Star Wars: The Last of the Jedi, Volume 3 by Jude Watson Page B

place we’ll all be safe. Not just us, but any Erased who wish to join us.”
    The two young men who Dexter had referred to as brothers sat together. They followed the conversation carefully, looking from one speaker to another at the same moment. They nodded in
agreement.
    “Gilly and Spence are right,” Dexter said, even though the two young men hadn’t spoken. “Now what about Solace?”
    Rhya Taloon spoke up. “I’ve heard rumors about it. A kind of refuge, they say. Secret. Safe. Impossible to find, yet many find their way there.”
    “I say we find it,” Dexter said. “Ferus has got the skills to protect us on the journey.”
    Me?
Ferus thought.
Since when did I volunteer?
    Keets Freely gave a long look around at the sweeping machines, the pools of rusty water, and the grimy walls. “And leave all this?” he joked.
    Wait a second
, Ferus thought.
I thought I was getting a guide, not leading a group.
He shot a look at Dexter. His eyes were twinkling...if you could say such a thing were possible
for a Besalisk’s beady eyes.
    Oh, well. He’d been outmaneuvered. But he didn’t mind doing Dexter a favor. He’d do it for Obi-Wan’s sake. And to help find the lost Jedi.
    Trever didn’t mind. That was clear by the grin on his face. He liked these people. No doubt they reminded him of the black marketers he lived with on Bellassa.
    “Take a vote, then,” Dexter suggested.
    Slowly, weapons were raised. All seven Erased agreed to go.
    “I’ll be staying here,” Dex said. “I’m not as mobile as I was. I’ll warn the others to stay low—well, lower than normal—and I’ll wait to
hear from you.”
    As they went to collect their weapons and belongings, Ferus talked to Dexter.
    “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you trapped me into this,” he said.
    “Where’s your spirit of adventure, young Olin?” Dexter chortled and slapped him on the back, sending him shooting forward. He saved himself from crashing into a column just in
time.
    “I should tell you something, Dexter. If you’re relying on the skills of a Jedi, I dropped out of the Order some time ago. I’m a little rusty.”
    “I’d rather have a Jedi at half-power than a battalion of stormtroopers any day,” Dexter assured him. “And call me Dex. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a long
friendship.”
    The Erased left to gather the few belongings they needed to take, and Ferus took the opportunity to gain some privacy and contact Obi-Wan. He withdrew into a little-used part
of the space and took out his comlink.
    They had agreed on a coded signal before they parted, and Obi-Wan answered at once. A flickering mini-hologram appeared, and Obi-Wan flipped back his hood.
    “News?”
    “Hey, Obi-Wan, glad to see you, too.”
    Obi-Wan frowned. “You are supposed to contact me for emergencies only.”
    “Well, it’s not an emergency, so I guess you don’t want to hear what I have to say. Bye!”
    “Hello, Ferus,” Obi-Wan said wearily. “How are you?”
    “Nothing a few days of rest on Belazura wouldn’t cure. I’m here with your friend Dexter Jettster. He sends his regards.”
    “Dex! I’m glad to hear it.”
    “He’s got a death mark on his head, but he’s alive. Listen, I broke into the Temple with Trever and overheard something of interest about Polis Massa.”
    Obi-Wan straightened. “Yes?”
    “Darth Vader doesn’t care about it. Whatever it is. In fact, he forbade Malorum to pursue any inquiry.”
    “That’s good.”
    “No, that’s bad. Because Malorum is trying to become the Emperor’s right-hand man and boot out Vader. So he’s going to pursue it.”
    “Do you know what he knows?”
    “No, I didn’t get that far. The wall caved in.”
    “You have to find out. You must be alert for any inquiry into the death of Senator Padmí Amidala as well. Do you think you could get back into the Temple?”
    “Trever and I barely got
out.
”
    Obi-Wan folded his hands into the sleeves of his cloak. “You