Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon with his own leap. He could not get the same height as Qui-Gon, and his first swipe met empty air. But Drenna had already loaded her crossbow and let the first laser arrow fly. It connected, and another droid smoked and sizzled as it crashed to the ground.
Qui-Gon leaped up on the low flat roof of the entrance to the kennels. From here he could move from side to side, taking down the droids as they honed in on the kennel. He could hear the dogs snarling in the open kennels as the droids came closer.
Obi-Wan leaped up to join him. Drenna stayed on the ground, her crossbow at her shoulder, firing so fast her arm was a blur as she fitted arrow after arrow against the bow. Obi-Wan leaped and brought a droid down in a sky-to-ground sweep, then reversed direction and brought down another.
The noise of galloping huds came to them, and Obi-Wan saw the king and the royal party racing toward them. He ignored them, returning his attention to the droids overhead. They were relentless machines, honing in on their target.
One by one, the Jedi and Drenna brought down the droids. There was only one left, diving and spinning toward the kennels. They heard a pop, and the droid began to smoke. Taroon had brought it down with a blaster.
The four of them dropped their weapons to their sides. Drenna wiped the sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her tunic.
“Would you mind telling me what that was about? And what are you doing here?” she asked Taroon.
“I should ask the same question!” King Frane cried, leaping off his hud and stamping toward them. “Why are my droids here instead of tracking kudana? And why did you destroy them?” His fierce eyes raked the Jedi. “I forgave you once. What makes you think I would do so again?”
“I think it’s time you explained, Taroon,” Qui-Gon said, giving him a meaningful glance.
“I was very angry,” Taroon said to his father. “And I thought… if Leed throws away what I want so much, why shouldn’t I have it? Why should he be forced to take a prize I covet?”
“You want to rule?” King Frane asked, dumbfounded.
“Yes, Father, I want to rule,” Taroon said. “Even though I am the younger brother, and clumsy and weak in your eyes. Even though I am not nearly as good at everything as your firstborn. I knew the only way to get what I wanted was to make it happen. So when Leed began to hint that he wanted to stay on Senali, I saw what would happen. I knew he was heading for a clash of wills. I knew he would not break down, that you would underestimate his stubbornness. So I gathered a group of supporters and sent them to Senali to pose as a fringe clan. My plan was that both Rutanians and Senalis would think that Leed led this fringe clan. I planned the attack with the seeker droids so that all would think that Leed was responsible. War would be threatened, but I did not think it would occur. Leed would stay on Senali. That was before the Jedi got involved.” Taroon gave a weak smile at Qui-Gon. “They spoiled all my plans.”
King Frane stared at his son in disbelief. “You planned to attack your own planet?”
“No lives would be lost,” Taroon insisted. “Only nek battle dogs, and they are of no consequence.”
“They are living creatures!” Drenna broke in angrily.
“They eat their own kind! They are bred to destroy,” Taroon said. “A few less of them won’t make a difference.”
“Would you destroy any creature to get your own way?” Drenna asked scornfully. “Is that why you almost destroyed me?”
“I am truly sorry for that,” Taroon said, turning to her. “The hunting lodge has been uninhabited for fifteen years. I had no idea you were here.”
“Your apology would not mean much to me if I were dead,” Drenna shot back.
“Will you two stop?” King Frane roared. “I am the injured party here! My kennels were almost destroyed! And you,” he said to Taroon. “Do you mean to tell me that you recruited a squad, invaded a planet, and formed a plan to incriminate your brother in order to rule?”
Taroon nodded.
King Frane froze for a moment. Then he tossed back his head and suddenly broke into a shout of laughter. “How do you like that! He is a leader! Such treachery! Such wiles! You will make a fine ruler. Am I not wise, to raise such a son?” He pounded Taroon on the back. “All you lack is a queen who will fight with you every day, as your beloved mother did with me. What a warrior she was!” He eyed Drenna. “Well, perhaps if you are lucky you will find such a queen nearby.”
Drenna looked away, her cheeks flaming as her blue skin flushed with pink. Taroon was equally red. Leed looked from one to the other, a look of surprise on his face. Then, slowly, he smiled.