Knight Errant: Star Wars Legends (Star Wars - Legends) by John Jackson Miller

Author:John Jackson Miller [Miller, John Jackson]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2011-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

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Was it the salt? Or the wind? Kerra didn’t know what it was about seaside settlements, but they never seemed to look as nice up close as they did from the ocean, or from above. The buildings of Hestobyll were mostly white and beige, many sandstone constructs drawing from what she guessed were local materials.

But for some reason every place she’d passed looked…dingy. Uncared for. Even the newer buildings had a light sheen of dirt on walls facing the harbor. Large reflecting pools built into several of the terrace levels had a coat of algae almost thick enough to walk across. The seams between the small tiles that made up the pathways were caked with mildew. There wasn’t a lot of spray coming from the cataracts, but it looked like whatever hit the streets was never wiped away. Every walkway she found was slick, regardless of its proximity to water—and the bridges connecting the polygonal city blocks stank from their accumulated grime.

This wasn’t a place for running.

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to have a need to run—at least, not so far. Hestobyll reminded her of some sleepier ports in the Republic: people of various species drifted about, ambling from one uninspired stone igloo to another. Duros. Caamasi. Ithorians. Sullustans. None of them paid her the least bit of attention. Kerra looked down. No, she hadn’t gone out wearing the stealth suit—but she certainly felt invisible.

Making sure her lightsaber was out of view in her vest pocket, she selected a wandering Ithorian to approach. Surely, she could engage her in a conversation about something. If nothing else, there was the gorgeous weather to talk about—and maybe Kerra might learn something about the state of things on Byllura.

“Excuse me,” she said, stepping up to match the brown giant’s lumbering gait. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”

The Ithorian barely looked down at all, continuing to walk toward one of the hexagonal silos that dotted the cityscape.

No good, Kerra thought. Language problem. She didn’t know Ithorian. But someone had to know Basic.

Spotting an elderly Duros couple passing, she tried again. They actually stopped, but only to look at her with mute indifference. Kerra turned in disgust, scanning the crowd. The people looked as shabby as the buildings: old clothes, barely fitting in many cases. And all with the same vacant expression.

“I’m in a droid factory!”

Kerra’s hour was nearly up when she chased down a female Sullustan on one of the lower levels. Sullust was in a nearby sector—and she knew they understood Basic there. If not, she understood a little Sullustese from her time with the Tengos. But again, she received the same sad stare. Kerra searched the Sullustan’s bulging eyes. It was as if she wanted to respond, but couldn’t remember the words.

“Remember our deal,” Kerra’s comlink crackled. It was Rusher’s voice, right on schedule.

Stepping into an alcove, she spoke quickly, explaining what she’d seen. “This doesn’t look right to me,” she said.

“Somehow, I knew it wouldn’t,” the voice responded. “Well, you’d better hurry and find out whatever it is you’re after.

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