THE SHATTERED PEACE(24)

The hallway was empty, but it wouldn’t be for long. They raced down the hall. Leed had told them the location of the high security cell where Yaana would most likely be held.

The system was off, but there was now a guard outside Yaana’s cell. His blaster was in his holster. No doubt he was not nervous about a ten-year-old girl making an escape attempt.

Drenna blew a paralyzing dart at the guard. It landed in his neck. He toppled over, a surprised look on his face.

Drenna leaned over. “You’ll be able to move in twenty minutes,” she told him in a friendly way. “Just relax and enjoy the chance to rest.”

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon swiftly cut a hole in the door. The metal peeled back, and they climbed inside. A slender Senali girl with large dark eyes sat in a corner. She shrank back when she saw the Jedi.

“Yaana, don’t be afraid. We have come to take you back to your father on Senali,” Qui-Gon told her.

The apprehensive look faded. She raised her chin and nodded. “I am ready.”

They ran down the hall. When they reached a turning, Qui-Gon held up a hand. He peered around the corner. Leed was shouting at the warden in a good imitation of his father. When he saw Qui-Gon, he quickly swiveled the warden around by the shoulder so that he would not see them. He made a quick hand motion behind the warden’s back to indicate a door near him.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Drenna, and Yaana moved silently down the hall. Qui-Gon walked to the doorway that Leed had indicated. It led to another long gray hall. This one was lined with closed office doors. They were now in the administrative section of the prison.

A console desk was directly ahead of them. It was the checkpoint to leave the prison. Qui-Gon strode forward.

“We are authorized visitors with an exit pass signed by the warden,” he said. He concentrated on the guard’s mind. “We may go.”

“You may go,” the guard said, activating the door.

Walking casually, the four strolled past the checkpoint and out the door. They quickened their pace as they passed through the yard. When they hit the streets of Testa, Drenna began to hurry, but Qui-Gon stopped her.

“Do not attract attention,” he said.

They were almost to the platform when Leed caught up to them.

“So far, so good,” he said. “But I’m afraid the warden put in a call to my father to apologize for the disturbance when it first started. He could be here any minute.”

“Now you can hurry,” Qui-Gon told Drenna.

They ran down the last section toward the landing platform. Their transport sat waiting. The landing platform was deserted.

Suddenly Obi-Wan sensed danger. This is a public landing platform. Why is it deserted? he wondered.

He and Qui-Gon activated their lightsabers in one simultaneous motion. Qui-Gon pushed Yaana toward a stack of container boxes. “Get behind them,” he ordered crisply.

In the next split second, blaster fire erupted from around the corner of a tech shed. The ship was peppered with blasts.

They rushed forward, lightsabers activated. A row of guard droids was emptying weaponry into the transport. Blaster fire hit the fuel tank, and it went up in an explosion.

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Drenna, and Leed went after the droids. Drenna’s exceptional crossbow aim sent three of the droids smoking within seconds. Leed fired just as rapidly with his own crossbow, taking down two droids. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon leaped and tumbled as one unit, lightsabers a blur of motion, to behead the rest.

“Well done,” a familiar voice said.

They turned to see King Frane standing with the royal guard. “A pleasure to watch, in fact.” He glanced at Drenna with admiration. “I’ve never seen such good shooting. Who would think a Senali could be such a good shot?”

One of King Frane’s nek battle dogs suddenly leaped forward, barking, with its long, deadly teeth bared.

“Back!” the king called to the ferocious dog.

Drenna stepped forward before anyone could stop her. She held out a hand, and the dog quieted, then sniffed her. Qui-Gon had never seen a nek battle dog react in a friendly fashion. By the look on his face, neither had King Frane. Drenna scratched the nek behind the ears.

“You’re not a killer. Just misunderstood,” she cooed.

“Tell that to a kudana,” King Frane said. “Now, where is Meenon’s daughter?”

Qui-Gon stepped in front of Yaana, who had emerged from behind the boxes. “We will not let you take her again,” he told King Frane. “The Jedi are here at your request. They will not stand by and watch you violate diplomatic law.”

King Frane stared him down. “Foolish words. I decide the law on Rutan.”

“No, Father.” Leed stepped forward. “There is no need to threaten my friends the Jedi. I see I have no choice. I will stay on Rutan.”