"We have to stop them," Nield said.

Obi-Wan noted Nield's unconscious use of "we." He withdrew his lightsaber and activated it. As it shot to life and he saw its pale blue glow, he felt encouragement rush through him.

"We can take them together," he said.

Nield nodded and reached for his vibroblade.

"Good luck," Obi-Wan said.

Slowly, Nield began to grin. "We don't need luck."

"Everybody needs luck."

"Not us."

Nield put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. Their friendship had risen from ash and smoke. Danger lay outside, but they would face it together.

Weapons held high, they charged outside to meet Mawat.

Qui-Gon hoped that Obi-Wan had more success in locating Nield than he did. The tunnels were deserted. Most of the Young had found quarters aboveground by this time.

He lingered in the vault where the Young had based their headquarters before the war. Perhaps there was a clue here that could lead him to Nield.

He stood in the small adjoining room where Cerasi had slept with the youngest of the Young. No one had removed her personal effects, but someone had left flowers on her sleeping area with its neatly folded blanket and rolled-up mattress.

Qui-Gon smoothed the blanket with his hand. It seemed very poignant to him. Here Cerasi had tidied up on the last morning of her life.

He felt a small bulge in the blanket. He slipped his hand between the folds and discovered a holographic message disk.

Qui-Gon fitted the disk into his holographic message unit. Had Cerasi left one last message behind?

Obi-Wan and Nield threw themselves into the battle. They were outnumbered, but surprise was in their favor.

Their first objective was to prevent Mawat's crew from rigging any more explosive devices. Obi-Wan and Nield attacked furiously. The lightsaber felt so right in Obi-Wan's hand. He moved gracefully, his balance perfect, the lightsaber a blur of motion. Nield attacked with his vibroblade, slashing at the equipment boxes and rendering them into piles of scrap. The Scavenger Young dropped the rest of the timing devices and ran.

They beat back the Scavenger Young to a position on the plaza. There, Mawat had already organized the rest of his forces. Obi-Wan and Nield took cover behind the dry fountain. Its curving stone wall hid them from the blaster counterattack. But they would not be able to hold out for long.

"What are we going to do?" Nield asked Obi-Wan, ducking his head as blaster fire pinged into the stone, sending chips flying. "I don't have a blaster, just my vibroblade."

Obi-Wan quickly raised his head, then ducked down again. "We're outnumbered, that's for sure. And Mawat has probably called for reinforcements."

"Well, at least they can't blow up the Hall," Nield said worriedly.

"We'll figure out something," Obi-Wan assured him. But inside, he wasn't so confident. He wished Qui-Gon would appear. Together, they could take on Mawat's forces. But with only one lightsaber, Obi-Wan didn't think he could protect Nield and fight at the same time.

Suddenly, blaster fire erupted behind them. Obi-Wan and Nield turned, startled. Deila, Joli, and Roenni were heading toward them, firing as they came.

"We thought you might need some help," Deila said as she landed next to them behind the fountain wall. "Roenni organized the others. They're going to come at Mawat's forces from the other side."

Just as Deila finished speaking, they saw more of the Young spill into the plaza, surrounding Mawat. At last the odds were even.

"Let's go!" Obi-Wan shouted.

They leaped up over the fountain wall and ran toward the battle.

Blaster fire pinged around them, but Obi-Wan was able to deflect it with his lightsaber. With a sense of deep gratitude, he felt the Force enter and guide him. He moved without having to plan, anticipating where the fire would come.

Mawat whistled, and a squad of Scavenger Young suddenly materialized around a corner. They, too, joined the battle. Lightsaber swinging, Obi-Wan struggled to get to Mawat. If he could capture him, perhaps the battle would end.

A member of the Scavenger Young took aim at Nield with his blaster, and Obi-Wan swooped down, nearly connecting with the boy's wrist. The lightsaber seared his skin, and he let out a howl. He dropped to his knees, his face white with pain.

Nield and Obi-Wan exchanged a quick sorrowful glance. This was the ultimate wrong, the thing they thought could never happen. The Young were fighting each other. And they were doing it right on the spot where Cerasi had died.

As if they'd conjured her up, Cerasi's voice suddenly filled the air.

"I made my decision after the war ended," she said in a strong, clear voice. "I will no longer carry a weapon. I will fight no more in the name of peace. But today I might die for it."

Everyone froze. Obi-Wan felt his heart hammer against his chest. He looked around wildly. He saw Qui-Gon standing on the wall of the fountain. The Jedi held an amplifying device. The Young had used them in the early battles of the war, when they had fooled the Elders into thinking they had more weapons than they did.

Cerasi shimmered in hologram form in the well of the dry fountain.

Obi-Wan heard the gasps around him. He looked at the faces, and he saw shock and sadness.

Cerasi had touched so many lives. She had pierced so many hearts. The Young had fought side by side with her, experienced loss and victory with her, had been inspired by her. Now, only she had the power to make them pause and listen.

"Do me a favor, friends. Don't build any monuments for me. Don't destroy any, either. History isn't in our favor, but that doesn't mean we should annihilate it. Don't let our dream of peace die. Work for it. Don't kill for it. We fought one war for peace. We always said that one war had to be enough."

Cerasi gave the cocky grin that Obi-Wan remembered so well. "Don't mourn too long for me. After all, I wanted peace." She shrugged. "Look at it this way. Now I have it forever."

Cerasi's image disappeared. The plaza was no longer filled with her vibrant presence. But an echo of her love and reason remained.

Beside Obi-Wan, Nield dropped his weapon. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber. They both stared at Mawat. He stared back defiantly.

One by one, the others in the plaza dropped their weapons. They all turned to Mawat.