Star Wars_ X-Wing 02_ Wedge's Gamble - Michael A. Stackpole [53]
Erisi nodded slowly. “We’re not it, are we?” She pointed toward the Palace as their ship descended. “Just the two of us gathering the information needed to bring that down—that’s a lot of pressure.”
Rima shrugged. “I don’t know, and I couldn’t tell you if I did. Sorry.” She patted Erisi on the knee. “I wouldn’t worry, though. From what I understand, you Rogues are a thorn in the Empire’s flesh. Now’s the chance we have to shove it deeper and twist it a bit.”
“Nice analogy.” Corran smiled. “I like it.”
“I thought you would.” Rima returned his smile. “Nothing on this mission two Rogues can’t handle, even if,” she added with a shrug, “getting in to Coruscant is likely the easiest part of the whole thing.”
16
Gavin Darklighter said nothing as the Pulsar Skate reverted to normal space. His silence did not result from previously warbled warnings by Liat Tsayv, nor was it born of the need for operational security that General Cracken’s people had drilled into him. And it was not the result of his having his eyes closed so he couldn’t see anything.
He could see.
What he saw was Coruscant, and that vision took his breath away.
Mirax turned in her seat. “Impressive, eh, kid?”
Gavin knew he’d not seen as much of the galaxy as some folks—all of Rogue Squadron included, and the crew of the Skate as well—but he didn’t think of himself as a total nullwit or nerf-herder. He wasn’t one of the Sand People, for example, and he knew plenty about sophisticated things, like flying an X-wing or slicing code in a computer. He might have grown up on a farm outside Anchorhead, but he’d been to town at least once a month, and his family was always invited over to the big house by his uncle for family celebrations.
He’d even been to Mos Eisley. Once.
But he’d never seen anything like Coruscant.
“It’s just a city, the whole thing, one big, huge, really big city.” Gavin spread his arms wide for emphasis, but hit hull before he thought he’d gotten the gesture right. “It’s all city.”
“Pole to pole, horizon to horizon, more or less.” Mirax smiled. “There are spots on the glacier where things haven’t been built over, but the only reason that’s true is because the poles are frozen reservoirs. If you drink water down there, it was pole-frozen or shipped in from outside.”
A light came to life on the console. The Sullustan pilot chittered at Mirax, causing her to turn around and hit three buttons. “Merisee Hope here.”
“Coruscant Space Traffic Coordination on link here. Our files show you’re transporting exotics? Our scan shows you have eight individuals on board.”
“Affirmative. Three humans, five exotics.”
“I copy. You are cleared on vector 34293AFX.”
Liat gave Mirax a nod, so she spoke into the comm unit again. “We copy. Thank you, Coordinator.”
Gavin saw her shut the comm unit off, then raised an eyebrow. “That seemed too easy.”
“Suspicion is a good thing, just so long as you don’t go overboard with it.”
“Sounds like something Corran might say.”
Mirax glanced back at Gavin, but he couldn’t read the expression on her face. “He might say such a thing, indeed. And he’d be thinking our entry was too easy, too. The trick of it is that certain members of Coruscant’s Space Traffic Coordination office have been bought and paid for. When the entry-monitor satellites beamed an inquiry to the Skate they got a transponder message that told them we were the Merisee Hope. That ship is a known slave-runner for one of the brothels on the edge of Invisec.”
“Invisec?”
Mirax frowned. “I thought they briefed you before this run.”
“Well, yes, they did, but I don’t remember Invisec being mentioned before.” Gavin shrugged helplessly.