Star Wars_ Tales of the Bounty Hunters - Kevin J. Anderson [107]
Toryn had wounded Rebels on her deck. “Six of you get the wounded down to rooms on deck two in the dark, and bar a door in front of them. Everyone else build barricades!”
People rushed to move the wounded and to pull bunks out of rooms and overturn them in a makeshift barricade in front of the pod bay. They heard the docks click together and the hiss of air pulled from their ship into the tunnel connecting them and the Mist Hunter. The locks would open shortly.
“If we overpower them and take that ship, we might have a way to get the rest of us out of here. Darklighter, Bindu—get into the crawlspace and come up behind them. Move!”
People rushed to pull up the deck plating, then cover up Darklighter and Bindu.
“Stay down there till I give the all clear,” Toryn said, “or till you hear fighting move past you.”
This bounty hunter ship shone to Toryn with unexpected hope.
Through all the activity, the computer could not connect with its Ships’ Registry database and its detailed information on ships of the galaxy, though it kept trying alternate routes. It had hints of the name Mist Hunter in what was left of its short-term memory databanks: the letters MIS NTER from one exterior scan taken just before or during the attack; from another, T HUNTER.
But it could not connect the remaining fragments of those scans with coherent memories.
Yet.
Piece by piece, it was reconstructing its short-term memory. The computer was programmed to believe Toryn Farr would find such information important.
Zuckuss did not take time to track the escape pods as they fell toward Hoth. They were the Imperials’ problems. Besides—he hoped the pods and whoever was in them would make it. It could mean a job Hunting Rebels among the crevasses of an ice world. He would relish such a Hunt.
If he healed, he suddenly thought to himself. He could conduct such a Hunt only if he healed.
Zuckuss docked their ship and forced open the locks. 4-LOM entered the wreck first. “We are here to rescue you,” he announced to the Rebels arrayed in front of him, and he explained their “plan.” While he spoke, 4-LOM activated subprocessors in his mind that analyzed the actions of the Rebels in front of him. They showed little fear. They did not back up. They did not look away from him. Seven maintained a tight, protective band around the woman 4-LOM calculated must be in command, a resourceful woman named Toryn Farr.
A woman with a bounty on her head. 4-LOM had quickly matched her face with a bounty registered in the Imperial Most Wanted List database.
“Controller Farr,” 4-LOM said. “I must study a list of survivors on this ship. Allow me to access its database.”
He noted the momentary surprise on Toryn Farr’s face when he called her by name and rank. It was good to surprise one’s prey with familiar knowledge: it could inspire trust where none should be given. He moved toward the computer, but Toryn stepped in front of it first. Her guards followed.
“Answer a few questions first,” Toryn said. “Who sent you?”
Trust from this one might take more time than they had, 4-LOM calculated. “If I told you a story, Toryn Farr, about Rebel connections in one of the largest Imperial bounty hunter guilds, would you trust me then—or would you think I imparted such information too easily? The truth is, I cannot calculate a circumstance under which I would answer your question. None of you have the proper security clearances to receive that knowledge. Suffice it to say that the answer would surprise you. For now, our presence here to rescue you must be answer enough.”
He studied the faces of all the Rebels arrayed in front of him, and matched most of them with bounties. He soon had twenty-six worth taking. Their combined bounties—the riches they represented—could not buy worlds. These Rebels were not valued