enjoyed their time off.'
Grath nodded. 'It can work without violence,' he said confidently.
'People just need a little time to see how it could be.'
Obi-Wan was glad to see Grath back to his old self. He didn't want to dampen his spirits by telling him about the conversation he'd overheard between Flip and the dark-haired girl. But he couldn't keep that kind of information to himself, either.
'I overheard — '
Obi-Wan was cut short by the shuttle pulling up to the platform.
Nania was driving, and she greeted Obi-Wan with a smile. Obi-Wan was grateful as he took a comfortable seat. A ride inside Nania's shuttle could be a nail-biter, but it was better than clinging to the outside of the craft.
When they arrived at the usual office building meeting place, Obi-Wan spotted Flip right away. He was standing in a corner next to the same dark- haired girl, scowling.
Grath walked right up to them. 'Hi, Flip,' he said in a friendly voice.
Flip didn't say anything, and his scowl deepened. It was clear that he was still angry about the reprimand he'd received earlier in the day.
The girl next to him was silent as well. Watching them, Obi-Wan suddenly realized that he'd seen the girl before, away from the Freelies. She'd been visiting her grandmother at the retiree complex the first night he'd been on the planet. But she seemed totally different now — there was no trace of the warm, affectionate young girl he'd enjoyed watching and listening to.
Grath stood in front of Flip for a moment, trying to get the boy to soften. When it was clear that he wouldn't, the leader's focus shifted to the meeting at hand. He stood up on one of the desks and called everyone's attention.
'If we can show the laborers that there is more to life than productivity without hurting them, they will help us,' he said calmly.
'The laborers are too far gone,' the dark-haired girl replied hotly.
'Fear is the only thing that will keep them from stopping us.'
Grath frowned. 'That's not true, Tray,' he said. 'And you know it.'
It didn't take long for the disagreement and anger from the earlier meeting to overtake the group. Everyone shouted to be heard. Antennae twitched and stabbed the air, punctuating shouts. Hands were balled into fists. The two groups began to separate — Grath and his followers on one side of the office and Flip and his on the other.
'We need to make ourselves known,' someone yelled. 'The laborers have no idea that we're pulling the pranks. They don't even think we're capable.
' 'We're not getting any credit,' a different voice called out.
'Or blame,' someone on the other side shouted.
The shouts were getting louder and louder. It was almost impossible to hear what was being said. Obi-Wan looked from one side of the room to the other, not sure what to do. He felt that some action was necessary, but he didn't want to blow his cover.
Suddenly the lights outside the office blinked on. Voices echoed outside, and footsteps thundered up the stairs.
Grath looked up, alarmed. The kids were suddenly silent.
The Freelies had been discovered.
Chapter 16
The footsteps and voices got louder as they came closer. The Freelies began to look worriedly at one another, their antennae twitching in fear.
Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw Flip toss a small capsule to the ground. A thick, green smoke immediately began to billow into the room. Interestingly, the smoke did not seem to irritate the Freelies'
lungs. There was no coughing or sputtering among the group.
'This way,' Flip said calmly. He led the kids out of the office through a secret exit, down a tunnel, and up several flights of stairs.
When they emerged through a heavy durasteel doorway, they were standing on the roof of a neighboring workspace building. It was dark, but the stars in the sky gave off a dim light.
All was quiet below. The kids were safe.
No sooner were the Freelies on the roof than Flip turned toward Obi- Wan. 'There's something you don't know!' he shouted to the group. 'Grath has been keeping it from you. This boy has been sent here to stop us. He is a Jedi — and a traitor!'
There was an audible gasp as the Freelies gaped at Obi-Wan. For a moment Obi-Wan sensed that the group wasn't sure this was the truth — and thought he might be safe.
The moment passed quickly.
'it's true!' the dark-haired girl shouted. 'I've seen him at the retirement complex. My grandmother is there, and he was spying on us!'
