Never gone. Always there, it is.

Obi-Wan groaned. You think so, Yoda? Not for me!

Blaster fire ripped into the fuselage of the starfighter over his head.

Obi-Wan pushed Roenni down. Keeping his body bent over hers, he ran, hunched over, to the barrel. Not the greatest protection, but it would have to do.

"We're going to have to crawl," he told Roenni. "Keep yourself behind the barrel."

Roenni crawled in front of him as he pushed the barrel steadily toward Nield and Cerasi. Blaster fire pinged off the metal. Obi-Wan could feel Roenni shaking. When they reached the pile of cargo boxes, she slid behind them with relief.

Obi-Wan rolled the huge barrel toward the front guard. It smashed into his knees, and he fell backward into the guard behind him. They teetered into the line of fire of the other guards.

The four friends took advantage of the moment and ran, firing as they went. They reached the safety of the fuel tanks. Cerasi was the most nimble of them all. She hustled Roenni down, then followed. With a last blast, Nield jumped down. Obi-Wan slid through the opening, then threw out a timed explosive device.

"Run!" he yelled.

They all scrambled to safety — and then the tank exploded, taking most of the hangar with it.

"That should keep them busy," he told the others.

Nield raised Mawat on the comlink. "It's done," he said. "The Elders have no starfighters anymore. You can contact the Middle Generation."

Mawat's voice crackled over the comlink. Though the transmission was faint, they could hear his glee.