Apprentice (Star Wars / Alex Rider Crossover) (BOOK 1)

Chapter Thirteen

Zanzibar

Soon they were headed for Kreon. Obi-Wan had traded his speeder for a small, two-passenger spaceship. They had stopped by the house to close it up, and then they were on their way.

They rode in silence for quite some time. Obi-Wan thought of the big risk he was taking. He had been on countless Jedi missions similar to this one, but it had always been with Anakin, not against him. If Vader discovered his whereabouts, he would surely try to kill him. Obi-Wan couldn't bear another lightsaber duel like the one on Mustafar. He would have to kill him. But could he? Anakin had been his padawan from a young age. He was his best friend, like a brother in many ways when they were older. But he had been deceived, turned against what he had been taught. He had become a monster. He had turned to the dark side, turned his back on Obi-Wan and the Jedi Order.

And what about Alex? He had been a great spy, as reluctant as he had been. But this was different. Alex had the Force and a lightsaber to help him. And he wanted to go, too. Maybe this would turn out all right, after all.

Alex was also deep in thought. He was actually going on a mission with his uncle, and not by himself. This would be different. They would fight together and rescue this other Jedi, Damar Lynn, and save all the other Jedi that were still alive.

Soon, Kreon loomed in front of them. It was rather ironic to put a prison there. Its fair temperatures and beautiful scenery made it a popular vacation spot in the galaxy where few people actually resided, which made it an easy planet to conquer. Alex thought that it didn't make any sense to conquer it: people went there to get away from the Empire. Tourism would drop drastically. The Empire was probably jealous that it was doing so well financially and wanted the help in its economy.

A few minutes later they had landed in the bustling spaceport. Hundreds of tourists milled about, making it difficult to walk in a straight line to anywhere.

Obi-Wan and Alex maneuvered through the crowd and headed toward a restaurant to get something to eat and discuss their mission.

"Where is Zanzibar Prison?" asked Alex.

"It's on the outskirts of Zanzibar City, where we are now. It's the only prison on the planet."

"Didn't that officer say she was on the third level?"

"He certainly did," Obi-Wan smirked.

Alex grinned back. "I'm sure that guy didn't realize that there were two Jedi listening to everything he had to say when he disclosed that information." He paused a moment, then said, "Do you think it's a trap? Do you think he knew we were there and said all that to lure us here and capture us?"

Obi-Wan thought of the possibility. "No, I don't think so. When he was there, he never looked in our direction. He couldn't have possibly noticed us. I would have sensed if he was lying?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Another Jedi trick?"

His master smiled. "I'll have to teach it to you sometime."

"Do we have a plan of attack?"

"Well, first off, I think we should rescue Damar. Then we must go to her house and get the Jedi records. Then we will make our getaway before Vader arrives back."

"I like it," Alex said. "Nice and simple."

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"Get moving!"

A stormtrooper guard was leading, or rather, dragging, Damar down the cellblock corridor, her hands in stun cuffs behind her. As weak as she was, she had to firmly decide not to cooperate with anyone. If she didn't cooperate, they would become angry and make mistakes. Even if they killed her, they still would never find the records, let alone break the codes. It didn't matter if it cost her her life. She would never betray her fellow Jedi.

They came to a cell. He unlocked it and shoved her inside, then slammed the door shut.

Damar lay there for a while, exhausted. She struggled to sit up. She looked around the dimly lit cell. It was very small, just barely long enough for her to lie down. There was no mattress for her to lie down on, just the bare floor. At the opposite end of the cell was a small window where the few rays of sunlight were coming from.

Something moved in the corner. Damar froze for a second, then relaxed. She should have known someone else was in here. Damar strained to see her cellmate. She was a young woman of about twenty, older than she, with a bruise on her left cheek and several more on her arms. Her cheeks were sunken and her eyes looked as if she hadn't slept in days. She gave a pitiful smile.

"Welcome to my cell," she said. Her voice was void of emotion.

What a welcome place to be, thought Damar.

"I'm Nyra," she said.

"Damar," she winced. Her throat was sore and it hurt to talk.

"Ah, let me guess, questioned by Vader.?"

Damar nodded, holding her throat.

"And what brings you to Zanzibar Prison, Damar?"

Damar looked at her skeptically. She didn't trust anyone. "Why would you care?"

Nyra shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask. We've all got our reasons, mostly for crimes against the Empire. I'm here because I was helping the Resistance movement here on Kreon. But since these hair-brained stormtroopers who have no more sense than a bantha on Hoth have taken over, they captured me and put me here. I was helping that Jedi. Ferus Olin I think was his name."

The mention of Ferus' name got Damar's attention. "You know Ferus Olin?"

"Yeah. He's the one that got the Resistance started here. You know him too?"

"I've heard of him," she replied vaguely. Ferus Olin. Resistance Fighters, here on Kreon. And he had never told her. That would be just like him, too.

"How?" Nyra pressed.

"Jedi know each other," Damar shrugged.

"You're a Jedi, too? And so young. I've always wanted to meet a Jedi."

"Didn't you meet Ferus?"

"Well, not exactly," Nyra stammered. "We -- the Resistance fighters -- always met in groups, and he would talk to all of us, like a bit meeting."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for a while. Damar turned to face the wall. What would happen to her now?