Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [39]
“Well, of course, you should be proud. But should the Prelate learn that the piece has for all these years resided with a personage such as Viceroy Gunray—”
Without another chitter, the Xi Charrian let go his tools and launched himself from his work pallet—not at TC-16 or either of the Jedi, but straight up into the web of overhead girders. Ignoring indignant squeals from rudely awakened Xi Charrians, he began to leap from one girder to the next, clearly determined to reach one of the tall skylights that perforated the roof.
Obi-Wan watched him for a moment, then turned to Anakin. “I don’t think he wants to speak with us.”
Anakin kept his eyes on t’laalak-s’lalak-t’th’ak. “Well, he has to.”
And with that, he leapt in pursuit.
“Anakin, wait!” Obi-Wan said, then added, more to himself, “Oh, what’s the use,” and sprang up toward the ceiling.
Hurling himself from truss to truss like some circus performer, Anakin arrived quickly at the intricate tracery surrounding the partially opened roof window through which t’laalak-s’lalak-t’th’ak was desperately trying to squirm. The Xi Charrian’s insectile forelegs were already outside the window when Anakin leapt again, clutching on to him in an effort to return him to the floor. But the alien was stronger than he looked. Chittering madly, he leapt for a higher window, this time taking Anakin with him.
Ten meters away, Obi-Wan paralleled the Xi Charrian’s flight into the upper reaches of the vaulted ceiling, where the chase had now roused scores of roosting Xi Charrians, inciting more than a few to join in.
Anakin was still trying to drag his quarry down, but his weight was insufficient to the task. Fearing what might result should Anakin call too strongly on the Force—Obi-Wan had visions of the entire workshop crumbing to pieces!—he fairly flew after them, barely managing at the apex of his ascent to grab hold of t’laalak-s’lalak-t’th’ak’s rear legs.
And down they came.
All three, entwined, and bringing with them more than thirty inverted Xi Charrians. Cascading onto the floor, Obi-Wan and Anakin lost their hold on t’laalak-s’lalak-t’th’ak, and suddenly couldn’t tell one Xi Charrian from the next. Losing t’laalak-s’lalak-t’th’ak had ceased to be an immediate concern, in any case, because Xi Charrians throughout the workshop were rushing to the aid of those the two Jedi had caused to plummet from the rafters. Some were already attempting to zap the Jedi into submission by brandishing assorted soldering and engraving tools, while others were busy constructing a plasteel hemisphere under which the violence might be contained.
“No mayhem!” Obi-Wan shouted.
Anakin showed him a wide-eyed glance from beneath a three-meter-tall heap of irate Xi Charrians.
“Who exactly are you talking to?”
Obi-Wan glanced around the workshop. “Topple something—quickly! Before they complete the mound!”
With a shoving motion of his free hand, Obi-Wan overturned a small table twenty meters away, spilling several stacks of freshly engraved comlinks and droid summoners. Chittering in panic, half the Xi Charrians who were holding him to the floor—and most of the ones rushing toward him—scampered off to repair the damaged devices.
“Quickly, Anakin!’
Even with his hands pinned under him, Anakin managed to upend a pallet of kitchen appliances, then knock over a carefully arranged collection of toys, then tear from the wall more than half a dozen sconces.
Chittering in dismay, more Xi Charrians raced off.
“Stop making it look like fun!” Obi-Wan cautioned.
Eyes riveted on a bin filled with musical instruments, he was about to rid himself of his remaining tormenters when blasterfire erupted in the workshop, and into the midst of the throng of infuriated Xi Char appeared the Prelate himself, seated on a litter carried by six bearers and grasping a weapon in each foot.
Twenty Xi Charrians flattened themselves to the floor as the Prelate brought the blasters to bear on Obi-Wan and Anakin. But before a bolt could be fired TC-16 emerged from a side gallery, his body realigned and polished