[Last Of The Jedi] - 05(8)

“Let’s get moving,” Oryon said.

“What, no room service?” Trever asked with a grin.

They changed into less conspicuous clothes and took the turbolift back downstairs, leaving by a side entrance. Trever led them down the boulevards. His home city of Ussa had changed in the short time he’d been gone. The Imperial forces had cracked down hard after the entire city had rose in passive resistance against them. Stormtroopers were on every street. Security checks were set up on corners.

They passed a café where Trever and his family used to go on weekends. The waiter used to sneak him special sweets. Now Imperial officers crowded the best tables… .

He looked away.

“It’s a sorry sight,” Oryon said.

Trever shrugged. “This was never my favorite part of town, anyway.”

Oryon gave him a quick look, his dark eyes piercing. Trever knew he hadn’t fooled him one bit.

They continued on, Trever leading them through the winding streets. It was easy to get lost in Ussa if you weren’t a native. The presence of stormtroopers grew less frequent, and though some prowler droids occasionally passed overhead, they must have been set on general surveillance, for they always moved on. Coded to intimidate rather than track.

Trever was leading Solace and Oryon to the hideout of The Eleven, the now-famous resistance group. Everyone on Bellassa knew about The Eleven, but not many knew how to find them. They were named after the core group who had started a resistance movement soon after the declaration of the end of the Republic. Roan and Ferus had been two of its founders.

The Imperials had quickly moved to establish a garrison on Bellassa, and the objections of the natives were met with fierce oppression and mass arrests. The initial number of eleven members in the group had grown until now it was rumored to be in the hundreds.

Trever’s father had known Arnie Antin, a doctor who treated the members of The Eleven. Trever had been one of the few allowed into their original hideout. He knew his father and brother would have joined The Eleven if they hadn’t been killed by the Imperials during a peaceful protest.

The Eleven had chosen their hideout carefully, but it wasn’t remote. The block was like all the others, neither too busy nor too deserted. Their house looked like the other family houses on the block.

“That’s it?” Solace murmured as they approached. “We’re in the middle of an ordinary neighborhood.”

“That’s the point,” Trever said. “The Ussans have incredible loyalty to each other. The Eleven depend on that. Even if a neighbor suspected something they would die before they betrayed them.”

“How do we get inside?” Oryon asked.

“We go in the back way.”

Trever led them through a gate that was, surprisingly, unlocked. The path led them to a paved back area with a table and chairs. Beyond the sitting area was a wall with no door. Trever stood in front of it for a long minute.

“What are you doing?” Solace asked.

“Allowing them to see me. Arnie Antin knows me.

Wil, too. They’ll let me in, even with two strangers.”

“The trust of the Ussans,” Oryon said. “Exactly.”

Part of the wall slid back, and they saw a ramp going down. The opening was big enough to hold a speeder. They followed Trever as he descended, and found themselves in a small holding area for vehicles. A door at the far end opened and a lovely woman of middle years with close-cropped white hair and dark eyes walked forward, smiling.

“Trever. You disappeared. Must I always worry about you?”

“Sorry, Dr. Antin. I decided to ship out and see the galaxy.”

Arnie shook her head. “Well, maybe that’s not such a bad idea, considering how things are here. I’m glad to see you’re well.”

“My friends and I are here to help Roan and Dona.”

“I guessed as much. We can use help. Come in.”

Arnie led them inside to a small interior room. Wil was sitting at a data screen. Trever saw that he’d been monitoring the backyard and the street, most likely to ensure that they weren’t followed.

“Where are the others?” Trever asked, looking around.

“We’ve disbanded for the moment,” Wil said. “They’ve spread out in the city. The Imperials haven’t managed to completely subdue Ussa, but the crackdown gets worse every day. They’re determined to control the planet. So we have our work cut out for us.” He gazed at Solace and Oryon with polite curiosity. “What brings you to Ussa?” he asked.

Trever introduced Solace and Oryon. “We heard that Roan and Dona were arrested,” he said. “Ferus sent us. He’s well, but he can’t come.”