Soon Obi-Wan stopped. He concentrated, accessing the Force to become one with the environment around him. The sounds of the forest dropped away. He did not hear the rustle of leaves in the wind, the occasional scurry of a small animal, the rub of a branch against another. He heard only the slight ssiiing sound of the spray stick.
Thirty degrees to his right. Obi-Wan moved carefully now, moving behind tree trunk to tree trunk. He barely touched the ground as he moved, making no sound.
Ssing! Another attack from the Stokhli stick. Coming from a few meters to the right of where he’d pinpointed the attacker.
Now Obi-Wan moved quickly, running over the soft ground, his boots silent, his breathing so controlled he made no sound.
He saw the attacker ahead. It was a male Tursha. Obi-Wan saw the distinctive head tails and the eleven-fingered hands lightly holding the Stokhli stick. The Tursha was just behind the tree line.
Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber and jumped. The Tursha turned, his Stokhli stick spewing mist. Instead of leaping to the side, Obi-Wan jumped high. He anticipated that the Tursha would move the stick in a sweeping motion to cover as much air as possible, and he did. Obi-Wan sailed over the mist, his lightsaber high.
The Tursha had fast reflexes. He moved back, putting himself in the open, past the tree line. Obi-Wan saw Anakin leap toward him.
Obi-Wan came down. He kept his lightsaber away from the Tursha. He did not want to kill or injure him. He wanted answers.
Anakin’s lightsaber was drawn as well. The Tursha moved a fraction, enough so that the spray from the stick would put Anakin securely in range. Obi-Wan moved fast. He leaped again, this time adding momentum in midair. In a Jedi method that never failed to surprise opponents. He kickedout with one foot at the handle of the stick. He gave hisblow topspin, and the stick flew out of the surprisedTursha’s hand and then twisted in midair. Though Obi-Wandidn’t plan it this way, the spray hit the Tursha full inthe face.
He fell to his knees. He gazed out in shock at Anakin andthe meadow beyond.
“They … were … mine,” he managed to gasp out, beforethe spray paralyzed him completely. He slumped against atree trunk, his face frozen in a surprised expression.
Chapter Seven
“Who is he?” Floria asked in a hushed voice. She tiptoedcloser, keeping behind Anakin.
Obi-Wan bent over the inert form. He examined the Tursha’sutility belt and searched the hidden pockets in his cloak.
“I’d guess he’s a bounty hunter,” he said to Anakin. “Hehas a variety of weapons and what looks to be some false IDdocs.” He took a restraining device from the bountyhunter’s belt and secured him to the tree.
“You’ll recover from the stun in about five hours,” he toldthe Tursha, who could do nothing but stare straight ahead.”But I guess you know that. We’ll return for you.”
“Can’t you ask him what happened to my friends?” Floriaasked.
“He can’t speak. Not yet. If he did attack your friends,we’ll escort him to your home planet for trial,” Obi-Wansaid.
Suddenly tears spilled down Floria’s cheeks. “He killedthem,” she said. “I know it. Did you hear what he said?’They were mine.’ He did it.”
“You don’t know that,” Anakin told her soothingly. He couldhave meant any number of things. We don’t know anythingabout him. You can’t jump to conclusions that way. Youcan’t imagine the worst.”
Anakin patted Floria’s back as she used the hem of her cloakto dry her tears. Despite his reassurances, he was worried.He had felt the growing darkness on the planet. Floriacould be right. Her friend could have been attacked.
Obi-Wan stared out at the meadow, thinking. He did notacknowledge Floria’s tears, or try to sooth her on any way.Anakin couldn’t believe it. How could Obi-Wan be so cold?
Obi-Wan signaled to Anakin and drew him aside. “What is abounty hunter doing on an underpopulated planet?” he asked.”Why would he attack us? Is he her for another purpose?Why would he attack a grroup of young students on a campingtrip? It doesn’t make sense.”
“But they’ve disappeared,” Anakin said. “Somethinghappened.”
Obi-Wan eyed the Tursha. “I wish I could ask him somequestions. I’d like to know if he’s operating alone.”
“We’re running out of time,” Anakin said. “Floria’s groupis supposed to rendezvous with the space cruiser in lessthan an hour.”
“You are too focused on Floria’s problem,” Obi-Wan rebukedhim. “There is a larger issue here, and possibly moreimportant things at stake. What is happening on thisplanet? We won’t find out if we leave.”