Star Wars - Laughter After Dark by Patricia A. Jackson

Author:Patricia A. Jackson [Jackson, Patricia A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 1997-11-16T16:45:19+00:00

Staring at the accumulation of dirt and dead skin beneath his fingernails, Ross used the edge of his knife to clean out the debris. He leaned against the cushioned back of the control chair, blowing away bits of grime as they surfaced. Folding the knife back into position, he tucked it inside his pocket and sighed, rubbing the tension from his forehead. Above him, somewhere along the perimeter of the hidden Rebel base, an explosion sounded. A shadow moved into the doorway, and the smuggler sat up, staring in that direction. “What took you so long?”

“I had to slip by the sentries.” Trep’s face was dark with disappointment. “All they had was this t’ssolok.” He pulled the carved bottle from his coat, shaking the viscous blue liquid inside the container until it thinned against the sides of the glass. “The cook says the good stuff is locked away in the officers’ quarters. Wouldn’t that figure?” He sat down across from Ross, straddling another control chair. “A poor man can’t get a decent swig of the good stuff nowadays. Doesn’t matter whose army it is.” He sniffed disdainfully at the bitter smelling t’ssolok. “Are we really going to drink this?”

Ross snatched the bottle from him. “Have you got something better to do?”

“Yeah, but it’s at least 50 light years from this place.” A distant explosion sent a shock wave through the deserted station room. “And a whole lot quieter.” He watched as Ross took a swallow from the bottle, then boldly took one himself. “Hey, this isn’t bad.” His eyes abruptly began to water and twitch in response to the caustic flavor that burned his lips and tongue. Trep gasped as the liquor inflamed his throat, sending spicy fumes through his nostrils.

“It’s not the flavor you have to worry about,” Ross said with a grin, taking the bottle from Trep’s trembling hands. “It’s the aftertaste that kicks.”

Another explosion rocked the control room, shifting the ceiling supports. The lights flickered. “W’hew,” Trep said hoarsely, massaging his throat. “That was a close one.”

“Doesn’t sound like Saahir’s Rebel friends are doing too well.” Ross threw his head back for another swallow, closing his eyes as the rich flavor assailed his senses.

“They’re not.” Saahir stood in the doorway, the graceful curves of her slender body were a dark silhouette against the brighter lights in the corridor.

“Maybe they need a little morale booster,” Ross said. “Why don’t you get on the comm and hum a few patriotic bars for them. That’ll get their blood going.” He laughed softly and glanced at Trep to share his cold humor, but the smuggler was having nothing to do with it.

“What about our little shipment of munitions?” Trep asked soberly. “Surely that evened the odds a little.”

“What use are 500 rifles with only 100 men to utilize them?”

“It’s been done. Where’s Marbra?”

“Out there. With his men,” she whispered, tears in her voice. “I’m on my way to join him now. I stopped by hoping you might come with me.”

“You can count me out,” Ross sneered.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.