Path of Destiny - Chapter 11
The Path of Destiny
Chapter Eleven
Part One
Corridor
Trip paused, consulting his scanner. Krysira stopped
beside him, while Sedona waited behind them.
�Looks
like this corridor intersects with another corridor about 100 meters up ahead,�
Trip pointed out.
Krysira
felt a warning from the Force. �We must be cautious,� she said, softly, as she
drew in the Force to heighten her senses. She took the lead and held up her
hand, and one of her lightsabres automatically flew into her hand but did not
ignite.
Trip
nodded, putting the scanner away, while pulling out his blaster, holding the
weapon at ready. Sedona followed the two adults, her heart pounding in her
chest.
As
they approached the intersection, Krysira's Force-induced hearing picked up
something. She motioned for Trip and Sedona to stay against the side of the
corridor as she moved slowly and stealthily towards the intersection. She
frowned slightly upon hearing running footsteps.
She
crouched down a bit as the running footsteps got closer and closer. Suddenly,
Krysira saw five Exoians in pale green jumpsuits dash past.
�Curious,�
Krysira thought to herself.
A
few moments later, there was some loud banging.
Then
they heard...
�LET
US IN!� A male voice shouted. �DURRIKEN SENT US!�
In
the corridor, Sedona�s eyes widened. She tugged on Trip�s tunic. �Commander...�
she began, but fell silent seeing Trip put a finger to his lips.
Krysira
glanced over her shoulder to see Trip mouth: �Sorry.� She nodded once, then
edged up near the intersection and, peering out cautiously, saw no one. Krysira
then joined Trip and Sedona.
�What
did you want to tell me earlier, Sedona?� Trip asked quietly.
�I
know the name Durriken. He is part of the Tribunal,� Sedona whispered.
Krysira
and Trip shared a look.
�I
can contact Lonan or Roxx with my communicator.� The teenager started to reach
for the device.
Krysira
laid her hand on Sedona�s hand. �No. I have a better way,� the pretty Jedi
Knight told her, softly.
�Besides,
the frequency of the communicator can be picked up and we could be found,� Trip
replied, quietly.
�Oh,�
Sedona simply said.
�But
first, I must find out all the information I can. Please remain here.� Krysira
told them.
Trip
discreetly caught one of Krysira's hands, giving it a gentle squeeze, then
reluctantly allowed her hand to slip from his hand. He looked up to see Krysira
give him a comforting smile. He watched her move stealthily to the end of the
corridor and around it.
Krysira
saw a door as she moved slowly towards it. She spotted an alcove and crouching
down in it, drew in the Force even more to listen for anything coming from the
other side of the door.
�My
lord Drayce,� a male voice began. �Counselor Ryvinia is done and has been
secured in the room.�
Krysira's
silvery/blue eyes widened slightly. The search was over. Drayce and Counselor
Ryvinia had been found. But before formulating a plan, Krysira had to gather
more information. She continued to listen.
Part Two
Dwelling
Drayce looked up at Jeyzen who entered the room, bowing slightly.
�My
lord Drayce, Counselor Ryvinia is done and has been secured in the room,�
Jeyzen reported.
Drayce
smiled. �Excellent,� he replied, then frowned upon hearing some kind of
commotion in another room. �What is going on?� He questioned, rhetorically, as
he got up, walking out of the room with Jeyzen right behind him.
Just
before entering the room, Drayce came upon Myrek standing in front of five
Exoians all dressed in pale green jumpsuits. He noted the names on the
jumpsuits. The big burly Exoian standing in front of Myrek, glaring at him, was
Makkor. There were two other males on either side of Makkor. The youngest
looking of the three males was Riaden, while the other one with sparse hair was
Narset.
The
two females, Drayce noted, were standing together just behind Riaden. Cluna had
short hair and was the older looking of the two, while Dalosi had
shoulder-length hair and a thin scar along her right jaw line.
�Where
is Drayce?� Makkor demanded.
Drayce
stepped into view. �Yes?� Drayce replied, stepping up next to Myrek. He frowned
upon noticing something. �Why are there only five of you?�
Makkor
grunted. �We encountered some resistance and they captured Jalerin,� he
growled.
�Resistance?�
Drayce looked puzzled.
Cluna
stepped forward. �Yes. A Jedi,� she replied. �Along with others.�
Drayce�s
eyes narrowed slightly. �Male or female?�
�It
was a male Jedi,� Narset replied in a gravely tone. �There was a boy Jedi as
well.�
Drayce
simply stared at the group...then exploded: �I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS!�
Drayce�s
outburst did not seem to faze the newcomers. They merely gazed back at him.
�The
adult Jedi just appeared out of nowhere in a shimmer of lights!� Riaden added.
�WHAT?�
Drayce exclaimed, staring at Riaden in disbelief.
�We
had no choice but to flee,� Dalosi concluded in a child-like voice.
Drayce
took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he composed himself. He turned to
Myrek. �Make certain that our guests are comfortable.�
Myrek
bowed slightly. �As you wish, my lord,� he replied, then looked at the group.
�If you will follow me.� He turned and walked out of the room, leading the
group into another part of the dwelling.
Drayce
waited until they left before turning to Jeyzen. �This complicates matters,� he
said, definitely not pleased with the current development.
Part Three
Corridor � near dwelling
Krysira stealthily moved from the alcove and rejoined Trip
and Sedona. She saw Trip smile in relief, as the chief engineer moved closer to
her, laying a large hand gently and discreetly on the pretty Jedi Knight�s low
back.
�Did
you find out anything?� Trip questioned in a low voice.
�Yes,�
Krysira replied, then proceeded to summarize what she had heard.
Sedona�s
eyes widened. �Aunt Ryvinia! We must free her!� She said in a distraught manner.
Quickly
gathering in the Force, Krysira laid a gentle hand on the teenager�s shoulder.
�Calm, my young friend,� she said in a gentle soothing tone, allowing the
calming effects of the Force to flow into Sedona.
Trip
watched as Sedona�s agitated manner almost instantly became relaxed.
�We
cannot act irrationally, for we do not want harm to befall Counselor Ryvinia,�
Krysira continued in that soft manner of hers.
Sedona
merely nodded.
�What
do we do now?� Trip wanted to know, careful to keep his voice low.
�After
I contact Qui-Gon, I need to listen for any further developments,� Krysira
replied, quietly.
Although
he wasn�t too happy about Krysira putting herself in potential danger, Trip
knew that this was part of her being a Jedi Knight. He remembered how she
approached every fight that they had been in. She had been courageous, yet not
foolish. She seemed to approach each situation logically, not emotionally. He
realized that the way the Jedi handled a situation wasn�t so different from the
way the Vulcans would handle it. This was what she was. And Trip accepted it.
He had to. They were connected through the Force. �Trust in the Force,� he had
heard her say on more than one occasion. Well, if she did, then he could as
well.
�Okay,�
he replied, quietly, then thought: /�Please be careful, sweetheart.�/
�/�Always...my
love,�/ Krysira replied instantly, then closed her eyes, concentrating.
/�Qui-Gon...�/
Part Four
Infirmary
Qui-Gon
opened his eyes, after closing the connection with Krysira. He furrowed his
brow at what he had just discovered. He walked over to Archer.
�Captain
Archer, may I speak privately with you a moment?� Qui-Gon asked.
�Sure,�
Archer replied, a bit curious.
The
two men went to the far side of the infirmary.
�What
is it, Qui-Gon?� The captain wanted to know.
�I
have been in mental communication with Krysira,� the Jedi Master began,
quietly. �She and Commander Tucker have returned to the planet and found
Sedona, who disobeyed Gadi and returned to the passageway.�
Archer
sighed heavily, as he rolled his eyes. �Teenagers,� he muttered, as he folded
his arms across his chest.
�However...�
Qui-Gon�s voice lowered even more. �Be careful of Durriken, for he is somehow
connected to Drayce and those Exoians we encountered earlier. But do not let
him know you suspect anything.�
Archer
studied the taller man intently for a few moments. �You know something, don�t
you?�
Qui-Gon�s
lean features revealed nothing. �Possibly. I am hoping that he will betray
himself and lead us to Drayce.�
At
that moment, the doors to the infirmary opened and Gadi entered with a grave
expression on his face.
Before
anyone could speak, two medical attendants followed with a stretcher. The group
stared in shocked silence, seeing that it was Advisor Nayda. As the attendants
put Nayda�s lifeless body on a bed, Gadi turned to the group.
�I
do not mean to be rude, but I request that everyone please leave,� Gadi
announced in a shaky voice.
�I
am sorry, Healer Gadi, but I will not leave this dangerous prisoner, even
though she is asleep,� Entok said in a determined tone, as he folded his arms
over his chest.
Gadi
looked over at Entok and knowing that it would be futile to argue with the
guard merely nodded. He then motioned for everyone else to leave. He watched
the others file out of the room, except for Kaylar who joined him. The younger
healer laid a hand on the older man�s shoulder in comfort.
Gadi
nodded slightly in thanks, then turned to Nayda�s body, as did Kaylar, to begin
the painful task of performing a death ritual.
Part Five
Dwelling � small room
Counselor Ryvinia shifted on the couch, trying to find a
comfortable position despite being bound hand and foot.
�Why
did Drayce need those citizenship papers? What does he have in mind?� Ryvinia
said quietly out loud to no one. �What else is he going to demand from me?
Every time I try to refuse, he threatens harm to Sedona. How did he find out
about her being my niece? I know what I am doing for him goes against
everything I believe in, yet I can not allow any danger to befall Sedona...or
Malcolm.� She swallowed, trying to prevent the tears that were beginning to
well up in her eyes to fall. �I wish that things would have turned out
differently with Malcolm. Perhaps, if I had not been so...forward...but I could
not keep what I felt for him inside any longer.� Despite her best efforts,
tears began to fall onto her soft cheeks.
The
Exoian counselor�s shoulders shook, as she began to sob.
Part Six
Recreation/dining area
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Malcolm, Archer, Elkan, Trey and Caden
entered the area. Upon seeing Trey, Chelz leapt up, running over to the rugged
space pilot. She launched herself into his waiting arms, hugging him, while
giving him a rather passionate kiss on the lips. Caden grinned at the couple.
Hoshi smiled, knowing how truly happy Chelz was to be with
Trey again. She looked up to see Archer and Malcolm sit down across from her.
All three Enterprise officers smiled at each other. Elkan seated himself
next to Malcolm, nodding in greeting to Hoshi, who smiled at him.
Lonan rose and greeted the Jedi, obviously happy to see
his friend, Obi-Wan. They walked over to join Archer and the others, as did
Chelz, Trey and Caden.
Archer glanced over at his armory officer, noting the
disturbed look on the younger man�s face. �Malcolm...what�s wrong?� The captain
questioned.
�I have a feeling that we were really close to finding
Drayce earlier, when we encountered those other Exoians,� Malcolm grumbled.
Elkan rested his arms on the table. �I agree with Lieutenant
Reed, Captain,� the resistance leader put in.
Qui-Gon and Archer shared a look. The Jedi Master then
explained the situation regarding Krysira, Trip and Sedona, but left out his
theory regarding a possible connection between Drayce and Durriken.
�We�ve got to help them!� Malcolm exclaimed, after Qui-Gon
finished. �They need our help!�
�If we can find them,� Archer pointed out.
Qui-Gon laid a reassuring hand on Archer�s shoulder. �That
should not be a problem.� He paused for a moment. �Therefore, Captain Archer,
you and the others assist Krysira and Commander Tucker.� He saw the starship
captain nod. �Obi-Wan, go with them.�
The Jedi apprentice nodded. �But what of you, Master?� He
questioned.
�Recent developments compel me to remain here and
investigate, Padawan.�
�I understand,� Archer replied.
�As do I, Master,� Obi-Wan responded.
�Good...let�s go!�
As Archer led Malcolm, Elkan, Trey, Caden and Obi-Wan out
of the area on the run, he stole a long glance at the Jedi apprentice. Even
though he knew that Obi-Wan was only a teenager, Archer realized how mature he
was in the way he handled himself during the recent encounter.