[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Covalent Bonds

Chapter 33

IG series. New look to it, no carbon scoring on its armor, intact cloak. Obi-Wan lowered his macrobinoculars as Ecls' speeder shot away.A MagnaGuard without Grievous. They are independent of him, at least enough to kill Jedi per Dooku's orders. Or Grievous' orders, maybe. "Six, you and the rest of the squad head for the starport. Go to Ecls and say you're moving on because there's no work available. Put it out that you've had it with us officers and give the impression that you've done us in out here in the hinterlands, if he gets inquisitive. You know, act casual. If the MagnaGuard joins in with any comments, so much the better."

"And where will you be, sir?" Acting, I hate acting.

"The Commander and I won't be far, listening. Here" -- Obi-Wan handed Six an onychotransponder which Six slipped under a fingernail -- "this will make your nails look dirty, but you're scruffy characters, right?"

"Sir, the shuura doesn't fall far from the tree, sir." Six grinned. "Pick you up here?"

"We'll see how it all plays out. The MagnaGuard may recruit you. Let him. We'll send for an extraction team for ourselves, if necessary." The terentatek mission begins in a few days. Its potential is greater than this mission and I'm delegating its conclusion to you.

"How should we act scurrilous about your whereabouts?" I know my motivation, but my technique, um ...

Anakin broke in. "This is the security chip for the transport. Normally, only an officer would have one. Flash it, give him a look and a wink and that ought to do it." Take it and May The Force Be With You. Six saluted, motioned to the others and departed.

Anakin went back to analyzing the metal shape while Obi-Wan fiddled with their communications array. Anakin had just completed a metallurgical analysis when the array chimed.

"Old Folks' Home to Vohis Mold. Old Folks' Home to Vohis Mold. Respond." It took Tholme's odd sense of humor to select the planet's odoriferous exported mold that some benighted citizens used as a spice as their mission's code name.

"Vohis Mold here."

"Problems?"

"Things are looking up. Should be leaving today." Stars willing.

"I've been Trolling for what you've wanted, but you can return the limited edition scramball players' holocards if they don't suit. I got gas last night from that deadly dull restaurant you like so much, thanks a bunch. I'll never let it touch my lips again."

"So sorry, you delicate thing. We'll make it up to you, in any number of ways." Master Yoda wants us to return, yes, we're working on that, Tholme. Shvash gas is deadly, perhaps in large quantities when used as a contact irritant or vesicant agent?

I have a playful side, Kenobi. "You bet you two will. I've been freezing at night without you to snuggle between."

Balls. There's an image I can do without, Spymaster. You'd likely have spycams everywh -- "I can hardly wait to okay your every whim, Th-- I mean, Home."

"I'm looking forward to it. Old Folks' Home, out."

You deserved teasing, Master, and I don't like to hear Master Yoda called 'The Troll.' He's going to let me be Knighted, after all that I did to the Tuskens ... Anakin put down his tools and stood up to stretch as much as he could towards the ceiling that the clones built automatically to their own smaller proportions. "So shvash gas acts as an asphyxiant due to freezing respiratory passages, is that it?"

"Seems that way. The Separatists could combine shvash gas with those sonic nanobot screamers we saw on Olanet to create a devastating area effect weapon.  Some downlevel residents use similar dangerous gases as recreational euphorics, I believe." And am I relieved your extra-Temple forays did not lead you into such beings, Padawan mine.

There are worse things out there, sweetheart, but I'll not enlighten you. "Flirp-caackle."

"Eh? Oh, here comes something, Anakin." Obi-Wan handed over a duplicate earbud to share their surveillance.

' -- and we're up a black hole if we don't find work soon.' Six's voice portrayed equal measures of desperation and begging.

'You're paid up on your storage fees until seventh hour tonight, spacer.' Ecls' statement sounded like a warning.

' -- hsss -- you look technologically educated, clone. It must have been dripped into your canister.' Its speculative algorithms are working overtime, thought Obi-Wan.

'Better than anyone else you'll find onplanet, droid.'

There was a sharper hiss from a simulated set of vocal cords. 'Leave us, Ecls. Get the next shipment of replacement tunnel diodes loaded immediately. Milord Dooku grows impatient.'

'I-It's not my fault they keep needing replacing in that kriffing Force-guarded monstrosity on Coruscant, they weren't meant for anything other than healthful aids for Glarsaurs in the rainy season, why oh why did I ever leave Sullust, this is not worth it -- '

'Do what the droid says, Ecls.' Menacing, very impressive, Six. Obi-Wan gave a thumbs-up to Anakin.

There were shuffling sounds, hurried footsteps and the hrmmmch of a door cycling shut.

'So, clone, you're not cowards, you're smart, you're seeing which way the wind blows in this war. Milord Dooku can use you. Meet me at my ship in half an hour, if you're game.'

'What about our ship?' You're thinking about your Jedi commanders, Six, never mind us. Obi-Wan and I will be fine.

'Think of it as trading up, clone. The Sullustan will part it out soon enough. It's quite a common vehicle.' There were some more snide insults about their serviceable starcraft from the sophisticated bit of machinery, but the Jedi had heard enough.

"I hope the transponder stays put longer than the last time we used one. We'll leave on the feed as a precaution, Obi-Wan, and tag it for silence until our extraction keyword, here, let me do it." Anakin plied his skills in the total concentration that Obi-Wan loved about him. With their plans coming to fruition and trusting in the resourcefulness of Six and his brothers, Obi-Wan and Anakin hefted all that they would pack into their transport in a heap, settling down to wait for darkness and the ensuing sneak into the starport before Ecls started dismantling their vehicle. With the pragmatism typical of the Sullustan commercial instincts, Anakin wouldn't put it past Ecls to lie about seeing himself and Obi-Wan joining the clones' recruitment with the MagnaGuard. He tucked the metal shape inside his robe's inner pocket, thinking about the clones and the metal mystery.

"'Force-guarded monstrosity on Coruscant'? What else could it be except the Temple?"

"Exactly, Padawan. Which is why we'll need the feed sent to a file." Obi-Wan rubbed his back. "I didn't know this going in, but the squad's extraction may not come for a long while."

"If ever, you mean. Have we sent them to their deaths?" I had a mother, no father. They had a father, no mother. We're related, in a way.

Grim necessities, be glad you're not a general, young one. "If it ends like that, they'll not have been the first." He clapped a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "The feed is on, the tag is set to listen for 'Vohis Mold,' and it's dark now. Let's go."

"All right. I'm done with this simple analyzer, anyway. This metal thing is common durasteel underneath a gilded cover, it's etched with one Aurebesh letter for meaning or maybe simply decor, it's meant to fit into something." He crawled out of the redan after Obi-Wan, yearning to look up and see stars, but Gelgelar's gloom prevented him from being inspired. He took the lead down the hill. "I could use a lantern right about now."

Obi-Wan followed Anakin's imprinted glow as it revealed itself in his mind. "You're almost as good as a lamp to me, An-- " Gilded. Decor. Lantern. Lamp. Fit into something. "A finial?"

"'A finial?' What's a finial?"

"It's an architectural term for a decorative piece on top of a pillar or something else upright, but in this case I believe the metal shape fits on top of a lamp to secure its shade, therefore it's a finial."

Anakin brushed aside a piece of bracken dripping with dew. "Okay, it's fair to assume that any Gelgalar resident would adore anything that brings light here, be they imported Sullustan like Ecls or Saurton like Threxa or native Glarsaur -- " Lamp. Glarsaur. Regork. Temple. Regork's a Glarsaur and he has a therapeutic heatlamp in his office, in our Temple --

"Home," Anakin said together with Obi-Wan. They commenced to run.

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant ...

Fish and visitors stink in three days, and I've pushed myself on Cousin Padmé for nearly two months. "I'm leaving tomorrow, Cousin. I can't begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed our visit. You're, you're a wonderful hostess and a marvelous tour guide, I've imposed -- "

"Oh, you have not, Enri Etolini. I've gotten to know you and you remind me so much of home, that, that -- " Padmé pushed her punko eggs around on her breakfast plate and dribbled her swig of muja juice down her chin. Enri dabbed the liquid away from her jaw and nightwear bodice. "Pardon me, Cousin, I'm clumsy this morning for some reason," Padmé said, smiling into his amused brown eyes.

"I should think you'd be pleased to get rid of me." Enri's amusement reached his wide mouth. "I'm a hick, compared to everyone I've met here."

"You're a breath of fresh air, is what you are." Padmé took his damp napkin from him. "Everyone tells me how poised you are, how charming and polite you are at receptions ... " Erk. He's your cousin. Don't lead him on.

She's nice and such an accomplished liar. It goes with her job. "Hardly going to say otherwise to you, now are they?"

"I like having you around. You're normal and pleasant company and" -- Force-blind, like me -- "as long as you don't have a pressing need to return to Naboo or a relationship, why not stay?"

We could be fraternal twins in looks, why haven't I noticed that before? "True, the Glitannai Esplanade has its charms and the Manarai Mountains I'd like to see in summer, perhaps along with another trip to the Skydome Botanical Gardens, perhaps indulge in their desert plum blossoms perfume before the blossoms fade until next year ... well ... all right, you've talked me into it." He laughed. "I'm easy."

Are you? "You're right." At his uplifted eyebrow, Padmé realized her error. "Not 'you're right,' as in, 'I agree with you,' but 'you're morally right,' you understand." They finished their meal in silence.

Enri rose first, standing behind Padmé to rub her shoulders. "Cousin, I'm pleased to provide the comfort of family to a Vice-Chancellor. I've known it all my life in Varykino and it's a fine thing to discover it here on Coruscant, with you." She's what I'd call a 'kissing cousin,' but not going there --

"Your Excellency, your father on your private audio-only frequency." Threepio handed the comm over and walked out of the breakfast room with his new muted steps. Anakin had readjusted more than a few things after the droids' last stay in-Temple.

Padmé leaned back into Enri's capable hands. "Good morning, Papa."

"Good morning, Your Excellency." Ruwee's sturdy voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "Not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No. It's your usual monthly chat, right?"

"Won't be long this morning. The university's gotten into the idea of having breakfast power meetings."

"Power? At this hour? What do the meetings entail?" Padmé suppressed a moan when Enri's talented fingers massaged a tender ganglia.

"Who gets which speeder spot, retirement parties, even a change in curriculum gets mentioned as a sop to education issues. Lately the meetings got even more tedious. Thought I'd cheer myself up by comming you, baby."

"She needs a ray of sunshine herself sometimes, sir," Enri said over Padmé's shoulder.

"Enri?"

"Yes, sir. Enjoying the morning before work, sir?"

"Stop with the 'sir.' It's Ruwee from now on out. Padmé, where are you two off to today?"

Papa sounds smug, blast it. "Enri might be going to the Esplanade, and I'm headed to meet with Master Yoda about the Jedi Children's Museum."

"Again? It's running on its own, isn't it? Why does Master Yoda need you? Delegate, dear, you need to delegate."

Don't tense up, don't -- "Owooo, right there, Cousin, yesss -- um, yes, Papa, delegate, got it now. How's Mama?"

"I've got a misery in my back today, Padmé, but don't you think another thing about it." Jobal's voice sounded cheerful enough from the Naberrie upstairs comm station.

Padmé rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mama. I'm sorry, Mama. Would you like another shipment of blob candy from Taste o'Teevan?"

"You know, that sounds like just the thing. Thank you for the thought, Padmé. How's Enri getting around?"

"Same as when you asked last month, he's -- "

"I'm flying the Torpedo, which Cousin Padmé is nice enough to lend me. It's a treat to mod a high-end vehicle like that, too -- "

"You're making him work on your vehicle, daughter?" Jobal was wrinkling her nose in genteel displeasure, Padmé just knew it. "He's so nice to do that."

Enough, dears, before Sola drops by and joins in. "Time for me to dress and leave, thanks for comming, good fortune on your meeting, Papa, and Mama, I'll see to the candy. Goodbye until next month."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, sir, uh, I mean -- " Padmé broke the connection.

"I'll see to the blob candy, Cousin."

"Thanks, Cousin." Padmé closed her eyes as Enri compressed her temples with gentle hands. "Ohhh, yes. Again."

TBC

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