Nield leaped up on top of the grandest tomb. Boys and girls swarmed around him, coming from the strategy stations around the room and from the adjoining tunnels. They turned expectant faces up to him.
'Our battle is over,' Nield said. 'We have achieved total victory!'
The Young cheered wildly. Nield held up a hand.
'Our raid on the weapons storehouse of the Daan was a success. We have stolen the weapons the Daan did not waste in attacking the Melida or shooting at imaginary attackers. We have deposited them in the North Tunnel. The Melida' Nield paused, grinned, '-blew up their own storehouses so that the Daan would not get their weapons!'
The Young let out wild hoots of laughter. They shouted with joy.
'We have delivered our messages to both sides, letting them know that the Young were behind the battles, and that we have succeeded in stealing their arms. Without weapons, the Elders cannot fight each other. Today we have taken a giant step toward peace!'
Exhilaration raced through the room like a current. Qui-Gon watched as Nield leaned down and grabbed Cerasi's hand. He pulled her up to stand next to him. Then he reached down for Obi-Wan. Smiling, Obi-Wan leaped up on the tomb to take his place beside the two leaders.
The Young reached up to touch his tunic. Obi-Wan reached down to touch their hands and accept their congratulations. He linked arms with Cerasi and Nield. Never once did he glance at Qui-Gon. It was as though the Jedi Knight wasn't in the room. It was as though Obi-Wanwas not a Jedi.
It was as though he was part of them. As though he had become one of the Young.
Qui-Gon left the main room and found a quiet place in an adjoining tunnel to contact Yoda. The Jedi Master appeared in miniature hologram form. Quickly, Qui-Gon filled him in on the situation and the rescue of Tahl.
Yoda passed a hand over his forehead in distress. 'Relieved I am to hear this news,' he said. 'Concerned I am to hear that Tahl is ailing. Needs care, she does.'
'I will leave as soon as she's stronger and it is safe,' Qui-Gon promised. 'But I leave a situation here on Melida/Daan that is volatile.'
Yoda nodded several times. 'Heard you, I have, Qui-Gon. But remind you I must thatneither the Melida or the Daan have asked for our help. Almost sacrified one Jedi, I did. Willing sacrifice two more, I am not.'
'We could bring Tahl back and then return,' Qui-Gon pointed out.
Yoda paused. 'Before the Jedi Council you must go,' he said finally. 'Make this decision alone I cannot. Cared for, Tahl must be. Then decide we will, if help we must give. Until then, taking sides the Jedi must not do. Jeopardize peace it would. Avoid you must, angering one side or another.'
As usual, Yoda had a point. Already the Melida would be angry when they heard that the Jedi had broken into their barracks. And if word got out that Obi-Wan had gone on the raid into Daanterritory, that would anger the Daan.
He bowed. 'I hope to find Tahl ready tomorrow. I will return soon, Master.'
'Look forward to that day, I will,' Yoda said gently. The hologram flickered and disappeared.
'Go back? We can't go back!' Obi-Wan exclaimed. 'We can't leave the Young now. They need us.'
'We have received no official request to stabilize the planet,' Qui-Gon said patiently. 'Perhaps back on Coruscant, the Jedi Council will — '
'We can't wait for the Council to review this,' Obi-Wan interrupted, shaking his head. 'If we wait too long, the Melida and the Daan will rearm. The time to act is now.'
'Obi-Wan, listen to me,' Qui-Gon said sternly. 'Yoda has directed us to come back. Tahl needs care.'
'She needs rest and med care,' Obi-Wan argued. 'We can get that for her here. Cerasi can tell me where to go. We can bring a medic back here, or find a place to keep her that would be safe — '
'No,' Qui-Gon said, shaking his head. 'She must be brought back to theTemple. We can do no more here, Padawan. We will leave tomorrow.'
'Part of our mission was to try to stabilize the planet, if we could,' Obi-Wan insisted. 'We haven't done that. But we can if we stay!'
'We have not been asked — '
'We have been asked, by the Young!' Obi-Wan exclaimed.
'That is not an official request,' Qui-Gon replied testily. The boy was beginning to try his patience.
'You have broken the rules before, Qui-Gon,' Obi-Wan argued. 'Back on Gala, you left me to travel to the hill country when you were instructed to stay at the palace. You break the rules when it suits you to do so.'
Qui-Gon took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. He would not match Obi-Wan's anger with his own. 'I break the rules not because it suits me, but because sometimes during a mission the rules get in the way,' he said carefully. 'That is not the case here. I believe Yoda is right.'
'But-' Obi-Wan interrupted, but Qui-Gon held up a hand.
'Tomorrow we will leave, Padawan,' he said firmly.
Suddenly, a roar rose from the Young, who were gathered in the far corner of the vault. Cerasi ran over to the Jedi, her face beaming.
'It is official!' she cried. 'In the absence of a response to our request for peace, we have issued a declaration of war on the Elders. If they do not agree immediately to Melida/Daan peace negotiations, we will attack them with their own weapons. They must respond to us now.' She turned shining eyes to Obi-Wan. 'This is the last push we must do to change the history of Melida/Daan. We need your help more than ever!'
Choked with anger and frustration, Obi-Wan could not answer Cerasi.
