Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 05_ Agents of Chaos 02_ Jedi Eclipse - James Luceno [88]
“Given even a modicum of time, we can extract the remote sensors from most of those who are liberated—as we have already done to ourselves.”
“Without Salliche’s knowledge?”
“All droids on Ruan have deactivation dates,” Baffle explained. “In order to safeguard our deception, many of us have had to submit to voluntary deactivation while our act of sabotage was being planned.”
“Isn’t all this against your programming or something?”
“Our inhibition programs prevent us from taking direct actions against living beings, but we are permitted, even encouraged, to act in self-preservation. We’ve simply been awaiting the arrival of the one flesh and blood who could help us.”
Han held up his hands. “Not so fast. I mean, let’s say I decide to go through with this, and suddenly there’s a couple of thousand of you who can’t be remotely deactivated. You think that’s going to stop Salliche from hunting every one of you down and hammering a restraining bolt into your plastrons, or just blasting you to fragments?”
“We’re aware of the fate that awaits us,” Baffle said. “But before Salliche Ag can bring about our termination, we plan to execute and broadcast an act of passive resistance that will not only draw galactic attention to our plight, but also alert our comrades far and wide to the dangers they face.”
Han thought about C-3PO and his current obsession with deactivation, and he thought about Droma, who had saved Han’s life on two occasions. An easier way to rescue the Ryn would be to pull rank on whatever bureaucrats administered Ruan. He could simply reveal who he was, and claim that he and Droma were on a mission for New Republic Intelligence. But doing so could backfire on him. Because of the part he had played in the Elan affair, Han could well imagine Director Scaur disavowing any connection between Han and New Republic Intelligence. And even if Scaur backed up Han’s ruse, there was a good chance that Leia would learn of what happened and accuse Han of meddling in SELCORE business. Besides, rescuing Droma by pulling rank wouldn’t do anything for Baffle and the rest of Ruan’s droids.
“All right, I’ll do it,” he said at last. “But on one condition: I want to know where the Trevee went. I want ion drive and thermal exhaust profiles, transponder codes, hyperspace coordinates, and anything else you can come up with.”
“I will attend to the matter personally,” Baffle said.
Han took a breath and blew it out through pursed lips. “You said Droma is being held in a denied area. Where is he?”
Baffle traded glances with some of the others. “He is being held at the product enhancement facility.”
“Product enhancement,” Han repeated slowly.
Baffle nodded. “The manure works.”
TWENTY-ONE
“Talk about ragtag outfits,” Shada D’ukal said as thirteen X-wings, A-wings, and modified Y-wings—many of them as patched up as a pirate craft—pierced the magcon field of Kothlis II orbital station’s aft docking bay. The starfighters had surely been scanned on arrival in Bothan space, but no sooner did they settle down to the deck than a Bothan military unit moved in to execute a thorough search and documents check.
Talon Karrde and the former Mistryl Shadow Guard from Emberlene watched from an observation gallery that overlooked the bay, Shada wearing a form-hugging outfit of black elastex, and Karrde, in a tailored suit, looking more like her booking agent than her employer.
“A pity you never got to see Kyp’s squadron a year ago,” Karrde said. “Back then they had two XJs fresh from Incom, along with a couple of B-wings in near immaculate condition.”
Shada kept her eyes on the starfighters. “So I’ve heard.”
“Kyp had named them the Dozen-and-Two Avengers—much to Skywalker’s dismay. Kyp sicced them on the Outer Rim, detaining pirates and smugglers, and generally sticking his nose whenever he wanted, all without Coruscant batting an eye.”
“The Dozen-and-Two?” Shada said.
“Kyp