Shalini shook her head. "We don't think they do. We think Samdew was in deep cover. He never sent a transmission before that night, and Mezdec stopped him before the transmission went through. All transmissions were coded and timed, so we would have known if he'd been in contact with the Vanqors. We assume that his mission was to remain until we had cracked the Vanqor code and learned something vital."
"Which we did," Rajana said.
"Yes, let's get back to that," Obi-Wan said. "What have you learned?"
"We have the details of the Vanqor invasion plans," Shalini said.
"Troop movements, coordinates, the invasion sites. We have it all on this."
Shalini held up a small disk. "It's crucial that we get the information to Typha-Dor."
"We'll have to leave from here," Obi-Wan told her. "We have good reason to believe that the Vanqors have destroyed our ship. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before they find this outpost."
"Samdew sabotaged the transport," Mezdec reminded them. "I can fix anything, but I can't fix it." Anakin stood. "Let me try."
Chapter Three
Anakin disappeared into the transport hangar. Obi-Wan had no doubt that if anyone could fix the vehicle, it would be Anakin. He had a genius for fixing the unfixable.
Shalini looked worried. "Mezdec has tried for weeks to fix the ship.
With all possible respect for your apprentice, he'll never be able to get it up and running. Are you certain nothing can be salvaged from your transport? Maybe we should chance a walk there. We don't know for sure that Vanqor has set an ambush. There might be parts we could use. I'll go, if you can give me the coordinates."
"Shalini, no," Mezdec protested. "It's too dangerous."
"No, it's not," Shalini said. "It's necessary."
"You'd never make it at night," Mezdec argued. "Survival gear can't protect you from that kind of cold. Besides, you know the rule. We only go in pairs." He touched her hand. "As you and I do," he said in a gentle tone.
She smiled, but shook her head. "We should try every avenue. I am responsible for this disk." She touched her belt, where she had tucked the disk into a hidden slit. "I have another idea. We could return to the Jedi ship, expecting an ambush. A few of us could pretend to surrender. Then the others could attack the Vanqor ship. We could get off-planet in their transport."
"That's a highly unlikely scenario," Obi-Wan said. "And a last resort.
Let's give Anakin a chance before we make that decision."
Everyone ignored Obi-Wan. "Maybe we should split the team," Olanz said. "A few of us could go with Shalini at first light. We could take the missile tube and some flechette launchers."
"Our strength is in our numbers," Rajana argued. "We should remain together."
"Thik can't travel," Mezdec pointed out.
"I can travel," Thik said. "Just not very fast."
"And what of the ones who remain behind?" Rajana asked. "We're almost out of heating fuel. Whoever stayed would be facing death."
"We have faced death all along," Thik said.
"That doesn't mean we should invite it in," Mezdec said.
Thik smiled slightly. "Isn't this just like our home-world. We spend so long arguing about what's the best way to do something that we never get anything done."
"That doesn't mean we should be invaded," Rajana said sharply.
Shalini turned to Obi-Wan. "We've been cooped up together for too long," she said. She gave a tense smile. "When we haven't been trying to find a way to get off this moon, we've been arguing about the best way to do it. Thik has a point."
"Typha-Dor is lucky," Thik said. "We are rich in resources. We have abundant sunshine and water. Our world is large and varied. We have a large workforce. Yet we have never learned how to truly manage our resources and turn them into the wealth we need."
"Yes, yes," Rajana said impatiently. "And Vanqor is a small, dusty planet. Yet they have learned how to get the most out of what they have.
Their industries are booming. They are wealthier than us, despite their small size. That does not mean they deserve to conquer our star system!"
"I am not defending Vanqor's aggression," Thik said. "You know that, Rajana. Why am I here, if not to sacrifice my life if I must for my homeworld? I am just saying that even Vanqor could have lessons to teach us."
"The Vanqors are greedy and ruthless," Mezdec said darkly. "If they have something to teach us, I have no desire to learn it."
"It is that attitude that sets us up for conflict in the first place,"
Thik said. "If we had been more willing to negotiate years ago, we would not be facing invasion now."
Mezdec stood. "I am beginning to wonder who the traitor is here!" he bellowed.
Shalini put her hand on her husband's arm. "Sit," she said softly.
After a moment's deliberation, Mezdec sat down. "Would anyone like another protein bar?" Obi-Wan tried. Everyone ignored him again.
The tension was thick in the room. It was no wonder, Obi-Wan thought.
They had been together for over a year. They had been hunted by the Vanqors. There had been a saboteur in their midst. They were afraid they would never make it off-planet.
He understood their testiness, but he wasn't too excited about having to listen to it.
"I think I'll check on Anakin," he said.
The hangar was located in the back, past the utility rooms. There was only one transport and a few speeder bikes that had been dismantled for parts. All Obi-Wan could see were Anakin's legs, sticking out from underneath the transport. Obi-Wan leaned down.
"Any luck?"
Anakin's voice was muffled. "Maybe. But what I wouldn't give for a pit droid."
"Consider me a pit droid," Obi-Wan said. "What can I do?"
Anakin slid out. "You need some servodrivers for hands and a grease pump instead of a nose." He said the words grumpily.