'Yes, Tray, he is a Jedi.' Grath lowered his head in defeat.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes for a moment. He'd had no idea that Grath knew he was a Jedi. Taking a deep breath, he tried to gather strength. He was not looking forward to what was coming. Someone pulled at his hood, exposing his antennae-less head.
'Traitor!' someone shouted.
'Grath is a liar, not a leader!' Flip yelled.
'What kind of leader doesn't trust his team enough to tell them the simple truth?' came a quieter voice.
Kids on both sides of the violence issue were coming out against Grath and Obi-Wan. Only a few stood by Grath.
'Grath has to make difficult decisions for all of us,' Nania said reasonably. 'We may not like each and every one, but he makes them for the good of the group. He has never led us astray.'
'The Jedi should still leave us,' Tray spoke out. 'Immediately.'
There was silence as the group nodded — almost unanimously. Only Grath's head remained still.
Obi-Wan looked to Grath for support, hoping he would say something to the group. Grath looked distraught, but he kept quiet.
Obi-Wan felt defeated, but knew he could not just walk away.
'Peace is the only way to true victory,' he told the Freelies. 'If you continue down this path you'll build a permanent wall between yourselves and the workers. There will be no chance for dialogue, or a new way of life.' Obi-Wan looked beseechingly at the group, his eyes moving from one face to another. None of their expressions had changed. There was no way for him to convince them.
Obi-Wan dropped his head and turned toward the stairs. The last thing he saw before the door slid closed behind him was the smiles on Tray's and Flip's faces.
Obi-Wan's mind was spinning as he left the rooftop. He felt like a fool. Why didn't he suspect that Grath knew he was a Jedi all along? The infiltration had been too easy, he now realized. Obi-Wan felt ashamed for not figuring it out earlier. He had wanted his plan to work so badly that he assumed everything was going just fine. Only it wasn't.
Obi-Wan made his way through the streets to the homespace. In the back of his mind was a voice that reminded him that he hadn't been entirely honest with the Freelies, either. He hadn't told them he was a Jedi.
But I was acting for the good of the planet, he told himself. I was trying to bring everyone to a peaceful solution.
This all felt much like the situation on Melida/ Daan, Obi-Wan realized. When Obi-Wan had joined the Young, he was certain that he was doing the right thing. But in the end he was not sure that the Young were on the right path. And it had not taken him long to know that leaving the Jedi order was not the right path for him.
At first glance, the situation here on Vorzyd 4 seemed totally different from the one on Melida/Daan. Harmless, really. But now Obi-Wan could not see many differences. And the similarities were screaming in his ears.
The arguing Freelies. The explosions. The inability of the generations to talk openly together.
Worst of all, Obi-Wan knew, he was no longer in a position to help.
The kids didn't trust him. And why should the adults believe someone who had been keeping secrets from them all along?
Not sure what else to do, Obi-Wan headed back to his room at the retirement complex. He had not been there long when Qui-Gon arrived.
Obi-Wan knew his Master was concerned about him — and probably the situation as well. With a sigh, he began to tell him all that had happened.
'Someone must have tipped off the adults,' Obi-Wan began.
Qui-Gon nodded. 'I did not say anything, as I promised I would not,'
he said. 'But I did overhear the building maintenance team reporting a disturbance to Chairman Port. They were acting on a tip.'
Obi-Wan had not suspected that Qui-Gon was responsible for the intrusion, but was glad to hear his Master confirm that he was not.
'A group of adults stormed the secret meeting,' Obi-Wan said. 'But ore of the kids, Flip, dropped a smoke capsule and led everyone to safety.'
'He was well prepared for just such an invasion,' Qui-Gon said pointedly.
Obi-Wan nodded. 'I thought that at the time,' he said. 'Perhaps he was the informer. It seemed too simple. But much more has happened since then….'
Obi-Wan trailed off. It was getting difficult to look his Master in the eye. He felt responsible for the state of the situation between the kids and adults. Once again he had the feeling that his instincts had been all wrong.
'Go on,' Qui-Gon said gently. His eyes were full of empathy. But somehow that didn't make Obi-Wan feel any better. In fact, it made him feel worse. He didn't deserve understanding right now. Things on Vorzyd 4 were worse than when they'd arrived.
And it was all his fault.
Chapter 17
