Part 22 (1/2)
In an instant, Saba was awake and clambering to her feet.
Disconcerted, she tried to get her bearings. Then she remembered: she'd been resting in a large chair on the ice barge's opulent observation deck. She'd nodded off and fallen into a peaceful dream of being up on the slopes of the Listian Hills. The sky had been red and cloudy, the scent on the breeze relaxing, and she'd lain there among the warm rocks, listening to the restive growlings of her hatchmates nearby...
Then Mara's cry through the Force had snapped her back to reality, and she realized with some disappointment that the growling she'd heard in the dream was in fact the rasping of the barge's many repulsors over the surface of the ice beneath them. With a grunt, she shook herself free of the dream and made her way over to where the others were standing.
The barge was a shallow, oval-shaped vessel that skidded across the surface of glaciers and ice fields with more speed than grace. The three pa.s.senger decks bulged out of the top like an afterthought, ringed by the powerful generators and repulsors that kept it in the air. It possessed heavy s.h.i.+elds that kept the icy wind at bay, but the howling was still audible as a thin, far-off Ixll-like wail. There were four weapons emplacements around the curved edge of the barge, and they currently pointed at something flickering in and out of sight through dense snow spray off to the starboard side.
”There are two more behind us,” Soontir Fel said. One thick finger stabbed at a display. Ten swift targets surrounded the barge. Software identified the objects as smaller than a snowspeeder, but just as heavily armed and s.h.i.+elded. They looked like fat coins tipped on their sides, ripping edge-first through the air. ”Single-person fliers, I imagine, given the speed they're moving.” A warning shot on the port side bounced off the barge's s.h.i.+elds and into a s...o...b..nk. Steam exploded from the point of impact, sending a white cloud high into the air.
”Pirates?” Master Skywalker asked.
”Possibly.” Fel rocked the barge in the direction of the snow-flier, forcing it to swerve away.
”Shouldn't we try to contact the s.p.a.ceport to let them know what's happening?” Mara asked.
”Already tried,” Fel said, s.h.i.+fting the barge suddenly to starboard. A loud thump sounded as the barge's s.h.i.+elds connected with one of the fliers. ”But we're being jammed.”
”If they're not pirates, could they be enemies of yours?” Stalgis asked.
”Sure, but which ones?” Fel grunted. ”Whoever they are, we can't outrun or outshoot them. Our one advantage is the s.h.i.+eld, which I'm fairly certain they can't take out. Unless they bring in something bigger, we should be safe in here.” Syal Antilles put a hand on his shoulder. ”When we reach the s.p.a.ceport, security will drive them away.” A nearby explosion rocked the ice barge from nose to stern. Fragments of ice ricocheted off the barge's s.h.i.+eld and swept into its wake. Another explosion cracked the ice ahead of them, sending spreading fingers across the endless white plain. Fel banked to avoid the instability.
When he tried to return to his original course, more fire from the snow-fliers forced him back.
”That's if we can make it there,” he belatedly responded to Syal's comment.
”They're trying to force us off course,” Mara said.
”I think you're right,” Fel growled. ”If it was just me, I'd take my chances over those creva.s.ses. But-” He glanced at Syal, standing behind him with her hand still on his shoulder. He shook his head. ”I'm not prepared to take that risk right now.”
”I'm sorry,” Luke said. ”It's us they want.”
”Don't be too sure. I'm not popular with some of the syndics because I want to change their ways. All it would take is for one of them to decide to make a move while I'm distracted-” Another explosion rocked the barge, forcing it to turn farther starboard.
”Either way,” Mara said, ”we're all in this together right now.”
”Maybe if I give myself up to them, they'll leave the rest of you alone,” Fel said.
”No!” Syal responded instantly. ”I won't let you do that!” Luke agreed. ”It would be a pointless sacrifice. They won't leave any witnesses. You know that. In fact, if anything they'll use us as scapegoats. What could be more believable than a spat between old enemies-especially if the accused are killed resisting capture?” Fel acquiesced with a nod. ”So what do you suggest? ”
”There's clearly no point running, and we can't beat them with brute force.” Luke's gaze wandered around him as he thought for a moment.
”I suggest we stop trying altogether.”
”I thought you just said we shouldn't give them what they want,”
Syal said.
”I did.”
”So what are you saying?” pressed the woman. Master Skywalker smiled. ”I'm saying we should maybe give them a little more than they're expecting.” Leia followed an usher to their seats, accompanied by Han, C-3PO, and her two Noghri bodyguards. The stadium was enormous, practically a giant crater lined with stalls, with the more comfortable booths higher up, affording the more privileged guests a better view of the proceedings that would soon be taking place in the stadium's center. The delegation from the Galactic Alliance was, of course, among those privileged guests.
They had reserved seating to the right of Prime Minister Cunder-tol's stand, where he would be surrounded by senior Senators atop a large podium that jutted out from the ring of seats. The day was warm; floating sunshades circulated lazily above the crowd, propelled by the ever-present re-pulsors. Among the crowd, she made out signs and banners, although she couldn't quite make out exactly what they were saying. She guessed that they'd belong to both protestors and supporters of the Keeramak and its P'w'eck revolutionaries. This was a big day for Bakura, and a lot hung in the balance.
Nothing much was happening just yet, though. The Prime Minister had still to appear and, after the early-morning meeting, he would no doubt be avoiding the Galactic Alliance when he did. Fifty P'w'eck soldiers maintained a perfect ring around the area on which the ceremony was to take place, well away from the nearest seats in the center of the stadium.
Han's hand found hers and gave it a tight squeeze. Warmth flooded through her, reminding her of why she loved him. Even in difficult times, when events threatened to overtake everything, he was always there for her. Flashes of irritation hid a depth of emotion that surprised even him, sometimes, and of which she was always grateful to be the recipient.
”Do you think the rain's going to hold off?” he asked.
She followed his gaze. Dense clouds were building on the western horizon, promising a tropical storm.
”If it doesn't,” she said, ”then I guess we're going to get wet.”
”Great. That's really going to add insult to injury.” A fanfare sounded as they took their seats, announcing the formal arrival of the Bakuran and P'w'eck leaders. Prime Minister Cundertol, dressed in a magnificent purple robe, and the Keeramak led a large group of human, Kurtzen, and P'w'eck officials in a cleared path from the base of the stadium to the central ring. There, to the stirring sound of the Bakuran anthem, they turned to address the crowd and, symbolically, Bakura itself.
”My people,” Cundertol began, his voice magnified a thousandfold by speakers floating high above the stadium, ”welcome to you all on this magnificent occasion. With our new allies, the P'w'eck, we join together to usher in a new era of prosperity and peace. As neighbors and friends, we will embrace the universal truths that bind together all cultures.
Today, Bakura achieves its destiny, free from fear of old enemies and working with new allies to build a common future.” The crowd responded with equal parts cheers and boos as he stepped back to allow the Keeramak to speak. The mutant Ssi-ruu looked radiant in a s.h.i.+ning silver harness trailing multicolored ribbons and tiny bells that jangled delicately with each movement. Its scales glinted in the weakened morning light, making it hard to tell where its outfit stopped and its skin began. Not even the growing cloud cover could dim its unique beauty.
The powerful tones that issued from its throat boomed deafeningly across the stadium.
”People of Bakura,” came the translation when it had finished its address, ”I am proud to be here as the leader of a liberated people. The P'w'eck species, no longer bound to an oppressive regime rooted in cruelty and bloodshed, joins with you in spiritual communion as our two great nations create a bond that will run much deeper than mere friends.h.i.+p. With the signing of the treaty, we will be one, our fates forever linked!” The response from the crowd was as mixed as it had been for Cundertol, but it didn't seem to faze either leader. They bowed to one another, then the Prime Minister and his contingent made their way back through the crowd to their seats. As Leia had guessed, he acknowledged her and Han with only a formal nod.
Han muttered something to the effect that he wouldn't trade a bootful of mynock droppings for Cundertol on a good day. Leia shushed him. There was no sign of the Deputy Prime Minister-an absence no one had mentioned, but which she found interesting.
There was no time to ponder it, however, as the ceremony was immediately under way. P'w'eck priests bedecked with streamers began warbling some monotonous chant as the Keeramak prowled the edges of the cleared s.p.a.ce, scattering glinting shards in a perfect circle around the alien contingent. Every few seconds, in counterpoint to the chanting, the Keeramak would raise its head and intone a phrase in its own tongue. This time there was no public interpreter to explain what was being said.
”Can you translate this?” Leia whispered to C-3PO.
”Only in part, Mistress. The dialect is not the same in which the P'w'eck converse. It appears to be an ancient, ritual tongue, perhaps preserved for-”
”Spare us the details, Goldenrod,” Han said in an irritable undertone, ”and just get to the point, will you?”
”As you wish, sir. The Keeramak is addressing the life spirit of the galaxy, beseeching it to hear him and grant his wishes. The golden light of this morning is yours,' it is saying. 'The blue-tinted skies and white clouds are yours. Where leaves are green and flowers bloom in many colors, you are there. Where children grow strong in limb and heart, you are there.' ”
”Very poetic,” Han muttered. ”How much more of this is there?”
”The ceremony is scheduled to last one hour, sir.”
”That's just great.” Han stretched his legs in front of him and locked his hands behind his head. ”Wake me when it's over, will you, Leia?” The floating van pulled up outside an unguarded entrance to the stadium. Goure, at the controls of the aircar following the van, drove past, rounded a corner, and came to a halt. Tahiri was the first to climb out, running back to the corner. Goure was close behind. Once there, the two of them cautiously peered around just in time to see Blaine Harris lead Jaina, Malinza Thanas, and two others into the stadium.
”So much for security,” Tahiri muttered over the sound of chanting coming from speakers within the stadium. ”There's no one at the gates.
They just walked right in!”
”I suspect it was arranged that way.” The Ryn's tail brushed rhythmically against her legs. ”And if we're quick enough, we might be able to take advantage of the situation, too.” Together they approached the entrance, their pace hurried but wary, aware that at any moment alarms might start to ring out. In the end, they managed to reach the gateway without incident and slip inside undetected. The rumble of the crowd within wrapped around them like a warm and comforting embrace.
Whatever was taking place inside the stadium, Tahiri thought, it certainly sounded impressive.
”Can you sense your friend?” Goure asked.