Star Wars_ Shatterpoint - Matthew Woodring Stover [21]
He set the lightsaber on the table and spun it like a bottle. Mace could feel its whirl in the Force: feel exactly how to touch it with his mind, to lift it and trigger it and set it flashing upon Colonel Geptun, to slay or hold hostage, or to slash through the restraints that held him in the binder chair-He let it spin.
The two shooters standing ready at the far end of the corridor made sense to him now.
His lightsaber's spin took on a wobble, slowed, and trickled to a stop, its emitter centered on his breastbone. "I believe that means you're It,"
Geptun said.
A neat trick. Mace measured him again. The colonel endured his scrutiny blandly. "Geptun," Mace said, "could be a Korun name."
"And in fact it is," the colonel admitted cheerily. "My paternal grandfather came out of the jungle some seventy-odd years ago. This, ah, is not discussed. You understand. Not in polite society."
"Is that something you still have here? Polite society?"
Geptun shrugged. "My name's only a mild handicap. Maybe that trace of Korun blood is what makes me too proud to change it."
Mace nodded, more to himself than to the other. If the man had enough Force-touch to control the lightsaber's spin, he might easily have enough to conceal his intentions. Mace revised his threat assessment from Low to Unknown. "What do you want from me?"
"Well. That's the real question, isn't it? There are a variety of things you could do for me. You could, say, be a substantial boost to my career.
A Jedi? Even your basic Jedi grunt might be valuable, to the right people. I mean, I've captured an enemy officer here, haven't I? The Confederacy might reward me handsomely for you. In fact, I know they would. And maybe even give me a medal." He tilted his head: a humorous sidelong look. "You don't seem concerned by the possibility."
If he were planning to turn Mace over to the Separatists, Geptun wouldn't be here. Mace waited. Silently.
"Ah, it's true," the colonel sighed after a moment. "I'm not political.
And there's something else you might be able to do for me."
Mace kept waiting.
"Well. I see it like this. Here I have a Jedi. Probably an important Jedi, since we caught him next to the corpse of the planetary chief of Republic Intelligence." He winked at Mace again. "Oh, yes: Phloremirlla and I were old friends. Friends too long to let political differences come between us, eh?"
"I'm sure she'd be gratified by your obvious grief."
Geptun took this without a blink. It didn't even dent his smile. "Tragic.
After so many years in so many dangerous places, to be cut down by a stray blaster bolt. Collateral damage. Merely a bystander. Hardly innocent, though, was she?"
It was possible, Mace reflected, that he might come to profoundly dislike this man. "If your men hadn't shot me, she'd still be alive."
He chuckled. "If my men hadn't shot you, I wouldn't have the pleasure of your company tonight."
"And has this pleasure been worth your friend's life?"
"That remains to be seen." Their gazes locked for a full second. Mace had seen lizards with more expressive eyes. Predatory lizards.
He revised his threat assessment again. Upward.
Geptun shifted his weight like a man getting comfortable after a large meal. "So. Back to this Jedi in question. I'm thinking this Jedi is also someone a little on the capable side. Even, perhaps, actively dangerous.
Since he answers the description of a fellow who broke several bones belonging to a pair of my best men."
"Those were your best? I'm sorry."
"So am I, Master Jedi. So am I. Well. I fell to wondering what business might possibly bring an important, dangerous Jedi like yourself to our little backworld of Haruun Kal. You would hardly have come so far just to commit petty assault upon peace officers. I fell to wondering if your business might possibly have something to do with another Jedi. One who seems to be running around upcoun-try, doing all sorts of un-Jedi-ish kinds of things.