Star Wars - Black Fleet Crisis - Shield Of Lies

by Michael P. Kube-Mcdowell

  dictated that they would eventually climb back inside them. As a

  practical matter, they also couldn't afford to sacrifice the

  maneuvering and communications systems. But neither man was eager to

  give up his unexpected freedom. The pieces of both suits floated

  around the chamber like dismembered corpses while Artoo and Threepio

  looked on, nonplussed by the display.

  tinue searching for the vessel's control room? I do not see that this

  has significantly altered our situation--" Artoo suddenly began

  squawking shrilly.

  "I'm talking to them now, Artoo," said Threepio.

  "Just you wait your turn-- What? There's another ship?

  Heading directly toward us? Oh, Artoo--we're saved. I knew that the

  colonel would come for us--" "Slow down, Threepio--what's going on?"

  "Artoo says that the sensors on the limpet are detecting another ship

  on an intercept course."

  Grabbing his helmet as it fl oated by, Lando shot a worried look toward

  Lobot. "What ship? Ask him what ship--" "The holoprojector," Lobot

  interrupted. "Artoo can relay the signal from the imager."

  A few seconds later half the chamber was filled with the limpet's

  wide-angle view of space outside the vagabond's hull. The approaching

  ship was clearly visible to the extreme left of the projection, toward

  the bow.

  "Imperial escort frigate," Lando said immediately.

  "The original KDY design, with the heavy stuff forward.

  It looks like the gun ports are open, too."

  "Shouldn't we signal it somehow, Master Lando?" asked Threepio.

  "It's not from our armada, Threepio," said Lobot.

  "The only signal I want to send that ship is a wave good-bye," said

  Lando, reaching out and touching the wall of the chamber. "Come on,

  old lady, don't wait around for an introduction."

  "Master Lando, Artoo says that there are two other ships approaching as

  well, but much farther away. Perhaps one of them is Glorious."

  "Not coming from that direction, it isn't-- Oh, hell!"

  The bow of the onrushing frigate had suddenly disappeared behind the

  yellow-white plasma bubble of an ion cannon burst. A fraction of a

  second later the holoprojection turned a crackling white, then disap

  peared. Artoo yelped unhappily. At the same time, the ship shuddered

  under them.

  "The limpet's been fried," Lobot said, spinning in midair as he

  struggled to pull the lower half of his contact suit up over his

  legs.

  "Artoo isn't getting anything from it now."

  Lando pressed his palm against the wall, hoping to feel the tremor of a

  hyperspace jump beginning. "Of all the luck-- What's going on?" he

  demanded. "Why is she waiting so long to jump?"

  They fell silent as one, listening to the ship, hoping to hear her

  sinews groaning in protest as the jump engines punched her across into

  hyperspace, and fearing any sounds that might mean their journey would

  be ending here, a long way from home.

  The captain of the cruiser Gorath was cursing the name of the captain

  of the frigate Bloodprice even before his ship's forward scanners lit

  up with the glow of a battle begun. When he saw the frigate open fire

  on the strange vessel, his fury knew no bounds.

  "I swear, this man will dig his own grave, and I will see his children

  bury him alive there," the captain said with an icy venom. "He will

  hear his daughters screaming, his mother pleading, while his lungs fill

  with dirt and his eyes are ground blind by sand."

  They were too far away, the image too jumpy and coarse, to tell what

  effect Bloodprice's barrage had had on its target. But they were close

  enough to witness what followed--together with the crew of Tobay, they

  were the only witnesses.

  The great hull of the target brightened fore and aft, and something

  almost invisible struck out across the emptiness toward Bloodprice.

  Seconds later, the frigate exploded with a ferocity that could only

  mean the ionization reactor had gone critical. It vanished from the

  sensor displays.

  "Too quick for you," the captain of the Gorath said coldly.

  Meanwhile, the intruding vessel was turning away from the shattered

  hulk, away from Prakith and toward the Rim.

  "Notify Tobay to prepare for hyperspace. Propulsion master, ready on

  my mark!" the captain cried out.

  "We will erase this humiliation and capture this invader ourselves."

  A bright circle of light flared out around the vagabond.

  "Now!" the captain screamed. "Match headings!

  After them!"

  The captain's crew was well trained to his voice. Goratb jumped into

  hyperspace close enough behind the vagabond to be able to detect her

  quarry ahead by its soilton wake.

  "We have them," the captain said with grim satisfaction.

  "Wherever they are going, we will be there.

  They are ours."

  Colonel Pakkpekatt's new orders read simply, MISSION TERMINATED

  EFFECTIVE YOUR RECEIPT THIS NOTICE.

  BREAK OFF ALL OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY. NRI OPERATIONS CENTER.

  "This will not do," he said, and swept out of his quarters. The threat

  ruffles blossoming down his back and the crimson expanse on his throat

  warned away any who might otherwise have tried to speak to him on his

  way to the bridge.

  "Secure channel, isolation," he said as he dropped his body into his

  combat lounge. The enclosing shell came forward from the back of the

  chair and closed him in. "NRI Operations Center, Coruscant, highest

  priority."

  It took several seconds for the hypercomm link to be made and

  verified.

  "Operations," said a briskly professional voice.

  "Go ahead, Colonel Pakkpekatt."

  "I need to talk directly to General Rieekan."

  "I'll see if he's available, Colonel. One moment."

  Pakkpekatt's impatience made the wait seem longer than it was.

  "Brigadier Collomus, operations senior staff," said a new voice. "How

  can I help you, Colonel?"

  Pakkpekatt showed his teeth. "You can help me talk to General Rieekan,

  as I asked."

  "General Rieekan isn't available at the moment," said Collomus. "If

  you have any questions about your orders, I should be able to resolve

  them. I was in the planning loop for the Teljkon expedition."

  "I know who you are, Brigadier," said Pakkpekatt.

  "When General Rieekan becomes available again, please advise him that

  his last orders were garbled in transmission.

  I will require a verified voice confirmation to proceed."

  "I can give you that, Colonel."

  "No, sir, I'm afraid you cannot."

  Pakkpekatt relaxed into the cushions and left the isolation shell up.

  The callback came twenty-four minutes later.

  "General Rieekan," Pakkpekatt said with an acknowledging nod.

  "Colonel, Brigadier Collomus tells me that you have a problem with your

  orders which for some reason only I can resolve. Would you care to

  explain what's going on?"

  "Sir, I must contest the decision to terminate the mission. This is a

  betrayal of---" "Colonel, this is not open for discussion."

  "There are six men dead and a cont
act team still missing."

  "Colonel, those facts are not relevant to the decision."

  "Not relevant? You--" "No, Colonel, they are not. All agents must be

  considered expendable, always. And your ships are needed elsewhere,

  most especially Glorious."

  "With all due respect, sir, you don't understand the ramifications--"

  "Colonel, I wouldn't finish that sentence," Rieekan said sharply.

  "Your reports have been carefully reviewed.

  The probability of any positive outcome at this point doesn't justify

  further investment. The decision has been made, and your exception is

  noted. The mission is terminated. Bring them home, Colonel."

  "Sir, I request permission to take an all-volunteer team and continue

  the search in General Calrissian's yacht, Lady Luck. This would not--"

  "Denied."

  "Then I request immediate leave, in order to continue the search on my

  own."

  "Denied. All leaves have been canceled due to the crisis in Farlax

  Sector."

  "Then you leave me in an impossible position."

  "Why is that, Colonel? Do you find it impossible to follow orders?"

  Pakkpekatt bared his teeth. "General, a Hortek does not leave the

  bodies of comrades in the hands of the enemy--ever."

  For the first time since the call had begun, there was silence. "I

  understand, Colonel. But I can't help you."

  "I think you can, General."

  "I'm listening."

  "You said that all agents must be considered expendable.

  I am asking you to count me among the missing from the Teljkon

  expedition. Because even if I did return, I would still be here in

  ways which would compromise my ability to do any other job for you."

  "This is that important to you," Rieekan said, settling back in his

  chair. "Even though these missing men were not part of your command,

  flouted your orders, and are principally responsible for the failure of

  your mission."

  "One's comrades and allies do not come neatly out of a mold, General,"

  Pakkpekatt said. "They are inevitably a mixed lot, and never without

  flaws. And I find I often must hope for as much tolerance from them in

  that regard as I am able to offer to them."

  Rieekan pursed his lips. "Very well, Colonel. I will extend you a

  little tolerance. Lady Luck, no more than three additional volunteers,

  and whatever unexpended mission supplies you choose and the yacht can

  carry.

  Report any substantive developments promptly. And, Colonel--" "Sir?"

  "My tolerance is fairly inelastic. Don't try to stretch it."

  "Thank you, General."

  Slightly more than an hour later, Pakkpekatt, Captain Bijo Hammax, and

  technical agents Pleck and Tais-den watched from Lady Luck's tiny

  flight deck as the cruiser Glorious and the escort Kettemoor turned

  together and jumped toward Coruscant.

  "It begins," said Pakkpekatt to the empty sky.

  Penga Rift found the pilot of IX-26 keeping a lonely watch over the

  bodies on Maltha Obex.

  "What took you so long?" he demanded. "You were supposed to be here

  days ago."

  "Copy, this is Joto Eckels," came the reply. "Sorry about the delay.

  Frankly, we weren't even expecting you to still be here. Our original

  sponsor withdrew just before we lifted, and then we got word about the

  accident.

  We were going to have to go to a contract ambulance to recover Kroddok

  and Josala when another sponsor came along and picked up the

  contract."

  "This is all news to me," the pilot said. "I don't know why I wasn't

  recalled if the NRI pulled out. Who's sponsoring you now?"

  "A private collector--name of Drayson," said Dr. Eckels. "He hopes to

  authenticate some Qella artifacts. I think he's going to be

  disappointed, and very expensively so. But it helps us, and we'll do

  what we can for him. Do you still have a good fix on the bodies?"

  "Affirmative, Penga Rift," said the pilot. "Nothing's moved down there

  since the avalanche, unless you want to count the snow that's fall en on

  top. You're in for a cold dig."

  "We're ready for one."

  "Then tell me how you want the data, so I can light this candle and get

  out of here," the pilot said. "Because this is hands down the

  creepiest duty I've pulled in sixteen years, and I have a great need to

  get myself somewhere warm and crowded--and soon."

  "Understood," said Eckels. "Ready to receive your coordinate system

  reference data. We'll take the next watch here at Maltha Obex."

  II.

  Luke

  Chapter 5

  The skiff Mud Sloth was outbound in realspace from Lucazec at top

  speed--which, considering it was a Verpine Adventurer, was not enough

  to satisfy Akanah.

  "Luke--can't you make it go faster?"

  "How? Get out and push?"

  "Why--yes. Can't you use the Force to speed us up?"

  "You need a lever and a place to stand," Luke said wryly. "The Force

  isn't a magic wand--there are limits."

  "All limits exist in the mind, not the Universe," Akanah said. "I'm

  surprised your tutors never taught you that."

  Luke shook his head. "Obi-Wan and Yoda both taught me to see that we

  limit ourselves by not trying and sabotage ourselves by believing we'll

  fail."

  "Then why do you--" "--But even Obi-Wan, in our worst moments, with

  millions of lives hanging in the balance, couldn't make the Falcon go

  any faster." He gestured at the navigational display. "Besides, it

  looks like no one's taken enough interest in our departure to try to

  follow."

  "They don't need to, yet," said Akanah. "We're days from clearing the

  Flight Control Zone, aren't we?"

  Luke glanced down at the controls. "Three days, more or less."

  "Then they can just watch us for now, let us think we're away free and

  see where we're going, There aren't many ships that couldn't catch us

  before we reach the jump radius."

  "The agents who ambushed us are dead. No one tried to stop us at the

  port. The flight controllers gave us clearance without a peep. The

  skies are empty. What will it take for you to feel safe?"

  "I won't feel safe until we've found the Fallanassi," Akanah said. "I

  can't bear the thought of failing. I've waited so long--and so have

  you. If anything should stop us this close to the end--" "How close

  are we?" Luke asked. "What did the Current writing back there say?"

  "I already told you--it pointed the way home."

  "But you didn't tell me where that is."

  "I was afraid to say anything until we were away from there," said

  Akanah. "I couldn't risk having anyone else hear."

  "We're alone now," Luke pointed out.

  "But they could have placed a listening device in the ship while we

  were on the North Plateau. I want to wait until we're in hyperspace.

  Then I know they won't be able to follow."

  "No one's been in the ship but us," Luke said firmly. "And this isn't

  going to be much of a partnership if you're keeping secrets from me.

  Don't you trust me, Akanah?"

  "I know you to be a good man," said Akanah. "But some of what you do

  and believe makes me uncomfor
table.

  In the long run, I have never known a warrior or a soldier to be a

  friend." saber now only comes to my hand to protect people I care

  about. Is that a warrior, or a friend?"

  Akanah was silent, looking down at her lap. "We have to go to Teyr,"

  she said at last. "The circle may not have been able to stay there,

  but that is where they went from Lucazec."

  "Teyr is--um, that way," Luke said, pointing up and to the right.

  "More or less," she said, and reached out to raise his arm slightly.

  "That's closer. I was planning on a double jump, in case anyone is

  thinking about following US."

  Luke nodded his approval. "That's one of the worlds the children were

  sent to."

  "Yes," she said.

  "Didn't you say you'd already been there, looking for them?"