{{ urbania's void - chapter 20
...tragedy meets (day twenty-two / +22)
Han Solo settled into the chair, beside his wife, their hands joined over the arms of their seats between them. They listened in silence to the scientist who stood in the front of the room, clearing her throat, trying to get the small group's attention.
Pressing a button, a pedestal in front of her flared to life, a holographic image floating above it. It was a magnified image of a tiny, clear device, small enough to fit into a person's eye.
"This," Danni Quee began, "is a Mindmap." She paused to step around the pedestal so her audience could see her. "I've been getting some questions about them, so Master Skywalker thought it would be a good idea to get everyone together and answer a few of them."
Her glimmering green eyes trailed from person to person, as she waited for anyone with an inquiry to speak up. A cough sounded from the left side of the table as Kyp Durron raised his right hand. Danni nodded to him.
"And how exactly does one make one of these?" He then motioned to Jagged Fel, who sat beside him. "What if I wanted to make one of old Jaggy here? Could I do it?"
Her blonde hair shook wildly around her face as her head moved back and forth. "No."
"Why?"
"Jag is alive. As of right now, Mindmaps can only be made of people who have passed away. I don't believe anyone has tried to make one of a person who is still living; the process would probably get too risky."
Kyp nodded slowly, and then leaned forward onto the table. He and Danni Quee had a platonic relationship. Under any other circumstances, like the war never happening, the two probably wouldn't even give each other the time of day. But after meeting each other during the war, the two had grown close as friends and now loved to joke around with each other. Kyp was enjoying watching her squirm with his questions. "What exactly is the process anyways?"
Danni instantly looked to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, as he stood up after that was asked and placed himself on the other side of the pedestal, ready to answer Kyp's question. Kyp leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. He actually wanted to know the answer; he didn't just want to try to joke around with Danni.
"You know the census every year?" Luke asked.
Everyone in the room nodded. The census was something started a year or two after the Battle of Endor and the fall of the Empire. It wasn't a big deal. Everybody would go to their designated census areas and get all of their information recorded into a databank. It recorded basic information: date of birth, name, family information, recent injuries... things like that. It was for population reasons, medical reasons and all around upright reasons. It was done each year so everyone's information was up-to-date.
There were, of course, people who illegally skirted around it. Assassins, bounty hunters and the like. But even some of them felt safe having their information in the system. And they always went undercover anyways, with a fake occupation and such.
"Yeah. What about it?" Han placed his other hand under his chin and stared questionably to his brother-in-law.
"Slicers have found a way into the system..." There were many gasps at this point, from most of the people around the table. "...and instead of just recording information, they’ve made it so many of the systems record mannerisms, ways of life and memories."
An excited chatter sprung up over the table. Leia and Han nervously spoke to each other as Jag and Kyp exchanged sentences. Mara Jade Skywalker and Wedge Antilles twittered as Ben Skywalker toddled around the room. Everyone was in a rushed state.
"And no one has caught these slicers yet?" Leia interjected, speaking over everyone's whispers.
"That's the thing, we don't know who they are. We think there are only a few. And we have one of them." Luke pointed to the end of the room, where a quiet male was standing, his blue hair pulled back into a loose piece of string. "Zakarisz Ghent."
Virtually unnoticeable in the dark corner of the room, Ghent waved.
Mara nodded to him. She had wondered why he was there and now she knew.
Motioning Ghent to the front of the room, Luke backed up a few steps and let Ghent stand in his spot, where it would be easier for him to address everyone. Ghent looked a tad uncomfortable as he shoved his hands in his back pockets, but he seemed to address everyone with no problem.
"There are quite a few slicers who have pushed at this for awhile. They've been aiming to make something like Mindmaps, but we seem to be one of the first groups to actually get it done." He tucked a strand of hair behind his right ear and pushed his hand back into his pocket.
"How long has this been going on?" The worried tone had seeped into Leia's voice and Ghent knew how she felt. It made him feel a little guilty, but then again, he hadn't been the slicer who decided upon starting it, he had just been one of the one's to use it... and it was for the good of the Galactic Alliance anyways.
"The census started about two years after the fall of the Empire." Ghent took his hands out of his pockets, crossing his arms over himself. "I'd say they started slicing and getting personal information about a standard two year period after that."
Another collective gasp.
Ghent continued, rambling out a reassurance. "Any secrets you have wouldn't have been divulged. Your mind closes those off as just that, secret. And slicers haven't found a way past that mindblock yet." He paused, and then continued as everyone locked their eyes on him. "The idea of the Mindmap has been thrown around for at least a decade and I believe we're the first ones to actually create one."
Ghent looked back to Danni, who nodded to him and winked, proud of his ability to ramble on forever about technical terms. She placed her hands on her hips and stepped up beside him, tilting her head towards the holo-projector. The images of eight people floated over the pedestal. "We've only created eight Mindmaps and we're working on a couple more." She took a breath and then gasped, as if she had just remembered something. "And once you've made a Mindmap of someone, one can't be made again."
She was returned with inquisitive stares.
"Once the memories and mannerisms have been pulled from the slicer's databank, we're afraid pulling them anymore would result in deletion... or detection from the other slicers."
She got a few nods, but most people were still staring absently at her, letting everything settle in their heads --- or staring at the portraits of the eight beings floating over the holo-projector.
Ghent stood on one side of the pedestal, Danni stood on the other and Luke stood behind it; and they began unraveling each Mindmap's story. The holo-projector changed images.
...
A pair of twi'leks dance upon a stage, their green skin gleams in the dim light as they smile and laugh.
This is Carithma and Solana Xel. Their last census entry was taken the year the Solo twins were born. They both died during a street fight on one of the lower levels of Coruscant. They were dancers at a rundown club on those levels, and a bright spot for many people who lived in the slums. They had cheery attitudes and always stayed positive, no matter how bleak their lives appeared.
A close-up shot of the two and they giggle and motion about something with their hands. The image changes and two smiling portraits of different people appear. A human and a twi'lek.
These Mindmaps were given to Alema Rar and Jaina Solo, respectively. Alema taking Carithma's role as the older sister.
...
A chandra-fan sits at a table, silently sipping a drink. Her ears twitch as she hears a noise. She jumps out of the chair and spins around, her blaster ready.
Zenta Celos. A chadra-fan from Nar Shaddaa. She was quiet, an upstanding informant for the Galactic Alliance, she was killed by a member of the Peace Brigade during the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, for standing up for herself.
A portrait of a different chadra-fan fades into view.
This Mindmap was given to Tekli.
...
A growl sounds as a wookiee jumps into view and begins to dance. He has shaggy brown fur and atop his head, many streaks of his fur are multi-colored. Six belts and holsters reside around his waist, and they shake up and down as he thrashes around.
Chuzz was a fun-loving and outgoing wookiee. He was the owner of Carithma and Solana Xel. He treated them incredibly well and they were like sisters to him. He was emotionally crushed when they were killed, which was only weeks after the census that year. And days later he committed suicide.
The image of the jumping wookiee vanishes and is replaced with the portrait of a suave, grinning wookiee.
Chuzz was given to Lowbacca.
...
A tail lashes across the view as a malicious looking barabel skitters into view, blasters in both of his scaly claws. He slips behind the corner of a durasteel wall and draws in a deep breath.
This is Gren Tenya. An exceptionally mean looking barabel, as you can see. He was actually an extremely pleasant fellow to get along with. This is just footage from a mission infiltrating the Peace Brigade. He and Zenta, along with another you'll be seeing in a moment --- all worked with the New Republic and the Galactic Alliance to try to get to the bottom of the Peace Brigade's tricks. His group of himself, Zenta Celos and Eiji Dromed proved to be very helpful, getting many bits of information to us before they were split up and ultimately killed.
The barabel is seen whispering to a red-haired, pale skinned girl who has snuck up beside him. They both run out of view and the image melts into the toothy grin of another barabel.
Gren was assigned to Tesar Sebatyne.
...
A mass of red hair is seen dashing by as the image focuses on the girl, eyes alert, lips curled in a sneer.
This is Eiji Dromed. A feisty girl who worked very closely with Zenta Celos and Gren Tenya. She was split up from the other two and captured, only to be taken to Yuuzhan'tar afterwards as a slave and killed.
The girl is mouthing words to her companion, who snakes into view. Her companion is Gren Tenya. The two give each other a quick comradely hug and sneak separate ways as the holo is washed away and replaced by a huge smile and bright green eyes, set in a face that is surrounded by a wavy mass of blonde hair.
Tahiri Veila received the Eiji Mindmap.
...
Chocolate brown eyes blink as a face takes up the whole holo. A tongue sticks out between thin lips as a smirk shows and the face gets smaller as the camera backs up. A man with an exceptionally adorable babyface that's framed in deep burgundy hair is shown. He mouths words to the camera and laughs as his friend dives into the camera's way.
Tessick Ladreen. He was a hired bounty hunter and assassin. A fact that slipped through the census every year. The slicer's obviously found this out. Tessick was a ladies man, always putting women's needs in front of his own. He also put his close friend's needs in front of his own...
The person who distracted Tessick stands up and plops himself down on the couch beside him, in front of the camera. They both laugh and tackle each other, throwing fake punches into each other's stomachs.
The man with the crimson hair stands and leaves the frame, leaving his friend alone on the couch. His friend is a raven-haired male. Black hair with an emerald streak and sharp gray eyes. He stares at the camera, a cold glare. An exceptionally wicked grin crosses his face...
Kaidin Serasai. Tessick's fellow bounty hunter and assassin. He is of a violent nature, if you get to be on his bad side. A few standard months after the census two years ago, Kaidin drowned Tessick in a lake on Hapes. We'll never know why since there was no census taken before Kaidin died somehow shortly thereafter.
The man's evil smile breaks into a hysterical laugh as his babyfaced companion jumps back into view, singing a song. Their images fade and two portraits appear. A man with shoulder-length black hair and a slight grin; beside him, a man of around the same age with a warm smile and a shaggy mess of brown hair.
Tessick Ladreen was assigned to Zekk Arkenna and Kaidin Serasai went to Jacen Solo.
...
Leia Organa Solo leaned into her husband's shoulder and squeezed tears from her eyes. This was footage of real people. She had just watched holos of these unfortunate people who had died and were now being used as disguises for the Galactic Alliance. Part of her thought it was a brilliant idea... and part of her was insanely scared of it.
Her children and their friends were out there.
Her children and their friends...
"Where are they?!" Jaina Solo stood at the windows of the living area, her arms crossed. "I can't feel them!"
"They're closing each other off from the Force, therefore, they're shutting us out too." Zekk inhaled deeply through his nose, the smell of sweat permeating his system.
The group lingered around the open living and dining areas, sprawled out on chairs, leaning against the countertops, standing beside the windows. And suddenly, Jacen and Tenel Ka's force presences flared awake inside of everyone's minds.
"They're on the roof." Alema exclaimed.
Gadell Vessau pushed himself off of the countertop and dashed over to the balcony door, practically screaming as he felt Tenel Ka in his head. "Not anymore!"
Within seconds everyone had scrambled either out onto the balcony, or over to the windows, only to see a contrasting blur of black and white soar by, seemingly in slow motion. They watched as an airspeeder whizzed by, floors below them, catching the two people and then floating off as fast as it could.
Gadell, Jaina and Zekk, who were all leaning over the balcony railing screaming words so loud no one could understand, exchanged worried glances before retreating into the apartment to try to piece together what happened.
At least they knew that Jacen and Tenel Ka were safe.
But are they really?
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