"Jedi Apprentice 3: The Hidden Past" - читать интересную книгу автора (Уотсон Джуд)

Chapter 17

Paxxi and Guerra tried their emergency signal to get Duenna's help, but after waiting a few minutes, Qui-Gon determined that they would have to get inside Syndicat headquarters without her.

"But how, Jedi-Gon?" Guerra asked. "Blast our way in? Create a diversion?"

"Let's hope there's some confusion since the Prince is here. Things won't be routine. So we'll just walk in," Qui-Gon said, lowering his dark visor.

They strode past the guard with a nod. The second one was harder. He asked for their order number.

"Prince Beju has changed plans. He wants to load the bacta first," Qui-Gon answered. "Baftu has sent us here."

"Without an order number?" the guard asked skeptically.

"Yes, we'll go in," Qui-Gon said, bringing the Force to bear on the Phindian.

"Yes, go on in," the guard said, waving them through.

The security beams were turned off on the rear entrance, most likely because so many guards were going in and out. They were not challenged as they made their way down the halls toward the staircase to the lower level.

Qui-Gon led them to the secret room and activated the wall shift. Quickly, they headed for the security door.

"Now, it's your turn," Qui-Gon said to Paxxi. He fervently hoped that Paxxi's device would work.

Paxxi jacked into the security panel. Qui-Gon heard a series of electronic beeps. Then he pressed his thumbprint against the transfer register. A beep followed. Then the light turned green, and the door opened.

"It worked, good brother!" Guerra cried. Qui-Gon wished he didn't sound quite so surprised.

The room was filled with treasures. Gems, spice, currencies, rare metals.

"We'll need transport," Qui-Gon said. "We can't get all of this out of the building, so we'll have to hide it."

Paxxi and Guerra hurried back to the holding pen at the staircase to get the floaters they'd hidden there. Qui-Gon stacked the materials. Then they loaded them onto the floaters and took them to the supply closet. The closet could barely hold everything, but they were able to shut the door.

"Now we have to get to the warehouses," Qui-Gon said.

Paxxi closed the security door and reset the transfer register. They quickly left the secret room and closed the wall again. They hurried up the stairs and took the back entrance.

As they rounded the corner of the grand mansion toward the front gates, Qui-Gon held up a hand. "Wait," he murmured.

Baftu's gold speeder pulled up. Baftu and Obi-Wan emerged, Followed by the assassin droids.

"It is better to let my guards load your ship," Baftu was saying to the boy he thought was the Prince. "They will do it quickly and efficiently, I assure you. Now you will view the treasury."

"I am pleased," Obi-Wan replied.

"You see, Jedi Gon?" Paxxi whispered. "Our plan is working."

"We are lucky brothers," Guerra agreed.

Just then, Terra emerged from Syndicat headquarters. She started down the stairs. Obi-Wan reached behind him to draw his cloak up around his face, but it was too late.

Terra pointed. "You are not Prince Beju!" she cried.