Джуд Уотсон - Jedi Apprentice 3 - The Hidden Past

Guerra hesitated. "But that will put you in danger, Obawan. This I did once on Bandomeer. Bu this I will not do again."

"The Force will protect me," Obi-Wan told him, even though he doubted it. "You must find Qui-Gon and get that device out of here."

"You can use the Force to escape?" Guerra asked.

"Yes. Hurry." Obi-Wan slipped out of his own coat. Reluctantly, Guerra did the same. They exchanged the armor coats. Guerra put on Obi-Wan's and tucked the carton containing the anti-register device under his arm.

"Now go," Obi-Wan told him as Syndicat guards suddenly appeared around the corner on floaters

Guerra swiveled and walked away, past the guards who headed for Obi-Wan. They did not give him a glance. Obi-Wan turned and saw four more guards heading for him in the opposite direction. He knew he could not resist. Even if her were to get past the guard here, security would lock down the building, and Guerra would never make it out. There was only one thing he could do. He had to surrender.

Guerra disappeared around a corner. The guards sped up to him and hovered, their blaster pointed at his neck, the only unprotected part of him.

"Guard K23M9, you are out of your quadrant," one of them said. "You know the penalty. We will escort you to headquarters. Resist, and you're dead."

Obi-Wan nodded. He climbed aboard the largest floater. The guard behind him kept the blaster against his neck. They took off for Syndicat headquarters.

Obi-Wan watched and waited for the chance to escape, but it was impossible. Part of his Temple training had been in patience, but it had been his worst subject.

The headquarters was swarming with guards. First, he was stripped of his armor coat and visor.

"He's not a Phindian," one of the guards said, surprised. Obi-Wan said nothing.

The other guard grabbed his lightsaber. He tried to activate it, but could not. "What is this? Some primitive weapon?"

Again, Obi-wan said nothing.

The two guards looked at each other nervously. "We'd better take him to Weutta."

Weutta turned out to be the head of security. The irises of Obi-Wan's eyes were scanned to compare to the real Guard K23M9. Obi-Wan saw the words NO MATCH on the screen. Nothing else came up.

"So, we have no record of you, rebel" the security head said, pushing his face up to Obi-Wan's. Who are your contacts? Why did you come to Phindar? What happened the guard K23M9?"

Again, Obi-Wan said nothing. Weutta gave him a light jab with a force pike. Even that touch was enough to send him to his knees. His head spun, and his side was on fire from the electrifying jolt.

"I'll take this one to Baftu," Weutta said. "We're on high security. He wants to see all the rebels."

Weutta roughly pushed a weakened Obi-Wan down what felt like miles of hallway. At last they reached a heavily carved, massive door. A guard nodded them through. They were in a large, completely empty room with heavy tapestries hung over the windows. Another pair of massive double doors were at the opposite end.

Weutta walked toward them and stopped. He pushed Obi-Wan down on his knees, then pressed his face down. "Wait here, slug," he growled. "And don't look up."

Keeping his face down, Obi-wan moved only his eyes to watch Weutta as the pudgy Phindian straightened his visor and smoothed his armor coat. He cleared his throat. Obviously, even the head of security was nervous about seeing Baftu. Then he pressed a button on the side of the door.

A second later, the door swung open. An annoyed Baftu stood in the doorway of his office.

"Why have you disturbed me?" he barked, scowling.

"I have brought you a rebel?" Weutta babbled quickly.

"Why do you pester me with such things?" Baftu roared.

"B-because you ordered me to," Weutta answered, his voice almost a whine.

"You disgust me. Leave the rebel and get out."

"But?"

"Excuse me, Head Slug," Baftu said in a purring, murderous tone. "Are you still here in my line of sight? Or do I need to impale you on an electro-jabber until you shake yourself to death?"

"No," Weutta whispered, and ran past a kneeling Obi-Wan to the far doors. He slipped through them and disappeared.

"Baftu!" It was Terra. Obi-wan couldn't see her. "I'm not finished!"

Baftu turned away, not even glancing in Obi-Wan direction. He left the door partially ajar. Slowly, Obi-Wan crept forward, his ears straining. He called upon the Force to sharpen his senses so he could hear the two. They spoke in furious murmurs.

"I was against the alliance with Prince Beju from the beginning," Terra said. "What do we know of him? We have yet to meet him or see him. Everything is done through his intermediaries. I do not trust someone I cannot see."

"He is coming tomorrow," Baftu said. "You will be able to look at him. Enough of this."

"And why are you thinking of expansion now?" Terra went on, ignoring him. "We should consolidate our power here on Phindar. Rebel action is growing. The people are starving. Med centers are crying out for supplies. You have created too many shortages, Baftu! The people are bound to revolt."

Baftu laughed "And what if they do? They are sick and hungry. If they can find any weapons, they are too weak to hold them for long."

"This is not a joke, Baftu! Terra cried furiously, her voice rising.

"Ah, you're getting soft, pretty Terra," Baftu said. "But if the state of things on Phindar worries you, then why don't you handle it? You can appease the people with some extra food this week. Not a bad idea since Beju is coming. It will distract them. Just don't give them any bacta? I've promised most of it to Beju."

"I do not trust that Prince?"

"As you have said," Baftu interrupted, "over and over again. I will handle the meeting. You handle Phindar. Now I have work to do."

"What about the rebel?" Terra asked.

"You handle it. Phindar is your responsibility, remember?"

Obi-Wan heard clicking footsteps, then the opening and shutting of a door in the other room. Quickly, he scuttled backward on his hands and knees, then pressed his face down into his hands.

A moment later, a boot nudged his shoulder. He had not even heard Terra approach on the soft carpet.

"Head up, rebel."

He raised his head. How strange to see the friendly eyes of Guerra and Paxxi in such a cruel face.

"So, you are not a Phindian. Who are you?" Terra asked impatiently.

"A friend," Obi-Wan answered.

Terra snorted. "Not to me. You impersonated a guard. You know the penalty. Well, perhaps you do not. Perhaps your Phindian friends did not tell you. You will be renewed and transported off-planet."

Obi-Wan did not move a muscle, but inside he cried out. Renewed! He did not imagine this. He was prepared to withstand torture. But to have his memory gone! That was too painful to imagine.

Terra sighed. She looked weary, and Obi-Wan suddenly saw a glimpse of the girl she had been. She looked away into the distance. "Don't worry, rebel. It's not as bad as people say."

Perhaps seeing traces of Guerra and Paxxi in her features made Obi-Wan feel he could risk a question. "Do you miss your family?"

She stiffened for a moment. He expected a blow, waited for it. But instead, Terra turned to him. Her bleak gaze held a sadness that was full of empty spaces.

"How can you miss what you do not remember?" she asked.

Qui-Gon's voice was a sharp as the edge of a vibro-shiv. "You abandoned him!"

"Not so, Jedi-Gon! He insisted!" Guerra cried. "And it happened so fast. I did not know what to do!"

"You could have stayed with him!" Qui-Gon snapped.

"But Obawan told me to take the anti-register. It was most important, he said," Guerra cried desperately.