Star Wars by Alexander Freed

Author:Alexander Freed [Freed, Alexander]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Published: 2025-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

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They loaded hoversleds with weapons, power cells, explosives, cases of Republic credits and Hutt peggats and unstamped nova crystals. Most of the false identity documents would be outdated under Imperial rule, but they took any originating in Hutt space, the Corporate Sector, or other independent polities. They left the bioweapons alone. That frustrated Soujen, but he understood Saw’s rationale. They had to hurry before someone came looking for the senator, and hurrying was a surefire way to end up like the pirates.

Soujen left the others to rapidly explore the lower levels. The main databank was there, the arsenal of secrets Nulvolio and the others had believed would serve him in his one-man war—and he lingered over the machinery, skimming files and downloading documents virtually at random. Little of it seemed relevant with the war so thoroughly lost. What did he care about the generals’ plan to pacify Coruscant, or who in Separatist Intelligence had questionable loyalties? He memorized and erased the antidotes for various toxins. He transferred great stores of data into his implants, enough that red warnings began to flash in his vision.

This was why he’d come, and he had no time to study. All he could do was offload files and hope the answers he desired could be found later. Perhaps the weapons and other equipment they carried out would suffice. Perhaps a doomsday plan meant for times such as these was buried beneath layers of encryption, waiting for him to expose it. This wasn’t the ideal way for the mission to proceed, hurried and scattershot, but what mission went smoothly? He might find success despite the distraction created by the senator.

These were desperate thoughts, though, and desperate hopes. He admonished himself for craving easy answers. The fantasy of a doomsday plan might need to give way to cruder alternatives. But the files would provide something.

Below the databank, on the lowest level shown on his maps, there was another hatch built into the floor. It was crudely fitted and resistant to opening. Soujen supposed the excavation droids had installed it as they extended the bunker deeper. He was considering cutting it open when he heard footsteps and turned to see Karama in her hazard suit.

“Saw’s been trying to reach you,” she said. “Trouble topside.”

He abandoned the hatch and rushed after Karama through the tunnels. They found Saw calling out orders at the sleds, but Saw shifted his attention to Soujen as he approached. “Dalgo just called in,” Saw said. “Imperial military transport is approaching.”

“Did they spot the Dalgo?” Soujen asked.

“We don’t think so. They may not even know where the cache is. They’re flying low and slow, like they’re scouting the area.”

“Looking for the senator?” Karama asked.

Saw nodded but looked to Soujen.

All of this had been predictable, Soujen thought. Inevitable. His subconscious had been assessing variations of this scenario since the senator’s arrival, yet he’d deluded himself into hoping for more time.

“If we left now,” Soujen asked, “how much of the equipment could we bring?”

“Maybe a quarter of what we were hoping for,” Saw said.

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