Part 8 (1/2)

Jerec turned his back to the holo tank and let the bridge crew gaze into long-dead eyes. Sariss was there - he could feel her presence. ”We have what we came for . . . . Sariss, prepare the Vengeance for hypers.p.a.ce.”

Sariss bowed. ”Yes, my lord.”

Orders were given, drives engaged, and the s.h.i.+p broke orbit.

Though not possessed of the emotional nuances that human beings claim to experience, 8t88 felt what he imagined to be an enormous sense of satisfaction.

In order to complete his a.s.signment, the droid had created a threedimensional star map from the ceiling mosaic and beamed the digitized information up to the Vengeance. The original, which 8t88 continued to project toward the center of the room, floated before him. It was a thing of beauty . . . . He took one last look before shutting the image down. The map had been delivered, payment was a.s.sured, and he could afford to gloat.

The majordomo's death had worked wonders on the household staff, who had a sudden and unprecedented respect for intelligent machines. The thronelike chair was a little over the top, perhaps, but the symbolism was appreciated, and 8t88 took pleasure in using it. His pet, a winged monstrosity with an underthrust jaw and heavily lidded eyes, growled and crouched to his right. Its short, stubby tail made a thumping sound as it struck the wooden floor.

A long, ornately carved table stretched toward the far end of the room. Chairs stood to either side, some pulled back to allow access, some pushed forward. The rea.s.sembled mosaic occupied most of the table's surface. The beast growled and sniffed the air. The droid patted the monster's head. ”What's the matter, my pet? Hungry again?”

The shadows stirred. Kyle Katarn stepped out into the light. He held a blaster in his hand. The beast rose to its feet. Saliva dripped from its jaws, and a growl rumbled deep in its throat. 88 took a grip on the animal's harness. ”Not yet, my pet - you can eat him later.”

”I see you found a new arm,” Kyle commented lightly. ”I should have aimed for your head.”

The droid stood. An electronic signal went out. ”Rot! Hontho! Trox! Take him!”

The Rebel shook his head mockingly. ”Sorry, old rust bucket, but Rol and his friends are permanently indisposed. I want the map.”

The droid gestured toward the table. ”So? Take the map. Go ahead - put it in your pockets.”

”Thanks,” Kyle said dryly, ”but no thanks. The digital version will be a good deal more convenient.”

A motor whined, a section of ceiling started to descend, and light leaked around it. Kyle s.h.i.+fted his aim to cover the platform as a pair of legs appeared. 88 backed away. His pet resisted and left claw marks on floor.

Yun smiled, dropped to the table, and thumbed his lightsaber. It popped to life. ”You want the map? Here, I'll cut it to size.”

The lightsaber rose and fell. Super-heated tiles exploded. Kyle adjusted his aim and felt a sledgehammer hit his chest. Not a real sledgehammer but one shaped from the Force, and just as effective. He backpedaled and slammed into a chair. The blaster tumbled away, and Yun shook his head.

”So, this is what the light side sends against us. No wonder we succeed.” So saying, lightsaber buzzing in his hand, he strode the length of the table. Broken tile skittered away from his bets.

Kyle recognized the Jedi as one of the three he'd seen at the farm . . . the young one.

The Rebel raised his feet, kicked the table, and did a backward somersault. The chair crashed to floor, and the agent landed on his knees.

8t88 dragged his still-unwilling pet into an alcove. A durasteel door slammed down in front of him. Machinery whined as the turbolift carried him upward.

Surprised by Kyle's move and more than a little intrigued, Yun moved forward. Kyle, who was still on his knees and at a disadvantage, pulled his lightsaber. Energy crackled and the smell of ozone filled the air as the Rebel managed to raise his weapon and block the Jedi's blow.

Yun frowned. It seemed that his opponent was more capable than the first impression would have suggested. The Jedi felt the tiniest trickle of fear enter his belly.

Kyle sensed the other man's hesitation, gained his feet, and allowed his opponent to disengage. In spite of the fact that his fencing lessons had made use of a fixed blade and his duel with the sphere had been somewhat brief, the combination gave the Rebel experience from which to draw. He concentrated on the Jedi's eyes, felt the Force flow around him, and lunged to the right.

Yun saw his adversary s.h.i.+ft position, moved to intercept, and ducked as lethal energy swept through the s.p.a.ce where his head had been. It was close. Too close for a complete novice.

Kyle struck again. Though slightly off, his blow sliced through the upper part of Yun's arm and drew blood, which was cauterized by the weapon's heat.

A cry escaped the Jedi's lips as the lightsaber fell from his hand, and he lost his balance and skidded on his back. Kyle approached, and Yun raised his arm. He was frightened, very frightened, but determined to maintain his pride. ”So, kill me, Rebel, just as I would kill you!”

It seemed like good advice, and Kyle raised his weapon. But as he was about to strike, the other man's words echoed in his head. ”Just as I would kill you.” Was that the kind of man he wanted to be? The kind who would kill without reason? 8t88 had the map, and the Jedi had been neutralized. Kyle took three steps backward, lowered his weapon, and turned the device off. Rahn, absent till now, reappeared.

”Your father and I are proud of you, my son, for mercy is first and foremost among a Jedi's virtues.”

Yun was amazed yet philosophical at the same time. There was something about the other Jedi's actions that felt right. But how could that be? Mercy was synonymous with weakness, He thought of Sariss, of how ashamed his mentor would be, and willed himself to be elsewhere. Yun floated toward the ceiling. His weapon followed.

Kyle watched for a moment, his eyes locked with Yun's, and realized his mistake. 8t88! The agent turned and raised his weapon. But the room was empty, or so it seemed until a blaster bolt sizzled past the agent's head. ”There he is! Kill him!”

Blaster bolts flashed out of the darkness and bounced away as Kyle used the lightsaber to deflect them. The action seemed natural. But it threw a scare into the stormtroopers. ”Did you see that? He's a Jedi!”

There was a pause as some of the troopers tried to run and were stopped by a blaster-wielding noncom. It was necessary to kneecap one of them before the tide turned.

Kyle retrieved his blaster, backed his way into a stairwell, and brought the wrist comm to his mouth. ”Hey Jan, how 'bout a lift?”

Jan circled the house, waited for an Imperial shuttle to clear the roof pad, and came in for a landing. ”Ready and waiting, Kyle - meet me on the roof.”

”Glad to hear it,” Kyle replied, spraying the ballroom with blaster fire. ”I seem to have overstayed my welcome.”

”You have that effect on people sometimes,” Jan agreed. ”I'm the exception.”

Kyle pounded up the stairs, pushed the door open, and stepped into the night. Repulsors flared as the Crow settled onto the pad. The agent grinned. ”Lucky for me.”

”Yeah,” Jan agreed, ”lucky for you. Now, get aboard.”

Kyle ran up the ramp, entered the s.h.i.+p's belly, and made his way to the control room-”Did you see someone leave?”

”Yeah, a shuttle took off just as I came in.”

Kyle swore. ”That was 88. . . . The miserable pile of junk has the map! Don't let him escape!”

Jan knew she should have asked ”What map?” but was tired of the charade. ”No, sir. Yes, sir.”

The Crow lifted free of the roof, turned as an anti-aircraft battery opened up, and blasted toward the south. A stream of energy bolts cut across the bow. Jan took evasive action. Kyle was thrown to the deck. He scrambled to his feet. ”Thanks for the warning.”

”Sorry. A slip of the hand, that's all. Better strap in.”

Kyle did as he was told and watched Jan out of the corner of his eye. She was both wonderful and maddening at the same time. How did she manage that?

Lights appeared on the horizon, and Jan smiled.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

Fuel City had been sited ten klicks south of the s.p.a.ceport for reasons of safety. It included rows of storage tanks, which were connected by a maze of pipes and served nine elevated refueling stations. Lights, which seemed to have been mounted helter-skelter throughout the complex, threw a thousand mysterious shadows.

The Sulon Star hovered by station six and was held in place by a network of interlocking tractor beams. Fuel entered the s.h.i.+p via hoses large enough to crawl through.