Star Wars_ Darksaber - Kevin J. Anderson [46]
Durga chuckled with pleasure. “A good name, Engineer.”
Sulamar stood stiffly, pondering the possibilities. The expression on his face tightened with anticipation. “With such a weapon we will be invincible.” He smiled wolfishly at Durga. “We can collect protection money, taxes, whatever. We can hold entire systems hostage. No one will be able to stand against us.”
Durga grinned with his huge lips and slurped another mouthful of the gooey blue gelatin. “We can become the overlords of the galaxy!”
Bevel Lemelisk switched off the animation and shut down the glowing plans. “Yes, Lord Durga—you probably can.”
MULAKO CORPORATION
PRIMORDIAL WATER
QUARRY
CHAPTER 15
Hyperspace—en route to a destination Luke Skywalker fervently hoped would become a place of self-discovery, a time to recapture the inner sharing he had experienced with Callista.
He eased back in the piloting chair of the unmarked space yacht they had flown from Coruscant. He sighed with quiet contentment, happy just to be alone with Callista—no pressures, no worries, and no mission other than to find her Force ability again. He looked over at her in the seat beside him, and she gazed back with impenetrable gray eyes. Invisible doors had locked down, allowing him to see Callista only as others saw her, without the added clues and mysteries of the Force.
She smiled, and he wanted to kiss her. Her cropped blond hair showed streaks of a darker malty brown color that lent a wildness to her appearance.
“I’ve picked out a special place for us to go,” Luke said. “A great spot. I think you’ll like it.”
Callista shrugged. “You’re the Jedi Master. Lead me and I’ll follow.”
Luke raised his eyebrows. “That doesn’t sound like the Callista I fell in love with.”
She clasped his hand. “Then let’s go find her and bring her back.”
The ship flew through hyperspace on its automatic course. Luke got up from his seat and held out his hand. Callista stood beside him. She was tall, long-legged, and very attractive. Luke reached forward and tenderly cupped his palms around her cheeks, holding Callista’s face in his hands as he looked deeply into her eyes.
She looked back, unblinking. “Are you trying to probe me with the Force?”
Luke shook his head slightly, not releasing her from his gaze. “No,” he said. “I just wanted to look at you.”
But the moment was broken. He took her hand and led her to the common area behind the pilot compartment. “Let’s try a few things,” he said, “some learning techniques that worked for the other Jedi trainees.”
“But we’ve been through those already,” Callista said in frustration.
“Not like this,” he answered. “You’re different from my other students—apart from the fact that I love you, of course,” he added with a wry smile. “You’ve already been trained as a Jedi Knight. You know the techniques … you just can’t use them anymore. But there is one thing you can still use.”
“What?” Callista said, baffled as to what he planned.
He went to the rectangular wall compartment where he stowed his personal effects and withdrew two cylinders. He tossed one to Callista, and she deftly snatched it out of the air. “Let’s try a little lightsaber fencing,” he said. “It’ll get you thinking and moving like a Jedi again. Maybe that’ll be a start.” He switched on his weapon, and the green energy blade extended.
Callista looked down at her own lightsaber, intimidated.
Luke smiled encouragingly. “Come on, I’m not asking you to deflect blaster bolts with your eyes closed. Watch me, anticipate my moves. You don’t have to use the Force—just use your eyes and your reflexes.”
Callista drew a deep breath. Her eyes flashed with determination, and she switched on her own weapon. The snap-hiss from both blades sizzled through the enclosed common area. Her lightsaber shone with the rich sun yellow of topaz, and she looked past her shimmering blade to Luke. “You know this is dangerous,” she said.
He crossed