Chapter 26 Following a Hunch
Black sat in a chair in the center of a small dark cell; his arms were bound behind his back and secured below the seat, and his ankles were bound to the front chair legs. Periodically, but without consistency, a light would come on briefly and then turn off again before he had a chance to adjust to its light, and yet long enough for the darkness, when it returned, to seem even darker; accompanying the light was a high pitched beeping that would continue for a time even after the light extinguished. He did not know how long he had been in the cell, or how much longer he would remain there; rest was impossible due to the unpredictable intrusions of light and sound, and, much to his alarm, Black felt his mental defenses breaking down. He had expected punishment, especially when the Mon Calamari brute appeared, but he had not expected mental torture; and for this, he had not been prepared. When the harsh light and maddening noise presented itself again, Black struggled against his restraints and screamed in frustration.
In the monitoring room several doors down, Hannon smiled with satisfaction and nodded to the other examiners waiting with him, "It's starting, then?" Tursk observed.
"Yes, it shouldn't be too much longer." Hannon confirmed.
"It had better be soon; we are running out of time." The Chagrian reminded them.
"Yes, well, at least we won't have to worry about brutality charges, Darda; I can't believe you would have defied orders by allowing Acken to interrogate him. What were you thinking?" Tursk demanded.
"That we needed answers fast." Darda answered defensively.
"And was that your rationalization for allowing Acken to strike young Boba Fett?" Tursk asked.
The Chagrian sighed, "No one allowed Acken to hit that boy; he took matters into his own hands when the boy wouldn't cooperate." He answered.
"Well, as it turns out, the boy was cooperating to the best of his ability because he had not done anything." Tursk pointed out, "In any case, brutality is never the answer; we are much more civilized here."
"And Acken is gone, so why are you going on about this?" Darda wondered.
Tursk shook his head, "He is only gone because I happened into the room. I agree that man in there is guilty as sin; but it does not give anyone the right to beat him to bloody pulp." He explained, "I told Acken we don't, we can't work like that, or else we become just as bad as the criminals."
A loud noise interrupted the conversation, and as they turned toward the monitor, the infrared image revealed Black lying on his side struggling frantically to free himself, "There, you see? Broken without beating; that's the civilized way of doing things." Tursk said, "Shall we go see what our friend, Black, has to say now?"
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Dena made her way over to the healers' quarters, eager to hear how her Jedi friends were doing; she had wanted to go with them when they had returned to the Temple, but Master Heth had wanted to speak further with her, and still being her Padawan, Dena could not refuse. Once the mastermind behind the assassin attempts was finally apprehended, she knew she would have to face the Council about her relationship with Boba Fett; and then she would have to face her parents. She sighed, feeling as if she had let them all down. But it couldn't be helped; she loved Boba, as she probably always would.
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When Declan reentered the treatment room, Ferri was standing over Zak, whose face was turned upward, carefully rinsing Zak's eyes with the solution Declan had given him. Behind Declan, Anakin smiled; the gesture proved to him just how far Ferri had come from the resentful arrogant Padawan he had once been. Sensing the others in the room, Ferri turned in their direction, "It's about time; can I leave now?" He asked impatiently.
"No, Padawan." Anakin replied.
Ferri eyed him suspiciously, "Why?" He wondered.
"Ferri, what Black sprayed in your face was a dangerous compound; had you not been found when you were, both of you would have lost every memory you possess. It's very important that I make sure nothing of that compound is left in your system, or you may begin to lose some of your memory anyway." Declan explained.
"Every memory? You mean like who we are?" Zak asked.
"Who you are, what you are, how to do things; depending on how long it stayed in your system, you probably would have had no more memories than an infant." Declan explained.
Zak gasped and Ferri sat down hard in the nearest chair, "By the Force." He whispered, "What will happen if there is some of it left in us?"
"Then I will get rid of it; just like Master Kenobi and I did when we found you." Anakin answered placing a hand reassuringly on Ferri's shoulder.
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Following his hunch, Obi-Wan headed for the speeder bay; he wanted to speak with the Vice Chancellor first. He went to the Senate complex, hoping she was in her temporary office. The office was abuzz with activity, and Obi-Wan was rewarded as he stepped into the fray to find Mon Mothma supervising the organization of the records that had been salvaged from the ruins of her former offices, "Vice Chancellor." He said as he bowed in respect.
"Master Kenobi, what can I do for you?" Mon asked and then glanced around, "As you can see, I am rather busy."
"I understand, Vice Chancellor; I will not take much of your time." Obi-Wan answered.
Mon Mothma sighed, "Very well; let us go into the inner office where it is quieter and more private." She conceded and led the way through the piles being sorted through by several Senate aides.
The door slid closed behind them, and the Vice Chancellor gestured for him to sit as she took her seat behind the desk, "I am at your service, Master Kenobi." She said graciously.
Obi-Wan sighed and shifted in his seat, "How long did you know your aide?" He asked.
"My aide? Kilda?" Mon asked, "Surely, you cannot possibly think she was involved in all of this; I have known her since she was a child."
"I'm sorry; I meant no offense. But the center of the explosion in your office was her desk." Obi-Wan replied.
Mon Mothma nodded, "Fair enough, it does appear you do have reason to question her loyalty to me; however, I can assure you that I trusted her explicitly." She insisted.
"Yes, I thought as much; then I must ask, when did she meet her husband?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Lyman? Oh, let me see; it must have been nearly a year ago, I believe. Such a nice young man." Mon answered.
"Where did she meet him?" Obi-Wan asked.
"That I don't know; she just came in one day and told me about him. And after that, he would come to the offices and…oh, Master Kenobi, you cannot possibly think Lyman…no, that just cannot be." Mon said firmly.
"And why not?" Obi-Wan asked, "Do you know anything about him? Where he came from? What his occupation is?"
"Well, no not very much; but I am certain Kilda did." Mon answered.
"Really? And she never confided in you about it?" Obi-Wan questioned.
Mon rubbed her temple in thought and then looked puzzled, "I don't know; and you are right, I am sure she would have." She had to force herself to admit, "But I still find it hard to believe that Lyman had anything to do with this; he loved Kilda, why would he kill her?"
"Did he love her?" Obi-Wan wondered, "Or was he using her to get access to your office?"
"That's ridiculous, I know Lyman well enough to know he is heartbroken." Mon scoffed, "Besides, I thought Bail Organa was his target, why would he not then seduce his aide and not mine?"
"I still believe the Chancellor was the primary target, but you were targeted as well; the explosion in your office is proof of this. And I believe you are forgetting who Chancellor Organa's aide is, aren't you; I rather doubt he would be very successful trying to seduce Padme Skywalker." Obi-Wan answered, "Finally, obtaining access to your Office is only one step away from the Chancellor's."
Mon shook her head, stood up and forward on the desk, "I do not think I like where you are going with this." She said and then sighed, "However, I must admit your assertions are valid; if you would like to question Lyman, I will give you the address to his residence."
"Thank you, Vice Chancellor; I hope that I am wrong, however, I sense that I am not." Obi-Wan replied.
Mon sighed again, "I do not think you are either; it appears poor Kilda and I have both been fooled by this man." She agreed.
"Yes, I am sorry." Obi-Wan told her.
"So am I; for a great many things. If Lyman is responsible for Kilda's death, I want him to be held accountable." Mon said.
"I will see that he is, Vice Chancellor." Obi-Wan assured her as he stood and then bowed.
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"Where did Master Obi-Wan go?" Zak asked as he waited for his test results.
"Following a hunch." Anakin answered.
"What kind of hunch?" Zak asked.
"He didn't tell me." Anakin replied.
"I didn't think he had to, Master." Ferri said.
Anakin sighed, "Just because I can read his mind, doesn't mean I always do it; that would be rude." He explained.
"But you did; didn't you." Ferri guessed, smiling.
"No, I didn't; but if you're so interested, I will ask him." Anakin said; then closed his eyes and reached out through the Force to his brother.
After a moment, he opened them, "He has gone to question Lyman Malta."
"Lyman Malta; isn't he the one who was married to the Vice Chancellor's aide?" Zak asked.
"Yes, and if this hunch is correct, it appears Malta mar-…." Anakin began.
"Of course! I knew there was something familiar when I sensed him in the Vice Chancellor's flat." Ferri cut in, hitting his forehead with the palm of his hand, "He was the other presence I sensed in the conversation I picked up when we were on our way to the celebration."
"But his wife was killed in the explosion." Zak protested.
"He probably planned that too; she and the Vice Chancellor were both supposed to have been killed. He must have had this planned for a long time; he only married that poor girl to get access to those offices." Anakin answered.
"That's twisted." Ferri said.
"Yes." Anakin agreed.
"But what was his motive? He's not a politician; what reason would he have to want both the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor dead?" Zak wondered.
"I don't know; but I am sure that will be one of the first questions Obi-Wan asks him." Anakin replied.
Zak slipped off the examination table, "We should help him; Lyman may be dangerous." He decided; and Ferri nodded in agreement.
"Hold on; neither of you are going anywhere until the results of those tests come back. And until I know there is nothing of that poison left in you, I'm not going anywhere either; Obi-Wan is perfectly capable of taking care of himself." Anakin told them, "I have already warned him, and he will be on his guard."
Anakin squashed any protest the two apprentices attempted with a wave of his had, "This is not easy for me either; but until we hear from Declan, none of us have a choice." He explained.
Silently, both boys nodded in resigned agreement.
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With the knowledge he learned from Anakin, Obi-Wan was now fairly certain Lyman Malta was the man behind the attempts on both the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor. And that would make Lyman as dangerous as a cornered animal. Obi-Wan would have to tread carefully in dealing with him.