“Good. Now for the final blow. Follow me.” Obi-Wan jumpedback up the hill. Anakin followed, moving from ledge toledge until they reached the top. Below them. Shadows castby an overhang concealed a thick fall of snow. In theshelter of the rock, the snow had not melted with themorning sun.
“When the cruiser returns, activates your cable launcher andjump,” Obi-Wan told Anakin.
Anakin nodded, guessing his Master’s plan.
“If it doesn’t work, we’ll be hanging there, perfecttargets,” Obi-Wan said. “So keep a free hand for yourlightsaber.” He kept his eyes on the cruiser. “Ready -go!”
The Master and Padawan swung off the mountain on their cablelaunchers. The sudden move caught Mol Arcasite by surprise.The cruiser dived after them, firing rapidly.
The noise and heat of the blaster bolts released anavalanche of snow and chunks of ice. The large blanket felldirectly on the cruiser, binding Mol Arcasite momentarily.Obi-Wan and Anakin hung on their cable launchers as the snowshowered down past them. The cruiser wobbled crazily,heading straight for the stone side of the mountain.
At the last moment before the cruiser hit, a cargo dooropened and a swoop zoomed out. They could see that MolArcasite was astride it.
The cruiser crashed into the mountain with a whoosh and roarof fuel. Obi-Wan and Anakin kept under the shelter of aledge as flaming metal rained down below.
The swoop took off into the distance, became a black speck,and disappeared.
Obi-Wan and Anakin lowed themselves to the ground. Floriaand Dane rushed toward them.
“That was incredible,” Floria said. “You defeated MolArcasite! I’m not betting on Hunti Pereg anymore.”
“You’re rid of Mol Arcasite for good,” Dane told them.”She’s good, but she’s known for not sticking around if herfirst strike fails badly. She just lost a ship. Her ownsurvival is her first priority.”
“That doesn’t sound like good business for a bounty hunter,”Anakin said.
“She seldom fails,” Dane said. “So it doesn’t matter. Nodoubt she has a backup plan. She’ll be on to her nextassignment by nightfall.”
“So we’ve paralyzed one bounty hunter, and another one tookoff,” Obi-Wan said. “That leaves two.”
“We know that Wren didn’t leave the clues for us to follow,”Obi-Wan said. “The question is, who did?”
“I’m betting on Teleq,” Dane said. “It’s just his style.He’s clever, and he’s fond of traps.”
“Whoever it is doesn’t know that we know we’re beinghunted,” Obi-Wan pointed out. “As a matter of fact, he’sprobably still leaving clues for us to follow.”
“So what should we do?” Floria leaned forward eagerly.
Obi-Wan noted her eagerness. Now Floria was on their side.Or else she was hoping that once the Jedi eliminated all theother bounty hunters, she and Dan would find a way to takethe prize.
One way or another, it didn’t matter. He wanted to keepFloria and Dane close.
“We give him exactly what he wants. We follow them, ofcourse,” Obi-Wan said.
Chapter Ten
Obi-Wan and Anakin retraced their steps, climbing themountain again. Floria and Dane trudged behind them, unusedto the quick pace the Jedi set.
“I’m beginning to think I’d rather take my chances with thebounty hunters,” Floria grumbled.
Anakin stopped in order to fall into pace next to her. “Howdid you and Dane get into this line of work?” he asked.”Where are your parents?”
“Where are yours?” Floria snapped. Suddenly her face shutdown and became defensive and angry.
“My mother lives on Tatooine,” Anakin said. “She is aslave.”
Floria’s face softened slightly. “Oh. I’m sorry. Ourparents are dead. I don’t come from Aaeton. That was alie. Dane and I are from the Inner Core world of Thracior.We grew up in peaceful times, but five years ago thewarlords of Thracior began to argue over territory. Raidsbegan between the different tribes. My mother was Hnsi, myfather a Tantt. They were killed because they intermarried.The Hnsis burned our house down and killed our baby sister.Dan and I escaped.”
Floria told the story in a monotone, her eyes on themountain trail. Ahead of them, Dane did not turn oracknowledge he was listening, but Anakin saw his neck flushred.
“Dane and I had to make our way as best we could,” Floriasaid. “We had lost everything, so we had to work. We foundjobs in a cafŠ at a space station, washing up and servingfood. Our boss we a very cruel man. We discovered he waswanted by the security forces of a nearby planet. Wetricked him into getting caught. We got the reward, but wehad to leave the planet. So we kind of fell into bountyhunting. We’ve been moving around the galaxy ever since.”