Critical Mass

Chapter Four

Ring of Kafrene

"Are you sure you know how to do this?"

"Yes."

"Like...how well?"

Demo glanced up at the anxious hazel eyes staring at her in the mirror. She'd seen that fear and uncertainty before. In recruits, enemies, even veteran officers of the First Order. She had viewed such emotions with reserved disdain. They represented weakness, cowardice, a lack of faith in their doctrine, but in Galen, this was not the case. She understood his doubt and wanted to clear up the matter.

Her gaze returned to the task at hand, fingers deftly removing unnecessary components. "I spent years learning how to defuse various devices, inhibitor collars included. Yours is unique, but not unmanageable."

"Is there a bomb in it?"

"Most likely."

The way Galen froze told Demo she had erred. Honesty, it seemed, was not the best route. She could see the tenseness growing in his shoulders, and the fear returning to his eyes tenfold. For once in all her training, she had no idea how to react.

"It will be fine," Demo said quickly, the tone of her voice higher. Was she panicking herself? "There is no need to worry."

That seemed to have the opposite effect. He was starting to breathe harder. He couldn't flee – she'd used what credits she found to gain access to a room for the next few days – but that did not mean he wouldn't move away from her, and prevent her from finishing the work.

Desperate, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Galen. Nothing is going to happen to you."

The effect was instantaneous. The boy's breathing slowed, and his eyes closed as he composed himself.

"Okay."

Demo returned to work, sifting through the wiring she had exposed on the back of the collar. That was how Galen had wound up in front of the small mirror in the room: he wanted to watch her work. However, his eyes remained closed now, his hands balled into little fists.

Using the small blade she'd kept tucked in her boot, Demo quickly cut the wires, not taking a moment to second guess her choices. The training was all there. Her hands knew what to do, and despite the current mess she found herself in, she still trusted them. She had to, or she might very well lose it altogether.

When the last wire snapped, a hissing sound came from the collar, and a click.

Galen was free, and clearly aware as he grasped the collar and all but tore it from his neck, giving Demo little time to grab the thing before he rushed into the middle of the room and yippeed in joy. She let him continue his ridiculous affair, choosing not to berate him for nearly tossing a potentially unstable component, and examined the collar closely.

There was no bomb.

Demo blinked, rechecking her results, but her eyes were not lying to her. What she did find were several half-filled vials of a liquid she did not quite recognize. Whatever it was, it clearly hadn't had a negative impact on the boy.

She glanced at him, still celebrating his newfound freedom, and wondered what it all meant. Elements of his tale were not lining up in her mind, pieces she could only guess at, but guessing went against everything she had been taught. If nothing led her to the conclusion, it was better to leave it be.

And so, she did. She let Galen tire himself out while hiding the collar in one of the drawers of a provided dresser, and decided to leave that part of their journey behind them. Her goal had been to relieve him of the stress, and both of them of the curious looks they received. Mission accomplished.