d edge of desperation. It must have appeared more like
sheer terror to the officer beside her, because he dismissed the other
two. "Go on in. She will give me no trouble; she is too afraid."

They obeyed. As they entered the building, the leader climbed out of
the cruiser, clipped his blaster to his belt, and extended a hand to
help his trembling prisoner.

That was when Corina struck. He had relaxed his shield slightly,
thinking her powerless, and she had no trouble stunning him with
darlas. Awkwardly, hampered by the way her hands were fastened and by
her need for haste, she dug through his sporran for the handcuff key
and fumbled it into the lock. The cuffs opened after what seemed
hours, but could have been only seconds. Then she retrieved her
soul-blade from his belt, half tempted to use it on him. She refrained;
he had pitied her, and the killing would not be justified. Self-defense
was commendable, but she could not kill one who was unable to defend
himself. She did, however, increase the mental pressure on him enough
to insure he would remain unconscious for at least an hour. Then she
sensed one of the other Sanctioners returning, wondering idly what was
keeping Garal and the prisoner.

She straightened and left at a fast walk, was around the corner and out
of sight before he spotted Garal's unconscious form. She tightened her
shield, feeling probes as the Sanctioner alerted the others. Although
she knew it would make her conspicuous, she broke into a run. She had
to reach the park that encircled the Planetary Palace before the
Sanctioners caught her again. That was Imperial territory; Irschchan
jurisdiction ended at the park's edge. She just hoped that legality
would stop the Sanctioner.

The park was in sight, less than a hundred meters away, but the
Sanctioner who had found Garal was fast closing the distance between
them. Corina risked a quick glance back, saw him stop, crouch, and draw
his blaster. She increased her speed somehow and started dodging. It
might take her a few seconds longer to reach the park, but she would be
harder to hit.

She heard the frying noise of the blaster, felt heat as the bolt singed
fur on her right arm. A second shot missed completely as she dove into
the park and rolled into a stand of purple-leafed bushes. A third bolt
went overhead, then the Sanctioner returned the blaster to his belt and
called to her.

"You have made it to Imperial territory, Losinj