Obi-Wan nodded toward the first starfighter, and Roenni streaked across to climb inside through the cargo hold.
There were only five starfighters. Three were parked side by side. With luck, Roenni could disable them quickly and quietly. The trick would be to get to the last two, which were parked closer to the entrance… and the guards.
Cerasi, Nield, and Obi-Wan watched anxiously, their weapons at the ready, as Roenni ran from one starfighter to another. After the third, she poked her head out and gestured to the group. What now?
Obi-Wan leaned close to Cerasi and Nield. "I'll go with Roenni," he whispered. He did not want to send the girl across the expanse alone.
"Hopefully, the guards won't turn around. You cover us."
His friends nodded. Obi-Wan moved quietly past the three starfighters, keeping away from the utility droids. He reached Roenni's side. The girl's dark eyes were fearful as she looked at the space they would need to cross.
He squeezed her shoulder for reassurance, and she nodded with more confidence. They took off across the empty space, running quickly and silently.
They might have made it if a utility droid hadn't knocked into an empty fuel barrel. It rolled noisily across the floor and came to rest a few centimeters from their feet. One of the guards turned. Obi-Wan saw the surprise on his face as he registered the two invaders.
"Hey! "the guard called.
In the split second it took for the guard to fully recognize the threat, Obi-Wan was already moving. He gave Roenni a push toward the starfighters, then ran toward a stack of dura-steel cargo boxes. He made an enormous leap and landed on top of them, then used the momentum to hurl himself at the guard. As blaster fire erupted around his head, he fervently wished he had his lightsaber. He had given it to Qui-Gon to take back to the Temple. Only the Jedi could carry lightsabers.
He could see the guard's mouth drop in surprise as Obi-Wan hurtled toward him, feet first. He knocked him down, then grabbed his blaster.
The second guard turned just in time to see the first go down. Obi-Wan was already whirling, coming at the guard with a kick to the chin. The guard fell, cracking his head against the stone floor. His blaster rifle skidded away, and Obi-Wan jumped back toward Nield. Nield and Cerasi had already begun moving forward, firing at the guards.
The four remaining guards scattered. They were all wearing plastoid armor, but no one took chances with blaster fire. They fired as they ran, and Obi-Wan leaped back around the boxes for cover. Nield and Cerasi joined him a split second later.
"They've probably called for help on their comlinks," Cerasi said grimly as she took aim at the guards, who were crouching behind a pile of disabled floaters. She fired rapidly over one guard's head as he tried to take a clear shot.
Obi-Wan saw Roenni frantically signal from the starfighter. "We need to cover Roenni," he told the others. "Keep firing."
They kept up a rapid stream of blaster fire. Roenni scooted under the belly of one starfighter and leaped into the next.
"Last one," Obi-Wan said.
Two guards suddenly split off from the others and dashed to either side of the spaceport, ducking behind pillars for cover.
"They're trying to get behind us!" Obi-Wan alerted Cerasi and Nield.
Then he ran to the other end of the cargo boxes, keeping under cover. Roenni hadn't seen the guards' maneuver. She leaped down from the last starfighter at the same instant that the guard behind the pillar stepped out to fire.
Obi-Wan saw him catch sight of the young girl, whirl, and aim.
Desperately, Obi-Wan reached out for the Force. This time, he felt it surge around him. He put out his hand, and the blaster flew from the surprised guard's hand. The blaster fire went awry and pinged harmlessly into the wall.
Roenni stood, paralyzed with fear. Obi-Wan dashed to her side while Cerasi and Nield kept up a barrage at the guards. Panic swirled in Roenni's eyes as she gazed at Obi-Wan.
"I'm right here." Obi-Wan locked eyes with her, hoping to drive away the fear. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Roenni's brown eyes cleared. Trust drove out fear. But Cerasi and Nield couldn't keep the guards down forever. They were exposed. Obi-Wan spotted the empty fuel drum the droid had knocked over. He reached out with the Force. Nothing.
Never gone. Always there, it is.
Obi-Wan groaned. You think so, Yoda? Not for me!
Blaster fire ripped into the fuselage of the starfighter over his head.
Obi-Wan pushed Roenni down. Keeping his body bent over hers, he ran, hunched over, to the barrel. Not the greatest protection, but it would have to do.
"We're going to have to crawl," he told Roenni. "Keep yourself behind the barrel."
Roenni crawled in front of him as he pushed the barrel steadily toward Nield and Cerasi. Blaster fire pinged off the metal. Obi-Wan could feel Roenni shaking. When they reached the pile of cargo boxes, she slid behind them with relief.
Obi-Wan rolled the huge barrel toward the front guard. It smashed into his knees, and he fell backward into the guard behind him. They teetered into the line of fire of the other guards.
The four friends took advantage of the moment and ran, firing as they went. They reached the safety of the fuel tanks. Cerasi was the most nimble of them all. She hustled Roenni down, then followed. With a last blast, Nield jumped down. Obi-Wan slid through the opening, then threw out a timed explosive device.
"Run!" he yelled.
They all scrambled to safety — and then the tank exploded, taking most of the hangar with it.
"That should keep them busy," he told the others.
Nield raised Mawat on the comlink. "It's done," he said. "The Elders have no starfighters anymore. You can contact the Middle Generation."
Mawat's voice crackled over the comlink. Though the transmission was faint, they could hear his glee.
"I think we just won the war!" he crowed.
The lightsaber came down, missing him by millimeters. Qui-Gon jumped away, surprised. The blow came from nowhere. He hadn't been paying attention.
He whirled, raising his own lightsaber in defense. His opponent parried, then twisted away to come at him from his left. Their lightsabers tangled, buzzing. Suddenly, his opponent shifted his feet and moved right.