Star Wars - Rebel Bluff by Michael Kogge

Author:Michael Kogge [Kogge, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2015-05-31T23:00:00+00:00

Lando said nothing. His mind was on his farm, only a few klicks away and yet a paradise compared to this. If his puffer pig ever sniffed out ore and his mining venture proved successful enough to hire a crew, he’d make sure he and his people all lived in comfort and peace. He would never be a Tarkintowner.

Lando’s chrono directed them to the town’s eastern edge, where they spotted the Ubrikkian hovering in standby mode behind a shanty. A man wearing a steel headband stood beside it, pressing Lando’s keycard to the circular ports that ringed the capsule. When a hatch opened, the man jumped for joy and crawled inside.

“Hey ——”

The noise of the Ubrikkian’s micro-thrusters drowned out Lando’s protests. Before he could get to the speeder, the man zoomed off into the prairie.

Vizago, meanwhile, went in the opposite direction, hurrying down an alley. Lando glanced one last time at his Ubrikkian, then followed.

In the center of the camp, Ria Clarr stood on the ledge of the moisture vaporator, besieged on all sides by refugees. Rodians, Gran, and humans alike reached and grabbed for the credit chits she doled out from her pocket like confetti.

“That infernal witch —— how dare she!” Vizago drew his blaster and fired high into the air. Refugees scattered like Loth-rats, likely fearing an Imperial attack. TIE pilots were known to use the resettlement camps as target practice during patrols.

With the crowd disbanded, Vizago aimed his pistol at Clarr. “What in Malachor are you doing?”

Clarr dropped the few chits she still had and raised her hands in surrender. “Making amends.”

“With my credits? I should burn a hole through your heart.”

“Your memory is failing, Vizago.” Lando strode forward. “I won those credits, so I decide who gets burned and who doesn’t. Put the gun down.”

“Calrissian, I’m done with your tricks.”

Lando walked into the path of Vizago’s blaster. “Shoot me or get paid. What’ll it be?”

Sneering, the Devaronian lowered his pistol. Lando then faced the woman and studied her for the second time. The strange glint in her eyes he should’ve recognized. He’d seen it in a number of acquaintances he’d recently made.

He bent down and picked up a credit chit. “Amends for what?”

“For Tarkintown,” she said. “I’m the reason this exists.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Vizago said. “Everyone knows Tarkin ordered this camp built.”

“Based on my reports,” Clarr said. “My research for the Mining Institute concluded that a rich vein of ore lay below these people’s farms. I personally convinced the Grand Moff that mining would be worth the effort. At the time, I believed the Empire was a force for good, and would help lift Lothal out of poverty and obscurity.”

“What changed your mind?” Lando asked.

“Discovering the lies behind Imperial propaganda. Like most, I was aware this was a poor area, but only when I flew out here for a follow-up survey did I realize how bad conditions had become. For the longest time, I agonized over what to do, knowing I had been complicit in what was happening here.

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