Kenobi Chronicles

Episode 5 (part 1)

"I tell you Old Greez's still got it!" The frog-faced Latero Captain smacked his leg as he jumped up onto the seat in the interior lounge of the Mantis. Kenobi stared at the confident Captain.

"Well, get on with it, Greez, we haven't got all day." Cere prodded. She was sitting at the end of the table cleaning her hallikset. A metallic twang occasionally emitted from the instrument.

"So, I had a buddy who lives up near the North Section—says he might have seen a red-eyed blue-skinned bloodsucker in the South Section." Greez rested his hands behind his head in triumph. Cal, who was leaning against the opposite wall, stood rigid and put his hands on his hips.

"We already know that part—we need to find where he is exactly—he's got a friend of the General's." Cal said.

"I know! You don't gotta remind me, kid!" Greez groused.

"Please, go on, Captain." Cere said firmly. Kenobi smiled inwardly. He remembered when he too had to keep the peace between two very opinionated team members. How he missed it.

"So, my buddy knows another guy—the type who makes shortcuts through the understreets—and believe me this is not the kind of guy you'd think who'd do it at first—"

"Stick to the information!" Cal groaned. Greez shot him a glare.

"What I was going to say, before I was so rudely interrupted by the scruffy nerf-herder, was that my buddy's guy says he's only seen one building in the whole South Section that's had somebody coming and going for the last three weeks."

Cal clapped his hands together in excitement.

"Finally! Where is it, this building?"

"Sounds like it wasn't too far from where you found your General here. It was three more blocks down that street."

Kenobi stood up and grabbed his brown cloak. All eyes turned to him, in a silent stare.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cere asked, standing to her feet as well.

"Back to the understreets, of course," Kenobi said rather confused. "Where else?"

"You can't go, General. Not with your shoulder and leg like that. You'll stand no chance against Bane and his goons." Cere's eyes were wide with concern.

"It's okay—I'll go with him." Cal said.

"Where are we going?" Haja poked his head in from the cockpit where he had been sitting with Merrin.

"Oh no—we're not going anywhere—YOU are staying right here, my friend." Kenobi strode towards the exit.

"But—but Master Jedi—" Haja protested, but Cere's hand on his shoulder held him back.

"Do as he says," Cere's tone was stern. "Besides. The less who go, the easier it will be for them to get back." Then she walked Cal and Kenobi to the exit. "Both of you be careful. There are more dangers in the understreets of Daiyu than a simple bounty hunter."

"Don't worry about us, Cere. We'll be back with the kid before you know it."

Despite his lack of concern, Cere still watched them, not taking her eyes away until they had climbed down from the platform and disappeared around one of the light generators. Something didn't seem right as she watched them. But she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Back down to the understreets they went, this time Cal leading Kenobi through what he assured him was a shortcut.

"I've been using this for the last two weeks."