The Black Fleet Crisis_ Before The Storm Part 6

The section he commanded had no publicly known name. The private name-Alpha Blue-was known only to the dozen officials with the very highest clearances, and appeared nowhere in either the government's or the military command's data records. Those whom Drayson commanded carried no Alpha Blue identification cards and pa.s.sed under no Alpha Blue insignia on the way to their jobs. They wore the insignia of a variety of unremarkable units, or-like Drayson himself-no insignia at all, and took their pay as quartermasters' mates and second gunners, ion mechanics and civilian clerks.

Given that context, Drayson was just a little surprised the morning he entered his office and found someone already there, uninvited and unannounced--someone who did not work for him and yet was bold enough to sit in Drayson's chair, with his feet up on the corner of Drayson's desk.

"Well, " Drayson said. "Lando Calrissian. You're lucky I didn't shoot you. "

Lando grinned. "I was counting on your being too curious how I got in to shoot me right away. "

"I said shoot you, not kill you. Blowing apart your knee would have been sufficient, " Drayson said. "Now, please get out of my chair. "

"Oh, if you insist, " Lando said, vacating the chair with a flourish that left it slowly spinning. "I was just following my dear mother's advice. "

"On breaking and entering? "

"On avoiding stress. 'Never stand when you can sit down, and never sit when you can lie down. ' "

"I see, " Drayson said, stopping the rotation of his chair with a hand and dropping into it. "I haven't heard anything of you in some time-"

"I doubt that. "

"Not since Mara Jade showed such surprising resistance to your charms. "

"How kind of you to remember. "

Drayson steepled his fingers. "My own theory is that you've been consoling yourself by spending the reward from d.u.c.h.ess Mistal in sabacc halls and on pleasure couches. Anything left of it? "

Lando smiled and sat on the edge of the desk.

"I'm sure you could tell me to the half-credit. You never have forgiven me for the fact that because you and your Chandrila goons could never catch me and the Falcon, have you? Or for the fact that you caught so many of the dumb and clumsy smugglers, I made a fortune on my Chandrila runs. I really should have given you a share. "

"You never have gotten over this notion that smuggling is an honorable line of work, have you? " Drayson asked, tipping back in his chair. "What makes you think I would have taken your dirty money? "

"Because I knew what kind of chit the Admiral of Chandrila Defense Fleet was drawing, " Lando said. "Every good smuggler knows that bribes will get him places bravado won't. "

For the first time, Drayson smiled. "You know, Baron, I really hate the fact that I can't help but like you. "

"I know, " Lando said. "I have the same problem. I never thought I could be friends with someone who was so fond of rules. "

"Well-life is full of surprises. Not that seeing you is one. To tell the truth-"

"Oh, why start now? "

"-I've been half expecting to see you since I heard thatLady Luck had docked upstairs. Though I didn't think it'd be with your feet up on my desk like you were taking over. " Drayson folded his arms over his chest. "So-what can I do for you? "

"Wrong question, Admiral, " Lando said. "What can I do for you? "

"Pardon? "

"I'm bored, " Lando explained simply. "I go in business, I make a little money, I lose a little money-the game isn't interesting anymore. Someone throws a t.i.tle at me, and I pick up the pieces someone else dropped-until one day I realize I'm sitting behind a desk, turning into you. There's no challenge in smuggling, unless you want to go to the Core-and I'm too smart to be that dumb. And there's hardly a sc.r.a.p anywhere in twenty pa.r.s.ecs worth getting dirty for. That's why I'm here. "

"You're bored, " Drayson repeated.

"Exactly. Find something interesting for me to do and I'll tell you how I got past your perimeters. " His 'expression was suddenly touched with regret. "I'm afraid there are a couple of security types you're going to have to let go, though. "

"I see, " said Drayson. "Any particular reason you happened to find yourself afflicted by boredom at this moment in time? "

"Why do you ask? "

Drayson pursed his lips. "I can't say anything more unless you come back in. "

"Will I be sorry if I do? "

"Aren't you always? "

General Lando Calrissian and Admiral Drayson, chief of Alpha Blue, stood before a large briefing screen studying a holo image of a strange s.p.a.ce vessel.

The vessel's five cylindrical hulls, lying parallel to each other like a bundle of logs, were so dark in color that it was hard to see much detail. But the sensor's scale markings along the edge of the frame betrayed its size.

"I give up, " Lando said finally. "I almost want to say it's Mon Calamari construction, but I don't think they ever built anything that big. What is it? "

"The Teljkon vagabond. " When Lando's face showed no signs of recognition, Drayson asked, "Are you familiar with the legend of theAnother Chance ? "

Lando c.o.c.ked an eyebrow questioningly. "The Alderaan armory s.h.i.+p? Of course. Every smuggler in that sector has a story about seeing it. Which means that every smuggler in that sector is a bald-faced liar. "

"You don't believe the legend, then? "

"Revisionist history, " Lando said, shaking his head.

"Explain. "

"I just can't believe that when the pacifists took over Alderaan's Council of elders, they were cynical enough to pack all the weapons into a s.h.i.+p and send it hopping through hypers.p.a.ce. They just had reason to wish they had done it, when the Empire came knocking a few years later. " Lando sighed deeply. "Believe me, I wish the legend was true. I wish they'd recalledAnother Chance before the Death Star reached Alderaan. But it's just another s.h.a.ggy-ghost-s.h.i.+p st ory. "

"I agree, " Drayson said, reaching out and tapping the surface of the screen. "But this is a real ghost s.h.i.+p-probably the one that's kept the legend ofAnother Chance alive. This holo was taken by the New Republic frigateBoldheart, five years ago, right in the middle of that business with Admiral Daala. "

Lando smiled wryly, remembering just how close "that business" had come to being the end of the New Republic.

"Just after this image was taken, Boldheartfired across the vagabond's bow, " Drayson continued. "The vagabond fired back with some weapons we still don't understand, disablingBoldheart'sengines with one shot. Then it jumped into hypers.p.a.ce. It wasn't seen again for almost two years. Bored yet? ".

"No, go on. "

Admiral Drayson turned away from the briefing display and walked back to a seat at the conference bar. "That was actually the second doc.u.mented sighting. The first to spot it was a Hra.s.skis monitor s.h.i.+p working the Teljkon system. "

"Thus the name. "

"Right. The Hra.s.skis took it for a derelict and tried to intercept it. Now, mind you, they'd been hailing it for hours, and not a peep in reply. Then the vagabond broadcast a five-second wide-spectrum modulation that nearly burned out every comm circuit on the Hra.s.skis s.h.i.+p. There's a recording, but it's so distorted it's almost useless. Anyway, thirty seconds after it sent the signal-"

"Let me guess. Skipped into hypers.p.a.ce. "

"On the numbers. "

"What about the third sighting? "

"That was ours. We thought we were going to be smart. An Intelligence Service ferret tried to attach a locator limpet to the vagabond's hull. Never even got close. "

"And the fourth? "

Drayson leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingertips on the armrest. "It's in deep s.p.a.ce near Gmar Askitoh right now. We're trailing it with another ferret-"

"Keeping a safe distance, I hope. "

"Very safe. But we're going after it, " Drayson said. "Intelligence is putting together a small task force this very minute. They mean to catch the vagabond, board it, and unravel the riddles. Colonel Pakkpekatt of the Intelligence Service is in charge. If you'd come to me even a week from now, it would have been too late-they'd already have sailed. "

"Is that so, " Lando said, his face as unreadable as if he were at a sabacc table. "What fortuitous timing. "

"Indeed. So-is that interesting enough? "

"It's an interesting story, " Lando said pointedly. "I don't see anything interesting to do yet, though. "

Draysoh's expression turned gravely serious. "I'd like to put you on Pakkpekatt's s.h.i.+p-nominally as Fleet liaison. Boldheart was regular navy, after all. Intelligence can't deny that they have an interest. "

"But I'd really be there for you? "

"No, " said Drayson. "I could have put any number of Alpha Blue agents in the task force. In fact, you don't know that I haven't. No, I don't want you to report to me. "

"Then why do you want me on the mission? "

"Because you think like a smuggler, and Pakkpekatt thinks like a colonel. Because you have a way of getting yourself where people don't want you, past traps that others don't see until it's too late. Because I think the mission has a better chance of succeeding if you're there than if you aren't. "

"That's all? "

"That's all. That's my job, " Drayson said. "To make sure that some things happen, and make sure others don't. So, make up your mind. Are you interested? Want to go chase the Teljkon vagabond? "

Lando just grinned.

Chapter 4.

In the first quiet moment of the day, Han's comlink unit chirped at him.

"Han, this is Luke, a familiar voice said. "Will you come see me? "

"What? Luke? Hey, kid, your sister's been looking everywhere for you-"

"I know, " Luke said. "Will you come see me, alone? "

"Uh-all right. Where are you? Are you really on Coruscant, like Leia says? "

Luke did not answer directly. "Take your speeder due west from Imperial City. When you reach the coast, turn off your nav system and release the controls. I'll bring you here. "

"Well-okay. That's easy enough. But it'll have to be later, " Han said apologetically. "Tonight. Somebody's got to watch the kids. "

"Of course, I'll see you tonight. "

"Wait, " Han said quickly, before Luke could break the link. "Is this supposed to be a secret? Can I tell Leia where I'm going? "

"If you need to. I don't want you to lie to her. "

"You sure you don't want to just call her yourself, talk to her? "

"I'm sure, Luke said. "Tell her what you need to. But please come alone. "

The sh.o.r.e of the western sea had been a glittering playground, a gay andGlorious world that never slept, before the clone Emperor's Force storm had ravaged Coruscant. It had yet to fully recover. Only the lights of a few scattered resorts marked the broken lines of the coast as Han's speeder flashed overhead and bored into the dark sky over the western sea.

Han waited several long seconds, until he realized he couldn't say what exactly he was waiting for. "Okay, Luke. Hope you're listening, wherever you are. I really don't want to go swimming tonight. "

Leaning forward, Han reached out and switched off the nav system, a process that took three confirmations and two overrides. A third of the speeder's c.o.c.kpit controls went dark, while a bright orange legend across the bottom of the views.h.i.+eld warned FLIGHT MODE.

"Here goes nothing, " Han said with a sigh, sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest.

Almost immediately the speeder veered sharply right and dived toward the water. It was all Han could do to stop himself from grabbing the controls again.

But the speeder soon leveled off, though at an alarmingly low alt.i.tude.

The moon was still well below the horizon, but Han could see the undulating surface of the sea by the pale phosph.o.r.escent light of millions of tiny creatures riding the swells and currents. The sight was eerie and marvelous, but it was also barely an arm's length below the flat underside of the speeder, and racing by at a dizzying clip.

"Hey, Luke-you out there? " Han said, slouching as much as the speeder's seat and his long legs would allow. "Is this gonna be a long flight? Do I have time for a nap? Hey, pal, you can start food service any time. "

There was no response.

"Lousy s.p.a.celines, " Han muttered, closing his eyes. "They're all smiles till they have your money and herd you on board. Then see if you can get a gla.s.s of water-" A long-winged sea shrike rose from the rocks to fly in formation with Han's speeder as, slowing, it arrowed toward the beach. Wakened by the change in the pitch of the speeder's thrusters, Han strained to make out where it might be headed.

Then a hole opened in the sky ahead, a brightly lit oval that hung above the beach like a doorway to morning. The sea shrike veered off, and the speeder coasted through the oval of light and settled on the floor of an otherwise empty high-ceilinged chamber.

Han twisted sideways in his seat to see where he had come from, just in time to watch the opening seal itself behind him.

h.e.l.lo, Han, a voice said in his mind. Come up.

"Come up? " Han said, scrambling out of-the speeder. "There's no-" As he began his protest, the nearest wall deformed into a ladder, and an opening appeared in the ceiling above it. "Sure, " Han said. "As if it would have been any more trouble to make stairs. "

But he reached out and clambered up the rungs all the same, taking them two at a time as a point of pride. He wasn't happy, though, to hear his own grunts at the bottom or feel his heart racing at the top.

Han found himself standing at the bottom of a large spherical room containing no furniture or technology-at least, none that he could spot. "Now what? "

Keep coming, said the voice in his head. Walk up the wall.