by Jude Watson
Galen ignored this. "Dol Heep contacted his superiors. He told me that if I kept my mouth shut about the half-life of the toxin, they would pay us money and relocate us — "
"Don't say us!" Curi shouted suddenly. "This is about you, Galen!"
"I did it for us," Galen pleaded. "They said that if I didn't do what they wanted, they would say that 1 was the one who released the cloud deliberately. I didn't know what to do. They asked me for the research records and for the access code to our prototype Battle Droids — "
"And they paid you money for this," Curi said bitterly.
"They paid you a small fortune to betray me and yourself and your planet."
"I didn't know they were planning an invasion!"
"A child would have known they were planning an invasion!"
Curi shouted. She stood and leaned over the table. "It is all excuses and lies. It always has been. I've never seen you so clearly. You brought me into this business. You made my life what it is. I made weapons to destroy beings and planets. I found money to fund your research into the terrible, cunning ways beings can kill other beings. I sold these weapons and put the credits in my pocket. I helped bring these things into the galaxy and I will never get the smell of death out of my nostrils. No matter what I do now, no matter where I go."
"Curi, don't. I need you! They're going to imprison me for years — "
"You are lucky they don't kill you."
Curi turned and walked out the door.
Galen turned furious eyes on the Jedi. "You see what you've done? You've poisoned her against me!"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "Your planet is in ruins. Your family is destroyed. Thousands are dead. And still you blame others. You have not learned anything."
"There is nothing to learn!" Galen shouted.
The echo of his words followed them as the Masters and Padawans walked down the hall.
They walked out into a bright morning. The devastation of the city of Tacto was revealed. The mobs had burned and rioted. Businesses were destroyed. Houses were barricaded.
All air transports had been destroyed and looted for parts.
But now the Radnorans were busy returning to their homes and businesses. The sick were being cared for. The dead were being mourned.
"The Radnorans of Tacto are refusing to help any in the Isolation Sector who have survived," Ferus said.
"And they blame the Avoni for everything," Tru said. "They do not look to themselves for blame."
"Just like Galen," Darra said. "Tell me something. Are all missions this hard?"
"No," Soara said. "Some are harder."
"Neighbor turned on neighbor when the disaster occurred,"
Obi-Wan said. "This could have been an opportunity for generosity and sacrifice. Cowardice and violence erupted instead. This city was destroyed by greed and fear, not by a toxin."
"Not a good sign for the future of Radnor," Siri said.
"Yes, I won't be surprised if we are called here again someday," Ry-Gaul said.
The Jedi moved through the devastated streets toward their Senate transport. Obi-Wan swung into step beside Anakin.
"I am proud of you," he told him. "Not only did you act bravely, you worked well with the other Padawans. I heard how you all collaborated on the final plan to rescue us. You have learned a valuable Jedi lesson. You submitted your own will to listen to others. As a result, you gained strength."
"I was ready to rush after you to fight the droids,"
Anakin admitted. "It was Ferus who stopped me. He was right." He was a/so lucky, Anakin thought. The plan had almost gone awry. If Anakin had not managed to blast through the rock slide, four Jedi Masters and two Padawans would be dead.
But no one was bringing that up. Was Anakin the only one thinking it?
Obi-Wan would say it did not matter. What had happened, had happened. Jedi did not waste their time on ifs.
But Anakin couldn't look at it that way. The ifs were what intrigued him. The spaces between the rules.
If Ferus had been more lucky than right, had submitting his will been the right thing after all? He knew the question was not a Jedi question. He would not ask it of Obi- Wan.
It was his question. Only he could find the answer.
"So am I right? Do you feel you learned the Jedi lesson of submission of will? Do you understand the importance of the lesson?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin had to stop himself from giving away his unease. He would not lie to his Master. But had he truly submitted his will to Ferus? If he had to be honest, he would have to say no.
But he had submitted his will to Tru! Anakin recalled how in the exhaust system of the MTT, he had realized that Tru should be the one to lead. He had realized then how necessary cooperation was to the success of a mission. That had been the moment he had truly learned the Jedi lesson.
"Yes, I have learned the lesson well," he answered. He was happy he could be truthful.
Obi-Wan nodded in satisfaction and turned to board the transport.
Anakin started after him, but Ferus suddenly appeared at his side. Anakin had not sensed him nearby. "It's not the Jedi way to lie to your Master."
"Neither is eavesdropping," Anakin said, annoyed. "And I didn't lie."
Ferus studied him. The sunlight shone on the thick gold streaks in his dark hair. He did not look angry or accusatory. Merely thoughtful. "You did not tell the truth,"
he said. "You did not truly learn the Jedi lesson. You didn't learn anything. You are like Galen."
"That isn't so." Anakin kept his voice steady. "And it is not your business. It is my Master's business what I learn."
"Obi-Wan doesn't see you clearly," Ferus said softly. "He is a great Jedi Knight, but he is blinded by affection. But I see. And I will keep looking. I will watch you, Anakin Skywalker."
Ferus turned and strode up the ramp. Anakin had to stop himself from hurtling after him and tackling him to the floor. His body shook with rage.
Take a breath. Then another.
Anakin willed his beating heart to slow. Slowly the red mist before his eyes cleared.
I will watch you, too, Ferus. And if there is a battle between us, I will win.
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