Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 06_ Vortex - Denning Troy [136]
“Barrier … field!” He could barely choke out the words, for the Ubuuri’s bolts were erupting against the cliff barely a heartbeat after they streaked past. “Look at the cannon—”
Their nose rose so fast they nearly went into a loop. Luke eased the yoke forward, and the Shadow climbed toward the azure sky, running parallel to the cliff—then began to buck and shudder as a shock wave hit them from behind. He fought to regain control for a moment, then glanced at the tactical display and saw the Obuuri’s designator symbol vanishing into the bright red circle of a heat blossom.
“Where did that barrier field come from?” Taalon demanded. “Why doesn’t the tactical display show it?”
“Maybe it’s some kind of Force wall,” Khai suggested.
“It must be something like that,” Luke replied. “What happened to Ship? Did we get it?”
“Our missiles were diverted,” Khai said. “But how do you know you were firing at Ship instead of some other sphere?”
“Just a feeling.”
“I think you have many feelings you haven’t been sharing,” Taalon said, his voice cold with suspicion. “Feelings that might have saved the Obuuri, had you shared them earlier.”
“Sorry, I was kind of busy,” Luke said. “Next time, maybe you should trust me to fly my own ship.”
“Not likely, Master Skywalker,” Taalon said. “In fact, I don’t trust you now. We will run for shore and call for reinforcements.”
Luke shook his head. “And give the Fallanassi more time to prepare?” Outside the canopy, the green-fringed rim of the cliff flashed past, and then the Shadow was climbing into an empty sky. “If you do that, it won’t matter how many Sith you bring.”
“The decision is not yours,” Taalon said. “You will return to shore, or Ben will dieooooaaagh!”
Taalon’s threat broke into an outcry as Luke dropped their nose and reduced thrust, decelerating so sharply that he was thrown against his crash harness. Even so, the Shadow was halfway across the island before they were traveling slow enough to see that the surface lay smothered beneath club moss and tree ferns. One edge of the cliff was cut by the fungus-filled fissure of an old stairwell, which ascended to the top of the plateau and became a mossy channel meandering toward a distant cluster of hummocks. As the Shadow continued forward, the hummocks began to take the form of cone-shaped huts and long gathering halls with half-barrel roofs. Atop the largest hall, a column of yellow fumes was leaking into the air through a bare patch of stacked stone.
“This is the home of the Fallanassi?” Khai asked. Clearly, he was now able to see the island as plainly as Luke was. “It looks like Abeloth’s planet in the Maw!”
“At least we know we’re in the right place.” Luke continued to decelerate, at the same time trying to decide how he could confirm that his passengers were seeing the same island he was—rather than a slightly different illusion. “What are those mounds at the other end of the island?”
“Their village, obviously.” Taalon’s voice filled with menace. “If you trick me again, Skywalker, Ben will be the first to die.”
“Not if you are,” Luke replied. “Tell your warriors to ready themselves.”
“Sith are always ready,” Khai replied. “You are not going to remind us that the Fallanassi are pacifists?”
“No,” Luke said. “I’ve given you warning enough.”
Khai’s brows arched with curiosity, but they were already approaching the village, and Luke used the excuse to break eye contact without elaborating. He landed in a mossy area that appeared to be the village circle, in front of the large hall that was leaking the yellow fumes.
The Shadow was still settling onto her struts when a soft informational chirp announced that the boarding ramp had been lowered. By the time Luke had popped the release on his crash harness, Sith warriors were already racing out to establish a defensive perimeter. Unlike Jedi warriors, who would have had their blasters in hand and ready to fire under such