Thud! A man in civilian clothes was thrown onto a metal frame that had once been a bed.
Hermit and Jango Fett stood beside the metal frame, staring at the man with deeply furrowed brows.
This was a civilian they had secretly abducted from Sundari. He had originally been a worker at a starship repair yard, still wearing durable work clothes and heat-resistant gloves.
What was even more astonishing was that he had not been knocked unconscious. He was fully awake, yet his gaze was vacant. Lying on that obviously uncomfortable metal frame, he showed no intention whatsoever of moving.
"Let's summarize what we've encountered so far," Hermit said. "First, weapons and attire. You disguised your armor as Death Watch gear and entered the city, yet every resident turned a blind eye to you, as though you did not exist. Second, the same thing happened when I entered directly. No one paid any attention to me. Third, when we were leaving the city, I took out a pistol and waved it around. People nearby immediately turned to stare at me, and Death Watch arrived very quickly. They must have learned what was happening here through some method."
"So this was citywide brainwashing?" Jango Fett asked. "And the method itself wasn't particularly sophisticated."
"After entering the city this time, I made a detour to the bar I visited last time," Hermit said. "Death Watch had people watching the area, but they did not spot me. Also, I noticed that the people inside the bar were sitting in exactly the same places and drinking exactly the same beverages as when I was there last time."
"You mean the residents of all Sundari are reliving the same day over and over?" Jango Fett said.
"That's right. And as you said, it's citywide brainwashing,