The warrior's tale went on. "- and my mother died that day without ever being reunited with my father. My father died in the greatBattle of the Plains, avenging the great wrong of the Melida during theBattle of the North — "
"— Which had taken place a century before!" Nield scoffed.
"— and today I go to battle with my three sons. My youngest son is too young to join us. I fight today so that he may never have to fight — "
"Fat chance!" Nield jeered.
"We seek justice, not vengeance. And that is why I know we shall triumph." The warrior raised his fist, then opened it in a gesture of peace.
"Liars and fools!" Nield shouted. He turned abruptly away from the hologram. "Let's get out of here. I can't bear their stupid voices any more."
They walked out into the open air. Gray clouds were massing overhead, and the water looked almost as black as the great hall that floated above it, casting a long shadow. It was hard to tell where the building ended and the water began.
"Do you see?" Nield demanded of Qui-Gon. "They will never stop. The Young are this world's only hope. I know the Jedi are wise. You must see that our cause is just. Don't we deserve a chance?"
Nield's golden eyes burned with fervor. Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan. He saw that the boy had been not only moved by Nield's words, but deeply stirred.
That made him uneasy. Though a Jedi's heart could be touched, it was his duty to remain unbiased and calm. The situation here was complicated and volatile. They would need clear heads to navigate it. His instinct told him it was better not to take sides.
But there was the question of Tahl. Rescue was their primary mission. Nield had promised his help. Could he deliver on his promise?
"I know where Tahl is being held," Nield said, almost as though he'd read Qui-Gon's mind. "She is alive."
"You can get us to this place?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Cerasi can," Nield said. "It is heavily guarded. But I have a plan to take care of that. While you are rescuing Tahl, the Young will launch a surprise attack."
"I am not sure how surprising an attack would be, given that the Melida know that the Jedi are on the loose," Qui-Gon said. "They will be expecting it."
"But they will not be expecting a Daan attack."
"Are the Daan planning to attack?" Obi-Wan asked.
"No," Nield answered. "But that doesn't mean the Melida can't think they are. Our plan is to stage diversionary attacks in both the Melida and Daan sectors. The Melida will think that the Daan are attacking and send their forces out into the streets to defendthemselves. The Daan will do the same. I promise you confusion and chaos. Then you can go after Tahl."
"But you have no weapons," Obi-Wan said. "How do you expect to attack?"
"We have a plan," Nield said mysteriously. "All we ask of you is to stay in the vault and not contact the Melida. Right now they are searching for you everywhere. It is better that their forces be busy with that chore so that we can do our work."
"So you see how easy we're making this for you?" Cerasi asked. "All we ask is that you do nothing."
"We'll take care of the diversion," Nield continued. "You take care of Tahl. I also know that her wounds were severe. She needs medical attention."
Annoyed, Qui-Gon gazed out at the water to buy time. He knew Nield was blackmailing him, forcing him to bend to his wishes so that Qui-Gon could fulfill his mission. He had been out-maneuvered by a child.
And Obi-Wan, he saw, was enjoying it. Another curl of apprehension registered along his spine.
He turned back to Nield and Cerasi. "All right," he said. "Obi-Wan and I will wait for you to bring us to Tahl. Our primary objective is her rescue. After that, you're on your own. Is that good enough?"
Nield grinned. "It is all we need."
Back at the tunnel, preparations began. Nield and Cerasi huddled with the rest of the Young, deep in conversation. Obi-Wan sat quietly at the table, watching them. The determination on their faces told him that whatever the outcome, the Daan and the Melida were both in for a big surprise at dawn the next day.
Qui-Gon paced on the other side of the room, displaying a rare show of impatience.
"If you need help with strategy-" he began.
Cerasi turned. "No," she said curtly. "We don't need any help."
"Another opinion can only strengthen your odds," Qui-Gon said quietly.
This time, Cerasi didn't bother to turn. Nield did not even look up.
"We do not want your help, Jedi," Cerasi said, even more sharply than before.
Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon to gauge his reaction. He saw his Master struggle with his irritation. But although Qui-Gon could be impulsive, he was never petty. The irritation left him, and his usual mask of calm returned.
"Padawan, I am going to explore the tunnels," he told Obi-Wan in a low voice. "It is better not to rely totally on the Young to guide us. You remain here."
Obi-Wan nodded. For once, he didn't want to accompany Qui-Gon. He wanted to stay andwatch the Young plan the battle.
Cerasi divided the young people into teams and assigned them tasks. They worked on makeshift weapons fashioned from scraps. Their most prominent weapon was a powerful slingshot that threw laserballs. The balls could only sting a life-form if they connected, but if they hit a hard object, they made a sound like blaster fire.
Over the course of the afternoon, Obi-Wan tried to grow used to the muffled sound of explosions. War toys were part of the childhood of both Melida and Daan. The Young were modifying them to amplify their sound effects. They worked in the rooms branching off the main tunnel on missile tubes, packing them with pebbles and paint.
Cerasi worked on a pile of slingshots in a corner, honing them with a sharp knife and testing their accuracy with wadded up flimsiplast. The flimsiplast winged across the high space, hitting the same stone block with deadly accuracy. Cerasi worked tirelessly, without a break.
"I'd like to help," Obi-Wan said, approaching her. "Not with strategy," he added quickly. "I know you have that under control. But I can help with this."
Cerasi pushed a lock of hair from her eyes and smiled slightly. "I guess I was hard on your Boss-Master, huh?"