The Freelies grew completely silent as Tray's words sank in.
"What?" Grath said. "What did you say?"
Tray's eyes were full of tears. "The Multycorp annex is going to
explode," she repeated. "We thought it would be empty. There were no
meetings on the roster."
Obi-Wan reached for his comlink. If he could tell Qui-Gon what was
happening, they might be able to stop the explosion. But before he could
even attempt to make a transmission Tray was shaking her head.
Obi-Wan tried the comlink, but there was only interference and
static.
"It won't work anymore," she said woodenly. "We've scrambled
communication." She pointed to her timepiece. "We're too late."
Tray leaped to her feet. "We have to stop the explosion!" she
shouted. "Come on!"
Leading the way, Tray rushed out to the maintenance shuttle and
climbed into the cockpit seat. For a moment, Nania looked as though she
might try to take the controls from her, but she changed her mind. Tray
needed something to do.
Unfortunately, Tray was not much of a pilot. If a ride with Nania was
an adventure, a ride with Tray was a hazard. The shuttle lurched and
bounced, tossing the other Freelies around in the back.
As he slammed into his seat, Obi-Wan tried to clear his mind. He
wanted to send Qui-Gon a warning about the explosion. But there was so much
anxiety and commotion in the shuttle it was difficult to concentrate. He
closed his eyes and shut out all of the noise and emotion. Gathering the
Force around him, he sent a warning to Qui-Gon. Get everyone out of the
Multycorp annex, he told him. Now.
Obi-Wan opened his eyes to find Grath staring at him. "I hope
whatever you just did works," the boy said in a shaky voice. "If anything
happens to my father because of me, because of what I've done...." he
trailed off, suddenly at a loss for words.
Obi-Wan tried to reassure Grath. "We're doing all we can. We mustn't
lose hope," he said.
But Obi-Wan himself had a foreboding feeling. They might be too late.
"It's all my fault," Grath went on. "I started to change the pranks.
I wanted to get their attention. To make them see..." Grath's eyes filled
with tears as he stared out of the shuttle portal. "And now my father, the
leader of the planet, is in danger."
"It's not your fault, Grath," Tray piped up, her voice wavering.
"It's mine." She made a sharp turn and the shuttle banked to the left.
There was a groan from a few Freelies who were thrown against the shuttle
wall.
"I convinced Flip that the pranks should become violent. I told him
you would respect him for taking the next step, that you would be proud....
" Tray took a hand off the controls to wipe her eyes, sending the shuttle
into a nosedive. It skidded against the ground before Tray righted it
again.
"And he believed me," she said with a sob. "He believed every word I
said."
Finally the shuttle rounded a corner and the Multycorp annex came
into view. Obi-Wan let out a huge sigh of relief. It was still standing.
But before the shuttle got close enough for anyone to shout a
warning, a huge explosion rocked the workspace. Chunks of metal, cement,
and other debris shot into the air as the front of the Multycorp annex
exploded, collapsing in on itself.
"No!" Grath screamed, covering his face with his hands. Nania stared
ahead, too shocked to speak. Tray slumped over the shuttle's controls. Obi-
Wan scanned the area through the view-screen, waiting for the dust to
clear. Did Qui-Gon get his message? Did the Vorzydiaks get out in time?
Obi-Wan sensed that his Master was nearby, but could not tell if he was all
right.
Obi-Wan immediately saw a group of people. Some were crouched, others
lay on the ground amid the rubble. There was not much movement.
Forcing open the shuttle door, Obi-Wan raced toward them. He
desperately hoped that he was not running toward a scene of death.
CHAPTER 21
The explosion site was in chaos. Vorzydiak laborers and retirees were
everywhere, lying on the ground, droning, and nursing injuries. All of them
were in shock. Obi-Wan followed Grath and Tray as the Vorzydiaks searched
the crowd for their families.
At last Obi-Wan spotted Qui-Gon's brown robe. His Master was kneeling
beside a body on the ground. Next to him was Chairman Port.
"Father!" Grath shouted and sprinted ahead.
Chairman Port turned. His face was singed. With one hand he protected
the injured arm that hung awkwardly at his side. Being careful not to hurt
his broken arm, Grath stepped close to his father. They did not speak but
instead embraced using their antennae, letting their feelers entwine,
assuring each other that they were going to be all right.
Obi-Wan hurried toward Qui-Gon. He was relieved to see his Master was
not injured, but the Jedi did not embrace. The look on Qui-Gon's face
stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks. Tray's grandmother was the figure on the
ground. Her eyes were closed and there was blood on her face.
Tray dropped to her knees beside her grandmother, unable to speak.
"She's going to be fine," Qui-Gon said softly. "She was hit on the
head by a small piece of falling debris on her way out of the building."
The old woman's eyes fluttered open and she reached out for her
granddaughter. Tray took her hand, but her face remained a mask of horror.
Obi-Wan knew she was blaming herself.
Qui-Gon put his hand on Tray's shoulder. "Your grandmother is a brave
woman."
Tray looked gratefully at Qui-Gon through tear-filled eyes. He
returned her gaze reassuringly before turning to Obi-Wan.
"Thanks to your warning almost everyone was able to get out of the
building in time."
"Almost everyone?" Obi-Wan asked. Qui-Gon did not need to say
anything else. Obi-Wan knew who had been left inside. "Flip," he said
quietly, not wanting to upset Tray further. But she overheard.
"No!" Tray sobbed. "No, not Flip. We've got to find him. We've got to
get him out."
Obi-Wan nodded solemnly. Of course they needed to find Flip. He only
hoped they would find him alive.
Grath shouted and waved the growing group of Freelies to the corner
of what had been the front of the Multycorp annex.
"There's a sound coming from the basement," he explained. "We have to
get in there."
The team of laborers had searched the rubble for only a few minutes
before they first heard the soft pinging. It could have been a piece of
machinery still trying to operate. It could have been a wild creature. Or
it could have been Flip.
A dozen large laborers gathered together and pushed with all of their
strength on a heavy beam that blocked access to the basement level. It
didn't move.
"Lift together," Grath shouted. "On three."
Several of the laborers looked skeptically at the young Freelies. But
they made room for them around the beam.
"One, two, three," Grath counted. Working together, the group lifted
the beam, easily sliding
it over until they'd created an opening about a
meter wide.
"Brace the side," Grath shouted.
The opening wasn't much, but it was big enough for Obi-Wan to squeeze
through. "Hurry, Obi-Wan," Grath urged as the young
Jedi began to lower himself into the darkened basement. He didn't
need to ask twice. Obi-Wan knew that the remains of the Multycorp annex
were unstable at best. Even with the beam braced over the entrance, the
chance of a collapse was great. And if Flip was still alive his time could
be limited.
Obi-Wan paused a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He
listened for the pinging. It seemed to be coming from a spot ahead of him
and to the left. It was getting less frequent.
Suddenly dirt and pebbles poured down onto Obi-Wan's head.
"Look out," called a voice above him. "I'm coming with you."
The light from the opening was blocked for a moment. Then Tray
dropped down beside Obi-Wan.
"The noise is coming from over there," Obi-Wan pointed. He started to
lead the way but Tray rushed past him.
"Flip?" she yelled. "Flip? Hang on, we're coming." The Vorzydiak girl
ducked around a large piece of machinery. She moved quickly and easily in
the cramped quarters and disappeared from view. But Obi-Wan could still
hear her calling to her friend.
"Flip? Flip!" Tray's exclamation left no doubt that she had found the
boy. Obi-Wan pushed past a pile of rubble to join them.
"Flip," Tray repeated more quietly. Together Obi-Wan and Tray heaved
the piece of durasteel bracing that pinned Flip to the floor off his chest.
Dropping down beside him, Tray took the boy's hand. She loosened his grip
on the scrap of durasteel he'd been pounding on the brace as a distress
signal.
Except for a large bruise on his forehead, Flip appeared to be okay.
But even though the brace was no longer holding him down, he couldn't get
up. Watching him struggle to get enough air to speak, Obi-Wan realized that
he was in bad shape. Flip coughed and winced in pain.
"Lie down," Obi-Wan instructed. "Don't try to move or speak. Then he
turned to Tray. "Stay with him while I get the medics."
As Obi-Wan made his way back to the basement opening he heard Tray
speaking softly.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. A sob caught in her throat. "I was
wrong."
CHAPTER 22
Tray stood as close as she could to the gravstretcher as Flip was
slowly maneuvered out of the basement. Grath fidgeted nervously as they
emerged. It was obvious to Qui-Gon that the boy wanted to talk to Flip, but
that something was holding him back.
Qui-Gon glanced at his Padawan, mentally urging him to coax Grath
forward. But Obi-Wan was already approaching the Freelie leader. Qui-Gon
could not hear what Obi-Wan spoke into Grath's ear, but whatever it was
gave him the courage to take a few steps toward the wounded boy.
Grath put his hand over Flip's and bent close to his face, speaking
quietly. Although Flip could not respond, the look in his eyes said that
all was forgiven. Grath and the younger boy touched their antennae together
briefly. Then Flip's antennae drooped across his face, and his body went
still. Flip was gone.
"No!" Tray sobbed. She leaned over Flip's body, laying her head on
his chest. "No," she whispered. "Not you."
Grath put a comforting hand on Tray's back. "It's not your fault,
Tray," he said softly. "Flip was his own person, and made his own choices.
We were all doing what we thought needed to be done."
Tray looked up at Grath gratefully, her large eyes full of tears.
Then she dropped her head. "But our way was not the right one," she said.
"I do not think so, either," Grath said. "But now we are on another
path. The path to peace."
Tray nodded slowly. Qui-Gon sensed that over time she would come to
terms with Flip's death. But it would not happen quickly.
briefly said good-bye. Tray did the same, then several other Freelies. The
medics covered Flip with a heavy gray cloth and loaded the gravstretcher
into the transport.
Grath, Tray, and Obi-Wan stood silently together as the transport
took off. Slowly more Freelies gathered around the trio, twining their arms
and droning. The sound was soft at first, then grew louder and more
intense. It was full of pain and sorrow. The young group had been through a
lot, and would now need to cope with a death among them. It would not be
easy, Qui-Gon knew. And there was still much work and challenge to come.
When the last of the injured Vorzydiaks had been taken to med units
and the dust had finally settled, there was a moment of calm. But soon the
moment of peace was over.
A large Vorzydiak laborer pointed an angry finger at the Freelies.
"Look at what you've done," he said, gesturing toward the rubble. "How can
we work?"
"Have you no respect?" asked another angry laborer, shouting at the
Freelies. "Have we taught you nothing?"
"You've taught us plenty," answered a voice from the cluster of
Freelies. "You've taught us that work is all you care about. And that this
is what we have to do to get your attention."
Very quickly the scene erupted into a giant shouting match between
the Freelies and the laborers. Qui-Gon watched from the sidelines beside a
handful of retirees. The argument was going nowhere, each side convinced
that the other was at fault. Qui-Gon was about to take a step forward when
Obi-Wan separated himself from the Freelies and moved to stand between the
two groups.
"It is useless to lay blame," he said in a commanding voice. "I think
you can all agree that the damage has been done." Obi-Wan spoke slowly and
calmly, looking into the faces of laborers and Freelies alike. Qui-Gon felt
a wave of pride well up within him. When had Obi-Wan become so wise?
"You must work together to heal the wounds that have shown themselves
today." Obi-Wan directed his plea toward the laborers. But in spite of the
truth in Obi-Wan's words, Qui-Gon could tell the adult Vorzydiaks were not
convinced.
"My Padawan is right," Qui-Gon said as he joined Obi-Wan in the space
between the factions. "The generations have much to offer one another." He
placed an arm around Obi-Wan's shoulder. "In time you may understand that
there is more to life than work and productivity. You do not have to agree
all of the time, but if you take time to listen, to learn from one another,
the work you do together will become infinitely more rewarding."
The words resonated within Qui-Gon as he spoke them. He hoped Obi-Wan
understood that he was not just speaking about the Vorzydiaks. He was
talking about the two of them. How much they taught each other. How happy
it made them to work together, to depend on each other, to know that they
would always be there for each other, even when they did not agree.
With a glance at his apprentice he saw that Obi-Wan understood. The
two Jedi did not need antennae to communicate emotions. Their bond was
strong.
Qui-Gon's words reached some of the Vorzydiaks, too. But many
remained unconvinced.
"Who are you to tell us what to do?" one of the laborers asked Qui-
Gon and Obi-Wan angrily.
Chairman Port struggled to the front of the crowd and Grath rushed to
help him. "You are right," Port said to the angry Vorzydiak. "The Jedi are
not the ones who should solve our problems. Together we have created this
disaster." He leaned heavily on his son. "And together we must work to
resolve it."