Ro watched as a Kuranu woman was dragged into Dee’s chamber, the images broadcast from Lourna’s own mask, positioned strategically nearby. Zeetar was with her, beady eyes peering at the newcomer. At least the Talpini wouldn’t go the same way as Pan. Zeetar knew his place. Ro had wondered how Lourna would react to Pan’s death, how she would have reacted to the existence of the hidden injector at his wrist. The device of his own devising, constructed after Pan’s failed coup before Valo. Filled with a fatal cocktail of Uttersond’s deadliest toxins, more potent than anything they had pumped into the Jedi. It had performed admirably, although the element of surprise was now gone, a spur-of-the-moment decision on his part. Ro hadn’t expected Pan even to return from Valo. The charge he had planted in the Elegencia’s primary bomber bay was supposed to have rid him of the Dowutin, rigged to detonate when the battle cruiser attempted to jump back to Grizal. The explosion would be blamed on damage caused in the raid and the danger of Path travel. Like Kassav before him, Pan would have become a martyr whose name Ro could invoke to stir loyalty in the Dowutin’s retinue. But the device had been destroyed by the Jedi in the battle over Valo—yet another reason to curse their name. When Ro had seen Pan swaggering across the exercise yard … Still, the traitorous oaf was dead now, and the remaining two Tempest Runners had fallen in line. No one would challenge Ro ever again.

“Amarant mentioned a weapon.” Ro turned his attention back to the interrogation, Lourna Dee’s voice tinny over the comlink. The Kuranu’s reply, on the other hand, was surprisingly strong.

“Yes. A disruptor field capable of disarming energy weapons.”

“What kind of energy weapons?”

The Kuranu was standing tall, despite being flanked by two of Lourna’s most imposing guards. “Every kind you can imagine and more besides. Blasters, disruptors, even lightsabers.”

Now, that was interesting.

On the screen, Zeetar scurried closer, leaving the powersuit he had been tinkering with when the prisoner had been brought in. “And where is this disruptor field?”

“With the Republic.”

“Then what good is it to us?” Lourna had asked the very question Ro was thinking.

“Because that is just the prototype, powered by raw recainium.”

“Then I hope it poisons them.” Zeetar turned back to his suit. “Kill her, Lourna. She’s wasting our time.”

Ro was inclined to agree. A pity. He killed the vid feed and looked around for Uttersond, but the Chadra-Fan was nowhere to be seen. Ro’s stomach churned. Surely the idiot hadn’t …

He turned to the viewing window as Uttersond’s body smashed through it, shattering the glass into a thousand razor-sharp shards.

It’s almost time.