PART 3

Hiseyes were riveted to something straight ahead of him.droplet fellfrom Maul's chin and hit the guard's helmet with a soft butaudible plop. The CO stiffened, tilted back his head, and lookedstraight up at Maul, the whites of his eyes reflecting yellowish redin the light spill.

"Ithought so," he said. "You know what? I don't even need thisblaster to take care of you." He indicated the dropbox strapped tohis belt. "I got your numbers plugged in already, maggot. I touchthis button, set off those bombs inside your chest, you're deadbefore you hit the floor."

"Where'sZero?" Maul asked.

"You'rekidding, right?" His fingers flickered over the switches of thebelt console, and Maul was almost positive that he hadn't yet heardthe noises at the far end of the walkway, whispers and footsteps thathad become steadily more audible over the past few seconds. "Youactually think he'd let you get the drop on him like this?" Nowthe CO's entire demeanor had changed, developing an edge, losingwhatever playfulness it might have had. "You never had a chance."

"Idon't think so," Maul said.distant sounds were clearer now, thewhispering no longer bothering to keep itself stealthy, the footstepsno longer muffled. Maul watched as the CO started to react, the mancaught completely by surprise by what was happening, but it wasalready too late. A storm of stomping feet came thundering downthrough the passage, an avalanche of noise clanging off the metal andshaking the length of the corridor from end to end. From either sideof the walkway below, the sudden roar of inmates' voices filled theclosed space with howls and bellows of rage.