Its worth considering, Roan said. Im ready to return. Dona?
Im more than ready, Clive said. Im heading to Coruscant. He looked over at Astri. She bit her lip, trying to decide.
Lune and I will come, too, she finally said.
Ill remain here for the time being, Oryon said. Toma and Raina still need help.
Im going back to Coruscant, Solace said. Everyone looked at her. I never agreed to the idea of a ret base, she said. I didnt promise Ferus that I d stay. Commitment makes me itchy.
Clive jumped up. Well, if were going, weve got s to arrange.
The others moved out to gather their things. Solace led. Her eyes were on Trever, and he shifted uncomfortably.
What is it that youre not saying? she asked.
After we left Samaria, Darth Vader raided the resistance cell, he said. The leader was arrested. Not only that, the ruler of Samaria was arrested and killed. And when we entered Roshan airspace, it was like they were waiting for us… .
What are you saying, Trever? Solace asked quietly.
What if Ferus is one of them now? Trever burst out. What if he betrayed us?
He looked down at his clasped hands. I hate saying it. I hate even thinking it. But all those coincidences… I know youre going to say its impossible.
Nothing is impossible, Solace said in her usual . Ferus is struggling with his Force connection. That makes him vulnerable. But…
Trever waited, hanging. Solace was brusque and short-tempered. He wasnt sure how much he liked her, he knew he depended on her. He valued her opinion. She didnt factor in prejudice or emotion.
I trust him, she said.
The relief that filled him wasnt enough to quiet his doubts. But it felt good, all the same.
He went off to the galley section of the pod to grab some grub. It wasnt until he had eaten his fill and headed back that he saw that she was still in the same position. Still thinking.
Chapter Four
Ferus felt sweat spring out on his neck as he sat at Darth Vader’s console. Updating a code cylinder took only seconds, so the dark figure could return for his at any time.
Ferus couldn’t load information on his own dataport and crack it later. The files would be scrambled into complete garbage if he did. He could only flip through the files that had been downloaded in the recent updating. Most likely some of them would need passwords to actually read the contents. He’d have to see what he could glean and then commit it to memory.
He removed the code cylinder from the dock and stationed himself by the door. He’d be able to hear Vader’s footsteps from here.
He set the cylinder to holo-mode and flashed through the datafiles, concentrating on those with Vader’s high clearance. As a Jedi, he had been trained in information retention, but he was rusty. He tried to make the flow of information distinct in his brain and not a blur.
But Imperialization was a blur. Planets to be whipped into shape, rulers to intimidate, alliances to smash, a new agreement with Sienar Fleet Systems … but nothing helpful. Nothing he could use.
The information on Rosha didn’t demand a privacy code. He flipped through it. A watch list, a raid that captured the early leader of the resistance, scientists to be put under surveillance, an accounting of government wealth. Standard stuff. Nothing about Trever.
But here. Ferus moved on to the files already on the cylinder. Vader’s private files. They were under a security lock. They didn’t even have titles. They were the ones he needed to see.
Ferus was an expert code breaker. He expected this code to be tough, but it was tougher than anything he’d seen. Just when he thought he’d solved it, he realized he was still left with gibberish.
He couldn’t risk the time it would take to break it. Frustrated, he pounded his fist on the arm of his chair. Time was running out.
Desperately, Ferus took one last race through the codes.
He almost missed it. It would have been easy to. One title of one file was uncoded, even though the file itself was hidden behind walls of coding.
TWILIGHT.
Along with the title was a brief description. LSO. Ferus knew from his short time in the Empire that this stood for Large Scale Operation. Order 66 had been a LSO. The subheading was Planning/Implementation/ Contacts.
Then he heard the sound that always chilled him. But this time it stopped his heart.
Breathing.
Close. Too close. Vader was right outside the door. Ferus’s command of the Force was growing all the time. He just hated to have to rely on it.
He had no choice.
Ferus sent the code cylinder into the air as he threw himself into a chair. Using the Force, it sailed across the chamber and slid into the dock just as the door hissed open and Darth Vader walked in.
“To what do I owe this intrusion?” he asked.