When Paths Collide

Chapter 10 - To Find A Crystal

Aniya Skywalker

Voices echo loudly around me, and I jolt awake with a start, right as someone very rudely shoves me with the end of a blaster. Amani surround us on all sides. Obi-Wan is already standing with cuffs on his wrists, and they roughly drag me to my feet, putting me in restraints as well.

"You were supposed to be on watch!" Obi-Wan exclaims, irritably.

"We thought this would be more effective," I confess, smirking at his irritation.

"This was your idea of a plan?!" he shrieks, "You intentionally fell asleep and let us get captured?!"

"It's working, right?" Anakin retorts, equally amused.

They jerk him to his feet, putting him in cuffs as well and taking away our lightsabers before shoving us forwards.

"Time for some more walking," I drawl.

"Since this was your plan, I have no sympathy for you," Obi-Wan retaliates.

"I didn't ask for any," I snip. I feel better than I did last night, or maybe it's just that I have something else to focus on again, now that we're back in the action. Missions are the only thing that distract me, really.

"Hopefully, they take us to their leader," Anakin interjects.

"I have no idea what the plan is," Obi-Wan huffs, apparently still grouchy he got such a rude awakening, "Remember I just woke up."

"Well, you do seem rested," Anakin shoots back.

"Yeah, if all your complaints are anything to go by," I agree.

"Well, I'll make a very pleasant captive," he mutters.

"You already are," I smirk.

The walk is very long and very boring, but at least we manage to convince the leader we're here to buy their "new shiny weapon" that "everyone in the Outer Rim knows about", according to Anakin and Obi-Wan. Thankfully, they actually bought that claim.

"You said 'the big man'?" Anakin hisses in a whisper, as creature who could compete with Master Yoda in height drives up on a speeder and jumps off, marching up to us.

Obi-Wan shoves him. "Not now."

"My name is not important," the creature insists in a high-pitched screechy voice as Obi-Wan tries to begin with the boring pleasantries. "I heard that the Republic is interested in buying the crystal."

"Crystal?" Anakin blurts out, eyes widening.

Obi-Wan pointedly shoves his way in front of him. "Yes, we are definitely interested in buying the crystal." Fast thinking. I'm tempted to roll my eyes at their antics.

Anakin carefully looks over his shoulder and circles around him. "Crystal? I thought you said missile!"

"And we're here to buy the crystal," Obi-Wan adds.

Which is when the creature finally announces his intention to sell it to 'General Krell'. I barely withhold the question of 'is he here?'. We have to play this just right. I can't afford to mess this up. They finally give in to our insistence about seeing this crystal – what could they be doing with a crystal?! – though, and we start walking again.

It goes fine, all things considered, until we reach their camp, and they decide they want to lock us up in separate cells while we wait.

One of the Amani shoves me forwards, and Anakin abruptly spins around, kicking one of them back, flipping out of the way as they try shooting at him. I instantly spring into motion, throwing several of them back, position my hands right so when one of them fires, the cuffs clatter to the floor.