Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 21_ The Unifying Force - James Luceno [97]
“I’m through with travel if it means carrying a lumpen instead of an identichip,” Wraw said to Han while they were entering the spaceport terminal.
“We’re here to make sure you don’t have to,” Han said. “We’ve got enough unhappy Bothans without adding you to the list.”
Wraw laughed hoarsely. “As good with his mouth as he is with his blaster. That’s what I’ve always heard about you.”
“I aim true, if that’s what you mean.” Han had more to say, but Leia touched his arm in a gesture of restraint. From the start, he and the long-faced Bothan spy had butted heads, but he appreciated Leia’s reminding him of mission priorities.
Where Yuuzhan Vong warriors and bissop hounds held sway over the landing field, Peace Brigaders—Nikto, Weequays, a couple of Gammoreans, and other alien traitors—oversaw luggage inspection and terminal security. The modular, prefabricated building had been stripped of technology, but it hadn’t yet been transformed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Three other teams of scientists were having their equipment inspected, and being subjected to constant harassment by bribe-seeking Brigaders. Flanking the building’s only exit were a pair of exceedingly tall humans—or, more likely, ooglith-masquer-wearing Yuuzhan Vong.
Team Meloque’s equipment was being pawed through by a Klatooinian and a Codru-Ji, whose four arms were buried to the elbows in Han’s backpack. The Yuuzhan Vong had prohibited the import or use of recording devices other than sketch pads and writing implements. But they had allowed tents and camping gear, since the expeditions were destined for the rugged mountains that walled Caluula City on three sides. As rudimentary as they were, the Brigaders’ scanners were capable of detecting most weapons, so blasters had been left off the packing list. Leia’s and Kyp’s lightsabers, however, were included among the cooking supplies, disguised as handles for self-warming fry pans.
The Klatooinian put the field kitchen duffel on the inspection table. “I’m going to need to go through all of this,” he said as the lofty Meloque approached, a sheathlike skirt making her appear even taller than she was.
Kyp stepped up to the table and made a subtle hand motion. “You don’t need to inspect this bag.”
The canine-faced humanoid stared at the Jedi and blinked his heavy lidded eyes. “We don’t need to inspect this bag.”
Momentarily confused, the Codru-Ji eventually nodded in agreement.
“Gather your belongings and leave.”
“Gather your belongings and leave.”
Kyp caught Han’s look while the two of them were shouldering the duffels. “Problem?”
“I thought that wasn’t allowed or something.”
Kyp shrugged. “We can debate Jedi philosophy some other time.”
Han laughed through his nose. “Don’t get me wrong, kid. If I had the ability, I’d be using it every chance I could.”
“You only think you would,” Leia said, slipping into her backpack as she caught up with them. “Would you use it when you play sabacc?”
Han considered it. “Might take some of the fun out of the game.”
“And I know you wouldn’t want that,” she said.
No sooner had they exited the terminal than clouds of indigenous flitnats surrounded them. The insects weren’t the biting variety, but that didn’t make them any less irritating.
“Hope you remembered to pack the repellent,” Han said to Leia.
“Wouldn’t help,” Wraw rasped. “Every visitor to Caluula gets assigned one hundred flitnats, and those hundred stick with you for your entire stay.”
Han laughted shortly at the Bothan’s joke. “Well, everybody’s got their own idea about what makes a good vacation.”
What Han didn’t say was that the tiny pests were already sticking to the cosmetic that lightened his complexion and the adhesive that secured his gray beard, mustache, and woolly eyebrows, and that he was even more uncomfortable than he had been on Aphran