Coruscant- Monday afternoon
Valin and Jysella were being held in a blockhouse across the street from an office tower. The building was a hundred stories tall and located not far from the Galactic Justice Center so it wasn't exactly discreet, but you had to know where you were going to get there. As Jaina waited with Mirax and a few Jedi masters in the building's lobby, waiting for her appointment, she said, "GAS is better than this. Why not hang a sign out front that says 'secret prison?'"
"Daala wantz people to know she keepz a secret prison," Saba told her. "The shenbit showz itz teeth to frighten, not to kill."
"Psychological deterrence," Kyp agreed. "Daala wants the lobbying industry to know they could disappear into someplace like that, if they're working for the wrong people."
"That would certainly explain its location," Cilghal said. "You are certain this is where Valin and Jysella are now?"
"It's where the new incarceration order said they were being held," Jaina said, careful of her wording since Corran and Mirax were both present. "From what I can tell, Daala seems to be trying to do everything by the book with this Jedi court of hers, so I don't think she would have had the records falsified."
"This one agreez," Saba said. "You have the writ?"
Jaina pulled the flimsi-tube from inside her robe. "Here you go."
"No, keep it. Your plan, your hunt."
"Okay, thanks… I think." In reality the plan was Jag's, but Jaina couldn't exactly say that these days. The Masters had taken a slightly Han-and-Leia type approach to the situation and while they said they understood why Jag didn't tell them about the Mandos, he'd been barred from the Temple and Jaina had gotten a few comments about needing to "examine her priorities" and whether a Jedi Knight could actually be married to an Imperial Head of State.
Which was all great since Jag and Jaina had both been in a terrible position, and hadn't actually done anything wrong. Whatever. She was staying engaged, thanks.
She looked at the Horns, who nodded when they realized she was wondering if they were ready. "Let's move," Mirax said. "It's time to serve the Chief some of that mynock stew you promised."
Jaina smiled. "Let's see if we can make her choke on it." She turned to Saba. "With your permission..."
"Permission?" Saba pointed toward the exit. "We have no time to waste with jokez, Jedi Solo."
Jaina was trying to get back on the Jedi's good side (which would hopefully get Jag back there too), which was why she wasn't joking. "I'll let you know when I'm inside," she said.
Her plan was to basically just walk across the pedibridge to the blockhouse and walk in to the area marked GALACTIC ALLIANCE STORAGE, which was terrible. The whole building was foreboding and locked down like a fortress, and she took care of the door locks easily. This probably counted as the second time she'd ever simply walked into a prison. Luckily she'd seen Javis Tyrr outside and hopefully there would be other reporters soon. She wanted them to see this.
She ended up in the lobby, in front of a security desk manned by Rodian guards. Neither was expecting her, and both must have had one hand on their blaster and another on a panic button. "I didn't know we had any Jedi clients," said one guard, whose nametag read 'Weeze.' "Vault number and password?"
"I don't have either," Jaina said. "But you already know that."
Weeze looked to his partner, whose nametag read 'Rosii.' "I didn't know that. Did you?"
"Kind of thought so.," Rosii said. "I haven't seen any Jedi in here."
"We can't help you at this door," Weeze told Jaina. "You'll have to go over to main reception and rent a vault from an account representative."
"I don't want a vault," Jaina said. "I came to see Valin and Jysella Horn."
"Horn?" Rosii repeated, and then he clearly registered why she was here. "Aren't those two of those Jedi Knights who went barvy?"
"Who suffered a delusional break," Jaina corrected, pointedly. "And I will see them now… Sergeant."
"We're all civilians here, Jedi," Weeze said, not appreciating that she'd guessed right, and this time he did hit the alarm. "Galactic Alliance Storage handles property, not pris-"
Jaina didn't even need a gesture to use the Force to shove the Rodians away from the counter and any other weapons they might have. "Never lie to a Jedi, Sergeant," Jaina said. "That really annoys us."
The Rodians glanced at each other, then Rosii said, "You're not going to make it past the lobby."
"This one thinkz differently," Saba said, leading Kyp and the others through the blast doors. "This one thinkz you will escort us where we need to go."
Seeing Saba definitely scared the Rodians, but Jaina told them, "Relax. We have permission."
"Permission?" Weeze repeated. "What kind of permission?"
"You haven't shown him the document, Jedi Solo?" Saba asked, feigning surprise. "Why do you wait?"
Jaina glanced back through the door and saw Corran and Mirax arriving, complete with a sizable mob of reporters- including Javis Tyrr- and holocams. "I'm sorry, Master Sebatyne. It took a few minutes to confirm that this is the correct place," Jaina totally and completely lied, pulling the writ tube from her robes so that the reporters would be able to clearly see exactly what she was doing. "Sergeant Weeze, this is a legal writ granting us visitation rights for Valin and Jysella Horn, who, as you can see by the accompanying incarceration order, are being held at a secret Galactic Alliance Security detention center located at this address."
Weeze made no move to accept the tube, staring at it as though Jaina were trying to hand him an armed thermal detonator. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," the Rodian said. "This is just a storage facil-"
He was cut off by the sounds of a GAS assault squad charging into the lobby, armed and in full body armor, and then they started shooting.
Having a bunch of Masters and the Sword of the Jedi in the lobby meant that they could easily deflect the bolts into the ceiling with the Force instead of the GAS hitting the reporters, who were recording everything. When the assault team had finished arriving and stopped shooting- someone was really going to have to talk to Daala about that- Jaina noticed the squad commander.
"If it isn't Captain Atar!" she said, starting towards the turbolift he'd just come out of.
He motioned for the troopers to lower their weapons, and then stepped forward to meet her.
Jaina stopped in front of him, subtly making sure the cameras were definitely on her. "Captain Atar, I wish I could say what a pleasure it is to see you again," she said, and held out the writ tube. "Perhaps you would be good enough to accept this. Your subordinates seem to be rather confused about who they're working for."
There were some snickers from the reporters, but Atar took the writ and read it, his face turning red. "You want to visit Valin and Jysella Horn?"
"That's right," Jaina said.
"But they're frozen. In carbonite."
"We're aware of that," Cilghal said, stepping to Jaina's side. "That order gives me the right to inspect their frigidation pods and make certain everything is in good order."
"And affirms the right of Valin and Jysella Horn to receive visitors while being held in detention," Kyp added, motioning Corran and Mirax forward. "Just like any other prisoner."
"As you can see," Jaina said, again making sure the cams were on her, "we've taken pains to acquire all the necessary permissions."
"So you have," Atar said, but he didn't look happy about it. He rerolled the flimsi and said, "I'm sure the facility director will be happy to make an appointment-"
"No, Captain," Jaina said, stepping closer so she could look up at him. Tiny as she was, she was entirely capable of getting in a person's face. "That order gives us immediate access."
"So we can be sure that GAS is maintaining the pods properly, and as a matter of routine," Cilghal added, also stepping forward. "If you think we are going to give you a chance to make repairs and forge maintenance records, you are quite mistaken."
"I'm sorry," Atar said, "but I don't have the authority to grant you entry to this facility."
That was when Saba stepped forward, and having someone taller, and reptilian, with a lot of sharp teeth was probably more intimidating than Jaina. "Look again, Captain. You have no authority to stop usz."
"Captain Atar," Javis Tyrr asked, shoving forward to stick a microphone in his face, "is it your position that Galactic Alliance Security is not bound by Judicial Center writs?"
For once, Jaina was glad for that little bottom-feeder. Atar had barely gotten a "No, of course not," out before the reporters started shouting questions at him, and he realized just how he was coming off. Finally he shouted over the noise, "I mean, the security services are absolutely bound by the law, just like anyone else in the Galactic Alliance."
"Thisz one is glad to hear that," Saba said. She handed the writ back to Jaina, then started toward the turbolifts. "We will start our search in the sublevelz and work up."
Atar paled, and rushed after her. "There's no need to search, Master Sebatyne. I'll escort you myself."
Saba stopped at the entrance to the turbolift and turned. "How nice, Captain. What are the cell numberz?"
"I'm sorry, Master Sebatyne. We'll be going to-"
"The infirmary, perhapz?" Saba said, looking at the panel on the turbolift. "Is this it? Level four ninety-eight?"
She extended a talon toward the number pad, but Atar's hand shot out to enter a different level instead. "Four seventy?" she asked, and spoke louder for the reporters to hear. "The executive officez?"
And suddenly Jaina and everyone else knew why he was trying not to let them up. The Horn kids were on display in somebody's office, just like Han had once served as some sick decoration for Jabba the Hutt.
"We, uh, need to pick up some visitor passes," Atar tried.
Saba fixed him with a cold reptilian glare. "This one doubtz that very much," she said, and disappeared into the turbolift.
Atar turned to a Bothan lieutenant. "The Horns and the Jedi can follow, Rasher. No one else. Set the turbolift level yourself. And check them for weapons first."
Rasher saluted, but Atar was already headed after Saba. Cilghal stepped forward and entered the turbolift level number, and Rasher said, "Hold on, Master. You heard the captain. I need to check you for weapons."
"I assure you, that's not necessary.," Cilghal said, and stepped into the turbolift. "I didn't bring any."
As Cilghal left, leaving the Bothan very angry, Jaina looked back and saw Kyp with the Horns. She met Corran's eye and nodded slightly toward the turbolift, and he nodded, as did Mirax a second later. While Rasher was pointing the soldiers towards the turbolifts to secure the lobby, Jaina stepped forward and suddenly had weapons trained on her.
Eh, wasn't the first time she'd ever had weapons on her. She turned to Javis Tyrr, using the Force to amplify her voice. "Don't you want to go up and see what Daala is trying to hide?"
"Stay where you are, Tyrr," Rasher. "The news media isn't permitted to-"
"What are you going to do, Lieutenant?" Jaina demanded. "Blast them on a live holofeed?"
Jaina used the Force to slide a couple troopers out of Tyrr's path, and then the rest of the reporters followed him into the turbolifts to head on up.
Rasher stalked over to stand very close to Jaina and said, "You are going to regret that, Jedi. We have a long reach."
That was so cute. ""Lieutenant, I have been threatened by assassin droids, Yuu-zhan Vong Warmasters, and Sith Lords," Jaina said, watching Kyp and the Horns head on up. "Them, I worried about."
With that little mic drop, Jaina spun on her heel and walked into the turbolift. She took it to the executive offices and stepped into the lobby, where almost the first thing she saw were the two slabs of carbonite hanging on the wall above the giant aquarium. Thanks to the lighting it was entirely possible to see the Horn kids' faces frozen in mid-scream.
There was silence. Even the reporters, who were sure as hell recording, were quiet. Cilghal was inspecting the controls on the pod to make sure they were being properly cared for, and everyone else was just watching in shock.
And then a keening wail finally escaped Mirax's lips, and she buried her face in Corran's chest. He wasn't even hiding his tears, and the reporters began shouting questions no one was going to answer.
A Yaka in a GAS colonel's uniform came around the corner escorted by armed guards. He was probably the facility commander. He walked straight to Saba and demanded, "Are you the Jedi responsible for this intrusion, Shorttail?"
Which was a nicely racist way to start a conversation, but Saba stayed calm and asked, "Who askz?"
"Colonel Retk," the Yaka answered, extending his hand. "Colonel Wruq Retk. Commander of this facility."
Saba slapped the writ into his waiting hand. "Then you wish to see-"
Mirax interrupted by stepping between Saba and Retk
"Ah." Instead of shaking Retk's extended hand, Saba slapped the writ tube into it. "Then you wish to see-"
Whatever Saba was going to say was interrupted by Mirax stepping between her and Retk. "If you're the commander of this toxiden, then you must be the son-of-a-schutta who decided to use my children as decorations."
"Please, it's not meant to insult them," Retk said easily, turning to face the cams. "I just wanted to put them where I could see to their maintenance personally."
"The kriff you did."
Mirax's hand came up so fast that even Jaina did not see it. Retk's teeth simply clacked shut, then his head snapped back and he toppled onto the couch behind him. Like everyone else in the room, his bodyguards were so stunned that they did not react instantly, and that gave Jaina and the other Jedi the half second they needed to reach out in the Force and push the guards' blaster barrels down toward the floor.Finally, the troopers shook off their confusion and stepped forward, reaching for Mirax with their free hands and ordering her to surrender. Of course Saba, Cilghal, Kyp, and Corran reacted even more quickly, placing themselves between them and Mirax.
While they did that, Jaina noticed a GAS captain eyeing the writ tube, now on the couch next to the unconscious commander. She saw him reach for it, and pulled it to her own hand with the Force before he could grab it. He looked surprised, and shrugged, as if asking What're you gonna do?
Another GAS captain was demanding Mirax face charges for assaulting an officer, which Corran and the others had surrounded her to keep the GAS from doing anything to her. This was not going the way it needed to go. This was turning out to be just another standoff between the Jedi and the GAS, and that wasn't going to help anyone.
Jaina looked around and sought out Javis Tyrr. He was describing the scene for the cameras, but Jaina tugged the microphone in her direction and he had no choice but to acknowledge her. "Jedi Solo, would you care to comment-"
"Not now," she said, and made a cutting motion with her fingers, so that he turned off his equipment. "I've got a proposition for you, sleemo."
"I'm listening," he said slowly.
Jaina pulled the cap off the writ tube. "I'll give you a shot of the writ."
"Big deal. I can get a copy as soon as we leave here. So I'm not killing-"
Jaina leaned in close. "I just want you to ask one question. It's a question somebody else is bound to think of anyway."
Tyrr pretended to weigh this, then sighed, "Let's hear it."
A moment later, when Jaina had told him, he had the camoperator get a shot of the writ, which attracted the attention of the other reporters, who took to trying to get their own shots instead of keeping the cams trained on the standoff.
"Okay, that's enough!" Tyrr hissed. "Put it away."
That wasn't part of the deal, so while Jaina lowered it, once Tyrr had gotten back to focusing on the Jedi and GAS, she pulled the writ up again for the others to get their shot. There were even a few gasps as people realized who signed the writ, which was exactly what did need to happen.
Tyrr was sticking his microphone in the face of a blond capain. "Tell me, Captain Xanda, does GAS really intend to charge a bereaved mother with assault? A distraught, fifty-kilogram mother who resorted to slapping a Yaka colonel three times her size-after she discovered he has been hanging her children on the wall as office decorations'?"
"No." This answer came not from the captain, but from the direction of the turbolifts. "GAS certainly will not be filing any charges against Mirax Horn. Her grief is entirely understandable-and her actions are completely forgivable."
And that would be Daala, followed by Wynn Dorvan, her security detail, and the nervous-looking Rodians from the lobby. Oh, this was gonna be good.
"What we cannot forgive is yet another example of Jedi imperious-ness," Daala continued, marching to the edge of the seating area, definitely posturing for the cameras. "Now Jedi Masters are forcing their way into legitimate GAS detention centers! Is there no limit to their arrogance?"
"Actually, Chief Daala, there is," Jaina said, and held up the writ. "As you can see, we have permission from the proper judicial authorities."
"So I have been told." She kept her attention fixed on the cams. "But we have all heard about Jedi mind tricks. This is yet more proof of their disregard for the law."
"If you have heard of our mind trickz," Saba said, "then perhapz you have also heard that they work only on the weak-minded?"
Daala turned to smirk at Saba. "I doubt this will come as a surprise to the Jedi, Master Sebatyne, but there are a few weak-minded judges serving in the Galactic Alliance."
"There are?" Saba did a credible job of feigning surprise, thumping her tail against the floor and turning to Jaina. "This one is outraged!"
There were laughs from around the chamber, and then Wynn Dorvan whispered something in Daala's ear. The smirk disappeared, and she paled, but it was too late for her. Jaina'd already given the reporters all they needed to run with this before she could backpedal.
"Chief Daala, the signature on this writ happens to be that of the judge overseeing your special Jedi court," Tyrr said. "Isn't it true that you are the one who appointed Arabelle Lorteli to this post?"
"As a matter of fact, it is, and I have complete confidence in her abilities," Daala frowned, and glared at Retk, still unconscious on the couch. "While I am obviously very concerned with the Jedi and their propensity to disregard the laws of this great Alliance, I am equally concerned with the abuse of power by our own institutions. The reason I am here today is because I have just been informed of Colonel Rekt's tasteless display of the Horn siblings. Rest assured that all parties responsible will be punished. The Galactic Alliance will not tolerate the abuse of power-by anyone."
"So you support the right of the Jedi to visit Jedi Knights being held in secret detention centers?" a Falleen reporter asked. "Even if such detention centers are themselves illegal?"
"Absolutely. This facility is neither secret nor illegal, but we are all subject to the law," Daala said, sending her glare at Jaina. "And I hope we'll all remember that in the hours and days to come."
Well. That was probably a great sign.
[Long one, sorry! NFB, NFI, OOC okay. Dialogue and a few bits from Abyss by Troy Denning, who writes all the long things.]
"Daala wantz people to know she keepz a secret prison," Saba told her. "The shenbit showz itz teeth to frighten, not to kill."
"Psychological deterrence," Kyp agreed. "Daala wants the lobbying industry to know they could disappear into someplace like that, if they're working for the wrong people."
"That would certainly explain its location," Cilghal said. "You are certain this is where Valin and Jysella are now?"
"It's where the new incarceration order said they were being held," Jaina said, careful of her wording since Corran and Mirax were both present. "From what I can tell, Daala seems to be trying to do everything by the book with this Jedi court of hers, so I don't think she would have had the records falsified."
"This one agreez," Saba said. "You have the writ?"
Jaina pulled the flimsi-tube from inside her robe. "Here you go."
"No, keep it. Your plan, your hunt."
"Okay, thanks… I think." In reality the plan was Jag's, but Jaina couldn't exactly say that these days. The Masters had taken a slightly Han-and-Leia type approach to the situation and while they said they understood why Jag didn't tell them about the Mandos, he'd been barred from the Temple and Jaina had gotten a few comments about needing to "examine her priorities" and whether a Jedi Knight could actually be married to an Imperial Head of State.
Which was all great since Jag and Jaina had both been in a terrible position, and hadn't actually done anything wrong. Whatever. She was staying engaged, thanks.
She looked at the Horns, who nodded when they realized she was wondering if they were ready. "Let's move," Mirax said. "It's time to serve the Chief some of that mynock stew you promised."
Jaina smiled. "Let's see if we can make her choke on it." She turned to Saba. "With your permission..."
"Permission?" Saba pointed toward the exit. "We have no time to waste with jokez, Jedi Solo."
Jaina was trying to get back on the Jedi's good side (which would hopefully get Jag back there too), which was why she wasn't joking. "I'll let you know when I'm inside," she said.
Her plan was to basically just walk across the pedibridge to the blockhouse and walk in to the area marked GALACTIC ALLIANCE STORAGE, which was terrible. The whole building was foreboding and locked down like a fortress, and she took care of the door locks easily. This probably counted as the second time she'd ever simply walked into a prison. Luckily she'd seen Javis Tyrr outside and hopefully there would be other reporters soon. She wanted them to see this.
She ended up in the lobby, in front of a security desk manned by Rodian guards. Neither was expecting her, and both must have had one hand on their blaster and another on a panic button. "I didn't know we had any Jedi clients," said one guard, whose nametag read 'Weeze.' "Vault number and password?"
"I don't have either," Jaina said. "But you already know that."
Weeze looked to his partner, whose nametag read 'Rosii.' "I didn't know that. Did you?"
"Kind of thought so.," Rosii said. "I haven't seen any Jedi in here."
"We can't help you at this door," Weeze told Jaina. "You'll have to go over to main reception and rent a vault from an account representative."
"I don't want a vault," Jaina said. "I came to see Valin and Jysella Horn."
"Horn?" Rosii repeated, and then he clearly registered why she was here. "Aren't those two of those Jedi Knights who went barvy?"
"Who suffered a delusional break," Jaina corrected, pointedly. "And I will see them now… Sergeant."
"We're all civilians here, Jedi," Weeze said, not appreciating that she'd guessed right, and this time he did hit the alarm. "Galactic Alliance Storage handles property, not pris-"
Jaina didn't even need a gesture to use the Force to shove the Rodians away from the counter and any other weapons they might have. "Never lie to a Jedi, Sergeant," Jaina said. "That really annoys us."
The Rodians glanced at each other, then Rosii said, "You're not going to make it past the lobby."
"This one thinkz differently," Saba said, leading Kyp and the others through the blast doors. "This one thinkz you will escort us where we need to go."
Seeing Saba definitely scared the Rodians, but Jaina told them, "Relax. We have permission."
"Permission?" Weeze repeated. "What kind of permission?"
"You haven't shown him the document, Jedi Solo?" Saba asked, feigning surprise. "Why do you wait?"
Jaina glanced back through the door and saw Corran and Mirax arriving, complete with a sizable mob of reporters- including Javis Tyrr- and holocams. "I'm sorry, Master Sebatyne. It took a few minutes to confirm that this is the correct place," Jaina totally and completely lied, pulling the writ tube from her robes so that the reporters would be able to clearly see exactly what she was doing. "Sergeant Weeze, this is a legal writ granting us visitation rights for Valin and Jysella Horn, who, as you can see by the accompanying incarceration order, are being held at a secret Galactic Alliance Security detention center located at this address."
Weeze made no move to accept the tube, staring at it as though Jaina were trying to hand him an armed thermal detonator. "I... I don't know what you're talking about," the Rodian said. "This is just a storage facil-"
He was cut off by the sounds of a GAS assault squad charging into the lobby, armed and in full body armor, and then they started shooting.
Having a bunch of Masters and the Sword of the Jedi in the lobby meant that they could easily deflect the bolts into the ceiling with the Force instead of the GAS hitting the reporters, who were recording everything. When the assault team had finished arriving and stopped shooting- someone was really going to have to talk to Daala about that- Jaina noticed the squad commander.
"If it isn't Captain Atar!" she said, starting towards the turbolift he'd just come out of.
He motioned for the troopers to lower their weapons, and then stepped forward to meet her.
Jaina stopped in front of him, subtly making sure the cameras were definitely on her. "Captain Atar, I wish I could say what a pleasure it is to see you again," she said, and held out the writ tube. "Perhaps you would be good enough to accept this. Your subordinates seem to be rather confused about who they're working for."
There were some snickers from the reporters, but Atar took the writ and read it, his face turning red. "You want to visit Valin and Jysella Horn?"
"That's right," Jaina said.
"But they're frozen. In carbonite."
"We're aware of that," Cilghal said, stepping to Jaina's side. "That order gives me the right to inspect their frigidation pods and make certain everything is in good order."
"And affirms the right of Valin and Jysella Horn to receive visitors while being held in detention," Kyp added, motioning Corran and Mirax forward. "Just like any other prisoner."
"As you can see," Jaina said, again making sure the cams were on her, "we've taken pains to acquire all the necessary permissions."
"So you have," Atar said, but he didn't look happy about it. He rerolled the flimsi and said, "I'm sure the facility director will be happy to make an appointment-"
"No, Captain," Jaina said, stepping closer so she could look up at him. Tiny as she was, she was entirely capable of getting in a person's face. "That order gives us immediate access."
"So we can be sure that GAS is maintaining the pods properly, and as a matter of routine," Cilghal added, also stepping forward. "If you think we are going to give you a chance to make repairs and forge maintenance records, you are quite mistaken."
"I'm sorry," Atar said, "but I don't have the authority to grant you entry to this facility."
That was when Saba stepped forward, and having someone taller, and reptilian, with a lot of sharp teeth was probably more intimidating than Jaina. "Look again, Captain. You have no authority to stop usz."
"Captain Atar," Javis Tyrr asked, shoving forward to stick a microphone in his face, "is it your position that Galactic Alliance Security is not bound by Judicial Center writs?"
For once, Jaina was glad for that little bottom-feeder. Atar had barely gotten a "No, of course not," out before the reporters started shouting questions at him, and he realized just how he was coming off. Finally he shouted over the noise, "I mean, the security services are absolutely bound by the law, just like anyone else in the Galactic Alliance."
"Thisz one is glad to hear that," Saba said. She handed the writ back to Jaina, then started toward the turbolifts. "We will start our search in the sublevelz and work up."
Atar paled, and rushed after her. "There's no need to search, Master Sebatyne. I'll escort you myself."
Saba stopped at the entrance to the turbolift and turned. "How nice, Captain. What are the cell numberz?"
"I'm sorry, Master Sebatyne. We'll be going to-"
"The infirmary, perhapz?" Saba said, looking at the panel on the turbolift. "Is this it? Level four ninety-eight?"
She extended a talon toward the number pad, but Atar's hand shot out to enter a different level instead. "Four seventy?" she asked, and spoke louder for the reporters to hear. "The executive officez?"
And suddenly Jaina and everyone else knew why he was trying not to let them up. The Horn kids were on display in somebody's office, just like Han had once served as some sick decoration for Jabba the Hutt.
"We, uh, need to pick up some visitor passes," Atar tried.
Saba fixed him with a cold reptilian glare. "This one doubtz that very much," she said, and disappeared into the turbolift.
Atar turned to a Bothan lieutenant. "The Horns and the Jedi can follow, Rasher. No one else. Set the turbolift level yourself. And check them for weapons first."
Rasher saluted, but Atar was already headed after Saba. Cilghal stepped forward and entered the turbolift level number, and Rasher said, "Hold on, Master. You heard the captain. I need to check you for weapons."
"I assure you, that's not necessary.," Cilghal said, and stepped into the turbolift. "I didn't bring any."
As Cilghal left, leaving the Bothan very angry, Jaina looked back and saw Kyp with the Horns. She met Corran's eye and nodded slightly toward the turbolift, and he nodded, as did Mirax a second later. While Rasher was pointing the soldiers towards the turbolifts to secure the lobby, Jaina stepped forward and suddenly had weapons trained on her.
Eh, wasn't the first time she'd ever had weapons on her. She turned to Javis Tyrr, using the Force to amplify her voice. "Don't you want to go up and see what Daala is trying to hide?"
"Stay where you are, Tyrr," Rasher. "The news media isn't permitted to-"
"What are you going to do, Lieutenant?" Jaina demanded. "Blast them on a live holofeed?"
Jaina used the Force to slide a couple troopers out of Tyrr's path, and then the rest of the reporters followed him into the turbolifts to head on up.
Rasher stalked over to stand very close to Jaina and said, "You are going to regret that, Jedi. We have a long reach."
That was so cute. ""Lieutenant, I have been threatened by assassin droids, Yuu-zhan Vong Warmasters, and Sith Lords," Jaina said, watching Kyp and the Horns head on up. "Them, I worried about."
With that little mic drop, Jaina spun on her heel and walked into the turbolift. She took it to the executive offices and stepped into the lobby, where almost the first thing she saw were the two slabs of carbonite hanging on the wall above the giant aquarium. Thanks to the lighting it was entirely possible to see the Horn kids' faces frozen in mid-scream.
There was silence. Even the reporters, who were sure as hell recording, were quiet. Cilghal was inspecting the controls on the pod to make sure they were being properly cared for, and everyone else was just watching in shock.
And then a keening wail finally escaped Mirax's lips, and she buried her face in Corran's chest. He wasn't even hiding his tears, and the reporters began shouting questions no one was going to answer.
A Yaka in a GAS colonel's uniform came around the corner escorted by armed guards. He was probably the facility commander. He walked straight to Saba and demanded, "Are you the Jedi responsible for this intrusion, Shorttail?"
Which was a nicely racist way to start a conversation, but Saba stayed calm and asked, "Who askz?"
"Colonel Retk," the Yaka answered, extending his hand. "Colonel Wruq Retk. Commander of this facility."
Saba slapped the writ into his waiting hand. "Then you wish to see-"
Mirax interrupted by stepping between Saba and Retk
"Ah." Instead of shaking Retk's extended hand, Saba slapped the writ tube into it. "Then you wish to see-"
Whatever Saba was going to say was interrupted by Mirax stepping between her and Retk. "If you're the commander of this toxiden, then you must be the son-of-a-schutta who decided to use my children as decorations."
"Please, it's not meant to insult them," Retk said easily, turning to face the cams. "I just wanted to put them where I could see to their maintenance personally."
"The kriff you did."
Mirax's hand came up so fast that even Jaina did not see it. Retk's teeth simply clacked shut, then his head snapped back and he toppled onto the couch behind him. Like everyone else in the room, his bodyguards were so stunned that they did not react instantly, and that gave Jaina and the other Jedi the half second they needed to reach out in the Force and push the guards' blaster barrels down toward the floor.Finally, the troopers shook off their confusion and stepped forward, reaching for Mirax with their free hands and ordering her to surrender. Of course Saba, Cilghal, Kyp, and Corran reacted even more quickly, placing themselves between them and Mirax.
While they did that, Jaina noticed a GAS captain eyeing the writ tube, now on the couch next to the unconscious commander. She saw him reach for it, and pulled it to her own hand with the Force before he could grab it. He looked surprised, and shrugged, as if asking What're you gonna do?
Another GAS captain was demanding Mirax face charges for assaulting an officer, which Corran and the others had surrounded her to keep the GAS from doing anything to her. This was not going the way it needed to go. This was turning out to be just another standoff between the Jedi and the GAS, and that wasn't going to help anyone.
Jaina looked around and sought out Javis Tyrr. He was describing the scene for the cameras, but Jaina tugged the microphone in her direction and he had no choice but to acknowledge her. "Jedi Solo, would you care to comment-"
"Not now," she said, and made a cutting motion with her fingers, so that he turned off his equipment. "I've got a proposition for you, sleemo."
"I'm listening," he said slowly.
Jaina pulled the cap off the writ tube. "I'll give you a shot of the writ."
"Big deal. I can get a copy as soon as we leave here. So I'm not killing-"
Jaina leaned in close. "I just want you to ask one question. It's a question somebody else is bound to think of anyway."
Tyrr pretended to weigh this, then sighed, "Let's hear it."
A moment later, when Jaina had told him, he had the camoperator get a shot of the writ, which attracted the attention of the other reporters, who took to trying to get their own shots instead of keeping the cams trained on the standoff.
"Okay, that's enough!" Tyrr hissed. "Put it away."
That wasn't part of the deal, so while Jaina lowered it, once Tyrr had gotten back to focusing on the Jedi and GAS, she pulled the writ up again for the others to get their shot. There were even a few gasps as people realized who signed the writ, which was exactly what did need to happen.
Tyrr was sticking his microphone in the face of a blond capain. "Tell me, Captain Xanda, does GAS really intend to charge a bereaved mother with assault? A distraught, fifty-kilogram mother who resorted to slapping a Yaka colonel three times her size-after she discovered he has been hanging her children on the wall as office decorations'?"
"No." This answer came not from the captain, but from the direction of the turbolifts. "GAS certainly will not be filing any charges against Mirax Horn. Her grief is entirely understandable-and her actions are completely forgivable."
And that would be Daala, followed by Wynn Dorvan, her security detail, and the nervous-looking Rodians from the lobby. Oh, this was gonna be good.
"What we cannot forgive is yet another example of Jedi imperious-ness," Daala continued, marching to the edge of the seating area, definitely posturing for the cameras. "Now Jedi Masters are forcing their way into legitimate GAS detention centers! Is there no limit to their arrogance?"
"Actually, Chief Daala, there is," Jaina said, and held up the writ. "As you can see, we have permission from the proper judicial authorities."
"So I have been told." She kept her attention fixed on the cams. "But we have all heard about Jedi mind tricks. This is yet more proof of their disregard for the law."
"If you have heard of our mind trickz," Saba said, "then perhapz you have also heard that they work only on the weak-minded?"
Daala turned to smirk at Saba. "I doubt this will come as a surprise to the Jedi, Master Sebatyne, but there are a few weak-minded judges serving in the Galactic Alliance."
"There are?" Saba did a credible job of feigning surprise, thumping her tail against the floor and turning to Jaina. "This one is outraged!"
There were laughs from around the chamber, and then Wynn Dorvan whispered something in Daala's ear. The smirk disappeared, and she paled, but it was too late for her. Jaina'd already given the reporters all they needed to run with this before she could backpedal.
"Chief Daala, the signature on this writ happens to be that of the judge overseeing your special Jedi court," Tyrr said. "Isn't it true that you are the one who appointed Arabelle Lorteli to this post?"
"As a matter of fact, it is, and I have complete confidence in her abilities," Daala frowned, and glared at Retk, still unconscious on the couch. "While I am obviously very concerned with the Jedi and their propensity to disregard the laws of this great Alliance, I am equally concerned with the abuse of power by our own institutions. The reason I am here today is because I have just been informed of Colonel Rekt's tasteless display of the Horn siblings. Rest assured that all parties responsible will be punished. The Galactic Alliance will not tolerate the abuse of power-by anyone."
"So you support the right of the Jedi to visit Jedi Knights being held in secret detention centers?" a Falleen reporter asked. "Even if such detention centers are themselves illegal?"
"Absolutely. This facility is neither secret nor illegal, but we are all subject to the law," Daala said, sending her glare at Jaina. "And I hope we'll all remember that in the hours and days to come."
Well. That was probably a great sign.
[Long one, sorry! NFB, NFI, OOC okay. Dialogue and a few bits from Abyss by Troy Denning, who writes all the long things.]