Obi-Wan nodded. The four walked quickly across the courtyard. At the door of the warehouse, Qui-Gon barked out, "Delivering bacta," to the guard at the door. The guard waved them through.
Inside was a vast, high-ceilinged space. Row after row of transparent shelving units went from one end of the building to the other. Each shelf was piled with bins and cartons. Syndicat members in silver armor coats loaded supplies onto floaters, then headed for the large loading dock in the rear.
Paxxi and Guerra stopped, their faces registering shock. Obi-Wan knew why. Here was row after row of everything the Phindian people desperately stood in line for. Med supplies. Food. Parts to make their speeders run, their droids and machines operational. All hoarded by the Syndicat. The brothers had known this, but seeing it all with their own eyes must have been like receiving a blow.
"Keep moving," Qui-Gon said in a pleasant tone that hummed with urgency underneath.
Hands in his pockets, Obi-Wan headed off with Guerra to the far end of the warehouse. They quickly strode down row after row. Other Syndicat members sometimes passed them. They would nod and keep going.
"This is easy, Obawan!" Guerra whispered. "So glad we stole these coats!"
Suddenly, the comlink in Guerra's coat began to signal him.
"Guard K23M9, report in," a voice said. "Explain whereabouts."
"It's probably a routine check," Obi-Wan murmured.
Guerra activated the comlink. "Warehouse delivery," he said.
After a pause, the comlink crackled. "Unscheduled. Explain."
Guerra looked at Obi-Wan in a panic. "Tell him he's mistaken," Obi-Wan whispered.
"Not so!" Guerra said rapidly into the comlink. "Orders received." He shut off the comlink.
"We'd better do this fast," Obi-Wan muttered.
They turned down the next row. As Guerra scanned the shelves, Obi-Wan kept watch.
"Found it, Obawan!" Guerra cried softly. "There, to shelf! I recognize my carton of energy cells. It must be here." He climbed up on the bottom shelf, then reached up with his long arms. He grabbed a carton and hauled it down. Peering inside, he smiled broadly. "In here, at the bottom."
Obi-Wan shoved the carton marked "Bacta" in its place. "all right, let's go."
They strode down the aisle, trying to look as though they weren't hurrying. An announcement suddenly boomed out of a speaker near them.
"Guard K23M9, report to security. Guard K23M9, report to security."
"That's me! What should we do, Obawan?" Guerra asked panicked.
Obi-Wan thought carefully. They had to get the anti-register device out of the building. "Give me your coat," he ordered Guerra.
Guerra hesitated. "But that will put you in danger, Obawan. This I did once on Bandomeer. Bu this I will not do again."
"The Force will protect me," Obi-Wan told him, even though he doubted it. "You must find Qui-Gon and get that device out of here."
"You can use the Force to escape?" Guerra asked.
"Yes. Hurry." Obi-Wan slipped out of his own coat. Reluctantly, Guerra did the same. They exchanged the armor coats. Guerra put on Obi-Wan's and tucked the carton containing the anti-register device under his arm.
"Now go," Obi-Wan told him as Syndicat guards suddenly appeared around the corner on floaters
Guerra swiveled and walked away, past the guards who headed for Obi-Wan. They did not give him a glance. Obi-Wan turned and saw four more guards heading for him in the opposite direction. He knew he could not resist. Even if her were to get past the guard here, security would lock down the building, and Guerra would never make it out. There was only one thing he could do. He had to surrender.
Guerra disappeared around a corner. The guards sped up to him and hovered, their blaster pointed at his neck, the only unprotected part of him.
"Guard K23M9, you are out of your quadrant," one of them said. "You know the penalty. We will escort you to headquarters. Resist, and you're dead."
Obi-Wan nodded. He climbed aboard the largest floater. The guard behind him kept the blaster against his neck. They took off for Syndicat headquarters.
Chapter 12
Obi-Wan watched and waited for the chance to escape, but it was impossible. Part of his Temple training had been in patience, but it had been his worst subject.
The headquarters was swarming with guards. First, he was stripped of his armor coat and visor.
"He's not a Phindian," one of the guards said, surprised. Obi-Wan said nothing.
The other guard grabbed his lightsaber. He tried to activate it, but could not. "What is this? Some primitive weapon?"
Again, Obi-wan said nothing.
The two guards looked at each other nervously. "We'd better take him to Weutta."
Weutta turned out to be the head of security. The irises of Obi-Wan's eyes were scanned to compare to the real Guard K23M9. Obi-Wan saw the words NO MATCH on the screen. Nothing else came up.
"So, we have no record of you, rebel" the security head said, pushing his face up to Obi-Wan's. Who are your contacts? Why did you come to Phindar? What happened the guard K23M9?"
Again, Obi-Wan said nothing. Weutta gave him a light jab with a force pike. Even that touch was enough to send him to his knees. His head spun, and his side was on fire from the electrifying jolt.
"I'll take this one to Baftu," Weutta said. "We're on high security. He wants to see all the rebels."
Weutta roughly pushed a weakened Obi-Wan down what felt like miles of hallway. At last they reached a heavily carved, massive door. A guard nodded them through. They were in a large, completely empty room with heavy tapestries hung over the windows. Another pair of massive double doors were at the opposite end.
Weutta walked toward them and stopped. He pushed Obi-Wan down on his knees, then pressed his face down. "Wait here, slug," he growled. "And don't look up."
Keeping his face down, Obi-wan moved only his eyes to watch Weutta as the pudgy Phindian straightened his visor and smoothed his armor coat. He cleared his throat. Obviously, even the head of security was nervous about seeing Baftu. Then he pressed a button on the side of the door.