[Junior Jedi Knights] -05(22)

“Anakin,” Tahiri whispered, “can Artoo help us?”

“Hah,” Orloc said, pushing his purple cloak back from his shoulders. “What makes you think you can stop me?”

Ikrit clambered up out of the hole behind Tionne and crouched, watching the scene.

“The Force is with me,” Tionne said. She swept a hand around to indicate Ikrit and the children. “The Force is with all of us.”

“Well, Force or no Force, you don’t look like much of a fighter,” Orloc said. “I’ll take my chances.” He raised his glowing blade high in the air, ready to slice down on Tionne.

“Artoo, give me a high-frequency blast at full power,” Anakin whispered. Instantly a siren wail blared out of the little droid; the painfully loud alarm filled the entire hangar bay. The moment Orloc turned to look for the source of the sound, his lightsaber jumped from his grasp, flickered out, and floated away from him, high in the air over his head. Before anyone realized what had happened, smoke spouted up from the place where Orloc stood, and when it cleared the Mage was gone.

“I wonder how he does that,” Anakin said as the reunited companions gathered in the center of the hangar bay.

“I don’t know, but at least he’s gone,” Tahiri said. She noticed that Ikrit-with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber in his furry paw-was carefully inspecting one of the ancient spaceships housed in the hangar bay.

“I’m not so sure,” Uldir said. “By the way, thanks for coming to my rescue-all of you. You too, furball,” he added, glancing at Ikrit.

“What do you mean you’re not sure, Uldir?” Tionne asked. “I mean I don’t think he has gone yet,” Uldir said. “He was looking for something called a holocr… Holocron. Yeah, that’s it.”

“There’s a Holocron?” Tionne breathed. “Here? In Bast Castle? Where?”

“I think he said it was in some sort of room that Darth Vader used… his private quarters maybe.” Anakin and Tahiri looked at each other.

“Now that’s interesting,” Anakin said. Tahiri grinned at Tionne. “If you really want to find that Holocron, I think Anakin and I can lead you to Vader’s private quarters.”

The glossy black walls and ceiling and floor of Darth Vader’s personal chambers gleamed softly in the dim light. Uldir was impressed. It had been well over a decade since Darth Vader’s death, and yet this room still felt like it belonged to a very powerful man. When Vader turned to the dark side, he had pledged himself to the Emperor’s service-but look at all he had gotten in return! Not a bad trade, Uldir thought. Darth Vader’s name had been known throughout the galaxy and he had enjoyed wealth and power for many years. Darth Vader had chosen to be a powerful lord, not just an average Jedi.

And best of all, Uldir mused, Vader had turned back to the light side at the end before he died, so that his family now remembered him with honor—and had even named a grandchild.after him. Anakin’s voice broke into Uldir’s thoughts.

“Okay, I’ve got it.” The teenager turned and saw that Anakin was standing by a stone panel at the head of Darth Vader’s sleeping cylinder. The slab looked just like all the other rock that lined the walls. When Anakin pushed on it, though, it slid silently to one side, revealing a small storage safe that opened at Anakin’s voice command.

“Is it there?” Uldir asked.

He thought of how exciting it would be to learn Jedi lessons about real power.

“Sure looks like it,” Tahiri said.

ArtooDetoo burbled enthusiastically. Ikrit climbed onto ArtooDetoo ‘s domed head as Anakin withdrew the object from the safe.

“That’s the Holocron all right,” Tionne said. “It must be.”

“Yes, an old one,” Ikrit confirmed.

Anakin placed the glossy cube-shaped object into Tionne’s hands, and Uldir moved closer. Her cheeks flushed and pink, the Jedi instructor looked at them with shining eyes.

“This is a great treasure that belongs to all Jedi,” she said. “It contains the teaching of a Jedi Master. Most Holocrons hold teachings of some sort, and some also contain songs, stories, legends…. This is a great historical find. We’ll take it to Master Skywalker at once.” Tionne began leading them all toward the room’s main entrance.

“We can’t let such an important treasure fall into the wrong hands or be used for one person’s gain or glory.”

“Does that mean we’re leaving right now?” Anakin said.

“Uh-oh,” groaned Tahiri. “More stairs.”

Tionne smiled gratefully at Uldir. “Thank you very much for telling us the Holocron was here. I’m so excited I can hardly wait to see what it holds.”