Star Wars_ Death Star - Michael Reaves [116]
“You could get a job flying commercial spacecraft.”
“I had it in mind that if I survived, someday I would do that. But … not yet.”
She put her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. “You don’t always get your first choice in life. Things happen, you have to adjust. Nobody knows that better than I do.”
He nodded.
“But if you wanted to be an ace, now you are one. That’s something. Congratulations.”
“Well, a double ace, if you want get technical about it.”
“Oh, yeah, let’s you and me get technical, hey?”
Vil laughed. There was definitely something different about this one.
54
THE HARD HEART CANTINA, DECK 69, DEATH STAR
Ratua had trouble jamming his way into the cantina. It was packed, and he understood why. A lot of celebrating was going on. The encounter with the Rebel carrier was all over the station, and if the TIE pilots involved had been cocky before, they would be strutting a lot prouder after that victory.
He wasn’t political, and who won the war didn’t matter much to him, except that being here meant they’d be moving away from the prison world, and eventually back to civilization. And it would be the safest of safe rides. So all this was to the good.
He saw Memah working frenetically behind the bar. Even with all the droids and servers on duty, he knew he wouldn’t get much of a chance to visit with her this shift.
Ah, well. He certainly didn’t begrudge her the work. The crowd would thin, eventually.
Meanwhile, his latest scam was getting ripe. A few more days and he’d be rolling in credits. Well, maybe not. But certainly he’d have enough to cover the walls of his cube, with plenty left over to outfit the ceiling and deck.
ISD DEVASTATOR, OFF PLANET TATOOINE, ARKANIS SECTOR, WILD SPACE
“What is thy bidding, my Master?”
Vader kneeled in front of the holo projector, offering obeisance to the larger-than-life-sized image of the Dark Lord of the Sith.
As always, his Master’s voice was as brittle as crystalline hydrogen. “You have recovered the plans for the Death Star?”
“Not yet, Master. I know where they are and I’ll have them soon.”
“I have every faith in you, Lord Vader.”
Vader inclined his head in a military bow. He felt a sense of pride. Praise from his Master was infrequent, and therefore to be relished.
“I have dissolved the Imperial Senate,” Sidious continued. “You will return to the battle station and convey this to Tarkin.” He paused. “I want Tarkin to know how important I think this is, that I would send you in person.”
“Yes, my Master.”
“The station is nearly operational, and I would have it made completely so as soon as possible.”
“I will see to it.”
“And once you have gotten whatever information you can from Senator Organa, you will terminate her?”
“Yes.”
“Good, good. There are strange currents in the Force, Lord Vader, swirling about so that even I cannot see the future, save through a hazy pall. We must move with great care until things become clearer.”
“Yes, Master.”
The holo blinked off, and Vader stood. His Master’s expression of confidence notwithstanding, the conversation had been disquieting. The Emperor was the most powerful Sith in a thousand years, and he was always confident, always in control, able to manipulate complex situations as he saw fit with a celerity that was, to any uninitiated into the dark side of the Force, nothing less than astonishing. There were wheels within wheels, cogs great and small, and Emperor Palpatine was the master machinist who ran all of them.
And yet he had sounded concerned … What could possibly concern so powerful a personage?
Vader’s agents would recover the jettisoned escape pod from Tatooine. Meanwhile he had been ordered to go to the Death Star, and that was where he would go.
SUPERLASER FIRE CONTROL, THETA SECTOR, DEATH STAR
The CO looked grim, and Tenn understood why. He was feeling pretty grim himself. He would do his job, that wasn’t even in question—he was too much the career navy man to do anything else. But he had to say something.
“You’re serious?”
“Not really something I’d