Star Wars: Shadow Games by Michael Reaves

Author:Michael Reaves [Reaves, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780345532800
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2011-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FOUR

WHETHER D’VOX WON HIS SNARLING MATCH WITH Rishyk or pulled rank on him, the result was that the four great clusters of fuel tanks were pulled carefully toward one another. Mel and Nik moved to oversee the setup of the holographic equipment and piece scenery. Han and his “crew,” meanwhile, prepared to pilot the Millennium Falcon over to Module 4B, where they had instructed their customers to reserve a section of storage compartment 19 for their “delivery.”

“You don’t have to move the ship,” D’Vox told Dash when he announced their plans. “It’s perfectly safe where it is.”

“Yeah, well, Captain Solo is—shall we say—a little paranoid about his ship’s well-being. Besides we’ve got some cargo to off-load.”

“Really?” D’Vox’s eyes betrayed sudden curiosity. “As part of the show?”

“No, no. As part of a business deal. As it happens, Captain Solo was transporting some goods for a couple of your regulars here—Captain Kyobuk and her buddy, Sars Tarquhar.”

“Ah, I see.”

Dash sincerely hoped the commander did not see. “Yeah. So we’re just gonna take the Falcon on over to their storage facility and unload the goods.”

D’Vox seemed not to care, and Dash didn’t think it was an act. Even if the commander had been warned by the Imperials to keep an eye on them or stop them from doing whatever it was they were doing, he’d surely try to cut a deal—demanding something from them in order to be persuaded to look the other way. That he hadn’t was a good sign.

As the huge modules rotated into position for the performance, the Millennium Falcon left her dock at the main hub module and moved down to Module 4B, compartment 19. The storage unit had already been opened by Captain Kyobuk, who met them at the air lock.

They made a big deal out of unloading the rather large container of goods Han had sold the Wookiee merchant. Han and Leebo moved it to the front of the bay, toward the inner portal. Dash was relieved in the extreme when the good captain insisted that she and her associate open the crate then and there to inspect the contents. With the Wookiee and the Advozse focused entirely on Han’s floor show and demo, Dash, Eaden, and Leebo set about locating their target container.

They found it in a recess near the external hatch, easily accessible and completely inoffensive in appearance. It was as tall as Dash and twice as wide and deep—large enough, he thought, to hold two people. Three, if they were Sullustan. As they moved it quietly onto the ship, Dash wondered if the “cargo” was live.

“Blasted thing’s heavy,” Dash complained as they settled it into one of the secret compartments beneath the Falcon’s decking. “What’s it got in it?”

“You’re asking me?” Leebo replied. “Do I have X-ray vision now? Huh. I should pay more attention. When did you install that mod?”

“It was a rhetorical question. You two get this buttoned up. I’m going to check on Han’s progress.”

Han was just bumping foreheads with Sars

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