He turned back to the datascreens, dismissing the Padawans as though they were naughty children who had interrupted his work.

"Can you tell us who has access to this information?"

Ferus asked. Anakin was surprised at his polite tone. How could he let Galen get away with patronizing them?

"The upper ministers of government had access," Galen answered without turning. "And now I do. Why?"

"Is there anyone who would release that information?"

Ferus asked.

Galen gave a weary sigh and turned around in his chair.

"No, of course not," he said. "It's classified. Sensitive.

If people knew in what order they would be evacuating, violence could erupt. The people at the bottom of the list will try to push themselves forward. I won't post the lists until immediately before the ships arrive." Galen looked at the Jedi curiously. "If there is something wrong, you must tell me. I am in charge of the city's security. I don't want the job, but I'm the only qualified one left."

"I'm afraid we have reason to believe that the raiders have information about the evacuation," Ferus answered. "We believe they are planning to plunder the homes of those who are leaving the planet."

Galen looked at them sharply. "Are you sure about this?"

At Ferus's nod, he shook his head. "Still, at least they will have their lives."

"But they will return to nothing," Darra said.

"If we can return." Galen looked away. "I have a feeling our beloved planet is lost to us for good."

"You don't know that," Ferus said. "The toxin could have a half-life."

"We don't have time to investigate that," Galen snapped.

"Don't you think we have enough to do?"

"We are not accusing you," Ferus said politely.

"Maybe not. But you are wasting my time. I am trying to save lives here." Galen waved at the datascreen.

"We need to find out who passed the information along,"

Anakin said in a forceful tone. He was tired of letting Ferus ask all the questions. He was getting nowhere with that polite tone. "Whoever it was wanted to foster instability on the planet. I don't call investigating that a waste of time. Do you?"

"Hey, there's no reason to jump down my throat, kid."

Galen held up two hands, as if to fend Anakin off. "Look, I'd like to help. But there's really no way to tell who passed on the information. Many of the ministers have gone to Coruscant. Some have scattered to other worlds to wait out the catastrophe in comfort." He frowned at them. "You're not thinking of leaving now that you've lost your Masters, are you?"

"We haven't lost them," Anakin snapped.

Ferus interrupted smoothly. "No, we're not leaving. We're to remain until the evacuations take place. Don't worry. And we've destroyed many of the Prototype Droids that the raiders were using."

"You kids did?" Galen looked impressed. "Maybe things are looking up." Suddenly the communicator sputtered to life. It crackled and buzzed, but they could hear a voice calling for Galen to answer.

He quickly adjusted the chair to swing over to the comm unit. "Galen here. Galen here. Do you read? Do you read?"

"Ships. . evacuation. . engine shutdown needs repair. ." The words came out in bursts of static "Delay.

Do you copy?"

"The ships are delayed? How long?" Galen asked desperately. "How long?"

But the comm unit went dead.

Galen turned to the Padawans. His face was pale. "That was the communication line of the Senate ship. Even a short delay will be fatal. The winds will shift in twelve hours.

Without those ships, we're dead."

Chapter Eleven

In the Isolation Sector, the Jedi Masters met outside the med center to check in. Soara and Ry-Gaul were also hesitant about Dol Heep's offer.

"The planet is extremely vulnerable now," Soara said. "One day the survivors will want to return, if they can. They should return to intact homes and businesses."

"This will take further study," Siri said soberly.

Ry-Gaul nodded.

Just then Curi hurried out of the building. "I've received a communication from the evacuation ships. It wasn't very clear, but I do know this — the ships have been delayed. How long, I don't know."

The Jedi exchanged glances. Obi-Wan reached for his comlink and tried to contact Anakin. He was unsuccessful. He jammed it back into his belt with unnecessary force. Siri glanced at him, then turned back to the others.

"Now we must take Dol Heep's offer seriously," said worriedly. "Lives are at stake."

"The prevailing winds will shift in twelve hours," Obi-Wan said. "We have to make a decision very soon."

"By the way, we encountered something interesting," Soara said. "We found someone who has been unaffected by the toxin."

Curi's worried expression changed to intent curiosity.

"What do you mean?"

"A Radnoran named Wilk sneaked back into the Isolation Sector to see his wife two days ago. He didn't have a bio- iso suit. His wife died, but he is completely healthy."

"He has no symptoms at all?" Curi asked. "Are you sure?"

"We brought him here," Soara told her. "We were just about to look for you."

"We must study him," Curi said, her voice rising with excitement. "He could have some sort of built-in immunity.

This could help us." She frowned. "I only have a few researchers here. My scientific skills are rusty, but we need to investigate this."

"There isn't much time," Obi-Wan told her.

For the first time since they'd met her, Curi smiled.

"Then I'd better get started."

She turned and rushed back into the building.

A voice suddenly boomed out from behind them, "Jedi! Glad to find you here."

It was Dol Heep. The Jedi bowed to him politely.

"You haven't been back to speak to us as you promised,"

Dol Heep said. "We don't understand this lack of courtesy."

"We have been busy with the sick," Siri said.