The Hunters and the Hunted 5

I was in such a hurry to reach Lord Vader that I very nearly crashed into him as he strode through the corridor on his way to his private chambers. I was certain the pirouette I did to avoid bashing into him and then the fancy footwork I had to do to keep up with him would have made my dance teacher proud. My dress swirled about me the way Vader’s cloak flowed about him and for a moment it was an odd blend of deep blues and night black. For a split second it reminded me of a ballet I had once seen but these thoughts were quickly cut short my Lord Vader’s brusque reproach.

“I don’t pay you to dawdle, child!” he snapped, not breaking his stride. I trotted to keep up with him.

I blew the stray hair from my forehead. “You wanted to see me?”

“I need all the information you can find on Bespin and Lando Calrissian!” Lord Vader barked as he swept down the hallway.

“Yes, my Lord!” I said, and then asked. “Is Calrissian involved in the rebellion?”

“Do you know him?” His tone of voice was dark and annoyed.

“Uh, no, not personally but I have heard of him. His name gets bandied about in smuggler’s circles.”

“So finding information on him should be easy then?”

I looked up at him, exasperated. “Have I ever let you down let?”

“Do you actually expect an answer?” He replied archly, glancing down at me. “And be prepared to pilot my shuttle, my regular pilot is out with the Corellian flu.” He added. “You know my routines so you can do the job in his stead.”

This surprised me. “Uhm… wouldn’t it be better if one of your more experienced officers did that?”

He stopped mid-stride and rounded on me, I had to swiftly back up a step so as not to smack into his chest plate. The last time I had walked into him, it had earned me a painful cuff across the head. “Are you refusing?” He growled.

“Uh… no, not exactly, but may I remind you I am a civilian and this is a military operation so it’s not exactly proper protocol.” I said quickly.

“I decide what is proper protocol not you!” He leaned over me. His voice was laced with sarcasm. “I thought you wanted to fly Lambda class shuttles, I thought you enjoyed the experience and I thought you welcomed the opportunity to fly with me in a lambda class shuttle.” He was being mean. Before I could answer he added nastily, “You don’t protest about flying Admiral Thrawn about or is that becau….”

I cut him off before it got too personal. “I do like flying with you, but not in the middle of a battle. I am not a bloody combat pilot!” I argued back. “And as I recall I did protest about piloting for the Admiral.”

He ignored my last statement. “What battle? Oh for Sarlacc’s sake, girl, you call that little skirmish back at Hoth a battle?” He shook his head in disgust then went back to stomping down the hallway. “You should have seen the fight over Coruscant when Grievous kidnapped Palpatine, now that was worthy of the title ‘battle’. These little annoyances the Rebel Alliance seems to enjoy engaging in are not battles, not by a long shot!”

“That thing at Hoth was more than just a little skirmish!” I told him crossly. “I lost count how many TIE pilots died! Never mind the ground crew or the damage done during our wild bantha chase through the asteroid field.”

“Pah, bad pilots die every day, as well they should!” he shot back. “You will do as I ask and fly my shuttle because it is what I have told you to do! You will cease in this useless arguing with me and you will get me the information I requested now! Have I made myself understood or do you need a reminder to be obedient?” He said, looking back over his shoulder at me.

I backed down because all the hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood up on end. “A reminder will not be necessary, my lord.”

“Good, because your insolence while occasionally amusing, tries my patience!”

“Yes, my lord, my apologies.” I said meekly. I turned to leave and get on the task assigned but he grabbed my arm painfully yanking me back and continued speaking. My squeak of surprise and pain made the heads of the two guards just down the hall turn. They glanced my way then quickly went back to pretending they had neither seen nor heard anything. There was a certain line of thought which said that if one did not look at the Dark Lord, the Dark Lord would not notice said person.

“While you’re at it, I want you to put in an order for a new cloak, two more pairs of boots and two pairs of gloves and make sure they use the best materials and follow the standards they are supposed to because the last pair of boots they sent did not last as long as they should have and the hem of the cloak frayed.” He paused for a second then added. “And I want an update on the newest personal combat droids I asked for last week.” He stopped and waved his finger in my face in that annoying manner which always reminded me of a nasty teacher I had once had

“Yes, my lord.” We had come to the door of his chambers. I waited a moment to see if there was more.

“What are you waiting for, girl? I expect your report on Calrissian in an hour, do not test my patience further!” He said with more than a hint of threat in his voice. I nodded quickly and scurried off to do what he had asked, happy to get out of his line of fire.

My office was a place of quiet and calm. P2B4 had made me tea and a sandwich. I was grateful but I didn’t really taste it as I ate. My mind on other things. I sat at my terminal and began a system wide search. I stared at the data coming across my screen, sighed and began to assimilate the information I was reading sipping my tea absently. An hour later I found myself back in the presence of Lord Vader while he sat in his meditation chamber which was open.

“Yes, girl, what is it?” He snapped as his seat rotated around to face me.

“You asked for my report on Calrissian?”

“And what did you find that was of use?” He asked. This was Vader speak for just get to the important points I can’t be bothered to read all the nonsense you’ve managed to dig up!

“Well…” I began, “He’s running a mining operation above the gas giant Bespin.”

“Mining what, exactly?”

“Tibanna gas.” I answered.

“That is most interesting, why have I not heard of him or this place before now? Tibanna Gas is used as a hyperdrive coolant. The Empire should have knowledge of this.” He said thoughtfully.

“I found no records of any tax payments to the Empire and there is no listing on any of the smaller mining guilds of the operation. I can only assume he is working covertly and selling on the black market.” I said. “The mine must be quite lucrative though, there are close to five and a half million beings inhabiting Cloud City.”

“And what about Calrissian?”

“He’s a Socorran. He calls himself an entrepreneur and a business man but when I looked back through the records it seems to me he’s a cross between a smuggler and a gambler. Most of his business dealings are shady to say the least. He’s been arrested a couple of times by local authorities but there are currently no outstanding warrants on file for him. He gained some sort of notoriety at Taanab.” I paused for breath and added. “Judging by his file, I’d be willing to bet he’d rather deal with the Empire than fight against it.”

Lord Vader was quiet for a long moment. “Are there any technical read-outs for the city’s facilities?”

I nodded and handed him the data chip I had brought in case he had asked. He got up and slipped in into the reader, studying the plans carefully.

“Why would Solo go there?” He asked.

“They know each other.” I told him. “The story I heard was that there had been an attack on the Hutts, some slavery and spice operation near Ylesia. It turned out to be a set up by a rebel named Bria Tharen. Solo hired Calrissian as a pilot for the job. It didn’t go so well.”

“Are they friends?”

I shook my head. “I don’t think so. At least I wouldn’t use the word friend to describe their relationship. When I worked at the palace the rumour was that they were not on good terms. Seems Solo couldn’t pay the people he’d hired for the Ylesia operation because Tharen took all the spoils for herself to help the rebel cause. I know they worked together one more time after that but I don’t think they get along that well. Rumour was they squabbled all the time.”

“So Calrissian won’t be likely to protect Solo then?”

“Probably not if it meant saving his own interests and investments.” I remarked. “But,” I added, “This is speculation on my part I don’t actually know how much of this is gossip to make the outside world think they don’t get along and how much is actually true. The smugglers don’t tend to advertise their friendships much, it makes them look weak.”

He nodded and continued studying the city’s layout. “I see they have a carbon freezing facility.”

“Yes, they use it as a stable method for transporting the Tibanna gas.”

“That will be useful. Prepare my shuttle for immediate departure as soon as we come out of hyperspace. I will deal with Calrissian myself.” He said after a few moments. “I look forward to seeing how much your piloting skills have improved since the last time you flew for me.”

“Yes, my lord.” I said with a sigh. Boba Fett was right; Lord Vader had a vile sense of humour.

Then, as if he could read my mind Lord Vader said, “Inform Fett that he is to remain out of sight on Cloud City until I arrive. I do not want him interfering with what I have planned. I will meet with him at the appropriate time.”

“Yes, my lord.” When he turned his back to me I knew I had been dismissed and could return to my office. This time getting a hold of Fett was easier. The small holo image shimmered on my desk and while I could not see his face which was hidden by his helmet, when I relayed the message to him, I could feel his grin.

“Worried about his kill count, is he?” Fett asked after I had finished passing on Lord Vader’s request.

I shrugged and rolled my eyes, “Whatever.”

He chuckled. “Okay, little lady, but you can tell the boss man I expect to be compensated for my time if this doesn’t go the way it’s supposed to. I’m not at his beck and call!”

I opened my mouth to answer that but Fett’s holo image made a don’t bother gesture. “Give my regards to your old man when you talk to him next.” He said.

“I will do.”

“And remember what I said about your ex- flame.”

I nodded. “But you should know that killing Jyrki would piss off my uncle.”

“I’ll take that into consideration but the Tze’yusha’Jin don’t scare me. You can tell Akosh if he doesn’t sort this out for you, I will.” He said and with a little two fingered salute he signed off before I could reply to his threat.

I sat back in my chair and sighed. I was tired and the tension level on the ship was high. I looked at the chrono and decided that I should probably try to get some rest before we came out of hyperspace. I wasn’t sure what Lord Vader had in mind but I was pretty certain that it would be a good idea if I was at least half way awake if I was to play pilot for him.