Tales From The Empire

by Peter Schweighofer

  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.r />
  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,