They swarmed the Drengir. First a handful, then a dozen, then more droids from all over the station were rolling across floors and down walls, pruning shears clicking. Soon the Drengir began to howl in protest as those shears found their targets. The Drengir would have no trouble destroying the 8-Ts once they were free—but that would take them a while.

“Good thinking,” Cohmac said to Orla. “This is our chance.”

“Couldn’t agree more.”

Orla let the battle fall away from her memory, the tension from her body. She inhaled deeply, inhabiting only the moment. From the depths of her mind, she called upon the Force to answer.

As she opened her perception further, she became more able to sense Cohmac beside her, doing the same thing. His courage rallied her own. With renewed determination, she traced the outlines of darkness, formed it in the shape of a sphere, felt Cohmac’s effort doubling her own. Then she centered that energy within the idols, squaring the circle—

A burst of brilliant greenish light lit up the entire station for a moment. Orla’s first impulse was that something had gone wrong with the inner illumination, or worse, that internal systems were beginning to explode. Then she realized the light had been only in her mind’s eye, her consciousness attempting to make sense of the pure power of the Force.

In that instant, the fight between the Drengir and the 8-Ts ended. Once again the Drengir blended into the murk of the jungle. Orla could almost have lost them. The 8-Ts whirled in brief confusion, then got back to the important work of gardening.

Would this hold the Drengir in place?

“That’s the seal,” she said, almost in a daze. “It’s working.”

“Hopefully forever, but at least for a short while.” Already Cohmac had fully recovered and had once again pulled up the hood of his robe in preparation for travel. “That gives us time to escape and reconnect with Reath. I hope Affie has finished with the code.”

“If she hasn’t, we’ll make Leox and Geode call her back.” Orla pushed up the sleeves of her spotless white robe. “Let’s move.”

They hustled toward the door that would lead to the airlock ring. Sensing their approach, the door slid open, revealing the darkened space. But in the middle of that area stood a slender, stooped figure. As Orla’s eyes adjusted to the light, she recognized who had found them.

“I’m afraid I have to ask you to stay right here,” said Hague, leveling his blaster straight at them.

25 Years Earlier- Part Five