father's message again.
"Your brother Raine has been killed by Rebel forces on the planet
Ralltiir," the figure in the holo said. Reise Durasha looked much
older, and much thinner than when she'd seen him last. His gray-green
Imperial Army uniform seemed to hang loosely on his bent frame. Dark
shadows ringed his eyes. "I know how close you and Raine were . .
."
Celia buried her face in her hands and burst into tears.
Emotionally exhausted, numb with grief, sleep finally ended her pain.
When the cabin intercom buzzed more than an hour later, she awoke
suddenly. Slowly, she reached over and clicked it on.
"Durasha here," she said wearily.
"Celia, I thought we had a game this evening."
She stared blankly at the comm panel.
"Celia?" the Chief called again, more insistently.
"Oh, Chief," she finally said, "I forgot."
"Is everything all right?" he asked. "We don't have to play
tonight--" "No, just give me a few minutes."
When Celia arrived on the observation deck, the holo gameboard was
darkened. A tall glass of some exotic beverage sat on the edge of the
playing table.
"What's this?" Celia asked, pointing toward the drink.
"Zadarian brandy. You sounded like you could use a good stiff drink,"
Kaileel told her.
Celia blinked a tear from her eye. She picked up the brandy, swirled
it around the glass thoughtfully, and finally took a long sip.
The brew trickled down her throat, but its warmth did nothing to
diminish the chill she felt.
She could feel the Chief's eyes upon her.
"What has happened?" he asked.
Staring out at the stars blurring past them in hyperspace, Celia
didn't seem to hear him.
"Celia?" He stood up, placing his hand lightly on her shoulder.
Trembling, Celia turned toward Kaileel and looked up into his eyes.
"My brother--" she cried, burying her face in his chest.
Kaileel wrapped his long scaly arms around her. He held her tightly.
"I'm so sorry, my dear little Crimson," he said.
When her tears dried, Celia told her old friend how Raine's unit had
been ambushed by Rebels at the space-port on Ralltiir.
Kaileel shook his head sadly. "So many will die," he said quietly.
"On both sides."
Celia's eyes grew wide. "You don't support the Rebel cause, do you?"
"Let's just say I disagree with the Empire's methods of resolving this
conflict," he told her.
"What do you mean, Chief?"
Kaileel gazed out the viewport. "Think of the Maelstrom Nebula,
Celia," he said.
"What about it?"
"From Mantooine--how does it appear?"
"It's barely a speck," she replied.
"True," he nodded. "what happens when we enter the Nebula?"
She threw him a puzzled look. "Is this a class in astrophysics,
Chief?"
"Please, follow along with me," he said.
"All right. When we enter the Nebula our communications don't work
well. And our sensors are blinded. But what does that have to do
with--" Kaileel held up one long green finger. "From a great distance
we can only surmise the hazards the Nebula may present to us. Why is
it that until we're close, until it touches us, we don't recognize the
danger?
"The Empire is like that, little Crimson. From a dis
tance, we may not
feel the danger--we're too far removed from its touch. But once it is
upon us, we will hear and see only what the Empire desires."
"My family serves that Empire, Chief. My brother died fighting for it,
too," she reminded him. "You'd better not let others hear you speak
like this. They might suspect you were the one who stole those--" She
stopped mid-sentence, sitting up abruptly, and leaned over the holo
gameboard.
Kaileel eyed her, then thoughtfully swirled the reddish liqueur in his
own glass.
"You gave those blasters to Rebels on Mantooine?" she asked quietly.
"Was that the business you had to attend to?"
Before the Chief could answer, Dap Nechel bounded into the room.
"Why didn't you tell me you were playing?" he asked, his voice filled
with an exaggerated anguish.
Celia fell back onto the overstuffed pillows. She looked from Kaiteel
to Dap, then turned away. Kaileel straightened in his seat and took a
long slow sip from his drink.
"I'm sorry," Dap said. "I seem to have interrupted a private
conversation. I'll go now."
"No, it's okay, Dap," Celia said. "Stay. We were just setting up the
board." She pressed a button on the side of the game table. A
greenish glow lit their faces and a dozen warriors appeared, standing
at attention, weapons held at right-shoulder arms, on each side of the
holo board.
"Celia, we don't have to play--" Kaileel began.
"It's all right, Chief," she said. "Your move."
As Dap climbed onto the sofa next to Celia, Kaileel positioned his
waroot. Celia moved one of her farangs.
Chief countered by advancing another one of his warriors.
Celia studied the gameboard. Sitting up, she pulled her blaster from
its holster and rubbed her hand along the
barrel contemplatively.
"Hmm, Chief," she said, "that was not a wise move."
"Really? I believe it all depends on your point of view," he
replied.
"My point of view?" she frowned.
"Open your eyes, dear Crimson. Look at what is happening all around
you."
Dap eyed his two friends. "What are you two talking about?" he
asked.
"Will one of you please tell me?"
Celia looked away.
"Celia's brother was killed by Rebels on Ralltiir."
"Oh, dear. That's terrible, Lieutenant. I had heard about the
insurrection there on the holo newsvid. But the Empire is dealing with
those Rebels," he said. "And the ones on Alderaan. Yes, indeed. They
won't be giving the Empire any more trouble."
"Alderaan?" the Chief asked.
"Good skies, have you not heard the news--well, no, I guess not if
you've been sitting here the last hour."
"What has happened on Alderaan?" Celia repeated.
"The Emperor's servants discovered that several of the leaders of the
Rebellion were from Alderaan-Bail Or-gana himself, and his daughter,
the Princess Leia. Our forces have made an example of that world."
"What do you mean?"
"Alderaan has been destroyed."
"What!" Celia exclaimed.
Kaileel shook his head sadly. "Did I not tell you this?"
"The whole planet?"
"It's nothing but billions of particles of dust now," Dap said.
"Millions of people, like pawns," Kaileel said, pointing at the
characters on their gameboard, "for the Emperor to do with what he
will."
"But, Chief" "I fear the game is up," Kaileel said softly.
Frowning, Celia leaned over the gameboard to check their warriors'
positions. "You're not giving up that eas
ily," she said, suddenly
catching Dap's startled expression out of the corner of her eye.
Chief Kaileel exhaled deeply, letting out a big s
igh.
Celia looked up. Two stormtroopers had blaster rifles aimed at her
friend.
"Indeed, Rebel spy," Adion Lang's voice rang out men-acingly.
He stepped out from behind the stormtroopers.
"The game is up."
"Adion!" Celia exclaimed, carefully holstering her blaster.
"What's the meaning of this?" She made a point of standing slowly, not
wanting to alarm the storm-troopers.
"Chief Kaileel is no spy."
"Please, Celia, don't try to defend this traitor. We know all about
this," he paused, searching for the right description, "creature's
activities. We have proof that he has supplied weapons to Rebel agents
on Mantooine. And considering the conversation I've just overheard--"
"You've been spying on us!" Dap exclaimed.
"That is my job. I'm sorry, Celia, that this...
thing . . . has cultivated your friendship. Just remember what his
friends have done to your brother," Adion said.
"Raine would still be alive if it weren't for traitors like him."
His cold words cut into Celia's heart like a vibroblade.
She'd lost her brother to the Rebels. And now she was losing her best
friend to the Empire. She looked at Kaileel--she would never blame him
for Raine's death.
She hoped he could see that in her eyes.
"It's all right, dear Crimson," Kaileel told her. "I am only one.
But the Empire will soon learn that the ones will multiply by the
hundreds of thousands. And one day, we shall not be put down."
"Take him away," Adion ordered the stormtroopers.
"Excuse me, Lieutenant," Dap said. "If you'll not be needing me, may I
go?"
"Yes, Chief Nechel," Adion told him, "though I may ask for a statement
from you later."
"I see," Dap replied. "Yes, indeed, whatever you require.
You know where I'll be."
Celia watched them put binders on Kaileel's wrists. His strong
muscular arms twitched nervously as he stood up.
Towering above them, he would have been an intimidating sight if it
weren't for the blaster rifles they had trained on him.
"Move it," one stormtrooper ordered Kaileel, shoving his rifle into the
chief's chest.
"Take him to ship's security and keep a close eye on him, Sergeant,"
Adion ordered. "Remember, he knows that place better than anyone on
this ship."
"Yes, sir."
As they led Kaileel away, Celia stared after them. "What will happen
to him, Adion?"
"Dear Celia, don't concern yourself with these details," he replied,
reaching out to take her hand.
"I don't understand this, Adion. I thought you were an administrative
aide."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you, Celia.
I'm with the Imperial Security Bureau. We've been watching your
security chief for several months now."
"I thought I knew him so well. I never suspectedre" she said, covering
her face with her hands.
Adion took Celia into his arms. "There, now," he said, "everything
will be all right. Come, sit down with me."
"Gentlebeings," a voice rang out over the ship's intercom.
"This is Captain Glidrick. In approximately 30 minutes, the Kuari
Princess will emerge from hyperspace to enter the Maelstrom Nebula.
You won't want to miss the spectacular view from the Lido Deck's
observation ports.
It will be a sight you will never forget."
"The Nebula--" Celia sighed. Kaileel's comparison of the Empire and
the nebula filled her mind . . . until it touches you, you may not
realize the danger it presents.
"Forget what that old creature said to you, Celia. His thoughts are
dangerous."
Celia looked up into Adion's blue eyes. They seemed
cold and
vacant.
Who was right? Empire? Rebel? She'd been hurt by both of them.
Could she ever embrace one or the other? She didn't know what to think
anymore.
"I've got to talk to him, Adion."
"That's not a good idea, Celia."
"Please--just for a few minutes."
"I will have to question him first, but before we reach Aris, I'll let
you see him."
Nodding weakly, she rested her head on Adion's shoulder.
The cell door slid shut behind her. Celia stood rigidly, staring at
Kaileel. After more than 10 hours, she was finally able to talk to
him, just as Adion Lang had promised.
Shaking her head, she placed her nav-aid datapads on the chest just
inside the door and began pacing back and forth across Kaileel's
cell.
Her hand nervously fingered her empty holster.
"You admitted it!" she finally shouted at Kaileel.
"What else was I to do, Lieutenant?" he asked her.
Stopping dead in her tracks in front of him, Celia rolled her eyes in
disgust. "Lie!"
Kaileel stared past her as if looking out some nonexistent viewport.
"To what end? My dear little Crimson," he said, turning to look into
her eyes, "I know you are not that naive."
Celia clenched her fists and pounded Kaileel's muscular chest. "I just
don't understand, Chief!" she cried.
"What has the Empire done to you?"
"Nothing."
"Then why did you get yourself mixed up with these Rebels?"
"What the Empire is doing is wrong," he told her, "it's immoral.
Remember what I told you--that certain point of view--stop looking at
the Empire from a distance. Take a look up close, Celia. You will
see. All freedom-loving
beings know this is true." He took her hand into his, pressing it closely to his chest. "And I know, deep in my
heart, that one day you will understand."
Staring up into his huge black eyes, Celia pushed down the lump in her
throat. "I just don't know, Chief--" The door into the cell slid
open.
"Time's up, Lieutenant. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."
"But it's only been a couple of minutes. Can't I stay a little while
longer, Sergeant?"
"I've got my orders, Lieutenant."
The stormtrooper motioned her toward the door. Celia frowned at
Kaileel. She finally walked away from him, stopping to glance back one
last time.
"I still want my rematch with you, Chief!" she told him, reaching for
the datapads on the chest. "I won't let them take you off this ship
until I get a rematch!"
The datapads slipped from Celia's hands, clattering to the floor.
She bent down to retrieve them, inconspicuously withdrawing the knife
from her boot. Standing abruptly, she drove the knife under the
stormtrooper's helmet and into his neck. He 'screamed in pain as she
forcefully pulled him out of the doorway, bashing his head against the
wall. Her hands shaking, she twisted the blade one last time as the
trooper collapsed to the floor.
"C'mon, Chief," she said, re-sheathing the knife in her boot, "we've
got to get out of here!"
A second stormtrooper appeared in the doorway. Diving to the floor,
Celia recovered the fallen trooper's blaster rifle and opened fire.
Her shot nicked the wall as the stormtrooper backed away from the
door.
Jumping to her feet, Celia scrambled to the doorway and blasted him as
he ran down the corridor.
"Let's go, Chief!" she shouted, throwing the blaster rifle back to
him.
Following her, Kaileel stepped over the two dead storm-troopers.
"Tell me, dear Crimson, do you really expect us
to get out of here alive?" he asked. "Where's the rest of our security people?"
"Dap arranged for a little problem on the Bazaar Deck," she said,
Tales From The Empire Page 22
