Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 02_ Shadow Academy - Kevin J. Anderson [54]
Jacen was safe for the time being. He peered into the hole he had cut, looking with dismay at the mass of wires and circuits that controlled the door. Okay, what would Jaina do? he wondered. He closed his eyes and let his mind open up, tracing the lines of the wires and circuits. Some ran to communications systems, or computer terminals mounted at regular intervals along the corridors, or lights, or thermostats. Some ran to alarms, and others... connected to the door mechanism!
Jacen took a steadying breath. Now, what to do with those wires? He probably needed to cross them, but in a particular way. There was nothing to do but try it.
With aching fingers, Jacen disconnected one of the wires in the cluster he had isolated and touched it to another, careful that the exposed, electrified ends didn't touch his bare skin. A little spark flashed, and the lights in his room flickered-but nothing else happened. He tried with the second wire and got no response at all.
Jacen hoped he wasn't setting off silent alarms in the guard stations. He sighed. What if none of this worked? Well, he reasoned, then he might have to slice directly through the door after all. He shook his stinging fingers, anticipating the pain. First, he decided, he would try the last set of wires.
As if sensing Jacen's impending despair, the door slid quietly open when he touched the wires together.
Jacen laughed aloud and looked out into the empty corridor. He glanced from side to side, but saw only a string of sealed, featureless doors.
Glowpanels lit the metallic corridors at half illumination, conserving power during the academy's sleep period.
The door controls looked much easier from the outside, and he didn't think he would have any trouble freeing Jaina and Lowie-once he found them.
It proved less difficult than Jacen had feared. He had seen the corridors down which the guards usually led Jaina and Lowie, so he went in that direction, calling with his mind. Jaina will be the easiest, he thought.
He tiptoed along, afraid that at any moment stormtroopers would come marching around the corner.
But the Shadow Academy remained silent and asleep.
Jaina, he thought. Jaina!
Jacen walked along, listening at each of the doors. He didn't want to cause too much of a disturbance, because the Dark Jedi students might sound an alarm if they noticed him.
At the seventh door he found her. Jacen sensed his sister, awake and excited, knowing he was out there. He worked the controls until her door slid open. Jaina burst out, hugging him. "I've been expecting you," she said.
"Used my Corusca gem," he explained, pointing toward his boot, where he had stashed the stone again.
Jaina nodded, as if she had known all along what her brother would do.
"We've got to find Lowie and free him, too," Jacen said.
"Of course," Jaina agreed. "We'll escape and warn Uncle Luke before Brakiss makes his raid on the Jedi academy."
"Right," Jacen said with a lopsided grin. "Uh, since I got us this far, I was hoping you could figure out the rest of the plan."
Jaina beamed at him as if he had paid her the highest compliment she could imagine. "Already have," she said. "What are we waiting for?"
They managed to find Lowie, who was excited to see them, and Em Teedee, who was not. "I feel obligated to warn you that I simply must sound an alarm," the translating droid said. "My duty is to the Empire now and it's my responsibility-"
Jaina gave the little droid a rap with her knuckles. "If you make so much as a peep," she said, "we'll rewire your vocal circuits so that you talk backwards and they'll toss you in the scrap heap."
"You wouldn't!" Em Teedee said in a huff.
"Wanna bet?" Jaina asked in a dangerously sweet voice.
Jacen stood next to her and glared at the miniaturized translating droid.
Lowie added his own threatening growl.
"Oh, all right, all right," Em Teedee said.