Chapter 17
(0100H. Hour 10 of 36)
Jaina gazed at the shelves and shelves of databanks and servers, blowing out a shaky breath. The countless terminals and holographic screens, each flashing colorful displays, numbers, charts, graphs. Some flashing data being analyzed by various programs and algorithms…
Most seemed to be connected to a wider network of various security protocols.
…This was not going to be an easy task.
Jaina sighed quietly, pulling her pink ribbon out of her pocket and carefully tying her hair back as she stepped towards the nearest console.
There seemed to be countless encrypted folders.
"'Military Intelligence'…" she muttered, scrolling through the files. "'Strategic Data'…'Biomedical Research'…'Financial Records'…'Population Data'…'Regional Infrastructure'…"
Her eyes widened. "'Advanced Weaponry Research'…"
She clicked through the folder and scrolled through the various files, her eyes continuing to scan the labels…Project: Defoliator…Project: Blue Shadow Virus…Project: THX…Project: Damotite…Project: Blackwing…Project: Auger…
"This is not good…" Jaina muttered under her breath, scanning through each and every encrypted file. Her eyes narrowed as she read the secure encryption programs.
There were several firewalls to get through, each of them needing to be handled with care…each had different kinds of codes and protocols to them…some could be solved with raw calculations and pure logical thinking…others needed to be solved through trial and error…and careful analysis of their source code…
Jaina groaned softly. This was going to be a long night.
She sighed and cracked her fingers, then stretched her neck.
Her Master expected her to be able to crack the security system, so she needed to crack the system. There were billions of lives at risk. And several ongoing Projects that sounded every bit as ominous as the incinerator chamber just a few meters away.
She took a deep breath, then began to work, beginning a series of diagnostics to check the security systems for vulnerabilities.
The security protocols seemed highly sophisticated, with multiple layers of encryptions used to keep the files hidden and safe. However, they also seemed to contain several bugs and vulnerabilities that she could use to at least start cracking through.
Jaina sighed softly, but allowed herself a small flicker of satisfaction.
This was still the most crucial step of the mission, and despite the complexity, she was making some progress. She took out her datapad, connected it to the terminal, and began running through the different Republic Intelligence decryption modules.
It was going to be a long night.
(0200H. Hour 11 of 36)
Jaina glanced up at the sound of the door sliding open, and her Master poking his head in.
Obi-Wan looked at her with a soft, concerned gaze, which he quickly replaced with a reassuring smile. He looked around the room, taking in the various displays and terminals, as he crossed his arms and sighed. "Have you made any progress?" he asked patiently, trying his best to not pressure her in any way.
But she knew him quite well enough to see the concern in his eyes.
"Nothing yet," Jaina said quietly, her voice a tad bit strained. "It's taking longer than expected…" Her fingers continued to fly through the keys. "But there seem to be multiple ongoing WMD Projects that are operating from this R&D base. Or at least, their servers are housed here. It's also possible they're being developed elsewhere."
Obi-Wan stared at her intently. The Republic Intelligence decryption modules had detected a few bugs within the firewalls, but not nearly enough to crack through. There were still several layers of encryptions left to go.
But he also heard the strain in her voice, which concerned him: he could tell she was stressed, and getting frustrated.
"I know this is taking time, little one," the Jedi Master said gently. "But you need to keep going, and keep a cool head. We need to gather whatever data we can during this remaining twenty-five hour window."
Jaina continued to scan through the different modules, and the codes running through the terminal, blowing out a long breath and running a hand through her hair. "I know, I know," she muttered.
Obi-Wan smiled. He could tell that his little Padawan was taking his advice in stride, and yet there was still a hint of stress in her voice. He knew that she was trying her best to maintain her composure, yet he could still feel her anxiety in waves.
"…Just keep going," was his simple reply, his hand reaching to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Jaina groaned softly, raising an eyebrow towards her Master. "Any chance we can trade places?" She asked wryly. "How about I stand around outside, and look all intimidating, and you go through these algorithms?"
Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "Not an option. I'm afraid you're not quite intimidating enough just yet," he quipped back, crossing his arms and giving her that playful, cheeky tone he often used to get her out of her own head. He nudged her elbow lightly with his own. "Now get back to work."
"Hmph."
Obi-Wan smiled softly at the sound of her pout. He knew she was getting frustrated—they both were. But he also knew that she would see this through. "Be persistent, little one," he said quietly. "Be resilient. Keep going, even if progress is slow," he said, reaching over to her shoulder, patting it softly. "I know you can do this."
The Jedi Master stepped back towards the door, "I'll be just outside."
Jaina pursed her lips in a small frown, but nodded, turning back to the screens.
Obi-Wan watched her for a second. He was tempted to stick around for a bit longer, to watch her work, but he knew that would only distract her. And her mind needed to stay clear, sharp, and focused.
He exited the room, stepping back into the hallway, a thoughtful look on his face.
His Padawan was doing her best to crack through the security protocols…and she would succeed. He knew that she would.
The only question was…how long would it take?
(0400H. Hour 13 of 36)
And so the hours passed.
By 0230H, she had managed to crack the first layer of encryption. By 0400H, she had successfully circumvented the second.
Jaina glanced at her wrist chrono, as the last few fragments of the final layer of encryptions flashed before her. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, her eyes beginning to burn after the hours and hours of staring at the multiple screens. It was difficult not to get discouraged at this point…
…Surely this mission would have gone smoother if someone else from Republic Intelligence had been assigned instead…
Jaina groaned softly. Why? Why me?
Obi-Wan continued to stand still as a statue outside the data repository. At this point, he was getting slightly impatient—and mildly anxious—about his Padawan's progress.
The time window was growing thinner and thinner.
He glanced at his wrist chrono once more, and couldn't help but worry himself:
Was she…doing all right in there?
Jaina continued to scroll and type. She knew that her Master was still waiting outside, but even if her mind was fully focused on the systems before her…she still couldn't entirely drown out her growing anxiety at the fact that everything was riding on her ability to break this final layer.
…It would not be long before the base was crawling with scientists and military personnel.
As time passed, Obi-Wan knew that her anxiety would only grow in intensity. She had always gotten nervous when things got stressful—he had seen it too many times. He could sense the worry, and he knew that the pressure was beginning to get to her.
The Jedi Master took a quiet breath, and stepped back inside the data repository.
"I'm almost there," Jaina squeaked, speaking before her Master even had the chance to open his mouth.
Obi-Wan paused, closing the door behind him. "Are you all right?" he asked gently. He could sense the strain in her voice: she was reaching her breaking point, and he could feel it.
He needed to be supportive. Reassuring. Calming. Because this was the moment his Padawan needed it most.
The Jedi Master stepped in and squatted down next to her, giving her a soft smile. "What do you need, my little one?" he asked softly. "Water? A snack?"
"…I dunno," Jaina muttered shakily, running a hand through her hair, her eyes still darting around the different screens. "I don't understand it…the Republic Intelligence decryption modules aren't…they aren't working on this last layer…I've tried everything…I even tried out different permutations…"
Obi-Wan stayed still next to her, listening as she spoke. He knew just how stubborn she could be. He also knew that the more frustration she felt, the slower she'd become at working through the problem.
A calm mind was an effective mind.
"Tell me what's stopping you, Jaina," he said gently. "Why aren't the RI modules working?"
"I don't know," Jaina murmured. "I—I don't know—I can't—I can't figure it out…"
Obi-Wan paused for a second, and decided to take a different path. "Let's start from the beginning," he said. "Describe to me exactly what you have tried. The modules you've run, the different techniques you've used…everything."
His tone was calm and gentle. He knew he needed to keep her on track, keep her focused, keep her calm.
The final encryption layers were not the only thing he was worried about right now, although they were important. Right now, his biggest priority was keeping his Padawan's head in the game—even if she felt overwhelmed, even if she felt stressed, even if she felt like she was failing.
Jaina continued to stare helplessly at the screen. "What if I can't—those—those billions of lives that'll—oh Force—the incinerator—all the lives that are going to end up like—"
"—Padawan, listen to me, do not think about that right now," he interrupted sternly. "Think about the work, think about the task at hand. Tell me about the problem. And the solutions that you've already tried. Talk me through it."
"O-okay, okay," Jaina whispered, letting out a shaky sigh. "I started with the standard algorithm-based decryption techniques," she began. "Using the RI decryption modules we used at previous missions."
Obi-Wan nodded. His body language was calm, and his voice was patient, but he was also firm. He knew just how overwhelmed his little Padawan felt, and he knew that he had to be the one in charge of keeping her calm, and focused.
"Keep going", he encouraged quietly.
"They needed to be tweaked a bit, for the first few layers…" Jaina continued quietly. "…but the slightly modified versions worked eventually…"
The Jedi Master stayed silent, letting her continue. This was exactly why he'd asked her to start from the beginning.
She was getting it all out, letting her mind process and think through what she'd done, what had worked, and—more importantly—what had not.
"And with those adjustments, you were able to get through the first few layers…" Obi-Wan concluded, trying to keep her grounded. "And then?"
"And then I started using different permutation-based algorithms." She frowned, the exhaustion growing even more evident on her face. She tugged at her bangs absentmindedly. "I thought they would work…but they didn't…"
"All right," he said after a prolonged pause. "So you've tried standard algorithmic techniques, and permutation-based ones…And when those didn't work…" He looked at her closely, his face still calm, his expression still carefully neutral. "What about probabilistic algorithms?"
Jaina pursed her lips and lightly shook her head. "No good. Tried that to get around the data structure, but the codes generate at random patterns, it seems."
"And you've tried the most recent variations of probabilistic algorithms as well, correct?" Obi-Wan asked, carefully prodding. "The latest versions, the ones that can adjust for unexpected variations in encoded data-patterns, and can adapt to unexpected patterns as well?" He paused. "Which should work, even if the codes are generating at random."
"Yes, yes, I did, Master," she confirmed, sighing softly. "I even tweaked the algorithms with some extra functions to account for potential corruptions and anomalies…"
The Jedi Master nodded, listening to her explain her thought process. It made perfect sense so far—and at this point, he started to feel as if they were making real progress in understanding the situation. "So, none of the usual methods worked…" he prompted, as if giving her a gentle nudge, hoping to help her realize something. "And then? What did you do then? What was your next approach?"
Jaina remained still for a second, thinking through everything she had done in the past few hours.
Obi-Wan stayed silent, letting her find the solution. He knew it was a good method for him to be using right now. He had learned, over time, that sometimes, simply allowing his Padawan to think through the answer—after guiding her in the right direction—made all the difference.
She took another breath, rubbing at her forehead, before speaking. "…There is…one thing I haven't tried yet," she said, slowly turning to face him.
"And what is that?" Obi-Wan asked in reply, his tone still gentle, supportive.
His Padawan was about to recommend something…something radical. He could sense the trepidation in her voice, but also the underlying grit.
"…quantum-based decryption," Jaina murmured shakily. "I mean—I don't—I've never tried—all these RI modules will need to be modified—again—"
"And yet," Obi-Wan paused. "You haven't attempted it yet."
"I've never done it before," Jaina said quietly. "I happened across it while I was studying different decryption methods at the Archives, I didn't want a repeat of Christophsis. But I've never—I've never tried it—"
"…And you are afraid."
The Jedi Master paused for a moment. He had a near flawless grasp of when his dear little one was thinking or feeling something, particularly when it came to stress, and to anxiety. And his little Padawan was displaying those little mannerisms in abundance.
He couldn't blame her. "You are afraid to attempt a new method for the first time, on an urgent mission, where you must succeed. Where countless lives are potentially at stake."
Jaina lowered her eyes to her fingers, now trembling as they still hovered above the keypads.
Obi-Wan knew that when his Padawan lowered her eyes, there was a significant amount of reluctance and fear behind those actions. And he knew his little one well enough to know that sometimes she needed…a little push.
"Because…" The Jedi Master said slowly, the calmness of his earlier responses still present but with a slightly firmer tone. "What if it does not work? What if you fail?"
"…Or," he continued slowly. "What if it does work, but not fast enough? What if your skills just are not good enough? Those are the thoughts that are swirling in your head right now, aren't they?"
Jaina closed her eyes wearily, the loud thumps of the incinerator once again ringing in her ears. "…And then…" she whispered shakily. "…all those lives…"
"All those lives," Obi-Wan echoed softly. "Those lives are depending on what you choose to do next." He paused gently, but firmly. "Because you can save them."
"But, Master, what if I can't—"
Obi-Wan gently lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing his Padawan to focus on him. Not the screens, nor the numbers and letters she had been staring at for the past hours, or the sound of the incinerator he knew was ringing in her ears. He needed her focused on what he had to say—not on her fears.
"We will go one step at a time to modify these, and we will get through this together," he said quietly. "You are not alone, and you need to remember, my dear little one, that you can do anything you set your mind to. But you must keep your focus."
(0500H. Hour 14 of 36)
Obi-Wan stayed by her side as she went through the process of changing out the modules, preparing them for the quantum-based decryption. It was careful work, meticulous work, and it meant that she was going to have to focus even harder than before…but this time, her Master was right there with her.
The final setup began as they completed the installation of the softwares. As the screen changed, he let out a small breath. He knew it wasn't a guaranteed fix…but it was worth the shot.
Jaina paused for a moment, her hand hovering above the key that would run the system. "…here we go."
All he could do was watch and wait, his heart in his throat.
They were so close to the final layer—so close.
The screen flickered, and everything went black…
…and then it began to flash with every single file available on the mainframe, now accessible.
"Thank the Force!" Jaina muttered breathlessly.
Obi-Wan's heart sped up, a rush of excitement going through him.
His Padawan had done it. She had cracked all Separatist security protocols.
The screen kept flashing, the files scrolling down endlessly, and the Jedi Master couldn't help but smile broadly.
She had done it.
Jaina rubbed at her eyes. "I can't believe it actually worked…"
His little Padawan looked a bit pale from the exhaustion and stress of working nonstop for hours, but otherwise she seemed in one piece. The Jedi Master wrapped a hand around her shoulder. "You are incredible, dear one." He smiled warmly down at her. "Well done."
Jaina smiled wearily. "Thank you, Master." She rubbed at her eyelids for another moment then glanced at her wrist chrono. 0515. A little less than twenty-two hours left in the mission window. "Estimated time to transmit to the extraction shuttle is sixteen hours. So we do still have a bit of a buffer. I can check back in here every now and then to oversee the progress, while you're at your meetings."
Obi-Wan nodded. "That will work." He smiled gently, reaching out to brush some hair from the side of her head. "All right," he said calmly. "Let's return to our quarters. You need to get some rest, too. We're not out of the woods yet."
(0900H. Hour 18 of 36)
Back in the silence of their quarters, Obi-Wan leaned towards the top bunk and gently nudged his little Padawan's shoulder, carefully waking her.
Jaina jolted awake, her eyes immediately flying to the nearby chronometer, her brain instantly registering the time.
In her dreams—and out of them—the clock continued to click.
"I'm up," she mumbled, pushing herself up. "I'm up."
Obi-Wan's expression softened, keeping a patient watch over his apprentice. She looked utterly exhausted after the three-hour nap. Her face remained pale, her eyelids puffy, her eyes bloodshot.
"You can go back to sleep soon, my little one," he whispered softly. "I'm heading to my meetings for the day. I'll try and gather more intel from the other engineers, you…you just get some rest. All right?"
Jaina nodded sleepily. "...okay," she murmured.
Obi-Wan offered her a small smile. He was a bit wary of leaving her in their quarters, especially in her sleep-deprived state. But she needed the rest, and he was confident she'd be able to maintain her cover even without him.
He slipped an access card next to her on the bunk. "I'm leaving my ID card here with you, so that you can access the data repository to monitor the file transfer. I'm going to need you to check on the progress at least every three hours, to ensure that it is still transmitting. But do not, I repeat, do not deviate and attempt to investigate other areas. Am I understood?"
Jaina nodded once more. "Yes, Master."
Obi-Wan gazed at her for a moment, his expression gentle but firm as he gave her a knowing look. "I mean it, Jaina. Do not deviate. No matter what you see."
She raised an eyebrow. "…not like I've gotten into trouble for curiosity before…"
The Jedi Master smirked, his smile growing as he gave her a knowing glare. "Oh, yes," he agreed, his tone equally dry. "…not once."
Jaina huffed indignantly, rolling her eyes. "I miss my 'fun Dad' already," she teased.
Obi-Wan's demeanor softened at that. And he chuckled, despite his stern expression, despite the stab of pain he felt at her words, and the gravity of their situation. "I know you do," he said softly. "I'm afraid I'll have to be your 'stuffy Jedi Master' for the rest of the day."
"…But…" He smirked, and tugged at her curls. "If you ask nicely after this mission, then maybe I'll consider it every now and then."
Jaina chuckled softly.
Obi-Wan's lips remained pulled into a small smirk for a moment. Then, he looked to the chronometer once more, his expression growing more serious. "I should go," he finally said. "Just...do not go poking around. Focus on the file transfer, all right?"
A part of him still had a bad feeling about them splitting up so deep behind enemy lines…but they both had their parts to play, and he knew that he had to trust her.
"I'll see you later at supper." He squeezed her shoulder one more time for good measure. "Use your comlink in case anything comes up before then."
"Yes, Master." Jaina offered a weary smile. "Everything'll be fine."
Obi-Wan nodded, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I know it will," he said quietly. "Just keep yourself safe, check on the transmissions, and take the needed rest. Let me take care of the rest for today."
The Jedi Master smiled one more time, then headed for the front door.
Jaina paused. "…Master?"
"Hmm?" he hummed, then turned back slowly. "Yes, my little one?"
She forced a small smile, her eyes only just barely masking the concern she still felt eating away from within. "…be careful."
Obi-Wan gave her a tender look. What else could he possibly say to the little Padawan that would make anything more comforting about their entire situation?
"You too, dear one." He said quietly. "May the Force be with you."
