tank. Until Bog eliminated it after
we came up with real solutions to planetary problems.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Before I met Bog—a long time ago—I ran around with the Jedi a bit.”
“You ran around with the Jedi? What does that mean?”
“I helped Obi-Wan rescue Qui-Gon. I pretended to be a bounty hunter. Shaved my head. Learned how to shoot a blaster and pilot a swoop. Stuff like that.”
“You surprise me, Astri Oddo. Every time I think I know what you’re about, you turn out to be about something else.”
Astri cocked an eyebrow at him. “That’s your flaw, Flax. You don’t get it. People aren’t about one thing. Now let’s keep an eye out. You can’t rely on
instruments for everything. You need visual sightings. Obi-Wan taught me that.”
“I’m guessing there’ll be a place to land near the house,” Clive said as the surface of the planet grew closer. “Nobody seems to want neighbors.”
It was true. Grand estates were tucked into the mountains many kilometers apart, or displayed on wide spectacular beaches with the mountains behind them. No one had a near neighbor. With coves
tucked into steep hills, the geography of the planet cooperated with the need for privacy.
They found the estate they were looking for. Unlike the others, it wasn’t on a secluded cove, but tucked into the mountains with a view of the sea below. It was almost invisible from the
air. It was more modest than the other places they had passed. Tall trees surrounded it and it was built of the same gray stone of the mountain, so it blended into the slope.
“There’s a landing platform and a small hangar,” Astri said.
“I don’t think there’s a big welcome mat,” Clive said. “Is there a clear space nearby where we can land?”
Astri studied the nav screen. “Let’s try the top of the mountain. We’ll have to hike straight down, but at least the cruiser will be hidden.”
They found a rocky outcropping to land the cruiser. It was a tough hike down, but they made it to the house, coming down through a steep ravine that left them scratched and bloodied.
Clive trained his electrobinoculars on the hangar. “There aren’t any vehicles inside. Not even an airspeeder.”
“Let’s get closer.”
They moved from tree to tree, inspecting the place. It seemed deserted. Still they were reluctant to move out from the shelter of the trees.
“Look, we have to get closer,” Astri said. “We can’t stay here all day. We have to risk it.”
“If someone’s here, I’ll say we’re lost,” Clive said.
“That seems far-fetched.”
“I can convince anyone of anything.”
“No,” Astri said. “You just think you can. Come on.”
They left the shelter of the trees and entered the compound. There was no security fence. They simply walked in, finding a path made of smooth flat stones. Astri watched the house but saw no
flicker of activity visible behind the large windows.
Alert for trouble, they walked up to the door and knocked.
“There’s no security screen,” Clive muttered. “This is weird.”
“Maybe they’re so isolated out here they feel protected,” Astri said.
“Well, one thing is for sure,” Clive said as the minutes ticked away. “Nobody’s home.” He reached into his utility belt and removed a small item.
“A rusty coin?” Astri asked. “Are you going to bribe your way in?”
“Not just any coin.” Clive held it up. “And it isn’t rusty. This is a rare coin from the planet Maill, a thousand years old. Only several hundred were made before they
discovered that it had a fatal flaw. The king of Maill had a queen whom he loved. She had hair, they said, the color of a flaming sunset. He used a special alloy of metals to get exactly that hue.
Then they discovered that the coin was useless for trade because it was so malleable. Not only that, when heated just a bit it would expand to fill a space and then harden. Ruined many a minting
machine before
we came up with real solutions to planetary problems.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Before I met Bog—a long time ago—I ran around with the Jedi a bit.”
“You ran around with the Jedi? What does that mean?”
“I helped Obi-Wan rescue Qui-Gon. I pretended to be a bounty hunter. Shaved my head. Learned how to shoot a blaster and pilot a swoop. Stuff like that.”
“You surprise me, Astri Oddo. Every time I think I know what you’re about, you turn out to be about something else.”
Astri cocked an eyebrow at him. “That’s your flaw, Flax. You don’t get it. People aren’t about one thing. Now let’s keep an eye out. You can’t rely on
instruments for everything. You need visual sightings. Obi-Wan taught me that.”
“I’m guessing there’ll be a place to land near the house,” Clive said as the surface of the planet grew closer. “Nobody seems to want neighbors.”
It was true. Grand estates were tucked into the mountains many kilometers apart, or displayed on wide spectacular beaches with the mountains behind them. No one had a near neighbor. With coves
tucked into steep hills, the geography of the planet cooperated with the need for privacy.
They found the estate they were looking for. Unlike the others, it wasn’t on a secluded cove, but tucked into the mountains with a view of the sea below. It was almost invisible from the
air. It was more modest than the other places they had passed. Tall trees surrounded it and it was built of the same gray stone of the mountain, so it blended into the slope.
“There’s a landing platform and a small hangar,” Astri said.
“I don’t think there’s a big welcome mat,” Clive said. “Is there a clear space nearby where we can land?”
Astri studied the nav screen. “Let’s try the top of the mountain. We’ll have to hike straight down, but at least the cruiser will be hidden.”
They found a rocky outcropping to land the cruiser. It was a tough hike down, but they made it to the house, coming down through a steep ravine that left them scratched and bloodied.
Clive trained his electrobinoculars on the hangar. “There aren’t any vehicles inside. Not even an airspeeder.”
“Let’s get closer.”
They moved from tree to tree, inspecting the place. It seemed deserted. Still they were reluctant to move out from the shelter of the trees.
“Look, we have to get closer,” Astri said. “We can’t stay here all day. We have to risk it.”
“If someone’s here, I’ll say we’re lost,” Clive said.
“That seems far-fetched.”
“I can convince anyone of anything.”
“No,” Astri said. “You just think you can. Come on.”
They left the shelter of the trees and entered the compound. There was no security fence. They simply walked in, finding a path made of smooth flat stones. Astri watched the house but saw no
flicker of activity visible behind the large windows.
Alert for trouble, they walked up to the door and knocked.
“There’s no security screen,” Clive muttered. “This is weird.”
“Maybe they’re so isolated out here they feel protected,” Astri said.
“Well, one thing is for sure,” Clive said as the minutes ticked away. “Nobody’s home.” He reached into his utility belt and removed a small item.
“A rusty coin?” Astri asked. “Are you going to bribe your way in?”
“Not just any coin.” Clive held it up. “And it isn’t rusty. This is a rare coin from the planet Maill, a thousand years old. Only several hundred were made before they
discovered that it had a fatal flaw. The king of Maill had a queen whom he loved. She had hair, they said, the color of a flaming sunset. He used a special alloy of metals to get exactly that hue.
Then they discovered that the coin was useless for trade because it was so malleable. Not only that, when heated just a bit it would expand to fill a space and then harden. Ruined many a minting
machine before
Similar Books
