'You don't carry a weapon,' Obi-Wan said, exasperated. 'There could be shooting.'
'Relax, Obi-Wan,' Cerasi said, buckling a thick belt around her waist.
'I have my own bag of tricks.'
Despite his worry, Obi-Wan couldn't help smiling. Cerasi had devised a number of trick 'weapons.' They were slingshots that gave off the sound of blaster fire.
'All right,' he agreed. 'But for once, follow my orders, will you?'
'Yes, Captain,' Cerasi teased.
It was a cold day, and their breath mingled as it clouded the air. They passed a square where some members of the New History Squad were busy dismantling a war monument. A group of Melida Elders watched, their faces stony.
'They expect us to put up monuments to ourselves, I hear,' Cerasi said.
'I can't wait to surprise them. No more war memorials on Melida/Daan.'
'Are you sure?' Obi-Wan asked with a straight face. 'I can see you up on a pedestal holding up your slingshot — '
Cerasi nudged him with her shoulder. 'Watch it, friend.' She grinned at him. 'I didn't know Jedi were allowed to joke.'
'Of course we are.' Obi-Wan's face flushed. 'I mean, they are.' He spoke lightly, but a shadow must have crossed his face because the smile left Cerasi's lips.
'You gave up so much for us,' she said sadly.
'And look what I received,' Obi-Wan replied, swinging his arm to encompass Zehava.
Laughter bubbled out from Cerasi. 'Sure. A destroyed city, bad food, no heat, a home in a tunnel, a job disarming fanatics, and — '
'Friends,' Obi-Wan finished.
Cerasi smiled. 'Friends.'
The large, two-story building where some of the Melida holdouts were living seemed peaceful under the sharp blue sky. It looked perfectly intact from the front, but as they carefully circled it, keeping out of sight, they saw that the back had been completely demolished. A repair job had been attempted with a combination of boards and tough plastoid sheets.
There was one thing odd about the house, Obi-Wan noted. There was no back door. He pointed it out to Cerasi.
'Only one entrance to defend,' she said, squinting up at the roof. 'That way we can't surprise them.'
'I don't want to surprise them,' Obi-Wan said. 'I have to give them the chance to surrender their arms. I can't go in shooting.' He looked at the house, his hand drifting toward his belt. It was still a surprise to feel a vibroblade there instead of a lightsaber.
'We need a lookout on the street,' Obi-Wan continued. 'That's you.'
For a moment, Cerasi seemed about to protest. Then she nodded. She held out her hand, palm out. Obi- Wan put his up against hers, as close as he could without touching. 'Good luck.'
'We don't need luck.'
'Everybody needs luck.'
'Not us.'
Obi-Wan ducked around the corner, followed by his squad of six boys and girls, the best fighters the Young had.
He knocked on the door. He heard movement behind it, but nothing happened. He leaned closer to the door and shouted, 'We are the Young Security Squad. You are ordered by the acting governor of Melida/Daan to open the door.'
'Come back when your voice changes,' someone shouted from inside.
Obi-Wan sighed. He had been hoping for cooperation. He nodded at Deila, their explosives expert. She quickly set explosive charges near the lock of the heavy door.
'Stand back from the door,' she shouted to those inside.
The Security Squad had done this before. Many Melida and Daan Elders would not open their doors to them or recognize their authority. This was a quick way to show them who was in charge. No lives were lost — just doors.
Deila motioned to all of them to step back, then set the charge and jumped back with them. A muffled boom split the silence. The door shook.
Deila stepped forward and nudged it with a toe. It fell with a loud thud, and the Security Squad rushed in, with Obi-Wan leading the charge.
At first, he couldn't see anything. But he hadn't forgotten his Jedi training. He let go of the urgent need to see and accepted the darkness. In only seconds, he could make out shapes.
Shapes with weapons…
The Melida Elders stood at the end of the long hallway. Their backs were to a stairway leading upward. They all wore battered plastoid armor and held their weapons pointed at the squad.
