Star Wars - The Corellian Trilogy - Assault At Selonia

by Allen McBride

  Thrackan took another pull off the bottle, and then made a vague sort of gesture with his free hand. "Right now I'm telling lies to the world. All part of the plan.

  When the time comes for me to tell the truffir at least to let the truth get out-you will be a very useful messenger. People-the people who matter-will believe you.

  "Telling lies and truth about what?" Han asked.

  Thrackan smiled. "Oh, no. No, no. No. I'm not taking chances.

  Might've said too much already." Thrackan paused for a moment, and looked Han straight in the face. He put his hand on his cousin's knee, and gave it an affectionate little squeeze that sent fresh spasms of pain through Han's bruised body. Thrackan clearly did not notice.

  "You know, much as I ate to admit it, it's good to see you.

  Maybe we're enemies at the moment, and you're my prisoner, but I suppose that old family feeling is still there. Thkes me back to the old days."

  "Same here," Han said. Not that the old days with his cousin were anything he wanted to remember, but his dancing lesson with Dracmus had certainly reminded him of them. Still, if Thrackan was in a talking mood, he wanted to encourage him. "But it seems to me that we have a lot to worry about here in the present."

  "That we do. At least I do. You're not going to be going anywhere or doing much of anything for a while."

  "I sort of figured that."

  Thrackan made an attempt to put a crafty expression on his face, and shook his finger at Han. "But can I count on your cooperation while you're here? When the time's right, you'll be released, and we'll give you a message to carry-unless, of course, you've caused so much trouble in the meantime that it's not worthwhile keeping you around."

  "Thrackan, I don't now how to say this, but I am something close to a prisoner of war in all this. It's my job to cause trouble."

  "I was afraid you'd see it that way. I don't suppose I could get you to give me your parole, the way Dracmus did?"

  "Sorry. No can do."

  "And even if you did, I don't think I'd trust you as far as I'd trust her," Thrackan said. Amazing, really, the casual arrogance of the man. One moment he was waxing nostalgic over the old days spent beating smaller children to a pulp, and the next he was tossing off a contemptuous insult of Han's honor that was made worse by being completely unconsidered. "We almost got your kids, you know. Our spotters saw that Wookiee pal of yours hustle them into your ship, and we scrambled a flight of PPBs to go after them. If we had caught them, we'd realty have some leverage on your wife."

  Han stared at his cousin, astonished in spite of himself. It took a very special kind of mind to come up which such schemes, to see so much and yet be so blind.

  "How can you do it, Thrackan? How can you go against the best traditions of our people? Never involve the innocent. Always protect your famity. Don't those words sound familiar at all?"

  "I don't run my life according to the morals from old nursery stories," Thrackan said.

  "So how do you run your life?" Han asked, his temper starting to get the better of him. "What are the moral lessons you live by?"

  Thrackan chortled and took another pull at his bottle.

  "Fine questions coming from a pirate and a smuggler and a traitor."

  "I've been called worse," Han said evenly. "But we're talking about you. I really want to know. How did you get to where you are?"

  There was no such thing as enough information about the enemy.

  Han knew the oo 10gW n.CCSflCC N AUMULT Ar MO size of his cousin's ego. If Han could twit his vanity, get him talking about himself, Thrackan might well reveal something valuable.

  "When I left Corellia," Han went on, "you weren't much more than an Imperial bureaucrat. How did you get to be the Grand Exalted Hidden Leader, or whatever it is they call you now?"

  Thrackan sneered. "They call me by my proper title.

  They call me the Diktat. And it's a title I have ev'ry right to daim."

  "How so? How did you earn it?"

  Thrackan smiled coldly. "The old-fashioned way," he replied.

  "With old-fashioned determination. Determination and ambition."

  "With maybe a little backstabbing and skulduggery thrown in for good luck," Han said.

  "Watch what you say to me, Han, or I'll-"

  "You'll what?" Han said, tired of playing nice. "Beat me to a pulp? Try and kidnap my children? Order a rocket attack on the building my family is in?Don't tell me a man capable of all that didn't play a trick or two here and there on his way to the top."

  "And suppose I did play the game? There'd be nothing new in that.

  Lots of other leaders have to do it on their way up."

  "Now there's a fine moral lesson for you. Eveiyone else does it."

  "I should have let the Selonian kill you," Thrackan muttered.

  "Yeah. What a pity you seem to need me. But you were telling me about your heroic climb to the top."

  "Maybe I will let her kill you," he said, in a sulky tone. "But about me, there's not that much to tell. Let's just say that I maneuvered my way into progressively more important posts. By the time your stinking Rebellion won its first battles against the Empire, I was the heir presumptive to the Diktat. Dupas Thomree was the Diktat, Daclif Gallamby was heir apparent, and 1 was third in the line of succession.

  "That would be news to a lot of people," Han said. "I remember Thomree, of course, but I've never heard of Gallamby-and I never knew you were up there, too."

  "Th' fact was not widely known," Thrackan said, once again trying to speak in formal tonend not quite pulling it off. "But the Imperial government of Corellia had a tradition of secrecy. We din't answer to anyone."

  "You're forgetting your close personal friend the Emperor. You must have answered to him."

  "Not really. The Emperor believed in order, and we kept order here. I can assure you of that. In exchange for keeping order, which we would've done anyway, and for swearing absolute loyalty to the Emperor's external policies, the Emperor granted Diktat Thomree permission to run the sector any way he pleased. There was no reason for the public to know the arrangements for the succession. Even the most poweif members of the leadership were unknown to the public.

  People jus' knew who the Diktat was. Secrecy was a real handy thing for those in power."

  "So what happened?"

  "When the war against the Rebellion started, Thomree kept his side of the bargain. He provided troops and ships for the Emperor. But not long after, Thomree, ah, well, he-he died unexpectedly."

  "I bet it's a real interesting story how that happened," Han said, noticing his cousin's hesitation. "There might even be more than one version."

  "I had nothin' to do with it," Thrackan said. "But I won't kid you. Lots of Diktats died under suspicious circumstances. 1 think Thomree figured he had protected himself from assassination by makiri' a nobody his successor. Wouldn't be the first time someone tried thatr the first time it failed."

  "So who did succeed?"

  oc, -q-I AS-U "Gallamby took over. He was the last Diktat. II you can call him that. Jus' a figurehead, a puppet on a string-"

  "Were you one of the ones pulling the string?" Han asked.

  "Nope. I tried, but others got to `im first. They managed to control policy. They called for economy. They cut back on Thomree's support of the war against the Rebellion." Thrackan paused a moment and shook his head. "How close were some of those fights, cousin?"

  he asked. "Do you think maybe a few more Corellian ships, a few thousand more Corellian troops, might've tipped the balance? Do you think maybe Gallamby and his gang might've won the war for you?"

  Han did not answer. It was no secret that the Rebel Alliance had won more than once by the skin of its teeth.

  "Yeah, don't talk," Thrackan said. "I say a few fools eager to save a credit or two lost us the war."

  "There was more to it than who had the most ships, Thrackan. We had other things going for us."

  "Skywalker, you mean."


  "Well, yes. Luke Skywalker. And maybe the forces of history."

  "I've never believed in fate," Thrackan said. "I've always made my own fate."

  "Except the Rebel Alliance defeated the p,?

  Han said. "You weren't able to do much about that."

  "Why do you take such pleasure in baiting me, when I could have you killed or tortured any time I want?"

  "Mostly because I don't like you," Han said. "But I want to hear this story and you want to tell it. What happened in the Corellian Sector when we defeated the Empire?"

  "Even up to the end, I was struggling, behind the scenes, to return Corellia to her former policy."

  "You were trying to seize power.

  "Of course I was, y' fool. Gallamby was letting everything fall apart. Act of patriotism to try and kick `im out.

  And by the time of the battle of the second Death Star, I was almost ready to get rid of him. We were all set."

  Thrackan paused for another swig on his bottle, and his face darkened. "But then we heard about the Emperor's death, and about the defeat at Endor. That was enough for the alien scum here, and for their sympathizers.

  "Aliens? What aliens?"

  "You know damn well. The nonhuman scum here on Corellia."

  "The Selonians and the Drall.?

  "Right."

  "How could they be aliens? They've lived here for thousands of years."

  "They aren't human. So they're aliens." Obviously, as far as Thrackan was concerned, there could be no argument. "And they all figured that without an Emperor, there wasn't any Empire. There were celebrations here when the Emperor died, if you can believe that."

  "Do tell," Han said. "Amazing." He was starting to understand something. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Thrackan couldn't quite believe that Han, his own flesh and blood, could not see the true way.

  It must be that Han had never heard the real story, in all its seffevident logic. But once it was all explained, once Han understood what had realy happened, the scales would fall from his eyes. He would be converted to Thrackan's way of thinking. Han could play along with that, if need be. "Even his enemies mourned the death of a worthy adversary." That, of course, was a bald-faced lie. News of Emperor Palpatine's death had been met with dancing in the streets. But telling Thrackan that wouldn't accomplish much of anything.

  "Thanks, Han, for telling me that. Here, they celebrated. Nearly all of `em. Even the troopers and the navy crew. Deserted in droves.

  No one defeated the empire in Corellia It jus' collapsed." Thrackan stood up a little straighter and made an effort to focus himself. "A regime without authority cannot rule," he said, very grandly. "And the regime here lost all authority."

  "The people stopped being afraid of you, is that it?"

  "Fear," Thrackan said, "is a great organizing principle. But the end of fear wasn't the only thing that made it crack. It was us startin' to fear them. Gallamby made a run for it. Him and his handlers. Took half the credits in the treasury with them. And that was just the start of it.

  Scavenger hawks. They came in like scavenger hawks and grabbed everything that wasn't nailed down. And then people started to get hold of files and started arresting goy'ment officials, trying them for crimes committed in office. Crazy stuff. How could anythin' done in service of the Empire be a crime?"

  "Beats me," Han said. "So the Empire collapsed.

  What did you do? How did you get here?"

  "I started planning. Plotting. Thinking of the long term.

  Finding friends one place, favors someplace else.

  Started searching out people who'd done all right under the Empire, and wanted the old days back."

  "So that's your goal. Bring back the Empire? Give up F now, Thrackan. It's dead, dead and gone."

  "I know that," Thrackan said. "I don't like it, but I can see it.

  Could see it the day Palpatine and Darth Vader died. All over.

  But Palpatine's New Order, the Imperial system-that we can bring back, at least here.

  Jst no Emperor over the Diktat. No one telling the F Corellian Sector what to do. In-de-pen-dent. Just us F here, putting the aliens back in their place."

  "I thought you were going to kick them off the planet Corellia," Han said. "I heard the announcement. If the New Republic didn't move all the nonhumans off the planet, you'd blow up another star?"

  Thrackan laughed. "Yeah. I bet you heard it. Everybody on this planet did. That's one of the lies I've been telling. No way to do that. No way. Impossible. But it makes them sweat.

  "What's impossible?" Han asked, a bit too eagerly.

  "Moving the nonhumans off, or blowing up another star? Did you realty blow up that first star?"

  But Thrackan just laughed. "Oh, no," he said. "I can't tell you that. That would spoil the surprise." He frowned for a moment. "That reminds me," he said as an extremely nasty smile spread across his face. "I almost forgot. Another surprise. Reason I came down here.

  Got a big treat ready for an alien lover like you."

  "What-what do you mean?" Han said. Something in his gut tightened up. Thrackan's surprises were rarely pleasant.

  "You wait right there. I'll bring it in."

  Thrackan stood up, a bit unsteadily, and walked toward the cell door. He pounded on it three flmes, and the door swung inward.

  Thrackan turned back to Han.

  "Be back in just a secon'," he said.

  Han stood up, and discovered just how painful standing could be.

  As best he could tell, there was no permanent damage from his fight with Dracmus, but it would be a while before he healed altogether.

  Dracmus All of a sudden Han had a very good idea what his cousin's surprise was going to be.

  Thrackan came back into the cell, a trooper at his back. The trooper took up a position watching the door and drew his blaster, aiming it through the doorway.

  The Selonian, Dracmus, stepped into the cell, followed by another trooper with his weapon drawn.

  Thrackan looked from Han to Dracmus and back again, a wild grin on his face. "Han," he said. "My dear old cousin. My dear old alien-loving traitor cousin. altor to the Empire, traitor to the Emperor, traitor to your race. I think it's time you said hello to your new cell mate."

  The weary travelers came out of the Millennium Fakon.

  Being careful not to step on any more nannarians, they walked toward the house, Ebrihim's Aunt Marcha in the lead, her blaster rifle slung over her shoulder. She led them to the central dome and up the low stairs to the large doors that led inside. Once at the top of the stairs, she turned toward her nephew and looked at him expectantly.

  Ebrihim understood, and turned toward the others F "Our tradition requires a brief and simple ceremony of presentation when a guest first enters the home of the host," he explained. "If there are none who know both parties, the visitors are expected to present themselves.

  However, if there are people who know both groups, the most junior person knowing both parties is expected to do the honors. In this case, that is myself."

  "You're the only one," Jacen objected.

  "But I am also the most junior. That is what decides.

  In this way, we honor those who are our seniors." F "You getting this, Anakin?" Jacen asked in a loud whisper.

  "Quiet, Jacen," Jaina hissed.

  "It is also expected," Ebrihim went on in a more severe tone of voice, "that the elders will behave in a way worthy of honor."

  "Sorry," Jacen said.

  "Then, if we may begin. Chewbacca. Jaina Solo.

  Jacen Solo. Anakin Solo," said Ebrihim. "Permit me to present the Duchess Marcha of Mastigophorous. If she will so deign to honor us, she will be your hostess. Pray do her honor.

  "You never told us your aunt was a Duchess," Jacen said accusingly.

  "You never asked," Ebrihim replied evenly.

  Jaina curtsied prettily, and managed somehow to look quite ladylike, considering that she was in rumpled, oversized ship's coverall& "Plea
sed to meet you, Your Grace." Chewbacca bowed, and did so with a surprising grace.

  Ebrihim turned toward Jacen and Anakin and waited in silence until Jaina gave her twin a poke in the ribs.

  "Huh? Oh." Jacen bowed awkwardly, popping up and down rather clumsily. Anakin got the idea, but imitated his sister's curtsy instead of his brother's bow.

  "Close enough," Ebrihim muttered to himself. Then he turned to his aunt. "Your Grace, may I present the Wookiee Chewbacca, and the humans Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, and Anakin Solo, all of the planet Coruscant."

  "Ignored again, I see," Q9 muttered.

  As good manners required, the Duchess paid the droid no attention whatsoever. "I am most pleased to meet you all," she said, nodding gravely. "I am honored to have such guests. Please make my home your home"Within reason. Ebrihim said with a warning look at the children.

  "-and accept all that my hospitality may offer," the Duchess concluded, not missing a beat.

  "Thank you," the three children said in chorus.

  "Come, then, and enter," said the Duchess, and gestured toward the door, which opened on its own.

  She stood aside and let her guests go. The children went first, followed by Chewbacca and Q9. Ebrihim and Marcha entered side by side, and waited while Chewbacca and the children admired the interior of the dome.

  Ebrihim remembered his own first visit to the dome.

  No one could set foot in it without stopping just to look It was a special and magic place. The plain white walls of the hemispheric dome rose up to the ceiling, peaceful and perfect, its warm white featurelessness drawing the eye upward. The columned entryways to the two wings of the house faced each other, each as elaborate as the

  exterior of the building was plain. One entry was carved in purest white marble, the other in jet-back ebony.

  Monsters and fabulous creatures out of legend and history clambered and slithered and flew up and down the doorframes and around the columns.

  The elaborate entryways faced each other across a F formal courtyard filled with planters and flowers of all kinds. A jet of water danced in the center of the dome, tempting those who dared to thread their way through the hedgerow maze that surrounded the fountain itself.

  A dozen species of Drallish aviars and Corellian birds and other flying creatures flittered and fluttered about the dome.