Star Wars: Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen by Troy Denning

Author:Troy Denning
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Tags: Solo, Leia, Luke (Fictitious character), Space Opera, Star Wars fiction, Princess (Fictitious character), General, Space warfare, Skywalker, Adventure, Science fiction, Life on other planets, Han (Fictitious character), Fiction, Media Tie-In
ISBN: 9780345463036
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2005-09-27T07:00:00+00:00

TWELVE

Leia and Saba stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the top of the boarding ramp, listening to a muffled string of beeps and chirps as the boarding party's slicer droid tried to outsmart theFalcon 's espionage-grade security system. The external monitors showed that the ship was surrounded by a full company of soldiers in full blast armor. Something did not feel quite right in the Force, as though the troops were nervous or hesitant about their orders, and Leia wondered if the commander could really believe that Jedi would attack Galactic Alliance troops.

"They feel frightened." There was a note of disdain in Saba's voice, for Barabels tended to regard fear as something felt only by quarry. "You are sure we should not draw our lightsaberz? Frightened prey is unpredictable."

Leia shook her head. "You're the Master, but I really think we need to defuse things. Somebody's going to get hurt if we keep pushing."

Saba glared down at Leia out of one eye. "Weare not the onez pushing thingz, Jedi Solo."

Finally, the slicer droid stopped beeping and chirping. The monitor showed him releasing his interface clips from the wires dangling from theFalcon 's exterior security pad; then he turned to an officer and gave a dejected whistle.

"What do you mean you can't open it?" The security system speaker made the officer's voice sound a little tinny. "That's what you were designed for- to open ship hatches."

The droid beeped a short reply, which Leia knew would include an explanation of how the access code kept changing. The security system's first line of defense was an automatic reset anytime two incorrect codes were entered into the keypad. Its second line of defense was to never grant access from the outside when the keypad cover was removed.

"Well, try again," the officer ordered. "I'm not going to use a flash torch on theMillennium Falcon!"

The droid gave a weary whistle, then started to sort through the security wires again.

Leia turned to Saba. "I think we've made our point."

Saba nodded. "If you are sure about the lightsaberz."

"I am," Leia said. "They may be scared, but they wouldn't dare blast us."

Leia instructed Cakhmaim and Meewalh to stay out of sight, then released the safety-hold and palmed the toggle button on the wall. The seal broke with a hiss, and the ramp began to descend.

A surprised murmur arose out in the hangar. The captain barked an order, and when there was enough space to see, Leia and Saba found themselves surrounded by a semicircle of blaster barrels.

Once the ramp clanged into position against the durasteel floor, the officer stepped to the foot and looked up at them. He was young-no doubt straight from the academy-and so nervous he could barely bring himself to meet the gazes of Leia and Saba.

"You will p-place your hands on your heads." Despite his cracking voice, he was clearly being deliberately rude, ordering them about as though they were common pirates and neglecting to address them by any sort of title. "Descend the ramp slowly."

Leia heard Saba's scales rustle, then suddenly the Barabel's hand rose.

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