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INSIDE THE ELDERS’ PALACE

“Repeat, stand down!”

Darima Kedari paced back and forth. The emergency session of the Elder Governors was in chaos. They were shouting at one another, and finally Darima, the Chancellor, abandoned any effort at civility to his fellow Elders.

“Silence!” he bellowed, shaking his staff of office at them. “I cannot hear myself think!”

The moment they had been notified of the blasphemy, they had of course contacted their defenses in Treema. And they were on their way—such as they were. There were approximately five ships of any size that were in sufficiently good flying order that they would be of any use at all. The Governors could hire mercenaries among those visiting Treema, of course, but that took time, and the Fountain was being violated now. The Hutts had not left them much with which to defend themselves, assuring the Klatooinians that if the need arose, the Hutts would, per the treaty, come to protect them. Where were they now? An urgent signal had been sent, with the plea that would surely grab the attention of their masters:

The Fountain is being violated. Come at once.

All would now be thrown into chaos.

Anger and rage tore at his heart. This precious, exquisite thing, this symbol of beauty and strength and timelessness—blood was being spilt on it, strangers who had no love or understanding of it had come and simply taken what they wanted. How dare they!

“How did we not foresee this?” he cried, clenching his fists as he beheld the sacrilege.

“We never dreamed anyone would harm it,” said the frail, elderly female Mashu Tek Barik. Tears stood in her eyes. “It is forbidden to no one—we ask no payment to see it, even to touch it. We could not conceive of … this.”

She waved a bony hand in the direction of the Fountain.

“Where are the ships?” demanded someone else. “Where are the ships to defend the Fountain?”

“It is too late,” said Mashu softly. “It is done. It is done.”

And suddenly, the realization broke over Darima with an intensity so strong he broke out in a sweat and had to grasp the back of his chair. She was right. It was done.

“The Hutts will come” came another voice. Blood was thundering in Darima’s ears so he could not even tell who was speaking. “They will destroy these blasphemers. They will exact revenge for what they have done. They will pay. They will pay!”

Others murmured hopeful agreement, but Darima glanced over at Mashu. She was rocking back and forth slightly, staring at the light freighter that now opened to let the skiff return. Return with the blasphemers, with the wintrium they had stolen.

And he thought that Mashu was right.

ABOARD THE ROCKHOUND

“What do you mean, the rest have gone?”

Lando Calrissian was seated in a mobile levchair at the pilot’s station of the antique vessel, the Rockhound. He was glaring at one of the drop-down display screens that currently showed the head and shoulders of the purple Sith woman who had introduced herself as Captain Leeha Faal.

She smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, but it did not detract from her attractiveness. Sith.

“Your Master Skywalker was most insistent,” she said. “He felt that it would be better to have the fleet assembled and ready to proceed closer to the Maw itself. He left the Winged Dagger and the Starstalker behind in his stead. We are allies, Captain Calrissian.”

Allies, right. Sith flying around in frigates. “Of course, Luke told me he was working with you.” He was proud of himself. His smooth voice had lost none of its charm, even when he uttered words that unsettled—even disgusted—him. He gave her one of his best smiles, lifted his arms, and winked. “Well, here I am. Are you ready, Captain Faal?”

“We shall be momentarily,” she said, her voice soothing and easy on the ears. “The Starstalker should be here shortly. We will conduct our preflight check, and then we shall hasten to join our comrades outside the Maw.”

“That sounds fine,” Lando said. “Let me know when