everything."
"Good," Zekk said. "You think there's any chance she'll have the
Lightning Rod waiting for us by the time we land?"
Jacen rolled his eyes. "Even I'm not that optimistic."
Tenel Ka reached over to pat Zekk on the shoulder with her single
hand.
"It is important to keep one's hopes up."
In less than an hour, the Rock Dragon was docked in the V.I.P area of
Cilghal's beautiful floating metropolis of Foamwander City. The
Ambassador herself met them as they disembarked from the small Hapan
passenger cruiser on one of the mist-dampened upper decks. Jacen made
the introductions, and the female Calamarian greeted him and his
friends with all the warmth of a proud aunt.
Cilghal was a gentle-voiced member of the fishlike race that also
included the famous Admiral Ackbar. She wore watery blue robes that
seemed to ripple and change color like the tides of the sea. Her
blunt, salmon-colored head was streaked with a flush of pale green.
She raised a massive flipperlike hand in greeting.
With the formalities over, Cilghal led them to a beautiful private
dining area. Handing each of them a datapad into which the week's
arrivals from off-planet had been downloaded, she excused herself and
ordered them all some food: salted fish, seaweed rolls, and something
moist and delicious that they plucked out of scrolled shells.
Before they had finished their midday meal, the young Jedi Knights had
tracked down not only the point and time of Anja's arrival, but also
the city to which she had moved herself and the Lightning Rod the
evening before. The location was far to the north, in the ice-choked
waters of the arctic circle.
"Crystal Reef!" Cilghal said with surprise when they showed her their
findings. "A vacation resort reserved only for the wealthy and
elite.
If you wish to go there, I had better get to work immediately.
Everybody wants to go to Crystal Reef, and even the planet's Ambassador
to the New Republic doesn't necessarily get preferential treatment. "
Three hours later, they found themselves at Foamwander City's water
docks with all arrangements made for their trip north to Crystal
Reef.
The three young Jedi walked behind Cilghal as she led them to her
waveskimmer.
"Most efficient," Tenel Ka stated again with obvious approval, looking
at the Ambassador and her sleek watercraft.
Cilghal crossed the gangplank, boarded the skimmer, and began a safety
check. "How does she do it?" Jacen wondered aloud.
"Cilghal is amazing, all right," Zekk agreed, walking across the narrow
plank and stepping down into the skimmer. Jacen went next.
The seas were choppy and the little boat dipped and swayed beneath
him.
Far below, he could discernshadowy forms swimming just barely out of
sight. He turned to offer a hand to help Tenel Ka across. But with a
mischievous glint in her eye, Tenel Ka ignored his hand, ignored the
plank and the railing. In a single bound, she jumped aboard.
Just another day at the spice mines of Kessel.
The routine went as usual: transports came in, packages were marked,
cargo was unloaded and shipped off under carefully observed transport
restrictions. Nien Nunb had established rigid protocols and accounting
methods to be sure that all spice orders were watched and sold to the
properly authorized customers. Nothing could ever be per feet, but he
knew the setup was as efficient as that of any other business in the
sector.
The small Sullustan sat in his deep control chamber, overseeing the
daily business of his spice mines. He was surrounded by several
important business associates and administrators, as well as his hired
mercenary guards. So far he had managed to keep from panicking about
the attempt on his life, and it made him confident to know that Han
Solo's children and their Jedi friends were investigating the
"accident."
But how many henchmen did Torvon have hidden here in the mines?
And who did they really work for?
In fact, Jaina, Lowbacca, and their translating droid were even now out
scouting for evidence of untoward activities and trying to find clues
as to what was really going on. Nien Nunb had had to trade a few
engine parts for the news that something was going to happen here on
Kessel, but it was a small price to pay for the knowledge that he did,
indeed, need to stay alert.
His new right-hand man, Second Administrator Kymn, moved to ward the
transport control deck. The screen showed a string of lights that
indicated all approaching craft, all scheduled arrivals, and all major
navigational hazards from the debris of Kessel's exploded garrison
moon.
"Administrator Nunb, we have a large cargo transport arriving from Ord
Mantell. Exactly on schedule, sir," Kymn said.
The mousy Chief Administrator blinked his huge watery eyes and leaned
closer to the display. Nien Nunb could not recall any expected arrival
of such an enormous cargo ship. He jabbered quickly, since Second
Administrator Kymn understood the Sullustan's language.
"Oh, yes, Administrator Nunb. This was set up weeks ago," Kymn
answered. "That transport is carrying the new office furniture, as
well as food supplies, life-support recharge packs, and atmosphere
enrichment generators. Don't you remember signing the requisitions?"
Nien Nunb still had no recollection of the ship's impending arrival,
but he squinted at the screen again and saw that everything seemed to
be in order. In fact, the craft had already descended through Kessel's
wispy atmosphere and was even now approaching the opening doors of the
central cargo bay.
Nien Nunb blinked in surprise. Normally, such a transport would be
routed to the supply annex.
Second Administrator Kymn pointed to a list of heavy items on the cargo
manifest. "I felt it would be more efficient to bring him into the
main loading bay where we have our best equipment to handle large
cargo."
The Sullustan mumbled his agreement, though a quiet uneasiness had
begun to work in his abdomen. His instincts urged him to crawl into a
dark tunnel and hide where he knew he would be safe.
Kymn touched a communicator stud in his ear, listened for a moment, and
then said, "Acknowledged." He turned to Nien Nunb with a smile. "The
captain requests that you come to greet him personally.
He's something of an amateur historian of the Rebellion against the
Empire, and he would be honored to meet you and get your autograph."
The Sullustan beamed and stood up, chattering with surprise.
"Yes, I'm certain of it. He wants to shake the hand of the man who
flew copilot with Lando Calrissian at the destruction of the second
Death Star." The Chief Administrator bumbled with pleasure, but
insisted that they bring guards along, just in case. Kymn agreed and
pointed to three of the guards in the control room, naming them
specifically. "Come with us."
Together, they all marched down to the main
cargo bay. They put on
breathing masks before going into the docking area, which was now open
to the thin, cold air of Kessel so that the cargo ship could enter.
Nien Nunb stood beside his secondary administrator. The guards flanked
him on either side, while another hovered close in the rear.
The cargo ship landed. Its markings were from a private Ord Mantell
trading company. Nien Nunb thought the spice mines had dealt with that
trading firm before, but couldn't be sure. This bothered him, because
normally his memory for that sort of detail was quite reliable.
Perhaps his anxiety from the assassination attempt had disturbed him
more than he'd suspected.
The exit hatch on the cargo ship hissed open, and the captain swung
out. He had tousled blond hair, a freckled face, and bright blue eyes
that fixed instantly on the Sullustan manager. When the captain
smiled, his teeth flashed so white it looked like starfire. "Nien
Nunb! Boy, am I glad to meet you!"
The Sullustan stepped forward on his small feet, pleased at such
recognition. The grinning blond captain pumped his small, rodentlike
hand and then turned back to his cargo ship. "I knew I was coming to
your place, Chief Administrator Nunb, sir, so I wanted to bring a
special surprise. I hope you don't mind. Here, follow me so you can
watch me open up my cargo doors. You're not going to believe this."
The captain worked the controls to release the large doors covering the
craft's cargo bay. Second Administrator Kymn stepped close to Nien
Nunb, as if eager to observe his surprise. The three handpicked guards
they had brought along stationed themselves at strategic points in the
bay.
When the cargo ship's doors cracked open, Nien Nunb saw movement.
Startled, he took half a step back. A split second later, armed
mercenary fighters boiled out of the cargo ship, shouting, weapons
drawn.
A nearby guard planted his blaster rifle against the Chief
Administrator's back.
Feeling the cold muzzle pressing between his shoulder blades, the
Sullustan squawked and raised his hands. More mercenaries charged down
the ship's ramp, leaping into the cargo chamber and firing their
weapons into the air. Within an instant they had created massive
confusion and havoc.
Second Administrator Kymn drew his own weapon, a holdout blaster, and
turned to fire a shot at one of the other guards who stood over by the
communications array. The surprised man flew backward into the wall.
The remaining two guards who had come from the command control center
also opened fire. Nien Nunb thought for a moment they might defend him
and repel the attackers. But instead the guards-his own guards!-joined
the newcomers, adding their strength to this surprising coup in the
spice mines of Kessel.
Gunfire ricocheted off the walls, rattling the insulation plates. The
mousy Sullustan tried to duck out of the way. He wondered how long
this turmoil would go on. As he blinked and looked around, he saw that
the brilliant smile on the blond pilot's face now held a wicked edge.
Nien Nunb had been deceived-completely deceived.
He had no choice but to guffender.
Continuing their investigation through the winding tunnels, Jaina and
Lowie trudged after the miniaturized translating droid as he floated
along following a map of the mine catacombs he had downloaded
earlier.
"I've got a strong feeling that something's gone wrong," Jaina said.
"But we haven't found a thing yet."
Lowie growled his agreement, and they used their Jedi senses in an
attempt to pinpoint where the crisis would occur. They emerged at the
edge of a shaft that opened on the upper wall of the central control
and cargo bay-just as blaster fire erupted ahead of them.
"Oh, my!" Em Teedee said. "Take cover quickly! What if a blaster
bolt ricochets up here? We're doomed!"
"Jedi Knights don't hide in a crisis," Jaina said. Lowie growled and
reached for his lightsaber, ready to push forward, but Jaina held him
back. "On the other hand, looks like an entire military force down
there. We're heavily outgunned. Wouldn't do any good to jump into
that mess without a plan. We'd be captured or killed in seconds."
Lowie groaned his acquiescence.
"You show admirable restraint, Mistress Jaina," Em Teedee said.
They looked down and watched helplessly. Within minutes, the mercenary
soldiers had subdued all resistance with as little bloodshed as
possible.
"Put the element of surprise to good use, didn't they? A complete
takeover." Jaina narrowed her eyes and glared down at the turncoat
guards and Second Administrator Kymn, knowing that this treachery must
have been planned for some time. She also recalled the members of the
Wing Guard on Cloud City, who had turned traitor and sold out to Black
Sun. Something was definitely going on at the fringes of the New
Republic-something big.
Kymn ran to the intercom on the wall, pressed the transmit button, and
shouted, "Signal Alpha! Signal Alpha!" Then he went back to take his
position, proudly holding his blaster pistol.
"I do believe that must be some sort of code," Em Teedee said.
Lowie grumbled for the little droid to be quiet so as not to give away
their position.
Second Administrator Kymn, wearing a superior smile now, spoke quickly
to the Chief Administrator. "Our allies are in place at every
important station on Kessel. We have just finished taking over all the
control points. I hope our people were able to assert themselves
without too many deaths. The important thing is that they're well
armed and prepared to do what's necessary. Don't doubt it."
Fresh soldiers continued to file out of the large cargo ship.
"It's an entire occupation force," Jaina whispered.
The invaders brought out heavy equipment, weapons, and supplies.
Forming rows, the mercenary troops looked on attentively as a tall
shadow moved inside the cargo hold. Jaina gasped with recognition as
the towering man stepped into the light. Sickly pale skin contrasted
with close-cropped moss-green hair. A thin metallic visor sported a
dark red cyber-eye that glinted, shifting constantly from one side to
the other.
"Lord Czethros!" Administrator Kymn said. "Welcome to the spice mines
of Kessel. Our takeover is complete. This facility is now yours. "
Czethros strode down, square-shouldered and proud, as if there had
never been any question of ownership in his mind. "Excellent job," he
said. "Kessel will become my new base of operations. From here we
will coordinate our lightning strikes-multiple covert attacks just like
this one, only on a much larger scale. I'm glad our plan here operated
so efficiently. A good sign."
He smiled, and his mercenaries beamed at the praise. Jaina knew that
Czethros was not a man to give compliments easily.
"In a similar manner, all of our infiltrators in key positions in
important systems will be able to strike as soon as we transmit the
sig
nal for our coordinated takeovers. The attacks will be
simultaneous. Within days we will bring the New Republic to its
knees.
Black Sun will prevail! " He raised a fist in the air, and the other
mercenaries shouted in unison, "Black Sun!"
"Dear me! Whatever are we going to do?" Em Teedee said as Jaina and
Lowie backed deeper into the shadows of the tunnel.
"Well, there's one good thing about all of this so far," Jaina said,
her face grim and determined. "We're Jedi Knights-and Czethros doesn't
know that we're here."
Piloted by Cilghal, the waveskimmer roared across the choppy seas
toward the polar oceans of Mon Calamari. The sky was steely gray, the
water cold. Mountainous icebergs floated in the distance like broken
white teeth jutting up from the surface of the waves. The air felt so
frigid that it seemed it might break if they tore through it too
quickly.
"There, those sparkling colors," Jacen said, pointing. "Is that
Crystal Reef?"
Cilghal nodded. "Crystal Reef is one of the most popular casinoresorts
on all of Mon Calamari."
Protruding from the waves and surrounded by an archipelago of icebergs
was an artificial island, a glittering mound of lights and metal that
drifted about on the frigid currents. The Crystal Reef casino-resort
was incredibly exclusive, isolated, a place for the wealthiest members
Under A Black Sun Trilogy Page 39
