Star Wars_ The Dark Lord Trilogy - James Luceno [379]
Starstone was already nodding. “Of course he can.”
“Everyone on board,” Archyr yelled. “Seal ’em up!” Swinging to Starstone, he said: “Which one are you going up in?”
She shook her head. “I’m not. I’m waiting here for Shryne.”
“Oh, no, you’re not,” he said.
“Archyr, you saw Vader!”
“And so did Roan.”
“But—”
“We’ll try to grab him on the way up.” Archyr gestured to the transport. “Now get aboard, and tell Chewbacca to stick close. Skeck and I will provide cover fire.”
I was rather fond of Commander Appo,” Vader said, toeing the amputated head of the clone officer out of his path as he moved closer to Shryne.
Shryne tightened his grip on the hilt of Forte’s lightsaber and sidestepped cautiously to the left, forcing Vader to adjust his course. “I felt the same about Bol Chatak.”
“Tell me, Shryne, are you the trap the others hoped to spring on me?”
Shryne continued to circle Vader. “I wasn’t even part of their plan. In fact, I tried to talk them out of doing something like this.”
“But in the end you just couldn’t stay away. Even if it meant abandoning what might have been a lucrative career as a smuggler.”
“Losing Senator Fang Zar was a blow to our reputation. I figured I’d better eliminate the competition.”
“Yes,” Vader said, raising his blade somewhat, “I am your worst rival.”
Lightsaber grasped in both hands, Vader took a single forward step and performed a lightning-fast underhand sweep that almost knocked Forte’s lightsaber from Shryne’s grip. Spinning, Shryne regained his balance and raced forward, feinting a diagonal slash from the left, then twisting the blade around to the right and surging forward. The blade might have gotten past Vader’s guard, but instead it glanced off the back of his upraised left hand, smoke curling from the black glove. Shryne countered quickly with an upsweep to Vader’s neck, but Vader spun to the right, his blade held straight out in front of him as he completed a circle, nearly cutting Shryne in half.
Folding himself at the waist, Shryne skittered backward, parrying a rapid series of curt but powerful slashes. Backflipping out of range, he twisted his body to the right, set the blade over his right shoulder, and rushed forward, hammering away. Vader deflected the blows without altering his stance or giving ground, but in the process left his lower trunk and legs unprotected.
In a blink Shryne dropped into a crouch and pivoted through a turn.
For an instant it seemed that the blade was going to pass clear through Vader’s knees, but Vader leapt high, half twisting in midair and coming down behind Shryne. Shryne rolled as Vader’s crimson shaft struck the floor at the spot he had just vacated. Scrambling to his feet, Shryne hurled himself forward, catching Vader in the right forearm.
Snarling, Vader took his left hand from the lightsaber hilt to dampen sparking at the site of what should have been a wound.
Astonishment eclipsed Shryne’s follow-up attack.
“I know you don’t have a heart,” he said, taking stalking steps, “but I didn’t realize that you’re all droid.”
Vader may have been about to reply when packets of blinding light speared through the balcony, opening holes ten meters across. The great wroshyr shook as if struck by the full force of a lightning storm, and branches and leaves rained down on what was left of the deck. With a loud splitting sound, a large section of the rim broke away, taking Vader’s shuttle with it.
“There goes your ride home,” Shryne said when he could. “Guess you’re stuck here with me.”
Vader was a good distance away, one hand and one knee pressed to the floor, his blade angled away from him. Slowly he stood to his full height, leaves falling around him, black cloak flapping in the downdrafts. Then, with determined strides, he advanced on Shryne, sweeping his blade from side to side.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Shryne took a quick look around.
With most of the tier behind him blown away,