All the same copyrights and disclaimers apply to this chapter too. ;)
Twins, Chapter Nine
--sparkvallen
"I'm sorry. The dean's schedule is really booked up today," the petite Rodian secretary informed her.
"I just need a moment of his time," Spark said easily. "Just a moment."
"I don't think there's a single moment he can fit you in without making an appointment."
They had had this discussion four times already. Spark had to wonder if it was really a droid with a limited script rather than a sentient being sitting there. Following the established routine, she said, "But I wouldn't be able to have an appointment for at least a week, correct?"
"Affirmative."
Continuing the routine, she said, "Then I'll just sit and wait here for a while and see if I can catch a moment when he comes out of his office."
The Rodian's dark eyes watched her dubiously, then continued on with the clerical work.
Though the Force had been wreaking some physical havoc on Spark since the mission had begun, she risked directing her energy toward the office door and trying to ascertain if the dean was even in the office. She had her doubts. Through her mind's eyes, she could pick up the layout of the furniture, the chairs and desk, the datapad... and curiously, no life energy.
"When did you say he'll be back?" she asked suddenly.
The secretary's snout quivered, a sure sign of being caught. "Back? He's in his office right now. He's just terribly busy."
"He's not in and you are going to tell me where he is." She inflected as much Force persuasion as she could without feeling woozy.
"The lab," she said simply.
A-ha. Spark hesitated though. "Which lab?"
The Rodian's snout looked like it might shake right off her face. "Wha-- what do you mean?"
"You'll tell me in which lab I can find the dean."
"He... he's at... the farm," she reluctantly admitted.
Spark whirled out of the office without another word. I can't believe he'd inform his secretary of the kidnappings, she thought to herself, hurrying down the hall.
She commed Kenjiro.
"I'm here, Spark."
"Kenjiro, I didn't mean with the team but have the proof from his secretary that the dean is involved in the kidnappings. He's on your site."
"Jana is recovering and conscious. We'll wait for your arrival here to make our move," he reported.
"Roger that. I'm about 10 minutes away at a run," she said.
"Good. We won't have much more time than that. May the Force be with you."
+++++++++++
"Kenjiro, I'm fine," Jana insisted, having sat up against his wishes and began dusting herself off.
"You were unconscious almost 18 hours and you're going to tell me you're fine, lady? I don't think so," he admonished. But he was smiling.
"I saw the children."
"I know; Spark was able to watch your vision."
Jana nodded. "They're suffering. We have to find a way down there."
"Spark's on her way now. She was able to find proof that the university is involved in the experimentation."
"I know. I saw him down there. He's high up in the university," she said. "But I was ghost-like and couldn't do anything to stop him. Their Force experiments on the poor children."
"Did you see any other way in there? Because obviously, he didn't come in this way." Kenjiro nodded toward the ancient storm cellar-like entrance. "I've been here the entire time with you."
She frowned and gazed down at the handle that had knocked her into the Force vision. "He was just suddenly... there. I don't know how to get in."
"We'll find a way then."
"Spark's here," Jana said, looking through the field.
She sprinted to them, her chest-heaving. "Couldn't risk passing out by using the Force again to enhance my running. Sorry."
"No worries," Jana said. She smiled a little, thinking of that as her mentor's oft said phrase.
Spark nodded toward her.
"We were just discussing how to find a way in," Kenjiro said.
"The farm house," she said without hesitation.
Jana and Kenjiro craned their heads to look at the dwelling in the distance. Enlightenment dawned on Jana. "This is his home."
Spark nodded. "I'm sure of it. He has an entryway through the basement of the home. That's going to be how we have to go in."
Kenjiro looked to Jana. "Do you feel ready?"
"I can still hear the children in my mind, my friend. I have to be ready."
Through the Force, they connected on a deeper level that was sometimes known as a "Force meld." In the meld, they would know each other's reactions on a close level so that their joined efforts were fluid and easy.
"May the Force be with us..." Jana whispered.
Twins, Chapter Nine
--sparkvallen
"I'm sorry. The dean's schedule is really booked up today," the petite Rodian secretary informed her.
"I just need a moment of his time," Spark said easily. "Just a moment."
"I don't think there's a single moment he can fit you in without making an appointment."
They had had this discussion four times already. Spark had to wonder if it was really a droid with a limited script rather than a sentient being sitting there. Following the established routine, she said, "But I wouldn't be able to have an appointment for at least a week, correct?"
"Affirmative."
Continuing the routine, she said, "Then I'll just sit and wait here for a while and see if I can catch a moment when he comes out of his office."
The Rodian's dark eyes watched her dubiously, then continued on with the clerical work.
Though the Force had been wreaking some physical havoc on Spark since the mission had begun, she risked directing her energy toward the office door and trying to ascertain if the dean was even in the office. She had her doubts. Through her mind's eyes, she could pick up the layout of the furniture, the chairs and desk, the datapad... and curiously, no life energy.
"When did you say he'll be back?" she asked suddenly.
The secretary's snout quivered, a sure sign of being caught. "Back? He's in his office right now. He's just terribly busy."
"He's not in and you are going to tell me where he is." She inflected as much Force persuasion as she could without feeling woozy.
"The lab," she said simply.
A-ha. Spark hesitated though. "Which lab?"
The Rodian's snout looked like it might shake right off her face. "Wha-- what do you mean?"
"You'll tell me in which lab I can find the dean."
"He... he's at... the farm," she reluctantly admitted.
Spark whirled out of the office without another word. I can't believe he'd inform his secretary of the kidnappings, she thought to herself, hurrying down the hall.
She commed Kenjiro.
"I'm here, Spark."
"Kenjiro, I didn't mean with the team but have the proof from his secretary that the dean is involved in the kidnappings. He's on your site."
"Jana is recovering and conscious. We'll wait for your arrival here to make our move," he reported.
"Roger that. I'm about 10 minutes away at a run," she said.
"Good. We won't have much more time than that. May the Force be with you."
+++++++++++
"Kenjiro, I'm fine," Jana insisted, having sat up against his wishes and began dusting herself off.
"You were unconscious almost 18 hours and you're going to tell me you're fine, lady? I don't think so," he admonished. But he was smiling.
"I saw the children."
"I know; Spark was able to watch your vision."
Jana nodded. "They're suffering. We have to find a way down there."
"Spark's on her way now. She was able to find proof that the university is involved in the experimentation."
"I know. I saw him down there. He's high up in the university," she said. "But I was ghost-like and couldn't do anything to stop him. Their Force experiments on the poor children."
"Did you see any other way in there? Because obviously, he didn't come in this way." Kenjiro nodded toward the ancient storm cellar-like entrance. "I've been here the entire time with you."
She frowned and gazed down at the handle that had knocked her into the Force vision. "He was just suddenly... there. I don't know how to get in."
"We'll find a way then."
"Spark's here," Jana said, looking through the field.
She sprinted to them, her chest-heaving. "Couldn't risk passing out by using the Force again to enhance my running. Sorry."
"No worries," Jana said. She smiled a little, thinking of that as her mentor's oft said phrase.
Spark nodded toward her.
"We were just discussing how to find a way in," Kenjiro said.
"The farm house," she said without hesitation.
Jana and Kenjiro craned their heads to look at the dwelling in the distance. Enlightenment dawned on Jana. "This is his home."
Spark nodded. "I'm sure of it. He has an entryway through the basement of the home. That's going to be how we have to go in."
Kenjiro looked to Jana. "Do you feel ready?"
"I can still hear the children in my mind, my friend. I have to be ready."
Through the Force, they connected on a deeper level that was sometimes known as a "Force meld." In the meld, they would know each other's reactions on a close level so that their joined efforts were fluid and easy.
"May the Force be with us..." Jana whispered.