Jedi Quest 10: The Final Showdown

Chapter Four

Obi-Wan sat in front of the nav computer. There was nothing to do; they had been in hyperspace for days now, and they were approaching Korriban within the Horuset system. He knew their position exactly, and how far they needed to go. Still he continued to check coordinates and try to foresee potential problems. It was what he'd always done, even as an apprentice. He found comfort in the routine of it.

The journey had passed without incident. Ferus had kept a delicate distance between himself and Anakin, delicate because he gave distance without seeming to. Obi-Wan appreciated this effort. Ferus had given Anakin space, and that was not easy on such a small cruiser.

Siri came up behind him. "If you check that space chart once more, you're going to burn out the screen."

Obi-Wan spun around in his chair. "It never hurts to triple check."

"It hurts me," Siri said. Her keen blue eyes glinted at him. "All that precision gives me the shivers."

Obi-Wan grinned, then pressed the button for holo-mode. The star chart hovered in the air. "There it is," he said, indicating Korriban. "So isolated that it makes up its own system. Marooned in space, as though the other planets have chosen to hide from it."

Siri sat astride a chair, planting her hands on her knees. "Don't be so poetic. It's just a planet."

"More than a planet," Obi-Wan said, gazing at the chart. "A source of evil that still calls evil to come meet it."

"I don't believe that," Siri said. "It's just a place where some old Sith bones lie."

"The Valley of the Dark Lords," Obi-Wan said. They had heard of the valley from their earliest days as students at the Temple, had used tales of the valley to scare each other as younglings. "The dark side of the Force still lives in that valley. Korriban has never recovered from the Sith occupation. That was thousands of years ago, and yet the planet has never formed a government or attracted settlers. It's not part of the galactic alliance. It has never joined the Senate."

Siri rose to study the holo-chart more closely. "Even freighters won't stop there," she murmured. "And freighters stop everywhere." As she moved to the opposite side of the chart, briefly, the image of Korriban was reflected on her face. She shuddered and moved away.

Siri sat back down opposite Obi-Wan. "The Commerce Guild has opened an office there," she observed.

"They're offering incentives to get corporations to open branches in the Dreshdae spaceport," Obi-Wan said. "I've been studying the files. Of course it is a world with no taxes, and that's a Commerce Guild issue, but it's still strange."

"They are just trying to gain influence on major corporations," Siri said. "Keep them in their backyard so they can control them. It's the same old dance."

"But Korriban?" Obi-Wan mused. "There has to be a reason… the Sith might be behind it, even if the Commerce Guild doesn't know it."

Siri waved a hand. "Then they'll get what they deserve."

While they were talking, the Padawans slowly drifted closer to join the conversation.

"So who is living on Korriban?" Ferus now asked.

"Three types of beings," Siri replied, checking them off on her fingers. "One, those who are forced to live there because of work. Two, those who have been stranded there. Three, those who choose to be there."

"Those are the dangerous ones, no doubt," Obi-Wan said "How are we going to find Omega?" Anakin asked. "Dreshdae isn't large, but he and Zan Arbor will be in hiding. And Korriban is huge. They could be hiding out anywhere."

"I don't think he's come to Korriban to hide," Obi-Wan said. "He's come for a reason. My guess is that he's been invited. He's succeeded in his goal — he's attracted the notice of the Sith. He's going there for his reward."

"More wealth?" Siri asked. "He certainly doesn't need it."

"Maybe help with his next plan," Ferus said. "He could need weapons, ships, droids… we don't know." Obi-Wan nodded. "True."

The instrument panel showed they were about to come out of hyperspace.

It was time to enter the coordinates for landing at Dreshdae.

Obi-Wan drifted to the front of the cockpit and the others followed.

They stood, looking out into dark space. There were few stars out here, and no planets. Korriban loomed in their vision, a large planet with blood-red clouds obscuring its surface.

"I've heard it called the cradle of darkness," Obi-Wan said. He realized that he had lowered his voice.

He felt it now, the dark side of the Force emanating from the planet's surface. Looking at the faces of the Jedi, he knew they felt it as well. It had a sick sweetness to it, something that seemed to pour through his veins, attracting and repelling him at once. It was the most complicated surge of the dark side he had ever felt.

He struggled to meet it, struggled to clear his mind.

Warily, Obi-Wan moved forward and entered the coordinates into the nav computer. His fingers hesitated even as they entered the data. It was as though making the commitment to land was sealing their fate.

He stood and joined the other Jedi at the cockpit windscreen. They couldn't turn away. The ship flew into the atmosphere, straight through the blood-red clouds, and dread entered their hearts as the surface of the planet grew closer.