Part 9 (2/2)

” And only one person can make you happy, And only one person can make you happy, ” ” the Commander says. the Commander says. ” ” Do you Do you know who that is? know who that is? ” ”

” You, You, ” ” X X-f0 7 whispers. 7 whispers.

” That's good, That's good, ” ” the Commander says. He kneels down, eye to eye with X the Commander says. He kneels down, eye to eye with X-f0 7. 7.

He brings his face close enough that, in the dim light filtering through the open door, X door, X-f0 7 can see the rage in his eyes. The Commander pulls out a vibroblade, 7 can see the rage in his eyes. The Commander pulls out a vibroblade, the light glinting off its razor edge. He presses it to the soft flesh beneath X the light glinting off its razor edge. He presses it to the soft flesh beneath X-f0 7's 7's jaw. jaw. ” ” Now then, Now then, ” ” the Commander grits, bearing down. the Commander grits, bearing down. ” ” Let's teach you how to be Let's teach you how to be happy. happy. ” ”

X-f0 7 recoiled from the rage in the Commander's gaze, glad that several light-years separated him from his master.

”Where is Skywalker?” the Commander asked, as he had been asking for the last several days. Each time, his voice grew quieter and tighter, as if a great force of will was needed to keep him from climbing through the screen and throttling X-f0 7 with his bare hands.

Not that the Commander believed in applying his own force. He preferred a more elegant style of punishment.

X-f0 7 suppressed a shudder. ”Tatooine,” he said, with a certainty he didn't feel. Extensive a.n.a.lysis of Luke's computer records had turned up traces of a deleted communication from several weeks before. An invitation to attend a gathering of old friends on his home planet, conveniently set for this week. There was no other evidence that Luke was there-along with no evidence whatsoever that he was anywhere else. It was X-f0 7's best lead, and it would have to do.

”This delay is unacceptable, X-f0 7,” the Commander said.

”Yes, Commander,” X-f0 7 said obediently.

”You will go there now, and you will kill him.”

X-f0 7 nodded. ”Am I still to maintain my cover as Tobin Elad?”

”If possible,” the Commander said. ”But your first priority is Skywalker's death. If you need to reveal yourself to do so-” His face wrinkled in distaste, and X-f0 7 knew exactly what he was thinking. X-f0 7 had been given a mission, and he had proven himself inadequate to the task. The Commander was now easing his standards. If you need to reveal yourself If you need to reveal yourself meant meant If you're so If you're so incompetent that you can't do what I wanted you to do incompetent that you can't do what I wanted you to do. X-f0 7 would pay for that later.

He was paying for it now, with a deep, throbbing pain radiating from his chest and head, so intense it was nearly paralyzing. The Commander had taught him well, and X-f0 7's body remembered as well as his brain. The Commander's displeasure was X-f0 7's agony, whether they were in the same room or halfway across the galaxy from each other.

”It will be done, Commander,” X-f0 7 said.

”And then you will report to me,” the Commander said.

”That's not necessary-”

”You defy defy me?” the Commander asked in a level voice, raising his eyebrow. me?” the Commander asked in a level voice, raising his eyebrow.

The ghost of a smile pa.s.sed across his face.

”Never,” X-f0 7 said.

”Then when the job is done, you will report to me,” he reported. ”For further training. You seem to need a refresher.”

Further training meant further pain. Meant further hours in the dark, with the needles and the blades. It also meant returning to the only place he would ever call a home.

”Yes, sir,” X-f0 7 said in a thin voice. ”I look forward to it.”

And deep down, in a dark, hidden corner of his mind, this was true.

The stormtroopers didn't know what hit them. They were expecting to find Han behind the bulkheads-not cras.h.i.+ng through the ceiling of the shuttle bay, blaster blazing. He took down the two nearest stormtroopers before they had time to react. Chewbacca, storming in with two of the prisoner Wookiees on his heels, took care of the other six. Laserfire streaked across the shuttle bay, sparking and sizzling against the durasteel of the shuttle bodies. Alarms blared, but-as they'd originally planned before Lore's betrayal-Chewbacca had disabled the poorly protected s.h.i.+eld systems that would have prevented an unauthorized departure. All they needed to do was select a shuttle, and they were good to go.

Han picked the ugliest of the s.h.i.+ps, a Lambda Lambda with scarred wings and a gaping hole in the cargo unit. Something about it reminded him of the with scarred wings and a gaping hole in the cargo unit. Something about it reminded him of the Falcon Falcon.

And, he rationalized, if it had endured this much damage, it must be able to really fly fly.

”Whoa there,” Han said, as the other two Wookiees tried to pile in after Chewbacca. ”Where do you think you're you're going?” going?”

Chewbacca growled, and gestured for the Wookiees to come inside.

”What do you mean mean they're coming with us?” Han asked, with a pointed look at the useless cargo hold and the cramped cabin. ”Does it look like we have room for strays?” they're coming with us?” Han asked, with a pointed look at the useless cargo hold and the cramped cabin. ”Does it look like we have room for strays?”

Chewbacca growled again, pointing out that the Wookiees had helped him escape and now he was returning the favor.

Then he reminded Han that if it wasn't for his help, Han would be stewing in an Imperial interrogation chamber right about now.

Han sighed. He'd always had a soft spot for Wookiees. It couldn't hurt to help a couple of them break free.

Even if it would mean spending the return journey with a mouth full of fur.

”Well, what am I supposed to do, Chewie?” Han asked, leaning back in his chair. It should have felt good to be back on the Millennium Falcon Millennium Falcon, but something still felt off. A strange, queasy feeling, like everything was off-balance.

It's got nothing nothing to do with Luke and Leia to do with Luke and Leia, he told himself. Probably he was still unsettled by Lore's betrayal, and the thought that once, he might have done the same thing.

Or maybe he'd just eaten some bad meatlump.

”You expect me to power up the hyperdrive and speed off to Tatooine?” Han asked. ”All because I overheard something that may may mean Luke is in danger?” mean Luke is in danger?”

Chewbacca's response made it clear this was exactly exactly what he expected Han to do. what he expected Han to do.

”You know who else is on Tatooine?” Han said. ” Jabba Jabba. You realize that puts my my life in danger, right?” life in danger, right?”

Chewbacca barked a dismissive reply.

”No, Jabba doesn't scare me,” Han retorted hotly. ”But he's got half the bounty hunters in the galaxy out looking for me-and you want me to show up on his doorstep? Without Without his payment?” Han shook his head. ”Besides, don't you think it's just a little convenient that we stumbled onto exactly the information we were looking for? That of all the Imperial stations in all the galaxy we ended up on this one? A little his payment?” Han shook his head. ”Besides, don't you think it's just a little convenient that we stumbled onto exactly the information we were looking for? That of all the Imperial stations in all the galaxy we ended up on this one? A little too too convenient, maybe?” convenient, maybe?”

Chewbacca growled a final answer and, as if to make clear this was last word on the issue, turned his back on Han and began monkeying with the dented power cell housing.

”Don't know why you're so sure I'll do the right thing,” Han muttered, staring blindly at the navigation computer, trying to decide which coordinates to enter.

”Not like I ever have before.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

I would know if Luke were dead, Leia kept telling herself. I would know. I would I would know. I would know. know.

Three words, repeated over and over again, got her through each moment and the next. They meant everything to her-and nothing to anyone else. As darkness fell, Luke's friends were ready to give up on him, but Leia insisted on staying and searching the area of the crash, seeking some clue to Luke and Jaxson's fate.

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