Most Wanted

by Rae Carson

  So why was she hesitating?

  The Engineer was wrong about one thing—it wasn’t because she was interested in a boy. Not that way.

  But there was something about Han, something that she had learned by watching him these past few days, and she was still trying to figure it out.

  Is this a gut instinct? she wondered.

  No, she was pretty sure that the only thing her gut was telling her was that she’d eaten too many buttered biscuits. This was her head trying to tell her something, but it was like listening to Tsuulo talk: when the words and ideas came too fast, she couldn’t keep up.

  A protocol droid came down the corridor and paused beside her. “Mistress Qi’ra? May I help you find something?”

  “My friends were taking a tour,” she said. “I would like to join them.”

  “Of course. This way please.”

  She found Tsuulo right where she expected him—hunkered down with the ship’s engineers, asking questions at approximately the speed of light. One of the other engineers was a turquoise-colored Rodian, a woman with a broom of emerald-green hair. Tsuulo looked genuinely happy, maybe for the first time since she’d met him.

  Qi’ra didn’t want to disturb him, so she kept on walking.

  Han was in the cockpit of the ship, sitting in the copilot’s chair beside the Wookiee, Roo. She could only see the back of Han’s head because he was staring out into space like a man ready to go places. He was probably as happy as Tsuulo.

  Then Roo said something, and Han turned his head.

  There was a deep sadness written on his profile. A few days before, she might not have noticed, because it was subtle: a brightness missing from his eyes, shoulders that lacked their usual jauntiness.

  Like Tsuulo, he was engaged in an animated discussion. She might understand a little Huttese, but she couldn’t pick up a single word of Shyriiwook. From the amount of Han’s gesturing, and Roo’s head shaking and nodding, it seemed Han didn’t know many words either but was quickly picking them up. He said something, and Roo tilted his head back, giving a great barking laugh.

  That was it….

  That was why she was thinking about Han. Over the past few days, Han had treated everyone they encountered like a person. Powlo. Tsuulo. Tool. Roo. Even her. Especially her. She felt like Han looked past the surface things that everyone saw and recognized her as worthy of respect.

  How did the Engineer describe Roo? My most valuable asset.

  That was the problem.

  If Qi’ra decided to accept the Engineer’s offer, she would stop being a person. She would become another asset, of greater or lesser value. She fully expected it to be of greater value, but how much value could one assistant have when Jenra was getting ready to close a deal for a billion credits? None. She would be as replaceable as a duct rat working in the Foundry.

  On the other hand, if she accepted, she would be so much better off than she was now. She could save some money. Even invest. She would have opportunities that she would never have as Head for Lady Proxima, or even running her own gang on Corellia. She wouldn’t have to stay Jenra’s assistant forever. She could do it for a while, learn, then go her own way.

  Her choice was suddenly much clearer.

  If only her answer were too.

  Maybe she should ask Han to help her figure things out. But no, he’d been angry and brusque, and anyway she didn’t want to interrupt his conversation.

  Roo was pointing out controls and showing Han how to use them. She’d seen Han pilot a speeder, and she knew he belonged on a ship like this one. There was no way she would steal this moment from him.

  Silently, she turned away and went back to their bunk room. When the two boys returned many hours later, she pretended to be asleep. Even after Tsuulo started snoring, she lay awake in the darkness, making plans.

  No matter what choice she made, it created different options and opportunities. The possibilities spun out in her head, becoming the glowing blue lines of those plans, heading in endless directions—stunningly beautiful to contemplate, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t read them at all.

  Han was gently shaking her awake. “Come on,” he said. “The Engineer has summoned us back to the viewing lounge.”

  Qi’ra jumped out of bed. They proceeded to the lounge in unusual silence, lost in their own thoughts.

  When they entered the lounge, a buffet was spread out just like the previous day, with just as many choices, if not quite as many servings. She didn’t have an appetite and neither did Tsuulo. Han grabbed a pastry as he passed the bar, but didn’t seem to have a lot of enthusiasm for eating it.

  Jenra awaited them. She wore a gown of sapphire blue this time, and her hair was unbound, framing her face like a huge dark halo. “I’ve spoken with Lady Proxima,” she said as they entered.

  “Is the auction going forward?” Qi’ra asked.

  “It already has. You were right about her contacts and her ability to move swiftly. Proxima was true to her word. There were four buyers this time, two of whom you are already familiar with.”

  “The Droid Gotra and the Kaldana Syndicate,” Han said.

  “Indeed. The Gotra stuck with their original bid. One billion credits. But this time the Kaldana offered one point one billion.”

  Han whistled.

  Qi’ra quickly calculated Lady Proxima’s percentage. Six million, fifty thousand credits. The old woman was rich beyond her greediest dreams, thanks to Qi’ra, Han, and Tsuulo.

  “So the Kaldana Syndicate wins,” Qi’ra said. Han was probably unhappy about that. He had a soft spot for that droid friend of his.

  Sure enough, Han said, “You could give the cube to the Droid Gotra anyway.”

  Jenra blinked. “Why would I do that?”

  “For a good cause. The Kaldana will use your technology to terrorize neighboring systems. No one will be safe.”

  “I care nothing for causes. That extra hundred million credits will go a long way.”

  “Surely there’s more to it than just money?” Qi’ra asked.

  “Of course,” Jenra said. “What I really want is freedom. To explore the galaxy. Or to settle down somewhere on the Outer Rim. I want to create my designs in peace and sell them to whomever I choose. But here’s the thing, sweet girl: money is freedom.”

  Tsuulo chattered at them, and Han translated: “He says giving it to the droids is the right thing to do. It’s what the Force would want.”

  That made no sense to Qi’ra. “Are you saying the Force is some kind of god?”

  Tsuulo shook his head, muttering in frustration.

  “Not exactly,” Han said. “And actually, he’s changing his mind. He read that the Force moves through living creatures, so he doesn’t know if it has anything to do with droids or not. He just knows that giving the shield tech to the Gotra feels like the right thing.”

  Jenra turned her back to them and gazed out at the stars. The edges of one of the asteroids had rotated into view. It was just one asteroid, a speck of dust on the galaxy-wide scale, yet it dwarfed the Red Nimbus. “And what do you think, Qi’ra?” she asked.

  “I think it’s impractical to make a big decision based on a feeling.”

  “I agree,” the Engineer said.

  “But there are some practical reasons to keep that tech out of Kaldana hands.”

  “Oh?”

  “Like Han said, if the Kaldana get it, the Corellia system becomes almost un-flyable. They’re already a major player here. With this technology, they will crush their competition and start spreading to other systems.” Qi’ra felt herself warming to the topic. The stakes were huge. So much bigger than anything she’d dealt with before. The consequences of this deal had the potential to reach galaxy-wide. And she was right in the middle of it. For better or worse, she had helped make this happen. For today at least, she was a major player.

  “Why give them the resources to take their operations galaxy-wide?” Qi’ra continued. “Do you really want
to upset the balance of power like that?”

  “Maybe I do,” Jenra said. “It might keep the Empire busy for a while. Off my back.”

  “I can’t blame you for that,” Qi’ra said. “I mean, if I were you, I’d just want to survive.”

  Han said, “I really think you should give it to the droids.”

  “Me too,” Tsuulo said, and Qi’ra understood his words clear as day.

  Jenra turned to face them, her sapphire gown swishing at her heels. How many incredible gowns did she own? “I made my decision hours ago. The Kaldana ship will be here any moment. Lady Proxima assured me that the three of you would complete the exchange in person. After that, the Kaldana will escort you safely back to Coronet City.”

  “Whoa,” said Han. “The Kaldana are coming here?”

  “We’re doing the exchange?” Qi’ra said.

  Tsuulo protested too, but all Qi’ra caught was the world for “kill.”

  He was a handy fellow to have around, because in spite of their broken communication, Tsuulo always managed to get her thinking. And right now, she was thinking that the Engineer wanted to be rid of them after all. Her hospitality and kindness had been a ruse. Maybe even her job offer. Jenra was not going to let them go, not really. She was washing her hands of them and sending them to the Kaldana.

  Maybe the Kaldana would let them live. But if they didn’t, Jenra wasn’t going to lose any sleep. Because she was at heart a betrayer. In the end, no one mattered to Jenra except Jenra.

  And people like Qi’ra and Han and Tsuulo? They were assets, and of limited value.

  It was as though the Engineer had read her mind, because she said, “Qi’ra, my offer is still on the table. You have a place here on the Red Nimbus if you want it. The boys can handle the exchange.”

  So maybe the job offer wasn’t a ruse. Everything in Qi’ra screamed to accept. Avoid going to the Kaldana ship. She’d have food, beautiful clothes, something important to do. She’d live.

  Qi’ra opened her mouth to say yes, but the word lodged in her throat. Finally, she managed, “I guess I’m still thinking about it.”

  Jenra was about to say something else, but Han pointed toward the window. “I think the Kaldana ship is here,” he said.

  The ugliest starship Qi’ra had ever seen glided into view. It was huge, easily three times the size of the Red Nimbus, with jagged protrusions and pointed attachments. Blaster burns scorched its side, and the pulse engine belched a plume of dirty gray exhaust.

  “That thing is a beast,” Han said, eyes wide. “It looks like they slapped the power converter on with just a few screws and some adhesive. And their pulse engine is burning hard fuel. A ship that size should have been retrofitted a long time ago.”

  Tsuulo barked something, gesturing angrily.

  “Yeah, an abomination. I’ve never seen an ion flux stabilizer that looks like that before. How did they put together such a huge bid if they can’t even afford proper ship maintenance and upgrades?”

  “They sold their flagship,” Jenra said, looking amused. “To help cover the cost of their bid. This is the junker they bought to replace it.”

  “Oh,” Han breathed. “They really want that shield tech.”

  “In any case, grab all your belongings and prepare to board,” Jenra ordered. “We’ll be docking together via airlock in a moment.”

  They all looked at each other and shrugged. They’d come with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and Tsuulo’s datapad, and that was what they’d leave with. Qi’ra eyed the bar, and all the platters of food laid wastefully across it. Too bad they couldn’t take bucketloads of food with them.

  Han and Tsuulo were staring at her, and it took a moment for her to realize why: she still hadn’t given Jenra an answer.

  “Let’s go,” Qi’ra said gruffly. “To the airlock.”

  So Qi’ra was coming with them instead of staying behind? Why would she give up all this to go back to the sewers with Lady Proxima?

  Han didn’t understand it. But as they walked from the viewing lounge to the passenger dock, he was afraid to mention it, or even speak to her, in case she came to her senses and changed her mind.

  A hollow clang sounded as the extending airlock tunnel hit the hull of the Red Nimbus. Magnets sealed it in place, then air hissed while the pressure and atmosphere stabilized inside. The hatch opened before them.

  Jenra produced the datacube and handed it to Qi’ra. “I’ll leave this in your care.”

  “Tsuulo?” He stepped forward, and Qi’ra handed him the cube. “You’ve carried it this far. Might as well go all the way.”

  “Thank you,” he said solemnly.

  She replied, “You’re welcome,” before Han had a chance to translate.

  This was it. The sign he’d been waiting for. Qi’ra was staying. She’d handed the cube to Tsuulo because she wouldn’t be joining them on the Kaldana ship.

  He should be happy for her. She’d get off of Corellia, see the far reaches of the galaxy, and have a chance to use and develop her talents in ways he suspected he couldn’t fully grasp. But he didn’t like it. He couldn’t say why, exactly, just that he had a very bad feeling about Qi’ra taking that job.

  “You’re to hand it over, then wait for them to confirm the contents,” Jenra explained, primarily to Qi’ra, but with one eye on Tsuulo. “After that, they’ll transfer money—to both me and Lady Proxima. Once I’ve received the money, I’ll transmit the encryption key. Then they’ll escort you to a shuttle and fly you back down to Corellia. I don’t know if the shuttle is equipped with a hyperdrive, so it might be a long journey, but you’ll get home eventually.”

  “That doesn’t sound too complicated,” Han said.

  Tsuulo held the cube between his thumb and forefinger, staring at it. He was holding more than a billion credits’ worth of merchandise in his hand. Han wanted to remember this moment.

  The far end of the airlock hissed open, revealing a young woman in Kaldana black. Han was glad to note that her blaster remained holstered. If he made it back to Corellia alive, he was going to acquire a blaster somehow. It wasn’t fair that he kept showing up to gun fights armed with luck and charm.

  “Last chance, Qi’ra,” Jenra said.

  They all looked at her. Han’s heart was in his throat.

  “I…” Qi’ra couldn’t keep the emotion from her face. Her brow was knit, her lips parted.

  Han tried to find a little sympathy but couldn’t. He wanted to scream at her not to stay on the Red Nimbus. He wanted to hit something.

  Finally, Tsuulo said in the softest voice Han had ever heard from him, “I will miss you, Qi’ra, my friend.”

  Han didn’t know if Qi’ra understood, but she looked at Tsuulo, then at Han, and back to Tsuulo, who suddenly reached his arms out, drew her close, and embraced her soundly. Qi’ra remained stiff in Tsuulo’s arms for the space of a breath. Then, to Han’s very great surprise, Qi’ra hugged the little Rodian right back.

  Then Qi’ra extricated herself, turned to the Engineer. Did Han imagine that her eyes were moist with tears? “I’m sorry,” she said. “I won’t leave my friends.”

  Han felt all the air return to his lungs. But Jenra shrugged like it was no big deal. “In that case, I wish you all the very best.” She turned to go, leaving them in the entrance to the airlock.

  Qi’ra stepped forward, ready to be the first one through.

  Suddenly, Jenra whirled back around, gripped Qi’ra by the shoulders, and pulled her close to whisper something in her ear.

  Qi’ra’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

  The Engineer stepped away, but their gazes remained locked. Qi’ra nodded some kind of understanding.

  Then Jenra disappeared into the bowels of her yacht, and a voice behind them said, “Come on, we haven’t got all day.”

  The three of them stepped through the airlock.

  “This way,” the Kaldana woman said. “Everyone’s waiting for you in the conference room.”

>   The insides of the Kaldana ship were as ugly as the outsides. The corridors were small and crowded with cargo boxes, tools, gear, even a few sleeping pallets. The lights flickered on and off, indicative of an engine problem.

  Qi’ra’s eyes took in everything, as though memorizing it all. She was concentrating so hard she almost tripped over a sleeping pallet. Or maybe she had just pretended to trip, because it brought the two of them head-to-head.

  Han grabbed the sleeve of her jacket. He whispered, “What did Jenra say to you back there?”

  Qi’ra yanked Tsuulo close. Talking fast and low, she said, “We need to escape from this ship as soon as possible. Once the exchange is made, Jenra thinks we should run for it.”

  Tsuulo swore.

  “She thinks the Kaldana will kill us,” Han whispered back.

  “Probably,” Qi’ra said. “She gave me one of those gas bomb thingies. It’s in my pocket.”

  “But we have no breather masks this time,” Han pointed out.

  “Nope.”

  “We need an escape route.”

  “Hey, enough with the committee,” the Kaldana woman barked. “Are we doing this exchange or not?”

  Qi’ra moved to follow her, saying under her breath, “Help me memorize the layout. Keep an eye out for decent cover. And escape pods.”

  “I remember seeing a jettison hatch from the viewing window,” Han said. “It was aft, near the pulse engine.”

  “That’s a terrible place for an escape pod,” Tsuulo said.

  “The worst.”

  “Oh! I know exactly where it is!” Qi’ra blurted, a little too loud.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Have I ever let you down?”

  As they hurried down the cluttered corridor, Han considered that finding an escape pod might be the easy part. Their bigger problem was that, given the way this ship was maintained, there was a chance the pod hadn’t been serviced in years. It might not work at all.

  The Kaldana woman led them through a branching corridor, up in a lift, and to a doorway. The door no longer functioned; it was covered with a thick red velvet curtain that was blotchy and stained with something Han preferred not to know about.