[Junior Jedi Knights] -05(12)

Tionne and Ikrit were looking for a way into the main rooms of the castle, so Tahiri got her sore legs moving again and went to help Uldir check on the damage to ArtooDetoo.

“Artoo, are you all right?” she asked. ArtooDetoo managed a weak bleep and turned to show her his damaged side.

“It doesn’t look as bad as I expected,” Uldir said, squatting down next to the little droid and looking at the laser-burned area. ArtooDetoo burbled a comment. “I’m not sure what he’s saying,” Uldir said, “but I know a lot about fixing these little droids. My parents started teaching me how when I was about two years old. He swung open the damaged panel and peered inside.

“Really?” Tahiri asked doubtfully as she looked over his shoulder.

“Well, okay, I was older than. two. But I have been around mechanics for most of 1;3Cmy life,” Uldir said. He pointed inside. “Looks like we burned out a few circuits here in the area that controls his right leg.” Uldir made a few adjustments. “This is the best I can do without more tools. Artoo’s leg won’t move very well right now, but it’s nothing I can’t fix when we get back to Yavin 4.”

“Hear that, Artoo?” Tahiri said, giving the little droid a pat. “You’re going to be just fine.”

Artoo gave a happy-sounding tweet.

Tahiri was still concerned.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Well, Artoo won’t be able to climb any more stairs, but everything else is working fine,” Uldir assured her.

“He’s right,” Anakin said, coming up behind Tahiri. “I can usually sense if the insides of machinery aren’t working right. Those circuits there are the only problem. That was very brave, Artoo,” Anakin said, addressing the droid directly. “We’ll get you fixed up again good as new.”

Ikrit and Tionne rejoined the group.

“That was very quick thinking on your part, Anakin,” said Tionne.

“I didn’t really do much,” Anakin objected. “You and Artoo did all the work.”

Tionne gave her head a small shake.

“I let the Force guide my actions, but you came up with the solution.” Her pearly eyes twinkled and her smile was warm. “It’s always a good skill for a Jedi to be able to think quickly under fire.”

“Why were all those lasers firing at us, anyway?” Uldir asked. “I thought you said this place was abandoned.”

“It has been for many years now,” the instructor said. Her voice was uncertain, though.

“Then why were all those automatic defenses armed and ready?” Tahiri asked.

“Why weren’t they turned off?” She didn’t like being shot at any better than the others did, and her curiosity now got the better of her. “I mean, I know you said that there might be lasers guarding the landing pad out front, but this is the back door. If no one lives here, why is this place so heavily defended?”

“I don’t know,” Tionne admitted.

“Probably to guard something valuable,” Anakin said.

“Seems like an awful lot of firepower just to protect a broken statue and some old guy’s lightsaber,” Uldir scoffed.

Ikrit said, “Perhaps the last people to live here believed they would return, and so they left the security systems armed.”

“It’s possible that they never turned them off in the first place,” Tionne suggested.

“Or maybe someone got to the fortress before we did and activated everything again,” Uldir said.

“Well, one way or another,” Anakin said, “I’m sure we’ll find more defenses and booby traps the closer we get to whatever is most valuable here.”

Ikrit nodded and gave a grunt. “The boy makes good sense. We must all be careful.”

“When do we start looking for the lightsaber?” Tahiri asked, leaning over to massage her aching legs. “I hope there aren’t any more stairs.”

“The sooner we start, the better,” Tionne answered. “If there’s any chance someone else is here looking for the lightsaber, too, we should find it as quickly as we can and leave.”

Tahiri got a tingly feeling at the back of her neck when she heard that. As tired as she was, she had a strange feeling that it was important for them to hurry.

“Will it be faster if we split up?” she asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” Tionne said quickly.

“It may become necessary,” Ikrit pointed out. “For now,” the silvery-haired instructor said, “I think we should all stick together.”

After a brief rest and a light meal from the provisions in their packs, the companions began to explore. Several short hallways led away from the main chamber, though most of them only led to storage rooms and air ducts. Tahiri had tucked her boots into her pack, and her bare feet padded noiselessly on the hard floor. Every room and hallway smelled slightly of rock and metal and plasteel, but the air that flowed from the ducts overhead was surprisingly fresh. Bright orange glowpanels lit their way wherever they went. In fact, all of the systems in the castle seemed to be in perfect working order. Ikrit still rode atop ArtooDetoo, but the droid could not turn as well as he had before being pummeled by the laser blasts. Sometimes Ikrit got off to give the little droid a. push and turn him back in the right direction.