Ghent tapped a key on his diagnostics scanner, stopping the holo. “Do you want to see this or not?”
“Of course-we’re sorry,” Leia said. “Please continue.”
Ghent punched the key again, and R2-D2 restarted the holo from the beginning.
“Has Anakin been to see you?” Obi-Wan’s voice asked.
“Several times.” The woman smiled, then said, “I was so happy to hear that he was accepted on the Jedi Council.”
“I know.” Obi-Wan walked into the hologram, wearing a Jedi cloak with the hood down. He was still young, with a light brown beard and an unwrinkled face. “He deserves it. He’s impatient, strong-willed, very opinionated, but truly gifted.”
They laughed, then the woman said, “You ‘re not just here to say hello. Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”
Obi-Wan’s face grew serious. “You should be a Jedi, Padme.”
The name shot an electric bolt of excitement through Luke - and he could sense it had done the same to Leia.
“You ‘re not very good at hiding your feelings,” Padme said.
Obi-Wan nodded. “It’s Anakin. He’s becoming moody and detached.” His holoimage turned half away. “He’s been put in a difficult position as the Chancellor’s representative, but I think it’s more than that.” The image turned back to Padme again. “I was hoping he may have talked to you.”
Padme’s expression-at least what could be seen of it in the small hologrammic image-remained neutral.
“Why would he talk to me about his work?”
Obi-Wan studied her for a moment. “Neither of you is very good at hiding your feelings, either.”
Padme frowned. “Don’t give me that look.”
Obi-Wan continued to look at her in the same way. “I know how he feels about you.”
Padme’s eyes slid away. “What did he say?”
“Nothing,” Obi-Wan answered. “He didn’t have to.”
Padme’s face fell, and she turned and walked out of the hologram. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I know you both too well.” Obi-Wan followed her out of the frame. “I can see you two are in love.”
There was no answer, and the hologram ended.
Luke could see Han biting his tongue, forcing himself to remain patient while the distance grew between them and Alema’s skiff, but this was important-at least to him and Leia.
“That’s all?” Luke asked.
Ghent nodded and tapped R2-D2’s silver dome. “Artoo’s blocking me. When I tripped that security gate, he encrypted the rest of the data.”
R2-D2 whistled an objection.
“It’s not your place to decide what is good for Master Luke,” C-3PO said. “You’re only a droid.”
R2-D2 trilled an angry reply.
“No, I don’t know the secret you’re keeping,” C-3PO answered. “And if I did know, I’d tell Master Luke instantly.”
R2-D2 responded with a low, slurpy buzz.
Luke frowned at the exchange, but turned back to Ghent. “Look. We’ve got about two minutes before we have to launch. Is there any way to see the rest now, without Artoo’s cooperation?”
Ghent sighed. “Sure.” He pulled his scanner plug out of R2-D2’s input socket. “All I have to do is overwrite his personality sectors-“
The rest of Ghent’s explanation was lost to R2-D2’s screech of objection.
“Don’t expect me to translate that,” C-3PO said. “That’s what happens to arrogant droids like you. I suggest you extend your cooperation immediately.”
R2-D2 trilled a sad refusal.
Luke glanced at the droid, then asked, “I mean without a personality wipe.”
“Not in two minutes-and maybe not in this lifetime,” Ghent said. “This droid hasn’t had a memory wipe in decades. His circuits are one huge personality fault.”
“I know that,” Luke said. “What about the spyware?”
Ghent looked confused. “Spyware?”
“The spyware that’s keeping me from accessing those memories.” Luke was losing patience with the programmer. “The memories concerning the woman we just saw?”
“Oh, that spyware,” Ghent said. “There isn’t any.”
“There isn’t?” Luke frowned. “Then how come Artoo won’t give me access?”
Ghent sighed, sounding as exasperated as Luke felt. “That’s what I’m trying to explain-“
“Maybe you can explain on the way to the pilots’ lounge,”
Mara interrupted. She motioned them out the door. “We can finish talking on the way. We’ve still got a Twi’lek to catch, remember?”