Chapter Three
Tho sauntered down the corridor to where he knew Lana was working, keeping
his footsteps light so that he could watch her without her seeing him. He
wanted to make sure he was getting his money's worth out of her.
Tho peeked around the corner as he heard keys tapping out in a fast rhythm. Lana was sitting with her long slender legs out in front of her, in her typical relaxed position. He still admired the curves of her body and wished that she had had the intelligence to stay with the most sought after job in the fringe: that of a swoop leader's girl. He sighed, a barely audible sound. Lana was sitting cross-legged at her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she did her wizardry to slice into the Jedi Temple database. She tapped into the Council's private files and quickly came across the boy's name. "Master Dooku and padawan Jinn..." She clicked on it and opened the file.
Lana sighed exaggeratedly as she typed out a few more commands and pulled up the file on Padawan Jinn and Master Dooku. She read further. "Master and Padawan were severely reprimanded for their actions during the Chieslen incident in which Master Dooku countermanded orders." Lana gasped in surprise as she read about the Chieslen incident. Lana shook her head as she continued reading. She tapped into the Temple's Medical records and searched until she found Qui-Gon's name and quickly accessed the file and scanned through it more. Tho narrowed his eyes as he saw Lana gasp and her eyes widen, riveted to the screen. At least she was doing what she was paid to do by finding information. He chuckled softly. He sighed, already bored. Lana was the best, but she took a long time to get her information sometimes.
Lana shook her head as she tried to find the information she was looking for. In a soft murmur that she knew would carry to his ears, she said, "Tho, I know you're there."
Tho stood up straighter, but did not comment, hoping she'd get back to her info so he could stay where he was.
She frowned as she continued to search. "Tho, I can't work with you drooling all over my shoulder. Leave me alone."
Clearing his throat, he peered back over the corner. "I'm not over yo shoulder, Lana. Just makin sure yos doin yo job."
Lana rolls her eyes again. "Tho. Leave now unless you want me to start charging double by the hour. Got that?"
Tho scowled. He could hardly afford to pay Lana at her regular rates, which she very well knew, let alone double. Walking into the room, he tried to look at the screen. They both knew he couldn't read. "So, you findin the info al'ight?"
Lana glared at him. "Just fine. Now leave. Double charging starts in the next ten seconds."
Tho knew she wasn't bluffing: Lana never bluffed. Hurrying out of the room, he paused right outside the door. "Just kno that the boys are watchin to make sure you need anythin, right? You come out the door, you find me or the boys will help ya." In other words, he was having her watched.
Lana placed her gaze back on the screen. "That's great Tho." She scanned through the medical files as he left.
She noticed that this particular Jedi Padawan had been in and out of the Healer's several times, though that wasn't quite what she was looking for. Scrolling down more, she hit the jackpot: allergies. And there is was, the prime ingredient in all stunning liquids--Yanthmian. The last time Jinn had been injected with it the only thing that had kept him from dying was a quick visit to the healers.
Qui-Gon moaned, feeling like he was getting sicker instead of better. Tho and his cronies had been by to drug him again to keep him from moving. As it was, he was so dizzy he could barely lift his head without getting sick to his stomach.
Quietly slipping inside the Jedi's cell, Lana dropped to her knees in front of him. She was immediately concerned at his gray pallor and how he seemed to have even less strength than before. "Qui-Gon?" She murmured.
Qui-Gon moaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" He questioned hazily.
She kept half of her ear open for sounds in the corridor. If she knew Tho's goonies well enough, then they should be well drunk by now and not paying attention to her. "Qui-Gon, can you talk to me?"
Qui-Gon groaned and he tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "You're pretty. All five of you..."
Lana felt her pulse quicken. "Qui-Gon, this is important. Did they give you anything else since you saw me last?"
Qui-Gon winced. "Uh...about an hour or so ago they did it again....my stomach hurts..." He groaned.
Lana stood quickly and gently pushed his head up to look at her. "Hang in there, kid. I'm gonna go get your master. There's no way I can get you out of here by myself. Can you hang on?"
Qui-Gon groaned again. "I'm trying. It hurts. What did they give me?" He was trying very hard not to be sick again.
Her mind already on how she was going to get past Tho, who wouldn't be quite drunk enough yet at this hour to let her get away so easily, she turned back to him. "They gave you a stunning liquid to keep you immobile with Yanthmain. I've got to get your master and get him here to get you. I need you to promise me you'll hang in there."
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach. "Do I have to?" He tried hard not to throw up.
Lana sighed and blew a stray strand of black hair out of her face. "Just hang on kid.
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach as he watched whoever-she- was hurry out the door. He tried not to cry out at the ache in his stomach as a strong cramp passed through him that would've doubled him over were it not for the chains holding him up. He gritted his teeth as another cramp passed through his stomach, thinking miserably about home and the Temple, and suddenly he found himself wishing that he had obeyed his master.
Tho sipped on his drink slowly, watching the patrons who frequented the cantina. It was getting late, almost traditional business hours. Smiling to himself, he glanced around once more. Surprisingly he saw Lana coming out of the hidden door at the back. Tho scowled. Where was she going? Especially at this hour? He was standing to follow her when one of his members swaggered up to him, drunk. "Hey boss," he said. "Lets play with the little guy." Tho smiled. He would deal with Lana later.
Lana hurried away from the cantina, ignoring most of the catcalls that followed her and offering suggestive winks by rote to others. If you acted interested to some of them, then all of them left you alone-a lesson off the fringe. Quickly, she jumped on her speeder bike and zoomed off toward the Temple.
Qui-Gon tensed as he heard Tho and several men coming back into his room. He tried to straighten and gritted his teeth at the pain in his stomach, wishing mightily to himself to just ignore it.
Lana swerved out of the way of an incoming taxi. She was traveling in the wrong lane, going the wrong direction, but if she took the regular routes she wouldn't get to the Temple until it was too late for the kid. Ignoring the danger, she cranked her bike up to full throttle.
Qui-Gon bit his lip as Tho and his men came closer to him, one of them holding what looked like to his fuzzy mind a long metal rod.
Grinning like a maniac, the goon with the rod swung it with all his might into Qui-Gon's stomach, creating a singing sound with its passage in the air.
Qui-Gon gasped at the pain in his stomach and threw up again. He nearly cried from the pain as he was smacked repeatedly in the stomach.
Lana pulled up to the entrance level of the Temple in half the time it would normally take a considerate citizen. Jumping off of her speeder, letting it crash into other speeders parked correctly, she ran full tilt up the stairs in the darkening afternoon. Sprinting in the quiet halls, she stopped the first Jedi she saw. "Where is Master Dooku?" She asked breathlessly. The Jedi calmly explained where to find the other Jedi Master and off she ran again. Going up two levels and skidding to a stop in front of a door, she jabbed at the entrance button to announce her arrival.
Master Dooku was pacing in his living room. Padawan Josel watched him and both looked up when the door chime rang. Dooku glanced at Kyran. "Kyran would you answer that please." Kyran obediently headed for the door and opened it. His eyes widened in surprise at the very attractive young woman outside. "May I help you?"
Lana panted for a moment. She normally was in very good shape but running full tilt up two levels would make anyone breathless. "Qui- Gon...trouble..." was all she could get out at first.
Kyran's eyes widened and he opened the door all the way. "Please, come inside."
Lana nodded and cautiously entered, very much aware of the fact that she came from the opposite side of the law as these young men and the tall man standing across from her. Her eyes darted around warily and she couldn't help but wonder if her brother had lived in quarters like this before his death.
Kyran stood trying to explain to master Dooku. "Master Dooku, this woman says she has information on where Qui-Gon is." At those words Dooku's gaze sharpened. "You know where he is?" He questioned, anxiously.
She nodded. "Yes, Master Dooku." She almost had her breath back now. "But we've got to hurry. He'll die soon if we don't."
Dooku's breath left him in a rush and color drained from his face. "Force...what happened? Lead the way."
Lana explained to Dooku quickly what Tho had injected his padawan with, noticing that the two younger men were following them as well.
Dooku's gaze darkened. "Sith, they injected him with Yanthamin?" He quickened his steps. "He's allergic to that."
She nodded again. "I know. I discovered that when I sliced into the Temple records." After a silent pause, she recognized what she had just admitted to. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze defiantly. "What?"
Dooku arched a brow. "You sliced into the Temple records? That's supposed to be impossible."
With pride evident in her voice she said, "Nothing's impossible for me."
Dooku shook his head and quirked a grin. "Ordinarily you'd be arrested but I think under the circumstances we can over look it. Please.show me where he is." They came to the Temple hangar bay and he hopped inside a speeder, Kyran and Devin following suit.
Lana hesitated, the sheer madness of what she was doing finally hitting her. After she did this, she could never go back to the fringe. Tho would be out for her blood.
Dooku piloted the speeder, using the Force to pour on the speed weaving in and out of Coruscant traffic, using the directions Lana had given him and hoping desperately it wasn't too late for his padawan.
Lana had jumped in the speeder at the last second and hung on for dear life, feeling her old life slipping from her faster than the speed the Jedi master was driving. She was saving a life, the life of a Jedi, to make up for being unable to save her brother. Surely that amounted to something. Still not sure about her own actions, she hung in for the ride.
Dooku swerved in and out of traffic pouring on the speed and finally comes to the street where his padawan was supposed to be. Questing about, he felt Qui-Gon's faint presence. His eyes widened. They did not have much time.
Tho peeked around the corner as he heard keys tapping out in a fast rhythm. Lana was sitting with her long slender legs out in front of her, in her typical relaxed position. He still admired the curves of her body and wished that she had had the intelligence to stay with the most sought after job in the fringe: that of a swoop leader's girl. He sighed, a barely audible sound. Lana was sitting cross-legged at her desk, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she did her wizardry to slice into the Jedi Temple database. She tapped into the Council's private files and quickly came across the boy's name. "Master Dooku and padawan Jinn..." She clicked on it and opened the file.
Lana sighed exaggeratedly as she typed out a few more commands and pulled up the file on Padawan Jinn and Master Dooku. She read further. "Master and Padawan were severely reprimanded for their actions during the Chieslen incident in which Master Dooku countermanded orders." Lana gasped in surprise as she read about the Chieslen incident. Lana shook her head as she continued reading. She tapped into the Temple's Medical records and searched until she found Qui-Gon's name and quickly accessed the file and scanned through it more. Tho narrowed his eyes as he saw Lana gasp and her eyes widen, riveted to the screen. At least she was doing what she was paid to do by finding information. He chuckled softly. He sighed, already bored. Lana was the best, but she took a long time to get her information sometimes.
Lana shook her head as she tried to find the information she was looking for. In a soft murmur that she knew would carry to his ears, she said, "Tho, I know you're there."
Tho stood up straighter, but did not comment, hoping she'd get back to her info so he could stay where he was.
She frowned as she continued to search. "Tho, I can't work with you drooling all over my shoulder. Leave me alone."
Clearing his throat, he peered back over the corner. "I'm not over yo shoulder, Lana. Just makin sure yos doin yo job."
Lana rolls her eyes again. "Tho. Leave now unless you want me to start charging double by the hour. Got that?"
Tho scowled. He could hardly afford to pay Lana at her regular rates, which she very well knew, let alone double. Walking into the room, he tried to look at the screen. They both knew he couldn't read. "So, you findin the info al'ight?"
Lana glared at him. "Just fine. Now leave. Double charging starts in the next ten seconds."
Tho knew she wasn't bluffing: Lana never bluffed. Hurrying out of the room, he paused right outside the door. "Just kno that the boys are watchin to make sure you need anythin, right? You come out the door, you find me or the boys will help ya." In other words, he was having her watched.
Lana placed her gaze back on the screen. "That's great Tho." She scanned through the medical files as he left.
She noticed that this particular Jedi Padawan had been in and out of the Healer's several times, though that wasn't quite what she was looking for. Scrolling down more, she hit the jackpot: allergies. And there is was, the prime ingredient in all stunning liquids--Yanthmian. The last time Jinn had been injected with it the only thing that had kept him from dying was a quick visit to the healers.
Qui-Gon moaned, feeling like he was getting sicker instead of better. Tho and his cronies had been by to drug him again to keep him from moving. As it was, he was so dizzy he could barely lift his head without getting sick to his stomach.
Quietly slipping inside the Jedi's cell, Lana dropped to her knees in front of him. She was immediately concerned at his gray pallor and how he seemed to have even less strength than before. "Qui-Gon?" She murmured.
Qui-Gon moaned and his eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" He questioned hazily.
She kept half of her ear open for sounds in the corridor. If she knew Tho's goonies well enough, then they should be well drunk by now and not paying attention to her. "Qui-Gon, can you talk to me?"
Qui-Gon groaned and he tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "You're pretty. All five of you..."
Lana felt her pulse quicken. "Qui-Gon, this is important. Did they give you anything else since you saw me last?"
Qui-Gon winced. "Uh...about an hour or so ago they did it again....my stomach hurts..." He groaned.
Lana stood quickly and gently pushed his head up to look at her. "Hang in there, kid. I'm gonna go get your master. There's no way I can get you out of here by myself. Can you hang on?"
Qui-Gon groaned again. "I'm trying. It hurts. What did they give me?" He was trying very hard not to be sick again.
Her mind already on how she was going to get past Tho, who wouldn't be quite drunk enough yet at this hour to let her get away so easily, she turned back to him. "They gave you a stunning liquid to keep you immobile with Yanthmain. I've got to get your master and get him here to get you. I need you to promise me you'll hang in there."
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach. "Do I have to?" He tried hard not to throw up.
Lana sighed and blew a stray strand of black hair out of her face. "Just hang on kid.
Qui-Gon winced at the ache in his stomach as he watched whoever-she- was hurry out the door. He tried not to cry out at the ache in his stomach as a strong cramp passed through him that would've doubled him over were it not for the chains holding him up. He gritted his teeth as another cramp passed through his stomach, thinking miserably about home and the Temple, and suddenly he found himself wishing that he had obeyed his master.
Tho sipped on his drink slowly, watching the patrons who frequented the cantina. It was getting late, almost traditional business hours. Smiling to himself, he glanced around once more. Surprisingly he saw Lana coming out of the hidden door at the back. Tho scowled. Where was she going? Especially at this hour? He was standing to follow her when one of his members swaggered up to him, drunk. "Hey boss," he said. "Lets play with the little guy." Tho smiled. He would deal with Lana later.
Lana hurried away from the cantina, ignoring most of the catcalls that followed her and offering suggestive winks by rote to others. If you acted interested to some of them, then all of them left you alone-a lesson off the fringe. Quickly, she jumped on her speeder bike and zoomed off toward the Temple.
Qui-Gon tensed as he heard Tho and several men coming back into his room. He tried to straighten and gritted his teeth at the pain in his stomach, wishing mightily to himself to just ignore it.
Lana swerved out of the way of an incoming taxi. She was traveling in the wrong lane, going the wrong direction, but if she took the regular routes she wouldn't get to the Temple until it was too late for the kid. Ignoring the danger, she cranked her bike up to full throttle.
Qui-Gon bit his lip as Tho and his men came closer to him, one of them holding what looked like to his fuzzy mind a long metal rod.
Grinning like a maniac, the goon with the rod swung it with all his might into Qui-Gon's stomach, creating a singing sound with its passage in the air.
Qui-Gon gasped at the pain in his stomach and threw up again. He nearly cried from the pain as he was smacked repeatedly in the stomach.
Lana pulled up to the entrance level of the Temple in half the time it would normally take a considerate citizen. Jumping off of her speeder, letting it crash into other speeders parked correctly, she ran full tilt up the stairs in the darkening afternoon. Sprinting in the quiet halls, she stopped the first Jedi she saw. "Where is Master Dooku?" She asked breathlessly. The Jedi calmly explained where to find the other Jedi Master and off she ran again. Going up two levels and skidding to a stop in front of a door, she jabbed at the entrance button to announce her arrival.
Master Dooku was pacing in his living room. Padawan Josel watched him and both looked up when the door chime rang. Dooku glanced at Kyran. "Kyran would you answer that please." Kyran obediently headed for the door and opened it. His eyes widened in surprise at the very attractive young woman outside. "May I help you?"
Lana panted for a moment. She normally was in very good shape but running full tilt up two levels would make anyone breathless. "Qui- Gon...trouble..." was all she could get out at first.
Kyran's eyes widened and he opened the door all the way. "Please, come inside."
Lana nodded and cautiously entered, very much aware of the fact that she came from the opposite side of the law as these young men and the tall man standing across from her. Her eyes darted around warily and she couldn't help but wonder if her brother had lived in quarters like this before his death.
Kyran stood trying to explain to master Dooku. "Master Dooku, this woman says she has information on where Qui-Gon is." At those words Dooku's gaze sharpened. "You know where he is?" He questioned, anxiously.
She nodded. "Yes, Master Dooku." She almost had her breath back now. "But we've got to hurry. He'll die soon if we don't."
Dooku's breath left him in a rush and color drained from his face. "Force...what happened? Lead the way."
Lana explained to Dooku quickly what Tho had injected his padawan with, noticing that the two younger men were following them as well.
Dooku's gaze darkened. "Sith, they injected him with Yanthamin?" He quickened his steps. "He's allergic to that."
She nodded again. "I know. I discovered that when I sliced into the Temple records." After a silent pause, she recognized what she had just admitted to. Squaring her shoulders, she met his gaze defiantly. "What?"
Dooku arched a brow. "You sliced into the Temple records? That's supposed to be impossible."
With pride evident in her voice she said, "Nothing's impossible for me."
Dooku shook his head and quirked a grin. "Ordinarily you'd be arrested but I think under the circumstances we can over look it. Please.show me where he is." They came to the Temple hangar bay and he hopped inside a speeder, Kyran and Devin following suit.
Lana hesitated, the sheer madness of what she was doing finally hitting her. After she did this, she could never go back to the fringe. Tho would be out for her blood.
Dooku piloted the speeder, using the Force to pour on the speed weaving in and out of Coruscant traffic, using the directions Lana had given him and hoping desperately it wasn't too late for his padawan.
Lana had jumped in the speeder at the last second and hung on for dear life, feeling her old life slipping from her faster than the speed the Jedi master was driving. She was saving a life, the life of a Jedi, to make up for being unable to save her brother. Surely that amounted to something. Still not sure about her own actions, she hung in for the ride.
Dooku swerved in and out of traffic pouring on the speed and finally comes to the street where his padawan was supposed to be. Questing about, he felt Qui-Gon's faint presence. His eyes widened. They did not have much time.