Chapter 6
Anakin tried to rise again, but his limbs and muscles would not obey him anymore. It was hard to concentrate on anything at all, even keeping his thoughts focused on the here and now was all but impossible. Everything was fuzzy and every sudden movement startled him, as if he were a newborn thrown into a strange world. Since he could not trust his mind anymore felt as if lying on ice, Anakin resorted to staring straight ahead, fearing that any other move would throw him off balance again. When Loaz sat down on his haunches in front of him, a smile still on his face, Anakin rallied all the energy left to him, but the effort made his head spin. So he was left with nothing but a defiant glare. The Anzat barked a sharp laugh.
"You will get used to it, believe me."
"Really? How do you know what it feels like?" Anakin said, or at least he thought he had said it. Fact was that nothing worked anymore. He was picking his way through muddy ground, through a dense fog that filled his thoughts, obscuring his mind in an annoying fashion.
"Oh, I forgot to mention it. The parts of your brain responsible for breathing and blood circulation and such are untouched. But I fear that you won't be able to move much or talk."
"Sithspawn!" Jix shouted in disgust, furious, and Anakin flinched inwardly when the Corellian came briskly toward them. But he could do nothing but stare at his bleeding hand, trying to imagine how it normally worked. Loaz rose gracefully, turning towards the angry agent.
"Freeze it," he told Jix calmly, and to Anakin's mild surprise the man obeyed instantly.
Stopping short Jix felt his heart clench with sudden dread. His mind filled with shame he could do nothing but stand there and watch the Dark Lord stare numbly at his hands, as if he had never seen them before. "Damn you," he whispered, close to tears. He was not crying for Vader but himself, because his mind and body still remembered the torture, the pain and the punishment. And Jix could see the mocking smile in Loaz' eyes, daring him to come any closer.
"I see you have not forgotten your training, Jixton. Very good. Your friend here will learn too, that it is better to obey me than fight the inevitable."
"You never managed to break me, Loaz, and you won't break him either."
"What is left of him, Jixton. And you are broken, whether you want to accept it or not. It doesn't matter anyway. You are mine. That is all that counts."
A low hiss escaped Jix' throat when he took another step toward the Anzat, fighting down the fear once more. He could feel the desert being lurk behind his eyes, full of hatred and fury. They had managed to escape the last time together. And maybe this time they could end this nightmare once and for all. But Loaz was no fool. His face turned very earnest all of a sudden and he gave the guards lining the galleries a sharp nod. Jix was spun around twice by the first stun-bolt that hit him before he crashed to the floor, only a few paces from where Vader still lay, blue eyes wide open in disbelieving surprise.
"You two are one of a kind, really," Loaz stated in satisfaction. "I knew that once I had you in my grasp there would be no limits to what I could accomplish. One small matter, Lord Vader. Your grandchildren. I think you should be punished for that little incident a few minutes back. Which one will die first? Do you want to pick, maybe?"
Anakin turned his gaze inward, assessing his situation logically, despite the impotent fury he felt at the Anzat's cruel proposition. But he could not think beyond a few steps, could not gather enough momentum to get past that invisible border the Anzat's attack had left in his mind. But he did not have to. A few minutes were all he needed to accomplish his goal. Forcing himself to relax, he let his body fall away, leaving his soul drifting like a spirit in the dark ocean of death.
"Father?"
He gave Leia a reassuring smile.
"Please, I do not have much time. Where are the children?"
"Upstairs." She frowned, concern wiping the surprise off her face in an instant.
"Get them down here then."
If he had been able to tap his foot impatiently he would have, but in this spectral form he had to resort to doing so mentally. When he heard his three grandchildren pound down the stairs, yelling his name gleefully, he could not help but smile at their joy.
"Why are you all washed out?" Jaina shouted upon seeing him and he almost laughed at her earnest expression.
"Because I am not really here, little one. Come to me."
As she did he placed his hands on top of her head, searching. The capsule was easy to find, the only thing that did not fit with the little girl's bloodstream. "This will hurt just a bit, Jaina. Be brave for me, alright?"
Leia knew better than to interrupt him, but she knelt down next to her daughter, whispering soothing words into her ear. Finally the girl jerked with pain as Anakin let the capsule pierce the flesh inside her throat. She coughed and spat instinctively, sparing Anakin more work. "Quick now, Jacen. Can you be as brave as your sister?" The little boy nodded, but his brown eyes were wide with fear. Anakin repeated the same procedure and then it was the youngest's turn.
He smiled down at the earnest expression on little Anakin's face. "Grandpa hurt," the boy said, completely sincere, and Anakin knew that his own fear must be showing on his face when Leia turned white as snow. "No!" she whispered, shocked. "It is alright, little one," Anakin told his grandson and daughter calmly, then reached out to touch the little boy's forehead. "It is alright. Do not worry." When he was finished he sighed deeply, but time was running short. "Leia," he began. "Don't let them out of your sight. There are enemies all around you..." He could hear his voice drifting away, could feel himself fade away. "Leia...."
"What did you do? What did you do?"
Loaz had turned him on his back, staring down at him in bewilderment. Anakin forced himself to smile, even though he was not sure if it showed on his face at all. But Loaz must have seen something, for his dark eyes turned to stone. "I will find out, don't you worry." Rising abruptly he waved a few of the guards that had finally come down into the pit forward. "Get them into their assigned laboratories. Quick now."
When two of the guards picked up his limp body, his head lolled to one side, allowing Anakin to look at Jix, whose open eyes must reflect his own hopelessness. They were trapped solid and he had no idea how they could escape this at all.
"You know, it was very inconvenient that Firek Nab sentenced you to death," Loaz told him conversationally as he was carried further into the facility. "We originally intended to implant you with that chip your friend Jixton tested for us. It is mightily improved now, and I doubt that he will be able to resist this new version. We will, of course, download that alien from his memories. It has proven to be far too uncontrollable. But that is beside the point. Where was I? Ah, yes. And once the public would have realized how effective that chip is, I daresay that a lot of local governments would have come flocking to us, asking Celltec to supply their prisons and prisoners with those. Maximum security, you see? And less cost on security personnel. A truly revolutionary concept. In here please."
The room was a sterile white, with blank monitors lining the wall and Anakin could not help but feel himself reminded of his cell back on Byss. It was just the same. Loaz waved the two guards carrying his captive towards a horizontal platform. It was irritating to not feel the rotation when they heaved him onto the bed, and his confusion had to show in his eyes too. Examining his injured hand Loaz bandaged it expertly before he smiled up at Anakin.
"Do not worry. In time there will be nothing you will miss anymore."
The platform was brought into a vertical position, leaving Anakin hanging from his bonds, or at least that was what he imagined. He met Loaz' gaze calmly, and although he could not utter a word their meaning was easy to read. The Anzat's face darkened and he gave the Dark Lord a sharp nod before turning toward the door to leave again.
"We shall see which one of us will win this one, Lord Vader. Indeed, we will."
Jix was cautiously pushing himself up on his elbows. The sight greeting him made the Corellian groan in dismay. He remembered this room all too well. The force-field shielding his small section from the rest of the rectangle, the narrow door leading into the testing facilities beyond. The medical equipment, everything. And Loaz. The doctor had his hands tucked into the pockets of his white overcoat and Jix would rather not know what he was hiding there. A pleased smile appeared on the Anzat's face as he came up to the field separating them. Jix rose slowly, still feeling the after-effects of the stun-bolts that had felled him. But he was remarkably calm when he faced his captor again. This time was like the very first they had met, when Jix had still been confident that he could win despite the odds. It was strange, in a way, that now that he was truly beaten his confidence returned to him once more. And even more curious was the silence echoing throughout his mind.
"You have slept well, I take it?"
"I would hardly call that sleep."
"Really. You were unconscious for almost eight hours."
"What?" Jix shook his head in bewilderment.
"Of course, it was quite an extensive operation we had to undertake. But everything went well. You notice that there seems to be something amiss, don't you?"
"The chip—"
"Exactly. You should be thankful for having me rid you of that annoying passenger."
Jix shrugged. "I dunno. I liked him, in a way."
Loaz chuckled softly: "Good, very good. You haven't lost your humor. Keep it that way. You will stay here for quite some time."
"What about Vader?"
"What about him?"
"What are you planning to do with him?"
"A few tests. There are some people who would just love to keep their secrets, well, secret. Especially from the Jedi, since those are obviously determined to take their old role as guardians again."
"Cute."
"Hardly that, Jixton." Crossing his hands behind his back Loaz started pacing the length of the room. "You know, that is an intriguing relationship you two seem to have. Very interesting. Not to say, noble. Old-fashioned."
"For you, maybe. But it is what made us survive this far."
"Well, it has failed you now. You know, there is a saying that the sword is not a thing but a state of the mind. A fitting image for you two. Unfortunately the Dark Lord's mind is almost gone now. And since he cannot guide your actions anymore we will gladly take over that part. You are good, Jixton, very good. And we would not want to lose you."
"Well, thank you so much," Jix hissed between clenched teeth, when he realized that Loaz was planning to use him not only in experiments, but in real-life situations too. For what, he could easily guess at. Nevertheless he forced himself to ask: "And you are throwing Vader's talents away just like that?"
"I must admit that his resistance surprised me. I do not want to take any chances with him, you understand. He will not leave this facility again. Whereas you might, very soon. And wouldn't that be nice?"
Yes, indeed.
Jix started inwardly at the sudden sound of the desert being's dreamy voice. Noticing his surprise Loaz smiled in quiet triumph before he turned to leave, and the Corellian was very glad for his departure. That way he could concentrate fully on his unexpected visitor.
"He said you were gone..."
I am no slave to any machine, Jix.
"But the chip was what contained your memories, your self."
I know nothing of that, my friend. You found me in the desert, do you remember?
"Yes, I remember. We were watching the sunset together."
You were so lonely. And you were losing yourself.
Jix hesitated. The voice was so close that he could feel its warmth caress his very soul. It was a strange feeling, but not unknown. He had felt its touch before. But back then he had just found it annoying, nothing more. And then another memory surfaced.
"You cried almost every night. Why?"
I was mourning our loss, Jix. Yours and mine.
It was true. He had refused to acknowledge his pain, had built up shields of anger and determination to keep his despair at bay. For a while he had banned part of himself and in doing so he had only allowed that part to grow stronger, until he finally succeeded in breaking free. He had fought the machinery in his head with a vengeance, in a way the scientists never had anticipated. And in that they had underestimated his strength and his desire for freedom and independence. The desert being had led the way for him, helping him to find his own self again. Dropping down to the floor he buried his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. Loaz was a fool. And he would pay for his arrogance. Just as soon as Jix got out of here again.
Staring into the distance he frowned and asked slowly: "Can you help me again?"
Walking the quiet hallways of the as of yet pretty empty Jedi Academy on Coruscant, Luke Skywalker was making his way to his office quickly. His sister had called ahead on her way over and he could feel her impatience. Whatever was bothering her though, she had to learn to control her anxiety. And as if she had heard him, Leia seemed to be calming down a bit the closer he came, but then Luke realized that it was merely the reassurance of sensing him coming closer that was easing her tension. He went into his office with a tiny sigh and smiled at his sister wearily when she rose to embrace him. Holding her tight he tried to not let her feel his own worries. Leia had told him about Anakin appearing to her and the children, about the capsules they had found in the carpet and his warning. And then Luke had spent two hours trying to find Anakin in the Force. But what he remembered as his father's characteristic presence had failed to materialize. Still, Luke was certain that he was alive somewhere. Had to be. Looking up at him Leia blinked heavy eyelids, then shook her head slightly.
"The lawyers are lining up in front of my office and Gita agrees with Fey'lya and myself that something must be wrong if they are all trying to evade the new regulations. They are hiding something. But what makes them think I am so stupid that I won't realize what they are trying to do?"
Luke pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Well. If they are feeling this safe it can only mean that they have the highest support."
"Well," she said indignantly, "they surely don't have mine."
He laughed at that. "Is there any way you can get them?"
"It will take time. Gita is taking care of the legal stuff."
"She is good, but will it be enough? And furthermore, what if they try to get her out of the way too?"
Leia shook her head again: "We have to keep the faith and guard against them as best we can: by trusting noone but ourselves."
"You trust Fey'lya?"
"Not entirely. But by working with him I can keep an eye on his own activities. And with what has happened in the past neither of us can profit from this affair. All we can do is try to uncover its whole extent and whoever is behind this. Ferreting them out might take us years, but if we can find the vital strings we can strike there, and then, if we are lucky, the whole net will unravel."
"Strategies, Leia. Those are Father's specialty."
"But he is not here."
"No. But we can enlist a bit of help."
"Like who? Daala and Palleon?"
"You are reading my mind," Luke told her in feigned indignation.
"Well, they are the obvious choices. And Daala will be very glad to have her mind focused on something else. I really don't envy her."
"Neither do I. Mara said that she will contact Karrde to gain us a bit of background information."
"Good. Then we have me and Fey'lya for diversion, Gita leading the official investigation and Mara conducting a covert search. Which leaves one question: what are you going to do?"
"I am going to find Father. What about the transmitter? Can't they just trace him with it?"
Leia slapped her forehead hard: "I almost forgot about that!" Her eyes started sparkling angrily: "Why do we have to think of everything?" Suddenly she froze. And Luke knew that her face must be as pale as his own as he too realized what she was thinking.
"I'll find out who supplied that transmitter, who injected it. It could be a trace. And I am going to talk to Daala and Palleon."
She gave him a quick hug. "Thank you. I have to prepare for the next round in the Senate. Some petitions have come in that demand that the government step back over this affair."
"And? Are you?"
"Never ever give up. That's the spirit."
He was staring at his right hand furiously, willing it to work. When it suddenly jerked against the restraints Anakin frowned. After all, he had only wanted to flex his fingers, nothing more. Trying once again he still got the same reaction. What was wrong? He seemed to lack fine control of his movements, as if his body understood the general idea of what was required, but could not manage the details. It was frustrating and the most annoying part of it was that Anakin had no idea to what extent the Anzat's attack had damaged his brain. Obviously he could still think properly and although his memories were clouded, he had not lost his major weapon. Logic and reason would get him out of this somehow.
The sedative had not worn off yet and concentrating was still almost impossible. But he had managed once and this one time had been sufficient to throw a life-line, so to speak, that would keep him safe from further attacks. Yet Anakin had vowed to himself that this would be his very last resort. Loaz may know something about the Jedi, but he did not know enough to trap one. And apart from that, his prisoner was no ordinary Jedi. The Dark Side gave him the possibility to achieve more in less time, a fact that was perfect for the short span over which he could gather his concentration. On the other hand such a feat would leave him in a state of heightened awareness, not unlike a trance. And if he was not careful he would lose himself there, leaving him trapped in between life and death, wandering between the worlds.
Anakin was not sure which path he would chose then. It depended on the circumstances, of course. Loaz had asked him if he was willing to risk everything, and he was, but only if there was nothing more for him to accomplish. It was the same old game. Live or die, win or lose. And somehow he felt that there was only one possibility left for him at this point. It was the logical step to take and yet the one he was loath to consider. Closing his eyes slowly Anakin remembered Obi-Wan's words aboard the first Death Star. "If my blade finds its mark, you will cease to exist. But, if you cut me down I will only become more powerful." Well, experience had taught Anakin just what his friend had meant by that. But as of yet he was trapped in this body that was getting increasingly out of his control.
Loaz was a hunter, and as such predictable to a certain extent. With his prey secured the Anzat would not bother with him for some time, and it was clear to Anakin that the doctor had other things on his mind. Unfortunately that brought one advantage and one disadvantage. The advantage was this: Anakin would have enough time to think up a plan. And the disadvantage was that he would also have to wait for the right opportunity to arrive. And by then the circumstances could already have changed. He had no way of observing his enemy in order to predict his actions. It was hopeless, really, but there was one man who had more freedom than he did: Wrenga Jixton. He shared a bond with Jix that was entirely different from what connected him with his children. They were alike, in mind and spirit. And the Corellian had matured over the past seven years, had found his true self, in a way. Maybe it had been this captivity that had shown Jixton his limits and had allowed him to perfect his skills. But now he and the Dark Lord were equals in almost every way.
Jix had grown more careful, less willing to take risks. And yet he was still most capable of handling himself and others. The one thing lacking was strategic thinking. True, he could plan ahead and yes, he could manipulate others if he wanted to, but he always thought on the immediate problem only, without bothering with the consequences. Not that he had to, usually. Either the problem was solved by then or else it did not remain a problem for very long. That was Jix' very own style, but just as he had told Anakin on Nar Shadaa, both had to work smaller now. Anakin almost smiled at that. But only almost. With a tiny sigh he let his mind drift into the darkness, trying not to think of anything at all. It was not a matter of control, after all, but of letting go.
The darkness was suffocating her, like a cold blanket of despair and solitude. And not even leaving the lights turned on could keep that feeling at bay. Daala had been released from hospital only three days before but she still felt as if her body, her heart and spirit were packed in thick cotton, refusing to feel anything. She was curled up on her sofa, watching the news again. It was a painful antidote to her loneliness, but the only thing that seemed to work. Listening to the mindless bickering made her blood simmer with rage. Of course she could have taken Leia's offer and moved in with the Solo family. But Daala had felt that she should handle this alone. Alone. Wrapping her arms around her chest she let her hair fall into her face, shielding her from prying eyes as she started to cry. Gods, she missed him.
It was late that night when she finally could muster enough strength to face the darkness on her own. She walked into her bedroom slowly, looking at the bed with disdain, remembering their last night together. The night he had left her back in the hospital. Throwing herself on the soft mattress Daala buried her face in the pillows, hugging them to her furiously. She could feel his hand on her heart, warm against her skin, the look in his eyes as he had recited the ancient ritual so earnestly, trying to hide his surprise. How much he had wanted to ask her how she had known. Daala smiled to herself. Well, he was not the only one who knew a lot about a great many things. And she had always been interested in history. Thinking of him now hurt, yet she wanted to think of nothing else. She turned around to lie on her back and stare up at the ceiling with eyes wide open. He was looking at her, a smile on his face, one that seemed cool and distant even though she knew it was sincere. "Anakin," she whispered and reached out to touch him. His skin was cold and dry and it took her a moment to realize that he was not really there, that he was nothing more than part of her memory, an image from times past.
She snatched her hand away quickly, hurting too much from her own mind's cruel betrayal. He was not there. He was gone. "Anakin." Her voice drew away into the corners of the room, carrying her anguish and despair with them. But the echoes returned only a few moments later to torment her further. Restless and angry Daala tried to escape, her screams muffled against the pillow and mattress as she fought the darkness relentlessly, determined to not let it get the better of her. And then, suddenly, she felt the brush of a soft caress across her shoulders, running up her neck and over her cheek. She shivered under his touch, and tears started streaming down her cheeks as she raised her head, afraid to believe. Turning around she frowned into the gloom. There was noone there. Suddenly suspicious she drew her legs up to her chest, her eyes tracking every shadow. This was getting too eerie for her taste and for a second she doubted her own sanity. Impossible. She must have imagined this whole affair.
Huffing a sigh Daala drew her blanket up over her head, refusing to let her imagination play another trick on her. And froze, when she had orientated herself in her cozy hiding-place. The vision unfolding in front of her was no dream, it was another sort of reality, she thought. It was the desert on a bright morning. In the distance the dark mountains rose into the light blue sky like a tidal wave. And against the backdrop of this majestic landscape Daala could make out a single figure. Her heart leapt higher at the sight of him. But as she walked closer doubt began nagging at the back of her mind. He did not look like Anakin. Although he was tall and wore a long, black cloak there was something strange about him. Something familiar. When Daala finally reached out to touch his shoulder he turned around toward her. Her breath froze in her throat at the sight of his alien face. The blue eyes rimmed by puffed-up pink sores were without emotion, cold pits of ice in a sea of white. And in an instant she knew what he was. And what it meant.
He came to with a start, shaking his head slowly. The vision had intercepted him just short of the boundary, drawing him off course to another destination than he had planned originally. Maybe her call had distracted him or else — and that possibility was more frightening than the thought of losing control not only over his body, but also his mind — her call itself had summoned him to her, unwillingly perhaps, but there it was. If others could control him like that... But no, this was a different sort of bond, a voluntary one. He had followed her voice almost unconsciously. She had seemed so vulnerable, despite her efforts, and it was endearing to see her struggle so, for his sake. He had been watching her, longing to touch her, and when she had finally become aware of his presence... The look in her eyes had frightened him, turning from joy to horror in the matter of a heartbeat. He did not know why she had reacted that way, but then, maybe she had seen something different than he had. And what he had seen had made his heart beat stronger, had filled his mind with happiness. Daala was regaining her composure again, was recovering from her past ordeal and that was all that mattered to him.
Well, almost everything. Strengthened by that close encounter Anakin gathered his senses again and struck. The bonds fell away easily, freeing him in an instant. He smiled a bit as he reached out to mute the distant alarms with the Force, his mind a stormy sea surging against the desert shore with a vengeance. Taking the first, shaky step was a triumph for him, even though his movements were a bit jerky if he did not concentrate. Apparently the sedative had finally worn off. Walking forward Anakin kept his eyes straight on the door, knowing full well that without something to focus on he would falter and fall. Not something he could afford right now. The corridor beyond the unlocked door was deserted, but he could feel an apprehensive presence close by. Others were joining it now. They were cautious. Good.
Pushing himself off the doorframe, Anakin crashed against the opposite wall, groaning softly. He closed his eyes, letting the torrent build to a whirlwind of destruction, only waiting to be released. It did not take the guards long to realize that their prey had apparently risked too much for his condition. A fatal mistake. He waited for them to come closer, ever closer, before he struck at their tight ranks with deadly precision. The fine droplets of blood raining on his face made him smile. Rising again the Dark Lord fought hard to keep his mind concentrated, but his body was fighting him again. Well, he could control that as long as he did not grow too tired. Speed was called for and he made the most of it. Lurching along the corridor Anakin could not spare an ounce of strength to search for Jix, but he would find him eventually. That he was sure of.
Turve Glat scurried after the two Jedi as they strode from the landing ramp to greet their master. The reporter was a bit reluctant to join them, which was very unusual for him. But he needn't have bothered. Luke Skywalker listened to the hasty words of Kyp Durron earnestly, his forehead creasing in a deep frown. Once the younger man was finished, the Jedi Master came over to where Turve was waiting and his face softened just a bit.
"Mister Glat. I am very grateful for your offer of help. But as I see it, you should not be seen publicly with any of us. My sister is still your primary source of information though. If there are news, contact her. Alright?"
"Alright. I have a presentation to prepare..."
"Go ahead. Be careful."
"After what has happened so far? Don't you worry!"
"Mister Glat. You don't have any clue where my father might have gone to?"
"No, sorry. What about the transmitter he was implanted with?"
"Who told you about that?"
"One of the wardens."
"I see. Well, security tells us that they have lost contact to the chip and they think Father might have deactivated it."
"Is that possible?"
"Yes."
"Then what makes you think he didn't? It's only logical, after all."
"Yes. But it was also logical not to go to Nar Shadaa, and yet he did. Can you guess why?"
"Well, he knew that the NRI was aware of that logic too. So he could safely reason that they might expect him to go elsewhere."
"Nice try, Mister Glat," Skywalker smiled at him. "The problem is that my father thinks beyond that. He knew all that, yes. But he also was expecting to find something on Nar Shadaa, apart from NRI agents. I wonder what it was? You spoke of a conspiracy and that he seemed to know more about it. We know he does. Gita Deron confirmed that. So what he was really seeking on Nar Shadaa was a trail to follow."
"And he found it."
"Exactly. The transmitter could have been a sort of insurance, but he did not trust whoever was at the tracking boards."
"But why didn't he destroy it then?"
"I am not sure. Maybe as a sort of distraction, or else he trusts us to find him through it somehow."
"Distraction? He is expecting his enemies to be able to track him?"
"Sometimes it is wiser to move in the open, putting the enemy at ease and making them believe they know what you are going to do, while at the same time someone else is running a mission for you."
"Jixton."
"Who else?"
Slapping his forehead Turve moaned softly. This was getting too much for him. What sane person would ever reason like that? Shaking his head he shot the Jedi Master a smile and excused himself. Jellan would be mad at him for the delay anyway. No sense in making it worse than it already was. But maybe he could surprise his boss a bit. Oh, yes.
Straightening her glasses, Gita Deron looked at the three beings seated across from her one by one, her eyes dreamy, as if in deep thought. The Rodian, Devaronian and the human female were the legal corps of the newly founded Cellcorp, a fusion between Agracorp and Celltec, the market leaders in their respective branches. They were smiling at her waxenly and she found herself smiling back almost instinctively. A mere baring of her teeth, nothing more, a threat, albeit very subtle, that she would not let them play games with her. Senator Fey'lya had pointed out that something must be going on in the background, that the President's new regulations had riled them up a bit, and the lawyers' presence in Gita's new office only confirmed his suspicion. She found it very refreshing to be working with like-minded people, and that did not only encompass their goals. The Bothan and the Princess were more alike than they would care to admit.
Yes, maybe Organa Solo tended toward other methods than Fey'lya did, but both were building on strategy behind their rhetoric, where the Bothan seemed to excel. The Princess preferred emotions to do the work for her. She used words like 'honor', 'equality' and 'teamwork' the same as he used 'power', 'conspiracy' or 'doom'. And both were making a terrific job of ripping each other's throat out at least verbally whenever the media bothered with reporting on the Senate proceedings. They gave the public the feeling that what they were discussing was important and entertaining at the same time, and Gita was sure that the very most did not realize that they were being goaded and led along a predetermined path. One that would allow Organa Solo not only to keep her post, but also to destroy her enemies with their own weapons. But she did not rely on that only. A wise woman, a strategist like her father.
Clearing her throat Gita folded her hands neatly on the table top, finally and officially acknowledging the lawyers' nervous smiles.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have much to discuss. You are aware that the company you represent will have to make significant changes to fulfill the regulations stated in the sections XP134 to XP254 in the new business charter. That means laying your company's complete profile open for an examination concerning monopolization and trade regulations that state explicitly that one company cannot own more than thirty percent of the firms represented on the respective market. Additionally we will examine the work conditions and general regulations concerning safety."
The Devaronian raised a clawed hand timidly. "With permission, Miss Deron, both Celltec and Agracorp have received excellent records on those conditions in the past. I see no need to—"
"They weren't examined by me, were they?" she interrupted him, smiling politely.
"Err, no, obviously not."
"Good. Anything else?"
"The company would like to voice misgivings about these proceedings," the Rodian began, eyeing his failed companion with contempt. "These regulations serve no real purpose and are designed only to subdue proper market power. There are no small companies being examined. We think this a bit unfair, not to say volatile."
Gita raised her glasses to squint at the small screen of the datapad in front of her. Her mouth quoting the words displayed there quietly, she let the threesome simmer a bit before answering. When she was done she threw the Rodian a bright smile:
"You are right! Indeed, Mister — ah — Ptano. There are only big corporations being investigated. And do you know why?" she intersected as he started to say something. "Because those big corporations own most of the smaller companies. So you see, your worry is wholly unjustified. I so hope that I could help you with that."
A sour smile froze on his face: "Yes, thank you. That clarifies much."
"But it does leave one question unanswered." The human female raised her eyebrows coolly. "What is the whole purpose of this examination?"
"The government feel that these regulations will help spurring on the economy a bit. You see, we have incorporated the Empire — excuse the pun — and we have more companies and more citizens to deal with. To ease the transition, the government thinks it best to examine the more problematic cases to avoid any problems with production, transport and delivery."
"Should that not be regulated by the market itself?"
"You are a studied woman, I can see. Of course, it should. But apparently the market was incapable of this task under the former regulations."
"Why is it then that only the New Republic companies are being investigated?"
"I do not think I understand." Oh, she understood very well what the woman was aiming at.
"What I mean is that none of the former Imperial companies are being examined. We find that suspicious, to say the least."
"Speaking of suspicious, there have been minor anomalies on a couple of worlds producing foodstuff. Parts of your company, by the way. I wonder why the ever-efficient Agracorp failed to deliver on time, leaving the whole production line stranded for almost twenty hours. How much did that cost you? And why this delay?"
"We had problems with the company supplying the transports. They had accepted another assignment before ours even though we enjoy the status of most favored customer with them."
"Scandalous. And in response to that delay food-prices on fourteen worlds depending on your supply rose by almost fifty percent for admittedly only a short time. Strangely enough a dry period had destroyed their own harvests, raising the demand of foodstuffs heavily."
"If you are implying a connection there I fear that we will have to discuss this in the court-room, Miss Deron," the woman snapped angrily.
"I am not implying anything. Rest assured that all of your answers will be questioned in time. For now, let me not keep you."
Once the three had left her office Gita slumped back in her chair and took off her glasses. Rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly, she could not but smile. They would get them in the end. But the whole extent of their manipulations made her sick. They did not care if people died or had to starve. Safety standards were deliberately kept low to ensure more frequent repairs or else the machines were of so low quality that they had to be replaced infuriatingly often. And still the companies managed to keep the upper hand, despite the dissatisfied customers. Because they owned almost all of their competitors. It was a maze, literally, that they had to unravel and it would take a lot of time.
Still, all these small victories were rewarding, in a way, and eased the pain of having lost the major battle. Gita still thought back on the trial every other night, trying to assess what she could have done in another way to make a difference. The judge had been found dead, curious enough, supposedly died of a heart-attack. But the Princess had ordered a thorough investigation of Firek Nab's death, especially since voices grew louder that accused Anakin Skywalker of being responsible for her demise. The fools. But they were only at the beginning. And they were gathering momentum with each passing day and would continue to do so until they could overrun their opponents with an inescapable thicket of regulations and highly motivated investigators. Including herself. Positioning her glasses on her nose again Gita leaned forward to study the latest reports that had come in during her little talk with the lawyers. There was a lot to do. No need to dawdle in any way.
He had been waiting for almost half an hour before he was admitted into Jellan's office. The man wore a smile on his face, gesturing for Turve to take a seat.
"Let's get straight to the point. I want you to get down with the technicians and select a few pics. Write your text et cetera. The schedule is as follows: first we have you as primary header and most recent news from Nar Shadaa. Then a detailed background report on the whole affair including the judge's death."
"She's dead?"
"Yes. After that section there'll be a commentary and the latest polls on the public image of the government. Maybe we can even convince the President to say a few words. If not, well, silence can speak for itself too. Alright? So get going. The editors will review the report later on."
"No live transmission?"
"What for?"
Turve shrugged uncomfortably: "That's not really what I had in mind for getting the Tahnera Prize, you know? A meager report like that...."
"I am sorry, my man," Jellan sighed. "Another time, alright? Just tonight. The Tahnera will be yours, don't worry. Know what? Once this is over you can do whatever you want, investigate what you like."
"You mean I am fired?"
"I am certain that you are only joking, my man! Why should I fire you? I just know that you and I are a team."
"A team?"
Jellan nodded slowly. "Whatever happened to that conspiracy theory of yours, by the way?"
"I — ah — I don't think it's that important," Turve managed weakly.
"Good. Good. If that is all?"
"Sure."
"I'll see you tonight then. For a live commentary."
"A live—? I love you, Jellan, do you know that?"
"Yeah, I do. Out with ya now! See ya later."
Turve walked out of Jellan's office as if in a trance. A live commentary! He started rubbing his hands gleefully. That was his chance! Finally! Tonight's episode of 'Coruscant Daily' would be memorable, that he would make sure of. Literally. Laughing quietly Turve hurried into his own office and activated his datapad eagerly. The story of his life. This was it.
"Ouch!" Snatching his hand away Jix waved it in the air furiously in a vain effort to cool his blistered fingertips. Breaking out of his prison took more time than he had anticipated. But with a bit more resilience... Heaving a sigh he leaned forward on his knees again to blink at the corner where the force-field met the wall. That was where he had to find the weak point. As of yet his attempts had been unsuccessful though. They had improved that thing, apparently. Too bad. Trying once more he was interrupted by a loud thud against the outer door. Staring at it the Corellian frowned. But when it slid open to reveal the crumpled form of the Dark Lord standing there his face lit up with hope and joy.
"Hey! Come on in, don't be shy!" he shouted, jumping to his feet.
"Cool down, Jix," Vader admonished him weakly, his voice barely a whisper. Sweat was beading his forehead, but he found the force-field controls easily. He almost smashed the whole panel trying to hit the right buttons.
"Are you alright?"
"Are you blind? Do I look ... alright?" the Dark Lord wheezed and almost keeled over.
Rushing to his side Jix caught him before he could fall. "What's the plan?"
"Get out."
"Sure. Come on." Vader jerked in the vague direction of the door. "What's the matter? Don't act like such a baby. I know you can do this properly." The other man growled softly and Jix wisely decided to shut up. But there was something important on his mind:
"Where is Loaz?"
"I have no idea."
"How did you get here anyway?"
"I was trying to ... evade the guards. By the way... they are waiting for us outside."
"Now you tell me!" Jix let go of the Dark Lord, paying no heed to his feeble protests as he staggered against the wall, bereft of the Corellian's support so unexpectedly.
But Jix was busy hunting around for a weapon. There had to be— Ah! Of course they had not forgotten to include stun-weapons in the room's accessories. Breaking the emergency glass with his elbow he winced at the pain, but holding the heavy rifle in his hands made him forget about that small inconvenience immediately.
"Come to Papa," he whispered lovingly. Setting the weapon on the highest voltage he took his position next to the door. "Which direction?"
"Five ... to the left, three to the right.... Shoot left, those have less ... protection."
"Alright."
Rolling out of the doorway Jix came up shooting and turned around to take aim at the threesome on the right who were immediately coming up to protect their comrades.
"Way is clear."
"Good."
They made a pretty odd pair as they walked through the facility very slowly. The Dark Lord was hanging on to the wall while Jix kept his senses alert and his weapon at the ready. At the pace they were going it would take them a few hours to get out, Jix thought sourly, but he could not motivate Vader to move just a bit faster. He understood, of course, that it required almost all of the Dark Lord's concentration to keep moving at all. Still, it was frustrating. And Vader was as aware of the danger as he was, after all.
"Jix."
"What?"
"The way ... ahead is ... blocked."
"Shit. There are two doors. Which one?"
"Left."
"Alright." Pushing the door open Jix examined the room beyond closely. It was too dark to make out much, but the Corellian found the light-switch quickly. A muffled cry from behind him snapped his head around, raising the level of adrenaline in his blood anew. Loaz.
"Put down your weapon, Jixton."
He did as ordered.
"Ah, it is good to see that the new prototype works perfectly. You see, it is designed to react to my voice pattern only. It translates the words into neuronic signals and has you acting accordingly. Without any interference."
"Maybe I should tell you that you did not get rid of the desert being," Jix hissed, willing himself to move. To no avail.
"What?" the doctor seemed surprised for a moment, but then he shook his head.
He had a hand placed on Vader's shoulder, the other was hovering against the back of the Dark Lord's neck. The Sith's eyes were frozen in horror, and only now did Jix become aware of the tiny trickle of blood running down his neck.
"I am not sure I know what you are talking about. That species is no desert dweller. Come over here, will you. He is getting a bit too heavy for me."
Wrapping his arms around Vader's torso Jix heaved him up a bit, surprised at how slack the other felt. But when Loaz withdrew a slender knife from the Dark Lord's neck he understood.
"You bastard. You paralyzed him."
"The spinal cord is only injured, not severed completely. But I daresay that he won't be able to move again, no matter how much he concentrates. That is, actually, a good example for my theory. The Jedi's primary weapon is their mind. Unfortunately it is trapped in such a vulnerable vessel. But I don't need him mobile, after all. He is a very independent personality though. I wonder how he will cope with this impediment."
"I think now I hate you even more than before, Loaz."
The Anzat laughed. "Good. Maybe we can build on that, Jixton. Come on. I do not have much time."
Looking into Vader's blue eyes Jix could almost see the other's thoughts. You are on your own now, they seemed to say. But not without help. For a second Jix could hear the desert being's voice echo in the background, lacing the Dark Lord's reassuring words with a thread of hope. This battle was not lost, and Loaz had made a great mistake. By depriving Vader of his mobility fully by paralyzing him the Anzat had simultaneously relieved him of a great burden, freeing the Sith's mind from any restrictions his ailing body must have placed on him. As long as Loaz did not get the idea to test the chip on the Dark Lord they were safe. And even if he did... Jix had managed to outsmart that cursed chip once and it would be no problem for the Dark Lord to achieve the same.