“We hear the Jedi have arrived on Mawan with a Provisional Committee from the Senate,” Decca pronounced. “Foolish beings - they think they can get rid of us.”
The gang soldiers laughed and pounded the hilts of their blaster rifles on the floor.
“They will regret coming up against Decca the Hutt. I vow to you today, no committee will blast me off this planet!” Decca suddenly stood, her flesh waving. “Tell the galaxy - Decca will never retreat!”
“Well, I didn’t think diplomacy would work for Decca, anyway,” Obi-Wan muttered. “Let’s mingle. We’ll look for an opening to get to that data pad bank.”
Anakin had been hoping for a chance to hit the food table. His last meal had been a protein pack on the transport. What his teachers at the Temple had seemed to leave out of their lessons was that on missions, you never got enough food. He placed his keyboard on the floor.
At that moment, an explosion blew them both off their stools. Smoke filled the substation. The ping of blaster fire suddenly filled the air.
“Stay down!” Obi-Wan shouted to Anakin. “We’re under attack!”
CHAPTER SIX
The smoke was so thick and acrid that Obi-Wan’s eyes streamed tears. All he could glimpse through the haze was the blur of movement and the flash of blaster fire. Hoarse shouting and battle cries almost smothered the sound of Swanny shouting, “Whoa, show’s over!”
He leaned closer to Anakin. “This could be an opportunity for us,” he said rapidly. “No doubt Decca has an escape plan for just this kind of attack. She’ll take off and we might be able to get to those datapads. Use the Force to guide you through the smoke.”
Keeping his head low, he threw himself into the brawl. Decca’s gang members were literally fighting blind, their eyes screwed shut and streaming tears. This didn’t stop them from firing their weapons, however. Blaster fire pinged and ricocheted around the room. Obi-Wan glided through the forest of arms and legs, allowing the Force to tell him when to raise his lightsaber to deflect fire. He sensed that the rival gang was moving steadily toward Decca, trying to get to her before she escaped. Obi-Wan had no doubt that Striker was behind the attack, most likely in retaliation for Decca’s victory earlier that day.
The barrage of fire was constant, shrieking by his ears and filling the room with more sparks and heat. Electrojabbers waved in the air, and he saw one land by accident on another member of Decca’s gang who was firing his blaster rifle in the air. The gang member went down, his legs paralyzed for a good two hours or more. He managed to drag himself away from a Phlog who was stomping toward the blaster fire, swinging a vibroax. Screams and battle cries filled the air.
It was a demonstration of sloppy fighting, Obi-Wan judged. Decca’s gang might be large and fierce, but it certainly wasn’t organized. Striker’s soldiers were more efficient, moving slowly but surely toward the corner where Decca had been. Now the smoke was so thick it was impossible to tell where she had gone.
A panicked voice panted by his ear. “Wherever you’re going, take me with you.”
“Swanny, what are you doing?” Obi-Wan asked, whirling his lightsaber to deflect a sudden barrage of blaster fire. “Stay by the band platform, you’ll be safe there.”
“Are you kidding? There is no band platform. Some Phlog stepped on it on the way to Striker’s gang.”
“We’re sunk,” Rorq said, suddenly appearing as he crawled up to Obi-Wan. “You’ve got to get us out of here.”
Obi-Wan looked down at them, exasperated. The Force surged, and he quickly whirled around to slice an electrojabber in half, held by a Decca gang member who had mistaken him for an enemy.
He had to get to those datapads. He couldn’t do that and protect Swanny and Rorq.
Obi-Wan leaped closer to Swanny, protecting him from a sudden barrage of fire from a repeating blaster. The fire was fast and furious. Obi-Wan had to twirl his lightsaber in a continuous motion. He called out to the Force, using it to slow down time so that he could see each individual blaster shot. Where was Anakin?
As if his thought had conjured him, Anakin appeared through the smoke. His lightsaber held high and constantly moving, he was leaping toward the repeating blaster, which some enterprising members of Striker’s gang had set up against the wall.
Anakin hit the repeating blaster with both feet, using the split second between the blasts to make his strike. The blaster flew off its supports. Anakin came down, slicing the weapon in two.
Then he snaked his way back to Obi-Wan.
“Get Swanny and Rorq to safety,” Obi-Wan shouted above the din. “I’m going to get to those records. As soon as they’re safe, follow me.” There was no time to come up with another plan. The smoke rolled toward him, and he plunged into it.