Star Wars_ The Old Republic_ Revan - Drew Karpyshyn [98]
If someone really was looking to do him harm, it was doubtful that Sechel would warn him simply because they both served Nyriss. But if he suspected the woman was tied to something in Scourge’s past—some dark secret or inconvenient truth—bringing it to light was an effective way to make Scourge look bad.
If she turned out to be someone looking for revenge, it would prove that Scourge had been sloppy in the past, planting seeds of doubt about him in Nyriss’s mind. And even if she wasn’t, the situation was still likely to create some kind of mess for Scourge to clean up. That alone might be enough to convince Sechel to help her.
Simply refusing the meeting wasn’t an option, however. Now that he knew she was out there, Scourge had to take action. Whatever the motive behind her search for him, he had to face her. It was the only way to unravel the mystery.
Sechel knew all this, of course. That was why he’d suggested sending Murtog along. On the surface it appeared the best way to deal with a possible enemy, but Scourge knew what he really wanted was to have somebody else there who would report back on the meeting if the truth turned out to be embarrassing.
On the other hand, if he decided to meet her alone he was putting himself at greater risk. It might also look like he had something to hide, and he had no doubt Sechel would twist that fact to suit his own needs somewhere down the road.
“Congratulations,” he said to the smaller Sith. “You’ve backed me into a corner. Set up the meeting, and tell Murtog and his men to be there.”
“Of course, Lord Scourge,” Sechel said with a mocking bow. “I’m always happy to be of service.”
MEETRA WAS WARY of a trap even before she felt the warning premonitions through the Force.
Sechel had given her a time and location for the meeting; he’d even told her the name of the man from the holovid—Lord Scourge. But she still didn’t trust him.
Arriving at the location only confirmed her suspicions. Sechel’s instructions had led her to an isolated cave on the outskirts of the city—the perfect place for an ambush. A single speeder was parked in a clearing about fifty meters away from the entrance, evidence that somebody else was already there. It was possible the Sith had come alone, but Meetra estimated the vehicle could hold as many as six adult humanoids. There was also the possibility that other speeders had been hidden nearby, meaning she had no idea how many might be waiting for her inside the cave.
T3-M4 obviously shared her concerns. The droid twittered nervously as she brought the speeder in for a landing on a patch of bare dirt near the other speeder.
“I know, I know,” she muttered. “But this is the only lead we’ve got.”
She climbed out of the speeder and extended a small cargo ramp so T3 could exit as well. The mouth of the cave loomed before them, black and forbidding.
Earlier, she had discussed several dozen strategies with T3, laying out contingency plans for the most common conceivable scenarios. Fortunately their planning had included a potential ambush by enemies hiding under the cover of darkness.
“Operation supernova is a go,” she whispered.
T3 beeped uncertainly.
“We’ll give them every chance to surrender,” she assured him. “But be ready for this to get ugly. Hopefully it won’t come to that,” she added. “Maybe Lord Scourge is curious enough about why I’m here to hear me out before he tries anything.”
T3 didn’t reply; she took it as a bad sign that he was suddenly speechless.
Walking slowly, she entered the cave. It was too dark to see more than a meter in front of her, but she could sense several other beings inside, watching her approach. She assumed they were using night-vision goggles; it was the only way for anyone’s sight to pierce the darkness of the cave.
She tried to act timid and unsure, a clueless victim walking heedlessly into the waiting trap. The more vulnerable