Anakin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the gray ship was
not coming after him. But before he could inhale again it turned its fire
on Norval's ship. Somehow, the pilot knew the Jedi were getting close.
CHAPTER 25
Obi-Wan gaped at the lightsaber in Norval's hand for half a second.
Such a weapon was extremely difficult to construct, and doing so took
patience and skill. Attributes he wasn't at all convinced that Norval had.
Norval stepped forward, his blade raised. He was clearly pleased to
see the look of surprise on Obi-Wan's face.
"You Jedi think you are the only ones who can wield lightsabers?" he
laughed menacingly. "Dr. Lundi's lessons only took me so far. But the
Quermian did help me gather the tools I needed. It's actually quite simple,
once you have the knowledge - and the power..."
Obi-Wan was barely listening. He circled Norval, carefully studying
the lightsaber. Its construction was crude, and he guessed that the
crystals inside were weak and badly tuned. At least he hoped that was the
case.
Norval brought the weapon high over his head, then thrust it back
down. It missed Obi-Wan by several centimeters and crashed into the table
where the Holocron rested. The glowing artifact tumbled to the floor. Both
Obi-Wan and Norval watched the Holocron fall, but neither made a move for
it.
His lightsaber might be crude, but it is still deadly, Obi-Wan noted.
He knew from experience that a powerful weapon could be even more dangerous
in the hands of an unskilled user. He would have to tread carefully.
Norval's eyes glinted. "Did the Jedi like my messages?" he asked,
moving slowly forward. "I thought they were appropriate. Imagine being able
to bring down the pathetic Jedi and get rich doing it!"
Norval slashed at the air, his fury building. It was clear to Obi-Wan
that the young man was strong, but not very technically advanced with the
lightsaber.
Obi-Wan sprang ahead, slashing with his own blue blade and pushing
Norval backward. He had no desire to kill Norval - he simply wanted to
disarm him and take the Holocron. This fight was wasting valuable time.
Obi-Wan closed in. But before he could knock Norval's lightsaber out
of his hands, another explosion caused the ship to bank sharply. Obi‑Wan
fell backward, losing his grip on his lightsaber and hitting his head hard
on the floor.
It was some seconds before his vision cleared. When it did, Norval
was standing over him. Obi-Wan could feel the heat from the glowing
lightsaber blade, which was trained on his throat.
"You didn't think I could actually get the Holocron, did you?" he
gloated. "Nobody did. If only Omal hadn't interfered the first time, I
would be even stronger now - and you and Dr. Lundi would be long dead."
Obi-Wan pretended to listen as Norval ranted. The longer he talked,
the more time he'd have to formulate some sort of plan. Once Norval decided
to strike, Obi-Wan would be out of time - perhaps permanently.
Out of the corner of his eye Obi-Wan saw his lightsaber rolling away
from him. Beyond it was the glowing Holocron, still on the floor.
Norval raised his saber. But just as he began to bring it back down
another blast pelted the ship. It took Norval a moment to steady himself.
That moment was all Obi-Wan needed. Reaching out with both hands, he
used the Force to bring his lightsaber and the Holocron to him. He caught
one in each hand as he leapt to his feet. Then, reigniting his lightsaber,
he gracefully knocked Norval's weapon out of his hand and across the room.
The crude handle shattered, and the interior crystals spilled across the
floor.
Stunned, Norval climbed to his feet. "Your young Padawan would have
made a wonderful Sith," he growled, his face contorting into an expression
of rage. "Too bad he and that ship he's on are about to be destroyed by
some friends of mine." He grinned. "They'll stop firing on me once they
know you've been taken care of."
Obi-Wan wondered for a split second how Norval knew about Anakin. He
supposed the evil young man made many things his business. But before he
could consider the thought further, Norval lunged for the ship's
communicator. "The Jedi has the Holocron!" he shouted. "You've got to get
me out of here."
Obi-Wan turned and ran out of the room while Norval begged for help.
The Jedi Master would not strike down an unarmed being. He would not leave
his Padawan to face the mystery ship alone. And he would not be leaving
without the Holocron this time.
CHAPTER 26
All around him, doors began to slide closed. Obi-Wan hit the ground
running. Squeezing sideways, he was just able to make it through the door
he'd entered earlier and into the corridor. The last thing he saw was
Norval laughing at him, a sneer twisting the lower half of his face.
"You have no idea what you are up against," he shouted.
Obi-Wan raced back down the white corridors to the shuttle. The
glowing Holocron cast an eerie red glow on the walls. Obi-Wan ignored the
queasiness in his gut and the weakness in his legs. He had to get to
Anakin.
Within minutes Obi-Wan was hurtling out of the shuttle bay in the
tiny vessel. Pressing his face to the transparisteel, he scanned the space
for a sign of Anakin's ship. He didn't see one. Nor did he see the gray
vessel. The earlier laser fire had stopped completely.
Obi-Wan sat back, discouraged. He was quite sure he'd know if his
Padawan had been killed - he would have felt it. But where was he?
Obi-Wan programmed the shuttle to travel close to Norval's ship. He
needed cover for as long as possible.
The shuttle glided through space, around to the other side of
Norval's ship. Still Obi-Wan saw nothing. He was just about to give up and
launch himself away when he spotted the small borrowed craft sneakily
hiding right next to Norval's vessel. Obi-Wan was relieved. The boy was
smart.
As soon as the shuttle had docked on the borrowed ship, Obi-Wan
opened the door and hurried to the cargo bays. He had to secure the
Holocron before he did anything else. He wanted someplace safe, and as far
away from Lundi as possible.
Obi-Wan carefully placed the artifact in an onboard vault, and was
immediately relieved to have it out of his hands. But he knew he wouldn't
be completely comfortable until it was safely locked away in the Jedi
archives on Coruscant. and perhaps not even then.
Obi-Wan rushed onto the bridge, eager to see his Padawan. But what he
saw from the doorway was so surprising it stopped him in his tracks.
The professor's cage was empty and its door hung open. Anakin sat on
the floor. He was cradling Lundi in his lap.
"I understand now," Lundi said in a hoarse whisper. "Some things are
better left at the bottom of the sea."
Lundi gasped for air, and Obi-Wan suddenly realized that the Quermian
was dying. He stepped forward and looked briefly into his eye. He finally
saw what he'd always hoped he'd see - remorse and fear.
"I jus
t... just hope it's not too late," Lundi finished. His fragile
body shuddered and went limp, and Anakin laid him gently on the floor. Dr.
Murk Lundi was dead.
Several emotions clashed inside Obi-Wan. Confusion, frustration,
relief..
Anakin turned to face him. "I knew he was going to die," he
explained. "And I didn't think he should end his life in a cage. So I let
him out. I thought it was the right thing to do." His face was full of
worry, and Obi-Wan realized that he had probably upset the boy with his
outburst on Kodai.
"It is all right, Padawan," Obi-Wan said, placing a hand on Anakin's
shoulder. He had much to learn as a Jedi Master, he realized. And it had
taken him and Qui-Gon years of working together to develop their strong
ties of trust.
Those ties would develop for him and Anakin as well, in time. As for
Lundi, it didn't matter now. The Quermian and his evil were gone.
Obi-Wan saw relief wash over Anakin's young face. "I'm sorry about
the hologram message," he said. "I didn't mean to keep it from you, I just
- "
Obi-Wan nodded. "I know," he said. "I should not have reacted so
strongly. Next time we will both do better."
"I hope there - " Anakin was suddenly interrupted by a flash of
blinding light, followed by an earsplitting roar. The ship hurtled backward
as debris pummeled the exterior.
"Cut the power," Obi-Wan barked.
Anakin raced to the controls and flipped the master switch. A second
later they were enveloped in darkness. If they were lucky they would hurtle
away with the flaming wreckage unnoticed by the mysterious gray ship -
Obi-Wan held his breath. He reached out to the Force and felt
immediately that Norval was dead. The poor clever student was wrong.
Whoever was aboard the gray ship was not his friend. The blast had been
intended for the Jedi, and whoever had caused the fiery explosion had been
willing to kill an ally to keep the Sith Holocron out of Jedi hands.
CHAPTER 27
The ship docked in the Coruscant hangar and Anakin and Obi-Wan
disembarked. They'd drifted for hours while they patched the hyper-drive
back together. Even with Anakin's skills as a mechanic they'd only just
managed to limp the craft home. Now, there was much to do.
"I will see about getting the ship back to Kodai," Anakin offered.
Obi-Wan nodded. He had removed the Holocron from the cargo bay and
was eager to get it to its permanent home in the archives. He'd learned to
ignore the nausea, but would never be comfortable around this kind of dark
power.
"Come to the Council Chambers when you are finished," Obi-Wan said.
"I am sure the Council will want to hear from us as soon as possible."
Anakin nodded. "And Lundi?" he asked.
"I will have his body removed from the ship and brought into the
Temple. The Council will decide what to do with him."
Obi-Wan watched Anakin cross the hangar, then hurried to the Jedi
Temple. Jocasta Nu was waiting for him, the safe for the Holocron already
open. They placed the artifact inside, then sealed the door and lowered it
into the archive vault.
When the Holocron was out of view, Obi-Wan sighed in relief. He hoped
he would never have to see or touch that evil object again.
By the time Obi-Wan arrived outside the Council Chambers door, Anakin
was waiting for him. The boy smiled broadly as the Chambers door slid open.
"Congratulations," Depa Billaba said as they stepped inside. "A job
well done."
"Indeed," agreed Saesee Tiin.
Anakin's eyes were lit with excitement. "It was a great mission," he
said. "The most exciting one yet."
Obi-Wan noticed that Yoda's eyes registered concern as they rested on
the boy. But the other Council members seemed only pleased and relieved to
have the Sith Holocron safe in the Temple archives.
"Make a mission great, excitement does not,"
Yoda said gravely. The wise Master looked over at Obi-Wan, and Obi-
Wan felt a twinge of guilt. Did Yoda think he was failing as Anakin's
Master? Was he concerned that he was not capable of leading the boy?
These were his own fears, of course. Qui-Gon had been such a
wonderful teacher. He was brave, strong, and wise. A gifted leader.
Would Qui-Gon think I am failing Anakin? That the boy needs an older
and wiser Master?
Qui-Gon had been dead for almost four years, yet Obi-Wan suddenly
felt his Master's presence. He was grateful for that, and took comfort in
it. But sometimes he felt the loss so strongly that his chest ached.
"We will see that the remains of Professor Lundi are properly
attended to," Mace Windu said.
The mention of Lundi's name brought Obi-Wan back to the moment.
"Well done, Jedi," Ki-Adi Mundi said, smiling. "You may go." The
other Masters were nodding in agreement.
As Obi-Wan followed his Padawan out of the chambers, several images
flashed in his mind: Dr. Lundi's mad, contorted face; the crude drawing of
the Sith Holocron; the strange gray ship and its mysterious passengers; the
Holocron itself; and, for a brief moment, the anger he'd seen in Anakin's
eyes. These were just a handful of many signs he had seen on this mission.
Signs of things that would not easily be laid to rest....
Jude Watson, The Followers
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