The guards surrounded Anakin and Siri in a tight circle. They marched the two prisoners down the row toward the exit. Mazie looked at him furtively and tried to give him a smile of support. He gave her a meaningful glance.
The guards marched Anakin and Siri to Krayn's complex high above the factory floor. Anakin was surprised that Siri did not try to resist. He wondered if she still had her lightsaber somewhere. If she had, surely she would use it.
They were locked together in the lowest level of Krayn's complex in a high-security cell. Anakin put his palms on the door as if he could force it open.
"The Colicoids are already here for the meeting," Siri said. "It might not be too long."
Anakin didn't speak to her.
The guards had stripped Siri of her weapons, but she reached into a slit in her utility belt and came up with a small device. She activated it.
"No listening devices," she murmured. "Good."
Anakin said nothing. If she thought he was going to speak to a traitor, she was crazy as well as evil.
"Anakin," Siri said quietly, "I am still a Jedi. I am working undercover."
He turned, surprised. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"You don't. You have to trust me. Even Obi-Wan didn't know. No one at the Temple does, except for the Jedi Council. This was our final attempt to clean up Nar Shaddaa and end Krayn's reign of terror."
Anakin waited as Siri's words sunk in. His brain did not weigh her words. He allowed himself to feel them, to tap into Siri's essence.
"I believe you," he said at last.
"Good." She sat cross-legged on the floor. "Not that my being a Jedi helps us at the moment. But it makes things a little more pleasant in here.
" Anakin was suddenly stabbed with guilt. "I blew your cover!"
She waved a hand. "It's all right."
"It's not! I compromised the mission. Obi-Wan has always instructed me to be careful with what I say in anger."
"I am sure that he also told you that I am responsible for my own risks," Siri said firmly. "And I'm sure he advised you to recognize the danger of your impulsiveness and then move on without blame, only wisdom."
Anakin smiled. "You sound just like him."
"I know him well. He has this habit of telling you the truth just when you don't want to hear it." Anakin laughed and discovered that he liked Siri.
He sat down opposite her.
"I've been keeping an eye on you, Anakin," she said. "I'm impressed with your kindness and bravery. I saw how you tried to help the weak ones when you could."
Anakin's grin faded. "I know what it's like to be a slave."
"Yes. And it is unfortunate that events placed you here. You have shown remarkable patience and strong will. I believe you'll make a fine Jedi."
"If I'm not executed first."
"It's not over yet," Siri said. "Obi-Wan is somewhere on Nar Shaddaa, I'm sure. The Council sent him here."
Anakin brightened. "He is? But how can he get to us?"
"He'll find a way."
"So Krayn is in league with the Colicoids," Anakin said. "That's why Captain Dec was here."
"The Colicoids are taking over the spice trade, and they need to make a deal with Krayn to process the spice here on Nar Shaddaa. The leader of Nar Shaddaa will look the other way, as he always does."
Anakin nodded thoughtfully. What Siri had just told him reinforced his own suspicions as well as the forming of his plan.
"We can't afford to wait here for rescue," Anakin told Siri. "If the Colicoids are here on Nar Shaddaa, we have to act now."
"And do what?"
"If we can convince the Colicoids that it is in their best interests to take over the Nar Shaddaa operation, then Nar Shaddaa will come under the laws of the Republic, since the Colicoids are members."
"True," Siri admitted.
"So slavery will be outlawed."
"That's exactly why they wouldn't do it," Siri said. "They need slaves. Or rather, they convince themselves they do out of their own greed.
" "Exactly. So we have to use their greed against them. We have to convince the Colicoids that they can still make enormous profits without slaves. They can do this by eliminating Krayn as the middleman. They won't have to give him a cut of the profits, or rely on his abilities to run the factories, or worry about him cheating them."
"What makes you think the Colicoids would listen to that argument?"
Siri asked. "They're very cautious."
"Their caution and their greed will force them to listen," Anakin said. "But we have to make them think that if they don't do it, they will lose everything. I'll bet they already distrust Krayn."
"Everybody does," Siri said. "That is, if they're smart."
"If we can convince the Colicoids that Krayn has a shaky hold on Nar Shaddaa and is in danger of losing the factories, they'll be more willing to take the chance to overthrow him."
"Why would they think that?" Siri asked.
"Because there will be a slave rebellion while the Colicoids are here, " Anakin responded quickly. "The slaves will blow up part of the factory.
If the Colicoids see this, they might seize that moment of weakness to take over."
Siri stared at him. "But why would the slaves rebel?"
"Because they want to be free," Anakin said.
Siri shook her head. "It's not that simple, Anakin. The guards hold those slaves in the grip of fear. Their brutality over the years has been great. The slaves risk too much."
"If they felt that they had a chance.." Anakin said thoughtfully.
"Yes, some sort of guarantee that made it worth the risk," Siri said slowly. "I have an idea. You're leaving out the third party in all this — the leader of Nar Shaddaa. He is in control of the civilian guards. If we can convince him that it's in his best interests to back the Colicoids over Krayn, he can instruct the guards to look the other way when the slaves rebel. Nar Shaddaa will become part of the Republic, and the natives will enjoy the benefits of alliances and trade."
"Of course!" Anakin enthused. "That's the missing key."