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"All right," Zekk said in a voice low and hoarse. He tried to speak louder, not willing to let self-doubt show through. He had made his own choices, and now he had to follow through on them despite the difficulties his conscience might encounter. "All right," he repeated.

"When do we leave?"

"As soon as possible," Tamith Kai answered.

In the outer docking bay of the Shadow Academy, Tamith Kai and the other two Nightsisters loaded the ship for its assault mission. The vessel, marked with neutral insignia, was a small cargo freighter stolen from a lost trader who had ventured too close to the Core Systems. Tamith Kai wondered idly if the trader still languished deep in an Imperial prison... or if the guards had gotten around to executing him yet, since the Second Imperium could never afford to let the man loose with his knowledge of the Core Systems and the commandeered freighter.

In the observation bubble above the docking bay, Qorl stood by the cloaking shield controls, monitoring preparations for the launch of the mission. The old pilot would not accompany them himself, but he had chosen a handful of the Second Imperi@s newly constructed TIE fighters and bombers to be loaded into the freighter's cargo bay.

"We'll see if Brakiss was wrong to place confidence in his young pet,"

Tamith Kai murmured in her low, rich voice. "I still don't trust him.

What is it Norys calls the boytrash collector? I sense that Zekk hasn't yet given himself entirely over to the dark side."

Vonnda Ra fi-owned, her squarish face puzzled. "But after all the work he's donelook at his trammg. How can you question Zekles abilities?"

"It is his motives I question, not his abilities. I had no such doubts about the loyalty of my Vilas."

Garowyn interrupted. 'Perhaps, Tamith Kai. But Vilas is dead. Zekk proved to be a better fighter. Perhaps you're simply being a sore loser."

Tamith Kai's eyes flared like twin violet stars about to explode. 'I am not a sore loser," she snarled.

"Obviously not," Garowyn said, turning away with an ironic smile.

"I... I..." Tamith Kai clenched her fists in rage. think ious Jedi twins.

His think ious Jedi twins. H

I given up." She calmed herself. Her lips, dark as overripe fruit, twisted into a smile. "That's why I made sure this mission would be more than just a simple raid. Let us watch how Zekk takes care of his other assignment." Vonnda Ra stored a crate of weapons inside the cargo shuttle and went to fetch the heavy belts that carried their holographic-disguise generators. "I thought the computer guidance and tactical systems were our most important objective." 'For you, perhaps, and for the Second Imperium," Tamith Kai said, nodding distractedly, "but not for me."

Garowyn crossed her wiry arms over her small chest. "You may be my nominal superior, Tamith Kai, but I can set my own priorities as well.

I'll assist you in this raid, but the main reason Fm going along is to retrieve our... stolen property."

"What stolen property?" Vonnda Ra asked, the belts and holographic control packs still dangling from her outstretched arms.

"Our greatest ship, our most ambitious design, with quantum armor and powerful weapons-the Shadow Chaser. It is the peak of the Second Imperium's engineering success, my one joy. But Skywalker and that traitorous girl from Dathomir tricked me into an escape pod and stole my own ship out from under me! The Jedi academy has been using it ever since. I had all but given up hope of ever regaining what was rightfully mine, but now I've learned that the Wookiee and the Jedi brats have taken my ship to Kashyyyk.

Now is our perfect chance to retrieve what is ours."

"Well, if you do get the Shadow Chaser, there will be more room for us when we return in the assault shuttle, then," Vonnda Ra said.

Tamith Kai directed a cool stare at the short, bronze-haired Nightsister.

At last she smiled, with just a trace of warmth. "So. I see we each have our own agendas," she said.

"Let us hope we all succeed."

- ----------------

CERTAINLY, MASTER Lowbacca. I'd be happy to be