"Then let us do our jobs and deal with it, Sir. Please return to the shuttle- we'll have a phalanx of TIE's escort you back to the spacedock."
Luke paused to turn to Reece, tone dry; "You want me to leave so you can deal with a problem you had no idea existed and have no indication what it is?"
Reece had spent too long in The Commander's company to flinch beneath that gaze, and held firm, "Yes Sir. Protocol dictates..."
"Do you think that argument's going to work?" Luke asked distantly, eyes still scanning the bay.
Reece looked helplessly to Mara as Skywalker turned away again, starting forward. Mara reached out to place a hand on his arm - and everything stopped.
It was an incredible breach in protocol to even step within a certain distance of The Heir publicly- to reach out and touch him was unheard of. But Mara knew Skywalker and she knew what he would and wouldn't allow. She was one of less than a handful of people who could do this and get away with it- she hoped.
He turned to her, looming over her, expression fixed and unreadable, pale eyes locked on hers...
But he didn't chastise so she held her ground, making one last try, "Commander, please..." It was a personal request, laced with genuine concern, and as such it actually held his attention for a moment... but only a moment.
"It's up and aft of our position." He said, eyes roguish and teasing, the change mercurial as ever, knowing that she wouldn't be able to resist...
"Where?" she asked at last, and he set forward, grinning.
Shaking her head, feeling a reluctant smile come to her own lips, Mara followed him.
.
The corridors were all empty now, The Commander and his mixed band of aides, officers and stormtroopers roving the ship, Luke walking several steps ahead, closely followed by a very edgy Mara and Reece, everyone waiting expectantly - for what, no-one knew...
Finally, decisively, Luke stopped and turned to the access hatch to his right.
Mara stepped forward to the sealed hatch, "Give us a minute to check..." Skywalker made the slightest motion with his hand, eyes on the shoulder-height hatch, and it slid open causing her to whirl about, blaster levelling.
"There's no-one in there." Luke said calmly, stepping forward and ducking into the low hatch which would normally allow the ship's maintenance 'droids access to internal workings. Cursing roundly beneath her breath at his stubbornness, Mara followed...and nearly walked into him when he stopped dead just inside the entrance.
Inside, set within a clear cylinder within a clear cylinder, was an explosive compression bomb, resting against and wired into what looked like the shield and propulsion systems.
Mara stared at it for long seconds - it had no chrono, no visible timer to indicate when it would blow, no remotes, no visible workings... but two long chambers of silver-coloured fluid behind about a dozen tremblers within the cylinders and, judging from the greasy taste of the air in the restricted space, some kind of energy shielding. She took a half-step forward and broke her step mid-stride, realising what she was doing, Luke stretching his hand out to take her arm in the same moment-
"Floor." He said simply, though her eyes were already turning down to the deck plates. Three of the eight fine panel-locks were missing from the corners of the sheets, indicating they'd been lifted recently and replaced in a hurry...
Mara backed carefully out, followed by Skywalker.
"Big bomb." She said dryly to Reece. "Very big bomb."
The head of security was already on his comm, summoning the bomb squad, others comming commands to vacate the area, isolate or re-route command functions and close airlocks.
Reece stepped forward, glanced into the access hatch without stepping in then turned back to The Commander, "I think it really is time to go now, Sir."
-Shouldn't be here- Luke stared at him for long seconds, lost in thought, then turned to Mara. "You can handle the bomb squad? Keep me informed?"
"Of course." Mara nodded; that was way too easy...
"We'll bring the Fury alongside," Reece continued. "You can monitor the situation from there."
The Commander turned without speaking and set off down the long corridor, the security compliment in tow. As he turned to go, Mara reached out and grabbed Reece's arm, "You don't seriously think he's leaving the Peerless do you?"
Reece frowned, "Well then where's he going?"
Mara glanced after Skywalker. "I have no idea. Maybe you should ask him."
Reece turned and set off after The Commander at a run. "Sir, are we heading for the docking bay?"
"Roughly."
"Sir, are you intending to leave the Peerless?" Reece clarified.
"There's another bomb."
"You're sure?"
Luke glanced sideways at Wez, raising his eyebrows. "That one was placed to be found - who leaves a bomb in plain sight? And why in a clear casing? It had more trips on it than a Hutt's purse - and after going to all that trouble, would you be so careless as to leave locking catches out of floor panels? It was left to be found and slow us down. Nothing like a big bomb to concentrate your attentions."
Reece didn't miss the implication, "So there's another?"
"Yes. Near the forward bays somewhere."
Luke continued to scout the ship, aware that he was running out of time, that something big was looming - an event wrapped about by some indefinable nothingness... and the closer he walked to the fore bays, the more defined this void became... the less ambiguous, the more fixed. Like the future consolidating...
.
Mara's voice came over the comm as they entered the forward Troop Docking Bay, directly above the TIE's Deep Storage hangers, several 'techs pausing in their assigned duties to watch the trailing band of high-ranking officers. Scattered members of the 701st, also in the hangar, came to smart attention as their Commander entered the bay.
"Reece?" Mara's voice came out over Reece's comm, Luke tilting his head to listen. "We have the specialists here. The floor's up. They say it's a staged bomb - several separate detonations - but the trigger mechanism is behind tremblers and there are remotes on the floor under the decking. No sign of any timer yet. We'll keep you informed."
Luke turned and took the comm. "Keep going. Be aware there's another bomb in the forward Troop Docking Bay."
There was the slightest of pauses, "And where are you?"
"In the fore Docking Bay." -He shouldn't be here-
"Figures. I'll send the team there."
"No, keep working on that one. We don't have an exact location for this one yet. Be ready to split the team though."
"Acknowledged."
"Standby." As he had spoken, Luke had finished walking the length of the cavernous bay and was now changing direction, trying to lock the nebulous feeling down, time trickling away... Finally he stopped before one of the thick internal walls, hands flat against it. There were no marks on the wall, no signs of tampering - but it practically vibrated through the Force.
-He shouldn't be here- time ticked in the back of his mind.. counted down.
-Shouldn't be here- the words, the knowledge coalesced with absolute clarity in the centre of his mind, pushing his body for action, making Luke tense against the bone-deep need to leave..
-He shouldn't be here- His heart pound against his ribs, breath coming short;
-Shouldn't be here...
-Here...
"It's here." Luke backed up two fast steps, "What's on the other side of this wall?"
Reece turned to the Security Officer, who frowned, remembering, "Probably ordnance storage for the 701st - they're all around here. It may be munitions or fighters this close to the hanger."
Luke turned on him, "Probably!?"
The man paled and turned quickly, gesturing for a trooper to go and check, Luke stepping back from the wall and motioning for the officers to back up, catching Reece's eye,