The closer they got to the MedCenter, the more chaotic crowds they encountered. Someone must have leaked the story of the Jedi's injuries, because everyone was talking about the fallen Jedi Master. Speculations were formed on the identity of the human doctor who'd injected Skywalker. Talon noticed a wall panel stowing the visage of a well-known (but horribly stuck-up) professor of "Planetary Customs" at the University on Coruscant. The professor had labeled Luke's attacker as a Cosmic Balance follower, and that the injection would probably kill the already weakened Jedi. On another panel, a woman agreed with the distinguished professor, but added that not all Cosmic Balance followers were like this: therefore, the man was a Cosmic Balance extremist. Yet another professor suggested the possibility of another, larger and more noticeable attack by the extremists.
Although it gave good publicity to the University on Coruscant, it also gave not-so-good publicity to Skywalker's MedCenter. Everyone knew where the Jedi Master was now.
They weren't even able to get close to the door of the Center, and even Cal, fully dressed in his uniform, couldn't get any closer because of the crowd. Karrde wasn't sure exactly what the crowd wanted—Skywalker alive or Skywalker dead—but he knew that the Guards must have been doubled, at least, and with weapons very visible.
Cal glanced around nervously, at the people surrounding the three, and then looked at Karrde.
"I didn't know," the Guardsman said. "I don't know how to get in with this crowd."
"Surely there's a back door, delivery place, Cal?" Karrde asked. Mara remained silent, cautiously watching those around her, although her expression showed she didn't see anyone at all. Searching through the Force for Skywalker, perhaps? He wasn't sure, but he finally pulled on her arm, and she turned her bright-green gaze to him
"His sister isn't there," she said, just loud enough for him to hear her over the crowd. "I doubt Solo is there, either."
"Mara, do you know a back way? I don't think we'll get in there this way." Karrde was talking about secret entrances the Emperor loved to build. If anyone knew, it would be the former Emperor's Hand.
"This place is recently built. It wasn't here when the Emperor was, or there would certainly be another way."
Karrde felt a slow grin grow on his face, despite the frustration he'd just been feeling. "I know…" he said, a plan forming. "Cal, we need a disturbance."
"And this isn't enough of one?" the Guardsman asked, gesturing wildly around at the crowd, all who ignored him.
"We can use them. First, show Mara and I to the back entrance. Mara, how long do you need for whatever you want to do?"
"Not long."
"Five minutes?"
"Five minutes?" Mara repeated. "I'm not sure. Maybe. Probably."
"Good, because that might be all you'll have. Come on," he said, following the Guard.
Cal had led them away from the crowd and around a long way to the back of the large MedCenter. As per Karrde's instructions, he told Mara exactly where to find Skywalker, although he warned her that they might have moved the Jedi. Karrde quickly told him what to do, and then he set the Guard on his way. Mara noticed that Cal was several shades paler than when she had first met the guy. He was probably one of those who relied on carrying a loaded blaster as a shield against any would-be assassins. Karrde should have gotten an Intelligence-type for this. But they'd make do with what they had.
Karrde followed Mara, through the back door, and then Mara snuck into a small room. She made a deft move with her hand, and Karrde suspected she was using the Force for something, until he realized they'd come into a worker's break room. All three men were talking to each other, and seemed not to even acknowledge their presence. Karrde wanted to ask her about it, but she cut off his question with a curt shake of her head. She pulled a uniform from the closet, and handed it to Karrde. He pulled it on over his own clothes, and it looked like he'd gained quite a bit of weight. As long as he wasn't caught, no one should recognize him.
Mara stood behind Karrde, and pushed him forwards, and he walked ahead, doing his best not to glance back at her. His blaster was still holstered, and inside his worker's uniform, causing an uncomfortable lump on his side. If anyone came up to him, he'd never get his blaster out in time. He wondered whether Mara had planned it that way or not, but he was finding himself more and more nervous, and if anyone came up to him he might just make a grab for his weapon.
Yet several people walked by, and they just ignored him and the blonde behind him, like they didn't see the two. Slowly he grew braver, and he swore to never do something like this again. He must have aged at least five years, if not more, just hoping that no one saw them. His mind began to think ahead, and wonder about their entrance. No guards had been there, save for one older man who Mara had knocked out before he even reached his worn blaster. That man would wake up with a headache, and probably no knowledge of his attacker, he guessed. Mara hadn't bothered to try and lessen the blow that took him down. If he remembered anything though, Karrde would be very surprised. A thought came to his mind—Mara was using Force powers. She usually hid this Force sensitivity, but she had been using the Force almost consistently since they reached Coruscant. To find Skywalker, to make Cal determined to find a way into the MedCenter rather than to just "try" (Karrde had guessed that that had been a Force prodding from Mara), and to search for Organa Solo, and now probably to cloud or delete memories of people seeing her and himself.
Finally he noticed he didn't feel Mara pushing him forward, and people now gave him slightly curious glances. He looked around, and tried to familiarize himself with the place. It was like many Medical centers he'd seen, and if so, then there would be an information terminal somewhere around here, and there he'd be able to find Skywalker's room. Silently, he wished Mara luck, and decided to check on Cal's progress.
Mara knew Talon didn't notice her leave, and she walked quickly away from him. Skywalker was this way; they had moved him from where Cal had said he'd been. She found him easily; a locked door, no windows, and a nice modern security system. She didn't know the code, but she knew she could disable it with a little effort, but time she didn't have. She had to do this quickly.
She concentrated briefly, and knew that a guard was in the room with Skywalker, a very alert guard. She wouldn't be able to convince him to open the door, or he'd realize it and call in for a security team. But maybe…she gently probed his mind, and found his attention was on the HoloNet, which he had turned on, and was watching news. She could practically see everything happening on the three-dimensional device.
It seemed Cal's "diversion" had worked. Even more people crowded around the Medical Center than before, and they completely surrounded it. The exit she and Karrde had used was completely useless now.
According to a Guardsman, whose name had been kept anonymous, but Mara recognized as Cal, had seen several odd persons attempt to enter the building. He tried to stop them, but one of them attacked his partner and himself, some blonde-haired hired gun of some sort. His elder partner was still unconscious, and he'd just woken up. He guessed they were Cosmic Balance extremists.
Mara knew she didn't have much time. She jabbed into the Guard's mind, causing the man to double over in pain. He didn't know what was happening, and he tried to reach his comlink, but Mara tore it from his hand. The Guard reached for the door, opening it, and then slumping to the ground as Mara brought her hand down sharply against the back of his neck. He was out cold, and the door was now open, with no security violations.
Mara pulled his body back into the room and shut the door behind her. The HoloNet was on, and rather loud. The man had had no consideration for the other man in the room. Either that, or he doubted Luke would wake up at all. And now looking at the Jedi Master, she understood why.
His skin was extremely pale, almost the same shade as the sanitized white sheets he lay on. Dark purple circles surrounded his eyes, and she could see dark bruising disappear under the one clean sheet that covered him. His hands laid limply by his body, the way the nurses and meddroids tended to like to do, on top of the sheet, and on the sides of his body. He truly looked awful. She wasn't surprised that they had trouble, probably deciding where to start. He was covered with burns, some lightly, others blistering, and the really severe ones were covered with bandages. He looked like he would pass for someone over fifty, but he was only twenty-seven. Twenty-seven, and the Republic still constantly sent him on these damnable missions. It was like they were trying to kill him.
She walked over to his side, and she could barely even seen him breathing. In fact, the only thing that assured her that he was indeed still alive was the soft mechanic beeping coming from the machine attached to his heart. He wasn't the worse shape she'd seen bodies in, but the fact that it was him…that changed things. And she seldom saw bodies that were alive in this condition. She found that she didn't want to get any closer to him, because if she saw him up close, then later she wouldn't be able to deny that this was him. But she pushed these fears and thoughts to the back of her mind, and sat down on the chair next to his bed. She reached out and gripped his hand between both of hers. His skin felt cold to the touch. She suppressed a shudder, but stretched out with the Force, to try and identify the body on the bed next to her.
It was faint, but still there. Yes, this was what she had sensed before. That small hope, that she had guessed had been sheer stupid optimism on her part. No, his Force presence was still there, just hidden. It was like the injection he'd been given somehow pushed it down, not away. Tried to capture it, so the Force couldn't help the Jedi Master.
She glanced up at the HoloNet projection, and knew she didn't have much time left.