I, Jedi: Star Wars (Star Wars - Legends) by Michael A. Stackpole

Author:Michael A. Stackpole [Stackpole, Michael A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2011-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SEVEN

From far enough away, the Errant Venture looked like an Imperial Star Destroyer. There was no mistaking that daggerish shape or the tall bridge. The ship’s stark bone-white color and sheer size invoked memories of the days when the Empire’s need for discipline often dispatched such ships to punish worlds that harbored Rebels. It was truly a sight to behold, and one from which I would have flown as fast as possible if I did not know what the Errant Venture really was.

I brought the Headhunter up and around in a loop over midships on the ImpStar. Its normal complement of weapons had been stripped down, leaving it two tractor beams, ten ion cannons and ten heavy turbolaser batteries. That amount of firepower left the ship well defended, though as I did a flyby I noticed a couple of the laser batteries were not tracking that well and at least one froze in the middle as it followed my flight.

Coming over the top, I rolled the Headhunter and chopped the throttle back. I keyed the comm unit. “This is Headhunter 079 requesting permission to board and land.”

“079, this is Errant Venture control. Please state the nature of your business.”

I rolled my eyes. “You tell Booster Terrik that he lets me park this fighter on his ship, or he’s going to be down more than just three turbolaser batteries.”

Silence reigned on the comm channel for a moment, then the controller’s voice returned with a degree of weariness edging into it. “079, you are clear to land in docking slot 1127. Make sure your weapons are powered down.”

“What?”

“That is the message, 079.”

“I copy.” I brought the Headhunter in toward the egress bay and powered up the repulsorlift coils. I throttled back to ten percent of thrust, and slowly worked the fighter into the docking bay. Slot 1127 was back against a bulkhead and would force me to take a long walk around the bay itself to reach Booster’s office. If he knew I’d broken my leg, I’d be parking back in the garbage hold and hiking even further.

As I closed in on my parking place, the only unusual thing I noticed was that no other ships were parked near me, and the few people on the ground were scurrying away. I ignored them—no one wanted to be caught in the backwash from engine thrust. I concentrated on setting the ship down easily, which I did—giving Booster no reason to complain about my scratching his precious deck. I quickly went through an engine lockdown and provided a security passcode for engine restart. It wouldn’t stop anyone from stealing the ship, but it might slow them down.

I smiled and keyed in a message on the ignition screen. “This Headhunter is the property of Mara Jade.” Anyone nuts enough to steal it now deserves what he gets.

I popped the cockpit hatch, which is when I noticed something rather out of the ordinary. Booster’s security detail wore Imperial style uniforms, but they had light green torsos on the tunics and bright yellow sleeves, bright yellow trousers and green caps with yellow buttons.

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