On the whispered count of three from Cerasi, they fired.

The laserb.a.l.l.s. .h.i.t the building, sounding like blaster fire. The projectile boomed. Already, the three had loaded and shot again, then quickly scuttled back on their hands and knees and ran to the edge of the roof to jump to the adjoining building. They fired again.

Soldiers streamed out of the building in full plastoid armor, blasters in hand. Electro-binoculars were trained on the street and buildings above. Armored plates rattled down over windows and doors. A siren blasted insistently. Soldiers began to spread out down the street.

Floaters took off for air surveillance. Armored vehicles poured out from an underground holding station.

"It's time to get out of here," Cerasi said.

Stuffing the toys and slingshots into their belts, they dashed across the rooftop and quickly shimmied down a drainpipe. When they hit the street, they slowed their pace, trying to look like Daan teenagers out for a morning walk.

"You there! Halt!"

They froze. The voice had come from behind them. Nield had already given them ident.i.ty cards, so they thought they'd be able to pa.s.s. Cerasi slipped a package out of her tunic. Obi-Wan glanced at her, puzzled. Did she have a weapon? Of course, he had his lightsaber, but he would never be able to take on the troops swarming over the streets. He would only endanger Cerasi and Nield.

They turned and saw three soldiers approaching them, blasters aimed straight at their hearts.

"Ident.i.ty cards," one soldier said in a clipped tone. Quickly, the three handed them over. Nield had given Obi-Wan a disc from a Daan boy who was his age and weight. The soldiers inserted the discs into a readout machine. Obi-Wan waited for them to hand them back, but instead, the first soldier gave a look at the other two to keep them. He was still suspicious. He gave Nield, Cerasi, and Obi-Wan a hard look.

"Is there anything wrong?" Nield asked worriedly.

"What do you have there?" The first soldier pointed at Cerasi's package with his blaster.

"M-muja m.u.f.fins," Cerasi stammered nervously. She held out the package. "For breakfast. We go every morning."

"Let me see." The soldier opened the top of the package. Inside, Obi-Wan saw a row of m.u.f.fins wrapped in napkins.

"What's on your belts?" the other soldier asked. "Aren't you a little old for toys?"

"We're practicing for the army," Nield answered. He lifted his chin. "We can't wait to fight the filthy Melida."

"What's that?" the soldier pointed to Obi-Wan's lightsaber.

Obi-Wan held it up and activated it. "The newest toy on Gala. My grandfather sells them over on Victory Street."

The soldiers eyed it. "We never had toys like that when we were young," the first said ruefully.

"In the next battle of Zehava, the Daan will prevail!" Obi-Wan answered, waving his lightsaber.

"We might be in the next battle of Zehava right now, so hurry along and take shelter," the third soldier said gruffly. He handed Nield back his ident.i.ty card and motioned for the other soldiers to do the same.

"You may be fighting with real weapons before long."

The three soldiers marched off, their corn-links crackling with reports of more attacks in the city.

"That was close," Cerasi breathed. "I'm glad I brought those muja m.u.f.fins. It gave us a reason to be on the street so early."

"And I thought you brought them in case I was hungry," Obi-Wan managed to tease. His heartbeat was returning to normal. He didn't want to think about how Qui-Gon would have reacted if he had been captured by the Daan.

"That was a smart move, to activate that lightsaber and call it a toy," Nield said to Obi-Wan. "Lucky for you they were too dumb to realize you were a Jedi."

Cerasi eyed him. "I have a feeling Obi-Wan was ready to use it."

Nield grinned broadly. "I have a feeling he can save us all."

The three laughed together in relief. Obi-Wan felt a current run between himself and Cerasi and Nield. Even though he was still in danger, he had never felt so free.

[Image002]

Qui-Gon sat in the shadows, watching the furious activity of the Young as they dashed in and out of the vault for supplies, then hurried out to return to the streets above.

Something had woken him before dawn, a soft flurry of movement. He had seen Obi-Wan leave with Cerasi and Nield. He had let his Padawan go.

It would have been easy to step forward and challenge Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon's anger had surged, and he had wanted to confront the boy. Obi-Wan had no right to leave without permission. He had violated Qui-Gon's trust. It was a small violation, but it stung.

He and Obi-Wan had not yet achieved the perfect mind-communion of the Master-Padawan relationship. They had merely taken a few steps on a long journey together. They occasionally had disagreements and misunderstandings. But Obi-Wan had never deliberately concealed something from him before.

Obviously, Obi-Wan was afraid that Qui-Gon would not let him go.

The boy was right; he would have forbidden it. Qui-Gon believed the Young sincerely wanted peace, but he wasn't sure if they would follow through with their good intentions if they gained any sort of power. He saw much anger in them. Obi-Wan saw only pa.s.sion.

At last Nield, Cerasi, and Obi-Wan returned. Qui-Gon let out a slow breath of relief. He had started to worry.

"Time for phase two," Nield said as the three entered the vault.

"We go for the weapon storage of both sides."

"What about Tahl?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Cerasi will lead you to Tahl," Nield said. "Deila?"

A tall, slender girl paused as she loaded more projectiles into pouches that hung from her belt. "Yes?"

"How's it going on the Melida side?"

She grinned. "Chaos. They think the Daan are everywhere, even in their closets."

"Good." Nield turned back to Qui-Gon. "There should be enough confusion for you to slip through. Cerasi will bring you, but you'll have to rescue Tahl on your own."

"That's fine," Qui-Gon agreed. He didn't want to put the girl in danger.

Obi-Wan didn't meet his Master's gaze as the two Jedi followed Cerasi into a narrow tunnel that led off the vault. Qui-Gon pushed his anger aside. He would not confront Obi-Wan about sneaking out. Not yet.

He turned his mind to the task ahead. He had to focus on Tahl now.

Cerasi led them through a maze of tunnels until they came to a grate. Pale gray light filtered down.

"We are underneath the building where Tahl is being held," she whispered. "This will lead you to a lower level of a military barracks.

Tahl is being held in a room three doors to the right. There will be guards there, but probably not as many as there were before. Every soldier is needed on the streets."

"How many were there before?" Qui-Gon asked in a low murmur.

"That's the bad news," Cerasi said ruefully. "She's guarded by only two guards, but right around the corner is the main quarters for soldiers. It's where they come to eat and sleep. So there are always plenty of soldiers walking back and forth. That's why Nield and I figured you needed a diversion." She pointed overhead. "The grate leads directly into a grain storage area, so you can climb up without being seen."

"Thank you, Cerasi," Qui-Gon said quietly. "We can find our own way back."

But when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan emerged into a small storage area crowded with sacks of grain, Cerasi's head popped up out of the grate after them.

"I thought you were going back," Obi-Wan whispered.

She grinned. "I have a feeling you'll need my help." She dangled her slingshot. "A diversion might come in handy."

Obi-Wan returned her grin, but Qui-Gon frowned. "I don't want to put you in danger, Cerasi. This is not part of our deal. Nield said -"

"I make my own decisions, Qui-Gon," Cerasi interrupted. "I'm offering my help. I know the layout. Will you accept my offer or not?"

Cerasi's chin stuck out challengingly. Her crystal eyes glinted at Qui-Gon.

"All right," he said. "But if Obi-Wan and I get in trouble, you leave. Do you promise me?"

"I promise," Cerasi agreed.

Qui-Gon eased the door open a crack and surveyed the area. A long hallway was lined with heavy metal doors. One soldier hurried down the hall and disappeared around a turning. Two soldiers were posted as guards outside one of the doors. It was where Tahl was being held.

A soldier headed toward him, moving fast. Qui-Gon faded back, but kept close to the opening.

"Going back out there?" one of the guards asked.

"We've got an invasion on our hands," the soldier said curtly.

"Just got news of an attack only two blocks away. I've got to find my unit."

The guards exchanged nervous glances. "We're sitting ducks in here," the first one muttered. "We should be out there fighting. This duty is a waste of time anyway. I don't care if she is a Jedi, she's too weak to be a threat."

"She's done for," the other guard said. "It won't be long."

Rage and pain rose in Qui-Gon. It couldn't be too late. He controlled the anger and called on the Force to help him. He knew Obi-Wan was doing the same, for the Force was suddenly a presence in the room, surging around them.

"Qui-Gon," Cerasi whispered. "I have an idea. Will you listen?"

"Do I have a choice?" Qui-Gon responded.

Cerasi moved closer and whispered her plan in his ear.

"All right," he said. "But then you leave. Agreed?"

Cerasi nodded. Then she eased open the door and slipped out.

It took a moment for the guards to notice her.

Cerasi hurried toward them, her expression stricken.

"Halt! "the guards called.

"What?" Cerasi asked, distracted. She kept on moving.

"Halt or we'll shoot!" the guards warned.

Cerasi stopped. She wrung her hands together. "But my father is here! I have to see him!"

"Who is your father?"

Cerasi drew herself up. "Wehutti, the great hero. I must tell him that my aunt Sonie is dead. She was blown up by a foul Daan proton grenade. You must let me pa.s.s!"

"You are Wehutti's daughter?"

"Yes, look. I have an ident.i.ty card." Cerasi showed the guards her Melida card.

One of the guards took it, then swiped it down his readout. When he handed it back to her, his voice was kind.

"I haven't seen Wehutti here. He's most likely on the streets.

We're being invaded, you know."

"You think I don't know that?" Cerasi cried. "The Daan are taking the Hub block by block. They'll be here any minute. I need my father! He promised he'd be here if I needed him. He promised!" Cerasi's voice wobbled. With her slight figure and her quavering voice, she seemed younger than she was.

The guards exchanged a glance. "All right. But then you've got to clear out and seek shelter," the second one said.

Cerasi hurried down the hall and turned the corner. A moment pa.s.sed, then another. Qui-Gon waited patiently. He had confidence in Cerasi. She would need time to circle around to the other side of the guards.

Suddenly, the sound of blaster fire echoed down the hallway in the direction opposite from where Cerasi had disappeared. The two guards exchanged glances.

"Daan!" the first guard hissed. "The girl was right!

They're attacking!"

Qui-Gon was out the door, lightsaber in hand, before the guards could turn and react. Obi-Wan raced alongside him.

The guards fired their blasters rapidly as soon as they saw the Jedi. But they were too late. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon deflected the fire with their lightsabers without missing a step.

Moving in synch, they jumped the last few meters to the guards, feet first. Deflecting blaster fire with their lightsabers, they hit the guards in the chest with a powerful kick. The guards flew back, their blasters flying out of their hands.

"Cover me," Qui-Gon instructed Obi-Wan crisply. He moved to the door. As he began to slice through the lock with his lightsaber, the guards recovered and reached for the electro-jabbers on their belts.

Obi-Wan didn't wait for them to rise. He leaped over them so that they would need to turn and twist to attack. He knocked the electro-jabber out of one guard's hand with a kick and sliced down with his lightsaber toward the other. The guard howled and dropped his weapon.

"Don't move," Obi-Wan warned them, keeping his lightsaber over their heads.