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Shaak Ti joined them. “These corridors are highways for people who want to enter central Coruscant illegally.”

Dyne sighed in disappointment. “Our chances for picking up Sidious’s trail decrease with each person who passes.”

“How far are we from the Senate District?” Shaak Ti asked.

“Within a couple of kilometers,” Dyne said. “We might think about going directly to the buildings LiMerge Power once owned in the city core, and see if we can’t work our way toward The Works from those.”

Mace considered the idea, then shook his head.

“Not yet.”

Mace waved everyone back into motion, then fell into step with Shaak Ti.

“Wild gundark chase?”

She nodded. “Only because our quarry is aware that we’re closing in on him. He failed to silence the ones Obi-Wan and Anakin searched out, and by now he knows that we’ve discovered his and Dooku’s den. It’s unlikely he will wait around for us to surprise him.”

“That’s true. But there’s much to gain from simply identifying him. If not here, then by means of something Obi-Wan and Anakin discover on Tythe.”

“Assuming there’s anything left after Dooku sterilizes the place. From everything we’ve seen, Sidious and Dooku don’t make many mistakes.”

The walked in silence for a long while. They were a kilometer closer to the outlying areas of the Senate District when Dyne called to them from behind.

Mace saw that the Intelligence analysts and commandos were gathered some twenty meters away. He and Shaak Ti had been so engrossed in their private thoughts that neither of them had noticed the probe droids stopping to investigate something. Joining the others, the Jedi watched the droids hover with clear purpose in front of a large niche in the tunnel wall.

Dyne’s handheld sensor needed only a moment to discover a small control panel that operated the niche’s sliding door.

The door concealed the entrance to a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

And all but hiding in plain sight: a repulsorlift speeder bike, semicircular in design, with an arc of concentric seat and a single steering handle.

Mace and Shaak Ti traded astonished looks.

“How did we miss seeing this?” she asked.

Mace’s brow furrowed. “The answer is in the question.”

As big as life, Palpatine’s holoimage spoke from atop a projector table in a private comlink lounge aboard the medical frigate. With R2-D2 standing off to one side of the transmission grid, Anakin hung on the Supreme Chancellor’s every word.

“Of course, the Council doesn’t understand,” Palpatine said. “Surely you don’t find that surprising.”

“They reject every suggestion I make—on principle, I’m beginning to think.”

“It’s obvious that you’re upset, Anakin, but you must be patient. Your time will come.”

“When, sir?”

Palpatine smiled lightly. “I can’t see into the future, my boy.”

Anakin’s face contorted. “What if I told you that I could?”

“I would believe you,” Palpatine said without pause. “Tell me what you see.”

“Coruscant.”

“Are we in danger?”

“I’m not certain. I just feel that I need to be there.”

Palpatine gazed away from the holocam. “I suppose I could invent some pretext …” His gaze returned to Anakin. “But is that wise?”

“I’m not the wise one. Ask anybody.”

“What does Master Kenobi say?”

“He’s the one who suggested I contact you,” Anakin said sharply.

“Really? But what does he think you should do?”

Anakin blew out his breath. “Obi-Wan is under the illusion that I can’t deny my destiny—no matter what I do.”

“Your former Master is wiser than you think, Anakin.”

“Yes, yes, and he is the only Jedi in a thousand years to have killed a Sith.”

Palpatine spread his hands. “That alone has to count for something. Though I’m at a loss to know precisely what.”

“Obi-Wan is wise. But he has no heart, sir. He sees everything in terms of the Force.”

“If you want advice about the Force, you must look to him, because I’m of no help.”

“That’s exactly what I don’t want. I live in the Force, but I also live in the real world. I came from … the real world.