Chapter 22

The battle was like none Obi-Wan had ever imagined. He felt no fear. He had accepted his death. The odds were just too great against him. Now he only fought to protect the Arconans. He felt no anger. He did not hate the hungry beasts that dropped endlessly from the blackened skies.


The Force was his ally.


He could feel it moving him, moving through him, and through the draigons. He leaped and somersaulted. He spun and slashed through muzzles and claws. The battle became a dance of sheer survival.


As he danced, Obi-Wan changed. He felt subtle promptings he’d never felt before. He saw attacks before they came. He sensed the flail of a tail before it happened. The muscles of the draigons seemed incredible defined, so that he could read tiny flickers of movements that revealed which way a draigon would turn. Dead draigons piled on the ground around him. He gave himself entirely to the dance.


After several long minutes, he began backing toward the mouth of the cave. He had an idea. If he could kill the draigons at the very mouth of the cave, the bodies would block the entrance. If enough entrances were blocked, they might have a chance.


He fought his way back ferociously. He had just gained the entrance when he heard a familiar laugh.


“Well done, little one!” Jemba chortled. The enormous Hutt slithered from the shadows farther back in the cave. He held an oversized blaster rifle.


Obi-Wan barely had time to glance at the Hutt, for three draigons had gathered at the mouth of the cave.


“Help me!” Obi-Wan called to Jemba as he fought. It would be easy for the Hutt to shoot the draigons. He could help with his plan. Obi-Wan knew he wouldn’t care to save him, but Jemba would certainly want to save himself.


“Of course,” Jemba chortled. “I’ll help you — to death!” He raised his blaster rifle and aimed.


Grelb huddled beneath his rock. Draigons lay at Obi-Wan Kenobi’s feet. The boy stood with the mouth of the cave yawning wide behind him.


The Hutt chuckled softly. He saw his chance and squeezed the trigger of his blaster.


The bolt shot out — but the Grelb’s surprise, young Obi-Wan must have sensed it coming, for he dodged to the side. The bolt barely missed him.


Grelb shouted in rage and prepared to fire again. This time, he would not miss. But suddenly, he felt huge teeth rip into his tail.


He had been concentrating too hard. He had forgotten to keep a lookout. A draigon had found him.


He barely had time to cry out before the draigon yanked him from under his rock.


Obi-Wan stood panting. He’d felt the Force, had dodged as the blaster bolt came from nowhere and sizzled past his head. Perhaps no one felt as surprised as Jemba the Hutt.


The enormous Hutt took the blaster bolt in the chest. For the briefest moment, Jemba stared down at his wound in disbelief. “Well, ha!” he laughed in horror.


His surprised eyes stared into Obi-Wan’s for a moment. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. Then Jemba slumped onto the muddy ground and died.


A draigon’s cry wrenched Obi-Wan’s attention back to his situation. He barely had time the thrust his lightsaber at the huge attacking mouth, then jump back.


“That was a little to close, I’d say,” Qui-Gon remarked from behind him. His lightsaber powered up and glowed green. “I think you could use some help.”

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