Over the next few minutes, the group on the ground quickly dictated actions to the Indelible above. A tractor beam had caught the Republic ship and was pulling it into its hangar bay.
The pilot was ordered to dispatch an SOS message to the Republic and not put up a fight when boarded. He said he would, and added that it was a pleasure to serve the heroes of the Republic in their time together. Static cut through the commlink, and a moment later the transmission was ended.
“They followed us,” Magnus muttered. “I don’t know how.”
Jaren bemoaned the loss of his three footlockers full of expensive garments. “My clothes,” he said. “Do you know how long it takes to collect a wardrobe of that worth?”
Mikau blinked and said “The lives and freedom of three men are in jeopardy. You’ll pardon our lack of empathy for your trappings, I’m sure.” He turned to the droid. “Y3, tell Mr. Forto that we have Separatist company coming, and please ask if we have any options for hiding or fleeing.”
After a brief translation, Y3 said “He tells me that he is most aggrieved that Separatist Forces are inbound, but as for now, we have no recourse but to remain hidden in these huts. Rain and all that, you know.”
Jaren peered through the glass and watched as large detachment ships came down through the blue sky and began landing. “I hope he knows what we’re in for. Let’s just hope searching these huts keeps them busy long enough for us to form a plan.”
The ships finished landing. Trade Federation MTTs began floating out. These round behemoths spread out and opened their bay doors to allow deployment rack to mechanically unload one hundred and twelve folded, compact droid soldiers. These activated and stood, clutching their rifles dutifully. Soon, nearly a thousand droids patrolled the area. Battle droids, super battle droids, destroyer droids, and other, less familiar infantry stood about in ordered columns.
The Republicans watched this occurring from their hut with growing unease. If a fight broke out, they could not win against these numbers. “We surrender,” Jaren said suddenly. “It’s the only way.”
Magnus shook his head. “No. Pock’s life is too important to be allowed to fall into the hands of the enemy.”
Jaren looked at the boy. “Why? What makes him so different?”
Magnus gazed at Jaren and sensed something there… something hidden. “Nothing.”
Pock pointed and said “Who’s that?”
Walking slowly down a ramp was a humanoid in white armor. He had a small blaster mounted on his left shoulder, and it swiveled to point where he looked. On his hip was a vibrosword.
“Someone important, looks like,” Jaren replied.
The figure gestured and began giving orders. “Search the huts, every one of them. They’re here somewhere.”
The droids began spreading out and opening huts all over the landscape, leading Pheleeni at gunpoint to the landing area. It wasn’t long at all until the droids opened the hut the heroes were in. They looked inside and saw that the hut was empty. They uttered “Clear, roger roger” and walked away.
The man in white armor was not pleased to learn that the Republicans were not found. “They’re here somewhere. Something’s interfering with our scanners, but I’m betting these things will tell us what we want to know.” He turned to a communications droid and had it ask a Pheleeni where the visitors were. The thing said it didn’t know, and the man in white armor shot a nearby Pheleeni in the head, striking it dead instantly. He then asked the question again, and the weeping Pheleeni gestured to the empty hut.
All guns turned to the hut, and the heroes within, though invisible to the invaders through use of the Force, began quietly arguing about another plan.
“Come out,” the man in white called. “Come out and throw your weapons to the ground. You are absolutely surrounded and you know it. Come out or we blast another alien to atoms.”
Magnus had run out of options. He had to protect Pock at all cost, but innocent life should never pay a Jedi’s debts. Pock would agree, were he older. Magnus set his jaw and began walking outside. As he did he had no idea of what he planned to do. He needed more time to think…
“Stay your hand,” he called. “I am Magnus Turon, Jedi Knight. These people you seek- you will not find them here. You will take your men and leave.” He waved a hand in the air as he affected the mind trick.
“Nice try. Do you know who I am?”
Magnus looked around, studying the enemy’s forces. They truly were surrounded on all sides- droids, as far as the eye can see, each with crosshairs trained on him. “Should I?”
“I am called Cydon Prax,” the man in white armor said, sounding pleased. There was a reptilian sibilance to the way he spoke his name.
“Prax,” Jaren said as he walked out of the hut. His hands hovered over his blaster holsters. “I thought you were still running death sticks out of Verudo! When did you fall in with the Separatists?” Magnus stared at Jaren fiercely for having come out, and Jaren whispered “Sorry. You weren’t doin’ so well.”
Prax replied “When Count Dooku’s last right-hand man got his idiot head cut off. I’m afraid I’m not so easy to kill.”
Magnus asked “Why are you here, then? Why take such a large group of thugs out to recover a Jedi and a pilot?”
“Three Jedi,” Prax corrected. “Another nice try. Where is the boy?”
“Gone. Sent him away over the desert in a speeder.”
“You won’t mind us checking the hut, then.”
Magnus stood still, mind racing for an option. There really was none.
Cydon Prax sighed. “We’re taking the boy, one way or another. Move aside.”
The Jedi, all ideas exhausted, slowly unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to kill me before I let you touch him.”
Prax laughed. “Thisss… is not a problem.” He gestured casually. “Kill him.” Two hundred droids clicked in unison as they adjusted their rifles against their arms and stared down their sights at Magnus, whose lightsaber ignited menacingly.
Just then, a distant thunderclap and a great rumble shook the ground. The droids stumbled, half-crouching as they regained their balance against the shaking. Another, deeper rumble, and the earth split beneath their feet. Long, thin, black fissures opened up. More cracks appeared, spidering out from their parents. The Pheleeni began moaning hysterically under the clear blue sky, quaking with fear.
Magnus watched as a pebble lifted from the ground, slowly, and flew straight up into the sky. It was followed by another, then another. A larger rock lifted past him. The droids stumbled as the pieces of cracked hardpan everywhere trembled.
The ground began falling into the sky as it started to rain.
MORE TO COME…
