[Jedi Apprentice] - 18(17)

Thinking quickly, Qui-Gon stepped in front of the shuttle to keep it from moving. Obi-Wan understood and dove underneath. With the simple removal of two wires, the explosive was rendered harmless. But this was just one shuttle.

Suddenly Chairman Port’s voice echoed over the shuttle system’s speakers.

“Evacuate the shuttles at once. Please exit and move away from the shuttles. All shuttle systems will be shut down until further notice.”

Confused Vorzydiaks did as they were told. But some of them started in with their droning, and a few others rocked from side to side. Eventually most of them began to walk the long distance to work.

“We cannot allow this to be blamed on Vorzyd 5,” Qui-Gon said quietly behind Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded. Just as Qui-Gon had predicted, the Freelie plan had gone horribly wrong - and so had Obi-Wan’s.

“I will find out how extensive the damage is and ask the chairman to have every shuttle in the city inspected,” Qui-Gon continued. “You should contact the Freelies. You must convince them to come forward before I am forced to do it for them. We haven’t much time.”

Obi-Wan nodded again. He had not expected Qui-Gon to let him continue with his infiltration - not after this. He knew his Master had every right to go directly to the chairman and tell him everything. But, he realized, there was reason not to as well. It would be better for all Vorzydiaks if the Freelies came forward in peace. Forcing the kids and adults into a hostile meeting could actually make the situation worse. Qui-Gon had obviously considered this.

Obi-Wan sighed. Whatever the reason, Qui-Gon was giving Obi-Wan one last chance to do it his way. And he was grateful.

But as he watched his Master walk away, Obi-Wan was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling. He had the sense that someone was watching his every move.

Turning quickly, Obi-Wan looked up. High above him, in a window of the retiree complex, Obi-Wan thought he saw a face staring down at him. Then it disappeared.





CHAPTER 13


Obi-Wan scanned the window for another moment to see if he could catch a glimpse of the person inside. He couldn’t. Still thinking about the conversation he’d just had with his Master, he walked toward the Ports’ dwelling. It was time to wait for Grath.

It wasn’t long before Grath appeared. When the boy had walked some distance ahead, Obi-Wan called out to him and ran to catch up. Even before he got a good look at Grath’s face, Obi-Wan could tell that he was upset.

“I don’t know how everything went wrong,” Grath said shakily. He looked exhausted and his eyes were ringed in red. There was no sign of the charismatic, playful boy Obi-Wan had met the day before.

“There must have been a failure in the remote triggering device. It went off during…” Grath’s voice trailed away.

“I know,” Obi-Wan said, putting a hand on Grath’s shoulder.

Grath swallowed. “I’ve called an emergency meeting. I just hope nobody notices that so many of us are not in work training, or at work.”

Obi-Wan tried to look more optimistic than he felt. It wouldn’t do any good to have Grath more worried than he already was. “Let’s go,” he prompted.

The meeting was held in the refuse facility. Grath managed to pull himself together, and once again looked like a leader as he stepped up on a pile of rubble to call the meeting to order.

“We have a problem,” he began. “The explosives did not go off last night as planned. Instead they exploded during the morning commute.”

There was a concerned murmur among the students, but an excited voice rose above the rest. It was Flip.

“And the city is in chaos!” he exclaimed. “We knew we could make a bigger bang if we just put our minds to it and waited until people were paying attention. Now our parents will really have to take notice!”

The group was silent as everyone stared at Flip.

“You did this?” Grath asked the boy. “You tampered with the remote?”

Flip nodded proudly. “Yes!” He looked up at Grath expectantly. It seemed to Obi-Wan that the younger boy was waiting for Grath to shower him with praise. But the Jedi was certain that no praise was coming.

Grath’s mouth hung open for a moment before he snapped it closed. His antennae hung low over his forehead and his mouth contorted into a scowl of fury. But his eyes revealed another emotion: guilt.

Obi-Wan was not sure which of Grath’s emotions was going to win out. Then Freelies all over the room began talking.

“What are we going to do now?”

“I hope my parents are okay.”

“It’s about time somebody took some real action.”

Obi-Wan turned to see who had made this last remark. But the facility was crowded and it was impossible to tell.