The Aperion Principle
Setting: The Taris System. 30 years ABY.
Chapter One
The door to his apartment slid open as it always had done. Nothing changed there. The doors opened to his tiny space with walls too close together. He rushed in thinking nothing of his usual rituals. He made a beeline towards his bedroom. He immediately started to gather his clothes and belongings. This would be no vacation. He would only take what he needed. He felt strange. This was not the way he did things. A trip like this would normally involve months of intricate planning. He didn't have the time now. He didn't know how long he had until they were onto him. He didn't know for sure if they knew what he witnessed or what he possessed.
Was it real? Did it really happen? There was the weight of the datapad still in his pocket. Suddenly it felt as heavy as a permacrete block.
He kept packing his small bag when the refresher door slid open. And there she was.
A fixture of beauty in his life. Short and petite with a gracefulness that could hardly be matched. Her long curly strands of ebony black hair hung loosely on her turquoise tunic. The one strand of bright crimson tresses divided her round face.
"Nika," he called out when he froze his position.
"Drex," she acknowledged. "What are you doing home from work so soon?" She looked down at his travel bag. "Going somewhere?"
Drexal Connick breathed out. Whatever he said in the next few seconds would change his life forever. Nothing was true or real until he relayed it to Nikala Jordana.
"Let's go on a trip."
"A trip?"
"Yeah. You always wanted to go to the beaches on Spira."
"When? Now?"
"Why not?"
"Because you forgot to spend a month to plan. What's wrong?"
"What makes you think there's something wrong?"
She chuckled and placed her hands on her hips that told him she could see right through him. "Where do I start? You're sweating for one. You're home hours before your usual time from your lab at work. And you would just as soon enter a shockball match than to go on a quick trip. So I ask again, what's wrong?"
He fiddled with a shirt that he was about to put in his bag and looked down. "Just something at work."
She gasped. "Did you get fired?"
"No! Well, I don't think so."
"How can you not think so? Did you quit? I wouldn't blame you. They don't pay you enough credits a week there."
"They paid me well enough."
"Not enough to get you out of the Coruscant underground. You've held the same position there with no advancement since before we were together. And don't think I didn't notice you used the past tense."
"I'm sure you hid your point in there somewhere."
"Drex, you are more loyal to those fools at X-tec Labs than you are to me."
Drex sighed. "I don't have time for this." He quickly corrected, "We don't have time for this."
"Oh, nice recovery. Not enough time for what? Is there a time limit to accept this quick trip of yours?"
He finally looked up at her and gazed into her bright blue eyes. Many times during the last two standard years he thought he could get lost in those eyes. Not today. "I...found something at X-tec."
Nika looked concerned now but asked, "Could you narrow that down a bit?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is that after I found it, all of my data at my station had been erased. Five standard years worth down the tube. My clearance was revoked. And I'm pretty sure someone is after me."
"After you? Kill or capture?"
"I wasn't going to stay and find out."
"Must be something big if it made you quit X-tec. So, your answer is to hurry home and pack so you can run away." She paused and added, "And I was a second thought."
Drex shut his eyes. "No, Nika, I was thinking of us."
"Were you?" She looked down at his bag. "None of my stuff in there. And I don't remember hearing you calling out my name when you came in."
"Can't get much past you. I'm sorry. I knew you were here. It's just I was..."
"More into self-preservation?" she finished. "Don't worry, I know all about that." She shrugged. "Or I used to. Now what was it at X-tec that you saw."
"It's data that X-tec doesn't want out. I'm sure of that. I came across some irrelevant data in the genome cell I was studying. There were too many contradictions in the nucleotide sequence. The phenotypes were not congruent. They had the properties of recombinant DNA, which is impossible for that genome."
"Drex! Speak Basic! What does that all mean?"
"I'm not sure. With all of my work erased, I can't study what they're doing. But I think it's all part of experiments."
"Experiments?"
"Yes. Illegal ones. And I believe employees are involved."
"How do you know?"
"Little things. People around me asking more questions of what I was working on. People who never had asked before."
"So, how can you find out what they are doing without your work?"
Drex reached in the side pocket of his tunic and pulled out a small data strip. "I kept something. The last thing that I was working on. If there's a secret, I can find it on here. I only need a lab away from X-tec. The next largest genetics lab other than here on Taris is Coruscant."
"How are you going to get there?"
Before he could answer her, the front door chimed. Drex visibly froze.
Nika asked, "Aren't you getting that?" Drex stayed motionless. "Guess I will."
"No! Don't answer it," he pleaded as she started to turn.
She turned away again and said, "Oh, Drex, I think you're exaggerating all of this. Besides, if there were people after you they're not going to ring the front door."
As he started to follow her, he looked down at the data strip he kept from his lab. He couldn't be seen with it. He couldn't trust anyone coming through that door now. He quickly looked around the main room for a good place to hide it. On the kitchen counter, he spotted his old model of an Old Republic cruiser he made when he was a kid. Creating things was always his passion. He went over to the model and lifted the fake repulsors that acted as a pocket. He dropped the strip in there and proceeded to follow Nika to the door.
Nika clicked on the front door's holo. She sighed, "It's only Ms. Vandergruff." She punched in the control to open the door and there appeared an elderly Twi'Lek female. "Hi, Ms. Vandergruff, what can we do for you?"
The green-skinned Twi'Lek was as peaceful as most of her species and was always a good landlord to Drex. Especially when Nika arrived on the scene. She had been overjoyed ever since he started dating Nika. And maybe a little hopeful for their future. Tila Vandergruff never spoke above a whisper and never seemed flustered.
Ms. Vandergruff said, "Oh, you're home. Both of you. I thought you had left. I always said you two needed a vacation." She laughed.
There was something abut that laugh that made Drex ask, "Is there something wrong, Ms Vandergruff?" He then realized he was echoing Nika's question to him earlier.
"Oh, no. There was just some people asking for you in the lobby. Didn't know who they were but they kept asking where you were. One looked like a doctor. Are you sick, Drex?"
"No. Where are they now?"
"Well, I told them you were at work."
Nika stated, "They didn't believe you."
She chuckled again. And Drex felt something. It was weird. He felt...nervous. But not from him. She went on to say, "It took some persuasion, but I told them you weren't here."
"So they did leave," Drex nudged.
The green-skinned Twi'Lek looked him straight in the eye and stated, "Yes."
Drex then felt something else. Her response triggered another emotion that was not his own. He noticed his landlord of five years was visibly shaken. He knew she was afraid. But he didn't just know. He could feel her fear. How was that possible? He saw that she slightly flicked her eyes to her right. Drex followed her gaze but could only see his own wall beside the doorway. But there was something there beyond the wall. To her right. Something...or someone.
Drex finally said to her, "I don't believe you, Ms. Vandergruff. Those men are right beside you where we can't see them. Aren't they?"
Her expression changed to full fear and was speechless. Then he saw it. A small hand blaster appeared from the right, seemingly in mid-air. It was held by a gloved hand and it was aimed directly at his landlord's head. Before either Nika or Drex could act, the blaster fired.
Ms. Vandergruff dropped to the floor with a soft thud. Nika shrieked and put her hand to her mouth. Drex wanted to come to his landlord's aid. But it was too late. Her lifeless body laid in the hallway. As peaceful as always. He was too shocked to say anything.
Appearing now in the doorway came the hand and arm that held the blaster. A large muscular human male with slicked back white-blonde hair and dressed in a black pleather tunic came into view. He now stood before Nika and Drex with his blaster pointed at them. He didn't fire.
Another human man with slick dark hair and dressed in a white lab coat came beside the man in black. This man Drex recognized. He began speaking in his deep rusty voice. "In answer to your question, Mr Connick, we were right beside your former landlady."
Drex gasped, "Dr. Kenzeel, why are you here?"
"You know why. You ran from us because of the reason. We have some unfinished business to attend to."
"Whatever it is you're doing, it has to stop."
"You are in no position to demand anything, Mr. Connick. The moment you left the grounds of X-tec today was when you are no longer employed there." He paused for effect and seeing the horrified look on Drex, the doctor spoke on. "Unless we can come to an agreement about the new work you discovered."
Drex cried, "How am I supposed to do that? All of my work is gone. Erased and demolished."
"Not erased," the doctor said confidently. "Only misplaced." He looked around the hallway and said, "I am sure it would be more convenient to discuss this inside."
"Do you really think I'm going to let you in my home?" Drex asked.
Doctor Kenzeel gestured to the man next to him and said, "I'm sure you have seen our Head of Security around X-tec's premises from time to time. This is Ciser. And he doesn't like to argue."
Nika spoke for the first time since seeing the new men to ask, "What about Ms Vandergruff?"
The doctor stated coolly, "I'm sure she won't be much trouble before we can take care of her. Please, allow us inside."
Drex and Nika backed away from the doorway to let the two men in the apartment. The security man, Ciser, stepped over the body of Ms Vandergruff before the door shut. He stood before Drex, making him look the size of an ewok. The doctor came in further and looked around.
"My, Drexal, you live quite the droll life in this muddled space. Perhaps we can improve that."
It was Nika who cried out, "We want nothing from you."
Kenzeel looked at her and smiled. "I don't believe I've been introduced to such a smart beauty. Nikala, is it? The girlfriend for, how long now? Two standard years?" He reached out his hand for her to greet. "Dr. Bose Kenzeel."
She let the doctor's hand hang in the air and said, "Why don't I just call you murderer?"
He retracted his hand and addressed Drex. "Charming. I like her, Drex."
"Don't touch her. What do you really want?"
"I want what you discovered today in our lab. You remember. It was what you kept before you so rudely ran away from us. Yet, I believe we gave you something before you ran."
Drex visibly gulped and Nika asked, "What? What is he talking about, Drex?"
"Yes, Drex," the Doctor said, "tell her what's flowing inside you now."
"I actually have no idea. And neither do you. You don't know what you're doing."
Dr. Kenzeel smiled confidently. "I have experts much smarter than you who do know what they're doing."
Drex warned, "It doesn't matter. I'll expose you and your experiments, whatever they are."
"Now now, Mr. Connick, you know neither of us want that."
"Whatever it is you're doing, I want no part of it."
Dr Kenzeel laughed. "Drex, my boy, you are already a part of it now."
After a moment of awkward silence, Nika burst out with, "Well, since nobody is going to give me an answer to what's going on, I think I'll have a drink. Dr. Kenzeel, would you or your security man like a drink?"
The doctor smiled sweetly this time. "Such a lovely host you are. I can speak for Ciser that he will not have anything to drink. Though, I would like a cup of T'sai tea, if you have it."
"I think we have an equivalent. Let me put some water in the processor." She turned to the kitchen but the doctor warned her.
"Don't go too far, milady."
She disappeared into the kitchen and Dr. Kenzeel faced Drex. "Tell me, Drex, how did you know that your landlady was lying?"
Drex thought about the question and came up blank. "I'm...not sure."
"Well, that is just one of the things we would be studying. All you have to do is come back to the lab."
"Why should I? All of my research had been erased."
"Not erased, Drex. Set aside. And it was never your research. That is always property of X-tec. And I believe you have taken a part of that property."
"What happens if I return to the lab?"
"We will study your results, of course. Trust me." Nika entered the room with a tray containing a pot of steaming hot tea and a few cups. Dr. Kenzeel went on. "Are you sure you don't know how your landlady lied to you before?"
Nika interrupted, "I know how she lied."
"Is that so?" asked the doctor.
"Yes. She looked directly into Drex's eyes. When someone takes the time to look directly at you, they are than more likely lying."
The doctor grinned. "Such a student of life. How refreshing."
"Exactly," she said, "liar." Nika suddenly threw the tray containing the hot steaming water onto the doctor and his security man. She had the element of surprise to her advantage because she knew neither her nor Drex could take on the hulking Ciser. She quickly turned to Drex and shouted, "Run!"
Drex had but seconds to understand what had just happened. He had his girlfriend help him decide with her grabbing his arm and leading him out the front door. Drex could just hear the doctor curse before he and Nika ran into the hallway. He almost paused at the dead body of Ms. Vandergruff.
Nika yelled, "Nothing you can do for her now. Let's go!" She led him to the lift just as Ciser was coming after them. The doors shut right before Ciser could reach them.
In the lift, Drex looked at Nika and cried, "What are you doing? I didn't get any of my things."
She gave him an incredulous look. "Seriously? That's what's bothering you? For your information, that so called doctor would have never let you live."
"How do you know?"
"I know. Trust me."
"Funny, that's just what he said."
"And who are you going to trust more? A man who ordered the kill on your landlady or your girlfriend of two years?"
The lift opened and they ran through the lobby and out into the Taris underground nightlife. They blended in within the crowd. Yet, despite the noise coming from the street vendors and panhandlers on he street, they both could hear a crash of plastiglass behind them. They took a moment to look and found Ciser on the ground with knees bent compactly.
"Did he just-", Drex started to say.
"Jump out of a fifth floor window?" asked Nika. "Yes, he did. Come on, let's go."
She led him through the crowds of people and aliens from different worlds. She and Drex had lived near the market district of Lower City on Taris, so they were used to the noise of the crowds just outside their apartment. This was perhaps the only time since he and Nika lived there that they used the crowd to their advantage. As they waded through the crowd, Nika looked back every once in a while to check on their pursuer. And he was still coming, yet he had not spotted them yet.
"Shavit! He's still behind us and closing in. We have to get inside somewhere and lose him."
Drex offered, "Bix's Tapcaf is around the corner."
"On a night like this, there won't be many there. That Ciser could spot us in a micro sec. I was thinking more like The Outcaster."
"What? That's an exclusive club. We've never been in there."
"You've never been in there. I've been there several times before I met you. It's huge. Larger crowds. Better place to hide in. Look, Drex, you need to get away from these people. I could tell they won't stop coming after you until you give them what they want and then they'll discard you."
"How do you know all of this?"
"I know. Come on, we don't have much time. That Ciser is gaining on us. The Outcaster is just a few more blocks north."
After a few more moments of weaving through the living traffic, they found the club named The Outcaster. Already at the early evening hour there was a full line of humans and aliens that wrapped around the large, one floor building. All were waiting to get in.
Drex cried, "We can't get in there. It's too crowded. Plus, there's a cover and I left all my credits in my room."
Nika scanned the front entrance to see the bouncers checking people in one by one. Waiting in line would not be an option with Ciser chasing them. She looked around the building and spotted a few Bith musicians hanging out in an alley. Some of them were smoking cigarras. It was their set break. Nika grinned. "We won't need the credits. We can get in quicker."
"How?"
"I have my ways. Follow my lead and let me do the talking."
Without a word, Drex complied and followed her across the street to the alley. They were a few meters away when Nika turned and said to him, "Stay here."
"Why? What are you going to do?"
"What I'm good at. Listen, we can get through this, Drex. I know you trust me, but maybe for the wrong reasons. That's my fault."
"What are you talking about?"
"My past, Drex."
Drex paused and said, "You mean the past you don't like to talk about."
"Right. There may be some things I do tonight that will surprise you. I don't have time to talk about them now since we're being chased by a hulking maniac. All I ask of you is to go with it. Please. I know improvisation isn't your strong point."
Drex almost shouted, "And that's your strong point, isn't it? That's why I don't trust you, Nika. We never talk about you."
"And you never talk about anything but your work, Drex. You never come home from work to ask me about my day or how I'm doing. It's always you. Only you."
"Then why have you stuck around me this long?"
Nika put her hands in her hair and snapped, "Oh, we so do not have time for this! Look, stay here." She turned to leave, denying any chance of a reply from Drex.
She spotted the only human amongst the musicians. He was dressed in a flamboyant sparkling silver tunic. The lead singer. In a band that consisted of mostly Bith on a planet that spoke mostly Basic, the lead singer had to be the one who could sing in Basic. She approached him as one would a devoted fan.
"Oh. My. Stars! It is you!" Nika used a distinct Coruscanti accent. "You guys are amazing! Are you playing here tonight?"
The human male smiled at the new attractive groupie and said, "Why, yes we are. We just played a small set just a bit ago. We'll be back on in a few. Nice to see one of our fans here."
"Oh, yes. I caught you guys on your last tour a month ago."
"On Belsaris?"
"That's right."
"We were tight that night. Hanch, there, went into that crazy solo that lasted ten minutes."
"Oh, I know. I thought he would never end. Oh, I can't believe I'm standing next to you. Listen, I've got to get in line and see you guys again. Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Why not?"
"Can I have a hug? I don't know when I'll have another chance."
The man smiled and said, "Sure. Come here, babe." He broke away from the wall to allow Nika to wrap her arms around the man's waist. The embrace only lasted a few seconds before Nika let go.
"Oh, thank you so much. I'm going to cherish this moment."
"No problem. Hey, we're about to go back, but look for me after the show. We could party."
Nika squealed. "Oh! I would love that. I'll look for you."
"Good. See you then. Don't miss the second set."
"Not for all the credits on Taris." She walked away as the lead singer and his band mates went back inside. She went back to Drex.
"What was all that about?" asked Drex wryly.
Nika went back to her normal voice and said, "Just meeting a lead singer I know nothing about."
"But you hugged him."
"Yep. Had to in order to steal this." She reached into the folds of her upper tunic to reveal a hard flimsi plastic backstage pass that she swiped from the lead singer. She looked back at the line of people and aliens in the line and spotted Ciser searching for them. "Oh, sithspawn, he's closer. Let's go." She grabbed Drex's arm and drug him towards the front of the line on the opposite side of the crowd. Ciser never saw them. They reached the entrance where the bouncer was collecting credits and checking members in. Thumping music echoed from inside. Nika went up to one of the bouncers and held up the backstage pass.
This time, she chose a Corellian accent. "Hey, the band left us behind. They were out back smoking, taking their time. My friend here is part of the lighting crew."
Upon seeing the pass, the bouncer opened the gate for the both of them and let them through.
The pounding music and the wild display of lights almost gave Drex a headache. He had always known the club was nearby him. He never had an interest to enter. Yet, he followed Nika inside wondering how they got in so easily. He had never heard her talk like she did. He watched her in front of him. The collection of astounding things he saw her do grew even larger when she spotted two covers, each in their own chairs. Their owners had to be busy dancing on the main floor. She walked by the pieces of clothing and picked them both up without hesitation. She slowed her pace and handed the darker cover to Drex.
"For a disguise! Put it on!" She had to almost yell because of the blaring music. She put on the cover over her own tunic and Drex cautiously did the same. Nika then turned at an angle and said, "There's an empty booth!" She made a beeline to it and she sat down, as did Drex.
Drex shouted, "You couldn't hear a gundark cry in here!"
"Perfect hiding place! We should be good in here for a while!"
The music went on for a few more minutes and then stopped. Drex was thankful to have his hearing back. In its place came the announcement that the live band was coming back. On a stage at the opposite end of where they were sitting came the band who Nika encountered in the alley. The Bith players all took to their respective instruments and the human lead singer said the next song goes out to a certain devoted fan he had just met in the alley. Nika closed her eyes in embarrassment, but Drex didn't seem to catch on. Typical. The crowd cheered as they started playing. Their music was softer but no less annoying to Drex. He watched Nika move to the music while sitting.
He finally addressed his girlfriend of two years. "Al right, who are you and what have you done with the real Nikala Jordana?"
She chuckled humorlessly and replied, "That's the thing, Drex. This has always been me. You were always too busy to notice."
"How do you know to do those things? I've never heard you speak in that accent before."
"Oh, Corellian accents are easy. You just have to put the swagger in your voice. You know, make it seem like you are the only important one in the room."
He scratched near his neck where the dark red cover was irritating his skin. "And these covers? How did you know to grab them?"
"We needed a quick disguise."
"I know, but you didn't answer my question, as usual. How did you learn to do all of this?"
"From surviving. It's what I do best."
Drex scoffed. "So, we sit here until that murderer starts searching for us?" He shook his head. "I should have gone with Dr. Kenzeel. At least, I'd have some answers."
"True, but you would die afterwards."
"How do you know that?"
"I told you. I know."
"Nika, science is my life. I work with theorems that I make into facts with hard evidence and research. You know I'm going to need more than that."
Nika grunted in frustration and leaned in closer to him against the small table in between them. "All right, Drex, you want to know? It was the intonation in his voice. He was way too confident. And that thing I said about people lying? They tend to do it while staring you in the face so it gives the impression of truth. Plus, the presence of his bodyguard, who is now chasing us still. And, oh yeah, he shot and killed that sweet Ms. Vandergruff. If they're willing to kill her to make you reveal what you found, then imagine what they'll do to you once you've done that."
"It doesn't matter now. My only chance at finding out what they're doing was on that data strip. I hid it back at the apartment. Dr. Kenzeel probably found it already."
Nika kept her eyes on him as she reached into the bosom of her tunic and took out something. She slapped it on the table. The data strip. "From this point forward, Drex, never underestimate me. Where else could you hide something so important but your precious model that you made when you were ten? I know you better than you care to believe. See, unlike you, I listen. You say I never talk about my past. I've always hinted at it. But you never ask."
He stopped staring at the data strip in disbelief and looked at her. "You're having fun with this, aren't you?"
She gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, actually I am. Two years with you and this is the most exciting thing we've done together."
Drex looked hurt. "We do things together."
"Yeah, watch the HoloNet all night. Listen to your techno babble all day. Go out to eat in Lower City occasionally. And even that takes intricate planning for a week. You have to meticulously plan everything to the finest detail to the point where there's no fun in it."
"But you never tell me what you want to do or where you want to go. Every time I do you say, 'That's fine.' or 'I don't care'. I ask you and you act like you're bored."
"Then stop asking. Just do it. Do something spontaneous for once in your life."
Drex slumped in his chair. "My work can't afford spontaneity."
"See, that's where I'm confused. You've worked at X-tec for five years, and you're just now finding something nefarious about it?"
Drex crinkled his brow. "Nef-what?"
"Nefarious. Bad. Evil. You know, for a geneticist you're not too bright."
He replied too proudly, "I graduated at the ASR Academy with honors, thank you."
"Yeah. Learning genetic codes and facts about numbers and formulas. You know nothing about culture."
"I know culture."
"Oh yeah? Who created The Lover's Dilemma?"
"Oh...uh..that composer from Theed. Oh, what's his name?"
"Seriously? Composer? It's a painting, Drex. By the famous Alderaanian painter, Wahls."
"Oh."
"You may have the brightest mind but you limit it to one area. You're alive but you don't live, Drex."
"Then why are you with me?"
She scoffed and said, "If you have to ask, then you don't deserve the answer." Her head perked up at something in the crowd. "Oh, oh. That Ciser guy is searching the booths. Don't look! Turning your head will only alert him quicker."
"What do we do?"
"Calmly get out of the booth. Make it look natural, not like someone is chasing you. He hasn't spotted us yet. There's an exit in the backroom behind us to the right. Don't move until I say." She waited until Ciser's head was turned away from them and she cried, "Now! Go!"
They both exited the booth smoothly and she led him towards the backroom where there was indeed an exit. They went through the doorway where they entered the club's kitchen. She took a quick glance back and saw Ciser. And he was looking directly at her and coming in the their direction. "Damn! He spotted us. How did he know? This guy's good."
"Where do we go now?"
"Calm down, Drex." She looked past the workers behind the scenes of the club who were ignoring them. She saw another double door on the other side. "Come on. This way." He followed her once again and they burst through the double doors. Inside was the storage room for food and drinks. It was less populated here. She ran around a corner behind a large metal shelf carrying full kegs of ale and jars of food. Around the shelf was a dead end. "There's got to be another exit to the outside in here."
"Not quite," said a booming voice from behind them. They turned to see Ciser before them. And two walls and a large shelf too big to move were in their way. He had them trapped. He went on to speak. "I must commend you on your means of escape. Very clever coming in here and using a quick disguise. But, as you can see, your fun is over."
"What are you going to do?" Nika asked. "You have no weapons."
Ciser chuckled. "My dear, I am the weapon." He slowly edged closer to them.
"Wait!" cried Drex. "I'll come with you. Just let her alone."
"Drex, what are you doing?"
Ciser said, "You think it's that simple? She already knows that there is a secret, A secret that X-tec is willing to keep hidden. At any cost. I'm sure she's told you. Can't afford loose ends. Just ask your landlady. Don't worry. She's being taken care of. Stripped down. Ident cards and credits she had...gone. Muggings happen all the time in the market district of Lower City. And storage rooms of clubs."
Drex started to lunge at the large man with a cry of pain but Nika grabbed his arm to hold him back. "Not this way, Drex." She whispered in his ear, "Find a weapon."
Ciser said, "Any weapon will be useless against me, dear."
"Now, how did you hear that?" she questioned.
"I have excellent hearing."
Despite his warning, Drex looked around for any kind of weapon. On the bottom shelf where the kegs were on top were jars of food. He could throw powdered tomo spice at him. Or smother him in a jar of pickled Falusian beets. Then he stared at the large kegs of ale that sat securely on the top shelf. He wished that he could move them to throw at Ciser. Then he felt a strange sensation. He could feel the kegs in his mind as if he were touching them. He could imagine them moving. To his surprise, they did move about a few inches off the shelf. He then focused on the kegs and touched them with his mind. What was happening? He didn't have time to think about the how yet. He fought his own thoughts of wanting to know the whys of how things worked. He held the kegs in his mind and he mentally pulled hard. The large kegs were ejected off the shelf and landed on Ciser. One of the kegs hit the large man hard in the head and he was knocked down and out cold in an instant.
Nika let go of Drex's arms and looked up at the now empty shelf, dumbfounded. "Well, thank the Maker for small favors. Wonder how that happened?"
"It was me," he muttered.
"What? No way, Drex. You were standing in front of me and I had your arms. There's no way you could have shaken those kegs off."
"But I did. With my mind."
"Now that's absurd, Drex. Only Jedi can do something like that."
"Exactly." He looked up at her face that had worry plastered all over it. "I think I know what they're doing. Sort of. Unfortunately, I think they did it to me earlier at work. Before I escaped."
"What? What did they do?"
Drex shook his head. "I want to speak to someone first to make sure."
"All right. Who?"
Drex paused and said, "I need to speak to the Jedi Master Skywalker."
Chapter Two will come soon!