Obi-Wan moved to take out a droid and landed in the doorway, lightsaber slashing. The security officer stepped back, unwilling to engage. He expected the droids to do his fighting for him.
With a Force push, Qui-Gon sent the officer flying. The man slumped on the floor, dazed and unwilling to get up.
'There's an emergency exit this way,' Cilia said, jerking her chin toward a side corridor. 'It should be open, since we're in the middle of a drill.'
Workers were beginning to stream back into the building. They took advantage of the confusion by separating and melting into the crowd.
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan followed Cilia as her slight figure weaved through the crowd, heading purposefully toward the exit.
They stepped out. The sky had darkened and was threatening a hard rain. A few drops pattered against the building.
Ahead in the dark sky Qui-Gon saw a light. It was moving fast, traveling far beneath the clouds.
'Security vehicle,' he said tersely. 'We'd better get to our ship.'
Because of the rain, many pedestrians had moved to the sheltered walkways that hugged the buildings and shops. A large canopy overhead blocked out the downpour as it began. Qui-Gon and the others hurried along this path.
The overhang protected him from the ship above. The crowds acted as further camouflage. Their ship wasn't far. They climbed inside and Cilia started up the engines. They shot into the dark sky, streaking toward Junction 5.
Cilia let out a whoop of triumph. 'We did it. We did it!'
Stephin shook his head. 'I still can't believe there is no Annihilator.'
'This is all we need to end this reign of terror,' Cilia said. 'We can go straight to Minister Ciran Ern and tell him that the Annihilator is a hoax. He'll disband the Guardians.'
'We can free our citizens from fear and terror,' Aeran said. 'It is almost too much to believe.'
'I suggest that before you do anything, you ask a most important question,' Qui-Gon said. 'Rumors don't arise out of the air. If the Annihilator is a fabrication, who made it up?'
The others paused.
'Does it matter who made it up?' Aeran asked.
'I'm afraid it matters very much,' Qui-Gon said softly. 'Let me ask another question. When did Lorian Nod come to power?'
'Eight years ago,' Cilia answered.
'And the memos dated back — '
Cilia's face changed. The happy flush drained away, and she grew pale.
'Nine years,' she said.
'And who benefited the most from the Annihilator?'
Cilia's face hardened. 'The Guardians. They seized control.' She looked at him shrewdly. 'So you think Lorian Nod created the rumor.'
Qui-Gon nodded. 'I do. It is a bloodless grab for power. Create something the population fears enough, and they will hand over control to whoever appears with a solution.'
'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
