He felt righteousness pump through him. From now on, he would make no mistakes.
Memories pounded in him, of his mother, of Amee's tears for months after Hale was captured. He matched Krayn's viciousness with his own, driving him back toward the wall so he would have him at bay. He saw the first flicker of fear in Krayn's eyes and he enjoyed it.
"You will die at my hands, Krayn," he said through his teeth. "You will die at the hands of a boy."
Krayn was too exhausted to answer. His hair was wet and matted, and his powerful arm shook as he tried to raise the vibro-ax against Anakin.
Anakin had him now. He would show no mercy. Krayn deserved none. There was no capturing him. There was only killing him.
Obi-Wan had followed Siri from the conference room. As soon as they were alone, he whipped off his mask.
"I thought so," Siri said. "You were never good at disguise."
"I fooled you," Obi-Wan said. "Admit it."
She bared her teeth at him. "Never."
He followed her at a run to Krayn's quarters. He was not in his receiving room, or in the control center.
"He wouldn't go down to the factory," Siri said. "He wouldn't want to be anywhere near the rebellion."
They exchanged glances.
"The landing platform," Siri said, and took off.
They pounded through the corridors and burst out the exit. At the opposite end, Anakin held Krayn at bay. The pirate was bent over, breathing heavily. As they watched, a vibro-ax fell from his bleeding hand and clattered to the ground. He lifted his face to his attacker.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted. He started toward him. Siri circled in case she needed to flank him for support.
His Padawan did not hear him. On his face was an intensity that Obi- Wan had never seen before.
Anakin raised his lightsaber to deliver the fatal blow.
"Don't!" Obi-Wan shouted.
The lightsaber slashed downward. Anakin sunk it in Krayn's chest.
Krayn's mouth opened in a wordless scream. He locked eyes with Anakin. Then he toppled to the ground.
EPILOGUE A few days later, Obi-Wan and Siri sat with Anakin and watched as the sleek silver transport set down on Krayn's landing platform.
"We'll certainly be returning to Coruscant in style," Siri observed.
She looked more like her old self now, dressed in a simple tunic, her face scrubbed clean, her blond hair tucked behind her ears and gleaming in the weak sun.
"It's not often that a Senate delegation comes to congratulate us on a mission and give us a lift home," Obi-Wan said. "As a matter of fact, it's never."
"I guess they are grateful for the liberation of Nar Shaddaa," Siri said.
"Not to mention the