Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 13_ Trouble on Cloud City - Kevin J. Anderson [14]
It certainly wasn't her fault that the clumsy guy had taken a cloud dive.
Anja drew in a deep breath. Of course, she did have an inkling whose fault it might be. In all likelihood, Cojahn's death had not been an accident. Anja was observant and had already seen a few signs that Black Sun was involved here in some way. She had long known that Czethros held an interest in several of the gambling casinos on Cloud City. It was entirely possible that Calrissian's friend had gotten in the way and Czethros had been forced to have his people remove him. It was not a pleasant thought, but not shocking either.
She did feel edgy, though, out of control. How she wished she could take a dose of andris right now. She didn't need it, of course, she assured herself But it would make her feel so much better....
The urge was almost overwhelming, yet she had little enough of the precious spice. Czethros was so stingy with what he gave her, even after all she had done for him. Perhaps if she gave him some information he might be grateful enough to...
Her footsteps quickened, and in less than five minutes she found herself at the doorway to a private comm center. She paid her credits and slipped into a soundproof booth. She knew the transmission codes by heart, and within moments an image tonned on the screen in front of her. The man had close-cropped moss-green hair and an eye visor that circled the base of his skull like a ring around an oddly shaped planet.
"This had better be important," Czethros said, dispensing with any pretense at civilities.
Anja recognized the room behind him as his office on Ord Mantell.
She nodded and got to the point. "It's business, of course-what else?
I'm on Cloud City, staying at the Yerith Bespin."
She explained how she and the young Jedi Knights had learned of Cojahn's death and the suspicious circumstances surrounding it, and how very intent her companions were on discovering Cojahn's real killer.
The moving red light on Czethros's visor hiccuped in agitation as she relayed her story, and she knew he understood her silent implication: if he was at all involved, he'd better cover his tracks quickly.
"I hoped this information might be... worth something to you?" she said, trying to keep the desperate tone out of her voice.
Czethros's scarred face betrayed no expression. "You were right to tell me, my little velser," he said. "You'll be suitably rewarded.
I'll contact you." With that, he abruptly terminated the communications link.
Anja smiled. That had gone well, she thought. Since more would be coming any time, perhaps she would reward herself with just a small dose of spice.
As the morning wore on, Tenel Ka found herself growing more and more impressed with Lando Calrissian. She had never gotten to know the man very well, never spent as much time with him as Jacen, Jaina, or even Lowbacca had But as the former smuggler led them on a tour of yet another portion of his enormous, not-quite-finished amusement complex, it became increasingly clear that the man was intelligent and quick-witted, a loyal friend and a shrewd businessman.
Even as Lando explained each new attraction to the interested young Jedi Knights, she could tell he kept his eyes open for any clues to what really lay behind Cojahn's death. He had asked them to use the Force to sense any hidden dangers at the construction site: workers with malicious thoughts, sabotaged assemblies, or substandard materials.
As they did this, Lando reviewed the SkyCenter's work logs and message boards; he interviewed with subtle, probing questions any crew members they encountered. But the senses of the young Jedi revealed nothing more unusual in the work crew than sadness, curiosity, or indifference on the subject of their former boss's demise.
Lando led them down one of twenty transparent corridors that spoked out from a central domed hub. "We call this area our Climateria, where visitors can choose from over a dozen different climates. In each zone,"
he said, pointing