• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"I will always trust you, Depa."

Sudden tears sparkled again in her eyes, and she turned her face away.

"How many times are you going to make me save your life?"

"Just this once more," he said. "You can come with me, or you can watch me die. Your choice."

Her shoulders twitched, and shook, and Mace for a moment thought she might be sobbing, but then her soft dry chuckle reached his ears.

"I have missed you, Mace." Her eyes sparkled with tears. "I can't tell you how I've missed you. Of course you knew exactly the spot where my defenses would crumble. But I'm not your real problem," she said tiredly.

"What are you going to do about Kar?"

"You're my only problem," Mace told her. "I found your shatter-point; do you think I'd miss his?"

"I think he doesn't have one."

"That," said Mace Windu, "remains to be seen."

"You and your shatterpoints." Her sad smile was dazzling on her tearstained face. "Who but Mace Windu would think to take him-^hostage?"

Mace's head twitched to the right in a Korun shrug. "I was the only one available."

Mace leapt lightly down from the ankkox. "Kar Vaster. We need to talk."

We do not. Vaster did not meet his eyes. As you said: the next time we meet, there may be a fight.

"What I said was," Mace replied lazily, "the next time we're alone together, there may be a fight. But I gave you too much credit. I mean, that is why you brought all your puppies along, isn't it? You certainly didn't seem interested in standing up to me without them."

Vastor's head turned like a steamcrawler's gun turret. What?

"You have a problem with me?" Mace spread his hands. "I'm right here."

Tendons in Vastor's neck cranked his head down a centimeter at a time.

She doesn't want you hurt.

"Depa? Do you plan to hide behind her forever?" Mace folded his arms.

"Always find a reason to back down, don't you? I admire your...

creativity."

The Akk Guards stared.

All twelve akk dogs hunched and coiled their haunches, tails whipping forward past their shoulder spines: ready to pounce. Vaster snarled and lunged convulsively past Mace. He snatched Nick's arm and hauled the young Korun to his feet, holding him out toward Mace.

"Hey, y'know, ow, huh?"

I have grassers saddled and supplied. Take them and the boy and go.

His filed-sharp teeth seemed to glow in the vine-lit gloom. Take them and live.

"You know," Mace said, "I don't much care for your tone."

Vastor's eyes widened. His mouth worked silently.

"And take your hand off my aide. Now."

Vaster found his voice: a roar of black rage. A violent shove sent Nick stumbling forward. Only a grab at Mace's shoulders kept him on his feet.

He looked up into the Jedi Master's eyes and gave him a sickly grin.

"Remember that question I wasn't gonna ask anymore?"

GO. Vastor's roar carried tectonic power. Go before I forget my promise to spare you.

Mace turned to one of the Akk Guards. "Does he always yammer like this?

He'd quiet down if you got him fixed."

The guard went pale. He shook his head urgently. "Really, really don't want to talk to Kar like this, you. Really really really."

"Oh, right. Sure. He's not so good with Basic." Mace hooked his thumbs inside his vest.

Tendons stood out like cables in the lor peleKs neck. His shimmering rage went scarlet, glowing in the twilit gloom, as though his skin were lava pouring from a volcano's mouth.

Slowly, deliberately, his left hand tucked behind the shield on his right arm. He pulled it down into fighting position, carefully avoiding its razor edges. Just as slowly and deliberately, he did the same with the other.

Muscle rippled in his arms as he squeezed the handgrips, and the shields whined to life. He brought them together back to back, generating an earsplitting squeal that made even the akk dogs flinch.

From behind Mace's shoulder, Nick whispered, "Are you sure I'm not allowed to wet myself?"

Mace walked calmly out of the center of the ring, straight toward Vaster,