Jedi Apprentice_ The Defenders Of The Dead Part 8

At the last moment, he flipped the starfighter over and dived under the floater, maneuvering the craft so that it had a clear shot at the tower.

Nield and Cerasi fired. The deflection tower blew, scattering metal and parts. Obi-Wan flipped the starfighter right-side up and climbed at top speed. The floaters frantically dived to avoid getting hit.

"Everyone okay?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Dizzy, but okay," Cerasi said, wiping sweat off her forehead.

"That was incredible flying."

"Okay, follow the wall," Nield directed. "We'll hit the towers one by one around the perimeter."

The military floaters pursued them, but they could not fly as high or go as fast as a star-fighter. More floaters joined the chase as they flew. To hit each deflection tower, Obi-Wan had to practice the same too-fast maneuvering to avoid being blasted by the speeders or colliding with them. Their advantage was the speed and agility of the starfighter and the incredible accuracy of Cerasi and Nield.

One by one, they destroyed each tower, the speeders hard on their flank. The speeders tried to capture Obi-Wan in a pincer movement, but he was too quick for them.

When they saw the last tower go up, the three let out a whoop of exultation. Cerasi leaned over and hugged Obi-Wan. Nield pounded him on the back.

"I knew we could count on you, friend," he said joyfully. He checked his laser cannon. "We have plenty of firepower left. What do you say we blow the Halls of Evidence into nanospecs?"

Cerasi frowned. "Now? But Nield, we need to get back. We have to hit both Melida and Daan for peace negotiations while they're weak."

"And besides, there could be people inside," Obi-Wan pointed out.

Cerasi looked at Nield. "We said we would do this without taking a life."

Nield bit his lip as he glanced out the s.p.a.ceport down to the surface of Zehava. "The sooner those halls of hate are blown up, the sooner everyone on this planet can breathe again," he murmured. "I despise everything they stand for."

"I know," Cerasi said. "So do I. But let's take one step at a time."

"All right," Nield agreed reluctantly. "But let's do one last thing. Before we land, let's do a quick loop over the countryside. Deila was waiting to pa.s.s the message that the perimeter shields had been blown. The Scavenger Young should be mobilizing."

Obi-Wan flew in widening circles over the countryside. Everywhere they saw young people, boys and girls, streaming out from farms and villages and woods. They were already beginning to clog the road into Zehava. Some rode on battered landspeeders or souped-up turbo-tractors.

Those who walked formed columns, marching in military style. When they saw the starfighter overhead, they waved and shouted greetings the three could not hear. Obi-Wan dipped his wings in a return salute.

Tears stood in Cerasi's eyes. "I will never forget this day," she said. "And I will never forget what you did for us, Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi."

Obi-Wan turned the starfighter back toward the landing area. He didn't care how angry Qui-Gon was, or if he got sent back to the Temple.

This moment was worth it.

Qui-Gon had woken early and checked on Tahl. She was sleeping deeply. That was good. Sleep was the best healer until he could get her to Coruscant.

He saw that Obi-Wan had disappeared, along with Nield and Cerasi.

No doubt he wanted a last outing with his friends before he left. Qui-Gon would let it pa.s.s. He knew it was hard for the boy to leave them.

And he had a plan of his own.

He had asked a quiet girl named Roenni to watch over Tahl. Then he'd traveled through the tunnels to the route he had mapped out last night, slipping away while the rest of the Young were celebrating their victory.

When he emerged above ground in the abandoned neighborhood at the border of Melida and Daan territory, it was still dark. A few stars still twinkled in a navy sky that shaded to gray at the horizon.

Qui-Gon had waited in the alley until he was sure all the people he'd invited had arrived. Then he walked to the partially bombed out building on the corner.

Last night he'd sent a note to Wehutti by one of the Young messengers. He had asked for a meeting between the Melida Council and the Daan Council. He had suggested that it was in their best interest to attend. He had news of the Young that they must know.

Until now, he hadn't been sure if anyone would show up. He still wasn't sure if one side or the other would try to capture him. It was a desperate gamble. He was prepared for anything. But he had to make a last try for peace before he left Melida/Daan. He had seen the heartbreak on Obi-Wan's face. He would do it for his Padawan.

Near a broken window, he paused to listen for a moment.

"And where is the Jedi?" a voice asked coldly. "If this is another dirty Melida trick, I swear by the honored memory of our martyrs that we will retaliate."

"A dirty Daan trick, more likely." Qui-Gon recognized Wehutti's voice. "For it's a coward's trick, worthy of your worthless ancestors, to lure your enemy to a meeting under false pretenses. Our troops can be here in seconds."

"And what will they do? Throw pebbles?" The other voice was amused.

"Didn't the Melida blow up their own weapons stores, fearing the attacking Daan?"

"And didn't the Daan allow their own stores to be stolen right under their noses?" Wehutti snapped.

Qui-Gon knew it was time for him to enter. He climbed over a half-demolished wall. The Melida council members stood on one side of the room, heavily armed and dressed in plastoid armor. The Daan stood on the opposite side, almost identically dressed and armed. Each member of each group bore scars and signs of healed wounds. Several were missing limbs, or breathed through breath masks. It was hard to tell the two ravaged groups apart.

"No tricks, no stratagems," Qui-Gon said, striding to the middle of the room. "And if Melida and Daan will cooperate, I won't take up too much time, either."

The Daan council members looked as skeptical as the Melida, Qui-Gon thought as he surveyed the room. At least the two groups had something in common: distrust.

"What news of the Young have you brought us?"

Wehutti asked impatiently.

"And why should we care what children do?" an elder Daan asked contemptuously.

"Because yesterday they made you look like fools," Qui-Gon answered mildly. He waited out the indrawn breaths and looks of avid hatred directed his way. "And, on a more practical note, they have stolen most of your weapons," he added. "They have asked for disarmament, and you have ignored them. Obviously, they are quite capable of getting what they want."

"All we have to do is walk in and take back our weapons," the Daan leader said, rasping through a breath mask. "Candy from a baby."

"I warn you," Qui-Gon said, turning to catch the eye of everyone in the room. "Do not underestimate the Young. They have learned how to fight from you. They have learned determination from you. And they have their own ideas."

"Is this what you brought us here to hear?" the Daan leader growled. "If so, I have heard enough."

"For once, I agree with Gueni," Wehutti said, referring to the Daan in the breath mask. "This is a waste of time."

"I must urge you to reconsider," Qui-Gon said. "If you form a coalition government, you might be able to take control of Zehava, and thus of Melida/Daan. If not, the Young will win this war. They will end up ruling their elders. And though their aims are pure, I fear for the cost that will bring."

Wehutti started from the room, followed by the Melida leaders.

"Join with the Daan? You're dreaming!"

Quickly, Gueni followed suit, as though he did not want the Melida to be the first to leave. The other Daan followed on his heels.

"Unthinkable!"

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion caused the remaining windows to vibrate. The Daan and Melida looked at each other.

"This is a trick!" Wehutti roared. "The foul Daan are attacking us!"

"The detestable Melida are attacking!" Gueni cried at the same time. "Fiends!"

Qui-Gon strode to the window. He looked out, but could see nothing.

As he scanned the area, another explosion ripped through the silence. It had come from the Daan sector, he calculated. But what could it have been?

In the next second, Gueni's comlink began to beep. The Elder Daan hurried to a corner to take the message in private. While Gueni listened, his back to the room, Qui-Gon began to worry. Obi-Wan had disappeared that morning. He hoped his Padawan wasn't involved in whatever was going on. Using the Force, he tried to establish a connection with Obi-Wan. But he could feel nothing. No distress, no confusion, no a.s.surance. Only ... a void.

When Gueni turned back to the group, he looked shaken. "Reports have come in that two deflection towers have been blown in the Daan sector."

One of the Daan warriors went for his weapon. "I knew it! The filthy Melida-"

"No!" Gueni cried hoa.r.s.ely. "It was the Young."

Slowly, the Daan's hand fell to his side. The Melida who had begun to reach for his weapon stopped as well. A babble of conversation rose.

"Those children could not do it on their own! The deplorable Melida are behind this!" one of the Daan council members shouted.

"The lying Daan are always quick to accuse without facts!" a Melida roared back.

Qui-Gon leaned against the sill and waited out the argument.

Sometimes, it was better to sit back and wait for events to unfold.

Comlinks began to beep. Melida and Daan alike spoke into them, their faces registering shock. Reports flooded in from both sides. One by one, the deflection towers went down. First on the perimeter, then in the center. The explosions got closer as the last towers were blown.

"The Young are pouring in from the country- side," Gueni reported, a look of amazement on his face. "The city is now open. Defenseless. And they are armed."

Melida and Daan faced each other. Now they knew the threat that faced them was serious.

"Do you see now that you must join.together?" Qui-Gon asked quietly. "The Young only want peace. You can give it to them. Don't you want to rebuild your city?"

"They say they want peace, but they wage war,"

Wehutti said contemptuously. "Well, we can give them a war to make our ancestors proud. We may have lost some weapons, but we are not defenseless."

"And we have weapons remaining as well," a Daan said quickly.

"Shipments are arriving this very afternoon from our stores outside the city."

"They will collapse at any sign of resistance," a Melida woman chimed in. "We can fight them."

"But not together," Wehutti said. "The glorious Melida can defeat them without Daan help."

"For once, do not overestimate yourselves!" Qui-Gon spoke sharply.

"You don't have weapons. You don't have air support. You have an army made of Elders and the wounded. Think of what you're saying. There are thousands of them!"

Both sides of the room grew silent. Wehutti and Gueni exchanged a glance. Qui-Gon glimpsed surrender underneath the sizzling distrust.

"Perhaps the Jedi is right," Gueni said reluctantly. "I see only one way to defeat them. We must join our armies and weapons. But the Jedi must lead us."

Wehutti nodded slowly. "It's the only way we can be sure that the Daan will not turn on us once the battle is won."

"It is our only a.s.surance also," Gueni said. "We cannot trust the word of the Melida."

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I did not come here to lead you into battle. I came here to urge you to find a way toward peace."

"But there is no peace!" Wehutti cried. "The Young have drawn the battle lines!"

"These are your children!" Qui-Gon cried out. He had lost his patience in the face of the cruel obstinacy of both sides. He controlled his voice and went on. "I, for one, will not kill children. Why are you so willing to do so?" He turned to Wehutti. "What about Cerasi? Are you willing to march into battle against your own daughter?"

Wehutti paled. His clenched fist uncurled.

"My grandson Rica is underground," Gueni said.

"I have not seen my Deila in two years," a woman Melida said quietly.

Other Daan and Melida looked uncertain. There was a long pause.

"All right," Wehutti said at last. "If you will be our emissary, we will open talks with the Young."

Gueni nodded. "The Daan agree. You are right, Qui-Gon. We cannot wage war against our children."

"We will not meet with them," Nield told Qui-Gon furiously. "I know what their promises are worth. They agree to meet as a diversion. They will tell us we must disarm. And then the fighting will begin again. This surrender is too soon. If we relent, they'll think we're weak."

"They know you have backed them into a corner," Qui-Gon argued.

"They're willing to talk. You succeeded, Nield. Now take your victory."

Cerasi crossed her arms. "We did not succeed by being fools, Qui-Gon."

Qui-Gon turned away with a sigh. He had been arguing with Cerasi and Nield since he'd returned. It had done no good. It was out of his hands, anyway.

Obi-Wan sat at the makeshift table, watching. He hadn't offered an opinion, or tried to sway Cerasi or Nield. Qui-Gon had noted this with surprise. Obi-Wan had wanted peace on this planet. Why did he stand back now? Once again, when Qui-Gon tried to connect with his Padawan, he found a void.

Headquarters was now crowded with the boys and girls who had arrived from the country. More congregated aboveground, gathered in parks and squares. The Young had mobilized, bringing whatever food they had and inst.i.tuting a supply line. It would take all day to get everyone fed, but they were determined to succeed.

"How did you blow the deflection towers?" Qui-Gon asked Nield and Cerasi curiously. It was a question that had been bothering him since he'd heard the news. "You'd have to hit them from the air. But floaters couldn't do that job. You'd need ..."

Qui-Gon paused. He turned to face Obi-Wan. Slowly, Obi-Wan pushed his chair back. Qui-Gon heard it sc.r.a.pe against the stone floor. Then he stood. He did not fidget or look away. He met Qui-Gon's gaze.