[Junior Jedi Knights] -05(21)

“I don’t think he does,” Anakin said. “If he did, he would have had it out and aimed at us when he stole the lightsaber.”

“I sure hope you’re right,” Tahiri said. She scrambled quietly to the head of the staircase and looked down. The very sight of the steps made her feel queasy, but they had to save Uldir. She nodded back toward Anakin, and right on cue he stood up and began yelling.

“Hey, Orloc!” he shouted. “Up here! If you hurt Uldir, you’ll be making a big mistake, you know.”

It worked. The thin Mage with the long dark hair turned and looked up to where Anakin. was standing. This was the chance Tahiri had been waiting for. She pulled herself up onto the stair railing on the side away from the Mage and swung herself over it. Holding on to the rail with both hands, she wrapped her aching legs around one of the tall poles that supported a corner of the staircase. Then, using her teeth, she yanked the sleeve of her flightsuit up over one hand to protect it and let go of the railing with the other.

Tahiri whizzed down the smooth pole, controlling her speed by tightening or loosening her grip. Anakin kept Orloc’s attention, and in seconds Tahiri had reached the floor. Her legs felt so weak, they almost refused to hold her up when she touched down, but she hung on to the pole with both hands to steady herself. Tahiri peeked around the edge of the stairway toward the Mage. She let her eyes fall half closed and tried to visualize pulling the lightsaber from his hand. She had often managed to lift pebbles and leaves and even heavy objects during training, but not usually while someone was holding them-or while someone was moving the objects around, for that matter.

This time she couldn’t manage it. Orloc must have felt the tug at his weapon, because he gave a surprised shout and grasped the hilt with both hands. Tahiri ducked back behind the stairway.

“Time for the backup plan,” she muttered to herself. Oh, how she wished that Tionne and Ikrit were with them. Well, until they arrived it was up to her and Anakin to rescue Uldir and the lightsaber. She decided to rely on the things she knew she could do, so she resorted to one of her strongest weapons: talking.

“Mage Orloc, put down your weapon,” she said, stepping out into plain view. She had to keep the Mage busy long enough for Uldir to get out of his reach. “None of us means you any harm. We only want the lightsaber you took, because it’s very special to us.”

The Mage turned his tawny eyes toward Tahiri, and Uldir began backing carefully away from him. Encouraged, Tahiri continued talking.

“And even if you have some kind of magic, that lightsaber won’t be worth much to you without Jedi powers, without the Force to guide you.” Tahiri heard a soft thump as Anakin slid down one of the stair supports and landed behind her.

“Why, that’s a nice story, little girl,” Orloc said with a harsh laugh. “But I have special plans - and they include a lightsaber. I see no reason to give this one up when I have it right here in my hand.” He lowered the blade so that it pointed directly at Tahiri and swung it back and forth a few times. He could not control it very well. It bobbed and wobbled in the air.

Uldir backed farther away. Good, Tahiri thought, Uldir is almost safe. But then she realized that she was in trouble now, even if Orloc only meant to frighten her. He was so unskilled with the lightsaber that she might truly be in danger. Suddenly a small crate drifted through the air and bumped Orloc’s arm. Startled, the Mage slashed with his lightsaber blade and then gaped in surprise when the little carton dropped to the floor in two smoking pieces. He fell back a few paces and stared at it. Then another carton drifted toward him. Tahiri got the idea. Anakin must be using the Force to lift simple objects.

The second crate nudged the Mage a bit harder. Tahiri heard a low warble in back of her and realized that ArtooDetoo had found his way into the hangar bay.

“We don’t want to hurt you, Mage Orloc,” she said, comforted to know that Anakin and Artoo were just behind her, hidden by the stairway. Orloc slashed at the second box.

“Why, fortunately, I’m not limited by such small thoughts. I’m going to leave here with this lightsaber, and I’m ready to hurt you to do it.”

Suddenly Tahiri heard a whoosh like the sound of a lightsaber being ignited.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” the Jedi teacher Tionne’s voice said from behind Orloc. The Mage stepped to one side and turned. Past him, Tahiri saw the silvery-haired instructor climb up through what must have been a trapdoor that led up from beneath the hangar bay.

“I would rather not fight you,” Tionne said. “But I will not allow you to hurt anyone in this room.”