[Last Of The Jedi] - 05(27)

“I decided to wait before I said hello to him,” Ferus said.

He quickly filled them in on who Astri was and what they had to do.

“Can we all fit in your cruiser?” Solace asked her. “It will be a squeeze, but I think we can manage it,” she answered.

“Since we’re wearing Imperial uniforms, we might be able to leave with extra passengers,” Solace said. “We’ve got an Imperial ship waiting at the spaceport, but there’s no telling when they’ll double-check our landing dots.”

Astri looked relieved. “That solves the problem of how to get out of the planetary atmosphere. They’ll blast Samarian ships, no questions asked. Luckily everyone has obeyed the order.”

Solace halted and gave Astri a keen look.

“I don’t believe you told us everything,” she said. “Sure, you’d do anything to protect your son. But you wouldn’t put other beings in danger, would you?”

“The people of Samaria are inconvenienced, but not in danger,” Astri admitted. “I acted with the permission of Aaren Larker.”

“The prime minister of Samaria?” Clive asked.

Astri nodded. “Larker was the one who concocted the plan to sabotage the data system. We saved the med records and secretly transported them to the hospitals and doctors. Larker hired me to do it — ever since leaving Bog, I’ve made a living as a programmer.”

“You’re one of the best slicers I’ve come across,” Ferus said, using the galactic nickname for a talented computer code expert.

“I took the job because I wanted to help, but I also wanted to disappear. One of my conditions was that I could wipe my identity and Lune’s records from the Samarian system. I thought I’d take off right after, but I was delayed, and then the Empire closed the spaceport so fast….”

“They can be very fast when they want to,” Clive said.

“So why did Larker do it?” Ferus asked.

“He knows that the Empire is planning to take over the planet. He decided to break down the system in order to give the Sathans time to form a resistance cell. When the system comes back up, some records will be gone, such as who fought on the side of the Republic in the Clone Wars, or who criticized Emperor Palpatine when he was still a chancellor. They’ll have to start from scratch to find their enemies.”

“Enough talking,” Solace said. “Let’s move.” Astri put her hand on Lune’s shoulder. “We’re ready.”

Ferus squatted in front of the boy. “Lune, we’re going to have to climb on the roof and walk across a beam. We’ll be very high.”

“I have good balance,” the boy said.

“I’m sure you do. When we’re up there, I want you to try something. Trust your feelings. Try not to think, only feel. Let the air help you.”

“What he means is —” Astri started.

“I know what he means, Mom,” Lune said. His gray-blue eyes were clear as he nodded at Ferus.

Ferus nodded back. A connection passed between them, one he knew was fueled by the Force. Someday, he hoped, Lune would know what that meant.

They walked out of the apartment. They could hear the whistling of the wind around the girders on the roof.

“Stay back!” Solace suddenly said.

She and Ferus turned at the same moment as two prowler droids crashed through the hallway window. The two Jedi leaped up as one, and slashed through them. Smoking, the droids crashed to the ground.

“They had time to transmit our position. We have to move quickly,” Ferus said.

They raced up the stairs. The wind hit them full in the face as they stepped out onto the partially completed roof. Girders and beams crisscrossed the area closest to the hangar in the adjoining tower. Ferus stayed close to Lune and kept a careful eye on Trever.

He and Solace concentrated the Force. This was a difficult task for any Jedi, especially one who had never achieved Master status. To lift a heavy object in the air using only the Force took great concentration.

No, Ferus told himself, remembering the lessons of Yoda. Not concentration. Belief.

The beam rose in the air, rotated, and traveled across the empty air to the hangar tower next door. It entered one of the openings and shuddered as it hit. It held.

They now had a bridge to cross over. Hundreds of kilometers in the air, with no railing … but a bridge.

“Solace, you lead Astri and Lune over,” Ferus said.

Astri and Lune balanced on the beam. The wind blew, pushing Lune’s hair in his eyes. He didn’t flinch. He appeared perfectly balanced.

“I’m letting the air help me,” he called to Ferus. “You can do it,” Ferus said.