[Last Of The Jedi] - 04(26)

Malorum pulled back the fabric of his robe on one arm. Ferus felt the warning as propulsion. He leaped at his assailant. In midair he saw the gleam of the rocket launcher on Malorum’s wrist. Malorum surprised him by rolling underneath him and then releasing the rocket.

Solace saw it before the others. She turned her gondola violently, shouting at Curran as she did so. He was too late. Unable to save the ship, he and Keets leaped into the water. The explosion sent shock waves across the lake.

And then Ferus saw Clive and Trever. Of course, he thought. The two thieves had stolen a boat.

It was a fast craft, sleek, with a chromium hull and a repulsorlift engine. Larger than the gondolas, it was still highly maneuverable and tremendously fast. Clive was piloting it straight at Ferus and Malorum.

The gondola was still moving at top speed, but without a pilot it swung in arcs and bounced on air currents and waves. Clive was heading straight for them, no doubt hoping to distract Malorum. It was a good plan. Ferus only hoped he didn’t fall off before it happened.

Suddenly the air was alive with armored Imperial IPV-1 patrol craft. Malorum must have called them in before the Queen had been able to cut off communications.

The water around them exploded as the missiles hit. The missiles were designed to intimidate. They couldn’t risk hitting Malorum. But some of the patrol craft peeled off to attack the other gondolas and Clive and Trever’s boat.

Ferus watched as one patroller dipped toward him. He leaped at Malorum, who shot his blaster at close range in Ferus’s face. Ferus managed to deflect the blaster fire but Malorum dove toward a liquid cable that suddenly appeared above, higher than Ferus imagined he could. Malorum didn’t bother to hook the cable, he just hung on as the IPV-1 took off higher, trailing Malorum behind.

Ferus leaped and managed to grab the tail end of the cable. In midair he saw the missiles heading for Clive’s boat. Clive and Trever leaped off at the last possible second as their vessel was obliterated. At the same moment, two other patrol craft went after Curran and Keets, bobbing in the waves. The remaining Imperial pilots all turned toward Solace in the last gondola.

Ferus looked up into the muzzle of a repeating gun. He saw Malorum’s fervid, triumphant face. He let go of the cable and dropped into the cold blue lake.





CHAPTER EIGHTEEN


Ferus plunged into the cold water as far down as he could to escape the fire above, inserting his Aquata breather into his mouth as he swam. He pushed forward in the direction he’d last seen Trever. He wasn’t sure how good a swimmer the boy was, or if he could swim at all. He didn’t know if Clive had a breather. Standard equipment for some, but not for others. Thanks to his Jedi training, Ferus was in the habit of having one on his utility belt, even if he was traveling to a desert world.

The water was so clear he should have been able to make out the others, but instead he saw nothing, just endless blue. Ferus fought against disorientation. He’d seen the others dive into the lake - where could they have gone? He swam farther down, feeling the pressure on his ears. He began to feel anxious. He couldn’t abandon his friends, but he had to get back to Theed.

Suddenly he saw a strange sight - a shimmering transparent bubble heading toward him through the water. Was it some strange sea creature?

No - it was a ship. A ship shaped like a creature with a long tail. Inside he could just make out the shapes of beings.

Gungans.

Of course. Gungans ruled the underwater world of Naboo. From all he’d heard, they were friendly beings. Although they could wage a pretty nasty battle if they had to.

Just his type.

The strangely beautiful sub bobbed closer to him. The cockpit seemed to bend as it came closer, and Ferus stopped, motionless in the water, fanning his arms to keep himself in place. He felt no fear, only wonder.

A hand reached out through the cockpit bubble and somehow pulled him in. The rest of the group was crowded inside. Trever gave him a wan smile. Water streaming from his clothes, he dropped into a. seat next to Solace.

“Nice rescue,” he panted.

“Meesa welcome you to the bongo on behalf of all Gungans,” their smiling pilot said. His friendly eyes twinkled at Ferus. “Good to stay underwater when the mackineek troopers are above.”

“Where’s Malorum?” Trever asked.

“He escaped,” Ferus said. “I have no doubt he’s on his way to Imperial headquarters at Theed. That’s surely where he left his transport.” He turned to their pilot. “We need your help.”

“Meesa can take you anywhere you want -“

“No,” Ferus interrupted. “All of you.” He reached quickly for his comlink. After only a few seconds, he was put directly through to Queen Apailana. It was the only channel that had been left open.