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“Still, there is a chance that the information could have gotten out.”

“Exactly.” Mirax popped up out of her chair as the door opened and Emtrey came in.

“Good morning, Captain Celchu, Ms. Terrik. How may I be of service?”

Mirax grabbed the droid’s left arm. “You have to tell me where Rogue Squadron is going.”

“I’m afraid, Ms. Terrik, that information is classified. Neither you nor Captain Celchu are authorized to know that information. To provide it to you would be to compromise …”

“Emtrey, that list you gave me this morning already compromises the location.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

Tycho boosted himself up off the bunk. “Where are you getting the Alderaanian goods you’re offering for sale?”

The droid twitched and the tone of his voice shifted slightly. “If I reveal my sources, you’ll cut in on my action. No way.”

Mirax stared incredulously at the droid, then turned back toward Tycho. “Can you believe this?”

“No, in fact, I can’t.”

“I’m just protecting my profit margin here.”

“Emtrey, this is a matter of life and death.”

“Sure it is, Ms. Terrik, the death of my business.”

Tycho stood abruptly. “Emtrey, shut up.”

The droid looked at him strangely, tilting his head. “I wasn’t saying anything, sir.”

“His voice has changed.”

“I notice.” Tycho’s eyes narrowed. “Shut up.”

“I beg your pardon, sir.”

“Shut up.”

The droid’s arms snapped to its sides so quickly that Mirax lost her grip on him. The clamshell head canted forward, making the droid bow its head until its chin touched its chest. At the top of its neck, previously hidden by the head, Mirax saw a glowing red button.

“What’s going on, Captain?”

Tycho half shrugged. “I’m not certain, really, but the droid is in a wait-state, it seems. I discovered this little trick when I was ferrying him to the Talasea system and we came across your ship. We were in combat and he wouldn’t stop nattering. I ended up yelling at him to shut up and after the third time, this happened. He remains like this until roused. What’s important right now is that until we hit the red button and reset him, he’s little more than a remote with access to all Emtrey’s memories.”

“That’s dangerous for a droid doing military work.”

“It’s not a standard modification for obvious reasons. There are a number of things odd about this droid, not the least of which is the voice shift when you start to press him on requisitions. I can check that later, though. Right now this override should get us what you want. Emtrey, I require the name of the system in which Rogue Squadron will be operating.”

“Pyria system, Borleias, fourth planet, one moon, home to an Imperial fortress and various failed and abandoned industrial and agricultural ventures.” The voice changed slightly. “Location of agro-manufacturing facility for Alderaanian agricultural products with high covert trade value.”

Mirax’s blood ran cold. “Emtrey, the list of products available from that facility—how many people have had access to it?”

“Yours was the only access, Ms. Terrik.”

“Could a copy have been made by a slicer without your knowledge?”

The droid did not reply for a second or two. “Impossible to determine an answer to that question.”

Mirax looked over at Tycho. “The Empire could have been warned. We have to do something.”

“What? If we send a message out it could warn the Empire they’re coming as easily as it warns our people of an ambush.”

“So we go there. I can get us there fast. Maybe even before they arrive.”

“And have our presence tip the Empire about the raid?” Tycho shook his head. “Any comm message could be intercepted, even if we are in-system and try to tight-beam it to them. That’s no good.”

Mirax balled her fists and hammered them against her thighs. “We have to do something. We can’t just sit around and do nothing.”

“Yes, but what we do has to be the right thing.” Tycho slowly smiled and reached for the button on the back of Emtrey’s neck. “And I think I know what it is.”

34

When the squadron reverted to realspace, the dark craggy ball hanging in space before them reduced Borleias