OOO
Chapter Seven.
OOO
"You and I have much to discuss."
Aiden glared at the blue ghost standing in the darkness like a sinister beacon, the cold edges of the chair digging into his back. "How did you find me?"
Dooku gazed down at him across the steel. "For all her skill, your Jedi friend has not yet learned subtlety."
Through the shadows to Aiden's left, a skeletal finger brushed down his cheek, pale lips pulling back. "You should have picked a motel farther away from the dead guy's apartment." The woman chuckled. "You made it far too easy for me."
He clenched his jaw against her touch. "If you're gonna kill me, just do it. Don't waste my time gloating about it first."
"A fool jumps to conclusions, my young friend," Dooku said. "A wise man holds his tongue, and listens."
Aiden shot daggers at him, but didn't speak.
A twitch of a mustache. "So you are not a complete fool, after all. That is good. Fools do not last long in my employ."
Aiden's brow knit together. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm offering you a job, slicer."
A sour knot crashed through his gut, and a laugh of disbelief burst from his throat before he could stop it. "A job..." He stared at up at the specter. "You can't be serious..."
"Is something amusing?"
"Yeah. My life."
"I would not act so flippantly if I were you. I offer you an ally in the war you've been thrust into."
War. At this point, it was more like a circus. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you buddies with Palpatine?"
"The Chancellor and I have worked together." Dooku inclined his head, hologram flickering. "You know this. However, the time has long since passed for him to be removed. And I have waited long for an opportunity such as you. The delightful unforseeable to unknowingly initiate the first step."
Aiden's stomach sunk. "You're not seriously asking me to kill the Chancellor of the Republic?"
A chuckle. "No, my young friend. Your skills lie in the discovery of secrets, of truth, not assassination. It is in this way you will serve me."
Like there was such a thing as truth on this planet. He bit back his snort and narrowed his eyes. "I don't remember agreeing."
"You certainly have the right to refuse." Dooku nodded. "Bear in mind, however, that every choice carries with it a consequence."
Spindly fingers drummed against his shoulder.
He bit back a grimace. This didn't make any sense. "Why me? Why not another slicer? You must have someone else..."
"None in such a unique position to strike at our dear Chancellor. None so highly motivated to see him fall. And none I can trust so fully not to betray me to him, the police, or the Jedi."
Bastard.
The bony hand left Aiden's shoulder, coming to rest on a holstered blaster. "We should wrap this up, Count. No telling when his little brat will come looking for him."
"Indeed." Dooku looked at Aiden. "What is your choice, slicer? Shall I be your ally against Palpatine? Or yet one more enemy?"
Ashen fingers curled around the handle of the blaster.
Friendship from down the barrel of a gun. Classy. He shook his head and glared at the ghostly reflection of blue in the metal surface of the table. It was better than looking at the geezer's smug face.
"What do you want me to do?" he bit out.
A twitch of the lip. "For now, go back to your motel. Rest. Miss Sing here will accompany you."
She smirked down at him.
"I trust you know how foolish it would be to inform the young padawan you've befriended of our arrangement?"
Aiden nodded stiffly.
"Good." Dooku bowed his head ever so slightly. "Then I bid you farewell for now."
The hologram winked out, plunging the room into darkness.
Bastard.
"Congratulations." Sing shifted her weight onto one hip. "Maybe you'll actually be worth the manhunt out for you."
He snorted. "Might as well make them honest, right?"
She smiled, but there was no humor in it. "Don't kid yourself. The Jedi were never honest."
He cocked an eyebrow.
"Come on." She waved for him to follow. "Let's get moving before your Jedi princess starts missing you."
He shook his head, but rose from the cold metal. As they climbed into her airspeeder and lifted away from the platform, a strange whisper echoed through him as the murky haze swallowed them. Like the hum from the motel room.
And then it was gone.
OOO
Barriss and Luminara walked out of yet another motel, those passing by taking one or two steps out of the way as the silver hilts on their belts reflected neon signs cluttering the street.
"I do not believe our fugitive is on this level," Luminara said, looking at a sky-taxi that hummed on a platform. "It would be foolish to seek refuge so close to his point of escape."
Barriss stomped down the flicker of fear that whispered in her stomach before Luminara could pick up on it. If... When the search expanded to the other levels, there would not be much time to find somewhere safe to move Aiden. The longer she could delay that from happening, the better.
"People do foolish things when they are frightened, Master," she said. Like forget to eat dinner. Her belly still rumbled, despite the nutrient bar Master Ti had given her at the temple while waiting for her new communicator. She could only imagine how Aiden must be feeling.
A tingle ran down the back of her neck, like the trailing of a presence, and she glanced behind her.
Food vendors lined the walkway, calling out to the crowds with promises of lower prices than the booth next to theirs. Beings bought and sold, and looked over their shoulders with shifty eyes. She thought she spotted a wide-brimmed hat between two hanging displays of fruit, but she blinked and it disappeared.
"Is something wrong, Barriss?"
More than you know, Master. She chewed her lip. "I keep feeling we're being watched," she said instead, even as the tingly feeling grew.
Fabric shifted behind her. Luminara swiveling her head, no doubt. "We may not be the only ones searching for young Aiden."
The flicker in her belly rose once more, the image of Aiden sitting alone in a dark room flashing through her mind.
Luminara's communicator beeped, and she pulled the device from her robes, Shaak appearing in her palm.
"Master Unduli, Barriss." Her voice crackled over the comm. "I've just been contacted by the Temple. A human matching Aiden Stari's description was seen running from the scene of a homicide in Uscru district after the shuttle crash yesterday. The victim was another slicer." She pressed a few buttons on her communicator. "It seems too much of a coincidence to not be him. I'm sending you the location now, Ahsoka and I will meet you there."
Lead weight plummeted through Barriss' gut. The troopers at Sunset Heights. Of course they would contact the Jedi.
She closed her eyes.
"Thank you, Master Ti," Luminara said. "Barriss and I will move with haste."
She disconnected the call, and placed the device back in her robes. "Come, Padawan. It is possible Dooku's agents are searching for Aiden to silence him before he can be questioned. We have no time to lose."
She marched toward the taxi, the hem of her robe whipping with each step.
Barriss tensed her jaw, and slowly followed against the churning in her stomach. Actually, she did have time to lose.
And she just lost it.
OOO
Digital police lines sectioned off Dak Landon's apartment, bathing the entrance in a faint orange hue as 'Do Not Cross' scrolled between projection stands flanking the door.
Barriss and Luminara passed through the lines, a beep chirping from the sensors.
The stench was worse than she remembered.
Shaak and Ahsoka stood in the living room as investigators and camera droids buzzed around them, Ahsoka trying to look anywhere but at the body.
"What have you learned?" Luminara said, side-stepping an evidence retrieval droid.
"The occupants of the other rooms say they heard the shots yesterday afternoon," Shaak said. "When officers arrived some time later, they spotted a young human running from the room. No one witnessed what happened before that."
The evidence retrieval droid rotated its head toward them. "Actually, that is not accurate. At the time of his death, Mister Landon was recording with his data pad. The killer—or killers—must not have realized this, and left the data pad behind untouched." The droid's eyes took on an almost sinister glow. "Judging from the angle at which the data pad hung from his hand, it would have gotten excellent video of all who entered and left the apartment."
Oh, please, no. Ice gripped Barriss' spine, pulling the air from her lungs.
"Can we see this video, please?" Luminara said.
Invisible strands coiled, squeezing until she couldn't breathe. They'd see her with Aiden. She'd be arrested. Expelled from the Order!
Control yourself! She crushed the fear back down, forcing her lungs to fill again. If she was to be exposed, it would not be by her own lack of discipline.
"That is not yet possible," the droid said. "The data pad was keyed to Mister Landon's DNA. As soon as our technicians touched it, it shut down. It will take some time for our own specialists to circumvent the security measures."
Her chest untightened slightly. There was time. Think.
The droid returned to scanning the floor, orange beams from his eyes sweeping to and fro across the room. "Before any of that happens, however, all evidence must be collected and logged." He waved an arm toward a cart by the door.
Items from the apartment sat in plastic baggies on a three-tier hovercart, including the now-inert data pad.
She bit the inside of her cheek, looking between the data pad, and the officer standing next to the cart cataloging items on his own device. She was in this now. Perhaps if there had been more time, she could have found a better way than the path that led her here. But she couldn't change what she had done.
And now, she couldn't change what she had to do.
"Master?" She pressed her palm against her belly. "This stench does not sit well with an empty stomach. May I step out, please?"
Luminara looked at her oddly, but nodded. "Of course, Padawan. Return when you are ready."
She bowed, and turned to leave.
Ahsoka hurried to join her, still looking away from the body. "I'll come with you."
She bit back a curse. Blast it, Ahsoka. "Thank you, Ahsoka."
They walked toward the door, and Barriss darted her gaze around the room desperately as the distance between herself and the cart shrunk with each step. Think.
"Honestly, I was just looking for a chance to escape," Ahsoka whispered.
A technician appeared in the door, carrying a fragile-looking scanner as big as his torso.
Barriss eyed the man as the officer by the cart stepped back to allow the three of them to pass, and she exhaled quietly, regret and resolve mixing inside her. "So was I, Ahsoka."
Her finger twitched at her side, and the man's toe caught the back of his other foot mid-stride. He cried out. The scanner flew from his hands as he pitched forward, throwing his arms out in a vain attempt to catch himself.
The scanner arced through the air like a starfighter shot out of the sky, and smashed to the floor with a loud crash, shattering to pieces across grimy durasteel.
The man thudded after it a second later.
Ahsoka gasped and rushed to his side, electronic components crunching under her boots. "Are you okay?"
He groaned.
The officer by the cart ran a hand down his face. "Blast it, Dellon... Do you have any idea how much that thing cost?"
Ahsoka shot him a dirty look.
The technician sat up, looking from the shattered remains of the scanner, to the officer, to the crowd of people now staring at him, and then back to the scanner again. "I'm... I'm sorry... I don't..."
Ahsoka gently took him by the arm, pulling him up. "It's okay, it could happen to anyone." She tried to smile, but the way her shoulders raised made it look more like a cringe.
"Can someone clean up this mess?" the officer called.
Ahsoka gave the technician one last look of sympathy, and rejoined Barriss at the door, the two of them stepping through the police lines and away from the mess.
"Poor guy," Ahsoka said.
Barriss stayed silent, staring straight ahead as they walked.
A data pad tucked under her cloak dug into the small of her back.
Guilt squeezed her heart.
OOO
A few hours later, Aiden and Sing arrived back at his motel, having flown awhile to make sure no one was taking an interest in them, and then ditching the airspeeder a safe distance from the motel, scurrying the rest of the way through back-alleys like rats trying not to get spotted by the cat.
Which felt appropriate right about now.
She ushered him under the pink letters buzzing above the entrance, her arm draped over his shoulders like a snake's coil.
The nikto behind the counter eyed them as she dragged him toward the rooms, and a lecherous smile split his scaly face as they passed.
Aiden tasted vomit in the back of his throat.
They came to room twelve, and she slid her arm away, leaving a chill in its wake as she turned him around to face her. "Remember." She brushed a finger down his cheek. "Not a word. I'll be watching."
His nose wrinkled as if trying to run away from her touch. "How, exactly? I'm gonna be stuck in this room for the foreseeable future." He pointed a thumb to his door.
"Oh, don't worry about that." She sighed demurely. "I'll be right here whenever you need me." She produced a keycard from nowhere and slid it into the door across from his, stepping into the shadows of the dark room. "Sweet dreams." Her voice dripped like poison as the door hissed shut behind her.
Well. This was going to be fun… He made a sound in his throat, and turned for his room.
"Aiden!"
He flinched and spun around.
Barriss hurried down the hall, a paper bag clenched in her hand and her cloak billowing as she marched toward him.
He froze. Not good.
"What are you doing outside the room?"
Ice settled. Can't lie. She'd know, and then he'd be done for. "Uh..." He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the door across from his. "I just... I needed to get away from the hum."
Technically, that was why he left.
Her eyes bore into his, and he forced himself not to look away, even as his heart pounded in his chest. Don't think.
She stared at him a few moments longer with that strange look, like she was searching for something hidden inside him, and finally she sighed, seeming to deflate. "I'm sorry I took so long. I was selected to search for you along with Master Ti. I couldn't get away."
He nodded, not trusting himself to talk.
She glanced over her shoulder and took him by the arm, pulling him into the room. "Come on. It's not safe for you to be out here."
No kidding.
The door sighed shut behind them, and she handed him the bag before walking further into the room. "It's not much, but it's the best I could do on short notice."
He tilted his head and reached inside the crinkled paper, pulling out a nerf burger, grease already soaking through the wrapper.
Oh. Right. Food.
His appetite had fallen out of the airspeeder somewhere on the ride over here.
"Thanks." He peeled the wrapper back and took a small bite, chewing slowly.
Her brow wrinkled. "I thought you'd be starving."
He shrugged, the hum of the room filling the silence between them. What could he say?
"Well." She reached behind her. "Maybe you'll like this better." She pulled a data pad from under her cloak, holding it up for him to see.
He furrowed his brow as he chewed. "What's that?"
Grim determination steeled her eyes. "This is what you're going to use to expose Palpatine, and make it all worth it."
Oh. Dooku will be pleased, then. He smothered the huff that built in his throat. "Great. Can't wait."
"Good," she said. "Then I'd eat faster if I were you, because we're leaving tonight."
He choked, his hand flying to his mouth as a cough wracked his body. "What? Why?" When did this happen?
She tossed the data pad onto the couch, sighing. "Because I wasn't thinking ahead, and now we're out of time."
"Meaning..."
"Meaning I'd be shocked if it took them longer than a day to find you here." She walked to the fresher with her head lowered, what little of her face showing from under the edge of her hood pulled into a frown. "Finish eating, Aiden. We're leaving soon, and I don't know where we're going yet."
The door slid shut behind her like a sigh of resignation, and he stared after her, lines creasing his forehead as the burger dripped in his hands. He may not have known her long, but that didn't seem like the tenacious girl who had swept into his life out of nowhere, saved him from a fiery death, and thumbed her nose at the rules while doing it.
He looked at the data pad now resting on a frayed couch-cushion, and the lines creasing his forehead deepened.
What happened?
OOO
Gold-embroidered drapes surrounded Palpatine as he sat in his private box in the Galaxies Opera House. His communicator rested on a small table beside him, surrounded by implements of silver containing half-eaten remnants of a Nubian steak. Far below on the stage, twi'lek performers acted out some fable from their people's history.
For the life of him, he couldn't remember the name of it.
His communicator beeped, and he took the device from the table, a lithe figure hidden under the brim of an over-large hat appearing a moment later, burning his eyes in the dark room.
"Speak," he said.
"Got news for ya." A nasally rasp grated through the speakers. "Turns out, one of the Jedi squirreled away your slicer in a run-down dump in Uscru." Rough, blue lips pulled back over razor-sharp teeth. "Led me right to em'."
So quickly? "What are you waiting for? Take care of him immediately."
"He ain't alone in his room like the last one." The grin became sly. "Jedi girl's still in there with him."
Palpatine narrowed his eyes, and circled his thumb and forefinger together. A guard, perhaps. Ensuring the cretin does not run while the Council plays at their game.
"Proceed as you see fit," he said, finally. "You may wait to see if she leaves if you hesitate to face a Jedi. But Bane?" His eyes flashed yellow for a moment. "The slicer dies tonight. Regardless of who is with him."
Bane sneered. "No Jedi's gonna stop me. You'll have your corpse."
The image winked out, and Palpatine leaned back in his seat, turning back to the performance as the lead actor drove a prop sword into the antagonist's chest.
A light smile rested on his face as the twi'lek sunk to his knees, speaking one final word before falling over, the lead standing over him victoriously.
Before the night ended, all would be made right.
END CHAPTER