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The droid had to think about that, and Rhinann felt absurdly pleased. “Jax has told me,” I-Five said, “that once you know what to expect, the effect can be sensed.”

“I heard him. He said it could be sensed as a complete absence or blockage of the Force—as if someone were no longer there. As if, perhaps, they had been knocked senseless?”

The metal face was completely opaque. “That is a possibility, I suppose.”

Thank the gods! At last, an admission of uncertainty. Rhinann pounced on it. “Well then, perhaps you can understand my uneasiness. If the Emperor’s henchmen were to locate us, it would be disastrous for more than just our company. The Whiplash would suffer as well, and a great many precious things would fall into enemy hands—Jax, that extraordinary boy … you. And of course, there is the Sith Holocron Jax is guarding and that bit of pyronium Anakin Skywalker gave him—and …” Rhinann turned to look at the droid directly. “And the bota.”

The droid’s only reaction was a cocking of his head and a brightening of his optics. “What do you know about the bota?”

“I know that Jedi Barriss Offee gave it to you to transport here to the Jedi Temple. I also know what properties the bota is supposed to have and their value to the Jedi … or to Darth Vader. I think we are both in agreement that for the Dark Lord to come into possession of such a prize would be beyond disastrous. It has the potential to render him virtually omnipotent.”

The droid studied him for a moment, then said, “Rhinann, we have no idea what the bota will do to one as steeped in the Force as Vader is. None.”

“Well, it can’t be good.”

“We agree on that, at least.”

Rhinann leaned forward in his chair. “Have you given no thought to what might happen if Vader should possess not only the bota, but the pyronium and the Sith Holocron?”

“I have given it as much thought as it deserves.”

Rhinann bit back his frustration. This was like talking to a cryptogram generator. “And has it not occurred to you that these items should be separated?”

“Yes. Some time ago, in fact.”

Rhinann feigned relief. “Then you’ve distributed them to several different hiding places.”

“I’ve done what I thought necessary.”

Maddening, perverse, obstinate … the list of vices that no droid should ever possess grew exponentially in length. What in the name of creation could Lorn Pavan have been thinking?

“So you’ve given the bota to Jax already?”

“I have seen to its safety. That’s all you should know, don’t you think?”

Stung, Rhinann opened his mouth to protest, but I-Five continued, “After all, if I tell you who has the bota and you’re captured by Darth Vader, then the dark side would alert him to the fact that you had information he wanted. Information he would cheerfully scour your skull to get.”

Rhinann felt the blood drain from his head. “You’re right, of course,” he murmured, surrendering. There was no use in interrogating a thing that would not permit itself to be interrogated. “I certainly wouldn’t want to be caught with any information Vader might find useful.”

“No,” said I-Five. “You wouldn’t.”

It was evening by the chrono and everyone was home from their various tasks when the door chime sounded. Jax felt a thrill of mingled dread and anticipation course through him. He’d been working with Kaj at improving the boy’s ability to concentrate, and Jax wryly realized that the interruption had disturbed his meditations far more than it had the boy’s. Kaj remained seated cross-legged, apparently a few centimeters or so above the mat upon which they meditated. Jax had dropped to the floor.

Silly, really: the enemy would not chime politely and ask to be admitted, so this was not an attack. Why the reaction? He thought of Tuden Sal and Laranth in the same heartbeat—Sal might be back to press for an answer to his proposal, and Laranth …

He stood and found Kajin’s gaze on him.

“Stay here,” Jax instructed. “We don’t want to advertise your presence, okay?”

The boy nodded and returned to his contemplations, bobbing slightly higher above