Chapter 5

The Dive

They all met on the Ebon Hawk that night to share what they had learned.

"It won't be as easy as crashing the base on Taris," Canderous said, studying the Republic intelligence on their rival embassy. "There, it could be dismissed as the work of the crime lords or independent mercenaries. Taris also had nothing in the way of authority - this place has nothing but authority. We'll have the fish to deal with as much as we will the Sith."

Kairi studied the map. "I know. But they'll be expecting us to crash through the hanger bay or sneak in, not get in through the front door." She bowed her head and thought for a moment. "Unless..."

"What is it that you are thinking?" Juhani asked.

"What I'm thinking, Juhani, is that there is more than one way into the base, and enough of us to make this work."

"Well, the Sith are hiring mercenaries," said Carth. "Canderous made a good impression on one of their recruiters, I guess."

"Well, that could be a way into the Sith base – for the two of us, at least. It won't work for these Jedi, and I'm afraid I won't be able to pass Mission or Zaalbar as mercenaries...but you, Republic...you've dirtied yourself up a bit. I think you could pass as my partner."

"I'll take that as a compliment, considering where it's from," said Carth. "And I'm with you on the plan. I found out something...something that makes me want to give that Sith base a closer look."

"Watch where you poke your nose, lad," Jolee warned. "Digging in the wrong places can get a man into more trouble than he needs."

Carth sighed. "I've asked the Selkath authorities about this and they weren't very helpful, although they did confirm what I heard. A Selkath man approached me. His daughter's missing. So far, close to two-dozen Selkath kids are missing. These were bright kids, too..."

"Carth, don't let..." Kairi warned him.

"Kairi, you aren't a parent. No offense, but even Jedi empathy can't put you in that man's boots. Besides, I caught up with that Iridorian you saw, Mission. Managed to pry an admission out of him at blaster-point that he has been taking those kids to the Embassy."

"As for other methods of getting inside," Bastila announced, bringing the conversation back on topic. "Roland Wann mentioned two ways to aid in Kairi's "front door" approach. "First is interrogating a Sith informant they arrested. The second is decrypting some passcards."

Mission smiled. "Hey, I can help you there."

Jolee stroked his chin. "I should also like to talk to the Republic embassy sometime soon. There are questions about Sunry I have for them."

"Opinion: I believe interrogating the informant will yield the most desirable results, master. And I look forward to the task of making the meat-bag lose control of his bodily functions in the process," HK-47 volunteered.

"I'll...take that under consideration," Kairi said. "Now, in the morning, we will all set to work on this. Canderous, Carth, go to the mercenary cantina and see about getting yourselves hired. The rest of us will work on the other methods at the Embassy. Now, once we get inside, here's the plan..."

Mission and Jolee went to the East Side, close to the Sith Base. An Ithorian worker in drab coveralls was gathering up supplies in his cramped little store that also passed for his run-down residence. They saw him yesterday when they were riding the transit home. He told them a long and sad story about how he had fallen into debt to Czerka due to a bad contract and was now having to work for the Sith ("Sith and Czerka – they are no different," he informed them.) as all but a slave, the exorbitant interest Czerka placing on the debt pretty much insuring he would be doing janitorial service to them for the rest of his days.

It was pretty easy to find his shop, and he was using a T3 model utility droid, too – albeit an older model with none of the modifications T3-M4 boasted. That gave Mission the idea.

"Coveralls?"

"Yeah, two sets. You said that they gave you coveralls that were human-sized. Well, we just found a use for them," Mission said. "And even better is that it'll get you a day off."

The Ithorian looked skeptical. "You're planning some sort of trouble, aren't you?"

"Well..."

"The Sith have set up cameras here – no sound, but still cameras. I hand you coveralls, and they will be able to trace it to me. Bad enough to be almost a slave, but to end up in their torture chambers..." He thought about it some more. "I will pretend I didn't hear it. But, I will be tired when I leave for my shift in a couple hours – tired enough to leave the back room unlocked. There will still be the cameras on, of course..."

"Yeah, I know, security and all. Thanks."

The Ithorian left for work, and that's when Mission did what she did best.

The brig was at the lowest level. Juhani and Bastila were spirited down the stairs and into the interrogation room.

Juhani shivered. The place was cold – not the temperature, certainly. The physical temperature here was calibrated for human norms. It was what she sensed down here that made her grip her upper arms and shiver. Pain was here – seeped into the cracks of the permacrete walls. Light mists of sea air flowed through the high windows, barred and shielded from any life-forms' entrance or escape, but permeable enough for sea air and the moisture it carried. Occasionally, a droplet of seawater would follow a jagged path down the wall and its faint cracks, like tears on a face. The place smelled of callous indifference, sadistic boredom... humiliation, pain, death...

Juhani wondered if those prisoner cages could be adjusted and set to crude (but effective) service as torture cells. She remembered the one in the private chambers of a swoop gang boss, an outdated military model hot-wired for "showing girls their place." One of the Twi'lek women who still showed a little spirit was reduced to a heap on the floor when the first jolt hit. He and his sycophants laughed and passed around a cheap bottle of Tarisian ale, taking a swig, and then throwing the switch.

A second jolt and she begged for mercy. They laughed. They took another drink.

The third time, she begged for death. They still laughed, and drank some more.

The fourth jolt burned her nervous system, leaving her in a puddle of her own waste (involuntarily spasms causing all muscle control to fail), groaning and staring into nothingness.

The fifth killed her – finally.

This place was not covered in filth and spent bottles of ale, but it reminded her too much of that place. She spared a glance to Bastila. Did she sense the same things? If she did, the prim Jedi gave no indication. She stood straight, narrowing her eyes upon seeing the Sith on the cage floor.

"He belongs there," she muttered. "Bloody Sith and their war on us."

"And what if he knows nothing?" Juhani asked.

"Do you really think the Republic would hold an innocent man like this? No, I've complete faith in them. The chief of intelligence should be here to brief us soon."

As if on cue, a man in a Republic officer's uniform, heavily laden with medals and ribbons, walked in the room. He was a weathered-looking man with a cruel bearing he made no attempt to disguise. Juhani narrowed her eyes. Unless his superiors kept a close eye on him, this man had the capacity to enjoy his duty a little too much.

"So you're the one Roland has got to help us interrogate the prisoner," said the officer. "I hope your Jedi powers will come in useful. This one's been most resistant."

Juhani glanced again to the cage. The prisoner was a smallish man, who now sat on the floor of the cage hugging his knees. She hoped he would talk. Judging by the head interragator, things would be nasty for him if he didn't.

"What can you tell me about him? What was he doing when you arrested him?" Bastila asked.

"He was trying to break into the Embassy. He was carrying a hold-out pistol, and had a stealth unit on, so we assume he was trying to cause trouble."

"I see," said Bastila. "The band on his arm - what is that filled with?"

"That, Lady Bastila," he said. "Is your standard issue truth serum. Guaranteed to make him spill his guts in no time. Unfortunately, there's a catch."

"Describe the catch."

"It causes short-term memory loss. Combine that with standard techniques used to resist interrogation and protection from Force compulsions that the Sith train into their spies, and this one will be a tough crab-nut to crack. I wouldn't worry much, though. He won't be going anywhere for a long time."

"I see," Bastila said. "Juhani, will you aid me in this?"

"I will do what I am able to do," she said. "What else can you tell us?"

"He was with another man," the interrogator said. "Unfortunately, his partner is still at large. What we did find on him were personal documents. He's married to a woman named Tela, and they live in the Sith sector. I've already got agents out looking for her. I don't think it'll be long before they bring her in."

"Very well," Bastila said. "Inject the prisoner. Let's begin."

The officer took a remote control from the wall and walked over to the cage. He keyed in a sequence that electrified the floor of the cage and delivered a medium-intensity shock that jolted the prisoner to his feet. "Hey, wake up. There's someone here to see you."

His eyes flitted back and forth between the women, taking note of the lightsabers on their belts – his eyes getting wide with fear. With a jabbing motion, the officer discharged a dose of the serum. The prisoner groaned, his eyes starting to glaze.

"So," Bastila said. "What was your purpose here?"

"I'm not talking, especially not to some Jedi."

"It might be easier if you do talk. Or, would you rather we hand you over to the Sith?" Bastila asked.

"We do not believe in harming our prisoners," Juhani said, a pointed glance in the officer's direction. "But we do not wish for our hand to be forced. We may be your only hope left."

"Lies! You work for the Republic."

A feral smile crossed the officer's face. "The Sith will never trust you again, spy! We're the only place you have left."

He swallowed hard. "They...they...wouldn't...would they?"

"We certainly know what the Sith like to do. After all, if they can kill billions so casually, what makes you think your life is worth anything – to them or to us?" Bastila's tone was frigid. "You do know about Taris, right?"

"Taris...what...I only heard that..."

"Your Sith friends slaughtered the population while I was forced to watch. But I suppose you care little for those innocent lives caught in the crossfire. Perhaps we should get our hands on someone you care about," Bastila said. "Maybe your companion would like to deal with us instead while we send you back."

"No! The Sith have...have ways of punishment and death that you cannot imagine for their failed agents!"

"I don't have to," Bastila said tersely. "I also hear you have a wife. Maybe she has heard something? Putting her in a cage like yours – does that thought loosen your tongue?" She scowled. "Or perhaps not. I've heard many stories of Sith turning on their friends or family on a casual whim. Typical for your kind, I would suppose."

He swallowed hard, glancing towards the empty cage across the way, rubbing the injector band on his arm.

"Think of your mate," Juhani suggested. "Would the Sith grant her asylum? The Republic already has agents after her."

"This gutless Sith worm is starting to crack," the interrogation officer said. He smiled greedily and started to crank up some of the settings. The energy field started to buzz louder. "It won't be long now...."

Juhani recognized the noise and was stuck with a moment of horror. The cage HAD been modified! No one would know unless they wanted to ask, and unfortunately, no one was going to ask...not when most thought the Republic above this kind of thing.

"We'll be sure to put your little woman in our best accommodations," he said. "And if you don't talk, I'll make certain she does. You Sith are nothing but scum, but we have learned some of their more...effective tricks."

The Sith's face turned pale and ashen, and he curled in on himself on the floor of the cell. "Urgh! Never!"

Juhani turned and grabbed the officer's wrist, trying to wrench the controls from his hand. "What are you doing? You could kill him!"

He struggled against her, but Juhani held her grip. "Know your place, Jedi! Besides, we get his wife and partner in here, and we won't have any..."

Bastila got between them. "This man is a Sith, Juhani. Loyal to the people who destroyed your world. What he knows could be vital to the Republic's efforts. I'm certain the officer knows full well what he is doing. Let him do his job."

"Is this what we have been reduced to?" Juhani roared. "Talk, human. It may save your life!"

"Zeta...Zeta 2345 Alpha. That's the code...The code to get in the embassy. Just...just don't.... spare my wife, please!"

The officer cut the power, and gave an evil look to Juhani, then to the Sith, who was crumpled on the floor, quietly babbling to himself. "You've got your code," he said tersely. "Go ahead and use it. The Sith change them frequently."

Juhani let go of his wrist and he stormed away in order to make his report. She stood there for a second in silence, listening to the spy's weeping and the hum of the now-normalized energy field.

"Juhani, I..." Bastila started to say.

Juhani whipped around. "Bastila, we are going to have a long talk...somewhere private, please."

Pulling Bastila by the arm, she stormed into one of the offices in this wing. It was a cramped, uncomfortable place with two desks stuffed inside, both of which were piled high with datapads, and printed hard copies posted to walls, marked up generously with red ink. Harsh, industrial lighting beat down on the room, casting a glare on all flat surfaces, including the base permacrete floor, and a vaguely electronic hum was just at the border between ignorable and intolerable.

Juhani almost slammed the door, and fastened the lock behind her. Bastila crossed her arms.

"Juhani...please calm yourself."

"No, I will not," she said firmly. "You could sense it as well as I – the officer had no regard for the life of that man."

Bastila sighed. "I could sense his zeal, yes, but aren't you overreacting just a bit?"

Juhani shook her head. "I do not know whether you noticed this, but that cage was modified. There was a definite change in the field's frequency."

"I...I could sense the prisoner was in pain, but wasn't that just part of the process?"

"Not that level of pain and you know it," hissed Juhani. "There is a line between interrogation and torture, and that man was crossing it. Or was it an easy matter to ignore the pain of a Sith?"

"I don't see why you defend him. A Sith, Juhani...He worked for a force that destroyed your home, an order that has decimated our own. Force knows what he planned – a bombing, perhaps? Or slicing our computer systems and stealing classified information - causing the deaths of thousands of soldiers?"

"This justifies torturing him? And threatening his mate with such treatment – though she may have done nothing?"

"I highly doubt his wife would be innocent."

"We do not know. That is the point. Or is it justified, perhaps? One man sides with the Sith, so his entire clan must as well? Maybe his entire neighborhood? Or even the planet."

Bastila shook her head. "You exaggerate."

"Where will is stop, Bastila? Where is the line drawn?" For emphasis, she waved her hand as if drawing a line on the floor in front of her boots. "We turn our backs on the suffering of others – does the fact they are our foes make it justified? And if that is the case, then are we any better than the tyrants we fight?"

Bastila tried to push past Juhani to the door, only to have the other woman reach out and arm to block her path. When Bastila tried again to maneuver around Juhani, Juhani anticipated and continued to stand between Bastila and any escape route.

Juhani shook her head. "This...this is not the only time I have had reason to be concerned."

"Damn," Bastila almost growled the word, and threw up her hands in frustration. "Is this some kind of conspiracy, I wonder? First Kairi, then Carth, now you. Of course, there's Jolee with his flippant opinions, and Mission with her immature attitudes..."

Juhani grabbed Bastila's shoulders. "Listen to yourself! You sound like...like one of those Tarisian nobles – thinking that your station exempts you from consequence, sincerely believing that you are somehow better than the rest of us."

Bastila twisted out of the Cathar woman's grasp. "Juhani, don't let your anger –"

Juhani lowered her arms, but held her ground. Her voice dropped, and betrayed none of the agitation she displayed a moment before. "I speak not from anger, but concern – and from experience."

Bastila stepped back with shock. "You must be mistaken."

But Juhani only shook her head. "I am a Jedi, same as you. And I once fell from the same cliff you dance on the edge of now. Anger brought me there, but there are many paths to the Dark Side, as you know." She reached out. "We offer our hands, and you spit on them." She yanked her outstretched hand back to prove the point. "I have heard you say over and over that those who are not Jedi do not face the same dangers – and I very much disagree. When I fell, I could not climb out on my own. When I faced Xor, I would have given into my anger if I were alone."

"Yes, you worship at the feet of Kairi," Bastila said bitterly. "Like everyone else on the crew. And she lets them." Bastila scowled. "She enjoys it, I think. Oh, she'll not admit to it openly and risk losing that adulation you heap upon her."

Juhani held up her hand to silence Bastila's tirade. "Enough with your jealousy and arrogance."

This seemed to stun Bastila enough to silence her, the human woman dropping into a chair and shaking her head. Juhani could sense Bastila's heavy heart, but her limited abilities in mind-speak could tell her little else. Were her words getting through to Bastila?

She decided to press her point, her voice even and calm to better shape her words. "Do you not notice that Kairi tries so very hard to live up to the standards you tell her to meet? She walks in Light, Bastila. We both can see it. Yet, she does so because she cannot cut out her heart – not despite it. She relies on our experience to compensate for the memories she lacks, and her barely adequate training, giving what she can in return."

Bastila looked up mournfully from her chair. "Juhani, if you knew what I did..." She stuttered over her words. "I...I'm sorry."

"What is it?"

Bastila sighed, shaking her head. "I think the only reason she chooses her path is because of her attachments and emotion – but we know the consequences of that. What if she is forced to risk the life of a crewmember – or if the Force demands its sacrifice? I think she will choose as Kairi of the Ebon Hawk, and not as a Jedi." She shrugged. "Then, there are all of the bad influences – Carth and his desire for revenge, Canderous and his savage concepts, Jolee's disrespectful opinions about the Jedi Way..."

"But she has not shared them," Juhani was quick to remind her. "Quatra often reminded me that each Jedi must find her own relationship to the Force, and that every Jedi's bond to the Force is unique because the Force has made each creature unique. Kairi will know the path best for Kairi, and she will walk it. All we can do is walk our own paths beside hers."

"That's what I'm afraid of."Bastila sighed, rubbing her weary eyes with the palms of her hands. "Perhaps I only see her for what she was."

"For what she was?" Juhani's brow furrowed. What, exactly, did Bastila mean?

"My aide," Bastila answered quickly. "Kairi was meant to be a protocol guide and translator – an ordinary civilian and nothing more than that. The fact she has become something...unexpected...." She still seemed off-center and rattled. Was it by Juhani's words, or were other winds blowing? "I only wish I were not stumbling so blindly. I have only the Code to guide me, and for the first time in my life, it does not seem enough."

Juhani cupped Bastila's face. "Remember that a Jedi is never alone, Bastila. In dark times, the light is there – but only if you choose to follow it."

"I'll...remember," Bastila said, but it sounded half-hearted and even lonelier than before.

Mission had the coveralls stuffed in her backpack. One of them looked like it might be too big, but Jolee assured her that with skillful application of needle and thread, the coveralls would fit them perfectly. She managed to use that stealth belt until she was far out of the Sith sector of town, even hitching a free ride on the transit cars back to the Republic's sector before ducking into a lavatory and turning off the belt. It pretty much killed the battery, but the job was an utter success.

She was met by a guard at the entrance to the embassy who looked skeptically at her before herding her into the Republic's computer room. Kairi was waiting for her there, talking to a Republic soldier. Mission looked at the young man. He couldn't have been much older than her! She wondered for a moment if she could have a place in the Republic army. Strange, she never could have pictured that possibility back on Taris. Most of her thoughts about the future centered on what she didn't want. Guess all that hanging out with Carth was what did it.

"Master Jedi, you said she was your expert?" asked her escort. Kairi smiled warmly at him.

"Don't underestimate her, lieutenant. Without her skills in slicing, I wouldn't even be here to speak to you." She walked forward and put her hand on Mission's shoulder. "I take it you took care of your part of the plan already."

She opened the pack, giving Kairi a glimpse of the grayish-blue cloth. "Mission accomplished," she said with a wink.

Kairi got a chuckle out of the pun and lightly hugged her. "That's wonderful. Now, for getting your team inside – he'll talk you through the encryption system. Jolee and Tee-Three will be here soon." She looked over at the younger soldier. "Mac, this is Mission. Mission, just let Mac know if you need help getting around the computers, all right? Now, I have to check on the rest of the crew. Good luck."

She walked out through the door. The dour soldier was right behind Kairi.

"So you're the one who's going to try and break those codes, huh? Your Jedi friend tells me you're a good slicer." He looked her over. "No offense or anything, but how did you come to hang out with a Jedi, anyway?"

"And how come I don't dance on tables and wear a combat suit rather than some strategically placed floss?"

"Uh...something like that."

"Pretty much the same reason you're in Republic clothes and not Sith plate armor. Hey, I know a lot of my species that follows that life. I know more who aren't. Just happens that the dancing girls are a little hard to miss. I had other things I want to do."

"Like travel with Jedi and slice computers for them," Mac said. "Must be something." He slid a chair over to the closest terminal. "Well, I've gone through a dozen cards already, trying to duplicate the pattern, but no such luck."

"Tough encryption, huh?"

"Very. Now, the first level of encryption looks simple enough..."

A common trait among Mandalorians was that they almost never had reason to bluff. This, of course, worked in their favor. Canderous had picked up enough of the skill working for Davik to do a passable job of it. Carth stood behind his shoulder as Canderous leaned in and tried to make the female Sith across the table rather uncomfortable.

"And you will, of course, split the proceeds of the contract equally," she said primly. "We don't cut favors, you know."

"Wouldn't expect that from the Sith. Besides, I've worked for your kind before. You know how to give a man proper incentive, not make appeals to sentiment."

"What of your partner?" she asked. "He seems a little new at this."

Canderous laughed. "You know ex-Republic as much as I do. One of Karath's men, actually. Wised up when the Admiral saw the wind change. We cracked a few heads on Taris for Davik Kang and were off-planet on a job when the quarantine hit."

As Canderous pieced together a plausible backstory to allay the officer's suspicions, Carth was getting impatient. He struggled to keep letting Canderous do the talking and not interrupt. All the while, he was making a mental plan of their break-in route...

Mission looked up when Jolee and T3-M4 entered.

"Hey, there, Jolee. Hi, T3. Check this out." She waved them over to a terminal where Mac was sitting.

"We've got the pattern," the young man said. "Just could use a droid to encode the card. Faster than trying to use the terminals in here."

"Sure, kid. Borrow the droid." T3-M4 went over to the access terminal and went to decrypt the card while Jolee used the opportunity to check his notes about Sunry's case.

"You're the guy who's taken on Sunry's case, haven't you?" asked Mac. "That's all this part of town seems to talk about nowadays. I know that Sunry did come here a lot. Whether it was just to collect his pension voucher or whether he actually had business...well, I wasn't inclined to ask."

"I think I have most of what I need," he said neutrally. "But I still have a few more things to check first."

T3-M4's merry chiming interrupted the conversation as it glided over to Mission and opened a hatch, producing the fully-encrypted card.

"One genuine ticket into the Sith base," Mac said. "Better use it quick, though."

T3-M4 tooted again. Jolee looked down at the droid. "Yes, we should be on our way, then. Tell Kairi I say hello when you see her next."

Mission followed Jolee out of the embassy. "I know Tee-Three found something. Saw the file accessing. I'm just glad Mac didn't have a chance to look at the screen. He was probably checking some other monitor."

"For once, you underestimate human men. Well, unless there was a monitor in the middle of your chest."

"That pervert!"

"No, just young and operating on the lower brain, that's all. Take it from me, dear. Human males may physically mature by twenty, but their brains take an additional decade or two to figure it out – and those are the lucky ones."

"Spoken as a human male?"

"Oh, I just graduated to 'dirty old man.' There's no reforming me, kid." They turned the corner with the droid, heading for the transit station. Since the tram had just left, the platform was empty, and the cameras were looking the other way. After a quick check for any prying eyes, and using the Force to insure it, Jolee looked down at the droid. "You find something, little fellow?"

A mournful whine as a panel slid open and produced an eyepiece. He put his eye to the lens and saw what the droid had recorded. It made him want to vomit.

The image was a grainy, fish-eye view of one of the rooms in Ignus's hotel. A beautiful young woman Jolee knew was Elassa was wearing a dark-colored jumpsuit and sat on the bed, working with a tube-shaped object - a lightsaber handle. Well, that confirmed Firith's statement....

She looked up from her work, and quickly stuffed the saber into the nightstand's drawer and opened the door, pulling Sunry in. Jolee's hand curled into a fist when he saw Sunry pull her into his arms and kiss her...Elassa ducked into the bathroom while Sunry began to disrobe. He took a hold-out blaster from his sleeve and concealed it among his piled garments.

Elassa trotted out wearing lacy, very suggestive lingerie. The pair embraced again and moved towards the bed. Jolee closed his eyes, thoroughly disgusted by the X-rated show that followed.

"Advance thirty minutes, T3."

Elassa was in the bed, sleeping. Sunry was putting on his clothing. He opened the nightstand and found Elassa's saber and a datapad. Hands quaking, Sunry took out the datapad and read it. His hands shaking worse than before, Sunry dropped the datapad and pulled out the blaster. Pointing it at Elassa, he seemed to will his hands steady...

Sunry fired.

The recording ended.

Retracting the eyepiece, T3-M4 ejected the recording chip with the damning recording on it. As if trying to explain, it chirped at Jolee.

"You found this in the Republic datafiles, didn't you?"

A low, mournful whine answered.

"What is it?" Mission asked as Jolee stuffed the chip in his belt pouch.

"You're not old enough. Let's just say it confirms the 'cheating' story. Looks like I have to find Elora now. I've got some bad news for her."