Soara said through clenched teeth. "Why waste time on four Jedi? Maybe they'll just give up and go away."
"This trail is doubling back on itself," Obi-Wan said suddenly. "It's going to bring us back to where we started."
"Great," Siri said. "I missed that MTT."
Obi-Wan inched close to the edge of the wall. He looked out.
The MTT had landed in a clear space a few hundred meters away. The ramp lowered. As Obi-Wan watched, troop after troop of Prototype Droids marched down.
"They are unloading the droids," he said. "They aren't giving up."
Chapter Seventeen
Anakin and Tru managed to find one of the few security officers left on the planet. They left Ruuin in his care.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he bribes or talks his way out of custody," Anakin said, watching as Ruuin walked away with the officer, talking quickly and gesturing with his short, stubby arms.
"It doesn't matter," Tru answered. "We have proof that Radnor is being invaded. We'd better talk to the others."
"Sure, so Ferus can tell us what to do," Anakin grumbled.
"Well, what do you think we should do?" Tru asked as they hurried toward the checkpoint Ferus and Darra were guarding.
"I think Galen is behind this, and we should confront him," Anakin said. "He can tell us exactly what the Avoni are planning. Then we can figure out how to foil it."
"Somehow I doubt it will be that easy," Tru said.
"I do, too," Anakin agreed. "But I can't think of anything else."
They reached Darra and Ferus and quickly told them what they had found.
"We don't know for sure that it's Galen," Ferus said.
"We don't have time to come up with another suspect,"
Anakin insisted. "We have to move now. We don't know what's going on in the Isolation Sector. Our Masters could be in danger."
"Anakin is right," Darra agreed. "We won't lose anything by confronting Galen."
"Let's go," Ferus declared.
As if it was his idea, Anakin thought.
The four Padawans hurried to the command center. Galen was just tossing a small survival kit into his airspeeder.
"Going somewhere?" Anakin asked.
"Of course I am," Galen answered. "As soon as everyone is safely off the planet."
"You seem to be in a special hurry," Darra observed.
Galen gave an exasperated sigh. "What are you getting at now?"
"We have solid information that the planet Avon was behind the raids and also the theft of those Prototype Droids,"
Anakin said. "And we think you know something about it."
Galen chuckled, shaking his head. "You kids sure come up with some incredible theories. I've been trying to help the citizens of Radnor!"
"What about the original toxic accident?" Ferus asked.
"And the theft of the droids? Both things happened at your facilities."
"It's called bad luck," Galen said. "I'm one of the top scientists on Radnor. Maybe someone targeted me. And as soon as all this is over, we'll be going over our safety procedures very carefully. But I'm not responsible. I've been risking my life by staying here. I could have left long ago. I had the money. My sister and I decided to stay to help our fellow citizens. Why are you accusing me?"
Now Galen looked hurt, not angry. Anakin did not pick up anything amiss. He wished Obi-Wan were here. He was not yet adept at reading the true motives of other beings.
Anakin remembered Ruuin's anxiousness to get away. No doubt he had a rendezvous time with the Avoni as well as a rendezvous point. Maybe Galen had the same problem.
"I say we just hold him until the Avoni ships take off,"
Anakin told the others. "He can wait here with us for the Senate ships."
Tru's silver eyes flickered as he understood Anakin's strategy. "I agree."
"This is ridiculous!" Galen exploded. Finally they had cracked his wounded composure. "I refuse, after all I've done, to subject myself to these suspicions."
He jumped inside the airspeeder and revved the engine. But he hadn't counted on the quick reflexes of the Padawans.
Anakin reached over and shut off the engine as Tru jumped in and accessed the onboard computer. He read out the coordinates that flashed on the screen. They were the same as Ruuin's.
"I'm sorry, Galen," Anakin said. "We now have proof. Those are the coordinates of an Avoni landing site. You are going to be airlifted off-planet."
"Yes, so what?" Galen bellowed. "Along with everyone else!"
"I don't think so. I think you cut a special deal with the invaders. You and your conspirators would have had new lives on Avon — thanks to your betrayal of your planet."
A small, shocked voice came from behind them. "No."
Anakin turned. A small woman with features similar to Galen's stood in the doorway. He recognized Galen's sister Curi from the hologram Galen had received the day they'd arrived. "It can't be true. Galen? Is it true?"
"Of course not, Curi," Galen said. "These Jedi are children. What do they know?"
Darra ignored Galen's comment. "Did you leave our Masters in the Isolation Sector?" she asked urgently.
Curi tore her sorrowful gaze from her brother and faced the Padawans. "They were on their way here. The toxin is no longer dangerous. It has a short half-life, we've just discovered. The winds will bring no danger to Tacto."
"And our Masters?" Darra asked. "Where are they, now?"
"They are in great danger," Curi said. "They are pinned down by the Avoni invaders outside the city of Aubendo in the ground canyon fields. Dol Heep had them under surveillance. I discovered that he had placed tracking devices in my transports. When I found out I went after them. I was just in time to see a large vessel force them down. They are under attack from a platoon of Battle Droids.
Our Battle Droids," she added, with a glance at Galen.
"How can we trust her?" Ferus asked the others in a low tone. "What if she and Galen are in league together? What if they're trying to get us out of the Clear Sector so they can take off?"
The Padawans looked at one another, confusion on their faces. Yes, Curi could be lying. Galen definitely was. Who could they trust?
Trust yourself. Breathe in your instinct. Then act.
Anakin closed his eyes for a moment. He touched the river stone in his pocket, sliding his fingers over its warmth. He reached out to the Force, to a place that he knew well. He felt a distant tug — Obi-Wan. Yes, his Master was in danger.
And Curi. . Curi was telling the truth.
Unease was still on his fellow Padawans' faces. But Anakin locked eyes with Ferus. "We can't take a chance with our Masters' lives."
Ferus hesitated only a fraction, surprised at the depth of Anakin's contact with the Force. "You're right. Let's go."
Chapter Eighteen
The Padawans commandeered Galen's airspeeder. The four of them squeezed inside. Curi gave them the coordinates of where she had last seen the Avoni transport and the Jedi.