[Jedi Apprentice] - 18(7)

Obi-Wan quickly made his way back toward the noise. Rounding a corner, he spotted two Vorzydiaks - one young and one elderly - together in one of the retirement rooms. The elder sat on her sleep couch, while the other leaned casually against a wall.

“Grandfather was so silly,” the younger Vorzydiak said.

The elder nodded. “That is what I loved about him.” She smiled, and her small, thin body seemed to surge with energy as she straightened up on the sleep couch. “He was like a breath of fresh air. Of course, we are not allowed to show such silliness. Especially not now.”

The young Vorzydiak nodded solemnly. “Things are going to change, Grandmother,” she said. The girl glanced at a timepiece on her belt and pushed off the wall, moving toward her grandmother. “I have to go now, but I will be back soon.”

The elder softly stroked her granddaughter’s face with her antennae. Her eyes were full of sadness. “Promise me,” she said softly. “I do not have much time.”

The girl frowned and shook her head. “Do not say that, Grandmother. You might live for a long time.” She wrapped her feelers around the elder’s and they stood quietly together for several long moments.

In spite of the girl’s words, Obi-Wan sensed that she knew her grandmother spoke the truth. The elder Vorzydiak was quite frail-looking, and it appeared as though her life systems were beginning to fade.

“To wor - ” The elder stopped herself from giving the traditional Vorzyd greeting. “Goodbye, then,” she said with a sad smile.

“See you soon, Grandmother,” the girl replied in a near-whisper. But she waited a few more seconds before unwrapping her feelers from her grandmother’s. Then she turned and quickly left the room.

Obi-Wan ducked behind a corner, not sure if the girl had seen him. He felt a little bit guilty, for the visit was clearly meant to be private. But he was glad to know that there were relationships on Vorzyd 4 that were emotional. It gave him a sense of hope.

The girl hurried down the corridor and out the door. Obi-Wan followed. Outside, the night was dark and still. There was no sound except the echo of the girl’s footsteps. Most of the planet was clearly asleep.

As the girl slipped into a nearby building, another figure appeared just outside the Ports’ dwelling. It was a boy. The Ports’ son, Grath, Obi-Wan guessed. He felt a small surge of excitement. He had already gathered valuable information tonight and might be able to gather even more before the suns rose.

Looking around furtively, Grath made his way across the street to the shuttle platform. This surprised Obi-Wan. If almost everyone was in bed, why would the shuttles be running? It would not be an efficient use of transportation.

While Obi-Wan hid in the shadows, Grath waited on the platform. It wasn’t long before a small maintenance shuttle pulled up and came to a halt. A second later the doors opened, and Grath stepped inside.

Obi-Wan knew he wouldn’t be able to ride in the shuttle without being seen. That left only one option…

Quickly scanning the outside of the vehicle, he spotted a durasteel overhang running along the top. It was a few meters above his head and very narrow. He wasn’t sure it would bear his weight or if he could successfully hold on to it. There was nothing for his feet to rest on, and no way of knowing how long the ride was going to be.

Obi-Wan didn’t have much time to think. At that moment the doors whisked closed. He leaped off the platform and grabbed the railing. His fingers arched over the top, barely securing a grip.

This was not going to be fun.

The small shuttle gradually picked up speed and was soon roaring along. Obi-Wan tried to ignore his aching arms and fingers so he could focus on the conversation taking place inside the shuttle. It was difficult with the vehicle’s noise and the wind in his ears. But one of the portals was open, and he was able to overhear occasional tidbits.

“The meeting…” “Our best one yet…” “Our parents’ attention…”

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.