Stealth: Star Wars Legends (Clone Wars Gambit) (Star Wars- The Clone Wars Book 4) by Miller Karen

Author:Miller, Karen [Miller, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780307796004
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-06-28T04:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

STUNNED BREATHLESS, BANT’ENA STARED AT THE TWO RAGGED men standing in front of her. Who’d appeared, it seemed, out of nowhere. Like magic. Which was entirely impossible. So was this all a dream, then? Had she dreamed that moment when theory became fact and her reworked formula proved itself stable? Dreamed poisoning the Lanteeban rat? Was the pain in her throat where Durd had almost throttled her, was that—was all of it—a figment of her tormented imagination? Perhaps it was. Because this couldn’t be happening.

“Doctor Fhernan, I know this is a shock, but you must pull yourself together and listen to me,” said the older of the two men. His short hair and well-trimmed beard were clotted with dirt. Soot or charcoal smeared his face, his hands, and plastered the fabric of his plain, working clothes. He looked like a laborer on the run—and sounded like one of her biology professors. “Doctor, please. We might not have much time. Is this facility monitored? Are there security recording devices in your laboratory?”

She nodded, mute. Glanced at the man’s younger, taller companion. He looked just as disreputable—but his eyes were unexpectedly kind.

“Are the recordings themselves monitored?” the older man demanded. His eyes weren’t unkind. Just terribly intense. “We passed a comm center on our way here—is that the only monitoring station for this facility?”

Another mute nod. She wondered when she was going to wake up.

“Good. And the recordings, Doctor? Are they assessed in real time? Or are they checked later, on some kind of roster?”

With an effort, she moistened her lips. I might as well say something. It’s a dream, after all. And Durd can’t punish me for what I say in my sleep. “I don’t know.” Her voice came out scratchy. Uncertain. “I don’t think it’s in real time.”

The bearded man’s brows pinched in a frown. “You don’t think so? Doctor, I’m sorry, but I need more assurance than that.”

Shaking, she pressed her hands to her face. “I don’t—I’m not—” She let her hands fall. “Am I asleep or aren’t I?”

“You’re awake,” said the younger man. “Don’t be frightened. We’re here to help you.”

“Help me?” She tried to laugh, but it sounded like a sob. Turning away, she looked at the wall where the air vent’s grilles had been kicked out. “If you were up there, watching, then you saw what I did.” On a deep, painful breath she made herself face the specimen cage, and the appalling thing in it. “What I am. You know as well as I do—there’s no helping me.”

The younger man took a step toward her. “Durd is a monster.” His voice was low and shaky. “None of this is your fault.”

The older man started to say something, but his young companion raised a sharp hand.

Hope was a dangerous shudder inside her. “You can help me?”

“Not if we’re discovered,” said the older man. “Doctor, are you and Durd the only residents here?”

“At the moment,” she said, dazed. “If you don’t count the droids. A new military liaison officer arrives in the morning.

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