The Essential Novels: Star Wars Reads Day Special Edition: 4-Book Bundle: X-Wing: Rogue Squadron; Heir to the Empire; New Jedi Order: Vector Prime; Legacy of the Force: Betrayal by Michael A. Stackpole Timothy Zahn R.A. Salvatore Aaron Allston

Author:Michael A. Stackpole, Timothy Zahn, R.A. Salvatore, Aaron Allston [Stackpole, Michael A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-345-54454-4
Publisher: Lucas Books
Published: 2012-10-02T04:00:00+00:00

“Was there ever any doubt?” Bensin Tomri asked sarcastically when Danni announced that she would go on the Spacecaster shuttle to the frozen fourth planet of the Helska system.

“You’re not going alone,” Tee-ubo put in, and Danni didn’t disagree. In the end, they decided that three should go, including someone with a geological background and with Danni captaining the mission and piloting the rickety old ship.

A short while later, Yomin Carr answered the knock on his door to find Danni standing in the hall, her smile coy.

“You have come to ask me to volunteer,” Yomin Carr reasoned.

“I thought you should be rewarded for your diligence and hard work,” Danni replied. “You should have been the one to spot the comet.”

“So now you offer me the scientific chance of a lifetime?” Yomin Carr asked in all seriousness.

Danni nodded and smiled at him, as though he should be pleased.

“I am afraid that I must refuse,” the Yuuzhan Vong warrior went on. Inside his ear, the little tizowyrm continued its vibrations, and Yomin Carr fell into them for a moment, recognizing that it might be time for a bit of levity. “You’re asking me because no one else is crazy enough to go along on that broken-down garbage scow you call a shuttle,” he said, and forced a grin.

Now Danni was laughing, and not disagreeing.

“But that would not be proper,” Yomin Carr said a moment later, again in all seriousness. He understood the implications here. According to his instructions, under no circumstances was he to go anywhere near the base planet. On pain of death, and a dishonorable death at that, Yomin Carr was to have no physical connection to the war coordinator, and no contact at all other than the secure villiptalk. “I am not long in ExGal,” Yomin Carr elaborated. “Most of the others have been on Belkadan longer than I have been in the organization. I could not usurp their opportunity.”

“You already said it,” Danni replied. “Most of the others don’t even want to go.”

“Ah, but they do,” Yomin Carr assured her. “They are afraid of the craft, as am I, and as you should be, but in truth, any scientist would be eager for this opportunity.”

“Any scientist other than Yomin Carr,” Danni said sarcastically.

“I believe in propriety,” Yomin Carr answered, and he took some satisfaction in the fact that Danni, based on all of his actions since he had arrived on Belkadan, could not dispute the claim. Yomin Carr was always on time for his shift. Yomin Carr stayed true to his post, hour after hour, day after day, week after week, while all of the others—including, to a lesser extent, Danni—had eased around the edges of their responsibilities.

“Find your crew among those who have better earned the right,” Yomin Carr said.

They were both all smiles when Danni left him, accepting his polite refusal, but as soon as she had gone, as soon as he had closed the door of his private room, Yomin Carr’s expression turned to a concerned scowl.

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