The Black Fleet Crisis_ Tyrant's Test Part 44

"Are you sure about this?" asked the senior crew chief, following at Luke's heels as he carried out his preflight check of the exterior of Mud Sloth. "Even with the losses, I'm sure Captain Morano would be more than willing to put you in most anything else we have---" "I'm sure,"

Luke said, ducking under the tail plane.

"I mean, after all, you Jedi swung the fight our way, driving off all those Star Destroyers with your phantom fleet," the chief persisted.

"It just doesn't seem right to send you away in a low-budget--"

"That isn't what happened," Luke said as he reached the boarding ladder. "And this ship serves my needs right now."

The chief scratched his head. "Well, if you say so."

He stole a glance back over his shoulder. "I guess the general'll be down to see you off, eh?"

"He doesn't know I'm leaving," Luke said, throw ing his bag up through the open access hatch. "I'd appreciate it if you weren't in a hurry to tell him."

"That's a bit of a problem," the chief said, frowning.

"Nothing's supposed to leave the flight deck without authorization from the hot room."

"Not my problem," Luke said, climbing the ladder.

"Civilian pilot, civilian ship. Shouldn't even be here.

Clear me through the patrol screen, will you? She's not real strong on flash breaks or roll-and-run."

"Sure," said the chief dubiously. "Sure, for you, I can do that.

But, look, I have to at least be able to tell the booth where you're going--you know, for the log."

"You've never heard of it," Luke said as he reached for the hatch closure. "Just log me out, Chief--and thank the gang for prepping her so quickly."

Not long after, Luke and Mud Sloth plunged into the welcome solitude of hypers.p.a.ce for the long jump to Maltha Obex.

By the end of that journey, Luke could feel himself changing. The ship was like a tiny chrysalis, and it was his metamorphosis that was underway.

He had wanted time where he and Akanah had spent so much time. He had wanted to hear the echoes of their conversations, feel the residue of the emotions.

Luke spent the journey in silence, alternately reflecting and playing with reflections. He inventoried his memories of the last months, discarding some, rewriting others.

And he collected a set of drill objects, and spent hours honing the one Fallana.s.si skill he grasped in its wholeness.

The work was not yet finished when the galaxy reappeared around him and Maltha Obex appeared be fore him. He did not know at that moment quite who he was becoming, or what would presage the transformation.

He only knew that he welcomed that moment of reconnection, and the possibilities that it offered.

For days, Lady Luck had been fleeing before the Teljkon Vagabond, staying over the horizon from the powerful and unpredictable Qella artifact. Two tasks had occupied them during that time keeping tabs on the vagabond by means of the equipment at the abandoned surface camps, and scanning for what they hoped would be a task-force-sized entry into the Maltha Obex system.

But the ship that did finally appear on the scanners was so small that Joto Eckels felt a rush of disappointment rather than relief.

"Perhaps it's some sort of probe," he suggested at Pakkpekatt's shoulder.

"Don't you usually send a probe in ahead of the main body?"

"It's a civilian skiff," said Taisden. "No military comm."

"Then we have to warn it away at once," Eckels said. "Colonel, once the vagabond spots it, half an orbit from now--" A display screen above their heads flashed on as he spoken "This is Mud Sloth, hailing the Lady Luck. Lando, report your status, please."

Eckels began to look more hopeful as he recognized Luke's face.

"Lando's not here, Luke--" But Pakkpekatt rose from his seat, blocking Eckels from the holocomm as he leaned forward to reply. "Mud Sloth, you are entering an NRI security zone, and you are at risk. Turn your ship about at once and leave this system."

"You'd be Colonel Pakkpekatt, I take it," said Luke. "And was that Dr.

Eckels? Is Lando still aboard the vagabond, then? You haven't been able to get to him? I need an update covering the last five days."

"You are not authorized for that information,"

said Pakkpekatt. "You are not cleared for this security zone."

"Colonel, I'm all the a.s.sistance you're likely to get for a while, given the demands on the Fleet at the moment.

And I know Dr. Eckels doesn't want to see this expedition end with a shoot-out, anyway--" "Absolutely correct," Eckels said, pushing his way into the holocomm's field of view.

"--so let's see if we can't work together and make something better happen."

"Do you have any ideas about what that might be, Luke?" said Eckels.

"The artifact has been notably un-cooperative so far--even more so than the colonel."

"I know. I've reviewed your reports--yours and his both," Luke said.

At that news, Pakkpekatt threw his hands in the air in disgust and turned away from the flight console. "I will demand an investigation of this entire operation," he muttered. "The breaches of security--the complete disregard for the lines of authority--" '2 think I can get the team off the vagabond," Luke went on. "But I'm hoping for more than that.

Why don't you tell me what you think happened here, Doctor?"

"May I ask first if you're planning to board the vagabond yourself?"

"Yes, I am, Dr. Eckels."

"Then would it be possible for you to collect me before you do? I will likely have better answers for you once I've seen it for myself."

"I was hoping you'd offer, Doctor," Luke said. "If you and the colonel would locate some power packs for the droids and put together a mercy basket for the men, I'll rendezvous with you on your next orbit."

"Very good," said Eckels. "We'll be ready."

As the vagabond grew outside Mud Sloth's c.o.c.kpit viewpanes, Eckels looked nervously from it to Luke's face.

"How will you know if it's working?"

"We'll know if it isn't," Luke said, closing his eyes.

"Shouldn't we at least alert General Calrissian that we're coming in?"

"No signals," Luke said. "No sounds. No thrusters.

Nothing that will disturb the flow. Nothing that will announce our presence."

Eckels looked back toward the alien vessel. "But can't it see us just as easily as we can see it?"

Luke shook his head slowly. "You're aboard a submarine, Doctor, not a s.p.a.ceship. We're five hundred meters under the surface and just floating with the current.

They won't know we're there until we b.u.mp up alongside."

The scientist received Luke's rea.s.surances with a dubious expression.

"You've done this before, I trust?"

"No, never," Luke said.

"Oh, my--" "But I saw it done, not too long ago."

Eckels swallowed. "I trust that you've been practicing since then, at least."

Eyes still closed, Luke smiled. "All the way here.

Relax, Doctor. I learned this trick from people who were at the top of their cla.s.s in the business of hiding."

He paused. "But even so, you might want to let me concentrate."

Pressing his lips together in a line, Eckels slumped against the back of his seat and stared at the vagabond, which now filled half the sky ahead.

"Lando."

At the sound of his name, Lando stirred and reached slowly for his comlink.

"What is it, Lobot?"

"Someone is here."

"Where here?" Lando said, suddenly shaking off his sleepy la.s.situde.

"Outside, near the bow." Lobot paused. "We are puzzled. There is a touch, and yet we cannot find the source."

"They're knocking on the door," Lando said impatiently.

"Open it up and see what comes in."

There was a long silence. "The visitors are in the inters.p.a.ce,"

Lobot said at last.

"So who or what are they?"

"We do not recognize them."

"I'll check it out," Lando said gruffly. Fatigue and hunger had left him in a state of permanent annoyance.

"Artoo, let's go--power up. Artoo--" The droid remained inert like Threepio days before, its power supply was finally exhausted.

"Sure," he grumbled. "Make me be the one to check out the noise in the dark. It'd serve you both right if I never came back."

"Ahoy the ship," a new voice crackled over the comlink. "Anyone home?"

Lando blinked, trying to force his mind to recognize what it was hearing. "Luke? Luke, is that you?

What are you doing here?"

"I could leave, if it's not a good time--" "You leave without me, and I'll hunt you down and kill you one cell at a time," Lando warned, with no trace of humor in his voice. "Stay where you are. I'm coming out."

"We're already in," Luke said. "The vagabond's hull opened up and swallowed us whole."

"Nooo" "It's all right. We're in some sort of zero-g hangar area between the outer and inner hulls--we even seem to be tethered. I'm suiting up to come to you," said Luke. "Stay put and talk us in."

Grabbing a liter of water from Dr. Eckels, Lando drained it so fast that his stomach balked and threatened to reject it.

"Luke," Lando said, flipping the container away.

"Can you believe it? This whole monstrosity is nothing but a museum--" He stopped to swallow the bitterness climbing his throat, and started coughing when the taste reached his mouth.

"Go easy, Lando---" Lando waved off the concern. "A museum! And when-- when have you ever known me to go near a museum?" He laughed hoa.r.s.ely. "And you don't even know the funny part--none of the treasures is real. It's all just modeling clay--nothing of any value."

"Do you know what he's talking about, Dr. Eckels?"

"Possibly," Eckels said, digging in the supply pouch for a FirstMeal food pack.

Lando continued to babble, his tone turning sorrowful, almost maudlin.

"Can only look--can't take anything with you. No souvenirs. What a waste of time, Lukewhat a miserable waste of time. Like picking flowers.

Pretty today, dead tomorrow--" He suddenly noticed the food pack and s.n.a.t.c.hed it away, turning his back on them as though protecting it against poaching.

"Lando, where's Lobot?"

The answer came after a long draw on the food pack's straw. "He has new friends." Lando shrugged.

"He hardly talks to me anymore." He chortled abruptly. "He's lost his mind. You'll see."

"Take us to him," Luke said firmly. "We need to take care of him, too."