[Junior Jedi Knights] -05(10)

“Wow, that was fast,” Tahiri said.

“Yeah, good work, Artoo,” Anakin said.

Together, the two companions moved forward to get their first glimpse of the inside. Neither of them went in, but Anakin leaned through the broad doorway and looked around. What he saw made him catch his breath. Ahead, in a room as big as the Grand Audience Chamber at the Jedi academy, lay the enormous black-robed figure of Darth Vader. It took Anakin a moment to realize that the plasteel helmet and black flowing cape were really part of a statue - a larger-than-life statue of Darth Vader that had been toppled to the floor, discarded like a piece of old junk.

Uldir shouldered his way into the entrance beside Anakin and pushed the gigantic portal open all the way.

“It’s cold out here. Why don’t we go inside where it’s warm and dry?”

Without warning, bright steaks of laser fire crisscrossed the courtyard.

“Stay back,” Ikrit rasped.

“Everyone down,” Tionne yelled. Anakin, Tahiri, and Uldir hit the floor.

Another bright streak burned across the air in front of Anakin.

“Blaster bolts!” Uldir yelped in his ear.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what my brother Jacen always says,” Anakin muttered. “Only this time they’re lasers, not blasters.”

“I think we set off some sort of intruder alarm,” Tahiri said.

Uldir snorted. “You figured that out all by yourself, did you? Of course we set off an alarm - and now someone’s shooting at us!”

“Not someone,” Anakin corrected. “Something.”

Uldir grunted.

“Okay, fine. But whatever it is will probably come out here any minute and kill us.”

“No,” Ikrit said immediately. “I sense no life - forms, no intelligence in that room.”

“Whatever it is, it isn’t alive,” Tionne agreed. “I can feel that.”

“I think it’s an automatic system,” Anakin said. “Tahiri was right when she said we triggered something. It looks like some sort of intruder defense. It must be automatic. Look how regular the pattern is: two shots every second, first from the front left and right, and then from the rear left and right.”

Laser bolts continued to streak across the entry hall and through the doorway.

“Good deduction, Anakin,” said Tionne.

“So what should we do?” Tahiri asked.

“I’m open to suggestions at this point,” the Jedi teacher said, glancing over at her three charges.

Uldir gave Anakin a light nudge with his elbow.

“You’ve figured it out this far. What’s the solution?”

Anakin was surprised to hear Tahiri agreeing with Ul1;3Cdir.

“He’s right, you know, Anakin,” she said. “I’m sure if you think of this as a puzzle to solve, we’ll come up with an answer in no time.”

Anakin looked over at Ikrit for some sort of of support, but the old Jedi Master merely nodded as if to encourage him. Anakin thought, letting his eyes roll up and to one side. It came to him in just a moment.

“Okay, Artoo,” he said, “have you analyzed the pattern?”

The barrel-shaped droid beeped once.

“Do you think you can use that little mirror gadget that Uncle Luke installed in your head to deflect some of the laser bolts back so that one of us can get in and disable the lasers?”

“But that little mirror can’t protect Artoo from blaster bolts,” Tahiri objected. Her bright green eyes were wide with alarm.

“That’s true,” Anakin said. “But these are lasers. Lasers are just concentrated light. A mirror can deflect laser beams. Artoo should be fine-as long as he doesn’t get shot.”

Before Anakin could say any more, ArtooDetoo beeped once again and rolled into action. Laser blasts shot toward the little droid as he trundled into the huge entry area. He reflected the first and second bolts back in the direction of the lasers that had shot them. To Anakin’s surprise, one of the deflected blasts struck the laser that had fired it. The laser exploded with muffled sizzles and thumps. Artoo moved forward and caught the third bolt on his reflector as well.

“Stay here,” Tionne ordered.

As ArtooDetoo reflected a fourth blast, Tionne and Ikrit sprinted into the vast entry hall and took cover behind the statue of Darth Vader. The fifth laser bolt struck the side of ArtooDetoo’s domed head and the droid let out an electronic shriek. Even so, the brave little droid swiveled to catch the next laser bolt.

“Hang on, Artoo,” Tahiri cried.

“Tionne-your lightsaber!” Anakin called.

The Jedi teacher launched herself to her feet and ran toward ArtooDetoo. With her first step, Tionne drew out her lightsaber and in one smooth motion ignited it. Letting the Force guide her movements, she drew the automatic laser fire and deflected several bolts while Ikrit used the Force to lift the little droid back to safety near the entrance. Artoo trundled to shelter behind one of the large doors. Anakin crawled forward into the entryway on his stomach, dodging blasts of concentrated light.