passed.
Qui-Gon straightened, his fingers digging into the soft chair, and looked at Falk and Sothar.
"Alee is in grave danger." His voice was tight.
"Where is she?" Sothar asked.
"I don't know," Qui-Gon whispered.
"Be you sure? Be this one of those Jedi feel-it things?"
Qui-Gon nodded and looked away. "I'm positive, Falk. We have to help her. But she could be anywhere."
"She only be as far as a rider will go," said Falk.
Qui-Gon's eyes snapped back to the Agrarian. Falk continued, "Night before last she took one. Said she be looking for something to help the Agris."
Sothar rose and moved to the window to stare at the mountains. "I know where she is," he whispered. No breath stirred. Sothar continued, "She's at Victory Mount, or close to it."
Falk jerked air in. "Why she be there, of all places? It be evil, haunted some say. Vile creatures be lurking there."
"If you would understand the 'why', Falk," Sothar replied, "I must tell you a story."
"Only if it's short," clipped Qui-Gon. Dread threatened to overwhelm him. He reached for his center of calm and clung to it as Sothar quickly related his background and the secret-bearers' history.
When the general had finished, Qui-Gon shoved the chair at the table. It rocked and fell over. "Blast it," he muttered. "Why didn't she tell me this? I know why she didn't tell me. Because I'm thickheaded, that's why. She thought I didn't want her around, that I didn't want her ..."
Obi-Wan interrupted his Master's quiet tirade with a hand on his arm. Qui-Gon looked forlornly at his Padawan and whispered, "I might lose her, Obi-Wan, and she will never have known that I found her, found us, found a future I never thought to have."
"We aren't going to lose her, Master. We're going to save her." Obi-Wan turned to Sothar. "We need the fastest vehicles you have that can maneuver in the mountains, General. If she's in a mountain, we need lights, rescue equipment, anything else you can think of."
"We have military landspeeders that can go twice the speed of swoops. Search-and-rescue packs. And I'll need some weapons, Falk."
Falk narrowed his eyes. "If ya be going, I be going."
Rescue. Search-and-rescue. Despair shrank into the back of Qui-Gon's mind. He looked at the two men, Technick cum Fondorian and Agrarian. "You two may be our best hope for peace on this planet. I don't want to risk you. We don't know what is waiting for us out there."
"A good leader makes sure he isn't indispensable, Qui-Gon," Sothar said.
"And we be good leaders," Falk stated. "So we be going."
Both men crossed their arms. Their eyes stared out from stone faces.
"It appears we have some help, Master," Obi-Wan said.
"So it does, Obi-Wan. So it does."
Hard to breathe. Air and rock dust rattled in Alee's chest. She felt the void washing at the shores of her mind and fought to stay conscious. Her upper body screamed in agony. Her legs. She couldn't feel her legs. A slight tingling in her right leg - that was it. Alee tried to wiggle her left foot. Nothing.
But it was the breathing. A boulder was mashing her left side into the ground. A decimeter more and her spine would have been crushed. As it was ... two, maybe three ribs ... one lung puncture, she was pretty sure. Each inhale rasped down her parched throat and exploded through her side.
Alee's head was trapped by the awkward angle of her body, her left cheek pressed against the floor of the tunnel. Only her right arm was free. Moving it brought sent sparks of pain shooting up from her elbow and knifing into her brain. Elbow. Broken? Blood and dust in her mouth. She spit it out.
Alee knew there were other rocks on and around her. How many? Pain made the Force slip through her grasp. She tried to move the rock trapping her left arm. The effort made her woozy. Come on, girl. Concentrate. There is no try. Do or do not. Alee breathed in, shunted the pain aside, and pushed with the Force. The rock shifted and a flurry of smaller ones tumbled onto her arm and pelted the back of her head. I did, Master Yoda.
Dizziness slammed into Alee and the void crashed over her.
... Alee woke up choking, coughing up copper-tasting foam. It pooled against her cheek.
Not good. Should've told Qui-Gon where ... why ... The pack. Where is... Alee drew weakly on the Force, letting it push back the pain to manageable proportions. She reached out her senses, searching. There. Two meters beyond where she lay. Not buried, thank the Force. She mentally tugged. Slowly, centimeter by centimeter. Sweat beaded along her hairline and ran into her eye. Finally, it was within reach. She grimaced and snatched the pack closer. Her elbow detonated and she froze, wheezing loudly until the white-hot reverberations faded.
Moving much slower, elbow throbbing, Alee opened the sack and removed the packet she'd paid so dearly to retrieve. Brushing her fingers over the surfaces, she discovered the vac-seal and triggered it. Inside was an old hologram pad, of the sort she'd only seen in museums. It opened like a hinged book so one side could remain upright.
Alee rested her hand on the retrieval pad and fought off a series of torturous spasms that centered in her lower back. Her ribs burned where they pressed against the damp cool floor. She spit out more bloody foam. Her focus slipped as the pain attempted to storm her whole being and capture her mind. Can't retreat. Have to stay in control.
Burning agony washed through her and reluctantly receded. Letting the Force guide her fingers, she fumbled over the pad and finally switched it on. The machine hissed and the flat screen jumped to life. Alee blinked repeatedly, trying to adjust to the weak light flickering out from the monitor. The blue image of a young woman came into focus.
" I am Delina, daughter of Wold," the image began. Alee struggled to stay focused. Words popped out. "... destroy Agri ... contract ... this holopad ...our future..."
Alee expelled a raspy sigh and toggled the power switch. Sothar was right. Have to help Qui-Gon find me. If I'm ... if I don't ... he can still help Falk.
Qui-Gon tensed. He gripped the back of the driver's seat. Obi-Wan swerved to avoid a slag heap and called over his shoulder, "Do you sense her, Master?"
Qui-Gon felt Sothar's and Falk's burning gazes. "Yes. She's calling me, but it's very weak. Wrapped in pain. We must hurry." Hold fast, Alee. I'm coming. I'm coming.
The large landspeeder barrelled through the foothills, as Obi-Wan pushed the machine to its limits. Occasionally, Qui-Gon heard a hiss leaking from Falk, who sat beside him, as Obi-Wan careened around a sharp corner or negotiated between boulders with barely any clearance. Sothar sat in the front with his hands clutching his knees, looking solemn, almost noble, in his borrowed Agrarian garb. He kept his eyes on the topographical map screen that popped up from the console in front of him. The valley split in two and Sothar pointed to the right.
Obi-Wan banked high on the steep hill and shot out of the elbow curve.
"Ya Jedi be crazy!" yelled Falk. "We be not rescuing A'Lee if we be dead."
Qui-Gon smiled grimly. He knew any recklessness on his Padawan's part arose from concern for him. But Falk has a point. We'll be airborne soon. Still, Qui-Gon stayed silent.
The speeder rounded another curve and raced toward a mountian with a mining operation partway up the slope. Blaster fire pinged off the shielded speeder as it surged right then curved left around the base of the mountain.
"I thought you captured the mines, Falk," Qui-Gon said.
"That be a small one. We be not bothering with small ones," replied Falk as he looked over his shoulder at the quickly disappearing mine.
Qui-Gon turned inwards as the speeder sliced through the hot afternoon air. He centered himself and focused on locating Alee. When he found her, devastation rippled through him at how weak her lifeforce was. He sensed she was pushing the Force outwards so it acted like a homing beacon, instead of using it to soothe her injuries. Hear me, Alee. Heal yourself. We're coming. Would the Force weave their lives together just to tear her away? He had always known compassion. He had always known the love of friends. But, this. This passionate, vibrant thing that was taking root deep in his soul - it was so new, so unexpected. He wanted to taste it, savor it, share it. How could he share it if Alee were gone? Anguish crowded his mind and he pushed it aside. Where there is life, there is the Force, and there is hope. Qui-Gon slipped into a semi-meditative state, echoing the Force back to Alee to soothe and comfort her.
The landspeeder slowed to a stop. Qui-Gon opened his eyes and stared at the sheer cliff rising directly ahead. Obi-Wan flicked off the shielding and stood behind the controls to lean on the windscreen.
"I sense traces of disturbance resonating in both directions, Master," Obi-Wan said.
"Yes. But whatever happened off to the left, there is no one there, now," replied Qui-Gon.
Sothar pointed at the map screen. "Box canyon to the left, anyway. We have to navigate this pass to reach Victory Mount."
Obi-Wan sat back down. "Let's do it." He accelerated and activated the shield.
As they neared the head of the pass, Qui-Gon placed his hand on his Padawan's shoulder. "Proceed cautiously. I sense turmoil ... and danger." Obi-Wan nodded.
They crested the summit and Obi-Wan coasted the speeder to a halt. The second the shield winked out, Qui-Gon was over the side and striding down the slope, along a trial of small craters leading towards a cliff. He stopped at the edge and stared across the chasm. The wind whipped his cloak around his legs, flapping and snapping it, so he appeared to be a creature ready to launch off the precipice.
Obi-Wan joined him. After a moment, Obi-Wan pointed at the other side, targeting a scorched blast-mark on the far wall. Qui-Gon nodded and scanned the chasm floor. Thank the Force she isn't down there. He spun and considered the trail down the mountain that was riddled with I.M. mines.
"I can get past them, Master," Obi-Wan said. He pointed. "Along the far right I can sense a clear path. Whoever did this counted on the momentum of the curve to carry Alee away from the path and into the mines. Apparently it worked." He paused. "But it didn't destroy her."
"Her connection to the Living Force is strong. It gives her an edge in situations such as this," commented Qui-Gon.
"An escape artist like you, Master." Qui-Gon caught Obi-Wan's amused expression.
"Not this time, Obi-Wan."
His Padawan grew serious. "Even you need help once in a while, Master."
"Then let's go help."
With shields on maximum, the landspeeder glided forward slowly, squeezing between boulders and mines. Two-thirds of the way past the mine field, an explosion rocked the speeder. Obi-Wan quickly compensated with auxillary repulsors to avoid capsizing. He adjusted the shielding, nodded to himself, then continued on.
"There be a lot to be said for walking, Jedi," muttered Falk, his knuckles white from grasping the back of Sothar's seat.
"Except for the speed, Falk. Right now, speed counts," Qui-Gon ground out.
Falk looked askance at the Jedi Master. "I be agreeing with ya. I be liking A'Lee, too, ya know."
Qui-Gon sighed. "I'm sorry, Falk. I'm a little edgy."
A soft grunt issued from the front seat.
The riders were suddenly pressed into their seats as, free of the mines, Obi-Wan accelerated to maximum speed. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and touched Alee's mind. Almost there, Alee. Hang on.
The landspeeder hit the valley floor so fast the repulsors compressed and the tail scraped bottom. Qui-Gon had to grab Falk and fling him back into his seat. He pointed at the shield shimmering above their heads and frowned at the Agrarian. Falk sank down, fastened his restraint harness and looked a little sheepish.
As they skimmed across the flat lands, Qui-Gon again focused on connecting with Alee. He felt her lifeforce wavering and drove back the panic that was trying to encroach upon his mind. He flooded Alee with a sense of his presence, silently begging her to keep fighting.
Qui-Gon opened his eyes to see the arm of Victory Mount growing rapidly. His breathing was shallow as tension began to clench his muscles. How do we get in, Alee? How do we get in? He repeated the question through the Force several times until he had her attention and a faint answer of 'crook'. She's slipping, finding it hard to focus. Qui-Gon scanned the mountain. What crook? Of course. The arm. The crook of the arm. He told Obi-Wan to head straight for it.
Zzt. Zzt. The distinctive sound of laser bolt against shield
brought them to a halt a third of the way up the mountain. Obi-Wan
flicked off the shield and the two Jedi hopped out, lightsabers
in hand.
As Qui-Gon strode away, he pointed at Sothar and Falk.
"Stay where you are," he called. "We'll take care of this. Guard that speeder with your lives."
The Jedi started to jog up the mountain. Qui-Gon's hair and cloak flew out behind him as he picked up speed. Obi-Wan kept pace and powered up his blade, twirling it in casual figure-eights as he ran.
Red hail rained down. The two Jedi twisted and parried, defending each other's flank. Their lightsabers became blue and green blurs. Shot after shot was deflected. Still they moved forward. Qui-Gon pointed for Obi-Wan to move left and they split up.
Qui-Gon felt the adrenaline pumping, amplified by the Force. He charged the nearest rock concealing a foe, jumped and flipped over it. He sliced the blaster out of the surprised man's hands. A kick to the jaw sent him flying backwards to hit the rock with a most satisfying thump. Qui-Gon pivoted and cut through the next man with his long reach, not stopping to watch him crumple. He deflected a laser bolt directly back at its blaster - the weapon exploded and the man holding it cried out and fell.
The Jedi Master leapt four meters onto a high rock and parried a flurry of shots. He jumped at his attacker, twisting to avoid another red bolt as he fell. Qui-Gon landed beside the man and arced his green blade down and through the blaster. The man dropped to his knees clutching his burned hand and Qui-Gon knocked him out with the handle of his lightsaber.
Two attackers left their cover and sprinted up the mountainside. Qui-Gon grabbed the Force, flung his hand out and pushed the men into boulder. Hard. Both men bounced off the rock and their unconscious bodies rolled several meters back down the slope.
Qui-Gon sensed Obi-Wan approaching and backed towards him until they touched and stood, facing outwards, ready for another attack. As Qui-Gon stretched out his senses and searched the area, his breathing returned to normal.
"You seemed to be enjoying yourself, Master. You took out six. Only left me three," Obi-Wan observed.
"I think I enjoyed that a little too much, Padawan," replied Qui-Gon. "Every time a man fell, the thought, 'You tried to kill Alee', popped into my mind. One should never enjoy inflicting pain or suffering."
"Don't worry, Master. When we return to the Temple, I'm sure Master Yoda will properly chastise you."
"Indeed." Qui-Gon darkened his blade. Obi-Wan did the same.
Falk came running up to them, his face awash in amazement.
"Some day, ya be teaching me to fight like that, Jedi," he exclaimed.
"You have no need, Falk - you grow things, you don't cut them down. But, I'm sure Sothar could show you some basic moves if you were really interested," Qui-Gon said. He called out to Sothar, "Do you have any binders for our welcoming committee?"
Falk held out a pouch. "Sothar be thinking you be wanting those. Here."
Qui-Gon passed the duty to Obi-Wan and reached out with the Force. Alee seemed a little stronger, or at least, had stabilized. I want to look into your eyes when I tell you I am beginning to love you, Alee. 'Til then, accept my comfort. He brushed her mind with soothing strokes.
When he turned his attention to Obi-Wan and the others, the prisoners were bound. He strode over to them and looked to Obi-Wan questioningly.
"Two dead. Three still unconscious. Four not talking," Obi-wan clipped.
Qui-Gon scanned the men who were all dressed as Agrarians. He turned his attention to Sothar, who seemed vaguely agitated. The way he holds himself in, that must mean he is quite upset. He caught Sothar's gaze and crooked an eyebrow. Sothar scowled.
"You wanted a connection to Fondor," Sothar said. "Well. Here it is."
The general lightly kicked one of the men, who jerked and frowned up him. Qui-Gon waited for him to continue.
"I recognize one of the corpses and three of the men. All ex-military."
"They be Fondor?" Falk questioned.
Sothar nodded grimly.
Qui-Gon crouched in front of the man Sothar had kicked. "Who is your leader?" Nothing. "It will go easier for you if you cooperate." Nothing. Qui-Gon frowned and dropped his voice to a menacing whisper. "Jedi do not usually take prisoners. Your life is only valuable for the information you can give me." Nothing but rapidly blinking eyes. Qui-Gon stood. "Obi-Wan. Decapitate him."
Falk hissed.
"Yes, Master," replied Obi-Wan, whipping his lightsaber out and slicing it through the air with a sizzle. He gave the prisoner a lopsided grin.
The prisoner started to shake. Obi-wan advanced, arcing the blade down, then across, as if testing for the best stroke. Beads of perspiration ran down the prisoner's face. Obi-Wan moved to stand behind the prisoner. He paused, then swished the blade through the air, just above the prisoner's head.
"No!" the man cried as he ducked his head. Words tumbled out. "Krail slipped away when your speeder first appeared. To get reinforcements he said. Told us to stop you from reaching the cave."
Qui-Gon squated. "Krail the smuggler?"
The prisoner nodded.
"Who is Krail working for?"
The man's eyes grew wide. "I don't know. I swear I don't know."
Qui-Gon rose again and looked at Sothar, who shrugged.
Falk stepped up to Qui-Gon and stood, arms akimbo. "Terror be not a weapon I be liking, Jedi. And I be not liking this taking no prisoners."
Qui-Gon placed his hand on Falk's shoulders. "I know friend. I never take prisoners because what I do is help others. It's what Jedi do, what Alee does. I'm sorry I had to frighten him, but we have to move fast."
"Ya be not killing for no reason?" Falk's suspicion eased slightly.
"No, Falk."
The Agrarian stepped back.
Sothar's amused expression drew Qui-Gon's attention. The general said, "But you do do terror very well, Qui-Gon. If you ever want a job in our interrogation unit..."
Qui-Gon sensed Obi-Wan's silent chuckle and shook his head. "We don't have time for this right now. I want to question them further, but if we leave them here, this Krail will probably show up and free them."
Sothar shook his head and pointed at the landspeeder. "Standard military speeder. Complete with prison dome forcefield generator. Impossible to tamper with, at least, without blowing up the prisoners."
While Falk retrieved the generator and helped Sothar set it up, the two Jedi found the mouth of the cave with a pile of explosives beside it. Did we interrupt them getting ready to blow the entrance? Qui-Gon knelt beside some other equipment and met Obi-Wan's puzzled look.
"A tracking monitor. Somehow, they must have planted a
tracking device in Alee's things. She never stood a chance of
evading them." Qui-Gon frowned. "Can't leave explosives
laying around with an enemy on the loose. Let's detonate the whole
lot and get inside. Time's running out."
