Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 08_ Ascension - Christie Golden [173]
One.
Dorvan punched the button and the door slid open. The poor guards didn’t stand a chance. They whirled, drawing their blaster pistols, as three large men materialized seemingly out of nowhere and took them down with the experience of long years of practice.
“Well done, gentlemen,” said Dorvan, gazing down at the three unconscious bodies. “But we seem to have a problem.”
Before them lay a male human, a male Falleen … and a female Chadra-Fan.
“Stang,” said Han.
“Time for Plan B,” said Dorvan.
The Bothan chief of security looked up, did a double take, then bolted out of her chair. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. “Where did you find him?”
Wynn Dorvan stood in front of her desk, hands clasped before him, looking as mild-mannered as he always did on the holovids. With him were two guards carrying an unconscious male human dressed in brown and tan robes. He was obviously a Jedi, but fortunately, one unable to harm anyone right now.
“Found him during a patrol in the corridor,” one of them said. “Don’t know how he managed to break in. But it’s a Jedi, all right.”
“Well done, Chief Lua’wan,” said Dorvan. “I daresay that with a capture of a Jedi hitherto unknown to be on Coruscant, all of you are due for promotions. I have here an order from the Chief of State regarding this … being’s … incarceration.”
Lua’wan read the order. “He’s to be put in the same cell as Jedi Solo?”
“Of course,” said Dorvan. “It places less of a strain on the law-abiding, taxpaying citizens of Coruscant. I was just coming down to question the Jedi prisoner Solo when I came across the takedown. I’ll speak to the Chief of State personally about how well all of you handled the situation.”
Lua’wan had been upset, but now was starting to become calmer. This was a good thing. Another Jedi behind bars, she and her team praised for the incident …
“Thank you, sir. There’s a pair of cuffs over there if you—”
The other guard chuckled. “Trust me, he’s out like a light,” he said. “He’ll be waking up in a prison cell.”
Lua’wan shrugged. “As you wish,” he said. “You brought him down in the first place. I’ll log in your visit, Chief of Staff Dorvan. I’m glad to confirm that security is operating up to your expectations.”
“Indeed it is,” said Dorvan. “Indeed it is.”
Leia had sensed her husband’s Force presence almost from the minute he entered the building, and shortly afterward realized that Zekk, Lando, and Dorvan were with him. When they approached her cell, dragging an “unconscious” Zekk between them, she smiled at them, folded her arms, and simply said, “What took you so long?”
“Short guard” was all Han said. He deactivated the force field, took two long strides forward, and swept his wife up in his arms for a deep kiss.
“Not to intrude, ma’am,” said Dorvan, “but time is of the essence.”
Leia pulled away, her hand still on Han’s chest. “Of course,” she said. “What’s the plan?”
“This,” said Lando. He tossed a small datachip to Zekk, who caught it. The two men immediately began opening cell doors, and Leia sensed joy and relief from her fellow inmates. Most of them were, like her, unjustly being held. But not all.
“We can open twelve cells with these, including yours,” Lando said. “That’s going to make for a very good distraction.”
“Follow me,” Dorvan said. Alarms were starting to ring now. Han grabbed Leia’s hand and together, they all raced down the corridor. Zekk and Leia used the Force to gently—and sometimes not-so-gently—shove aside the throngs of their fellow escapees. Finally Dorvan skidded to a halt and turned to face—
“—a blank wall,” Leia said, but as soon as the words left her lips, she knew she was wrong. She could sense openness on the other side. “A hidden door.”
“Exactly,” Dorvan said. He pressed something to the door, and its outline appeared for a moment before it slid open. Just as they moved to go through, they heard someone yell, “Hey! A door!”
Han swore,