| As Long as There Is Hope by Jemmiah |
| It was said frequently of all good villains that they always kept a backdoor handy when things got too close for comfort, and Rufus Merdan liked to think he was no exception. It was nothing so tacky as a revolving stair or a bookcase that folded back to lead into a secret passage: merely a door that on the face of it led absolutely nowhere, but Merdan knew where it went to. He was the only one who had knowledge of its whereabouts, adjoined as it was to the elusive armory room that Keleskladt had been so darned interested in locating. Merdan had the keys to both and that was the way it would stay. Those keys were his lifeline should anything go wrong - as it appeared to be doing right now. The wires had been cut by the look of things and the only pictures he was getting seemed jumbled and confused. If that didn't seem like the result of a coup then he didn't know what did. His immediate problem was in deciding what to do. A deposed leader could easily make his way to where his ship was located and escape…but Merdan wanted to be sure that he was staring defeat in the face before any such ideas were entertained. No, he would have to investigate what was going on before he left his business venture behind him. And he'd sooner pull the whole operation to shreds before leaving it someone else. The door that Merdan left by came out exactly by the speeder bay to enable him to make a swift getaway should the eventuality ever arise. He could hear as he vacated his office the sound of people trying to break into his office, possibly to free him, probably to kill him. Either way he wasn't taking the chance. Shouldering a blaster over each side, a knife in his right boot and a bag full of stun grenades and one canister with gas, Merdan edged his way along the passage. It was narrow but not uncomfortable although the dark did not help him particularly, and it took some ten minutes of walking, batting away cobwebs irritably and coughing at the dust that filled his lungs, until he reached the door into the speeder bay. Voices. He could hear voices, excited and loud, drifting back towards him muttering something about a breakout and how he wouldn't be "happy when he found out." I have found out. Merdan grimaced as he listened to the strands of conversation. But what exactly? He pressed his ear closer to the crack in the door and paid careful attention to what was being said. One of the guards was the big man with the reedy voice, Najwal, who appeared to be gesturing furiously with his hands at a smaller man with mousy hair whose back was facing him. "Something's happening here!" Najwal stabbed a finger back at the open door from the speeder bay. "You don't have to be a genius to work that out! We've got five men lying comatose outside, one dead in here…" he gesticulated madly at the slumped figure with his hands actually fixed round the handle grips of the speeder he was sat on. "…and another found with a hole in his guts on the floor above!" "We're under attack from somewhere." The other man nodded. "Slyntz says the communication suite's been turned upside down. They found Dekker in there with his brains scrambled, unable to remember a thing." A third man ran in, pausing only to draw breath. "Somebody fetch Merdan." He wheezed, lips drawn back into a curl. "Willet says that the first speeder that got away had one of the women steering it. He says that he was attacked by the tall guy with the beard, the one with the nephew…er, Logan!" Merdan inhaled sharply. It seemed he had underestimated his Jedi after all. Logan had played him for a fool - and succeeded very well by the look of it. But everything was not yet lost. "You don't have to look." Merdan stepped out from the gloom, a blaster evident in each hand. "I'm here." He gazed at the man who had just run in from the courtyard. "I want to interview those who witnessed the breakout. I also want the speeders to pursue both the woman who fled and our two escapees. Don't bother to bring any of them back just make sure it's a thorough job." "Sir, the speeders have been tampered with!" Najwal replied with a hiss of irritation. "We only have three left and they have already been deployed. We sent them out in the direction of the ship that Logan arrived in." "Deploy our two swoops then. Send Trask and Gyllet, they're our best riders." Merdan ground his teeth in irritation and turned on his heel. All that precious time wasted, and for what? A coup that was a mere diversion from the Jedi's real purpose: to break out with information for their precious government and senate. But he would have the last laugh. "I'm going back to my office to do something I should have done the moment those two Jedi arrived on this planet." "Sir?" Najwal loped alongside Merdan. "I'm going to blow up their ship." ************* "I can't believe we got out, master!" Obi-Wan's remarks were almost carried away by the wind the moment the left his mouth. Behind him Jemmiah clung on like a limpet, hair blowing around and tickling his neck maddeningly. Further back was Qui-Gon, sandwiching the Corellian child in the middle. The repulsars on the speeder were adequate and Jinn just about managed to fit onto the back but they were going much, much slower than Vernice was and their progress seemed to be taking an absolute age. Obi-Wan swerved this way and that, avoiding rocks and boulders whilst Jemmiah kept her eyes well and truly closed the whole time. The padawan tried to keep Vernice in his sights but it was certainly getting more difficult, because now she appeared as a distant dot on the horizon and Obi-Wan had to go much faster than Qui-Gon liked just to stay in touch. "Obi-Wan, slow down!" Qui-Gon commanded. "This is ridiculous! If we come off we are going to get badly hurt!" "We'll lose Master Ashdal!" Obi-Wan frowned, the tip of his tongue protruding slightly in concentration. "I'd sooner lose Master Ashdal than our heads!" the voice became increasingly darker as Obi-Wan if anything accelerated faster still. Had he said earlier that the boy had impressed him with his skill and maturity? They skimmed over the desolate countryside until they left the rocks and the distant cliffs behind them, Qui-Gon noticing that the only time Jemmiah opened her eyes was to stare at the distant, malevolent looking mountain that loomed like an almighty stone shard, dropped by a giant's hand until it landed, imbedded in the surface of the ground. He couldn't see the fascination himself, but no doubt the girl had her reasons for bidding it a silent farewell, a good bye that he could almost hear in his own mind. "If we cut across to the…" Obi-Wan began. "No! Just keep going in a straight line!" Qui-Gon insisted, feeling the air buffeting his face at high speed as yet again his padawan piled on the pace. Merdan certainly knew how to make life difficult for them, he thought wryly as the continued to pursue the little dot in the distance that was Vernice Ashdal. If they became detached Qui-Gon was sure he could trace her by using the force but still the easiest way was the best way and complications were about as welcome as a kiss from a Hutt. Rocks and gravel strewn ground whirred past at a frightening pace, blurring to make an endless blur of grey. Perhaps Jemmiah had the right idea, he thought just a shade dizzily before once more reasserting his command over his head; close your eyes and hope when you next open them that somehow everything will be different. He couldn't say he blamed her. ********** Merdan's men had tried everything to open the door. They'd tried to kick it in (which had resulted in a broken foot in once case) hack at it with axes, vibro blades and knives, blasters and had just about given up when someone managed to fix up some kind of lock picking device that disoriented the circuits within the wall and allowed the door to slide gracefully back, sporting burn marks and ugly scrapes. "Sir?" one of the guards rushed into the room, looking about him in confusion. "Where are you sir?" "Too late, I fear." Merdan stepped through the door. "Vacate my office this instant, do you understand? Anyone still standing inside these four walls within the next five seconds without my permission will not live to repeat the mistake. I have work to do. Najwal, and you…" Merdan snapped at the man who had so impressively unlocked his door. "I wish to talk. The rest can go." He watched as a flurry of legs and arms hastened to get away from his room leaving behind only the two he had stipulated, both of them eyeing him nervously. "This has been a very bad day, gentlemen. I am not accustomed to suffering bad days." The two guards looked at each other, Najwal wetting his lips in fear. "You." Merdan nodded at the other man. "You opened my door. That was very clever." "Thank you, s-sir." The younger man stammered. "I can do with clever men in my organization. Sadly you seem altogether too clever. I doubt I'd ever be able to sleep at night knowing you could break into my office or my private rooms." The blinding blaster shot which knocked the younger man over caused Najwal to jump in comedic fashion, a strange and rather emasculating sight in one so big and seemingly tough. The smoke that clawed at the air, a strange mixture of perspiration and charred flesh made Najwal want to throw up. Merdan as ever showed no signs of distress whatsoever. "You I will keep…for the time being at least. I need a replacement for Keleskladt." "What happened to Keleskladt, sir?" Najwal asked in a muted voice. Merdan pointed at the corpse of the young man on the floor. "Ask him. He's in a better position to tell you." He broke into a small, lazy grin that just as soon disappeared as swiftly as it arrived. "I want our swoops tracked. I want information and updates and I want the Jedi Master's head on a platter. I want all three or you will be able to ask Keleskladt what happened - personally. Is that understood?" "Yes, sir!" Najwal came smartly to attention. "But the communication suite is only just a quarter functional…" "Then I suggest you start setting to work on getting the rest of it to work. You know how disappointed I get when I don't get what I want." Merdan left the chilly threat hang in the air. "No get to work…and get rid of that whilst you are at it." He waved a hand dissmisively at the young man's corpse, already staining the floor with a vibrant shade of red. Once Najwal had gone it only remained for Merdan to activate the explosive's on the Jedi's ship. This he did without preamble and without any feelings of guilt. Let them escape now if they could, he thought bitterly. He wished he could see the look on their faces when they saw what was left of their craft… *********** Vernice was beginning to streak away once more, amidst an ever-changing terrain that was at last beginning to offer some greenery and cover amidst the baron rockscape. Little shoots of plant life poked up against the stone and dust although at the speed they were travelling it was certainly difficult to get a proper feel for any of nature's wonders. Scrubby bushes and trees lay ahead and Vernice was darting in out of them faster than Qui-Gon could keep track of. Worst of all it seemed that Obi-Wan was determined to do the same. "Padawan…" Qui-Gon started to reiterate his opinion on the perils of travelling too fast, when a distant noise caused him to turn his head backwards and steal a glance over his left shoulder. It was difficult to see amidst the long dark strands of his windswept hair but he certainly did not require his eyes to tell him what his ears - and the force- had already learned. Two swoops (about as far distant as their own speeder was to Vernice's vehicle but gaining all the time amidst a huge cloud of dust) agile and nimble, able to negotiate the natural hazards with considerable ease. They had been discovered. This time Qui-Gon did not object to Obi-Wan upping the speed, although Jemmiah looked as if she might actually be ill at any moment. Vernice had all but disappeared from sight despite his padawan's very best efforts to keep up. No matter how much Obi-Wan depressed the foot accelerator the speeder could not match the speed of the trail bearer and Qui-Gon could only cast a desperate glance behind him to see how much ground had been gained on them by their pursuers. It certainly wasn't looking very good for them. Ahead of them there lay more of the same sparse bushes, their bark woody and lignified by age and lack of water. Not much cover there if necessary, thought Qui-Gon grimly, but perhaps all they would get. The ever-increasing whine of two badly maintained swoops continued to build and now the master knew it was only a matter of time. If they could only get to those taller bushes and plants further along, denser and taller like a field of crops on a hill they might stand a chance but otherwise… Obi-Wan gave a gasp that Qui-Gon sensed rather than heard. "Master…our speeder is dying!" he rammed his feet hard against the accelerator but to no avail. "We're losing speed!" Qui-Gon could see Jemmiah screwing her eyes even tighter together in an attempt to block out the horrid reality but he knew that now was not the time to shun the truth, ghastly as it was. They had lost Vernice, they had lost the speeder and if they weren't careful then… Suddenly Qui-Gon could see on the horizon what appeared to be a large, greyish object, not much to look at going by first appearances but right then and there he could have kissed a Bantha if it would take him away from Nargotria. A large and inglorious looking freighter: their way off the planet. Their hope of freedom. Who cared how it looked? Vernice's disappearance was explained in one fell stroke…but would they ever reach it? Not the way their speeder was behaving. If they couldn't escape by speed they would have to use stealth and possibly a little force trickery into the bargain. It was just as well that the two people who were so aggressively riding the swoops behind them were not force sensitive because at a time like this it paid to have a hidden advantage. Their time was almost up… "Master!" Obi-Wan's voice was delighted and almost infectious with glee. "Obi-Wan," Jinn reached a long arm to tap his padawan on the shoulder, "time to abandon ship. Head for those bushes to your right. We'll have to make it on foot. It's not that far, but out in the open we are sitting ducks." "Yes, master!" Obi-Wan agreed, that crazy gleam back in his eyes. I'll have to talk to him about his enthusiasm for this sort of thing. Qui-Gon spared a brief moment to consider the future should they ever escape their present predicament. That's the sort of recklessness he could well do without. Obi-Wan to his credit was a fine driver of a speeder - for a first timer. His skill had been tremendous and even Qui-Gon had silently credited him with his abilities. It seemed he was more at home with engines, mechanical things and the like than with living creatures sometimes. His padawan steered the speeder straight into the edge of the bushes and began to concentrate on slowing down. That part was not difficult: they were doing that anyway. Soon the repulsar field would give out and the speeder would just drop like a stone. Better to get off before it happened. "Jemmiah." Qui-Gon bent over and spoke in her ear. "We've got to jump off, do you understand?" "Yes, sir." She nodded, finally prizing her eyes open but just as soon wishing she had not. The withered whip-tailed ferns and bushes were slapping at her as they went past at a speed that still seemed far too fast even though their speed had plummeted dramatically. "I'm going to keep a hold of you, and then on the command 'three' we will all let go and roll off the side." "Yes, sir." Jemmy agreed, dried mouthed. "But please make it soon, sir." Qui-Gon knew what she meant. His nerves were not much better for all that he was a Jedi. "Padawan?" "I heard, master." "Good." Qui-Gon acknowledged, waiting for a suitable spot to jump. He caught sight of a mound of low growing greenery and thought that it might cushion their fall. "Ready?" he asked. Obi-Wan gave a short nod up front and Qui-Gon tightened his arms around the girl like a giant safety blanket. This might prove a touch uncomfortable. "Okay," Jinn timed his approach, "One…two…THREE!" He saw Obi-Wan, aided by his cat-like reflexes, throw himself over the side of the speeder and then moments later his own world turned sideways as he too followed suite, Jemmiah still wrapped up in his embrace. For a split second Qui-Gon felt time hang in the air as the speeder continued to zoom onwards without its riders onboard. Then with a breath-stopping thud he hit the ground and rolled so that he wouldn't crush the girl underneath him with his bodyweight. Obi-Wan seemed likewise to be momentarily without the ability to draw air into his lungs although Qui-Gon could sense his padawan calling on the force to speed up his recovery, winded as he was. Jemmiah did not seem to be the worse for the incident, infact she had at least landed on something soft - himself! As Qui-Gon tried to stand, knowing that time was of the essence, he felt his fingers burn maddeningly. He'd been stung! "Nettles, sir." Jemmy looked at him sympathetically. "They're quite common on the planet. They make a good stew but they aren't very nice to wear." "You don't say." Qui-Gon half-laughed and half winced as the burning sensation continued all over his hands. The little close-growing plant seemed innocuous enough at first glance, although he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to eat them either. "We're going to have to stay close to the ground, he whispered as he beckoned Obi-Wan over to him. "Are you both alright?" Receiving nods to the affirmative, Qui-Gon continued. "Merdan's ship is not too far away. With any luck Master Ashdal has already got there." He looked at the Corellian child, who sat rubbing at her swollen ankle. "Do you think you can manage?" "I've managed this far, sir." She said in a solemn voice. "It would seem a pity to stop now." "Good." Qui-Gon smiled approvingly. A loud bang, followed by an explosion followed not too far away, little pieces of debris shooting into the air in a small cloud of black smoke that indicated the speeder had finally run its course. With a bit of luck it would help to draw away any curious or overtly nosey persons who were searching for them. It was like Jemmiah had said, Qui-Gon reflected briefly as he heard the two swoops fly past them not terribly far away, the terrified youngster and the wary padawan pressing themselves close to the ground lest they be seen. It would be a terrible thing to get so close and then be discovered. And besides, he owed to the people of this planet to let the truth be known. He owed it to Jemmiah. And as much as anything he owed it to himself. "How…how did they not spot us, sir?" Jemmy mumbled. "I thought they would see this for sure…" she indicated the bright red dress she had been wearing, easily detectable through the bushes. "It's amazing what a force suggestion will do." Qui-Gon replied stoutly. "I never like to tamper with a person's mind but there are occasions where it comes in extremely handy. Like now." "And probably again sometime soon." Obi-Wan answered as he heard the swoops circle not too far away. "They've taken a quick look at the wreckage and decided we weren't there when it blew." "I agree, it's time to be on the move." Qui-Gon stooped low, almost walking bent over in order to keep his head below the line of the bushes. The cover got denser the further in they went but that of course took them further away from the ship. "We'll zigzag in and out. That way we have more chance of avoiding detection and staying close enough to the ship." He heard Obi-Wan sigh behind him. "Master, do you ever wish you were not a jedi?" he asked in a whisper, helping Jemmiah along as best he could. "No." Qui-Gon replied after a moment's silence. "Me neither." Kenobi grinned. ************ The swoop riders had reported in alright but Najwal was convinced that Merdan was not going to like what he had to say. The speeders they had sent out in the direction of Logan's ship (what was left of it) had picked up nothing. The two swoops, with their sound and movement detecting equipment had soon found what the speeders had not. Figures. Not three but four of them! One lone figure on the front vehicle and three on the second. It would seem that Merdan had lost not just one but two of his workers, unless another 'guest' had decided to abscond with the party at the same time. One thing was for certain - he was not going to be the one to deliver the bad news. He sent instead the man known as Mannox, an unpopular little bullyboy with an attitude problem that had caused him to make many enemies in a short space of time. He'd been eyeing Keleskladt's favored position as right hand man for a good long while. Now that Najwal had been given the job it seemed the best thing to do was make certain that any rival claimants either knew where they stood or were eliminated as quickly as possible. Najwal opted for the second. He'd waited outside the door, politely, as he listened to the report given to Merdan but surprisingly enough no rebuke came…until he'd given away the destination of where the fugitives had been heading. The moment that Merdan's own ship had been brought into the equation Najwal witnessed something, although it did not last long, that he thought he would never see in his life. Rufus Merdan very, very nearly panicked. The man turned as white as a ghost and made a lunge for the inkwell on his desk, unscrewing the base from the top and letting the two halves lie strewn apart in his hurry to find the sacred piece of flimsy. His start up codes. The location of his craft… Gone, completely and utterly. His hands began to shake just slightly. Somehow the jedi had got the flimsy from him. They'd found his one weakness and they had exploited it…he told himself countless times to destroy the flimsy, just incase, but no. Not after what had happened with his first partner. Back on Chad the man had been both his mentor and his father. All these things he had been to him and above all someone he could look up to. When the smoke bombs had gone off and he had tried to save him, asking him repeatedly where his ship was located the man could only look at him blankly as if he'd forgotten who he was. A paralyzed amnesiac who couldn't remember his own name…what life would he have had? If he'd have written down on flimsy the location and details of his escape ship he might have been alive today. Killing him had been the hardest thing he had ever done. It was a mercy, nothing less, to put him out of his misery. He had asked him; begged him to do it…nothing had ever shocked him again. Until now, that was. Had his own paranoia led to the end of his venture on Nargotria? Najwal watched as Merdan seemingly collected his wits and nodded to him as he sent Mannox on his way. This man would not be reporting back to him again. Ever. ************* They'd spent the best part of an hour virtually walking on their hands and knees, relying on Qui-Gon to give the swoop riders a little force nudge every time they got too near. Crossing back towards the edge of the scrubby bush the little group could quite clearly see Rufus Merdan's craft not too far away. Qui-Gon could sense Vernice's anxiety from inside the ship, clearly at a loss for what to do for the best, yet she sat tight knowing that at worst she was safe, and one was all it took to get word home about the shocking activities that had happened on Nargotria, planet of tears, for the last nine years. The ship was their advantage and Vernice surely knew that the best way to help her friends was to stay exactly where she was and not through that trump card away. Qui-Gon listened as the swoops grew ever closer to their position and tried to throw them off the scent by suggesting they take a trip to the other side of the scrub. They certainly disappeared but Qui-Gon had the feeling that very soon now they were going to get suspicious… "Nearly there." He breathed, marveling at how they had managed to survive thus far at all. "See?" he pointed past Jemmiah and let the Corellian child follow his finger with her eyes. "There. That's Merdan's craft. We have to run now." "But the swoops…" Jemmiah swallowed. "I can take care of them if I have to." He replied, trying to calm her with a smile. "You can do it, and I will be there to make sure you are safe. Remember?" he recalled his promise to her. "Yes, sir." She tried not to let the worry dominate her thoughts and Qui-Gon could see the effort she was making to control her fears, yet again finding himself approve of the girl's attitude. "I want you and Obi-Wan to go ahead." He stated. "Sir?!" Jemmiah protested. "What about you?" "Oh, I shall be alright." Qui-Gon's eyes began to take on the almost dangerous gleam that had been identical to that of his padawan's earlier on. "I am going to stay and make sure you get there safely and then I will follow." He turned to Obi-Wan. "The moment you break cover they will probably see you. But don't stop for anything, understand?" "Yes, master." Kenobi felt his fingers fall instinctively to his lightsabre. "I'll see she gets onboard safely." "I do not doubt it, Obi-Wan." Jinn smiled lightly. Playing the shining knight to a ten year old girl? Padawan, you will not impress her…you have no need to. I would say she already has claimed you for a friend. Qui-Gon crouched low and waited…and waited… Suddenly one of the swoops came thundering back. Something had given their positions away, possibly some kind of sonic device that had detected their voices, he couldn't really say. The alarms went off on the back of the swoop and Jinn knew that now it was down to him. Pushing Obi-Wan to his feet and urging Jemmiah forward too, Qui-Gon unhooked his lightsabre from his belt. "Get to the ship. Tell Master Ashdal to stand by to take off. NOW!" Inside the craft Vernice could just about make out the figure of Obi-Wan, urging on the even smaller figure of Jemmiah, running towards the ship as if somebody had set them alight at the heels. He pulled at the younger child's arm in an effort to hasten her a little, wanting to make sure he got the last amount of effort that she could give before the swoops cut them down. "Not if I can help it." Vernice growled. Her options were limited because the array of weaponry Merdan had built into the craft might easily hit the fleeing padawan and his friend who were almost directly in the path of the ammunition, whereas if she aimed over their heads there was a very real chance she might actually hit Qui-Gon instead. The hour or so she'd had to familiarize herself with the controls had not been wasted and the doors opened like a gaping cavern to enable the children to escape to safety… But what of Qui-Gon? Not too far distantly she saw the tall jedi master knock the rider of the first vehicle into the air by returning his fire and sending it straight into his swoop. It caused the contraption to rear up violently like a frightened Nerf, before skittering back to the ground in several different pieces. The man never got up from where he had fallen but not surprisingly Qui-Gon had other things on his mind, after all the second swoop was bearing down on him at a fair clip. He was a fine swordsman, Vernice admitted proudly. A skilled warrior and an equally gifted individual. Even though their own relationship had died a death many moons ago there was nothing to stop her from admiring the surprising grace and elegance of a man who was probably too tall and solidly built to be conventionally beautiful. For a brief second she felt guilty for looking at him that way, then consoled herself that she would be a poor woman if she kept her eyes shut all her life, shielding herself from such wicked thoughts. The padawan too might one day set hearts a fluttering she supposed, although in Obi-Wan's case there was altogether too much of the pasty complexioned teenager for that right now. But given time who could say? A clattering of feet not too far away alerted Vernice that at least two of her passengers had made it safely onboard and for that she was eternally grateful. Obi-Wan was no doubt in two minds about going back to help his master now that he'd seen Jemmiah ensconced in the craft, yet wanting to protect the girl at all costs. Jemmiah herself would need medical treatment. The thoughts reeled about in Vernice's head whilst all the time she watched the second swoop come in so close to Qui-Gon she thought he could have touched it. He plunged the great green beam of light straight into the front, rending the metal with a fearful shower of sparks accompanied by the squealing that sounded the death of the machine. One small fragment flew off and hit Qui-Gon across the head and he put his arms up to ward off any more shrapnel that might fly his way whilst the second swoop turned in a three quarter movement before smacking straight into a rock and bursting into flames. Only now that the immediate danger was gone did Vernice sit back in the pilot's chair and breathe a deep sigh of relief. Qui-Gon was no back number yet. |