Star Wars_ Coruscant Nights 01_ Jedi Twilight - Michael Reaves [27]
“Eliminated. So the Force has told me.” Vader made a dismissive gesture. “The remaining Jedi are of no concern to me. Their eventual final disposition is inevitable. Don’t you agree?”
The Elomin nodded jerkily. “Oh, yes … of course, Lord Vader, there is no question of—”
“With one exception,” Vader continued, that silky, menacing voice immediately squelching any opinion Rhinann might have dared to offer. “A Jedi named Jax Pavan.” Vader seemed to pause for a moment, as if considering, though the respirator’s cycle made no change. “He is in the Yaam Sector,” the Dark Lord continued. “I cannot pinpoint his location more specifically without the possibility of alerting him to my interest. Therefore, you will find this Jedi, and arrange for him to be brought to me, Rhinann.” The honeyed tones became contemplative, almost introspective. “He and I have … issues.”
“Y-yes, my lord. But, by your leave … the Yaam Sector is still a huge area to search. More specificity would be most—”
Rhinann regretted the statement almost immediately, but there was no way to take it back. Vader did not reply at once; he simply looked at his aide, and the effect was like that of a crystal snake’s gaze on its prey. The Elomin could not move. Vader raised his right hand in a small gesture, and Rhinann felt a slight pressure around his throat. The paralyzing effect of Vader’s gaze vanished at the same time, but there was no longer any need for it; Rhinann had gone rigid with fear. It seemed to him that he could hear the triple thud of his six-chambered heart pounding, louder and louder … but then the sound and the choking sensation vanished, almost as soon as they had begun; he could scarcely be sure that he’d even experienced them at all.
Vader lowered his hand. “I trust your duties are clear?”
“Yes, Lord Vader. Absolutely. As my lord wishes, so shall it be.”
“Excellent. We are done here, Rhinann. When next we meet, I expect to hear good news. Do not disappoint me.”
The portal near Rhinann immediately slid open. Lord Vader turned away, and the Elomin exited, slightly quicker than dignity allowed.
Once out of the office and striding back toward the turbolift, he somewhat shakily took stock. It had not gone badly. Vader had acknowledged Piell’s elimination, however offhandedly, and had given him a new assignment—find the Jedi Jax Pavan.
No, not badly. Not badly at all … that phantom grip he’d felt for an instant about his throat? Nothing but his imagination. Nothing to be concerned about, Rhinann told himself as he entered the turbolift. Nothing to be concerned about at all.
Unless, of course, he did not find Jax Pavan immediately, if not sooner …
Jax waited tensely for the attack, for the flimsy door to be battered or blasted down. No matter how many of them there were, he would, at the very least, give a good accounting of himself. And he might very well come out of it alive. They could only come at him one or two at a time through the door. And, most importantly, he was a Jedi. No matter how many there were, they were no match for the Force.
It felt so good to be immersed in it once again, it was almost worth the fight. The threads seemed to tighten, drawing the troopers down the corridor and to the door …
Then, to his surprise, the attackers became the attacked.
Jax felt the reverberation along the Force strings as the stormtroopers reacted in confusion and surprise. Someone had come up behind them and fired a blaster, dropping the trooper bringing up the rear. The trooper next in line turned, only to be hit by another charged-particle blast.
Whoever this new player was, he was saving Jax’s life, whether inadvertently or not. And at this point, it didn’t matter.
Jax speared the lock mechanism with his lightsaber, kicked the door open, and leapt through it. Before the point man could fire, Jax’s blade lanced through his upper torso. The trooper dropped, and the man behind