[Jedi Quest] - 02(12)

“We have to leave,” Anakin said. “We promised Floria.”

“We promised to help her,” Obi-Wan said. “I’m not sure whatthat will entail. Not yet. Have you given no thought toyour fellow Jedi? What if something happened to Wren?”

“We don’t know that,” Anakin argued. “And we do know thatsomething happened to Floria’s friends. So I say we go withwhat we know. Aren’t I supposed to be true to my feelings?”

An odd look passed over his Master’s face. “Your feelingsare important, Padawan,” he said kindly. “And they areimportant to me. But you are being swayed by emotion. Thatis different than following your feelings. You should knowthe difference by now. Gather the Force around you. Seewhat it tells you.”

Annoyed at Obi-Wan’s rebuke, Anakin turned away. He gazedat the trees, letting the tones of green invade him, lettingthe noise of the rustling leaves calm him. He gathered inthe Force.

Once again, he felt the darkness rise. Once again, itseemed to be coming from several sources. Yet there was onepowerful darkness here as well.

Surprised, he turned to Obi-Wan. “It is confusing. Thereseem to be several sources of darkness, and at the sametime, only one.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “That is what I sense, too.”

“But I don’t get any feeling about Wren. Perhaps he is indanger,” Anakin said reluctantly. He didn’t want Obi-Wan tobe right.

“Let’s go to the ship,” Obi-Wan suggested. “We’ll try toraise Wren on his comlink. Then we will make the decisionabout Floria. “He put his hand on Anakin’s shoulder.”Together.”

Anakin nodded. He realized that Obi-Wan had just given hima kind of apology. It was just like Obi-Wan to veil it inlessons.

They returned to the girl, who had slumped on the ground agood distance away from the bounty hunter.

“Good.” She rose with a shiver. “I can’t wait to get offthis planet.”

“One moment. We can’t leave the Tursha like this,” Obi-Wansaid. “When dusk comes, the malia will be roaming.” Hewithdrew a flexible tarp from his survival pack. Heunfurled it and created a free-form tent around the seatedbounty hunter. The color of the tarp took on the color ofits surroundings, camouflaging the Tursha. “This shouldprotect you somewhat,” Obi-Wan told him. “We will returnfor you before the paralyzer wears off.”

They left the trees and struck out across the meadow.Anakin hoped they would be able to raise Wren on thecomlink. He was anxious to bring Floria to safety.Suddenly their training exercise had turned into a mission.He didn’t mind the shift. He would rather face danger andsave lives than track an elder Jedi up the mountain any day.

They were relieved to see the ship was just as they’d leftit. They hurried toward it.

Suddenly, the ground in front of them exploded, sending ashower of dirt and rocks into the air. Another explosioncame to the right of them.

They were being fired on - from all directions at once. Theblaster bolts pinged and whistled, sending up a shower ofdirt around them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan both activated their lightsabers in onefluid motion.

“Get Floria to the ship!” Obi-Wan yelled deflecting fire.

Anakin tucked Floria against his side, away from the worstof the fire. He ran quickly, deflecting fire as he moved.

Obi-Wan stayed in front of him, taking the brunt of the fireand clearing a path to the ship. Anakin activated thelanding ramp and quickly ran up with Floria. After amoment, Obi-Wan followed.

Anakin slid into the pilots seat. “We don’t have time tocontact Wren. We’d better get out of here.”

“Yes, hurry!” Floria’s face was white with fear. “What ifthey come after this ship, too?

Obi-wan peered outside at the blaster fire that was stillerupting. Bolts peppered the ship. Smoke filled the airoutside.

Anakin reached for the engine controls.

“Wait.” Obi-Wan’s voice was a command.

“Wait?” Floria’s voice rose. “For what? To get killed?”

“I feel a surge in the Force,” Obi-wan said.

“You feel a what in the what?” Floria’s head whipped fromObi-Wan to Anakin.

An explosion outside almost threw Obi-Wan to the floor.Floria screamed and gripped her chair. “Please, let’s takeoff!”

Obi-Wan gripped the console, concentrating, as though therewere no blasters, no explosions outside. And now Anakincould feel it. Too. The dark side surged. He had been toointent on leaving, on Floria’s panic, on the blaster fire.This was something he had to learn. His connection to theForce was strong, but sometimes it got crowded out by morimmediate things. Obi-Wan was able to hold everything inhis mind at once.