Title: Race for the Key
Author: Shell
Author email: withheld
Category: The Rebellion
Spoilers: Just a little of A New Hope, if you don't know what happens already.
Rating: PG-13 for some violence
Summary: Alanna Gershwin is Jabba the Hutt's best assassin, thief, and spy. She lives an isolated life, traveling the galaxy alone in order to serve the Hutt. On one of her most important missions yet, Alanna must find the technical plans for a planetary shield that could change the entire outcome of the Rebellion. In order to seize the plans, Alanna must overturn another crime lord's organization with the help of a young smuggler, Kyron Ti. In a world where there is no one to trust, Alanna Gershwin finds herself holding the key to what could become the turning factor of the entire Galactic Rebellion.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations that do not belong to me. They belong to Lucasfilm, Ltd. and George Lucas (who is the MAN). The ship's name in the story, the Icarus, is actually the name of a ship in Zahn's new book, The Icarus Hunt (read it! It's very good!), so it's not mine, either. I am also not making any money off this story. I guess I'm going to have to get an after school job.
Author's Note: First of all, I'd like to thank George Lucas for being inspired to create such a wonderful universe. I'd also like to thank everyone who is reading this story. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks again!
Race for the Key
There were the softest of footfalls down the alleyway, and it was time for Rev to make his move. He straightened his stance a bit as he glanced into the dim light from the street. A dark figure was approaching, and he could just make out the outline of the dark hooded cloak it wore. Rev tucked himself deeper into the shadows, trying to remain as quiet as possible. The figure stopped just beside his position, and Rev's breath caught in his throat. He reached silently into the pocket of his tunic-
And a hand suddenly flew from beneath the figure's cloak and seized him by the throat. Rev was dragged into the center of the alley, gasping for air, his hands falling useless at his sides. He was about to fall unconscious when the iron grip suddenly let go, and Rev was free to fall to his knees, struggling for breath.
He looked up into the darkness of the figure's cloak, fear suddenly gripping at his heart. He opened his mouth to speak, but found his throat to be dry. The figure interrupted his thoughts instead. "I believe you have something for me?"
The voice was cold and dark, but Rev's eyes didn't widen from the deadly tone of the figure's voice. What shocked him was something he hadn't even thought of before.
It was the voice of a woman.
He nodded quickly, reaching beneath his tunic and pulling out a data card. "Jabba sends his greetings," he managed to utter. "Your other contact will arrive tomorrow." The woman beneath the cloak took the card quickly, scanning it briefly. "Anything else?" She asked.
Rev shook his head. "I was told that everything you need to know is on that card. I haven't looked at it, of course." He forced a shaky smile.
The figure paused a moment, and Rev could feel her watching him closely. "I'm sure," she said finally. She tossed him a small coin. "Thank you. Speak of this to no one. Understand?"
Rev nodded. "Yes, I understand."
The figure nodded, and before Rev knew it, she had disappeared from the alleyway.
Alanna Gershwin strolled nonchalantly across down a crowded street on Coruscant. The morning was bright, and the city planet was as crowded as usual. When she reached a set of ship docking platforms, she checked her data card one last time and walked toward the correct platform. The platform itself was suspended hundreds of feet in the air, and Alanna had to crane her neck back to catch a glimpse of it. She bought a ticket to an air taxi and was soon on her way up to the platform.
When she got off, she found herself in front of a small but impressive starship. There was no one in sight, but that was no reason to let her guard down. Pulling out her blaster from its holster, she carefully made her way towards the ship, scanning the area for any signs of life.
She was about to round the corner to the back of the ship when she heard a voice from behind her. "Hello there."
Alanna instantly spun into a crouch, aiming her blaster at the man coming down the ship's opened ramp. He glanced at her blaster for a moment, then frowned. "Jabba said you might be a little jumpy. You're late."
Alanna rolled her eyes and stood up, holstering her blaster. "I got caught up in traffic. What else did Jabba say about me?"
He shrugged. "Nothing much. Alanna Gershwin, native of Madrone, raised from the age of one year in Jabba's palace on the same planet. Master in marksmanship, hand to hand combat, and stealth work. In short, you've become Jabba's favorite sniper, spy, and thief all at the tender age of twenty. Not bad."
Alanna walked closer before answering. Her latest informant was only slightly older than she was, with a medium build, short black hair, and piercing blue eyes. He was armed much like she was, with a holster at his side and probably a few hidden weapons as well. "You seem to know a lot about me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "But I know nothing about you. You mind filling me in?"
He smiled. "Kyron Ti, and this is my ship, the Icarus. I'm just a smuggler of Jabba's with a few more connections than the average pilot. Jabba wants us to be partners."
Alanna eyed him carefully for a moment. "I usually work alone. Does that mean I'm going to have to trust you?"
His face was completely serious. "Completely."
She frowned. "We'll see."
Ti gestured towards the Icarus' docking ramp. "Come on board and I'll show you what Jabba's so interested in."
Alanna followed him on board and into the cockpit. "It this a Corellian design?" She asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, one of the best," he said. "You've flown this type?"
"I haven't owned one," she said, sitting in the co-pilot's chair. "I've stolen a few, though."
"Oh," he said, taking his own seat in the pilot's chair. "Well, let's get down to business. With this Rebellion that's just broken out, the Empire is scrounging everywhere for any way to stay one step ahead of the Rebels. And they're close to finding something very interesting."
He pushed a button on the console and the holo of a planet appeared.
"It's some kind of planetary shield," he said. A shield formed itself around the holo. "When the shield's up, nothing gets in, and nothing gets out."
Alanna nodded. "So if someone attacks a planet, they put up this shield, and everyone goes home in one piece. And the battle happens somewhere else, far from home base."
"Right," Ti said. "The Empire is desperate to get the technical plans for this. They know the Rebellion's on the same track, so it's become a race between them."
"And the winner is going to have a big advantage in this war," Alanna muttered. "So what's Jabba's take in all of this?"
Ti smiled. "Jabba's going to sell the technical plans to whoever is willing to pay the price. A price only very powerful systems will be able to afford, of course."
"Of course," Alanna agreed. "So where are the plans for this shield now, captain?"
"I'm glad you asked," he said, starting the Icarus' engines. "And it's just Kyron. We're partners, remember?"
She sighed to herself. "Yeah, right."
"The technical plans are on Corellia," Kyron continued, gaining clearance from the docking tower and raising the ship off the platform.
"In the hands of a crime lord named Turgor Kubek. He was once big competition with Jabba before half of his organization was wiped out twenty years ago. He still has a small drug ring, and the cover is a night club, which is where we're headed."
Alanna leaned back in her seat as the ship left Coruscant's atmosphere and was fully in space. "So we just sneak in, find these plans, and get out?"
He shook his head. "No, the plans are probably buried too deep inside the organization for us to just stroll in and grab them. Remember those contacts I mentioned?"
She nodded. Kyron continued. "I know Kubek's right hand man. We go way back."
Alanna frowned. She'd heard that one too many times. "Do you trust him?"
Kyron smiled as the navigation console set on their destination. "Not really," he said, pulling back the hyperdrive lever, causing the to stars to blur. "But I don't think he's got anything against me."
They emerged into the Corellian system a few hours later, and Alanna could feel the ship's reentry into real space from the cabin Kyron had given her. Jabba had been smart enough to give Ti some of her things, and Alanna had used her free time to change into an outfit that looked a bit more social. Her golden hair was swept up into an intricate formation of braids on top of her head, and it contrasted well with the black outfit she wore.
Standing, she quickly put her blaster in its holster and stepped out of her cabin. Kyron was waiting for her, leaning against the corridor wall, his arms crossed. When she emerged, he straightened his stance and smiled. He eyed for a moment and said, "Very nice, Alanna. We should be landing in a few minutes."
"That's pretty fast," Alanna said doubtfully.
"I also contacted my friend. He's meeting us at our docking platform. I'm sure he'll get us close enough to Kubek so we can get to the shield plans."
Alanna shook her head. "You must think it's going to be that simple."
Kyron smiled and waved a hand as he headed back to the cockpit. "It will be. Trust me."
True to Kyron's word, there was a man waiting for them as they exited the Icarus. His greasy brown hair hung limply at his shoulders, and there was no way to tell when he had washed it last. He grinned as soon as he saw them, crying out, "Ky!"
Kyron grinned as they approached, grasping the other man's hand tightly. "Uric, it's been forever."
"Yeah, try three years. So what brings you to my part of the galaxy?"
Kyron turned and gestured to Alanna, who stood behind him. "Uric, I want you to meet a friend of mine. Alanna, this is Uric Godai, an old friend."
Godai's grin widened further as he gazed upon Alanna. "It's a pleasure," he said, shaking her hand. "I always told Ky that he had a talent for picking friends."
Alanna forced a half smile, biting back the comment that had formed in her mind. Godai put a husky arm around Kyron, and started to lead them out of the docking bay. "So tell me again why you're here."
Kyron shrugged casually. "Just some business. My employer is looking for something that your employer already has."
Uric frowned. "Kubek? All he has nowadays are drugs, but you can find them anywhere. I'm surprised you didn't try something closer to home."
"No, Uric, we're looking for something a little more valuable." Kyron stopped walking to look into his friend's face. Lowering his voice, he said, "Kubek has the plans for the planetary shield that everyone's after."
Uric stared at Kyron for a long moment, saying nothing. Alanna could see his whole face change in that moment; his happy look was replaced by a far more serious one. "You're working for Jabba the Hutt, aren't you?"
Kyron nodded. "We need you to get us close enough to Kubek to snag the plans. Jabba's willing to give you a cut, I promise."
Uric suddenly turned towards Alanna. "So you must be Gershwin, right?"
Alanna frowned deeply, but eventually nodded, and Uric exhaled slowly. "She's got quite a reputation. Jabba must really want those plans to send someone like her."
"Right," Alanna said, her voice icy. "And we don't have a lot of time. Are you going to get us in or not?"
The burly man nodded quickly. "All right," he said, pointing a finger at Kyron's chest. "I'll get you two in. But I better get a big piece of the profit. If Kubek finds out about this-"
Kyron held up his hands. "Don't worry. It'll all work out. And you'll get your share."
"Fine," Uric said. "Kubek's having a big party tonight for some new dealers. I'll come over here and pick you up. We can go over to the club and I'll introduce you to Kubek. If he likes you, he might want to impress you and the dealers with the shield plans."
"All right," Kyron said. "We'll be here." Uric waved his farewell and soon disappeared out of the docking bay. Kyron turned back to the Icarus, but Alanna stood where she was, staring after Godai. "There's something about him I don't like," she said finally.
"What?" Kyron said from the landing ramp. "He's harmless."
Alanna turned to face him. "Don't you think he accepted our request a little quickly? Crime lords are all alike, and they punish traitors the same way."
Kyron shook his head. "He's a close friend. Forget about it. You worry too much."
Alanna didn't even bother to comment. Maybe Godai's loyalty for Kyron had lasted throughout the three years when they hadn't seen from each other. Either that, or he had other motives on his mind. Whatever his causes, Alanna made a point to keep a very tight watch on Uric Godai.
Godai returned to their docking bay soon after the sun had set on Corellia. Kubek's club wasn't far, so they simply walked to their destination. Godai and Kyron reminisced the entire way, Uric doing most of the talking, but Alanna only half listened. Her hunter's eyes darted around the street, searching for any sign of trouble. She had taken extra care to arm herself carefully, and she was somewhat confident that she could handle a shootout. But there was always room for a surprise.
Uric interrupted her thoughts. "You seem quiet, Alanna. Where are you from?"
She gave him a sidelong look. He already knew too much about her for her comfort, and there was probably no point in lying. She was almost sure he already knew. "Madrone."
"Ah," Uric said. "Nice place. Kyron and I went there once. They make the best ships in the galaxy there." He threw an arm around Kyron's shoulders. "We practically grew up together on Coruscant. Ky's like a little brother to me."
Alanna couldn't help but smile. "That's very touching." Kyron turned his gaze across the street. He was obviously a little uncomfortable with mention of the past. "Yeah, it is," he muttered.
Uric pointed down the street. "Well, there it is. That's Kubek's club." It was certainly hard to miss. Covered in bright lights and activity, the club was packed with people and aliens of all races. The trio bypassed the line of people waiting outside the club and slipped in a side door.
The crowd was even thicker inside the club, with little free room. The area was dark with colored lights flashing randomly into the crowd. Uric dove into the crowd, with Kyron and Alanna close at his heels.
Kyron suddenly reached back, grabbing Alanna's arm as the crowd pushed on them. "Wouldn't want to lose you," he called over the noise of blaring music.
Alanna frowned, but didn't pull away. "Don't worry," she replied. "I always turn up."
Uric led them up a set of stairs unto a balcony overlooking the crowd. They passed by a set of guards at the top of the stairs, and Alanna noticed the noise level had gone down considerably. She took a moment to scan the balcony.
Sitting at a small table near the edge of the balcony was a slender middle-aged man with graying hair, surrounded by four other beings who seemed to hang on ever word he said. Alanna could only guess who he was.
Turgor Kubek.
Kubek turned at their approached and smiled a kind smile. Rising from his seat, he opened his arms to Godai. "Uric," he said. "So good to see you. You're just in time to meet our guests." He glanced over Uric's shoulder at Kyron and Alanna. "But I see you've brought your own."
Uric nodded. "Mr. Kubek, this is Kyron Ti, and his assistant, Alanna. Captain Ti is interested in purchasing a large quantity of your products."
Kubek nodded with a smile. He eyed Kyron for a moment, then said, "Wonderful. Good work, Uric. Captain Ti, do sit down with the rest of us."
Kyron nodded and sat next Kubek at the table, and as assistant, Alanna took her seat slightly behind Kyron. Kubek smiled at his guests. "Captain Ti, these are my new dealers. We've just begun our celebration upon our arrangement."
Kyron nodded with a smile. "I must congratulate you, Mr. Kubek. Your establishment is quite impressive. My employer is very interested in what you and your associates are distributing."
Kubek smiled. "Thank you, Captain. But this club is only the outer covering of something far more important beneath. But that will come later in your visit. First, we must discuss our dealing arrangements. Have a drink with us."
Kyron obliged and he and Alanna listened carefully to Kubek's discussion. The dealers were from different parts of the galaxy, and Kubek was slowly but surely attempting to stretch his reach as far as possible. One dealer in particular, a Rodian male, was assigned to the desert planet of Tatooine to make his base. The Rodian looked distressed for a long moment then found the courage to speak up.
"[I beg your pardon, sir,]" he said in thick Rodian. "[But isn't that Jabba the Hutt's territory? I've heard stories about what he does to dealers from outside organizations-]"
Kubek suddenly slammed a fist on the table, causing all the dealers to jump. Kubek's kind demeanor was gone, and his tone was quiet and deadly. "Never mention that name ever again, do you hear me?" The Rodian nodded carefully. "Jabba the Hutt destroyed half of my empire once, and I will never allow him to do so again. Someday, I will crush him, and it will begin with you." He pointed his finger at the Rodian. "Understood?"
"[Yes, sir,]" the Rodian said meekly. Kyron took the opportunity to take a sip of his drink.
Kubek regained his friendly composure almost immediately. "But you all must see what Jabba's crushing and final blow will be." He rose from his seat. "Follow me, and you will have the rare opportunity as my honored guests to see my prize." He turned his gaze to Kyron. "Captain, join us. We have much to discuss."
Kyron nodded, rising with Alanna at his side. They had barely taken one step before Kubek turned to them. "She stays, Captain," Kubek said, gesturing to Alanna.
Alanna took a deep breath. This could put a considerable dent in their plans, but there was no reason to panic yet. If Kyron was skilled enough to convince Kubek to let her come along...
She watched as Kyron as he flashed his casual smile. "I understand your concern, Mr. Kubek." He waved a hand at Alanna. "But Alanna has been my personal assistant for a little more than two years." He leaned a little closer to Kubek's ear. "She can be trusted, I assure you. We're very close."
Kubek seemed to consider this as he scanned Alanna from head to toe with his eyes. "I can understand what you mean, Captain," he said finally, and the two men shared a laugh. The crime lord continued. "All right, she comes along. But I'm going to keep an eye on her, understand?"
"Completely," Kyron said as Kubek turned headed toward a back door to the balcony. Alanna walked at Kyron's side. Her tone was sharp. "We're very close, huh? You didn't have to throw that in."
Kyron shrugged. "Hey, it worked, didn't it? Just relax." He turned his head slightly and saw that Uric had made no move to follow them. "Looks like Uric's not coming," he whispered. "I guess that means we're on our own."
Alanna nodded, and for some reason she felt a little better knowing that Godai wasn't going to be tagging along where he could slip about his friendship with Kyron. She pushed her thoughts forward on the task at hand. Kubek was about to reveal his soft underbelly, and Alanna had to be ready to slice it open when the time was right.
Kubek and a group of eight guards led the group down a back staircase that went underground the club. The dimly lit passageway was tight, and the group was forced to walk single file. The walls and floor were made of solid rock, causing their footfalls to echo around the corridor. There were no doors or turns so far along the passageway, so a firefight could be a little difficult with nowhere to hide.
It seemed as if they had walked forever when Kubek finally stopped in front of a lone doorway at the end of the passage. He turned to his guests and smiled. "What your are about to see are the secrets to my new empire," he said. "Someday my organization will stretch farther than it ever has, crushing all of its competition, especially Jabba the Hutt." He turned back to the door and entered a number sequence on a keypad next to the handle. Pushing the door open, he entered, along with all his guards and guests.
Alanna was taken back when she stepped inside the room. She had almost expected it to be as cramped as the passageway, but she was completely wrong. Circular in shape, the room was at least 50 meters across, with a large pit in the middle. A metal bar circled the pit, and Alanna took a moment to glance over the edge. Her eyes widened at the sight.
About 8 meters below her lay hundreds of small vials, all containing different substances. Alanna guessed they must be the drugs that Kubek was planning to sell. But there seemed to be so little in each vial, how could Kubek possibly sell it to many customers without a larger stock?
Kubek gestured down the pit. "Down there lies the answer to every dealer's problem. As you can see, I have only a small amount of each different drug on demand. That, my friends, will be quite enough for the entire galaxy, I can assure you." There were murmurs of disbelief among the dealers, but Kyron said nothing.
Kubek continued. "I have developed drug replication at this very establishment, my friends, and I am able to copy each and every sample perfectly. This will ensure the product's purity, driving the prices up." His smile suddenly held a deep wickedness to it. "And the rarer drugs can be distributed throughout the galaxy, without the customer ever knowing how much there really is." There were gasps of excitement from the dealers, which only made Kubek's grin broaden.
"If you think this is amazing," Kubek said. "Then you will love my greatest possession." He turned and walked farther around the circle.
Kyron gave Alanna a knowing look, and she gave the slightest of nods. She was taking extra care to remember everything she saw in the plan that she would be returning to the same area at a latter time.
Kubek stopped at another heavy door, and punched in another code on the access panel. A small portion of the wall above the panel opened to reveal a small computer. Kubek typed in another code and leaned closer to the screen for a retinal scan. When the scan of his eye was finished, Kubek pushed open the heavy door, waving them inside.
The side room was a small but brightly-lit area with white walls and flooring. It was completely bare save a small pedestal in the center of the room. On top, beneath a thick glass case, lay a set of four data cards. Alanna took a deep breath. Those cards had to contain the technical plans for the planetary shield. She was so close, but this was not the time to go for them.
Kubek stepped up to the pedestal. He began to explain what she already knew, about the shield itself, its capabilities, and its overall worth to the Rebellion and the Empire. Alanna took the time to look around the room, pointing out mentally what the average eye wouldn't notice. There were at least 40 laser beams bouncing around the room when the security system was on, and two cameras on opposite sides of the room. Stealing the tapes might be a little tricky, but she had gone through tighter systems. All she needed was a day or two to plan her way through, get the necessary tools, and contact Jabba with the news.
Suddenly, Kubek said something that ripped her from her thoughts. "You are very lucky to have seen these plans, for this is the last night I will have them in my possession." Kyron glanced at Alanna, and she fought to hide her confusion. Kubek should keep the plans as long as he can to drive the price higher, but it seemed he had other plans.
"You see," Kubek began. "The Empire has made a most generous offer, and I have decided to accept it. My plan to crush Jabba the Hutt has moved into full swing, and I must act. When the representatives from the Empire arrive tomorrow night, I will have the grandest of celebrations. My empire will rise again, my friends, I promise you that." The group applauded for the crime lord, who walked back to them and began the journey back to the club.
Alanna was in deep thought on her way back to ground level. Her time had just been cut sharply, and she had to plan fast. Jabba would just have to wait to see what was going on. The main problem was getting the plans and getting out without smacking into Kubek and his Imperial guests. Maybe Kyron could create some kind of distraction to keep them occupied...
They had emerged into the club once more, the noise from the dance floor below knocking Alanna back into reality. The dealers began filing down the staircase and were soon mixing into the crowd. Kubek touched Kyron's shoulder and pulled him aside, whispering something she couldn't quite hear. Kyron nodded as he listened, and after a moment waved a hand for her to follow.
Kyron said nothing until they were walking down the dark street outside the club. Finally, he said, "Kubek wants to get in touch with my employer so they can strike a deal." He smiled. "I guess he bought it all. No wonder Jabba took him out of the running so long ago."
Alanna nodded thoughtfully. "He seems very trusting." Maybe a little too trusting...
"He seems desperate," Kyron replied. "It's obvious the guy is looking for business wherever he can find it. You saw how fast he sold the shield plans."
"That's another problem," Alanna snapped. "Our time to plan this whole thing was cut practically in half. And I don't know about you, but being tortured by the Empire is way at the bottom of my want-to-do list."
They turned down an even darker street that lacked any streetlights. Alanna found her hand resting on her blaster, just where it belonged. Kyron shrugged beside her. "I know what you mean," he said. "Maybe Uric can get us in before our friends from the Empire do."
Frowning, Alanna bit her lip. With all her other thoughts, she had completely forgotten Godai. He hadn't been on the balcony when they returned; maybe he left to do more of Kubek's bidding. If that wasn't the case, where had he gone?
She suddenly stopped in her tracks. Kyron stopped a step ahead of her and turned. "What is it?"
Straining her ears, Alanna looked into every shadow of the street. She had heard something, something very close. She started up walking again, pulling Kyron along by the arm at a slightly faster pace. The sound echoed in her ears again, and whatever had made it was sure that he was being covered by their footsteps.
Kyron pulled his arm away. "What are you doing?"
"Just keep walking," she hissed. They were being followed; it was obvious now. The stalker's sounds behind them had a repetitive pattern, much like small footsteps. Alanna glanced up to a towering rooftop above them, and caught a glimpse of some form disappear back from the edge. A sniper, probably. Well, Alanna was a sniper too, and she knew how to play their games. She pulled her blaster from its holder and held it in front of her where their follower couldn't see.
"What are you doing?" Kyron whispered.
"Get ready," she replied. Her stop in the street was sudden, as was her turn and crouch to the ground. It worked she as she had expected; their tracker was caught in mid-step out in the open. He made a grab for his blaster, but Alanna had already pulled her trigger. The assailant hit the ground before his hand ever reached his belt.
Hearing the shot from above, the sniper from the rooftop leaned his rifle over to see if his partner had finished off his prey. Alanna aimed carefully, and took him out in one shot as well, piercing his chest. The sniper tumbled from the roof, landing father back on the path.
"Nice," Kyron muttered. "Looks like somebody's out to get us."
There was the sound of shuffled footsteps and voices from behind them. "And here comes their friends." Kyron pulled out his blaster and checked its gauge. "Come on."
The two of them ran down the darkened path, dodging peddlers and beggars who sat huddled in the road. They rounded another corner and were within site of the ship when a few blaster shots sailed over Alanna's head. She spun around in anger and fired back, taking down two of the new attackers. She could see another three shapes coming behind the two fallen, and aimed her blaster carefully.
Kyron grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" He cried. "Are you crazy?" He ducked as another shot flew by. "Let's go!"
She didn't resist when he pulled her down the street. She might have been able to dodge all the shots, but she had no idea of Ti's skills. By the time they reached the docking bay, the thugs were nowhere to be seen.
Kyron took a moment to look for tampering on the Icarus. "Well," he said with a frown. "That was interesting."
Alanna's frown was not in response to Kyron's comment, but her own thoughts instead. The attack was not a random mugging attempt. Those thugs had their eyes set on them, and seemed desperate to get the job done.
"Someone must know who we are," Kyron said, turning back to the ship. Alanna had opened the landing ramp, and she stood at the foot of it. "That thought occurred to me as well. But-"
There was the sound of footsteps at the entrance to the docking bay, and Alanna had her blaster out and ready before she could blink. Uric stood at the entranceway, staring at the weapon. "Hey, it's just me," he said as casually as he could. "You can put that down."
Alanna lowered the blaster, but opted to keep it in her hand. Kyron stepped forward. "Where have you been?" He asked. "You missed all the fun. A bunch of thugs came after us."
Uric's eyes widened. "You mean you were attacked? Why?"
"Good question," Alanna said coolly. "We were just about to ask you the same thing."
Uric's face was blank for a minute, but he slowly came to understand her meaning. "Hey, wait a second," he said, glancing nervously between Kyron and Alanna. "You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?"
Kyron crossed his arms over his chest. "You were the only one who knew about us-"
"Now you see here," Uric snapped, pointing a finger at Kyron's chest. "We go back way too far for me to suddenly stab you in the back, Ky. Come on, I'm your friend. You know me."
Kyron sighed after a moment. "I know. But we're kind of low on ideas here, Uric."
"You know," Uric began thoughtfully. "The Empire has a lot of spies; they may have picked up on something, like your contact or something."
Alanna paused. Her contact on Coruscant didn't look like the most trustful contact around. She quickly pushed the thought away. Jabba may practically hire anyone off the street, but he wasn't stupid. He would have made at least a small background check, checking for any connection with Kubek. There couldn't have been any.
"I doubt that," Alanna said. "But I'm still curious; where were you?"
"I had a few errands to run for Kubek," Uric said defensively. "That's all."
Kyron stepped in. "Do you know when the Imperials are arriving?"
Uric nodded. "Sometime tomorrow night. Pretty late, I think. You can get in with the early party crowd."
Kyron nodded while Alanna took her leave to gather some of her equipment. He returned to the ship a few minutes later, standing in the doorway to the cabin he had given her. "Uric's going to get me in to talk with Kubek, and you can get to the plans while I keep him busy."
Alanna shook her head from where she sat on her cot, looking through her bag. "You almost make it sound easy."
He smiled and sat in the chair beside her bed. "I'm trying to be optimistic." He smiled faded a bit and the look in his eyes was suddenly serious. "But do me a favor?"
"What?" She asked, still looking in her bag.
"Be careful, ok?" He cast his eyes down to the floor. Alanna smiled and said, "Look, the last thing you have to worry about is me. I should probably be worried about you."
Kyron smirked. "I can take care of myself, thanks. I just don't want Jabba getting mad at me if something happens to you." He rose to leave. "Well, I'll leave you to get your stuff together. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."
She nodded. "Sure. Thanks."
"Um, right." He turned and walked down the hallway. Alanna couldn't help but smile. Kyron Ti may be annoying, foolish, and cocky at times, but he proved he could be a decent person. Maybe there was hope for him after all.
The next evening, Uric came to the docking bay and took Kyron alone to Kubek's club. Alanna watched them leave, then began to follow. Dressed completely in black, she was nothing more than a shadowy figure on the streets. All the equipment she needed was tucked into pockets all over her pants and vest, while her blaster was tucked safely in its place at her side.
Getting up to Kubek's balcony was going to be tricky, and it depended on Kyron's ability to lure him away from the site. Hopefully the club would be dark enough so that her attire wouldn't be too noticeable; it was brutally obvious what she was dressed for.
She saw Kyron enter the club from the side door, and then gave them a twenty-count wait until she entered herself. The party was in full swing, and no one seemed to notice as she waded through the dense crowd. Kyron was on the balcony by now, and in deep conversation with Kubek.
Now all she could do was try to attract little attention and wait. She silently hoped that Kyron would be successful, or this whole trip would get a lot more complicated...
"I spoke with my employer last night," Kyron said smoothly, a smile curving his lips. "He's very interested with your operation. He wants to strike a deal."
"I'm glad," Kubek said, putting an arm around Kyron's shoulders. "Does he have anything in mind?"
Kyron nodded. "He gave me a figure for you to think about. He wants a few shipments of a few products-"
"Why don't we discuss this somewhere a little more private?" Kubek said with a sly smile. "Come, we'll go to my personal office." He waved a hand at two guards, and they began to follow. "Uric," Kubek said. "Join us." Uric fell into step behind Kyron, and the group headed down the stairs.
Kyron couldn't help but glance over the crowd, even though he knew it was in vain. Alanna was hiding somewhere, and wouldn't be found with a casual glance. He'd done his part, and only hoped he could keep Kubek busy long enough for Alanna to get in and get out with the shield plans. This part had been a lot easier than he had expected.
He took once last look over the crowd as one of the guards opened a back door. He wished her a silent good luck, and was gone.
After Kyron had left the area, Alanna could see that there were only two guards left on the balcony guarding the door to the shield plans. She slid along the back wall, and carefully twisted the silencer onto the barrel of her blaster. When she reached the top of the stairs, the guards didn't even notice her until it was too late. She fired off two shots, and the guards hit the floor without a sound. Stepping over their bodies, she pushed open the door.
To save time, Alanna ran down the passageway at full speed. The door leading to Kubek's drug stock was easy to open; all she had to do was hack into the computer system and find the right code. Making her way along the rim of the pit, she took a moment to glance over the edge at all the drug samples below. The thought crossed her mind to get a few of the rarer samples, but she decided against it. There was no point in tripping the security system too early for something that Jabba already had. Besides, she knew a few of the samples were highly flammable, and a fire at the moment didn't sound like the best idea.
Accessing the computer panel beside the door to the shield plans, she hooked up her own computer and attempted to hack in. She noticed with a frown that the code to the system had been changed the day before, and her computer needed time to find it.
Alanna let the computer get to work while she sat in a defensive crouch facing the door from which she had come in. If Kyron was doing all right, he would be able to keep Kubek busy for just a little longer. When she'd first met him, Alanna couldn't have cared less what happened to Kyron Ti. Now, as she sat waiting, she couldn't help but hope that he was all right and could hang on for just a few more minutes...
Kyron's blaster had been taken away from him long before he reached Kubek's office. It was a common practice for a person of high power, but it still made Kyron uncomfortable. It felt like a piece of him was missing.
Kubek's office was well lit and furnished with plush furniture and a large desk of swirled black and white marble. Kubek sat behind his desk and motioned Kyron into a chair before him. Uric stood on Kubek's right, a small smile on his face. The guards who had accompanied them took their places a few feet behind Kyron on either side, and he could almost feel them breathing down his neck.
The crime lord smiled. "Drink, Captain?" Kyron nodded and he was handed a glass of some kind of brandy by one of the guards. It was sweet, and he hoped it would make him a little more relaxed inside.
"Now, down to business," Kubek said, folding his hands on his desk. "Tell me what your employer has in mind."
"He was very interested at the replication process you have," Kyron said. "The demand for a few products has increased in his sector, and a few shipments from you would be very helpful." He pushed a data card onto Kubek's desk. "Here are the details of what he wants. I hope you're impressed with the figure he's willing to part with."
Kubek took a moment to scan over the card, and his eyebrows raised in interest when he reached the payment offer. "Well, this is most generous," he said. "But may I ask you a question, Captain?"
The tone of his voice seemed a bit odd, but Kyron didn't miss a beat. "Of course, sir."
"Who is your employer?"
Kyron took a moment to swallow. This was certainly an unexpected turn of events. Most dealers didn't care who they worked with, just as long as they got their money in the end. Kubek was throwing him a hand he hadn't been prepared for. "Well, sir, you can understand why my employer prefers to remain anonymous for the moment. He was actually planning on coming here eventually to seal the deal himself. He's a very busy man."
Kubek nodded slowly for a moment, and Kyron's pulse began to race. "I see." He handed Uric the data card. "Before this deal ever happens, Captain, I want you and your employer to be clear on a few terms of our agreement."
"Of course," Kyron replied, hoping his tone sounded as casual as he thought it was.
Kubek leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers. "Once the product is delivered and payment is received, I will deny any connections with your employer if he is caught or questioned by planetary authorities."
That was a common rule for crime lords. Kyron was pretty sure that if he were caught, Jabba would deny any knowledge of his existence. It wasn't exactly a comforting thought.
Kubek continued. "In my business, I can not tolerate any kind of mistrust between my clients and employees. It just doesn't make good business. But what I really will not tolerate are spies."
Kyron's heart fell in his chest. If Kubek knew who he really was, both he and Alanna were in deep trouble. Alanna might already have been captured, or worse...
"I can agree with you there, sir," Kyron managed to say at last.
Kubek's mouth was a thin line. "A piece of information has recently come to my attention that may interest you, Captain. It seems Jabba the Hutt managed to get a few agents into my organization." Hey waved a hand. "I was almost sad when I found out it was you."
Kyron was on his feet in an instant. Turning, he met to two guards head on, punching one square in the face and grabbing the other's blaster and pushing him into the wall of the office.
There was a sudden shove from behind, and Kyron fell to his knees. He was reaching for one of the guard's weapons when he felt the icy cold barrel of a blaster touch the back of his neck. "Sorry, Ky," a familiar voice said. "I hate to do this."
Kyron held up his hands in surrender and turned slowly to see Uric holding the blaster square in his face. "Alanna was right about you," he hissed, giving Uric an evil glare. "I only wish now that I'd listened."
Kubek came to stand next to Uric. "Speaking of your friend, Uric has informed me that she's about to break into the planetary shield plans. Let's go surprise her, shall we?"
Uric smiled faintly. "You should have remembered that business always comes first with me. It's nothing personal." He swung the butt of the blaster into Kyron's chin, knocking him to the floor. The two guards had picked themselves up off the floor and were coming closer, a murderous look in their eyes.
Kyron couldn't pull his eyes off of Uric. This was the ultimate betrayal. And Kyron was the big loser in the play of deception. "You certainly have changed over the years, Uric. Sorry, but I'm going to have to kill you for this."
Uric laughed, a wicked, unfamiliar sound. "People change, my friend. Sorry, Ky, but if anyone's going to die today, it's you." He shrugged with a grin. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah," Kyron muttered. "I'm sorry too."
He tried to prepare himself for the harsh beating that was about to come upon him. The one thought that gave him hope was that the time it took to sufficiently beat him would be long enough for Alanna to get the plans and get out.
If only he could warn her...
He took a deep breath as one of the guards grabbed him and pulled a mighty fist back.
Please, let her get out...
The computer gave a soft beep when it was finished, causing Alanna to jump. She rushed over to the panel, pleased to see that she had access to all security systems in the room with the shield plans. She managed to shut down all the laser beams, cameras, retinal scan, and an electrical field around the plans themselves. Lastly, she opened the door.
The room looked exactly the same as it had on her earlier visit, and no alarms went off when she stepped inside. There was no time to pause, and she rushed up to the pedestal where the plans sat, waiting for her to remove them.
She carefully pulled the heavy glass case off from the pedestal, setting it quietly on the ground. She then quickly reached in and snagged all four of the data cards. The first three she tucked into an inside pocket of her vest. The other, she turned on and scanned a little of the text. Her smile grew as she thought of how pleased Jabba would be, but she had to focus on getting out first.
When all four data cards where safely in her vest, she turned towards the door-
And came face to face with Turgor Kubek.
"Greetings, Mistress Gershwin," he said with a smile. Four guards appeared behind him, their weapons drawn and ready. "If I had known who you really were when I first met you, I would have told you how impressed I am with your past record of thefts."
"I don't like to boast," Alanna said.
"Unfortunately," Kubek continued. "Stealing my shield plans won't be part of your record. I hate spies. As a matter of fact, your friend already found out about that." He stepped back and allowed Uric to come forward, pushing a bruised and bloody Kyron. Godai gave Kyron a shove, sending him to the floor. Alanna gave Kubek no emotion, only a cold stare.
"Give me the tapes," Kubek said, his tone dark. "Now."
Kyron was sitting up by now, and Alanna took a careful step closer to him. Crouching down, she helped him to his feet.
"It was Uric," he whispered in her ear. "I didn't talk."
"I know," she whispered back. Kubek was still waiting, his hand stretched out.
Alanna let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess we lost this round," she said. "But it wasn't exactly fair with Uric playing both sides."
Uric shrugged. "I already had this discussion with Kyron. Just hand over the tapes, Gershwin. The Empire's got an enormous price on your head. We plan to give you to them as a welcoming present. Nice, huh?"
"Charming," she muttered. "Alright, I'll get them." She reached into an inside pocket of her vest, but her fingers didn't grasp the data cards. Instead, her fingertips brushed against two small daggers.
No one knew what hit them. Alanna's hand had snapped out lightning quick, and the two daggers sunk up to the hilt in two of the guard's chests. Before the other two could fire their weapons, she had pulled Kyron and herself to the floor, readied her blaster, and shot the both of them.
Uric's eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't move. Kubek reacted faster, turning and running out of the room. While Alanna kept her blaster trained on Uric, Kyron walked behind her and grabbed one of the fallen guard's blasters. "Go," he said. "Get Kubek. I'll take care of Uric."
Alanna didn't bother to question him. Nodding, she raced out of the room after Kubek.
"Well," Kyron said smoothly. "It looks like we've switched places, buddy. I'm the one holding the blaster this time."
Uric tried to keep an innocent look. "Ky, pal, wait a second. We can talk about this-"
"No thanks," Kyron snapped. "I said I was going to kill you, and I will. Friends should always keep their promises."
Kyron pulled the trigger, but Uric had dived from the shot's path to hit the floor. He rolled, pulling out one of the daggers from a guard's chest. He was on his feet again, and he threw himself into Kyron's torso, sending them both to the floor again, and the blaster skidding out of reach.
It was a mad struggle as the two wrestled on the ground, Uric holding the knife just above Kyron's left shoulder. He pushed the knife closer to Kyron's flesh, and could feel his resistance weakening. Finally, Kyron lost all the strength in his arms, and Uric was free to sink the dagger into Kyron's shoulder.
The pain was unbearable. Kyron barely had time to cry out before he was pulled to his feet and beaten with a barrage of fists. He managed to block a few punches and even return some, but it was obvious he was losing. There was only one thing he could think of to do.
When Uric was pulling his fist back, he took the moment to run out of the room, and back into the drug storage room. He rounded the circle, trying to think of some kind of plan. There was no point in running. He was bleeding heavily from the knife wound, and it wouldn't be long before he passed out. If he was going to get out of this, he had to do it now.
Uric appeared about ten feet away, sneering. "Give it up, Kyron. There's nowhere to go."
"Not just yet," Kyron replied. Uric charged again, but this time he was ready. A savage kick to the stomach sent Uric sprawling dangerously close to the edge of the pit. Kyron leaped at him before he could even sit up. They wrestled closer and closer to the edge, and Kyron caught a mental image of what it would be like to plunge into all that glass head on. It definitely wouldn't be pleasant.
Uric was stronger than Kyron had expected, and they were on their feet again, banging into the guardrail. Uric grabbed Kyron's bloody shoulder and squeezed savagely, causing the wounded man to cry out in pain.
Godai leaned Kyron back over the rail. "I've enjoyed our game," he said. "But it's time to end it. I win!" He was about to give Kyron the final push when he felt his feet come out from under him and his balance thrown off. He pitched over the railing, and managed by some miracle to grab the rail at the last second.
Uric hung helplessly above the pit, and Kyron stepped slowly above him. Uric swallowed. "Kyron, help me, please," he begged, struggling to get his other hand up to the rail. There was no response, and he could feel his hand slipping. "Please. If you help me, I'll give you half of the money Kubek's paying me." Again, nothing. "I'll...I'll triple it! I'm falling, help me!"
Kyron stepped in front of Uric's grasping fingers, and put a hand around Uric's wrist. Uric smiled to himself. This was almost too easy. Kyron had always been a noble fool; he could never watch another man die knowing he could have stopped it, especially if it was his own friend. Uric was almost sad that as soon as he was to safety, he'd have to kill him.
Uric loosened his grip on the railing and put up his other arm. Kyron grabbed his other wrist, and began to painfully pull him up.
Suddenly, he stopped. Uric kicked his feet in the thin air impatiently. "What are you doing, you fool! Pull me up! What are you waiting for?"
Kyron smiled. "You remember when you said people change, Uric? I just wanted to let you know that I've changed a bit myself. I said I'd kill you, so I am. But it's nothing personal." And then, he let go.
He could hear Uric's screams long after he watched him crash into the glass coverings to the drugs, sending the razor shards deep into his body. The crimson colored blood seeped all over the drugs, and Uric was gone.
Everything that had happened suddenly caught up to him and Kyron was suddenly dizzy with his blood loss. He stumbled back and fell against the wall, where he finally slid to the floor. Darkness had settled on the rim of his vision, and his eyelids seemed to weight hundreds of pounds. Closing his eyes, Kyron gave a final farewell to his the man who had once been a friend and companion, but in the end was the worst enemy of all.
Then everything was black.
Blaster drawn, Alanna Gershwin raced down the passageway after the fleeing Kubek. By the time she emerged back into the club, she just caught Kubek disappearing into the crowd. He would be close to impossible to find if she ran after him. Luckily, she didn't have to.
Unscrewing the silencer from her blaster, she raised it high in the air and fired off two rounds. The shots were loud enough to be heard across the nightclub, and the screaming began instantly.
The crowd was in utter chaos when Alanna walked casually down the staircase. They were in such a rush to get out of the apparent firefight; they trampled anyone in their way. The slow were practically crushed and left behind. Hopefully Kubek would be one of them. She was right. The middle-aged man was leaning against the far wall when she found him, terribly bruised.
"I suppose you're going to kill me," he said breathlessly. "Just like that. That's how you assassins work, don't you?"
"I've made it a rule not to shoot in cold blood," Alanna said. He straightened a bit and stood a step forward, but Alanna quickly raised the blaster in response. "But rules are made to be broken."
Kubek stared at her for a long moment. "What are you going to do with me?"
"Take you to Jabba, of course." She added with a slight smile. "I hear the rancor is hungry all the time."
She could see his eyes widen and the blood rush from his face. "I see. You know, it was very clever to shoot above the crowd like that."
"When people are afraid, it's very easy to predict their actions," Alanna said darkly. "Even now, I'm fully aware of the options that are running through your head."
Kubek eyed her carefully. "Really...such as?"
Her smile made his skin crawl. "It wouldn't be fair if I told you. The whole game would be ruined. Now just walk away slowly from the wall and you won't be harmed."
Kubek took a small step forward. "At least not by you," he murmured.
"Right," she said. "You're learning to play this game pretty fast, Kubek. Now-"
Before she could say anything else, Kubek took a leaping step past her and ran for the door. Alanna turned and watched him run across the club for a moment, amazed at how fast he was. It was a pity that she couldn't present Kubek alive to Jabba, but she supposed dead would be just as nice.
She figured Kubek must have been thinking he had gotten away by now; either that or he was wondering why she hadn't fired yet. She wouldn't make him wait. Raising her blaster, she aimed carefully and pulled the trigger. The shot hit Kubek squarely in the back, and he fell to the floor just in front of the club's door.
Alanna stood in the now empty club and sighed. Glancing up at the balcony, she half expected Kyron to be standing there, but he wasn't. A sudden thought swept through her mind. Perhaps Kyron hadn't won his battle with Uric after all...
Racing back up the stairs, she ran down the back passageway at full speed. She wondered why the sudden thought of Kyron injured or worse troubled her. It hit her with such clarity that she felt stupid for not realizing it before.
She had lived an almost solitary life from the moment she was brought to Jabba's palace, and had never made a friend. Now that she realized she considered Kyron a friend, the thought of losing him was almost frightening.
But that would never happen. Not if she could help it.
"Kyron?"
The voice boomed through his head, and Kyron was surprised at the amount of effort it took to open his eyes. He was still sitting against the wall in the drug storage room, but this time, Alanna was sitting in front of him, smiling.
"There you are," she said. "I saw what you did to Uric. It was a bit messy, but it worked."
He smiled. "Thanks." Glancing at his wounded shoulder, he was surprised to see it cleanly bandaged. "You do this?" He asked.
Alanna nodded. "Yeah, I guess this means I like you too much. I got in contact with some of Jabba's agents on Corellia while you were out, and they're coming here." She helped him to his feet.
A thought dawned on him and he grabbed her arm. "Kubek?"
She held the slightest of smiles. "His body will probably be cleared out when we leave. Come on." They walked back down to the club, and Kyron felt a little better with each step. The crowd outside was as dense as ever, and it was hard to fight through them.
A Twi'lek approached them. "Mistress Gershwin, Jabba is most pleased with you and Captain Ti's work. He wants to meet with you as soon as possible. His ship will be arriving tomorrow."
"Good," Alanna answered. "I'll help Captain Ti back to his ship and we'll meet you then."
"I'm sorry, Mistress," he said. "But I have Captain Ti's new assignment." He held out a data card, which Kyron took and read over quickly. "It's a smuggling job," he said with a sigh. "I never seem to get a break, do I?"
"Jabba wants you to rest first, of course," the Twi'lek put in.
"Of course," he muttered with a hint of sarcasm.
The Twi'lek touched Alanna's arm as the crowd swirled around them. "I have a speeder waiting for you, Mistress. I'll take you to were His Excellency will be staying."
She turned to Kyron. There was the strong feeling that she didn't want to leave tugging at her. "Will you be alright?"
He waved his good hand in dismissal. "Sure, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine."
She nodded. "Goodbye, Kyron."
He cast his eyes over the crowd. "Goodbye, Alanna. I'll see you again, I'm sure." He turned and disappeared into the dense mass. Alanna sighed to herself and followed the Twi'lek through the masses of people to a speeder waiting by the edge of the street.
Taking one last glance around the crowd, Alanna stepped into the open roofed speeder beside the Twi'lek and he began to drive off.
The going was slow through so many people, and Alanna was positive that she could walk faster than they were driving. Her contact had decided to spend the extra time informing her how pleased Jabba was with her success. She only half listened. Instead, she was deep in her own thoughts.
As soon as they reached the edge of the crowd, the Twi'lek hit the accelerator on the speeder, and they sped off through the city.
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
"We are most honored that you allowed us to meet with you, Your Excellency." The two Imperial officers walked down a hallway in Jabba's Palace on Madrone. The massive Hutt nodded at the two thin humans.
"[I'm pleased we could agree on the shield plans]," Jabba said in thick Huttese. "[They will be delivered to you as soon as your payment arrives.]"
One of the Imperials nodded. "Of course, You Excellency. With the destruction of the Death Star two years ago, the Empire is moving into action. The Rebels will be crushed, and the Emperor will maintain his control once more."
They passed by a lone woman leaning against the wall, and Jabba stopped slithering to turn towards her. "[You have my personal assassin to thank. Alanna, these are the Imperial representatives who have purchased the shield plans you found.]"
The two Imperials nodded in greeting. "What you have done will be a crucial step in the Empire's ultimate victory. We owe you our gratitude."
Alanna said nothing, but merely bowed to Jabba and walked away. She had the distinct feeling that she had made a horrible mistake, one that could change the face of the galaxy forever...
To Be Continued...
Author: Shell
Author email: withheld
Category: The Rebellion
Spoilers: Just a little of A New Hope, if you don't know what happens already.
Rating: PG-13 for some violence
Summary: Alanna Gershwin is Jabba the Hutt's best assassin, thief, and spy. She lives an isolated life, traveling the galaxy alone in order to serve the Hutt. On one of her most important missions yet, Alanna must find the technical plans for a planetary shield that could change the entire outcome of the Rebellion. In order to seize the plans, Alanna must overturn another crime lord's organization with the help of a young smuggler, Kyron Ti. In a world where there is no one to trust, Alanna Gershwin finds herself holding the key to what could become the turning factor of the entire Galactic Rebellion.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations that do not belong to me. They belong to Lucasfilm, Ltd. and George Lucas (who is the MAN). The ship's name in the story, the Icarus, is actually the name of a ship in Zahn's new book, The Icarus Hunt (read it! It's very good!), so it's not mine, either. I am also not making any money off this story. I guess I'm going to have to get an after school job.
Author's Note: First of all, I'd like to thank George Lucas for being inspired to create such a wonderful universe. I'd also like to thank everyone who is reading this story. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks again!
Race for the Key
There were the softest of footfalls down the alleyway, and it was time for Rev to make his move. He straightened his stance a bit as he glanced into the dim light from the street. A dark figure was approaching, and he could just make out the outline of the dark hooded cloak it wore. Rev tucked himself deeper into the shadows, trying to remain as quiet as possible. The figure stopped just beside his position, and Rev's breath caught in his throat. He reached silently into the pocket of his tunic-
And a hand suddenly flew from beneath the figure's cloak and seized him by the throat. Rev was dragged into the center of the alley, gasping for air, his hands falling useless at his sides. He was about to fall unconscious when the iron grip suddenly let go, and Rev was free to fall to his knees, struggling for breath.
He looked up into the darkness of the figure's cloak, fear suddenly gripping at his heart. He opened his mouth to speak, but found his throat to be dry. The figure interrupted his thoughts instead. "I believe you have something for me?"
The voice was cold and dark, but Rev's eyes didn't widen from the deadly tone of the figure's voice. What shocked him was something he hadn't even thought of before.
It was the voice of a woman.
He nodded quickly, reaching beneath his tunic and pulling out a data card. "Jabba sends his greetings," he managed to utter. "Your other contact will arrive tomorrow." The woman beneath the cloak took the card quickly, scanning it briefly. "Anything else?" She asked.
Rev shook his head. "I was told that everything you need to know is on that card. I haven't looked at it, of course." He forced a shaky smile.
The figure paused a moment, and Rev could feel her watching him closely. "I'm sure," she said finally. She tossed him a small coin. "Thank you. Speak of this to no one. Understand?"
Rev nodded. "Yes, I understand."
The figure nodded, and before Rev knew it, she had disappeared from the alleyway.
Alanna Gershwin strolled nonchalantly across down a crowded street on Coruscant. The morning was bright, and the city planet was as crowded as usual. When she reached a set of ship docking platforms, she checked her data card one last time and walked toward the correct platform. The platform itself was suspended hundreds of feet in the air, and Alanna had to crane her neck back to catch a glimpse of it. She bought a ticket to an air taxi and was soon on her way up to the platform.
When she got off, she found herself in front of a small but impressive starship. There was no one in sight, but that was no reason to let her guard down. Pulling out her blaster from its holster, she carefully made her way towards the ship, scanning the area for any signs of life.
She was about to round the corner to the back of the ship when she heard a voice from behind her. "Hello there."
Alanna instantly spun into a crouch, aiming her blaster at the man coming down the ship's opened ramp. He glanced at her blaster for a moment, then frowned. "Jabba said you might be a little jumpy. You're late."
Alanna rolled her eyes and stood up, holstering her blaster. "I got caught up in traffic. What else did Jabba say about me?"
He shrugged. "Nothing much. Alanna Gershwin, native of Madrone, raised from the age of one year in Jabba's palace on the same planet. Master in marksmanship, hand to hand combat, and stealth work. In short, you've become Jabba's favorite sniper, spy, and thief all at the tender age of twenty. Not bad."
Alanna walked closer before answering. Her latest informant was only slightly older than she was, with a medium build, short black hair, and piercing blue eyes. He was armed much like she was, with a holster at his side and probably a few hidden weapons as well. "You seem to know a lot about me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "But I know nothing about you. You mind filling me in?"
He smiled. "Kyron Ti, and this is my ship, the Icarus. I'm just a smuggler of Jabba's with a few more connections than the average pilot. Jabba wants us to be partners."
Alanna eyed him carefully for a moment. "I usually work alone. Does that mean I'm going to have to trust you?"
His face was completely serious. "Completely."
She frowned. "We'll see."
Ti gestured towards the Icarus' docking ramp. "Come on board and I'll show you what Jabba's so interested in."
Alanna followed him on board and into the cockpit. "It this a Corellian design?" She asked with a smirk.
"Yeah, one of the best," he said. "You've flown this type?"
"I haven't owned one," she said, sitting in the co-pilot's chair. "I've stolen a few, though."
"Oh," he said, taking his own seat in the pilot's chair. "Well, let's get down to business. With this Rebellion that's just broken out, the Empire is scrounging everywhere for any way to stay one step ahead of the Rebels. And they're close to finding something very interesting."
He pushed a button on the console and the holo of a planet appeared.
"It's some kind of planetary shield," he said. A shield formed itself around the holo. "When the shield's up, nothing gets in, and nothing gets out."
Alanna nodded. "So if someone attacks a planet, they put up this shield, and everyone goes home in one piece. And the battle happens somewhere else, far from home base."
"Right," Ti said. "The Empire is desperate to get the technical plans for this. They know the Rebellion's on the same track, so it's become a race between them."
"And the winner is going to have a big advantage in this war," Alanna muttered. "So what's Jabba's take in all of this?"
Ti smiled. "Jabba's going to sell the technical plans to whoever is willing to pay the price. A price only very powerful systems will be able to afford, of course."
"Of course," Alanna agreed. "So where are the plans for this shield now, captain?"
"I'm glad you asked," he said, starting the Icarus' engines. "And it's just Kyron. We're partners, remember?"
She sighed to herself. "Yeah, right."
"The technical plans are on Corellia," Kyron continued, gaining clearance from the docking tower and raising the ship off the platform.
"In the hands of a crime lord named Turgor Kubek. He was once big competition with Jabba before half of his organization was wiped out twenty years ago. He still has a small drug ring, and the cover is a night club, which is where we're headed."
Alanna leaned back in her seat as the ship left Coruscant's atmosphere and was fully in space. "So we just sneak in, find these plans, and get out?"
He shook his head. "No, the plans are probably buried too deep inside the organization for us to just stroll in and grab them. Remember those contacts I mentioned?"
She nodded. Kyron continued. "I know Kubek's right hand man. We go way back."
Alanna frowned. She'd heard that one too many times. "Do you trust him?"
Kyron smiled as the navigation console set on their destination. "Not really," he said, pulling back the hyperdrive lever, causing the to stars to blur. "But I don't think he's got anything against me."
They emerged into the Corellian system a few hours later, and Alanna could feel the ship's reentry into real space from the cabin Kyron had given her. Jabba had been smart enough to give Ti some of her things, and Alanna had used her free time to change into an outfit that looked a bit more social. Her golden hair was swept up into an intricate formation of braids on top of her head, and it contrasted well with the black outfit she wore.
Standing, she quickly put her blaster in its holster and stepped out of her cabin. Kyron was waiting for her, leaning against the corridor wall, his arms crossed. When she emerged, he straightened his stance and smiled. He eyed for a moment and said, "Very nice, Alanna. We should be landing in a few minutes."
"That's pretty fast," Alanna said doubtfully.
"I also contacted my friend. He's meeting us at our docking platform. I'm sure he'll get us close enough to Kubek so we can get to the shield plans."
Alanna shook her head. "You must think it's going to be that simple."
Kyron smiled and waved a hand as he headed back to the cockpit. "It will be. Trust me."
True to Kyron's word, there was a man waiting for them as they exited the Icarus. His greasy brown hair hung limply at his shoulders, and there was no way to tell when he had washed it last. He grinned as soon as he saw them, crying out, "Ky!"
Kyron grinned as they approached, grasping the other man's hand tightly. "Uric, it's been forever."
"Yeah, try three years. So what brings you to my part of the galaxy?"
Kyron turned and gestured to Alanna, who stood behind him. "Uric, I want you to meet a friend of mine. Alanna, this is Uric Godai, an old friend."
Godai's grin widened further as he gazed upon Alanna. "It's a pleasure," he said, shaking her hand. "I always told Ky that he had a talent for picking friends."
Alanna forced a half smile, biting back the comment that had formed in her mind. Godai put a husky arm around Kyron, and started to lead them out of the docking bay. "So tell me again why you're here."
Kyron shrugged casually. "Just some business. My employer is looking for something that your employer already has."
Uric frowned. "Kubek? All he has nowadays are drugs, but you can find them anywhere. I'm surprised you didn't try something closer to home."
"No, Uric, we're looking for something a little more valuable." Kyron stopped walking to look into his friend's face. Lowering his voice, he said, "Kubek has the plans for the planetary shield that everyone's after."
Uric stared at Kyron for a long moment, saying nothing. Alanna could see his whole face change in that moment; his happy look was replaced by a far more serious one. "You're working for Jabba the Hutt, aren't you?"
Kyron nodded. "We need you to get us close enough to Kubek to snag the plans. Jabba's willing to give you a cut, I promise."
Uric suddenly turned towards Alanna. "So you must be Gershwin, right?"
Alanna frowned deeply, but eventually nodded, and Uric exhaled slowly. "She's got quite a reputation. Jabba must really want those plans to send someone like her."
"Right," Alanna said, her voice icy. "And we don't have a lot of time. Are you going to get us in or not?"
The burly man nodded quickly. "All right," he said, pointing a finger at Kyron's chest. "I'll get you two in. But I better get a big piece of the profit. If Kubek finds out about this-"
Kyron held up his hands. "Don't worry. It'll all work out. And you'll get your share."
"Fine," Uric said. "Kubek's having a big party tonight for some new dealers. I'll come over here and pick you up. We can go over to the club and I'll introduce you to Kubek. If he likes you, he might want to impress you and the dealers with the shield plans."
"All right," Kyron said. "We'll be here." Uric waved his farewell and soon disappeared out of the docking bay. Kyron turned back to the Icarus, but Alanna stood where she was, staring after Godai. "There's something about him I don't like," she said finally.
"What?" Kyron said from the landing ramp. "He's harmless."
Alanna turned to face him. "Don't you think he accepted our request a little quickly? Crime lords are all alike, and they punish traitors the same way."
Kyron shook his head. "He's a close friend. Forget about it. You worry too much."
Alanna didn't even bother to comment. Maybe Godai's loyalty for Kyron had lasted throughout the three years when they hadn't seen from each other. Either that, or he had other motives on his mind. Whatever his causes, Alanna made a point to keep a very tight watch on Uric Godai.
Godai returned to their docking bay soon after the sun had set on Corellia. Kubek's club wasn't far, so they simply walked to their destination. Godai and Kyron reminisced the entire way, Uric doing most of the talking, but Alanna only half listened. Her hunter's eyes darted around the street, searching for any sign of trouble. She had taken extra care to arm herself carefully, and she was somewhat confident that she could handle a shootout. But there was always room for a surprise.
Uric interrupted her thoughts. "You seem quiet, Alanna. Where are you from?"
She gave him a sidelong look. He already knew too much about her for her comfort, and there was probably no point in lying. She was almost sure he already knew. "Madrone."
"Ah," Uric said. "Nice place. Kyron and I went there once. They make the best ships in the galaxy there." He threw an arm around Kyron's shoulders. "We practically grew up together on Coruscant. Ky's like a little brother to me."
Alanna couldn't help but smile. "That's very touching." Kyron turned his gaze across the street. He was obviously a little uncomfortable with mention of the past. "Yeah, it is," he muttered.
Uric pointed down the street. "Well, there it is. That's Kubek's club." It was certainly hard to miss. Covered in bright lights and activity, the club was packed with people and aliens of all races. The trio bypassed the line of people waiting outside the club and slipped in a side door.
The crowd was even thicker inside the club, with little free room. The area was dark with colored lights flashing randomly into the crowd. Uric dove into the crowd, with Kyron and Alanna close at his heels.
Kyron suddenly reached back, grabbing Alanna's arm as the crowd pushed on them. "Wouldn't want to lose you," he called over the noise of blaring music.
Alanna frowned, but didn't pull away. "Don't worry," she replied. "I always turn up."
Uric led them up a set of stairs unto a balcony overlooking the crowd. They passed by a set of guards at the top of the stairs, and Alanna noticed the noise level had gone down considerably. She took a moment to scan the balcony.
Sitting at a small table near the edge of the balcony was a slender middle-aged man with graying hair, surrounded by four other beings who seemed to hang on ever word he said. Alanna could only guess who he was.
Turgor Kubek.
Kubek turned at their approached and smiled a kind smile. Rising from his seat, he opened his arms to Godai. "Uric," he said. "So good to see you. You're just in time to meet our guests." He glanced over Uric's shoulder at Kyron and Alanna. "But I see you've brought your own."
Uric nodded. "Mr. Kubek, this is Kyron Ti, and his assistant, Alanna. Captain Ti is interested in purchasing a large quantity of your products."
Kubek nodded with a smile. He eyed Kyron for a moment, then said, "Wonderful. Good work, Uric. Captain Ti, do sit down with the rest of us."
Kyron nodded and sat next Kubek at the table, and as assistant, Alanna took her seat slightly behind Kyron. Kubek smiled at his guests. "Captain Ti, these are my new dealers. We've just begun our celebration upon our arrangement."
Kyron nodded with a smile. "I must congratulate you, Mr. Kubek. Your establishment is quite impressive. My employer is very interested in what you and your associates are distributing."
Kubek smiled. "Thank you, Captain. But this club is only the outer covering of something far more important beneath. But that will come later in your visit. First, we must discuss our dealing arrangements. Have a drink with us."
Kyron obliged and he and Alanna listened carefully to Kubek's discussion. The dealers were from different parts of the galaxy, and Kubek was slowly but surely attempting to stretch his reach as far as possible. One dealer in particular, a Rodian male, was assigned to the desert planet of Tatooine to make his base. The Rodian looked distressed for a long moment then found the courage to speak up.
"[I beg your pardon, sir,]" he said in thick Rodian. "[But isn't that Jabba the Hutt's territory? I've heard stories about what he does to dealers from outside organizations-]"
Kubek suddenly slammed a fist on the table, causing all the dealers to jump. Kubek's kind demeanor was gone, and his tone was quiet and deadly. "Never mention that name ever again, do you hear me?" The Rodian nodded carefully. "Jabba the Hutt destroyed half of my empire once, and I will never allow him to do so again. Someday, I will crush him, and it will begin with you." He pointed his finger at the Rodian. "Understood?"
"[Yes, sir,]" the Rodian said meekly. Kyron took the opportunity to take a sip of his drink.
Kubek regained his friendly composure almost immediately. "But you all must see what Jabba's crushing and final blow will be." He rose from his seat. "Follow me, and you will have the rare opportunity as my honored guests to see my prize." He turned his gaze to Kyron. "Captain, join us. We have much to discuss."
Kyron nodded, rising with Alanna at his side. They had barely taken one step before Kubek turned to them. "She stays, Captain," Kubek said, gesturing to Alanna.
Alanna took a deep breath. This could put a considerable dent in their plans, but there was no reason to panic yet. If Kyron was skilled enough to convince Kubek to let her come along...
She watched as Kyron as he flashed his casual smile. "I understand your concern, Mr. Kubek." He waved a hand at Alanna. "But Alanna has been my personal assistant for a little more than two years." He leaned a little closer to Kubek's ear. "She can be trusted, I assure you. We're very close."
Kubek seemed to consider this as he scanned Alanna from head to toe with his eyes. "I can understand what you mean, Captain," he said finally, and the two men shared a laugh. The crime lord continued. "All right, she comes along. But I'm going to keep an eye on her, understand?"
"Completely," Kyron said as Kubek turned headed toward a back door to the balcony. Alanna walked at Kyron's side. Her tone was sharp. "We're very close, huh? You didn't have to throw that in."
Kyron shrugged. "Hey, it worked, didn't it? Just relax." He turned his head slightly and saw that Uric had made no move to follow them. "Looks like Uric's not coming," he whispered. "I guess that means we're on our own."
Alanna nodded, and for some reason she felt a little better knowing that Godai wasn't going to be tagging along where he could slip about his friendship with Kyron. She pushed her thoughts forward on the task at hand. Kubek was about to reveal his soft underbelly, and Alanna had to be ready to slice it open when the time was right.
Kubek and a group of eight guards led the group down a back staircase that went underground the club. The dimly lit passageway was tight, and the group was forced to walk single file. The walls and floor were made of solid rock, causing their footfalls to echo around the corridor. There were no doors or turns so far along the passageway, so a firefight could be a little difficult with nowhere to hide.
It seemed as if they had walked forever when Kubek finally stopped in front of a lone doorway at the end of the passage. He turned to his guests and smiled. "What your are about to see are the secrets to my new empire," he said. "Someday my organization will stretch farther than it ever has, crushing all of its competition, especially Jabba the Hutt." He turned back to the door and entered a number sequence on a keypad next to the handle. Pushing the door open, he entered, along with all his guards and guests.
Alanna was taken back when she stepped inside the room. She had almost expected it to be as cramped as the passageway, but she was completely wrong. Circular in shape, the room was at least 50 meters across, with a large pit in the middle. A metal bar circled the pit, and Alanna took a moment to glance over the edge. Her eyes widened at the sight.
About 8 meters below her lay hundreds of small vials, all containing different substances. Alanna guessed they must be the drugs that Kubek was planning to sell. But there seemed to be so little in each vial, how could Kubek possibly sell it to many customers without a larger stock?
Kubek gestured down the pit. "Down there lies the answer to every dealer's problem. As you can see, I have only a small amount of each different drug on demand. That, my friends, will be quite enough for the entire galaxy, I can assure you." There were murmurs of disbelief among the dealers, but Kyron said nothing.
Kubek continued. "I have developed drug replication at this very establishment, my friends, and I am able to copy each and every sample perfectly. This will ensure the product's purity, driving the prices up." His smile suddenly held a deep wickedness to it. "And the rarer drugs can be distributed throughout the galaxy, without the customer ever knowing how much there really is." There were gasps of excitement from the dealers, which only made Kubek's grin broaden.
"If you think this is amazing," Kubek said. "Then you will love my greatest possession." He turned and walked farther around the circle.
Kyron gave Alanna a knowing look, and she gave the slightest of nods. She was taking extra care to remember everything she saw in the plan that she would be returning to the same area at a latter time.
Kubek stopped at another heavy door, and punched in another code on the access panel. A small portion of the wall above the panel opened to reveal a small computer. Kubek typed in another code and leaned closer to the screen for a retinal scan. When the scan of his eye was finished, Kubek pushed open the heavy door, waving them inside.
The side room was a small but brightly-lit area with white walls and flooring. It was completely bare save a small pedestal in the center of the room. On top, beneath a thick glass case, lay a set of four data cards. Alanna took a deep breath. Those cards had to contain the technical plans for the planetary shield. She was so close, but this was not the time to go for them.
Kubek stepped up to the pedestal. He began to explain what she already knew, about the shield itself, its capabilities, and its overall worth to the Rebellion and the Empire. Alanna took the time to look around the room, pointing out mentally what the average eye wouldn't notice. There were at least 40 laser beams bouncing around the room when the security system was on, and two cameras on opposite sides of the room. Stealing the tapes might be a little tricky, but she had gone through tighter systems. All she needed was a day or two to plan her way through, get the necessary tools, and contact Jabba with the news.
Suddenly, Kubek said something that ripped her from her thoughts. "You are very lucky to have seen these plans, for this is the last night I will have them in my possession." Kyron glanced at Alanna, and she fought to hide her confusion. Kubek should keep the plans as long as he can to drive the price higher, but it seemed he had other plans.
"You see," Kubek began. "The Empire has made a most generous offer, and I have decided to accept it. My plan to crush Jabba the Hutt has moved into full swing, and I must act. When the representatives from the Empire arrive tomorrow night, I will have the grandest of celebrations. My empire will rise again, my friends, I promise you that." The group applauded for the crime lord, who walked back to them and began the journey back to the club.
Alanna was in deep thought on her way back to ground level. Her time had just been cut sharply, and she had to plan fast. Jabba would just have to wait to see what was going on. The main problem was getting the plans and getting out without smacking into Kubek and his Imperial guests. Maybe Kyron could create some kind of distraction to keep them occupied...
They had emerged into the club once more, the noise from the dance floor below knocking Alanna back into reality. The dealers began filing down the staircase and were soon mixing into the crowd. Kubek touched Kyron's shoulder and pulled him aside, whispering something she couldn't quite hear. Kyron nodded as he listened, and after a moment waved a hand for her to follow.
Kyron said nothing until they were walking down the dark street outside the club. Finally, he said, "Kubek wants to get in touch with my employer so they can strike a deal." He smiled. "I guess he bought it all. No wonder Jabba took him out of the running so long ago."
Alanna nodded thoughtfully. "He seems very trusting." Maybe a little too trusting...
"He seems desperate," Kyron replied. "It's obvious the guy is looking for business wherever he can find it. You saw how fast he sold the shield plans."
"That's another problem," Alanna snapped. "Our time to plan this whole thing was cut practically in half. And I don't know about you, but being tortured by the Empire is way at the bottom of my want-to-do list."
They turned down an even darker street that lacked any streetlights. Alanna found her hand resting on her blaster, just where it belonged. Kyron shrugged beside her. "I know what you mean," he said. "Maybe Uric can get us in before our friends from the Empire do."
Frowning, Alanna bit her lip. With all her other thoughts, she had completely forgotten Godai. He hadn't been on the balcony when they returned; maybe he left to do more of Kubek's bidding. If that wasn't the case, where had he gone?
She suddenly stopped in her tracks. Kyron stopped a step ahead of her and turned. "What is it?"
Straining her ears, Alanna looked into every shadow of the street. She had heard something, something very close. She started up walking again, pulling Kyron along by the arm at a slightly faster pace. The sound echoed in her ears again, and whatever had made it was sure that he was being covered by their footsteps.
Kyron pulled his arm away. "What are you doing?"
"Just keep walking," she hissed. They were being followed; it was obvious now. The stalker's sounds behind them had a repetitive pattern, much like small footsteps. Alanna glanced up to a towering rooftop above them, and caught a glimpse of some form disappear back from the edge. A sniper, probably. Well, Alanna was a sniper too, and she knew how to play their games. She pulled her blaster from its holder and held it in front of her where their follower couldn't see.
"What are you doing?" Kyron whispered.
"Get ready," she replied. Her stop in the street was sudden, as was her turn and crouch to the ground. It worked she as she had expected; their tracker was caught in mid-step out in the open. He made a grab for his blaster, but Alanna had already pulled her trigger. The assailant hit the ground before his hand ever reached his belt.
Hearing the shot from above, the sniper from the rooftop leaned his rifle over to see if his partner had finished off his prey. Alanna aimed carefully, and took him out in one shot as well, piercing his chest. The sniper tumbled from the roof, landing father back on the path.
"Nice," Kyron muttered. "Looks like somebody's out to get us."
There was the sound of shuffled footsteps and voices from behind them. "And here comes their friends." Kyron pulled out his blaster and checked its gauge. "Come on."
The two of them ran down the darkened path, dodging peddlers and beggars who sat huddled in the road. They rounded another corner and were within site of the ship when a few blaster shots sailed over Alanna's head. She spun around in anger and fired back, taking down two of the new attackers. She could see another three shapes coming behind the two fallen, and aimed her blaster carefully.
Kyron grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?" He cried. "Are you crazy?" He ducked as another shot flew by. "Let's go!"
She didn't resist when he pulled her down the street. She might have been able to dodge all the shots, but she had no idea of Ti's skills. By the time they reached the docking bay, the thugs were nowhere to be seen.
Kyron took a moment to look for tampering on the Icarus. "Well," he said with a frown. "That was interesting."
Alanna's frown was not in response to Kyron's comment, but her own thoughts instead. The attack was not a random mugging attempt. Those thugs had their eyes set on them, and seemed desperate to get the job done.
"Someone must know who we are," Kyron said, turning back to the ship. Alanna had opened the landing ramp, and she stood at the foot of it. "That thought occurred to me as well. But-"
There was the sound of footsteps at the entrance to the docking bay, and Alanna had her blaster out and ready before she could blink. Uric stood at the entranceway, staring at the weapon. "Hey, it's just me," he said as casually as he could. "You can put that down."
Alanna lowered the blaster, but opted to keep it in her hand. Kyron stepped forward. "Where have you been?" He asked. "You missed all the fun. A bunch of thugs came after us."
Uric's eyes widened. "You mean you were attacked? Why?"
"Good question," Alanna said coolly. "We were just about to ask you the same thing."
Uric's face was blank for a minute, but he slowly came to understand her meaning. "Hey, wait a second," he said, glancing nervously between Kyron and Alanna. "You don't think I had anything to do with this, do you?"
Kyron crossed his arms over his chest. "You were the only one who knew about us-"
"Now you see here," Uric snapped, pointing a finger at Kyron's chest. "We go back way too far for me to suddenly stab you in the back, Ky. Come on, I'm your friend. You know me."
Kyron sighed after a moment. "I know. But we're kind of low on ideas here, Uric."
"You know," Uric began thoughtfully. "The Empire has a lot of spies; they may have picked up on something, like your contact or something."
Alanna paused. Her contact on Coruscant didn't look like the most trustful contact around. She quickly pushed the thought away. Jabba may practically hire anyone off the street, but he wasn't stupid. He would have made at least a small background check, checking for any connection with Kubek. There couldn't have been any.
"I doubt that," Alanna said. "But I'm still curious; where were you?"
"I had a few errands to run for Kubek," Uric said defensively. "That's all."
Kyron stepped in. "Do you know when the Imperials are arriving?"
Uric nodded. "Sometime tomorrow night. Pretty late, I think. You can get in with the early party crowd."
Kyron nodded while Alanna took her leave to gather some of her equipment. He returned to the ship a few minutes later, standing in the doorway to the cabin he had given her. "Uric's going to get me in to talk with Kubek, and you can get to the plans while I keep him busy."
Alanna shook her head from where she sat on her cot, looking through her bag. "You almost make it sound easy."
He smiled and sat in the chair beside her bed. "I'm trying to be optimistic." He smiled faded a bit and the look in his eyes was suddenly serious. "But do me a favor?"
"What?" She asked, still looking in her bag.
"Be careful, ok?" He cast his eyes down to the floor. Alanna smiled and said, "Look, the last thing you have to worry about is me. I should probably be worried about you."
Kyron smirked. "I can take care of myself, thanks. I just don't want Jabba getting mad at me if something happens to you." He rose to leave. "Well, I'll leave you to get your stuff together. We'll figure everything out tomorrow."
She nodded. "Sure. Thanks."
"Um, right." He turned and walked down the hallway. Alanna couldn't help but smile. Kyron Ti may be annoying, foolish, and cocky at times, but he proved he could be a decent person. Maybe there was hope for him after all.
The next evening, Uric came to the docking bay and took Kyron alone to Kubek's club. Alanna watched them leave, then began to follow. Dressed completely in black, she was nothing more than a shadowy figure on the streets. All the equipment she needed was tucked into pockets all over her pants and vest, while her blaster was tucked safely in its place at her side.
Getting up to Kubek's balcony was going to be tricky, and it depended on Kyron's ability to lure him away from the site. Hopefully the club would be dark enough so that her attire wouldn't be too noticeable; it was brutally obvious what she was dressed for.
She saw Kyron enter the club from the side door, and then gave them a twenty-count wait until she entered herself. The party was in full swing, and no one seemed to notice as she waded through the dense crowd. Kyron was on the balcony by now, and in deep conversation with Kubek.
Now all she could do was try to attract little attention and wait. She silently hoped that Kyron would be successful, or this whole trip would get a lot more complicated...
"I spoke with my employer last night," Kyron said smoothly, a smile curving his lips. "He's very interested with your operation. He wants to strike a deal."
"I'm glad," Kubek said, putting an arm around Kyron's shoulders. "Does he have anything in mind?"
Kyron nodded. "He gave me a figure for you to think about. He wants a few shipments of a few products-"
"Why don't we discuss this somewhere a little more private?" Kubek said with a sly smile. "Come, we'll go to my personal office." He waved a hand at two guards, and they began to follow. "Uric," Kubek said. "Join us." Uric fell into step behind Kyron, and the group headed down the stairs.
Kyron couldn't help but glance over the crowd, even though he knew it was in vain. Alanna was hiding somewhere, and wouldn't be found with a casual glance. He'd done his part, and only hoped he could keep Kubek busy long enough for Alanna to get in and get out with the shield plans. This part had been a lot easier than he had expected.
He took once last look over the crowd as one of the guards opened a back door. He wished her a silent good luck, and was gone.
After Kyron had left the area, Alanna could see that there were only two guards left on the balcony guarding the door to the shield plans. She slid along the back wall, and carefully twisted the silencer onto the barrel of her blaster. When she reached the top of the stairs, the guards didn't even notice her until it was too late. She fired off two shots, and the guards hit the floor without a sound. Stepping over their bodies, she pushed open the door.
To save time, Alanna ran down the passageway at full speed. The door leading to Kubek's drug stock was easy to open; all she had to do was hack into the computer system and find the right code. Making her way along the rim of the pit, she took a moment to glance over the edge at all the drug samples below. The thought crossed her mind to get a few of the rarer samples, but she decided against it. There was no point in tripping the security system too early for something that Jabba already had. Besides, she knew a few of the samples were highly flammable, and a fire at the moment didn't sound like the best idea.
Accessing the computer panel beside the door to the shield plans, she hooked up her own computer and attempted to hack in. She noticed with a frown that the code to the system had been changed the day before, and her computer needed time to find it.
Alanna let the computer get to work while she sat in a defensive crouch facing the door from which she had come in. If Kyron was doing all right, he would be able to keep Kubek busy for just a little longer. When she'd first met him, Alanna couldn't have cared less what happened to Kyron Ti. Now, as she sat waiting, she couldn't help but hope that he was all right and could hang on for just a few more minutes...
Kyron's blaster had been taken away from him long before he reached Kubek's office. It was a common practice for a person of high power, but it still made Kyron uncomfortable. It felt like a piece of him was missing.
Kubek's office was well lit and furnished with plush furniture and a large desk of swirled black and white marble. Kubek sat behind his desk and motioned Kyron into a chair before him. Uric stood on Kubek's right, a small smile on his face. The guards who had accompanied them took their places a few feet behind Kyron on either side, and he could almost feel them breathing down his neck.
The crime lord smiled. "Drink, Captain?" Kyron nodded and he was handed a glass of some kind of brandy by one of the guards. It was sweet, and he hoped it would make him a little more relaxed inside.
"Now, down to business," Kubek said, folding his hands on his desk. "Tell me what your employer has in mind."
"He was very interested at the replication process you have," Kyron said. "The demand for a few products has increased in his sector, and a few shipments from you would be very helpful." He pushed a data card onto Kubek's desk. "Here are the details of what he wants. I hope you're impressed with the figure he's willing to part with."
Kubek took a moment to scan over the card, and his eyebrows raised in interest when he reached the payment offer. "Well, this is most generous," he said. "But may I ask you a question, Captain?"
The tone of his voice seemed a bit odd, but Kyron didn't miss a beat. "Of course, sir."
"Who is your employer?"
Kyron took a moment to swallow. This was certainly an unexpected turn of events. Most dealers didn't care who they worked with, just as long as they got their money in the end. Kubek was throwing him a hand he hadn't been prepared for. "Well, sir, you can understand why my employer prefers to remain anonymous for the moment. He was actually planning on coming here eventually to seal the deal himself. He's a very busy man."
Kubek nodded slowly for a moment, and Kyron's pulse began to race. "I see." He handed Uric the data card. "Before this deal ever happens, Captain, I want you and your employer to be clear on a few terms of our agreement."
"Of course," Kyron replied, hoping his tone sounded as casual as he thought it was.
Kubek leaned back in his chair and tented his fingers. "Once the product is delivered and payment is received, I will deny any connections with your employer if he is caught or questioned by planetary authorities."
That was a common rule for crime lords. Kyron was pretty sure that if he were caught, Jabba would deny any knowledge of his existence. It wasn't exactly a comforting thought.
Kubek continued. "In my business, I can not tolerate any kind of mistrust between my clients and employees. It just doesn't make good business. But what I really will not tolerate are spies."
Kyron's heart fell in his chest. If Kubek knew who he really was, both he and Alanna were in deep trouble. Alanna might already have been captured, or worse...
"I can agree with you there, sir," Kyron managed to say at last.
Kubek's mouth was a thin line. "A piece of information has recently come to my attention that may interest you, Captain. It seems Jabba the Hutt managed to get a few agents into my organization." Hey waved a hand. "I was almost sad when I found out it was you."
Kyron was on his feet in an instant. Turning, he met to two guards head on, punching one square in the face and grabbing the other's blaster and pushing him into the wall of the office.
There was a sudden shove from behind, and Kyron fell to his knees. He was reaching for one of the guard's weapons when he felt the icy cold barrel of a blaster touch the back of his neck. "Sorry, Ky," a familiar voice said. "I hate to do this."
Kyron held up his hands in surrender and turned slowly to see Uric holding the blaster square in his face. "Alanna was right about you," he hissed, giving Uric an evil glare. "I only wish now that I'd listened."
Kubek came to stand next to Uric. "Speaking of your friend, Uric has informed me that she's about to break into the planetary shield plans. Let's go surprise her, shall we?"
Uric smiled faintly. "You should have remembered that business always comes first with me. It's nothing personal." He swung the butt of the blaster into Kyron's chin, knocking him to the floor. The two guards had picked themselves up off the floor and were coming closer, a murderous look in their eyes.
Kyron couldn't pull his eyes off of Uric. This was the ultimate betrayal. And Kyron was the big loser in the play of deception. "You certainly have changed over the years, Uric. Sorry, but I'm going to have to kill you for this."
Uric laughed, a wicked, unfamiliar sound. "People change, my friend. Sorry, Ky, but if anyone's going to die today, it's you." He shrugged with a grin. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah," Kyron muttered. "I'm sorry too."
He tried to prepare himself for the harsh beating that was about to come upon him. The one thought that gave him hope was that the time it took to sufficiently beat him would be long enough for Alanna to get the plans and get out.
If only he could warn her...
He took a deep breath as one of the guards grabbed him and pulled a mighty fist back.
Please, let her get out...
The computer gave a soft beep when it was finished, causing Alanna to jump. She rushed over to the panel, pleased to see that she had access to all security systems in the room with the shield plans. She managed to shut down all the laser beams, cameras, retinal scan, and an electrical field around the plans themselves. Lastly, she opened the door.
The room looked exactly the same as it had on her earlier visit, and no alarms went off when she stepped inside. There was no time to pause, and she rushed up to the pedestal where the plans sat, waiting for her to remove them.
She carefully pulled the heavy glass case off from the pedestal, setting it quietly on the ground. She then quickly reached in and snagged all four of the data cards. The first three she tucked into an inside pocket of her vest. The other, she turned on and scanned a little of the text. Her smile grew as she thought of how pleased Jabba would be, but she had to focus on getting out first.
When all four data cards where safely in her vest, she turned towards the door-
And came face to face with Turgor Kubek.
"Greetings, Mistress Gershwin," he said with a smile. Four guards appeared behind him, their weapons drawn and ready. "If I had known who you really were when I first met you, I would have told you how impressed I am with your past record of thefts."
"I don't like to boast," Alanna said.
"Unfortunately," Kubek continued. "Stealing my shield plans won't be part of your record. I hate spies. As a matter of fact, your friend already found out about that." He stepped back and allowed Uric to come forward, pushing a bruised and bloody Kyron. Godai gave Kyron a shove, sending him to the floor. Alanna gave Kubek no emotion, only a cold stare.
"Give me the tapes," Kubek said, his tone dark. "Now."
Kyron was sitting up by now, and Alanna took a careful step closer to him. Crouching down, she helped him to his feet.
"It was Uric," he whispered in her ear. "I didn't talk."
"I know," she whispered back. Kubek was still waiting, his hand stretched out.
Alanna let out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess we lost this round," she said. "But it wasn't exactly fair with Uric playing both sides."
Uric shrugged. "I already had this discussion with Kyron. Just hand over the tapes, Gershwin. The Empire's got an enormous price on your head. We plan to give you to them as a welcoming present. Nice, huh?"
"Charming," she muttered. "Alright, I'll get them." She reached into an inside pocket of her vest, but her fingers didn't grasp the data cards. Instead, her fingertips brushed against two small daggers.
No one knew what hit them. Alanna's hand had snapped out lightning quick, and the two daggers sunk up to the hilt in two of the guard's chests. Before the other two could fire their weapons, she had pulled Kyron and herself to the floor, readied her blaster, and shot the both of them.
Uric's eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't move. Kubek reacted faster, turning and running out of the room. While Alanna kept her blaster trained on Uric, Kyron walked behind her and grabbed one of the fallen guard's blasters. "Go," he said. "Get Kubek. I'll take care of Uric."
Alanna didn't bother to question him. Nodding, she raced out of the room after Kubek.
"Well," Kyron said smoothly. "It looks like we've switched places, buddy. I'm the one holding the blaster this time."
Uric tried to keep an innocent look. "Ky, pal, wait a second. We can talk about this-"
"No thanks," Kyron snapped. "I said I was going to kill you, and I will. Friends should always keep their promises."
Kyron pulled the trigger, but Uric had dived from the shot's path to hit the floor. He rolled, pulling out one of the daggers from a guard's chest. He was on his feet again, and he threw himself into Kyron's torso, sending them both to the floor again, and the blaster skidding out of reach.
It was a mad struggle as the two wrestled on the ground, Uric holding the knife just above Kyron's left shoulder. He pushed the knife closer to Kyron's flesh, and could feel his resistance weakening. Finally, Kyron lost all the strength in his arms, and Uric was free to sink the dagger into Kyron's shoulder.
The pain was unbearable. Kyron barely had time to cry out before he was pulled to his feet and beaten with a barrage of fists. He managed to block a few punches and even return some, but it was obvious he was losing. There was only one thing he could think of to do.
When Uric was pulling his fist back, he took the moment to run out of the room, and back into the drug storage room. He rounded the circle, trying to think of some kind of plan. There was no point in running. He was bleeding heavily from the knife wound, and it wouldn't be long before he passed out. If he was going to get out of this, he had to do it now.
Uric appeared about ten feet away, sneering. "Give it up, Kyron. There's nowhere to go."
"Not just yet," Kyron replied. Uric charged again, but this time he was ready. A savage kick to the stomach sent Uric sprawling dangerously close to the edge of the pit. Kyron leaped at him before he could even sit up. They wrestled closer and closer to the edge, and Kyron caught a mental image of what it would be like to plunge into all that glass head on. It definitely wouldn't be pleasant.
Uric was stronger than Kyron had expected, and they were on their feet again, banging into the guardrail. Uric grabbed Kyron's bloody shoulder and squeezed savagely, causing the wounded man to cry out in pain.
Godai leaned Kyron back over the rail. "I've enjoyed our game," he said. "But it's time to end it. I win!" He was about to give Kyron the final push when he felt his feet come out from under him and his balance thrown off. He pitched over the railing, and managed by some miracle to grab the rail at the last second.
Uric hung helplessly above the pit, and Kyron stepped slowly above him. Uric swallowed. "Kyron, help me, please," he begged, struggling to get his other hand up to the rail. There was no response, and he could feel his hand slipping. "Please. If you help me, I'll give you half of the money Kubek's paying me." Again, nothing. "I'll...I'll triple it! I'm falling, help me!"
Kyron stepped in front of Uric's grasping fingers, and put a hand around Uric's wrist. Uric smiled to himself. This was almost too easy. Kyron had always been a noble fool; he could never watch another man die knowing he could have stopped it, especially if it was his own friend. Uric was almost sad that as soon as he was to safety, he'd have to kill him.
Uric loosened his grip on the railing and put up his other arm. Kyron grabbed his other wrist, and began to painfully pull him up.
Suddenly, he stopped. Uric kicked his feet in the thin air impatiently. "What are you doing, you fool! Pull me up! What are you waiting for?"
Kyron smiled. "You remember when you said people change, Uric? I just wanted to let you know that I've changed a bit myself. I said I'd kill you, so I am. But it's nothing personal." And then, he let go.
He could hear Uric's screams long after he watched him crash into the glass coverings to the drugs, sending the razor shards deep into his body. The crimson colored blood seeped all over the drugs, and Uric was gone.
Everything that had happened suddenly caught up to him and Kyron was suddenly dizzy with his blood loss. He stumbled back and fell against the wall, where he finally slid to the floor. Darkness had settled on the rim of his vision, and his eyelids seemed to weight hundreds of pounds. Closing his eyes, Kyron gave a final farewell to his the man who had once been a friend and companion, but in the end was the worst enemy of all.
Then everything was black.
Blaster drawn, Alanna Gershwin raced down the passageway after the fleeing Kubek. By the time she emerged back into the club, she just caught Kubek disappearing into the crowd. He would be close to impossible to find if she ran after him. Luckily, she didn't have to.
Unscrewing the silencer from her blaster, she raised it high in the air and fired off two rounds. The shots were loud enough to be heard across the nightclub, and the screaming began instantly.
The crowd was in utter chaos when Alanna walked casually down the staircase. They were in such a rush to get out of the apparent firefight; they trampled anyone in their way. The slow were practically crushed and left behind. Hopefully Kubek would be one of them. She was right. The middle-aged man was leaning against the far wall when she found him, terribly bruised.
"I suppose you're going to kill me," he said breathlessly. "Just like that. That's how you assassins work, don't you?"
"I've made it a rule not to shoot in cold blood," Alanna said. He straightened a bit and stood a step forward, but Alanna quickly raised the blaster in response. "But rules are made to be broken."
Kubek stared at her for a long moment. "What are you going to do with me?"
"Take you to Jabba, of course." She added with a slight smile. "I hear the rancor is hungry all the time."
She could see his eyes widen and the blood rush from his face. "I see. You know, it was very clever to shoot above the crowd like that."
"When people are afraid, it's very easy to predict their actions," Alanna said darkly. "Even now, I'm fully aware of the options that are running through your head."
Kubek eyed her carefully. "Really...such as?"
Her smile made his skin crawl. "It wouldn't be fair if I told you. The whole game would be ruined. Now just walk away slowly from the wall and you won't be harmed."
Kubek took a small step forward. "At least not by you," he murmured.
"Right," she said. "You're learning to play this game pretty fast, Kubek. Now-"
Before she could say anything else, Kubek took a leaping step past her and ran for the door. Alanna turned and watched him run across the club for a moment, amazed at how fast he was. It was a pity that she couldn't present Kubek alive to Jabba, but she supposed dead would be just as nice.
She figured Kubek must have been thinking he had gotten away by now; either that or he was wondering why she hadn't fired yet. She wouldn't make him wait. Raising her blaster, she aimed carefully and pulled the trigger. The shot hit Kubek squarely in the back, and he fell to the floor just in front of the club's door.
Alanna stood in the now empty club and sighed. Glancing up at the balcony, she half expected Kyron to be standing there, but he wasn't. A sudden thought swept through her mind. Perhaps Kyron hadn't won his battle with Uric after all...
Racing back up the stairs, she ran down the back passageway at full speed. She wondered why the sudden thought of Kyron injured or worse troubled her. It hit her with such clarity that she felt stupid for not realizing it before.
She had lived an almost solitary life from the moment she was brought to Jabba's palace, and had never made a friend. Now that she realized she considered Kyron a friend, the thought of losing him was almost frightening.
But that would never happen. Not if she could help it.
"Kyron?"
The voice boomed through his head, and Kyron was surprised at the amount of effort it took to open his eyes. He was still sitting against the wall in the drug storage room, but this time, Alanna was sitting in front of him, smiling.
"There you are," she said. "I saw what you did to Uric. It was a bit messy, but it worked."
He smiled. "Thanks." Glancing at his wounded shoulder, he was surprised to see it cleanly bandaged. "You do this?" He asked.
Alanna nodded. "Yeah, I guess this means I like you too much. I got in contact with some of Jabba's agents on Corellia while you were out, and they're coming here." She helped him to his feet.
A thought dawned on him and he grabbed her arm. "Kubek?"
She held the slightest of smiles. "His body will probably be cleared out when we leave. Come on." They walked back down to the club, and Kyron felt a little better with each step. The crowd outside was as dense as ever, and it was hard to fight through them.
A Twi'lek approached them. "Mistress Gershwin, Jabba is most pleased with you and Captain Ti's work. He wants to meet with you as soon as possible. His ship will be arriving tomorrow."
"Good," Alanna answered. "I'll help Captain Ti back to his ship and we'll meet you then."
"I'm sorry, Mistress," he said. "But I have Captain Ti's new assignment." He held out a data card, which Kyron took and read over quickly. "It's a smuggling job," he said with a sigh. "I never seem to get a break, do I?"
"Jabba wants you to rest first, of course," the Twi'lek put in.
"Of course," he muttered with a hint of sarcasm.
The Twi'lek touched Alanna's arm as the crowd swirled around them. "I have a speeder waiting for you, Mistress. I'll take you to were His Excellency will be staying."
She turned to Kyron. There was the strong feeling that she didn't want to leave tugging at her. "Will you be alright?"
He waved his good hand in dismissal. "Sure, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine."
She nodded. "Goodbye, Kyron."
He cast his eyes over the crowd. "Goodbye, Alanna. I'll see you again, I'm sure." He turned and disappeared into the dense mass. Alanna sighed to herself and followed the Twi'lek through the masses of people to a speeder waiting by the edge of the street.
Taking one last glance around the crowd, Alanna stepped into the open roofed speeder beside the Twi'lek and he began to drive off.
The going was slow through so many people, and Alanna was positive that she could walk faster than they were driving. Her contact had decided to spend the extra time informing her how pleased Jabba was with her success. She only half listened. Instead, she was deep in her own thoughts.
As soon as they reached the edge of the crowd, the Twi'lek hit the accelerator on the speeder, and they sped off through the city.
Epilogue
Two Weeks Later
"We are most honored that you allowed us to meet with you, Your Excellency." The two Imperial officers walked down a hallway in Jabba's Palace on Madrone. The massive Hutt nodded at the two thin humans.
"[I'm pleased we could agree on the shield plans]," Jabba said in thick Huttese. "[They will be delivered to you as soon as your payment arrives.]"
One of the Imperials nodded. "Of course, You Excellency. With the destruction of the Death Star two years ago, the Empire is moving into action. The Rebels will be crushed, and the Emperor will maintain his control once more."
They passed by a lone woman leaning against the wall, and Jabba stopped slithering to turn towards her. "[You have my personal assassin to thank. Alanna, these are the Imperial representatives who have purchased the shield plans you found.]"
The two Imperials nodded in greeting. "What you have done will be a crucial step in the Empire's ultimate victory. We owe you our gratitude."
Alanna said nothing, but merely bowed to Jabba and walked away. She had the distinct feeling that she had made a horrible mistake, one that could change the face of the galaxy forever...
To Be Continued...