Chapter 15
Admiral Parck walked into the Grand Admirals chambers aboard the Admonitor. A holo was playing in front of the Grand Admiral; it appeared to be some sort of training exercise in the snow. The soldiers looked vaguely imperial, but not so much that Parck could positively identify them.
"Reporting as ordered, sir." Parck saluted, and waited for the return from his superior.
"Do you know why I've called you here?" Thrawn asked in his smooth modulated voice.
"I can only assume it has something to do with that holo you're watching, sir."
"It does indeed." The Grand Admiral paused. "These are the holographs taken by a probe droid watching your sons IPEC group during artic training." The holo froze before jumping to a different place. "Watch."
Admiral Parck watched as the group advanced across the open snowfield. "Who is in command, sir?"
"A Major Davic."
"He's the one that is not supposed to last long in combat, right?"
"Yes Admiral, and you can see why. If it hadn't been for your son the operation would have been a disaster." Thrawn let the Admiral watch the holo, he noted the smile tugging at the corner of the human's mouth as he watched his son, now he had to break that. "Admiral. This is the last training that your son and a number of others were involved in before they deserted the Academy." The Admiral looked back, stunned at what he had just been told.
"Deserted? How?"
"Apparently they stole two of the Blastboats that had been assigned to the squadron. They planted explosive through out the hangar complex so there would be no pursuit. It was a very thorough job, had it not been against the Empire I'd say you should be proud of your son."
"Who else?"
"Rydell Artell, Marnist Kinkla, Dim-Ilek-Vors, Darick Noo-gin, Olsaa, Makazu, and Mahjong Dee. There are no reports on where they have headed, but I believe they will eventually return to Katal, since it is the residence of half those who left. We will have troops waiting when they return."
"No, sir. Respectfully, sir I appreciate what you have been trying to do so that I can have my son here with us, but we've already sent troops, we had them assigned to a unit that was going to be sent under your command. Apparently my son does not wish to join us. He has made his decision, and I've made mine."
"As you wish Admiral, he would have been quite an asset. They all would have been."
Four sets of foot steps echoed off the ferrocrete walls as Xan and Marnist returned to their Blastboat after surveillance on the targets route. The Imperial insignias had been painted over in black, to hide that they had been in the Imperial army. They had kept the IPEC insignias, it was sort of how they still knew who they were.
The intelligence that the Black Sun operatives had gathered was right on target. Rydell had sent Xan and Mar out to check it, and the target appeared right when they should have. Xan had read the report, Rydell was not exactly the most enthusiastic reader, and he had given the datacard right over to Xan.
The hatch sealed behind Xan and Mar, Rydell was in their Blastboat with his feet up on the command console. He dropped them down to the deck and stood up. Everybody else was still aboard the ships, because there was not enough civilian gear to go around.
"Hey, keep your feet off my console you barbarian." Xan mocked.
"What was that Lieutenant Hodgins? I'm your superior officer and you will address me as such." Rydell did a fair approximation of Davic, and the others laughed. It had become a way to pass the time to make fun of the way Davic talked and ranted about regulations.
"Is that dust on your rank cylinder?" Xan countered in his own version of Davic. "How do you expect to kill the Rebels with dust on your rank cylinders?" More laughs echoed through the small interior of the ship.
"What have you got buddy?" Rydell finally asked.
"They showed up right when they were supposed to. There's a point when their passage takes them into a narrow gap between two buildings." Xan brought up the pictures on his forearm datapad. "I think if you plant some explosives on both sides we can do some heavy damage."
"Can you hit the target, what was the speed?"
"About thirty kilometers and hour on approach to the gap, but the pilot cut his speed in half to negotiate the gap. There's an excellent view of the target, definitely a one shot kill, and then I could take down the pilot, the deadmans switch should engage and kill the vehicles momentum."
"Good, I'll take a team tonight and set the charges. We'll setup crossfires and you'll take the same position, when I give the go, you'll take out the target. Once he's down I blast the charges and we open fire. Mak, Klown, you two just volunteered to go tonight." They let out disappointed groans, but said nothing in the ways of real complaints. "Say, Xan, what's in those crates anyway?"
"The sensor suit off of one of the other Blastboats. Me and Mar took it before we left. I figured it would be a shame to let you blow 'em all up when the Wolf needs a sensor pack, and there's not going to be much better out there." Xan winked at his friend.
Xan and Mar were hunkered down on the roof of a building waiting for the target to approach. The whole team was in position, and Rydell was ready to blow the charges. They had setup so that everybody would have a clear shot at the hoversled that would be coming by. Xan checked the power level again, even though he knew it was fully charged, he set the selector for maximum power.
"Do you see them yet?" Rydell's voice came through the comm Xan checked his chrono.
"Yep, just spotted them." It was Mar. "Maybe an other two minutes." She answered Rydell.
"Alright everybody, get ready and shoot straight."
"I bet Xan can't get a head shot on the target." Makazu said.
"How much?" Xan shot back.
"Five credits."
"Not to serious, are ya?" Mar shot at him.
"Fine, ten." Makazu offered.
"Sounds good to me. You're on." Xan answered.
The two minutes ticked by slowly, until the hoversled was on approach to the gap. Xan brought his snipers weapon to his shoulder, and fixed the electronic crosshairs on the target. A little adjustment and it was as if Xan was standing next to the man. He was plump, and had not shaved in a day or two. A cigara burned at the corner of his mouth, and scars tracked along his cheek to his ear. Vaping someone like this was different from doing it all the other times Xan had been in a light fight. He never knew his target as he knew this man. Looking through the scope without laser bolts flashing around him gave him time to contemplate what he was about to do, all the thoughts quickly vanished when he remembered that this was some glittbitting underworld kingpin. What he was doing was a more hands on version of what the Empire had had his father doing.
"You got him Xan?" Mar asked.
"Dead center." Xan answered without shifting his gaze from the scope. "Easiest ten credits I ever made."
"Hold. . . Hold. . .Hold. . .Fire!" Mar exclaimed when the hoversled was in position to take the brunt of the charges blasts.
Xan clamped down in the firing stud, and the auburn energy bolt sizzled through the air. The crime lord's head snapped back as the bolt caught him, and tore away a piece of his skull.
"You owe me ten credits Mak." Xan called as he tracked the pilot who didn't seem to realize what had just happened. An other clamp on the firing stud and he was done for. Once the pilot was down Rydell detonated the explosives cascading shrapnel on the other men on the hoversled. By now the bodyguards had opened fire, spraying bolts in any direction because they had no idea where the shots had come from.
"Fire!" It was Rydell, and all at once all of the IPEC weapons came to bare on the hoversled. Bolts sparked off the sled minor hull plating and found targets whereever they went. With no one at the controls the sled had stopped moving and became one big target that nobody could miss.
"Look what I did for you Mak, even you can get a kill or two now." Xan jibed his compatriot as was their usual fashion.
"Even so I can get some kills? I'll show you." Came the reply. Mak plucked a grenade off his belt and hurled it at the hoversled, it detonated after landing on the generator, which caused and even bigger explosion, sending shrapnel out in a sphere the shattered windows on the surrounding buildings. There was a scream over the comm and then silence as the hoversled spiraled down into the depths of little Coruscant.
"Report." Rydell snapped, and everybody reported no damage except for Mahjong Dee, who didn't respond. "Alright everybody, move out. We're leaving in two hours, go back to the hangar and prep the ships, Xan and I will be back an hour."
The door into the Vigo's office opened, and the guard motioned Rydell and Xan in. They had given him the holos from the operation to review. Doubtless they had been sent through filters to authenticate what they showed. The Vigo looked pleased.
"Please, be seated." The Vigo motioned them into the chairs that were opposite his desk. "I've taken the liberty if having you holo footage authenticated. Very good shooting Lieutenant, and Captain, expert work with the demolitions. I have your payment in cash. And you'll be pleased to know that I've recommended you two to head up a recently opened position on Katal, that is your home planet, right?"
"Yes it is. What's the position?" Rydell asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We recently had to liquidate one of the locals running a smuggling operation. He attracted to much Imperial attention, and you boys already know what that does for business. Either way, I've received word that you have been recommended for the position Captain Artell. Of course it is in your best interest to take the position."
"Tell me more." Rydell said thoughtfully.
"It's a straight out smuggling operation that's operating out of a legitimate shipping business for the front. You have the choice of who you smuggle for when, but you send a percentage of each run to the local Vigo. You will be competing with the others in the area, Black Sun and otherwise. We find this is the best way to maximize profits."
"Alright, we're in, provided you can assure jobs for my people."
"That is solely up to you Captain Artell."
"Alright then. Thank you for the money, we'll be on our way to Katal within the hour."
The shipping front was in fact the same one that Rydell had been working out of before they had all gone to the Academy. Everybody stayed on, after the huge profit of the first mission no one would be stupid enough to turn down sure credits in the bank. Rydell noticed the lack of protests from Xan, even though his friend was still against smuggling, there was no way he could pass up the money.
Xan swung the door open to the room he had been using at the Artell mansion; it was the closest thing that Xan had known to home for a very long time. He dropped his duffle bag at what he saw. Sitting in one of the chairs, with long legs crossed seductively was Haara, she looked more beautiful than ever. The Katalian moon pendant that Xan had given her rested just above her cleavage.
"I let myself in." She said, standing up to meet him. "I didn't know if you were ever going to show up." She said as she wrapped her arms around Xan in a hug. Xan squeezed her closer, glad to have someone else's warmth. "Where were you?"
"Shh." Xan held a finger against her lips, before kissing her. She pulled away after a moment.
"Where have you been?" She asked, her blue eyes trying to see into his soul.
How could he explain it to her? If she found out that he had killed people just to make money she would leave him, disappear back to Carida and Xan would never see her again. Since he'd lost his father Xan had done a good job of keeping the people he cared about around, but something told him she would leave if she knew.
"We took a little detour." Xan shrugged. Haara stared back at him, not mean, not glaring, but like she was trying to figure out just what that detour had been. Something told her Xan was scared, scared to loose her, and that it most definitely had something to do with his detour. Just more confusion for her, it was like she could sense what Xan was thinking, what he wanted to tell but could not for fear that he would loose her. Haara could not explain what she felt, and that scared her.
"You don't have to worry about loosing me." She offered and patted his cheek lovingly. "So tell me where you've been."
"It's really nothing special." He said. "You know, we just had to lay low for awhile so the Imps wouldn't find us."
"Alright Xan. Why don't we go get some food?"