Star Wars: The Last of the Jedi, Volume 9 (12 page)

“You are asking my advice?” Obi-Wan asked.

“You are my best counselor,” Bail said warmly.

“Ferus and I no doubt disagree on this issue,” Obi-Wan said after a pause. “A linkage of resistance movements from planet to planet is of course a goal. The question is timing.
Most planets are depleted from the Clone Wars. Empty of weapons, empty of spirit. Bellassa is a rare example of a planet that has managed to mobilize the will of the people to fight the Empire.
Most of the others are just glad for peace and hoping for prosperity. To create a full-out rebellion would be difficult if not impossible. In the meantime those resistance leaders who will be
needed later will be exposed. So I would advise you not to join Moonstrike. Waiting is hard—but sometimes it is smarter.”

“You believe so in this case,” Bail said gravely.

“I do.”

Ferus saw that Bail was now wavering. That was unfortunate for Flame. He agreed with her that without a political component Moonstrike could be doomed.

Obi-Wan hadn’t changed Ferus’s mind. It was exactly the opposite. Now he felt more inclined than ever to help Moonstrike.

Revery appeared, a blue planet with a soft haze of pink clouds. Aquamarine seas were visible in a patchwork of gold and green land. It was as lovely from space as it was
reputed to be on the surface. Clive entered their coordinates into the nav panel for the mysterious abode of Eve Yarrow.

“Let’s just hope we escaped detection. Even if by some miracle Bloomi didn’t talk, the report of two bank robbers will be all over the security channel right now.”

“Could be,” Astri said. Her lips quirked upward. “We’ll know soon enough.”

Clive gave her a quick glance. “Hey, you
like
this.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Astri bent over to fiddle with her utility belt. Her curly hair hid her face.

“You do!” he crowed.

“That’s an awful thing to say—”

“I’m not saying you like the Empire. Or that you’re glad there was a war so you could go flying through the galaxy with a blaster strapped to your leg. It’s just
that…you’re not afraid. You like the adrenaline. You’re the one who got us out of that mess back there. So what gives? I thought you were a politician’s wife, giving teas and
running receptions. Were you some kind of spy back before the Clone Wars?”

“You’ve got a pretty dumb idea of what a politician’s wife does,” Astri said, annoyed. “Teas? Receptions? I ran a policy think 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 they cancelled the coin. It’s the rarest in the galaxy now.”

“That’s mildly interesting,” Astri said, “but what are you going to do with it?”

Instead of answering, Clive also took an ID security card out of his pocket. “Not a real one, a fake one,” he explained. “They use a cheaper plastoid. Works better.”

Astri stepped back from the door. Clive warmed the coin in his hands, then slid it into the hinge of the security panel. After a moment he was able to slide in the ID security card. The security
panel popped open. He studied the circuitry for a moment, then took a small electronic device out of his pocket, attached it, and pressed a sequence of keys. Astri heard a small electronic beep and
the door slid open.

“Okay, I’m impressed,” she said, before walking in.

“Mildly?” Clive asked as he followed her. “Or extremely?”

The hallway was dark and cool. Astri moved carefully, trying not to make a sound. Her blaster was in her hand now.

They explored the lower floor. The house was furnished in comfortable style, with sleep couches covered in plush fabrics and colorful rugs on the stone floors. The wide windows took in a view of
the sea far below. A protocol droid stood inactive in the hallway near the massive front door. The kitchen was stocked with prepared food in the freezer.

“It’s just waiting for a visit,” Astri said in a whisper. “You could just walk in the door.”

“No dust,” Clive said. “I wonder if the housekeeping droids are activated on a timer.”

Upstairs was a bedroom and a small office. There was no datapad that they could find.

There were several white robes and tunics of varying fabrics hanging in the closet. They could have belonged to a male or female. No clothing was in the drawers.

Clive shook his head. “No information here. If this is Eve Yarrow’s house, she doesn’t use it much. We can’t tie her to Flame or even the Empire if there’s nothing
here to find.”

“Let’s look downstairs again,” Astri suggested. “If something’s here, it won’t be in the obvious places.”

They returned down to the main level. Clive examined the shelves. He gave a low whistle.

He picked up a dark crystal embedded in a polished stone and held it up. “Look at this.” The crystal refracted the dim light in the room and sent shadows skittering on the white
walls. “It’s the Emperor’s Favor.”

Astri moved closer, examining the crystal. At first it had looked stark and beautiful, but something about it made her shudder.

“A hunk of rare obsolite crystal embedded in stone from Korriban,” Clive explained. He put the object back and rubbed his hands on his tunic. “Given to the chosen of the
Empire’s elite. Heroes of the Clone Wars. Those who do special favors.”

“Very interesting,” Astri said. “So Eve Yarrow is in the Empire’s elite. She’s been rewarded for something.”

She turned and continued her examination of the room. Suddenly she stopped and looked at the windows and walls. She paced the room, back and forth. “Something’s off,” she said.
“The dimensions of the room. Looking at it from the mountain…there should be another room.”

Clive followed her out into the hallway, where Astri pressed her fingers against the wall. “It doesn’t make sense,” she murmured.

Clive let her explore. Suddenly she crouched down in the hall. She ran her fingers along the wall. She knocked on it. “Here. A hidden room.”

Clive joined her. “If you say so. But how do we find it?”

Astri stepped back. Her eyes roamed over the hallway. Suddenly she sprang forward toward the laser painting of the house that hung on the wall. She tilted it this way and that.

A beam of light shot out from the sun in the painting and hit the opposite wall. Slowly the wall slid back.

“How did you do that?” Clive asked, shaking his head in admiration.

“I heard of using laser paintings as security devices,” Astri said. “It’s a brand-new system. Top secret from Secure Securities. I learned about it when I was slicing
into the main BRT computer on Samaria.”

They peered inside the room without entering. It was empty. “A hideout,” Clive guessed.

They walked inside.

“If it’s a hideout, it’s strange that there are no supplies here,” Astri said. “There should be food. And a security panel.”

“It could be a storage room,” Clive said. “Or—”

Suddenly the door slid shut behind them.

He exchanged a glance with Astri. “A trap,” he finished.

The meeting with Zan Arbor had gone well. Darth Vader congratulated himself on his approach. Obvi-ously the woman needed incentive. That, and a screaming fast ride in an
out-of-control turbolift. He had no doubt that tomorrow he would hear a different tune from her.

And soon the space where Padmé lived inside him would be blank.

His plans were coming together.

His comlink signaled. His Master was calling. Vader felt no unease as he accepted the communication. He had news that would please the Emperor.

“I need a report.” It was his Master’s most severe tone.

“We have made
progress
, my Master,” Vader said. “Twilight is ready. Phase One is already in motion.”

“
Good. Good.
And Alderaan?”

“The Imperial Governor arrives tomorrow. Our contact assures us that all is in place.”

“Then, my young apprentice, return to Alderaan. Your work is there for now.”

“Yes, Master.” He had to obey, of course. But he would have to find time to corner Zan Arbor again before he left. He wanted to be sure that she would have the memory agent on-line
soon. Ferus Olin couldn’t touch him with a lightsaber. He must not be allowed to touch him with his memories. They were far more dangerous.