Entry 27

Magash escorted me through the women's village, glaring at anybody who looked at me the wrong way.

"Sergeant Tokk briefed us thoroughly when you were talking to Sergeant Joppl. He comes on duty this week after the dinner rations are handed out at the various locations. We will wait until sunset and then make our way to the guardhouse. He said he would ensure the other guard is occupied and then sneak us onboard the Freighter. Captain Kwon will notify you when it is clear for you to return in your disguise." She hesitated for a moment. "Do we have a contingency plan, in case this doesn't go smoothly?"

We came to the edge of the women's shantytown and started moving through the surrounding forest. I thought about her question for a moment before answering. "If things look bad, pull back and arrange to leave sometime later. If you actually get caught sneaking in and Sergeant Tokk isn't able to salvage the situation…if you can take out the enemy guards without getting yourself killed, do it. Stun Tokk in order to give him an alibi or offer to take him with you. Then get out, even if it means leaving me behind. There are so many Imperial ships in the area there is no way you can make a jump to lightspeed if the Empire is alerted. You'll have to move fast."

Magash stopped and gave me a stubborn look. "We will not leave you behind."

I shook my head. "I can get off planet. I'll use my Inquisitor guise to commandeer a ship."

She made a disbelieving snort. "Once the Imperials are alerted to trouble it is doubtful you can walk onto a ship without your identification verified." She turned and started to walk again.

I fell in step next to her. "I think you underestimate me; an Inquisitor can be very terrifying."

She chuckled. "I mean no disrespect, but your appearance does not strike terror in my heart. Your eyes give you away, there is compassion and righteousness in them."

"I fooled Sergeant Joppl and I guarantee nobody will be dreamily gazing into my eyes when I have a red lightsaber in my hand."

"You never know," Magash whispered and then chuckled lightly. Before I could ask her what she meant, she abruptly stopped and pointed into the distance. "You can see the men's encampment from here. This is where I turn around." She put her hand on my shoulder. "May the Force be with you."

I nodded with a smile. "And also with you. I'll see you on the freighter."

I then turned and jogged off to the men's shantytown. I decided not to return to the teens' shelter. I didn't want to face the boys knowing I was going to leave them behind. At least Byson and Kyler only had three more months remaining of their sentence. Poor Norro would be stuck on this penal planet until I could hire a lawyer to hopefully gain his release, but I knew it might take months. It was a depressing thought.

Instead I walked around the encampment trying to uncover more information about the space station being built. I talked with a number of prisoners had worked on the enormous construction project, but were returned to Despayre because of injuries. They were never told the purpose of the station, but they said from the conversations they had overheard from guards, they had the distinct impression that it would be a military vessel and not a civilian spaceport or exploratory vehicle. If that's true Whiplash or the Antarian Rangers needed to investigate this matter.

As dusk fell the evening meal of condensed ration bars were distributed to the prisoners. I stayed clear, knowing I would eat when I was off this wretched planet. Instead I snuck out to the surrounding forest to the location where I hid my Inquisitor outfit. I was relieved to find it unscathed and not chewed on by forest creatures. I changed my clothing and then sat on a rock and waited for Captain Kwon to send me a pulse signal that it was time for me to come back to the ship.

As the minutes dragged on I begun to worry that something went wrong. After about an hour I considered either attempting communication with Kwon or simply walking over to the guardhouse and see if anything was amiss. Another twenty minutes passed and finally I felt the communication unit in my heel vibrate. I let out a relieved breath knowing this all would be over soon. I stood and made my way through the dark forest and back into the shantytown. In the distance I heard men arguing and the desperate screams of someone being hurt. I marched down the muddy pathway, my hood pulled down past my eyes, my lightsaber swinging on my hip noticeably. A few convicts recognized the uniform and quickly ran in the opposite direction.

I could see the guardhouse in the distance and, thankfully, all seemed calm. I came to the trail leading to the freighter and freedom…but I hesitated. Something didn't feel right. I risked reaching out with the Force, but did not sense an ambush or hostility in the sentry's outpost. In fact I couldn't sense any specific danger directed toward me all…it was simply an tremendous sense of unease flowing through me. There was a sick twist in my gut as I finally recognized the sensation. It was guilt. It was the same horrible feeling that overwhelmed me when Laranth sacrificed herself to save the crew. She perished and I got to go home. Here I was on the most despicable planet imaginable, with horrific suffering and death…and I got to go home.

I stood on the trail for a good five minutes mulling over the situation before I made a decision. I couldn't help Laranth back then, but maybe I could make a difference here and now. I turned away from the guardhouse and walked through the shantytown at a fast clip. When I came to the boy's shelter I pulled my hood down and around my face as far as possible. In the darkness it was unlikely they would recognize me, especially as I used the Force to disguise my features and voice. I unclipped my lightsaber and pulled aside a flap that functioned as a door and walked in while igniting my lightsaber. In the red glow of my weapon I would see the boys sitting on the dirt floor. All three jumped with fright as their gaze focused on the glowing blade.

Byson made an attempt to talk but he was so terrified it came out as stuttering gibberish. I turned and pointed to Norro. "You! Come with me!" I didn't want to scare the boys, but I also didn't want them knowing Jax and the Inquisitor were one-and-the-same. I was worried I might jeopardize Sergeant Tokk's safety... more than we already have. The less the boys knew the better.

Norro scooted backwards until he was as far away from me as possible. His eyes were wide with fear as he made a low moaning noise. To my surprise, Byson and Kyler begun to stand while adamantly professing their friend's innocence of any Imperial violation. I was extremely impressed with their bravery, especially when they were so close to the end of their prison sentence and very near the tip of a lightsaber. I waved a hand in their direction pushing them back to the ground. "Be still or die!" I said in my best menacing voice. I then used the Force to grab Norro and pull him to his feet. I grasped the back of his collar and held him facing away from me. Byson and Kyler once more began to protest but this time it was Norro to stop them. "Please guys, stop. I'll go willingly. I didn't do anything. I don't want you hurt. I'll be fine."

I didn't give the boys time to react. I dragged Norro out of the hut and to the guardhouse. As I neared I extinguished my lightsaber. I considered telling Norro my identity, but decided I wanted him to appear terrified in order to make my escape plan look believable.

When I arrived at the guardhouse I kicked the door until Sergeant Tokk let me in. The poor sergeant turned a sickly gray when he realized I returned just after he smuggled three prisoners onto a ship. I wish Pol Haus had let the man in on my identity, but he was probably right in being cautious, being associated with a Jedi was a death sentence nowadays.

"What…ah? What's going on sir?" Sergeant Tokk managed to stammer out.

"I found my spy. I'm taking him to Lord Vader." My announcement caused Norro to start sobbing.

"But he's just a boy, Sir."

I turned and glared at the man. "He's a shapeshifter!"

Tokk looked to Norro. "A Clawdite? How do you know?"

"Because I have the Force," I said in the most condescending tone I could manage. "He's probably stuck in this wretched childlike form because he's starving. That can stop a shapeshifter from altering their form. But if you want proof, scan his handprint, as you do all incoming prisoners. He probably changed his form since he arrived. If this person is not in your registry, then you either have a clawdite or somebody who shouldn't be incarcerated here. Either way I'm taking him."

Sergeant Tokk nodded nervously while he grabbed Norro's right hand and passed it over a scanner. As expected the handprint did not correspond to any known prisoner. Norro was mumbling nervously, head down, proclaiming his innocence. I motioned my head to the freighter sitting on the exterior landing platform. "Tell the pilot I require transportation."

Sergeant Tokk took in a sharp breath. He didn't want me on board to protect the women. "Sir, that freighter is slow. There will be a faster frigate arriving tomorrow."

I ignited my lightsaber. "I demand passage now."

The sergeant nodded as perspiration dripped from his forehead. He pushed a button on the communications panel. "Captain Kwon. The Imperial Inquisitor who you brought to Despayre is requesting passage off planet. Can I send him to the ship?"

There was a slight pause before Kwan answered. "Yes, send him. I'd be happy to assist the Imperial Inquisitor in any way possible."

"Th..thank you." Sergeant Tokk looked at me and tried to put on a false smile but the look of terror and worry permeated his features. "Captain Kwon invites you aboard sir."

Good," I said with a scowl as I dragged my prisoner out of the guardhouse and across the tarmac. The loading ramp was already down as I pulled a blubbering Norro onto the ship. I-Five met me at the top of the ramp and I pushed Norro towards him. "Secure him. Don't hurt him, but make sure he doesn't run away." I didn't have time to talk to the boy. I needed to tell Kwan to get us into orbit right away.

I-Five took the order in stride. "Yes Sir, Your Supreme Inquisitiveness." He grabbed the boy gently by the forearm and moved him to an area of pull down seating within the cargo area. "Please, do not try anything." I could hear I-Five say to Norro. "I am a civilianized 501-Z security droid. You are now officially detained."

I ran to the flight deck where Den and Kwon sat at the controls and were in the process of activating the engines. "If the women are on board, let's go."

"It looks like everything went as planned," Den commented casually, not noticing my nervous expression. "I-Five was upset that he didn't have anything to do but sit around and act security-minded."

I pulled down a jump seat and sat between the two. "He didn't miss much. Can we go?"

"We can't do a cold start. It will be a few more minutes. Relax everything is going to schedule. There shouldn't be a problem." Kwon gave me an anxious look. "Or am I wrong about that? You looked worried Jax. What's the matter?"

I took a deep breath and blew it out. "I altered the plan. I broke out a second prisoner. He's in the back cargo area. I doubt Tokk will say anything. I think he just wants us out of here…but just in case let's go as soon as we can safely take off. I used the Force a few times and I'm afraid I may have attracted attention."

Kwon looked at me wide-eyed. "Attracted attention from whom?"

"Maybe nobody…maybe an observant Imperial guard." I closed my eyes and sighed deeply. "In the worst case scenario…I might have been sensed by Darth Vader."

Den closed his eyes and moaned. "I really hate that guy."

I nodded. "You and the rest of the galaxy." I ran a hand over my eyes and let out a shuddered breath. "I hope I didn't jeopardize this mission."

Eventually Captain Kwon lifted the large freighter off the planet of Despayre and shot up into the outer atmosphere. As we barreled into Imperial space I couldn't help thinking, 'I have a bad feeling about this.'