CHAPTER TEN
The shrieking screams of pain that echoes throughout Ahto City were enough to make Kyle Katarn cringe. He and the others were situated in one of the many apartments rooms in the West Central. At the far end of the room, opposite of the door, was Nuuba, tied to a chair as HK-47, the droid whom Kyle had recently discovered, pressed a piece of red-hot metal against exposed skin on the Glorian's arm.
"Warning: Each time you do not give me a satisfying answer, I will brand your arm until it goes numb," HK-47 said. "Then I'll brand your other arm. Then your chest. And then perhaps your face."
"Nothing you do will make me talk!" Nuuba shouted, trying to mask his pain and fear with defiance. "You might as well kill me now and get it over with!"
"Query: But what is the fun in that?" HK-47 leaned in closely to the Glorian, lightly pressing the brander on to his arm. "Whether you will talk or not, at least I will get pleasure out of doing this."
The droid presses the heated piece of metal harder and Nuuba let out an agonized scream.
"Statement: Your cries of pain are like a melody to my audio receptors."
"That's enough, HK," Kyle snapped. The droid immediately stopped as it turned to face him, its photoreceptors filled with what looked like contempt.
"Retort: You said I was allowed any methods necessary to interrogate him."
"Yes, but I didn't say you could kill him," Kyle retorted. "We need answers, and he's the only one who can provide them. He can't do so if he's dead."
HK-47 glowered at the Jedi Master. "Query: I suppose you have something better in mind?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." Kyle walked past the droid and up to the restrained Glorian, crouching down to be at eye level with him.
"Earlier, you said that telling us the fates of Manaan's inhabitants would delve into your plans, which you clearly value more than your life. But I'm not asking you to explain your plans, even though it would be nice to know. All I'm asking is a simple 'yes-or-no' question."
Nuuba stared blankly at him, prompting Kyle to continue. "Is there anyone else besides you and your friends here in Ahto City, or on Manaan at all?"
At first, Nuuba simply stared at him, any emotion being hidden by his mask. Finally, much to Kyle's surprise, the Glorian gave him a somewhat satisfying answer.
"No."
Kyle nodded. "All right then. I guess we're done here."
Just as he stood up, Nuuba suddenly said, "I want you to kill me."
The Jedi Master gave him a bemused look. "Pardon?"
"I want you to kill me," Nuuba repeated. "My masters will do so anyway. Not just because I answered your question, but because I have failed my part of the plan."
The Glorian looked up at him and for the first time, Kyle heard a tint of sadness and perhaps remorse in his voice. "I have nothing worth living for, at least not anymore. Please...end it."
Before Kyle could respond, HK-47 brought out a large blaster rifle and fired seven shots into Nuuba's chest. The Glorian slumped forward in his seat and did not move again.
Kyle glared at the droid. "You sure do have a cold, cruel heart..."
"Correction: I do not have what you call a 'heart.' The closest thing I would have in regards to what I just did would be a 'guilt protocol'. However, I have had that disabled long ago."
Kyle couldn't do anything but roll his eyes. "Whatever."
To the rest of his team, he said, "Let's head back for the ship. We're done here on Manaan."
HK-47 tilted his head. "Query: Would you mind if I accompanied you? It's clear that we share an enemy as well as an objective. It would only make sense if we...teamed up."
Kyle eyed the droid skeptically. "Do I still have your promise that you won't kill any of my friends?"
"Recollection: If I recall correctly, I do not think I promised anything." HK-47 paused for a moment before adding, "However, considering you have done nothing to provoke any violent action from me, and since you are a lesser threat compared to the Glorians...I suppose you have my word."
"Good to know," Arek muttered, already heading for the door. "Always want to be reassured by a trigger-happy assassin droid. Now let's get the heck off this planet."
* * *
As General Creno made his way back to his spacecraft, he suddenly felt a sharp jab of pain in his head. For a brief second that felt like a minute, he saw through the eyes of Nuuba, one of the ones in charge of the operation on Manaan. Through his eyes, he watched as an HK-series assassin droid raised its blaster rifle at Nuuba's chest. He watched as the droid fired the weapon seven times.
Then everything went black.
Creno cursed. First Dantooine and Tatooine, and now Manaan. Three out of the five initial operations had failed and if he didn't hurry, Kasyyyk would be next.
He had to get this information out to the Emperor, hopefully through General Starka once he got back to the ship to answer the Supreme Commander's call. And if he didn't, then the Reunification was doomed.
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