Talon Karrde clasped his hands beneath his
goatee and studied the scene
on the Wild Karrde's command deck viewscreen through pale blue
eyes.
"Well, Shada," he told the striking woman at his right
hand, "it appears
that our baby-sitting chore has become somewhat more . . .
interesting
than anticipated."
"I would say so," Shada D'ukal replied. "The
sensor shroud shows at
least seven ships in orbit around Yavin 4 and another six on the
surface."
"None of them are Yuuzhan Vong, I take it."
"No. A mixed bag, but I'd lay odds that they are Peace
Brigade."
"Gambling is a foolish occupation," Karrde said.
"I want to know. And I
want to know what they're doing." He ticked his finger
against the
armrest. "I knew we should have found some way to leave
sooner.
Skywalker was right." He sighed and leaned forward, studying
the
long-range sensors.
"There's some sort of firefight on the surface, yes,
H'sishi?"
"Looks like it," the Togorian mewled.
"Solusar?" Karrde wondered. "Maybe. How long
before we can be there?"
"They outnumber us badly," Shada pointed out. "We
should call the rest
of our ships before we do anything."
"We should certainly call them, but we can't wait for them.
Someone down
there is fighting for his life, most likely one of the people I
told
Skywalker I would protect. What's more, the fact that there are
still
ships on the surface suggests they haven't finished what they
came here
to do. That is, they don't have the Jedi children yet. If we wait
until
they have them aboard, in space, the job of rescuing them will
become
much more complicated."
"I see that," Shada said. "But it will be more
complicated yet if they
blow us out of the sky."
Karrde laughed. "Shada, when will you learn to trust my
instincts? When
have I ever gotten you killed?"
"YOu have a point there, I suppose."
Karrde pointed at Yavin 4, at the moment a dark disk silhouetted
against
the larger orange profile of its primary. "So I want to be
there, now.
Dankin, keep full cloak, but let me know when they notice
us."
"Of course, sir." That point came an hour later, when
they were almost
sitting on the nearest of the orbiting ships.
"They're hailing us, sir," Dankin told him. "And
powering up weapons."
"Put them on."
A moment later, a thick-featured human male with thin, graying
hair
appeared on the communication holoscreen.
"Freighter, identify yourself." He chopped the words
out in even
syllables.
"My name, sir, is Talon Karrde. Perhaps you've heard of
me."
The man's eyes pinched warily. "Yes, I've heard of you,
Captain Karrde.
It's rude to sneak up on someone like that. And dangerous."
"And it's rude to be given a name and not offer one,"
Karrde returned.
A look of annoyance crossed the fellow's face. "Don't try
me, Captain
Karrde. You may call me Captain Imsatad. What do you want?"
Karrde favored the man with a wan smile. "I was going to ask
you the
same question."
"I don't follow you," Imsatad said.
"You seem to be having some sort of trouble. I'm offering my
assistance."
"We need no assistance, I assure you. And to be blunt,
Captain Karrde, I
don't believe you. I remember you as a smuggler, a pirate, and a
traitor
to the Empire."
"Then perhaps you remember, as well, what became of those
who treated me
with disrespect," Karrde said icily. "But if we are
being blunt--and
perhaps that is best here, since you seem to lack the education
for more
civilized discourse--I am undoubtedly here for the same reason
you
are--to collect the bounty on the young Jedi below."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Karrde leaned toward the screen, eyes glittering dangerously.
"You are a
liar, Captain, and a poor one. I see no reason for us to play
games."
"I trust you've noticed you're outnumbered."
"I trust you noted I was able to drop in on you in, shall we
say, an
unannounced fashion. Do you really think I brought only one
ship?"
Imsatad glared at him, then cut his visual. Karrde waited
patiently
until, a few moments later, the image returned. "This is
none of your
business," the man said.
"Profit is always my business."
"There is no profit here, and if there were, you would
already be too
late."
"Oh, I don't think so. Why are your ships still on the
surface? Why do
my sensors show what seems to be protracted search activity?
You've let
your quarry slip through your fingers, Captain." Karrde
smiled and
leaned back in his chair. "Consider my offer of help. I ask
little in
return, and I could be a nuisance if you spurn my kindness."
"That sounds like a threat."
Karrde spread his hands. "Take it however you please. Shall
we discuss
this further or not?"
"You say you ask for little. What, exactly, would that
be?"
"A few kind words in the ears of the Yuuzhan Vong. An
introduction. You
see, Captain, for some years now I've been retired from my chosen
profession. But these are very interesting times, exactly the
sort of
times my kind thrives on, if you know what I mean. I'd like to
come out
of retirement."
"Go on."
Karrde stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "The Yuuzhan Vong
have
promised a truce if the Jedi are delivered to them. I would like
to
bargain for passage through Yuuzhan Vong space, once the borders
are
established."
"Why should they allow a smuggler to use their space?"
"There may be things they need. I can get them. If not, I
would be doing
them no harm; all of my activities would be aimed at the
scattered
remnants of the New Republic. But those remnants are separated,
at
times, by Yuuzhan Vong-occupied systems. The cost of
circumventing them,
frankly, would be prohibitive."
Imsatad nodded, and a brief look of disgust wrinkled his
features. "I
see. You realize I can promise none of that."
"I only asked for a mention of my help in this affair. You
can promise
that."
"I could," Imsatad acknowledged. "What exactly can
you offer me?"
"Better sensors than you have, for one thing. Detailed
knowledge of
Yavin 4 that I believe you lack. A crew that is very, very good
at
finding things. Certain special defenses against Jedi--and the
means of
finding them."
Imsatad stiffened, and his voice dropped low. "I was with
Thrawn at
Wayland. You still? . . ."
"Ah. You know what I mean, then."
"I know you betrayed him."
Karrde rolled his eyes. "How tiresome. Very well, Captain,
if you don't
wish my services, there are others who will."
"Wait!" Imsatad chewed his lip for a moment. "I
need to consult with my
officers on this."
"Take a few moments," Karrde said, lifting a finger.
"But do not bore
me." He cut the transmission.