between the woman and her companions, a glimpse of the droid she kept hidden in her cabin, plus two conversations with Katarn. The exchange in the cafeteria seemed innocent enough, but the subsequent encounter was something else again.
Nathan didn't know what to believe. Was Kyle guilty of treasonous conduct? Or the victim of a pretty face? The halo disappeared and Nathan looked at his father. The governor was livid. "Damn their miserable lies! Did you see that? Sending trollops to corrupt our officers! We'll arrest the lot of them and put an end to this outrage!"
Slyder dry-washed his hands, nodded sanctimoniously, and remembered the officer's Medal of Valor. It would look good in his trophy case.
Kyle stepped out of the fresher, wiped the remaining water from his skin, and started to dress. He had nearly finished when a tone sounded and a message icon appeared. Curious, Kyle touched a key and watched words flood the screen. The send box was blank, but the greeting was a dead giveaway.
"Hey, rimmer - just a word to the wise - stay clear of the girl - and be ready to answer some questions. She's pretty - but not pretty enough to waste a career on." There was no signature - just a blinking cursor.
Nathan's meaning was clear. Governor Donar, or someone close to him, knew about the Rebels.
Kyle felt his stomach muscles tighten as he punched the numbers and waited for Jan to answer. Her voice was sleepy, as if she had just awoken. "Hello?"
"Listen carefully. Someone, my guess is Governor Donar, knows about you and the others. They could arrive at any moment."
Jan was far too professional to waste time on questions. "Roger that. Grab what you can, and meet us on the hangar deck."
Kyle hit the off button, felt guilty about the manner in which he had betrayed Nathan's confidence, and remembered the picture of his father's decapitated head. His mouth made a hard, thin line as he strapped the imperial-issue side arm around his waist, threw his personal items in a carryall, and left the cabin. His uniforms, with the single exception of the one on his back, remained in the closet.
Jan peeked through the peephole, assured herself that the area in front of the entry was clear, and opened the hatch. A quick check confirmed that the hallway was empty. She turned to the droid. "There isn't much time, A-Cee. Let's get out of here."
The droid checked the light level to make sure his apertures were set correctly, switched to record, and followed Jan into the corridor. They hadn't traveled more than a few yards when a voice called, "Hey, you! Hold it right there!" A blaster bolt served to underscore the words.
Jan shouted "Run!," fired a shot in return, and followed her own advice. Not very speedy to begin with, A- Cee lost even more time as he paused to record Slyder, and the assortment of Imperial military personnel recruited to support him. The Captain, who was one of old man Haj's many granddaughters, had refused to take sides.
Ondi would have been proud of the way A-Cee ripped off a four-second scene and checked to make sure it was good prior to lurching away. He didn't get far, though. Slyder's energy bolt hit the center of his back, bored a hole through one of his subprocessors, and triggered an emergency shutdown. The droid collapsed as Jan looked back. She swore under her breath, ducked around a corner, and ran even faster.
Kyle burst out of the lock, ran across the deck, and spotted Rosco. He held a blaster carbine cradled in his arms and looked ready to use it.
"Has Jan arrived?"
"Not yet."
"How 'bout Waller?"
The Reb jerked his thumb up towards the cockpit. "Manning the turret."
"Okay - I'll crank her up - you cover Jan and A-Cee."
Rosco frowned. "Who died and made you Emperor?"
"Can you fly this thing?"
Rosco shook his head. "Nah, Jan's the pilot."
"Well, I can."
"Glad to hear it, Admiral, but how you gonna open those doors?"
Kyle looked at the massive pressure doors, wondered how he had missed such an
Nathan didn't know what to believe. Was Kyle guilty of treasonous conduct? Or the victim of a pretty face? The halo disappeared and Nathan looked at his father. The governor was livid. "Damn their miserable lies! Did you see that? Sending trollops to corrupt our officers! We'll arrest the lot of them and put an end to this outrage!"
Slyder dry-washed his hands, nodded sanctimoniously, and remembered the officer's Medal of Valor. It would look good in his trophy case.
Kyle stepped out of the fresher, wiped the remaining water from his skin, and started to dress. He had nearly finished when a tone sounded and a message icon appeared. Curious, Kyle touched a key and watched words flood the screen. The send box was blank, but the greeting was a dead giveaway.
"Hey, rimmer - just a word to the wise - stay clear of the girl - and be ready to answer some questions. She's pretty - but not pretty enough to waste a career on." There was no signature - just a blinking cursor.
Nathan's meaning was clear. Governor Donar, or someone close to him, knew about the Rebels.
Kyle felt his stomach muscles tighten as he punched the numbers and waited for Jan to answer. Her voice was sleepy, as if she had just awoken. "Hello?"
"Listen carefully. Someone, my guess is Governor Donar, knows about you and the others. They could arrive at any moment."
Jan was far too professional to waste time on questions. "Roger that. Grab what you can, and meet us on the hangar deck."
Kyle hit the off button, felt guilty about the manner in which he had betrayed Nathan's confidence, and remembered the picture of his father's decapitated head. His mouth made a hard, thin line as he strapped the imperial-issue side arm around his waist, threw his personal items in a carryall, and left the cabin. His uniforms, with the single exception of the one on his back, remained in the closet.
Jan peeked through the peephole, assured herself that the area in front of the entry was clear, and opened the hatch. A quick check confirmed that the hallway was empty. She turned to the droid. "There isn't much time, A-Cee. Let's get out of here."
The droid checked the light level to make sure his apertures were set correctly, switched to record, and followed Jan into the corridor. They hadn't traveled more than a few yards when a voice called, "Hey, you! Hold it right there!" A blaster bolt served to underscore the words.
Jan shouted "Run!," fired a shot in return, and followed her own advice. Not very speedy to begin with, A- Cee lost even more time as he paused to record Slyder, and the assortment of Imperial military personnel recruited to support him. The Captain, who was one of old man Haj's many granddaughters, had refused to take sides.
Ondi would have been proud of the way A-Cee ripped off a four-second scene and checked to make sure it was good prior to lurching away. He didn't get far, though. Slyder's energy bolt hit the center of his back, bored a hole through one of his subprocessors, and triggered an emergency shutdown. The droid collapsed as Jan looked back. She swore under her breath, ducked around a corner, and ran even faster.
Kyle burst out of the lock, ran across the deck, and spotted Rosco. He held a blaster carbine cradled in his arms and looked ready to use it.
"Has Jan arrived?"
"Not yet."
"How 'bout Waller?"
The Reb jerked his thumb up towards the cockpit. "Manning the turret."
"Okay - I'll crank her up - you cover Jan and A-Cee."
Rosco frowned. "Who died and made you Emperor?"
"Can you fly this thing?"
Rosco shook his head. "Nah, Jan's the pilot."
"Well, I can."
"Glad to hear it, Admiral, but how you gonna open those doors?"
Kyle looked at the massive pressure doors, wondered how he had missed such an
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