Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [306]
He was considering the advantage of edging himself closer to where Chatak and Starstone stood when a convoy of military speeders and big-wheeled juggernauts arrived on the scene. Commander Salvo and some of his chief officers stepped from one of the landspeeders; from the hatch of one of the juggernauts emerged commando squad leader Climber, and the rest of Ion Team.
Shryne wondered about the timing of the commander’s arrival. Perhaps Salvo was determined to have a close look at each and every prisoner before any were loaded into the transport. That Shryne was farther back from the leading edge of the crowd than Chatak and Starstone were meant nothing. Given the amount of time they had spent with Salvo, he would have no trouble identifying all of them.
Oddly, though, the commander wasn’t paying much attention to the prisoners. His T-visor gaze was fixed instead on a Republic shuttle that was descending toward the landing field.
“Theta-class,” one of the prisoners said quietly to the mercenary standing alongside him.
“You don’t see many of those,” the second human said.
“Must be one of Palpatine’s regional governors.”
The first man sniffed. “When they care enough to send the very best …”
The shuttle had commenced its landing sequence. With ion drive powering down and repulsorlift engaged, the craft folded its long wings upward to provide access to the main hold, then settled gently to the ground. No sooner had the boarding ramp extended than a squad of elite troopers filed out, the red markings on their armor identifying them as Coruscant shock troopers.
A much taller figure followed, attired head-to-foot in black. “What in the moons of Bogden—”
“New breed of trooper?”
“Only if someone furnished the cloners with a donor a lot taller than the original.”
Salvo and his officers hastened over to the figure in black.
“Welcome, Lord Vader.”
“Vader?” the merc closest to Shryne said.
Lord, Shryne thought.
“That’s no clone,” the first human said.
Shryne didn’t know what to make of Vader, although it was evident from the reaction of Salvo and his officers that they had been told to expect someone of high rank. With his large helmet and flowing black cape, Vader looked like something borrowed from the Separatists—a grotesque, Grievous-like marriage of humanoid and machine.
“Lord Vader,” Shryne repeated under his breath.
Like Count Dooku?
Salvo was gesturing to Climber and the other commandos, who had remained at the juggernaut. From inside the enormous vehicle floated a large antigrav capsule with a transparent lid, which two of the commandos began to guide toward Vader’s shuttle. As the capsule passed close to Shryne, he caught a glimpse of brown robes, and his stomach lurched into his throat.
When the capsule finally reached Salvo, the commander opened an access panel in its base and removed three gleaming cylinders, which he proffered to Vader.
Lightsabers.
Vader nodded for the commander of his shock troopers to accept them, then, in a deep, synthesized voice, said to Salvo: “What were you saving the bodies for, Commander—posterity?”
Salvo shook his head. “We weren’t issued any instructions—”
Vader’s gloved right hand waved him silent. “Dispose of them in any fashion you see fit.”
Salvo was motioning Climber to remove the antigrav coffin when Vader stopped him.
“Have you forgotten anyone, Commander?” Vader asked.
Salvo regarded him. “Forgotten, Lord Vader?”
Vader folded his arms across his massive chest. “Six Jedi were assigned to Murkhana, not three.”
Shryne traded brief glances with Chatak, who was also close enough to Vader to hear the remark.
“I’m sorry to report, Lord Vader, that the other three evaded capture,