A Legacy of Strength

A Legacy of Strength

Unecessarily Paranoid

The galaxy was in a state of turmoil. Karan Toi, unquestionably the most dangerous assassin ever to set foot on a planet, had recently escaped from Galactic Prison, where he had been held under highest security. The citizens of Coruscant especially were terrified that each one of them was Toi's next target. The level of unrest was getting out of control, the Jedi Council decided, so they selected two of their most accomplished Master-Padawan teams to recapture Toi. These four brave warriors accepted willingly, though they knew the danger into which they put themselves-for after all, not a single one of Toi's targets had ever lived a day beyond his promised end for them.

They tracked the assassin to a large city on Tatooine known as Mos Osel. There, the Jedi lost the trail, and were forced to wait in hiding, emerging into the streets only at night. Should Toi discover where they were before the opposite happened, their lives would end as swiftly as the squashing of a myrmin-and each one of them knew it. It was an ever-present, haunting knowledge that seemed to taint even the air around them. Not a one of them doubted the seriousness of their position.

*~*~*

"Got any…fours?"

Anakin swore under his breath and tossed two chips in Ferus's direction. His friend slipped them into his hand with a grin and asked again.

"Got any Sith?"

With a cry of frustration, Anakin slammed his chips down onto the floor. "You're cheating!" he accused Ferus angrily. "You have got to be cheating, there's no way you're that good!"

"Anakin, anger leads to the Dark Side," Obi-Wan reminded his Padawan from the window, without any real conviction. He didn't even bother to turn around as he said it.

"Yeah, well, tell that to Mister Straight-and-Narrow over here," Anakin grumbled over his shoulder. "Everyone's always talking about him; no one ever mentions that he cheats at chips!"

"I don't cheat," protested Ferus mildly, obviously enjoying Anakin's intense aggravation. "I just remember what you've already asked me for and what you've gotten from me, and from there it's usually quite easy to think of what you might be holding in your hand."

Anakin did not appreciate this explanation. "Whatever, Ferus," he muttered. "I still say you're checking my chips."

With a mock sigh, Ferus gathered up the loose chips with a wave of his hand and neatly stacked them back in their box. "You'll never be a Master if you can't learn to accept defeat," he told Anakin sagely. "I'm sure Master Yoda has been beaten several times."

"Yeah, fairly." Anakin rose from his seat on the floor and walked over to Obi-Wan, leaning against the inside of the open windowsill with him. They were on the second story of this building, and below them he could hear the shouts and clatter of the afternoon traffic. The noise was welcomed-he had quite finished talking to Ferus. "Has Siri come back yet?"

"Not yet," Obi-Wan answered. Behind him, Anakin heard Ferus's sigh, and knew it was genuine this time.

"I wish she wouldn't go out so much during the day," Ferus fretted, sitting down on his bed. He and Anakin shared this room at night, but in daylight it was open to all. "The way she's dressed-anyone with half a brain could see who she is."

Obi-Wan turned away from the sill and touched Ferus's shoulder. "Siri's not stupid, Ferus," he said in a comforting tone. "She'll be back soon, I'm sure."

Ferus said nothing, only made a noncommittal noise and moved away from Obi-Wan's hand. Anakin supposed he couldn't blame him for being worried, although he'd like to-if it were Obi-Wan out there, he would be just as frightened for his Master's safety.

But suddenly, as though reading his thoughts, Obi-Wan stood. "If it makes you feel better," he told Ferus, "I'll go out and look for her, and bring her back. Siri does have a habit of staying out longer than she should."

Anakin's stomach lurched, and a smile broke over Ferus's face. "Thank you, Master Kenobi," he said sincerely. Obi-Wan left the room, and in a few moments, Anakin saw him exit the building from his perch at the window He watched his Master walk away until he was out of sight, lost among the many speeders and nuuku driven along the road. Suddenly the rough stone walls of the little room seemed much closer to each other.

"This is stupid," said Anakin suddenly, practically spitting out the words. "We're not going to find anyone like this, hiding all day! For all we know, Toi could be half across the galaxy already."