Part 32 (1/2)
Oh. She'd been hoping she had imagined that.
”Master Windu?” said Lieutenant Avrey, behind them. ”I have the Jedi Temple on priority scramble for you. ”
”Thank you, ” said Master Windu, and crossed to the communication console. Taking the patched-in comlink from her, he raised it to his lips and looked back at the blockade. ”This is Mace Windu. Get me Master Yoda. Now. ”
As Master Windu explained the situation, Ahsoka closed her eyes and sank more deeply into the Force. If she tried hard enough maybe, just maybe, she could make contact with Skyguy. Mind-touch over this kind of distance was practically unheard of, but she had felt his presence. That had to mean something. And they had a special connection, she and her Master. So if she focused harder and tighter than she ever had before, if she imagined herself a laser and sent her mind searing through s.p.a.ce toward him...
Master. Skyguy. Anakin. I'm here.
She heard her heartbeat, thundering. Felt sweat break on her brow. Her skin started to crawl with the effort of reaching him, and pain built to a crescendo behind her closed eyes.
Master, it's me. Ahsoka. Please, let me know you 're all right.
There was no answer, only that faintest of faint whispers. A teasing tickle that told her Yes. He's alive.
Gasping, abruptly unsteady on her own two feet, she broke free of the Force. Master Windu was still talking to Yoda.
”-right. Then unless we're directly engaged we'll hold fire until 1 hear from you. But don't make us wait too long. And if they try to get past us with more of that bioweapon-then I won't hold back. Windu out. ”
Lieutenant Avrey closed down the scrambled channel, then turned to Admiral Yularen. ”Good news, sir. They tried to jam our signal four times, but our countermeasure upgrade stopped them. ”
”Excellent, ” said Yularen, permitting himself a small, satisfied smile. ”Let Pioneer and Coruscant Sky know. But they'll keep on trying, so stay on your toes. ”
Master Windu turned. ”I want s.h.i.+p-to-s.h.i.+p. I think a warning shot across Grievous's bow wouldn't go astray. ”
”You're sure?” said the admiral. ”Why not let him sweat awhile? Push him into making the first move. ”
”Right now we're outnumbered more than five stars.h.i.+ps to one, ” said Master Windu. ”I doubt he's sweating much. Admiral. ” He showed his teeth in a fierce smile. ”But he might get a little uneasy once he realizes who he's up against. At the very least I'll give him something to think about, and that'll buy us a little time. ”
”For what?” Yularen asked quietly. ”Do you really think Strategic Command's going to send us more s.h.i.+ps? With seven major battlefronts actively engaged and eleven cruisers still disabled with this comm virus?”
Master Windu's expression was grim. ”They might not want to, but they don't have a choice. Not if they want to avoid more Chandrilas. Besides-that's Grievous standing in our way. Our highest priority is taking him out. Lanteeb's as good a place as any to get the job done. ”
”Master Windu, far be it for me to dictate to a Jedi of your experience, but truly...” The admiral stepped closer. ”I think it would be best to hold our fire a while longer. Get him thinking. Throw him off balance, if only a little bit. We can't make threats we're not in a position to carry out. I strongly suggest we wait until we know what kind of reinforcements we can expect. Any way you look at it, this is going to be one dirty, brutal fight-but I'd prefer to know exactly how dirty and brutal before I poke a stick in this Bizikian hornets' nest. ”
Master Windu thought for a moment, then nodded. ”I'll split the difference with you, Admiral. One standard hour. Master Yoda will have an answer for us within that time. ” His eyes narrowed. ”And then we'll get down to a little stick poking. ”
133.
Ahsoka stood a little straighter. ”Master Windu?”
”Padawan?”
”I'd like to tell Captain Rex what's going on. ”
For a moment she thought he'd deny her permission-but then he nodded. ”Very well. You can brief the Five Hundred First. Leave the other companies to me. ”
”And after that, Master, I-I'd like to meditate. ”
His eyebrows lifted. ”Meditate?”
There was no fooling this man. Not that she'd even try, of course. Uncomfortably aware that Yularen and the other bridge officers were within earshot, she clasped her hands behind her back. Not defiant. Never that. Just... determined.
”Master, I know it's a long shot, but I want to see if I can reach Master Skywalker. ”
”You're right, ” said Master Windu. ”That is a very long shot, Padawan. But I won't tell you not to try. Stranger things have happened-and we've got an hour to sit here with nothing better to do. ”
She did try to keep the excitement from her face and voice, but she wasn't sure she succeeded. Still-nothing in Master Windu's expression suggested he was displeased.
”Thank you, Master. Once I've spoken with Rex I'll be in my quarters, if you need me for anything. ”
He nodded, dismissing her, and she left the bridge to go belowdecks, where Rex and the rest of the 501st were geared up and ready for a fight.
Don't worry. Anakin. We're here and we're not going anywhere. Not until we've got you and Master Ken.o.bi off that planet.
Lok Durd sat behind his office desk, bloated with a malignant satisfaction. On the desk sat a compact holoimager, running a selection of HoloNet News reports on the aftermath of Chandrila. With wet, s.h.i.+ning eyes he watched the unspeakable images, the uproar in the Senate, the Supreme Chancellor's pleas for patience and courage. Every now and then he chortled, and bounced a little in his chair.
”You see. Doctor? You see? I was right!” he gloated. ”With one small blow I have struck terror into the rotten heart of the Republic.
One more blow and I'll have it on its knees. Yet again I prove myself indispensable to Count Dooku. Single-handedly I will win this war for him and he will shower me with riches the likes of which have never been seen!”
Staring at the flickering holorecording, Bant'ena couldn't tell if her heart was beating or if the dry office air moved in and out of her lungs. She felt disconnected from the world around her. Inhuman. As though someone had transformed her from woman to droid.
I did this. Look at all the people I killed.
Master Ken.o.bi was right. She'd put the lives of her family, her friends, before everything-before her conscience and her ethics, before the oath she'd sworn as a scientist. Now thousands of lives were destroyed as a result and the Republic teetered on the brink of chaos.
I did this. It's my fault.
”I'm sorry, General, ” she said abruptly, standing. ”I require the 'fresher. Might I he excused?”
He barely glanced up from enjoying the horror show she'd helped him create. ”Be quick. We have things to discuss. I want to refine the weapon's formula. There won't be time to use the new mix on Bespin, but...”
His office tip-tilted around her. ”Bespin? You're attacking Bespin next?”
He chortled again, so pleased with himself. ”Within the next few days. As soon as the Republic starts to relax. Ingenious, aren't I? The Republic's scrambling to protect the rest of the Core Worlds. It's the perfect opportunity to disrupt the Tibanna gas market. When 134 Count Dooku sees how much I've hurt the Republic my position will be una.s.sailable. ” Pleasure vanis.h.i.+ng, he scowled. ”No more doubting my judgment. No more questioning my expertise. ”
Bant'ena's belly heaved. ”I'm sorry. Please excuse me. ”
”Don't be long, ” Durd snapped. ”Kay-Dee Seventy-seven, go with her. ”
Forced to keep pace with his hated personal droid, which daily tormented her with holoimages of her family, she barely made it to the refresher before her stomach turned itself inside out. On her knees and running with sweat, she emptied herself of food and bile, then slumped s.h.i.+vering to the cold, tiled floor.
At least she had only KD-77 as a witness. Durd had dispensed with her battle droid escort; he'd needed the machines to send after the Jedi. In fact he'd stripped the compound of battle droids-but it hadn't done him any good. Wherever Anakin and Master Ken.o.bi were now, somehow they were managing to hold Durd's forces at bay. She'd heard the Neimoidian screaming at Colonel Barev, demanding to know why the Jedi were still at large. Barev had said something about not alerting the wrong people to the fact there was a siege, that they couldn't s.h.i.+p in more droids and heavier weapons for fear of awkward questions being asked. He'd told Durd to be patient, promising that the village couldn't hold out much longer.
But she refused to believe it. If anyone could beat Durd, it was Anakin and Master Ken.o.bi.
For one moment she'd thought the withdrawal of the compound's battle droid contingent might give her a chance to escape this new compound-but no. Durd fitted her with a slave collar. The blasted thing was the wrong size-her neck was chafed, her skin rubbed b.l.o.o.d.y over her collarbones. Durd didn't care. He had more important things to worry about, like orchestrating another ma.s.s murder.