Star Wars_ Splinter of the Mind's Eye - Alan Dean Foster [34]
The portrait that appeared on the screen was of an overweight, swarthy individual whose most outstanding feature was a series of chins falling in steps to the upper part of his shirt. Curly black hair, touched with white at the sides and dyed orange in a spiral pattern on top, crowned the face like seaweed on some water-worn boulder. Dark eyes squinted perpetually, their pink pupils ever sensitive to light. “I have work to do,” Governor Essada grunted in a porcine contralto. “Who calls and what for?”
With that smug, powerful visage looming over him on the screen, much of Grammel’s customary assurance melted away. His own words came out sounding shaky and subservient.
“It is only I, Governor, a humble servant of the Emperor, Captain-Supervisor Grammel.”
“I don’t know any Captain-Supervisor Grammel,” the voice said.
“I am in charge of the secret mining colony on Circarpous V, sir,” explained Grammel hopefully.
Essada paused momentarily, looked up from the tape he was inspecting. “I am familiar with the Imperial operations in that system,” he replied guardedly. “What business do you have that requires First Priority with me?” The huge bulk leaned forward. “It had better be important, Captain-Supervisor Grammel. I know you now.”
“Yes, sir.” Grammel bowed his head repeatedly to the screen. “It’s a matter involving two strangers who somehow set down here secretly. Two strangers and a peculiar bit of crystal they had in their possession. The people aren’t important, but as you, sir, are widely famed as an expert on unusual radiations, I thought perhaps—”
“Don’t waste my time with flattery, Grammel,” Essada warned. “Since the Emperor dissolved the Senate, we regional governors have been overwhelmed with work.”
“I understand, sir,” Grammel said hastily, rushing to gather up the tiny box containing the stone. He held it so that the vis-pickup in the room could see it. “Here it is.”
Essada peered at it. “Strange … I’ve never seen anything like that, Grammel. The radiation is generated from within?”
“Yes, sir, I’m certain.”
“I’m not,” the Governor replied, “but I admit it looks to be so. Tell me more about the people who had it.”
Grammel shrugged. “They’re nothing, probably just a couple of petty thieves who stole it, sir.”
“A couple of petty thieves penetrated and landed in secret on Circarpous V?” said the Governor disbelievingly.
“I think so, sir. A boy and a young woman …”
“Young woman,” Essada repeated. “We’ve heard rumors from Circarpous IV, about an important meeting that the underground leaders there were preparing for … a young woman, you say? Would she be dark-haired, fiery-tempered, perhaps even a touch sarcastic?”
“The very person, sir,” a startled Grammel stammered.
“You have identified them?”
“No, sir. We’ve only just imprisoned them. They’ve been jailed together with—”
“Chaos take your details, Grammel!” Essada shouted. “Give me visual representation of both of these people.”
“That is easily done,” a relieved Grammel replied. He took the plastic recorder rod from the desk, held it up uncertainly before the screen. “This has not yet been transferred, sir. Do you think you can make out the rod imagery?”
“I can make out many things, Grammel, down to the shallow depths of your own soul. Place it close to your vis-pickup.”
The administrator adjusted the requisite switch and placed the long glassy tube close to the screen panel. He touched the retrieval stud and two-dimensional portraits appeared within the rod’s substance. A pause, and then he shifted the rod to show full-length views of both subjects.
“It may be her, by the Force, it just may be,” Governor Essada muttered, now excited. “The youth I don’t know, but he may also be important. I am pleased.”
“Important, sir? You know of them?”
“I hope to have part credit for their capture and eventual execution—hers, at least.” Essada looked sharply at the bewildered officer. “They must not be harmed or injured until proper authority arrives for them, Grammel.”
“It shall be as you say, sir,” a bemused Captain-Supervisor conceded. “But I don