Chapter 9…
Pace's entire crew was there to greet the Jedi on the station's floor within a minute of the grid's deactivation. Including Pace, they were all swift and quiet—even the younger ones performing like skilled commanders. Mara was impressed.
"All right," Commander Pace whispered, "we have little time to do this, so let's make it quick. Our main objective is to get to the station's database and look around. Simple. Anything more…," he tossed a look at Mara and Luke. "We'll just have to play by ear."
"Main power source is sketchy," Ross said by Pace's side, eyes glued to his datapad. "There isn't much power in this place anyway, but…" He looked up at everyone and shrugged. "I won't be able to pinpoint an exact location."
"Looks like we get to hunt," Pace replied. "This station isn't large, but we don't have much time. Jedi, you have any idea just how many Falleen we're dealing with in here?"
It was a question Mara was expecting. Both she and Luke were already in the process of counting them.
"Skywalkers?" Pace imposed, but Mara raised a hand for him to quiet.
"They're mostly asleep," Luke told him, face toward the ceiling. "About twenty guards are scouting. Some of them outside." He dropped his eyes back down to the group as Mara did the same. "Ninety-six in total."
"Ah-ha," Mara pointed a finger at him. "You forgot about the two scouting around in the woods."
Luke was silent. He titled his head upwards again, sensed out, and then smiled to himself. "Ah…oops. Must have missed them."
"Any around this section?" Pace inquired.
"Not yet," Mara replied.
"Okay, you four," Pace continued, pointing at various people, "you're coming with me. We'll check out the West Side of the station." He motioned a hand to Luke and Mara. "Jedi Skywalker," he referred to Mara, "I want you to take Traya, Chadal, and Scofe with you. Check out the East Side. And, Master Skywalker," Pace seemed almost reluctant. He blew out a breath, and then placed a hand on Ross' shoulder. "I want you to take Ross to the North Wing. We have only one slicer with us. If we lose him…" he didn't bother to finish the statement. Silently, he removed his hand off Ross, and nodded his head to the members of his group. With that, they vacated with their commander.
With that, Mara glanced at her group, and opened her hands to them. "Well, no sense standing here like stormtroopers. Let's go." They started off, but as Mara rounded the first corner, she called out to her husband, Good luck, Skywalker.
Good luck to you as well, Luke replied and then glanced at Ross. The boy was undisputedly nervous, but the determination in his stare could not be alleviated. Luke gave him a smile. "You ready to go?"
With that, Ross offered a grin of his own. "Any chance of flying there?"
Luke's smile dropped. "No."
"Oh, nevermind, then. I'm ready."
It didn't take long to find trouble. Falleen were humanoid, but even through the Force, their characteristics—their sense—wasn't like anything a human would exude. The presence sent warning bells in Mara's head instantly.
"Two Falleen," she whispered to the others beside her, "coming this way from the right."
The other crewmember's weapons bounced from their holsters as if stationed on springs. Mara immediately snatched away the closest blaster to her, which stunned everyone. "Hold down," she informed, and tossed the weapon back to its owner. "I can handle this."
"How?" Chadal asked.
With that, Mara strolled. The others, not sure what else to do, accompanied her. To them, they were following a crazy Force-user into a suicide mission. Mara could sense their fears. Nevertheless, as the Falleen turned the corner, Mara was already set in the Force.
She had seen Luke pull off the trick on a Star Destroyer while attempting to rescue her former boss, Talon Karrde. It wasn't so much a mind trick as merely calming the enemy's emotions. Instead of using words, Mara merely imagined that she and the other members of her group were nothing more than officers in the station. Normal Falleen walking by in the halls. The image transferred to the Falleen as they walked passed. Talking to themselves, they didn't even give Mara and the others an upward glance.
Turning a corner, Mara stopped and twisted back to her group. "See? That wasn't so bad."
Chadal merely exhaled as if she had been holding it for the entire time. Giving Mara a sharp stare, she declared, "A little forewarning would be courteous, you realize?"
With that, Mara smiled. "I'll remember that the next time."
Chadal frowned. "Next time?"
"Yep. There's another Falleen coming down the way. He'll be in this hall in about ten more seconds."
The lights in the station were dark—many burnt out, and dim. It was certainly an advantage Matic Pace was enjoying. The first Falleen didn't even see his group coming. He walked by without a care in the world. Pace would have allowed him to pass if he hadn't looked up from his datapad and spotted them.
Pace had already been ready. Blaster set for stun, he fired. It created some noise—the blaster itself, and then the unconscious body's fall. No alarms sounded. Everything was just as much at peace as it had been a moment before.
The second Falleen was a little more difficult. He noticed them before they even had their blasters ready; he was pulling out a comlink when Matic shot him. The comlink was never activated.
They hid the bodies in various rooms that were fortunately empty. Datapad out, they continued to trek through the wing, but to no avail. Very annoying, indeed.
"What else can you do?" Ross asked from Luke's side as they continued their venture.
They had passed two Falleen in the hallway, chitchatting about this and that. Luke had used the Force to disguise him and Ross; the two aliens hadn't registered them as anything more than shadows on the wall.
Ross had been nervous at first, but after the incident, the only emotion blaring through him was wonder. He stayed by Luke's side like a little lost animal that followed strangers on a street. And, talked. It was quiet, but through the old Imperial station, the slicer's voice carried like a cymbal hitting tiled floor.
"I heard you guys can create Force-storms," Ross continued, giving no regard to their direction, "with lightening and Force-wind, almost like a tornado. That true?"
"Uh," Luke sensed out for any nearby Falleen. There was the slightest brush of alertness through the Force. He shook his head at Ross. "Not normally. It depends on the situation."
"Oh," Ross blinked as if confused. "You think you'll have to do it sometime during the mission?"
"Hopefully not," Luke replied, keeping his senses on alert. Something was there…
"You know," Ross spoke casually, "I have a cousin that seems to know it's going to rain the night before a big storm. You think he's Force-sensitive?"
There was a presence coming down the way—Falleen, and yet…
"How can you tell someone is Force-sensitive, anyway?" Ross asked again. "I mean, when I was younger, I could balance a hypersprayer on my thumb for over ten minutes. That's not normal."
"Ross," Luke finally whispered, and threw a firm stare at the younger man. The slicer's eyes widened as if recouping from a trance. Taking in a breath, Luke replied gently, "I can test you later if you want. It takes half a minute. I'll even watch your hypersprayer trick. Just not now."
"Oh," Ross gave an affirming nod. "Okay. I'll be quiet."
With that, Luke sensed out again. The presence was closer, turning…
"Here," Luke exclaimed, and un-hoistered his blaster. "Take this."
"What?" A puzzling look sparked Ross' face as he grabbed the blaster. "Why?"
Luke didn't have time to explain. The Jedi Master dashed to the intersection of the hallway, stretching out with the Force—with his own judgments. They felt right.
The Falleen circled the corner. When Luke had first sensed her, he had expected to pull off his typical mind-clouding trick. She would have strolled by without another look to them. Yet, there was something instinctive carrying him on. He couldn't deny that.
She didn't see his attack. Luke already had her arm before she could complete her turn, gripping tight. She shouted, trying desperately to escape his hold. Kicking and twisting, she was like an insane Tuskin Raider who had just been caught by farmers. With a swing of her hand, she yanked out the knife at her thigh. Grasping her wrist, Luke rammed his palm into her clenched fingers like he would a piece of wood. She cried out, and the knife flew across the hallway.
A second later, Luke had her secure. Blaster dangling from her belt, she could not pull it out. With his left hand, he was able to hold both her arms behind her back. Her mouth was sufficiently covered with his right. Any more attempts to scream would be in vain.
Ross gazed in unreserved shock. The blaster in his right hand was trembling.
"I want you to listen to me," Luke told the woman. He stretched out with the Force, and pushed it at her mind. There were several factors running through her emotions. There was confusion, irritation, and most of all, anger. Softly, Luke spoke again into her thoughts, "Calm yourself, and listen. I need to find the main database for this station. Tell me where it is."
She didn't seem interested in informing Luke of anything. She stepped on his foot, sending a jolt of pain up to his ankle. He winced, holding tight to her as she jumped up in an attempt to get away.
"Master Skywalker…" Ross expressed, lifting the blaster.
"No," Luke replied, and gave Ross a sharp stare. "Everything's fine. Right?"
Already exhausted, the Falleen woman slowly nodded.
There was no doubt; a mind trick wouldn't work on her. Her mind was too complex and alert—she was ready for anything he might try. Slowly, Luke dropped his hand to her throat, holding it gently.
He spoke again, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to know where the database is. That's it."
"Oh, of course," she replied hoarsely, sarcasm dripping off her words like drool from a Gamorrean's mouth. "I tell you, and you'll just let go. We'll shake hands, and part our separate ways. Right?"
Luke bit the inside of his lip. Things had abruptly become more complicated than necessary. There was no logical need to attack the woman, but it had felt so right. Luke glanced at Ross. The slicer seemed unsure what to do. He shrugged at Luke.
"Well?" the woman questioned.
Defeated, Luke released her. She seemed stunned by the move, and then twisted as if to escape. As Luke held her tightly with the Force, her hopes to flee declined quickly. She tried to move, pulling at her legs, but finally gave up and frowned at him. "You're that Jedi Master, aren't you?"
Luke nodded.
She sneered at him. "I was wondering when one of you were going to show up. You won't make it out of here alive. I'm warning you now."
"The main database," Luke inquired again.
The Falleen woman gestured a hand outwards toward the hallway she had just ventured from. "This way, kind sir. You'll be dead before you'll be able to decode it. Will that be a problem?"
