Star Wars - Handoff by Timothy Zahn

Author:Timothy Zahn [Zahn, Timothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2002-04-18T21:56:38+00:00

“Are you sure,” Ghent muttered as they walked toward the muted lights of the palace’s southwest gate, “that this is a good idea?”

“We’ll be fine,” Mara assured him, trying to sound like she meant it. The plan had sounded terrific on her way back to the hotel. It had sounded equally good as she explained it to Ghent, his hair sticking up even more wildly fresh out of the shower as he’d tried to roll up the cuffs of the spare jumpsuit he’d borrowed from her closet.

But now, actually walking up to the palace, it suddenly didn’t seem quite so airtight anymore.

Especially as she had a strong suspicion that Markko’s Rebel friends were moving in to fill the shadows behind them. If she couldn’t convince Governor Egron that she and Ghent were on his side, a quick exit could be difficult.

The guards at the gate opened it without question or comment. Inside, they found Markko waiting for them, a half dozen stormtroopers in tow. He nodded silently at Ghent, then looked at Mara. “Follow me,” was all he said.

They did so. The stormtroopers, Mara noted without surprise, fell into step behind them.

Markko led the way through a maze of dimly lit corridors, changing direction every couple of corners. It was probably not the most direct route to wherever they were going, but instead one carefully designed to confuse them as to where exactly they were, and — more importantly — which way was out.

Eventually, they reached a set of unmarked doors. Markko pushed them open, and the group stepped inside.

The room was much larger than the size of the doors would have suggested. It was built along the same lines as the reception room she’d spoken to Markko in earlier, with a high, domed ceiling supported by decorative arches rising up from the floor. This one seemed to be designed as an assembly or audience hall, with a raised platform near the far end and a throne-like chair resting atop it. Large paintings and ancient tapestries lined the carved stone walls, with sculptures set in niches or on small pedestals scattered around. It was a room clearly designed to impress visitors with Governor Egron’s wealth, position, and culture.

And in the center of the room, laid out in front of the throne, was the captured computer system.

It was larger than Mara had expected from Markko’s earlier description. Or perhaps that was just an illusion created by the racks and tables of examination and analysis equipment that had been arrayed in a wide ring around it, all of it connected to the computer with tangles of different colored cables. Markko and his buddies hadn’t just been sitting around waiting for Ghent to show up and do their job for them. They’d tried their best to crack this particular damak nut before giving up.

Which meant she and Ghent really had them over the turret gun here. Chances were she could have doubled their fee, and Markko still would have agreed to it.

She looked at Ghent, wondering if he might be following that same line of thought.

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