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"Yes, at first Lorian appeared to be our protector," Aeran said.
"Ciran Ern is said to be a puppet of Lorian Nod's," Cilia said.
"What makes you think that he would allow the truth to get out?"
Qui-Gon asked. "He has much to fear from Lorian, and Lorian will certainly find out. I guarantee that you will be denounced as crazy or as a spy, and be thrown into prison again."
"So what can we do?" Stephin asked.
"You must bypass the rulers and tell the people," Qui-Gon said.
"Impossible," Aeran said. "The Guardians control all communications."
"That is what makes it possible," Qui-Gon replied after a moment's pause. "We must get control of that system. We must discover how it works and where it is."
"I already know how it works," Stephin said. "I was part of the original design team. The central control is within the Guardians compound. It's impossible to break in."
Cilia nodded. "The Guardian compound is way out of my league. The security is flawless."
"No security is flawless," Qui-Gon said. "I can guarantee one way to get inside."
The others looked at him. Obi-Wan smiled. He already knew the answer.
"We must get arrested," Qui-Gon said.
Chapter 18
With Guardians swarming all over the city, it was not hard for Cilia, Stephin, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan to get arrested. They were all wanted.
Aeran had no outstanding warrant, but as a weapons specialist, her skills were no longer needed. Promising to alert the resistance to be on the lookout for a big a
Qui-Gon suggested that in order to conserve time, they simply do what Lorian expected them to do. Cilia pretended to try to see her husband.
She and Stephin tried to sneak into Jaren's apartment by going over rooftops. Within moments they were surrounded by undercover Guardians.
As Jaren watched, white-faced, his wife was once again led away to prison.
Once they were sure that Cilia and Stephin had been captured, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan headed to the part of the city known to be a meeting ground for the resistance. They were picked up almost immediately.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were led to the Guardian compound, where they were ushered into a holding cell. Cilia and Stephin were already there.
"Guardian Nod will be informed of your capture after the planet-wide address," the officer said, engaging the security lock. The durasteel door clanged shut.
"What planet-wide address?" Obi-Wan asked Cilia and Stephin.
"Nod gives them from time to time," Cilia said. "It usually has to do with some new alert about the A
"How is the address broadcast?" Qui-Gon asked.
"It goes out simultaneously on all data and vid screens all over the planet," Stephin explained. "There's a studio right here in the Guardian compound."
"Could you patch into the feed with this?" Qui-Gon asked, holding up the disk that contained the information they'd seen on Delaluna.
Stephin nodded. "Absolutely. But we'd have to get out of here and into a secure area. All the studio feed lines run though the central information console."
"Speaking of which, how are we going to get out of here?" Cilia asked.
"That won't be hard," Qui-Gon said, pulling aside his tunic and revealing his lightsaber.
"But weren't you searched?" Stephin asked.
"We have ways of diverting attention," Obi-Wan told them. He and Qui-Gon had used the Force to distract the guards from their lightsabers during the search.
The Jedi ignited their lightsabers and sank them into the durasteel door. The metal melted and peeled back, glowing orange, and they stepped through the hole. The corridor was empty, but they could see by a blinking light that a silent alarm had been tripped.
Qui-Gon looked back at the gaping hole. "You lose the element of surprise, but it's a quick escape."
"We'll have to move fast," Cilia said.
They ran down the corridor. Cilia and Stephin both knew the complex well, and they led them through a maze of back hallways to the central computer station. It was empty, but a high-security lock was on the door. Through the glass, they could see a row of vidscreens. Lorian Nod had already begun his address.
"How long will it take you to bypass the circuits and patch through into the feed?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Hard to say," Stephin answered. "Three minutes. Maybe four."
"The alarm will go off as soon as we break in," Qui-Gon said. "They'll be able to pinpoint our location then. Just do the best you can. We'll take care of whatever comes along."
Cilia and Stephin nodded to tell them they were ready. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan used their lightsabers to break through the door. Immediately, a red light began to pulse. As they walked through the doorway, another indicator light began to blink.
Now they could hear Lorian Nod's voice."… And it is with great reluctance that I stand before you now. Yet even with bad news we can gain comfort from the fact that we are strong and able to protect ourselves from the great threat… "
Stephin hurried to the console. His fingers began to fly. Qui-Gon gave him the disk and turned to face the doorway, lightsaber at the ready.
It took only seconds before the droids came. Qui-Gon had no doubt that they would be followed by armed guards. Obi-Wan sprang forward, his lightsaber flashing. They moved in the same rhythm, ready to cover each other, knowing when the other would go on the offense. It was a flow Qui-Gon remembered, when he knew what his apprentice would do before Obi-Wan did it. The Force surged around them, gathering so that it felt like heat and light, making every move easy.
Within seconds, battered and smoking droids littered the floor.
"Stars and galaxies," Cilia breathed. She had not had time to draw her own blaster.
"Three more minutes," Stephin muttered.
". We are tracking a group of spies who are pla
"I'm entering the disk codes now," Stephin said.
"The information will come onscreen," Cilia said. "But will the citizens believe it?"