Part 23 (2/2)
”More valuable? Come on.”
”There are two factions who want you. It was suggested that we might be able to pump up the price by playing them off against each other.”
Luke blinked. ”You're going to have them bid for me? Like a slave?”
”Something like that.”
”Who are these people?”
Skahtul did something like a shrug. ”To be honest, we don't know. Our contacts have been very, ah, circuitous. Agents of agents of agents kind of thing.”
Luke couldn't think of anything to say.
”Of course, we must be very, ah, circ.u.mspect in our dealings. Players with the kind of money we are talking about must be very powerful. A misstep might be most dangerous. Fatal.”
”So you solicit higher offers from them. What if the ones who want me dead come up with more credits?”
”Like I said before, it's not personal, just business.”
Luke stared at the Barabel. ”You'll excuse me if I take it personally.”
His voice was as dry as his throat had suddenly become.
In his lair, Xizor smiled. Guri had the princess, and they were on their way here. Perfect.
He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. Sometimes it was almost disappointing how easily he accomplished his ends. It would be good to have a challenge now and then, as he had in the old days before he was master of so much. When he'd had to work a little.
Ah, well. Better to win easily than to lose.
The Emperor sat in his favorite throne, the one set a meter higher than the rest of the room. Vader entered, dropped to one knee.
”My master.”
”Rise, Lord Vader.”
Vader did so. He hoped whatever the Emperor wanted was something easy and brief. He had just received word from his agents that Luke had been found. His captors, it seemed, were a ragtag band of bounty hunters who were demanding more money. Vader's agents knew who they were but not precisely where they were hiding. And it seemed there was another bidder who also wanted Luke. Vader would have his people offer whatever it took; money meant nothing when compared to the dark side, and he fully intended to turn the boy in that direction. He considered going to collect Luke himself, to Kothlis, where he was reportedly being held, but to leave Imperial Center just now would be dangerous. He needed to be here to watch Xizor. The criminal's twisted plans had ensnared the Emperor, and to walk away might well be a fatal mistake-”You will go to Kothlis,” the Emperor said. ”And collect young Skywalker. ”
Once again Vader was glad his face was masked. He had not expected to hear this. How did the Emperor know? Who in Vader's organization had betrayed him? There was no way the Emperor should be privy to that information, not yet. Only a handful of Vader's most trusted agents knew it.
Unless... unless the Emperor was the other bidder for Luke?
No. That made no sense. The Emperor had given the task to Vader; he would not enter into a bidding waragainst himself.
”I have already sent my agents for him,” Vader tried.
”Agents are not to be trusted. Skywalker grows stronger in the Force each day. I remind you that he has within him the power to destroy us. Only you are potent enough to capture him.”
”Yes, my master.” There was no arguing with him once he'd made his mind up.
Surely Prince Xizor's foul hand was involved in this. It would not be wise to bring that up; the Emperor had made it quite clear that the Dark Prince was his concern, and it would not be a good idea to reveal that Vader had plans of his own concerning Xizor.
”There is another reason. You are aware that Prince Xizor's scheme to allow the plans for the Death Star to fall into Rebel hands has been implemented.”
”Yes, my master. The plan proceeds over my objections.”
”Those objections have been noted, Lord Vader. As it happens, the plans have been transported from the freighter hijacked off Bothawui to Kothlis. Quite a coincidence, don't you think?”
That Luke and the fruits of Xizor's twisted plot were on the same planet at the same time, a coincidence? Doubtful.
”We must appear to make an attempt to recover the plans,” the Emperor continued, ”to convince the Rebels that the plans are genuine and that we are distressed by their loss. Therefore your trip will serve two purposes. You can fetch Skywalker, and you can destroy some of the local scenery so that the Rebels will be gulled into believing we are concerned over the theft.”
He had to at least try: ”Any of our admirals could go and wave the flag and fire the guns. I have many pressing matters here.”
”More pressing than my commands, Lord Vader?”
So much for that idea. ”No, my master.”
”I thought not. I will have Skywalker with us or destroyed, the sooner the better. And the end of the Rebellion is near. If you personally lead the attack, the Rebels will be convinced that we think these plans of great value. ”
”Yes, my master.”
Vader left the chambers, and once again his simmering anger threatened to bubble up and overcome him. Xizor's touch was like a thick night fog: dark, clammy, seeping into the smallest cracks to chill and dampen. Once again, he had maneuvered the Emperor into getting his rival out of the picture. With Vader on Kothlis, who knew what cloying webs that reptilian spider would spin for the Emperor?
Vader resolved to make it a fast trip.
The call came from the picket line of Imperial Star Destroyers and frigates posted around the planet: ”Entry code?” the bored voice said.
Inside the Stinger, Guri responded with a number.
A moment went by. ”Pa.s.s. Lock into the landing grid and put it on auto.”
Guri operated the s.h.i.+p with an offhand expertise that was most impressive. She tapped controls, her hands dancing rapidly.
Leia and Chewie looked at each other.
”They will check for contraband at customs,” Guri said, as if reading Leia's mind. ”Black Sun has contacts there, but we cannot make it too obvious that you are under our protection. Time to go change.”
Chewie said something. It didn't sound happy.
”You wanted to come along,” Leia said.
He didn't like it, but he left and went to the 'fresher.
Once the s.h.i.+p was on auto, Guri stood and walked to a locker. She removed some clothes and a full-head muzzle-mask helmet from the locker, tossed them at Leia. ”Here. Put these on.”
The clothes stank. Leia wrinkled her nose at them.
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