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“That sounds like a threat.”

Karrde spread his hands. “Take it however you please. Shall we discuss this further or not?”

“You say you ask for little. What, exactly, would that be?”

“A few kind words in the ears of the Yuuzhan Vong. An introduction. You see, Captain, for some years now I’ve been retired from my chosen profession. But these are very interesting times, exactly the sort of times my kind thrives on, if you know what I mean. I’d like to come out of retirement.”

“Go on.”

Karrde stroked his mustache thoughtfully. “The Yuuzhan Vong have promised a truce if the Jedi are delivered to them. I would like to bargain for passage through Yuuzhan Vong space, once the borders are established.”

“Why should they allow a smuggler to use their space?”

“There may be things they need. I can get them. If not, I would be doing them no harm; all of my activities would be aimed at the scattered remnants of the New Republic. But those remnants are separated, at times, by Yuuzhan Vong–occupied systems. The cost of circumventing them, frankly, would be prohibitive.”

Imsatad nodded, and a brief look of disgust wrinkled his features. “I see. You realize I can promise none of that.”

“I only asked for a mention of my help in this affair. You can promise that.”

“I could,” Imsatad acknowledged. “What exactly can you offer me?”

“Better sensors than you have, for one thing. Detailed knowledge of Yavin Four that I believe you lack. A crew that is very, very good at finding things. Certain special defenses against Jedi—and the means of finding them.”

Imsatad stiffened, and his voice dropped low. “I was with Thrawn at Wayland. You still?…”

“Ah. You know what I mean, then.”

“I know you betrayed him.”

Karrde rolled his eyes. “How tiresome. Very well, Captain, if you don’t wish my services, there are others who will.”

“Wait!” Imsatad chewed his lip for a moment. “I need to consult with my officers on this.”

“Take a few moments,” Karrde said, lifting a finger. “But do not bore me.” He cut the transmission.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“Hutt slime!” Remis Vehn snapped, as the transport scraped along the wall of the pit. “Watch my ship!”

“The controls have too much play in them,” Anakin complained.

“No, you’re flying like a Twi’lek on spice,” Vehn replied.

“Quiet,” Tahiri said, “or we’ll restrain your mouth, too.”

Vehn yelped again as they scraped stone. The fit was tighter than Anakin had thought it would be.

Still, a moment later, they settled into the steaming water of the underground pool. Anakin dropped the landing ramp, and an instant later Ikrit and the two Jedi children were on board.

“Strap in, everyone,” Anakin told them. He hit the lifts and back up they started.

An instant later, the whole ship shuddered and their ears were filled with the screech of metal.

“The landing ramp, you vac-brain!” Vehn screamed. “You didn’t pull up the ramp!”

Belatedly Anakin flipped the appropriate switch, but all he got was a grinding noise.

“Great,” he muttered.

“Anakin,” Tahiri said, “I think we may have trouble.”

“We’ll make it, even with the ramp down. We’ll figure out what to do about that later.”

“That’s not what I meant.” She pointed up through the cockpit.

Something dark was eclipsing the morning light.

“Sith spawn. They’ve moved one of the big freighters over the hole.”

“Continue,” Master Ikrit murmured.

“But—”

“Continue.” The diminutive Master was crouched on the floor, eyes closed, his voice a serene purr. Anakin felt a powerful surge in the Force.

“You should strap in, Master.”

“No time.”

Anakin nodded. “As you say, Master Ikrit.” He throttled up. Banging, sparking, and shaking, they shot up toward the belly of their enemy.

“He’s pushing it up,” Tahiri said in awe. “Master Ikrit is pushing the freighter up.”

And indeed, when they emerged, rather than sitting right over the hole, the freighter was some eighty meters off the ground. Its thrusters were burning, pushing it down, but it wasn’t budging. Anakin darted