Rogue Planet

Chapter 23

Thecrowd had parted in silence to let Obi-Wan and Anakin through.Theywalked across the courtyardalone.Sheekla Farrsheld back and watched them approach the massive stone andlamina door. The door swung wide. Beyond layagreat, openspherical chamber, like the inside of a ball withits topcut away. Late-morning sun moved in a brilliantoblong across the rear of the chamber, which crawled with thousands ofliving things: spike-covered balls a little smaller than a human head.

Obi-Wanobservedthis motion with some concern.Anakin, however, looked upon the thousands of thorny spheroidswith a smile.

"These will grow to become our ship," he whispered to Obi- Wan.

"We don't know that yet," Obi-Wan said.

"A Jedi can feel his destiny, can't he?" Anakin asked.

"AfullytrainedJedi may rely onsuchfeelings,but changes in the Force can deceive an apprentice."

Anakinran ahead, and Obi-Wan broke into a trottokeep up. The boy held out his arms as if in welcome.

Acrossthewidechamber, everythorn-coveredorganism stoppeditsrustling motion. Except for amorningbreeze lazing down from the opening to the sky, silence filledthe room.

"They're seed-partners!" Anakin shouted.

Thedoor behind them closed noiselessly. They werealone withthe seed-partners, if that was what they were. Obi-Wan felt it best to keep an open mind, but it was obvious Anakin had no doubts whatsoever.

"Whatareyou waiting for?" the boy shouted.Hisvoice didnotecho-the thick carpet of spikeballsabsorbedall sound.

"Weshould let them take the initiative," Obi-Wan advised softly.

Anakinscowled impatiently. Suddenly, hewasatwelve- year-oldboy, nothing more. He showed nothing of thethree years of training in the Temple. Obi-Wan placed his handon Anakin'sshoulders and felt the tension in theboy'sbody andlimbs,likea young animal, totallyimpenetrableto suggestion.

The dropping away from his Padawan of every aspect of Obi- Wan'steaching dismayed him for a moment. It was asifhe stoodbehind a totally different child than the one Qui-Gon had thought so special.

Anakin spoke, his words barely audible.

Then, louder, "I'm ready."

Onlynowdid Obi-Wan catch on, and the hair on hisneck bristledinawayit had not foryears,sincehehad encounteredand defeated, though just barely,thestrange red-and-blackSith with the double-bladedredlightsaber, Darth Maul, the Sith who had mortally wounded Qui-Gon.

The boyhadtotallydampedallextraneouspersonal vibrations. He had become quiet in the Force in awayObi- Wan still foundexceptionallydifficult,though not impossible,andthe boy had done this infractionsofa second.

Withtheswift and native genius of a child, Anakinhad made himself into a quiet antenna listening to the creatures within the sphere.

Andthespikeballs, in turn, equally quiet, listenedto both of these potential new clients with all the openness of a different variety of childhood.

"They want something from us," Obi-Wan suggested.

Anakinshookhishead. The apprenticewasdisagreeing withthemaster,notfor thefirsttimeand,Obi-Wan suspected, not by a long shot for the last.

"We're not what they expected," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin nodded.

Twoofthebristling spheres disengaged midwayupthe wallofthechamber and clambered overtheircompanions untiltheycame to the clearing on the bowl of thefloor, theemptyspace surrounding the two humans. The spikeballs rolledslowly,in a wavering path, untiltheywerejust centimeters from the boy's feet.

More spikeballsdisengagedandfollowed.Ina few moments,Anakin and Obi-Wan were surrounded by tenofthe milling seed-partners, each making small clicking noises and producing a rich, flowery smell.

"Theyapprove,"Anakinsaid, glancingathismaster. "Theysensewe'renotafraid." Withintheboy'seyes, enthusiasm had been tempered by a new caution. "But…if they approve, it means a real commitment, doesn't it?"

"I presume," Obi-Wan said.

"For them, it's got to be serious."

"Perhaps."

Thetenspikeballs drew back and stopped theirrestless motion.The air was rich with their scent, now tangy,like breeze from a salty sea.

"Iwish Sheekla had told us more," Anakin said, hiseyes darting around the chamber.

Theatmospherewas thick and damp, as ifastormwere near.

Thespikeballsbegan to vibrate onthefloor.Obi-Wan lookedup to the rim of the chamber wall and saw manymore descending.Thepurposefuldescentquicklyturnedinto frenzied dropping. The carpet of seed-partners unraveledas dozens,then hundreds of the thorny spheres broke freeand fellto collide with their companions in the bottom ofthe bowl. Thespikeballsbounced,whistled,clicked, and released a nose-cloying cloud of electric-flowery scent.

"They'reall going to drop!" Anakin shouted, andturned, buttherewasnowhereto run. Hestoodstraight,then crouched and reached for Obi-Wan. "This is going to bebad! But whatever you do, don't be afraid!"

Obi-Waninstinctivelyreached forhislightsaber,but thatwould have been useless. All they could dowasstand back-to-back and cover their faces as every spikeball in the chamberpoured down onto the floor in a thorny cascade.In seconds, Anakin and Obi-Wan were awash in the deluge, bumped andbattered mercilessly. They pushed out with theirhands tokeep their faces clear. But the torrent pressed from all sides,rising over their heads and slammingthebacksof theirhandsagainsttheir lips andnoses.Fragmentsof spikeball shells flew into the air, and a cloud of dust rose from the churning heap.

They could not move.

In seconds, they could not even breathe.