"Yes, I've seen them," Obi-Wan said, nodding.
Nield leaned forward. "We've been in contact with the Young outside the city," he said. "I've sent a message to them telling them that we have succeeded in capturing the weapons of both Melida and Daan. There are several destroyed villages ringing the city. Many of the children live there, or in the countryside. Hundreds. Thousands, if we take in a wider area. They are all connected by a network. If we can destroy the particle shields, they will march on Zehava."
"And they have weapons, too," Cerasi added quietly. "We would have an army. Not only would the Elders be outnumbered, they would have nothing to fight with. We could win a war without one death — if we are careful, and the Elders are smart enough to surrender."
"It sounds like a good plan," Obi-Wan said. "But how are you going to knock out the deflection towers?"
"That's our problem," Nield said. "They can only be destroyed from the air. All we need is an air transport."
"We can't use floaters," Cerasi explained. "The deflection towers have defense systems. Floaters wouldn't be fast enough or agile enough. We need a starfighter."
Cerasi and Nield held Obi-Wan's gaze.
"We know you flew some sort of fast transport into Melida/Daan. Will you fly us on the mission?" Cerasi asked.
Obi-Wan's breath left him. Cerasi and Nield were asking a great deal. This would go beyond a Padawan's disobedience. It would defy Yoda himself.
Qui-Gon would be within his rights to send him back to the Temple. He would probably have to appear before the Jedi Council. And Qui-Gon would have the right to dismiss him as his Padawan.
"We can leave at dawn," Nield said. "The mission should only take an hour, maybe a little more. Then you can take Tahl back to Coruscant."
"The destruction of the particle shield will actually make it easier for you to smuggle Tahl out of Zehava," Cerasi pointed out.
"But if the starfighter is damaged, it could mean she can't leave at all," Obi-Wan said. "It would doom our mission to failure, and perhaps make me responsible for Tahl's death."
Cerasi bit her lip. "It was wrong of me to mock you before," she said awkwardly, as if she were unused to apologies. "I know the Jedi code guides the way you live. And we know we are asking too much from you. If we weren't desperate, we wouldn't do it. You've done so much already for us."
"As you have done for us," Obi-Wan said. "We could not have rescued Tahl without you."
"It is our only chance for peace," Nield said. "Once the Elders see our numbers, they will have no choice but surrender."
Obi-Wan glanced over at Qui-Gon's sleeping form. He owed his Master so much. Qui-Gon had fought alongside him, even saved his life. They had a bond.
Yet he had a bond with Nield and Cerasi, too. The shortness of the time he'd known them made no difference. The current that ran between them was like nothing he'd ever experienced. And even though Cerasi apologized for mocking him, hadn't there been a germ of truth in her words? Was it right to obey when his heart told him it was wrong?
Cerasi's usual fierce green gaze had softened with compassion as she watched the struggle on his face. Nield met his gaze steadily, warmly. He, too, knew what they were asking Obi-Wan was a great sacrifice.
He would have to betray Qui-Gon, betray his life as a Jedi. For them. For their cause. They could ask this because they knew they were right.
Obi-Wan knew they were right, too. And he couldn't let them down. He could not make this decision as a Jedi. He would make it as a friend.
He took a deep breath. "I'll do it."
They sneaked out before dawn. Cerasi led them to the Outer Circle through the tunnels. Then they left Zehava the same way Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had arrived — through the Hall of Evidence, back to the trap. This time, Nield had brought finely spun carbon rope, which he tossed up to the surface. A strong magnet adhered to the metal slide, and they were able to scale it easily.
The hike to the transport went quickly in the cool gray light. The three of them had stuffed proton grenades in their packs. They were heavy, but they hardly felt the weight. They were anxious to get to the transport and start their mission.
When they reached the starfighter, Nield and Cerasi helped Obi-Wan uncover it from the branches and brush he and Qui-Gon had dragged over it.
Nield beamed when he saw the sleek, small starfighter. Then he noticed the gash in the side panel. He turned to Obi-Wan.
"I guess I should have asked you something. Are you a good pilot?"
Obi-Wan looked at him blankly for a moment. Then Cerasi burst out laughing. Nield and Obi-Wan joined her, the sound bouncing off the canyon walls.
"I guess we'll find out," Cerasi said cheerfully.
They climbed into the starfighter. Obi-Wan slid into the pilot's seat. For a moment, he hesitated, staring at the controls. The last time he'd sat here, he'd landed the craft with Qui-Gon in the copilot's seat. Qui-Gon had kidded him about denting the side of the starfighter. Obi-Wan felt a pang of remorse. Was he doing the right thing? Was this cause worth betraying Qui-Gon?
Cerasi touched his wrist gently. "We know this is hard for you, Obi-Wan. That's what makes your sacrifice even more valuable to us."
"And we give you our deepest thanks," Nield said quietly.
Obi-Wan turned and met their eyes. He felt a shock, as though he were looking at himself. In the steady gazes of his friends he saw what was held in his own heart — the same dedication, the same fierceness, the same daring. He felt his confidence surge. He was doing the right thing. Maybe Qui-Gon would come to understand that.
He started the ion engines. "Let's get going."
"We should hit the perimeter towers first, then the center towers," Cerasi said. "We're going to have to do everything by sight. I don't have any coordinates for the nav computer."
"It won't be a problem," Obi-Wan said. He kept the engines at low power as the ship rose in order to clear the overhanging cliff. Then he pushed the engines to full power to soar above the canyon. No one told him to slow down.
"I'm going to have to do some defensive flying, so it's better if you two do the aiming," Obi-Wan said. "The station for the laser cannon is right in front of you, Cerasi."
Nield went to his own laser cannon station.
"I'll open up the emergency weapon sighting plate as we get closer," Obi-Wan said. "Remember to keep your eyes out for speeders. We're going to have to come in low to blast the deflection controls."