CHAPTER ELEVEN
“They did it,” Oryon said. He stared at the dataport on the Imperial ship. “They’ve given us coordinates, scheduled stops, even a schematic. I’m going to stop underestimating Keets right now. I’d better send back a thank you.”
“Don’t,” Solace said. “Look at the last code. It’s our emergency signal. They were captured.”
Oryon, Solace, and Trever stared at each other. “What should we do?” Trever asked.
“Our duty,” Solace said. “We get to the ship and release Roan and Dona.”
Oryon took a deep breath. He walked over to the pilot’s ship and entered the coordinates. “They’re close to Bellassa,” he said. “It shouldn’t take us long. But we have a couple of problems.”
Solace nodded. “How to board, for one.”
“And we’re on a stolen Imperial ship,” Trever said. “They’re probably looking for us.” “Don’t forget I was a spy,” Oryon said. “I can program the shipboard computer to randomly change our registry number every few minutes. They’ll never get a fix on us. Eventually they’ll figure it out, but we just need a little time.”
“Good,” Solace said. “Now we have to plan our boarding.”
She bent over the files again, quickly scanning the information.
“It could work,” she murmured. She looked over her shoulder at Oryon and Trever. “We have to take the chance.”
“What chance?” Trever asked. When Solace looked at him like that, he began to feel nervous. The look said, Are you up for this?
“There’s an Imperial judicial team an attorney, a judge, and a law clerk scheduled to board at the Penumbra Spaceport,” Solace said. “They’re to conduct the trial of Roan and Dona. If we went directly to the ship, we could fly right into the cargo hold. We could pose as the team and get aboard.”
“Wouldn’t the real team contact the ship when the ship never showed up for them?” Oryon asked.
“We’d have a couple of hours. We could free Roan and Dona and control the ship,” Solace said. “This idea is so new that Roan and Dona are the only prisoners. It’s mostly staffed by droids.”
“Yeah, a new model of security droids,” Trever pointed out. “The ones with dual laser cannons.”
“Not so easy,” Oryon said.
“I didn’t say it was easy,” Solace said. “But it’s our only chance.”
Trever stirred nervously as Solace guided the ship to a landing hangar inside the Imperial ship. He had no idea what a law clerk actually did, or how a law clerk would speak or act. He had no doubt that a law clerk would be smarter than he was. Maybe it would be a good idea to keep his mouth shut.
Oryon spoke to him in a soft voice. “The trick is to believe you are what you say you are.”
“That’s some trick.”
Solace activated the ramp and turned to them. “Just follow my lead,” she said.
They walked down the ramp. An Imperial officer waited for them.
Solace nodded at him shortly. “I am Judge Bellican. This is Attorney Tomay Alcorn and clerk Sam Weller.”
“First Officer Dicken. Follow me.”
The officer led them to the cockpit. The captain sat in the control post. He stood as they came in and Officer Dicken introduced them. “We understood that you’d meet us at the spaceport,” Captain Tran said.
“Change in plan,” Solace said. “There are compelling reasons to speed up the trial.”
“I’d like to see the prisoners,” Oryon said. “They’re in lockdown. The trial will begin in five minutes.”
“That does not give me enough time to prepare a case ” Oryon said. The plan had been for them to release Roan and Dona as soon as they could.
He was interrupted by the captain, who gave him a sharp glance. “But these are standing orders for the ship. All prisoners will be tried immediately upon the arrival of the legal team. The point of this new system is speed and efficiency. I understand you’ve already prepared the case.”
“Of course, but there are always last-minute details… .”
“I was fully briefed by Senator Sauro. I expect you were as well.”
“Yes,” Solace said quickly.
“Then a droid will see you to the courtroom. First Officer Dicken and I will act as witnesses for the official record.”
There was nothing to do but nod. Solace and the others left the cockpit and followed a protocol droid into the hallway.
“What are we going to do?” Trever hissed.
“Exactly what we’re supposed to,” Solace said. “We’re going to try Roan and Dona.”