The Mark of the Crown Read online

  Obi-Wan turned at the sound of footsteps. Giba was coming. He would certainly be imprisoned or killed.

  "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan," Jono said. "Truly."

  "Save your sorrow," Obi-Wan said, striding to the window. He leaped up onto the ledge and judged the distance to the ground. It was too far to fall. But the Force would guide him. "I don't need it," he said. Then, he leaped into midair.

  The dazzling green of the lindemor leaves rushed up at him. Obi-Wan gathered the Force from the living things around him, centered it inside himself. He flew across the distance and grabbed at a lindemor branch as he fell. His fingers closed around it, and he swung forward, using the momentum to grab at the next branch down. Then to the next, and the next, until it was an easy leap to the ground. He didn't bother looking up. Giba was most likely already summoning the royal guards. He had to make it to the Council Chamber without being seen.

  Obi-Wan slipped inside the kitchen door. He ran past the startled cooks, burst into the pantries, raced past the dining areas and found the hallway leading to the wing where the Council Ministry offices were located. The halls were deserted. Obi-Wan raced down the stone corridor, wishing he had his light-saber. He heard the sound of approaching footsteps moving at double time. He ducked into the first room he saw. He closed the door behind him and pressed himself against it. The footsteps hurried past. He let out a breath. Safe. For the moment.

  He was in some sort of royal reception room. An ornate, gilded bench stood on a platform at one end. Rows of chairs faced it. Glittering tapestries were hung on the walls. Antique weapons were displayed behind the bench.

  There was another door at the far end of the room. Obi-Wan headed for it. He turned the handle and began to cautiously pull it open. Even as he did so, he felt it push from the other side. It flew open with the combined effort, and Prince Beju tumbled into the room. He found his footing immediately and turned with flashing eyes to Obi-Wan.

  "Hiding like a coward, are you? It's no use. The guards are everywhere. They can be here in an instant." Prince Beju strolled toward the series of tubes that called guards and servants. He reached toward the red tube.

  "You talk of cowards," Obi-Wan said coolly, hiding the desperation he felt. If Prince Beju touched that tube, he was lost. And so was the Queen. "And yet you summon the guards."

  Prince Beju hesitated. "Are you calling me a coward, Jedi?"

  Obi-Wan shrugged. "I am only drawing a conclusion. Since I've arrived here, you've spoken of me as a coward. But there has always been a guard within your call. What do words mean when they are contradicted by actions? I have faced you alone, but you only face me with others who will do your fighting for you. Am I the coward?"

  Prince Beju flushed an angry red. His hand dropped. He strode to the case displaying antique weapons. He lifted the top and drew one out.

  "Do you know what this is, Obi-Wan Kenobi?" he asked, flourishing it.

  "It is a sword," Obi-Wan answered. He had never used the weapon, but he had seen drawings of it at the Temple . It was like a lightsaber, only made of metal.

  Prince Beju held the sword up, then slashed downward at a tapestry. The rich fabric was rent in two.

  "We keep the edges honed," he said. "I studied sword fighting as part of my royal training. My father insisted." He feinted a blow at Obi-Wan, who did not move.

  "Do you think you could manage one?" Beju asked. "Or does a Jedi only fight with his own weapon? That way he always has the advantage." His teeth gleamed as he smiled tauntingly at Obi-Wan.

  "Why don't we find out?" Obi-Wan asked, keeping his tone neutral. He had to keep his mind focused on the battle ahead. He could not let the Prince's jibes get under his skin.

  Beju took another sword from the case and tossed it at Obi-Wan. Before his fingers had closed around the hilt Beju sprang forward with a downward blow. Obi-Wan had time to twist away, but not before the sharp blade slashed his tunic. He felt blood run down his arm.

  "Had enough?" Beju asked mockingly.

  In answer, Obi-Wan lunged forward. The clang of metal rang through the air as Beju parried his blow. Beju pushed back against him. Obi-Wan was surprised at how strong the boy was. He was in much better shape than Obi-Wan would have guessed.

  Beju pressed forward, slashing at Obi-Wan, who parried each blow. His lightsaber training helped, but he was not used to the shock that traveled up his arm each time their swords tangled. The sword was heavier than a lightsaber, and his timing and footwork were off because of it. Beju pressed his advantage, driving forward, his sword glinting as it slashed through the air. For the first time, Obi-Wan had his doubts that he could defeat the Prince at his own game.

  Doubt in battle, there cannot be. Always, in times of trouble, Yoda's teachings rose in his mind. Belief, there must be. Belief, in the Force. Reach for it, you will.

  Yes, he had an advantage that Beju did not. Obi-Wan reached out to the Force. He felt it build within him. Doubt left him. Belief rushed in. He would win because he had to win. The sword suddenly felt familiar in his hand. Its weight was reassuring, not strange. He leaped up on the royal bench and swooped down on Beju, the sword held high, then low, stabbing, jabbing, surprising the Prince with his moves. Beju staggered back, his sword held defensively, trying to stave off the fury of Obi-Wan's attack.

  Obi-Wan's mind was clear. It was not clouded with hate or bitterness. He needed to stop Beju. He struck again, trying to loosen Beju's grip on his sword.

  But the Prince rallied. Anger drove him, and anger backed by skill can be a powerful ally. Beju launched an offensive at Obi-Wan. He struck again and again as Obi-Wan repelled the attacks, feeling the power of Beju's blows move up his arm. His shoulder began to ache.

  Sweat rolled down Obi-Wan's face. Beju lost his footing and staggered. They had been fighting for some time now. Prince Beju's face was red with exertion. Obi-Wan could feel his opponent's exhaustion. He hoped it would cause Beju to make a mistake.

  He launched himself at Beju again. Obi-Wan drove him toward the corner. Now Beju was at bay, unable to evade him. With a downward blow, Obi-Wan dislodged the sword from Beju's grasp. The Prince dived for it, his hands closing around the hilt as Obi-Wan leaped over a chair to prevent him.

  A voice behind them cracked the silence. "Enough!"

  A hooded figure moved within their vision. He wore the silver robes of a Council Minister. Obi-Wan recognized the elder whom he'd seen mysteriously appear and disappear in the gardens. "You will lose, my Prince. Anyone can see that."

  "I will not lose!" the Prince howled, just as Obi-Wan's foot came down on his wrist, preventing him from grasping his sword. "Besides, Viso," the Prince snarled, "how can you tell if I will lose? You're blind! You can't even see your own hand before you."

  Obi-Wan studied the elder more closely. He realized for the first time that his milky blue eyes were sightless. With a swift movement, Obi-Wan reached down and snatched Prince Beju's sword from the floor.

  "I saw you were losing some time ago," Viso said quietly. "This battle is not the point. You have denied the truth for too long. When a man does this, he loses."

  "Stop talking in riddles, old man," Prince Beju said, rolling over and rising shakily to his feet. "Your stories have always bored me."

  "Queen Veda has not lied to you, my Prince," Viso replied, serene in the face of Beju's rudeness. "But your father did. Giba did. The men you worshipped lied to you. The mother who bore you did not."

  "Get out!" the Prince screamed. "I will have the guards throw you in jail for your lies!"

  "Then you will have to prove that I lie. Don't you want to see my proof first? Are you brave enough to face it?" Viso asked in the same calm tone.

  Obi-Wan looked at Beju. He saw that the Prince could not back down. Viso had maneuvered him into a corner as surely as Obi-Wan had in battle.

  "Fine, old man," the Prince sneered. "Show me what you call proof. And then I will have the great satisfaction of throwing you in the tower jail."

  Vi
so bowed. He gestured for them to follow him. He led them out of the chamber, through another grand meeting room. He led them into a small antechamber beyond.

  The room was completely empty. The walls and floor were of pale blue stone. On the floor an intricate design of interlocking squares had been traced in silver imbedded in the stone.

  "Stand in the small square in the center, please, Prince Beju," Viso said.

  Prince Beju looked suddenly nervous. "The square within the square," he said. "My father spoke of this. He never explained it. He said ... he said when I was strong enough to face what it meant, I would be ready."

  "And are you strong enough?" Viso asked.

  Prince Beju positioned himself in the center square. As soon as his feet hit the square, the walls began to glow. Obi-Wan watched in amazement as slender beams of golden light suddenly washed over Prince Beju in a flurry of shifting patterns. He could not identify where they came from. They seemed to arise from the air.

  Then Obi-Wan noted that although the glittering beams cast shadows on the floor and walls, there was no shadow or mark on Beju.

  "You see," Viso said quietly. "There is no Mark of the Crown on you, my Prince. That is for another. You are not the heir."

  The Prince stepped off the square. The beams of light disappeared immediately.

  Obi-Wan expected the Prince to bluster, to say it meant nothing. He expected him to rail at Viso, call the elder a fool or a liar. But the Prince did none of those things. He slowly sank to his knees. His head dropped into his hands. Obi-Wan saw his shoulders shake.

  Viso drifted closer to stand at Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Everything he knew has been taken from him," he murmured quietly. "You must help him, Obi-Wan."

  Then Viso glided out, leaving Obi-Wan alone with the weeping Prince.

  Help Prince Beju? Obi-Wan didn't even like him. Just moments ago, Beju would have cheerfully stabbed him through the heart. But Viso was right. Beju had lost everything he knew, everyone he worshipped. His father was his hero. Giba had replaced him. He had nothing to believe in anymore.

  Obi-Wan crouched a short distance away from Beju. "Your father acted honorably at the end of his life, Prince Beju," he said quietly. "He revealed his deception. Your mother forgave him because he regretted what he had done. Sometimes regret is all we can give to those we wound."

  Beju wrapped his arms around his knees. He kept his head down.

  "My Jedi training tells me that to absorb a blow is to begin to recover from it," Obi-Wan continued softly. "Now you must decide what is best for you to do. Do you want to rule Gala as Prince?"

  He didn't expect the Prince to answer. But Beju raised his head. He fixed his reddened eyes on Obi-Wan. The trace of tears was still on his face.

  "I don't know what I want anymore," he whispered. "I don't know anything."

  "You are still Prince," Obi-Wan pointed out. "Elan does not want to rule. Until the elections, you are the Queen's rightful heir. So you have an opportunity. You can act like a Prince - you can rescue your mother and imprison Giba. If you are voted down by the people, you can leave a government that is still functioning and strong."

  "Giba told me that the people would vote for me in the end," Prince Beju said numbly. "He told me that there was great affection for me. But when I walked through the city I saw the truth in my people's eyes and I could not face it. What can I do now? Today is election day."

  "You can stop him," Obi-Wan said firmly. "He only wants to retain his power. He'll do it any way he can. If the people hear that the elections are not free, civil war could result. You must ensure that the elections go on."

  Prince Beju frowned. "Giba is too smart to depend on me."

  "What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked.

  He shrugged. "He would have a backup plan. Perhaps he has already ensured another way to win..."

  Obi-Wan felt discouraged. Things at the palace kept doubling back on themselves. There was intrigue piled on intrigue. He wished Qui-Gon were here.

  Just then, they heard the sound of shouting in the streets outside the palace. Obi-Wan sprang up and headed for the Council Chamber. Beju followed on his heels. They hurried to the window. Hundreds - maybe thousands - of people were heading down the hill into Galu. Some of them were on swoops. They herded a battalion of the royal guard, who marched between them. At the head of the group rode a woman, her silver hair streaming behind her. Next to her rode Qui-Gon. Galacians were spilling out into the street to see the sight.

  "Whatever plan Giba has, it's over," Obi-Wan told Beju. "The hill people are coming to vote."

  Qui-Gon found Obi-Wan waiting for him at the palace gates. His heart lifted at the sight of his Padawan.

  "I tried to reach you on the comlink," he told him.

  "I was unavoidably detained in a freezer," Obi-Wan said with a grin. "I see you convinced Elan to come after all."

  Qui-Gon nodded. "When the royal guard attacked, she knew she was needed here. Where is Giba?"

  Obi-Wan led Qui-Gon back into the palace. "Prince Beju has issued an arrest order. He can't avoid the guards for long."

  "Prince Beju?" Qui-Gon asked, puzzled. He hadn't expected Beju to go against his ally.

  "He realized that Giba wasn't to be trusted," Obi-Wan said. He frowned. "I just hope it isn't too late for the Queen. I sent a medic with the antidote, but she's very weak."

  "You've been busy, Padawan," Qui-Gon told him, giving him a nod of approval. He had wondered about Obi-Wan's ability to handle things at the palace. When he hadn't been able to contact him, he'd been worried that he'd left his young Padawan with a situation beyond his abilities. Obviously, Obi-Wan had met difficulties and obstacles, and had surpassed them.

  "You were right about Jono," Obi-Wan said.

  Qui-Gon put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear it."

  They entered the Queen's reception area. Prince Beju stood waiting. "Is Elan with you?" he asked Qui-Gon.

  Qui-Gon shook his head. "She has gone to see Wila Prammi. I can arrange a meeting for you, if you wish."

  The Prince frowned. "I do not know yet," he said hesitantly. "First, I must set things right here. Giba is being arrested as we speak."

  "I think not!" Giba said, striding into the room. He waved a durasheet containing his arrest order. "This is signed by Prince Beju. It is invalid. You do not rule Gala, Prince." Giba gave them a chilling smile. "And you never will. When the Queen dies, another will take her place. Not you."

  "I'm not dead yet." The Queen stood in the doorway. She had to brace herself against the frame, but she stayed erect, her chin high. "Guards!" she called in a weak voice to the two guards flanking her. "Arrest him."

  From beneath his robes, Giba drew forth Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Qui-Gon started in surprise, but in less than a moment he activated his own.

  "I do not think it wise to fight a Jedi with that weapon," he said pleasantly to Giba.

  "I do not care for your opinion," Giba said, lunging toward him.

  Qui-Gon's lightsaber was a blur of green as he expertly dodged Giba's clumsy blow, turned, and struck downward on Giba's wrist with a backward motion. The minister was disarmed and down before anyone could take a breath. Qui-Gon handed Obi-Wan's lightsaber back to him. The guards moved forward to arrest Giba.

  "Wait," Giba said desperately. "You do not have to recognize the Queen's order. For years, you have come to me for orders. Obviously, the royal house is out of control. Did you not see what has happened? Elan has arrived with an army! Civil war is at hand. There is only one hope. We must throw our support to Deca Brun. It is too late for elections now. If you let me go, I will bring him here."

  "And why would Deca Brun listen to you, Giba?" Prince Beju asked.

  "Because I am a wise and trusted Council Minister, dedicated to my beloved Gala," Giba snapped.

  "Where did you get that lightsaber, Giba?" Obi-Wan asked.

  "I found it in the palace, of course," Giba replied. "You were fleeing from the guards and dropped it."

>   "I don't think so," Obi-Wan said. "A Jedi doesn't leave a lightsaber behind. It was taken from me by Deca Brun's men."

  "I wouldn't know about that!" Giba snarled. "And I do not know what you are accusing me of."

  "I am accusing you of being in league with Deca Brun," Obi-Wan answered, his tone firm. Qui-Gon looked at him, surprised. Was Obi-Wan bluffing, or did he have proof?

  No one had noticed Jono slip into the room. "It is true," he spoke up quietly. "Giba was afraid that the Prince would lose the election. He went to Deca Brun with a deal. He would find him money and support from sources outside of Gala."

  "Offworld," Obi-Wan said. "I saw the records in Deca's campaign office."

  Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan, surprised again. "You have been busy," he murmured.

  "In exchange, Deca would find a place for Giba in his new government," Jono finished. "Giba would not take the chance that he would lose his power."

  "Arrest him," the Queen repeated faintly.

  The guards slipped electro-cuffs on Giba's wrists, and he was led away.

  "It's over," the Queen said.

  Beju crossed to her. He slid an arm around her shoulders, supporting her. "Except for the voting," he said. "Let the people decide."

  Wila Prammi was voted Governor of Gala by an overwhelming margin. Prince Beju dropped out of the race and threw his support to her. He got out the word about Deca Brun, revealing his alliance with Giba and Offworld. After talking with Wila, Elan supported her as well, bringing her the votes of all the hill people.

  The celebration that greeted Wila's election spilled out into the streets. City people and hill people joined in cheers and song. Though Gala had been in danger of revolt, they had achieved a peaceful transition of power.

  There was nothing left for the Jedi to accomplish on Gala. Qui-Gon was also concerned about the news that Xanatos had been involved in doings on the planet. His former apprentice must know by now that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were the Jedi who had been sent as guardians of the peace. His old enemy could come in search of him. Qui-Gon could not endanger the peace on Gala. It was better to disappear into the galaxy.