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At first she had gone along, pretending. Anja had been most eager to do whatever she could to hurt Han Solo for his despicable crimefor shooting her father Gallandro in the back. Even though Han Solo denied it, Anja knew the truth. Czethros had told her what had really happened.

After an interminable silence and a transmission delay, the mirror finally clouded, and the face of Czethros appeared. The laser-red dot of his optical sensor beamed through the visor that covered his face.

His moss-green hair seemed distorted, discolored by the numerous scrambling and descrambling routines buried in his signal.

"Ahh, my little velsers" he said. "You must still be on Cloud City.

By now I'm sure you've learned of the tragedy that has befallen your young Jedi friends."

"Tragedy?" Ania said with a frown of distaste. "So, you did set that up."

"Of course," Czethros said. He looked down at his fingertips, then back up again, smiling at her.

"Well, they're not dead," she said in a flat voice. "None of them."

Alarmed, Czethros drew back. "But I've already had a report from my operatives. At least three of those meddling kids were thrown down an exhaust chute and dumped out into the open skies of Bespin."

"Is that the best you could do?" Anja chided. "I've told you before, they're resourceful and strong," She was amused by his obvious surprise.

"They've been trained by the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker himself, and they've been through a lot worse than falling down a hole."

Czethros snarled. Anja took a new tack, scowling back at him.

"How could you send a bunch of hired assassins to kill a few teenagers?

Even for you, isn't that a bit"-she searched for the right word-

"cowardly?"

Czethros raised his eyebrows above the visor, and the red laser eye flashed back and forth in agitation. "Do I detect compassion for the Solos in your voice, Anja Gallandro? I must not have trained you well enough. You were a predator, as ruthless as the velsers on Bespin.

And now you're feeling sorry for the children of the man who killed your father?" He laughed out loud. "Do you realize how ridiculous that is?"

Anja bit back a reply, not sure exactly how she felt. Jacen had been so friendly toward her. Jaina had accepted her. And even their friends considered her part of the group. She'd never felt this way before. She'd always been bitter about her life, holding on by her fingernails, fighting for every little advantage she managed to get.

Never before had Anja felt the slightest bit sentimental.

Czethros leaned closer, his face growing larger on the mirror-screen.

"Have you changed your mind? Don't you want Solo's children killed?

Perhaps you'd like me to send some flowers to Han Solo himself.?"

Anja felt torn. After what Solo had done to her father, she'd spent her life trying to get even with him. He deserved to be hurt. But when she had believed Jacen Solo was dead, it had twisted her insides.

The pain had been unbearable.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Czethros said. "Even if you did change your mind I doubt I could stop my plans now. Everything is set.

Soon I will send my signal, and Black Sun will appear everywhere, simultaneously taking over key installations and assuming key positions.

Then the galaxy will run smoothly for us.

"My operatives are in place. They received orders days ago to eliminate Jacen and Jaina Solo and their friends, as well as Lando Calrissian. I can't afford to let anyone find out too much about how we've been working our way through the bureaucratic levels of Cloud City.

Bespin will be ours, as will Kessel, Mon Calamari, Ord Mantell, Borgo Prime, and every other important installation. Even Coruscant will feel our strength." Anja swallowed hard and forced herself to change the subject.

"I'm... almost out of spice," she said. "You promised me more, and I've done everything you asked."

"Yes, yes," he said, brushing aside her comment. "I'll get it to you as soon as I can."

"When?" she said. Her lips trembled. Her eyes stung. She hated to beg.

Czethros