Part 10 (1/2)
The Bakurans' usual dislike of droids had obviously been overcome by pragmatism in this case. Surveillance of the area was frequent and random, making it difficult to predict when sweeps would next take place.
Worst of all, she had tripped some sort of concealed alarm when she'd dared make her first dash for the rear entrance. The entire compound was now on full alert, ready and waiting for someone to break in.
Half an hour's careful observation convinced her that it was unlikely she could sneak in un.o.bserved. And if the se-curity on the inside was as stringent as that on the outside, then she wasn't going to last a minute in there-let alone reach the cell she needed. No, she was going to have to try another way.
Slipping out from her hiding s.p.a.ce, she crossed the roof of the warehouse and descended a narrow ladder fixed to the far wall. The laneway at its base was cluttered with rubbish, suggesting it was rarely used. Following it to its end, she allowed a trio of deep and calming breaths to fill her with a sense of control and authority.
I am not a covert agent, she told herself. I am the representative of visiting dignitaries, and the people here are our allies.
With a brisk, measured pace, she walked around the corner and into full view of the security droids. A spotlight instantly hit her full in the face, but she didn't break step-the slightest hesitation could destroy the illusion she was trying to create.
Two G-2RD droids swooped from emplacements in the high ferrocrete wall that was the rear of the prison. Floating spheres equipped with several means to inflict discomfort, they converged on her, buzzing furiously like agitated insects.
”Halt!” exclaimed one. She couldn't tell which.
She stopped within three meters of the rear entrance, radiating patient obedience.
”State your name and purpose here,” ordered the other, its voice a nasal whine probably designed to irritate.
”My name is Jaina Solo,” she replied easily. ”I'm here to speak with Malinza Thanas.” Both droids buzzed as they performed a quick check on her clearance. After a couple of seconds, one of the droids advanced with its stun prod crackling. ”No such visitation has been authorized.”
”Please don't threaten me,” she said, sending the small droid into a spin with a push from the Force. ”I really don't take too kindly to things like that.” The second droid emitted a piercing wail that Jaina was quick to cut short.
She reached deep into the droid's circuitry with the Force and fused its vocabulator.
More droids and spotlights converged on her. She couldn't have drawn more attention to herself if she'd wanted to. Nevertheless, she maintained her calm exterior and kept her hands well away from her lightsaber.
”I am here to speak with Malinza Thanas,” she repeated, patiently and firmly.
”Please let me through.” The first droid recovered from its spin and faced her again, this time speaking with a different voice, that of a guard from within the compound, obviously watching through the droid's sensors.
”I'm sorry, but we cannot allow visitors without authorization.”
She folded her arms in front of her. ”Then I suggest you get it, because I'm not going anywhere until I've seen Malinza And I have no intention of leaving quietly. I'll give you one minute to comply.” The droid buzzed, bobbing up and down as though itching to be given the okay to attack her.
She watched it warily while counting from one to sixty in her head.
At the end of the minute, she heard hurried footsteps coming toward her from around the nearest corner.
”I can't wait all night, you know,” she said, brus.h.i.+ng the droids easily aside and taking three more paces toward the rear door that the Ryn had specified in his message. There she spoke the code word she'd been given.
”Fringe dweller.” The door instantly hissed open, lifting sharply up into the ceiling. She strode through into a glowing white corridor that led as straight as a beam of light into the heart of the building.
A chorus of buzzing from the droids followed her. A new voice issued from the nearest droid's casing.
”This is a flagrant disregard for regulations!” There was no disguising the guard's annoyance. ”Whoever you are, I must insist that-”
”As I have already explained,” she said, ”my name is Jaina Solo, and I'd appreciate it if you could make up your minds as to whether you intend to a.s.sist me or arrest me. I really have no desire to fight you, but if you force my hand then I-”
”You can't expect to just walk in here and see any prisoner you like! Ever heard of protocol?”
”You ever heard of a diplomatic incident?” she shot back. ”Because that's what you're going to get if I don't get to see Malinza Thanas. ”
The pause was longer this time, and she sensed the droids backing off slightly. A squad of guards had appeared behind them, and waited uncertainly to see what she would do next.
”Well?” she prompted after a while. ”What's it to be?”
”Please wait where you are.” The voice seemed more cowed than it had been a moment before, and Jaina suspected the guards had been instructed by their superiors to let her through. ”An escort will arrive shortly.” No sooner had this been said than four Bakuran security guards came hurrying around the corner-their weapons, she noted, carefully bolstered.
”Come with us,” ordered the one nearest to her. He spoke firmly, gruffly, but there was no escaping the fact that he was a little uneasy.
Jaina allowed herself a slight smile at this; they weren't as good at hiding their nervousness as she was.
She didn't move. ”Not until I know where you're taking me.”
”You're to be taken to see the prisoner,” he replied. ”As requested.” There was derision in his tone, but it was all bl.u.s.ter and show. He knew that Jaina had the upper hand in this situation.
Her smile widened. It never hurt to boost respect for Jedi on outlying worlds, and respect wasn't always earned at the end of a lightsaber.
She offered a polite bow of her head in the direction of the droids, knowing that whoever had authorized her would no doubt be watching. There would be no further need for any aggressive posturing this evening-not unless she was provoked, of course. ”I apologize for this inconvenience. The sooner I can see Malinza Thanas, the sooner I can be out of your hair.” Her senses finely attuned for any sign of deception, she let herself be shepherded by the four guards deep into the heart of the penitentiary. The high - security wing was identical to the regular wings except for G-2RD droids stationed at every junction. They hummed menacingly when she pa.s.sed, as though warning her not to try the same tricks she had employed on their fellow sentries. She tried to memorize every turn and corridor as she went, but it wasn't easy. They all looked the same to her, and the cell numbers didn't seem to follow any particular pattern.
Finally they arrived at Cell 12-17. The door looked like all the others they'd pa.s.sed along the way: sterile white with no window or openings. One of the lead guards keyed a short code into a keypad, then stepped back as the cell door slid open with a dull grinding sound.
Inside, on a narrow cot, sat a thin, dark-haired girl of about fifteen years.
Despite the gray prison uniform and the bruises to her face and arms, she still had a defiant look about her-but there was also exhaustion behind that defiance.
”What now?” the girl asked.
”A visitor,” the first guard said, motioning Jaina to enter. He indicated a green touchpad by the door. ”When you're done, just hit the CALL b.u.t.ton.”
”Kinda late for visitors, isn't it?” Malinza said, looking Jaina over suspiciously.
Jaina stepped into the brightly lit cell. ”My name is Jaina Solo,”
she said as the door closed behind her. She examined the girl quickly, wondering what sort of treatment she'd been subjected to.
Malinza's sharply defined face tilted upward. She studied Jaina for a moment before nodding. ”Uncle Luke has spoken about you. He once showed me a holo of you and Jacen when you were little.” Jaina felt an unaccountable stab of jealousy at the girl's words. Uncle Luke?
Who was this girl she'd never met, claiming Jaina's uncle as her own?
Indignation quickly gave way to understanding, however, when she remembered that Malinza was Luke's sponsor daughter. With both her parents dead-Gaeriel Captison, former Prime Minister of Bakura, had sacrificed her life to destroy a large chunk of the troublesome Sacorrian Triad, while Pter Thanas died of Knowt's disease some years earlier-Luke Skywalker was probably the closest thing she had to family. What right did Jaina have to deny the girl that?
”I wish we could have met under better circ.u.mstances,” she said, moving deeper into the small room, close to the girl. She gestured to the bunk. ”May I?”
”You sure picked a bad time to visit,” Malinza said as she moved to make room for Jaina to sit down.
”Want to tell me about it?” Malinza studied Jaina with a maturity that was at odds with her age. Her gaze was piercing, made even more disconcerting by the fact that her eyes were different colors. Her left iris was green, her right gray.