Chinew's Chapter 6

[Aella]

Alex lay awake in his cell. Tension had built among the inmates during the night and low whispers could be heard from cell blocks down. He knew not was going on but everyone was restless.

Guards had been coming in all night, taking people from their cells and returning them bloodied. Nobody would say what they were looking for.

The cell door to Thomas and Alex's prison slid open. Two armed guards came in. "You." The guard pointed to Alex. "Stay put."

Alex stared at him.

"You," He pointed to Thomas, now awake and confused, "Come with us."

"What?" Thomas was still waking up. The guards pulled him from his bunk and half dragged him out the door.

"You're friend will be back shortly."

"Why is he being taken?"

"The same reason you will be momentarily."

"And what is that?"

"Conspiracy to escape."

Alex's mind raced. Had they overheard his words to Alex? How many people had Thomas told? Or did they just suspect the entire cell block? He did the only thing he could think of.

"On what grounds does this accusation stand?"

"You'll see when your turn comes now shut up."

Alex sat up on his bunk and fidgeted. What did they know?

Thomas was thrown down into a plastic chair in an empty room. He had been bagged so he did not know how he came to be here or what door they had used. He was almost positive though that it did not require two ID cards to get into this wing.... That left only one door to try.

"Thomas is it?"

"Yes." Thomas looked at the man sitting across from him. He had on a white uniform and had placed his gun in font of him on the table. His fingers were crossed and lying seemingly relaxed on his stomach.

"Do you know why you are here?"

Thomas had no clue.

"Did you or did you not befriend a pirate scum named John?"

No use in lying. "I did."

"And did he ever explain to you a plan to escape?"

"No sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes sir."

"What do you know of any planned prison riots?"

"None sir. Alex and I are new here, John was the only one we have had interaction with."

Out of pure nervousness he had started calling the rebel scum sir. But it was his demeanor that made him do so. The man's unnerving calm made one uneasy, his uniform... now he recognized it. They had designed it to look like an imperial officer. Of course, what would be a more unnerving sight than that of the most powerful force in the galaxy?

"Hmm." He scratched something onto a note pad in his lap. "Very well. That is all I needed you for. Oh and guard, don't bother to bring the Alex one in here."

Th rebels hadn't found out about their plan, in fact their situation had just gotten better. The rebels were nervous about a riot, which clearly f they were still questioning people they hadn't found out when it was suppose to happen. If they played their cards right they could wait for the other prisoners to stir up enough chaos that they could slip out unnoticed, for a little while at least.... maybe long enough to get through that double door.

Thomas slipped back into his bunk and waited for the guards to clear out.

"We're ok." He mouthed silently to Alex.

Alex nodded. He trusted Thomas's judgment and knew he would explain tomorrow.