You're going to say that if I take my gang and retreat belowground that eventually I'll be imprisoned." She stirred her tea moodily. "I know all those things. But I've got my soldiers out on the streets, and there's not enough of them to hold the city against Striker — or Omega, as I hear his name is. What am I supposed to do? Send them to their deaths?"
"I would not ask you to continue patrolling the city if I thought that," Obi-Wan said. "I am not willing to sacrifice so many lives to get what we need."
"But Decca and Omega — "
"We can handle Decca and Omega."
She placed her spoon down carefully. "So you say. And yet a Jedi Master evaporated into dust particles just a few hours ago."
"Yaddle died in order to protect your soldiers and the people of Mawan," Obi-Wan said sharply. "That should tell you how far the Jedi are willing to go."
There was a short silence. Feeana sipped her tea and made a face.
"It's cold," she said. Then slowly, she nodded. "All right," she continued quietly. "I'll remain."
With Feeana's cooperation and the promise of Yoda's arrival, Obi-Wan was able to convince the Senate to aid Mawan. He found it difficult to keep his temper cool and speak reasonably. He wanted to shout at everyone that Yaddle had sacrificed herself for their peace and security, so the least they could do was follow through. He knew that grief was making him short- tempered. His heart was heavy, and he was angry, too, angry that Yaddle had to die.
These were emotions he could not carry with him, for they would drag him down. He had to absorb them and let them go. Yet he felt as though he was struggling against a rising tide.
Anakin said so little. He could not get up the energy to address his Padawan's need, either. And somewhere below, Granta Omega was biding his time, concocting his plan for revenge, and he would surely try to exploit Anakin's sadness for his own ends. Omega had already killed a member of the Jedi Council. That had been his great goal, and he had achieved it.
How could Obi-Wan get rid of his anger when he knew of Omega's satisfaction?
A silver streak in the sky told them that Yoda was arriving. They were on the lookout for it, and they hurried toward the landing site. The day had dawned gray and cold. A sudden dip in temperature had kept most beings inside. It was a lucky break. If Feeana's security patrols didn't have to worry about petty crime, it would be easier to keep them at their posts.
Yoda alighted from the cruiser. His gaze immediately went to Anakin.
"First, see it, I must."
Anakin nodded. He knew immediately what Master Yoda was asking. Yoda wanted to see the place where Yaddle had died.
For long moments, Yoda stood underneath the spot where Yaddle's life had ended. He leaned his head back as if to taste the air. He closed his eyes as if to feel the presence that still lingered. Obi-Wan imagined that he was saying a private, final good-bye to the friend he'd had for so long.
He turned away, wanting to give Yoda the moment. Anakin's gaze rested on the ground.
At last Yoda turned. "Ready, I am," he said.
They headed back toward the command center. They found Swanny and Rorq waiting for them, sitting on the steps. They stood as the Jedi approached.
"Bad news," Swanny said. "Decca and Omega have settled their feud.
They've formed an alliance."
"I was afraid of this," Obi-Wan said.
"It gets worse. Now Omega has access to Decca's fleet, and Decca has access to Omega's weapons. They are planning an assault on the city."
"We have no way to protect the city," Obi-Wan told Yoda. "All we have are security patrols."
"Then prevent the attack we must," Yoda said. "The strengths they have are transports and weaponry? Then strengths we must attack."
"I'm getting tired of saying that's impossible," Swanny said. "But this time, it really is. Decca just got a big shipment of fuel. It was part of the partnership deal — Omega supplied it. They just brought it below."
"A shipment of fuel," Obi-Wan murmured. "That might help us."
Swanny looked at him, incredulous. "I don't see how. But I have a feeling I will."
"Keep the information about the alliance quiet for now," Obi-Wan said.
"If Feeana gets wind of this — "
"Uh, I think it might be too late," Rorq said. He pointed to the distance, where Feeana was striding toward them, an angry look on her face.
"They have formed an alliance!" she exclaimed as she walked up.
"We know," Obi-Wan said.
"And you are just standing here?" she demanded. "A suggestion, you have for us?" Yoda asked mildly.
She noticed him for the first time. "Who's this?" "Jedi Master Yoda,"
Obi-Wan said. "One of our most esteemed Masters."
"Whatever," Feeana said. "Maybe he can tell me what I should do when Omega and Decca attack my troops with transports and missile tubes?"
"Stop the attack before it starts, we will," Yoda said. "How?" Feeana demanded. "If you expect me to cooperate, I need more to go on."
"Just trust us," Obi-Wan said. "We need you to patrol all the airlift tube exits. As soon as we have control belowground, we will contact you."
"I guess I have no choice," Feeana said.
"Choice, you always have," Yoda told her. "But the best one this is."
A struggle still on her face, Feeana strode away.
"Well, I guess we'll just say good-bye and good luck," Swanny said, beginning to head off. Obi-Wan caught him by his collar.
"Not so fast," he said. "You're coming with us."
Chapter Fourteen
Anakin was glad to go belowground. Being under the open sky where Yaddle had died had affected him. The sky had seemed to hang over him, pressing against his shoulder blades. Below in the tunnels, he felt safer.
Revenge was on his mind, and it frightened him. He hated Granta Omega, hated him with a burning rage that threatened to go out of control. He was grateful that Yoda had joined them. The presence of the great, perhaps the greatest, Jedi Master was as deep and huge as Anakin's rage. Surely it would keep his anger in check. He would look to his Master and Yoda for the control he needed.
He knew that Yoda and Obi-Wan also felt anger and grief. He saw it in their eyes, felt it in the air around them, noted it in the way they moved and spoke. Yet they were not deflected from their mission. He had watched in awe as they exchanged information. Their shared glances told him that they had both come up with the same plan, at the same time. Yoda was obviously grief-stricken, yet he had traveled here to finish a job that Yaddle had begun, and he would let nothing stand in his way, not even his own sorrow.
He had been so wrong, Anakin thought suddenly. On Andara, he had briefly imagined what it could be like to have no Master, no Council to answer to. But he needed the Council. He needed his Master. They showed him how far he had to go.
Their inner calm was something he desperately wanted. He would learn, he promised himself. On every mission he was brought up short and shown what he needed to concentrate on. But he would learn.