Under A Black Sun Trilogy

by Kevin J. Anderson

  everything."

  "Good," Zekk said. "You think there's any chance she'll have the

  Lightning Rod waiting for us by the time we land?"

  Jacen rolled his eyes. "Even I'm not that optimistic."

  Tenel Ka reached over to pat Zekk on the shoulder with her single

  hand.

  "It is important to keep one's hopes up."

  In less than an hour, the Rock Dragon was docked in the V.I.P area of

  Cilghal's beautiful floating metropolis of Foamwander City. The

  Ambassador herself met them as they disembarked from the small Hapan

  passenger cruiser on one of the mist-dampened upper decks. Jacen made

  the introductions, and the female Calamarian greeted him and his

  friends with all the warmth of a proud aunt.

  Cilghal was a gentle-voiced member of the fishlike race that also

  included the famous Admiral Ackbar. She wore watery blue robes that

  seemed to ripple and change color like the tides of the sea. Her

  blunt, salmon-colored head was streaked with a flush of pale green.

  She raised a massive flipperlike hand in greeting.

  With the formalities over, Cilghal led them to a beautiful private

  dining area. Handing each of them a datapad into which the week's

  arrivals from off-planet had been downloaded, she excused herself and

  ordered them all some food: salted fish, seaweed rolls, and something

  moist and delicious that they plucked out of scrolled shells.

  Before they had finished their midday meal, the young Jedi Knights had

  tracked down not only the point and time of Anja's arrival, but also

  the city to which she had moved herself and the Lightning Rod the

  evening before. The location was far to the north, in the ice-choked

  waters of the arctic circle.

  "Crystal Reef!" Cilghal said with surprise when they showed her their

  findings. "A vacation resort reserved only for the wealthy and

  elite.

  If you wish to go there, I had better get to work immediately.

  Everybody wants to go to Crystal Reef, and even the planet's Ambassador

  to the New Republic doesn't necessarily get preferential treatment. "

  Three hours later, they found themselves at Foamwander City's water

  docks with all arrangements made for their trip north to Crystal

  Reef.

  The three young Jedi walked behind Cilghal as she led them to her

  waveskimmer.

  "Most efficient," Tenel Ka stated again with obvious approval, looking

  at the Ambassador and her sleek watercraft.

  Cilghal crossed the gangplank, boarded the skimmer, and began a safety

  check. "How does she do it?" Jacen wondered aloud.

  "Cilghal is amazing, all right," Zekk agreed, walking across the narrow

  plank and stepping down into the skimmer. Jacen went next.

  The seas were choppy and the little boat dipped and swayed beneath

  him.

  Far below, he could discernshadowy forms swimming just barely out of

  sight. He turned to offer a hand to help Tenel Ka across. But with a

  mischievous glint in her eye, Tenel Ka ignored his hand, ignored the

  plank and the railing. In a single bound, she jumped aboard.

  Just another day at the spice mines of Kessel.

  The routine went as usual: transports came in, packages were marked,

  cargo was unloaded and shipped off under carefully observed transport

  restrictions. Nien Nunb had established rigid protocols and accounting

  methods to be sure that all spice orders were watched and sold to the

  properly authorized customers. Nothing could ever be per feet, but he

  knew the setup was as efficient as that of any other business in the

  sector.

  The small Sullustan sat in his deep control chamber, overseeing the

  daily business of his spice mines. He was surrounded by several

  important business associates and administrators, as well as his hired

  mercenary guards. So far he had managed to keep from panicking about

  the attempt on his life, and it made him confident to know that Han

  Solo's children and their Jedi friends were investigating the

  "accident."

  But how many henchmen did Torvon have hidden here in the mines?

  And who did they really work for?

  In fact, Jaina, Lowbacca, and their translating droid were even now out

  scouting for evidence of untoward activities and trying to find clues

  as to what was really going on. Nien Nunb had had to trade a few

  engine parts for the news that something was going to happen here on

  Kessel, but it was a small price to pay for the knowledge that he did,

  indeed, need to stay alert.

  His new right-hand man, Second Administrator Kymn, moved to ward the

  transport control deck. The screen showed a string of lights that

  indicated all approaching craft, all scheduled arrivals, and all major

  navigational hazards from the debris of Kessel's exploded garrison

  moon.

  "Administrator Nunb, we have a large cargo transport arriving from Ord

  Mantell. Exactly on schedule, sir," Kymn said.

  The mousy Chief Administrator blinked his huge watery eyes and leaned

  closer to the display. Nien Nunb could not recall any expected arrival

  of such an enormous cargo ship. He jabbered quickly, since Second

  Administrator Kymn understood the Sullustan's language.

  "Oh, yes, Administrator Nunb. This was set up weeks ago," Kymn

  answered. "That transport is carrying the new office furniture, as

  well as food supplies, life-support recharge packs, and atmosphere

  enrichment generators. Don't you remember signing the requisitions?"

  Nien Nunb still had no recollection of the ship's impending arrival,

  but he squinted at the screen again and saw that everything seemed to

  be in order. In fact, the craft had already descended through Kessel's

  wispy atmosphere and was even now approaching the opening doors of the

  central cargo bay.

  Nien Nunb blinked in surprise. Normally, such a transport would be

  routed to the supply annex.

  Second Administrator Kymn pointed to a list of heavy items on the cargo

  manifest. "I felt it would be more efficient to bring him into the

  main loading bay where we have our best equipment to handle large

  cargo."

  The Sullustan mumbled his agreement, though a quiet uneasiness had

  begun to work in his abdomen. His instincts urged him to crawl into a

  dark tunnel and hide where he knew he would be safe.

  Kymn touched a communicator stud in his ear, listened for a moment, and

  then said, "Acknowledged." He turned to Nien Nunb with a smile. "The

  captain requests that you come to greet him personally.

  He's something of an amateur historian of the Rebellion against the

  Empire, and he would be honored to meet you and get your autograph."

  The Sullustan beamed and stood up, chattering with surprise.

  "Yes, I'm certain of it. He wants to shake the hand of the man who

  flew copilot with Lando Calrissian at the destruction of the second

  Death Star." The Chief Administrator bumbled with pleasure, but

  insisted that they bring guards along, just in case. Kymn agreed and

  pointed to three of the guards in the control room, naming them

  specifically. "Come with us."

  Together, they all marched down to the main
cargo bay. They put on

  breathing masks before going into the docking area, which was now open

  to the thin, cold air of Kessel so that the cargo ship could enter.

  Nien Nunb stood beside his secondary administrator. The guards flanked

  him on either side, while another hovered close in the rear.

  The cargo ship landed. Its markings were from a private Ord Mantell

  trading company. Nien Nunb thought the spice mines had dealt with that

  trading firm before, but couldn't be sure. This bothered him, because

  normally his memory for that sort of detail was quite reliable.

  Perhaps his anxiety from the assassination attempt had disturbed him

  more than he'd suspected.

  The exit hatch on the cargo ship hissed open, and the captain swung

  out. He had tousled blond hair, a freckled face, and bright blue eyes

  that fixed instantly on the Sullustan manager. When the captain

  smiled, his teeth flashed so white it looked like starfire. "Nien

  Nunb! Boy, am I glad to meet you!"

  The Sullustan stepped forward on his small feet, pleased at such

  recognition. The grinning blond captain pumped his small, rodentlike

  hand and then turned back to his cargo ship. "I knew I was coming to

  your place, Chief Administrator Nunb, sir, so I wanted to bring a

  special surprise. I hope you don't mind. Here, follow me so you can

  watch me open up my cargo doors. You're not going to believe this."

  The captain worked the controls to release the large doors covering the

  craft's cargo bay. Second Administrator Kymn stepped close to Nien

  Nunb, as if eager to observe his surprise. The three handpicked guards

  they had brought along stationed themselves at strategic points in the

  bay.

  When the cargo ship's doors cracked open, Nien Nunb saw movement.

  Startled, he took half a step back. A split second later, armed

  mercenary fighters boiled out of the cargo ship, shouting, weapons

  drawn.

  A nearby guard planted his blaster rifle against the Chief

  Administrator's back.

  Feeling the cold muzzle pressing between his shoulder blades, the

  Sullustan squawked and raised his hands. More mercenaries charged down

  the ship's ramp, leaping into the cargo chamber and firing their

  weapons into the air. Within an instant they had created massive

  confusion and havoc.

  Second Administrator Kymn drew his own weapon, a holdout blaster, and

  turned to fire a shot at one of the other guards who stood over by the

  communications array. The surprised man flew backward into the wall.

  The remaining two guards who had come from the command control center

  also opened fire. Nien Nunb thought for a moment they might defend him

  and repel the attackers. But instead the guards-his own guards!-joined

  the newcomers, adding their strength to this surprising coup in the

  spice mines of Kessel.

  Gunfire ricocheted off the walls, rattling the insulation plates. The

  mousy Sullustan tried to duck out of the way. He wondered how long

  this turmoil would go on. As he blinked and looked around, he saw that

  the brilliant smile on the blond pilot's face now held a wicked edge.

  Nien Nunb had been deceived-completely deceived.

  He had no choice but to guffender.

  Continuing their investigation through the winding tunnels, Jaina and

  Lowie trudged after the miniaturized translating droid as he floated

  along following a map of the mine catacombs he had downloaded

  earlier.

  "I've got a strong feeling that something's gone wrong," Jaina said.

  "But we haven't found a thing yet."

  Lowie growled his agreement, and they used their Jedi senses in an

  attempt to pinpoint where the crisis would occur. They emerged at the

  edge of a shaft that opened on the upper wall of the central control

  and cargo bay-just as blaster fire erupted ahead of them.

  "Oh, my!" Em Teedee said. "Take cover quickly! What if a blaster

  bolt ricochets up here? We're doomed!"

  "Jedi Knights don't hide in a crisis," Jaina said. Lowie growled and

  reached for his lightsaber, ready to push forward, but Jaina held him

  back. "On the other hand, looks like an entire military force down

  there. We're heavily outgunned. Wouldn't do any good to jump into

  that mess without a plan. We'd be captured or killed in seconds."

  Lowie groaned his acquiescence.

  "You show admirable restraint, Mistress Jaina," Em Teedee said.

  They looked down and watched helplessly. Within minutes, the mercenary

  soldiers had subdued all resistance with as little bloodshed as

  possible.

  "Put the element of surprise to good use, didn't they? A complete

  takeover." Jaina narrowed her eyes and glared down at the turncoat

  guards and Second Administrator Kymn, knowing that this treachery must

  have been planned for some time. She also recalled the members of the

  Wing Guard on Cloud City, who had turned traitor and sold out to Black

  Sun. Something was definitely going on at the fringes of the New

  Republic-something big.

  Kymn ran to the intercom on the wall, pressed the transmit button, and

  shouted, "Signal Alpha! Signal Alpha!" Then he went back to take his

  position, proudly holding his blaster pistol.

  "I do believe that must be some sort of code," Em Teedee said.

  Lowie grumbled for the little droid to be quiet so as not to give away

  their position.

  Second Administrator Kymn, wearing a superior smile now, spoke quickly

  to the Chief Administrator. "Our allies are in place at every

  important station on Kessel. We have just finished taking over all the

  control points. I hope our people were able to assert themselves

  without too many deaths. The important thing is that they're well

  armed and prepared to do what's necessary. Don't doubt it."

  Fresh soldiers continued to file out of the large cargo ship.

  "It's an entire occupation force," Jaina whispered.

  The invaders brought out heavy equipment, weapons, and supplies.

  Forming rows, the mercenary troops looked on attentively as a tall

  shadow moved inside the cargo hold. Jaina gasped with recognition as

  the towering man stepped into the light. Sickly pale skin contrasted

  with close-cropped moss-green hair. A thin metallic visor sported a

  dark red cyber-eye that glinted, shifting constantly from one side to

  the other.

  "Lord Czethros!" Administrator Kymn said. "Welcome to the spice mines

  of Kessel. Our takeover is complete. This facility is now yours. "

  Czethros strode down, square-shouldered and proud, as if there had

  never been any question of ownership in his mind. "Excellent job," he

  said. "Kessel will become my new base of operations. From here we

  will coordinate our lightning strikes-multiple covert attacks just like

  this one, only on a much larger scale. I'm glad our plan here operated

  so efficiently. A good sign."

  He smiled, and his mercenaries beamed at the praise. Jaina knew that

  Czethros was not a man to give compliments easily.

  "In a similar manner, all of our infiltrators in key positions in

  important systems will be able to strike as soon as we transmit the

  sig
nal for our coordinated takeovers. The attacks will be

  simultaneous. Within days we will bring the New Republic to its

  knees.

  Black Sun will prevail! " He raised a fist in the air, and the other

  mercenaries shouted in unison, "Black Sun!"

  "Dear me! Whatever are we going to do?" Em Teedee said as Jaina and

  Lowie backed deeper into the shadows of the tunnel.

  "Well, there's one good thing about all of this so far," Jaina said,

  her face grim and determined. "We're Jedi Knights-and Czethros doesn't

  know that we're here."

  Piloted by Cilghal, the waveskimmer roared across the choppy seas

  toward the polar oceans of Mon Calamari. The sky was steely gray, the

  water cold. Mountainous icebergs floated in the distance like broken

  white teeth jutting up from the surface of the waves. The air felt so

  frigid that it seemed it might break if they tore through it too

  quickly.

  "There, those sparkling colors," Jacen said, pointing. "Is that

  Crystal Reef?"

  Cilghal nodded. "Crystal Reef is one of the most popular casinoresorts

  on all of Mon Calamari."

  Protruding from the waves and surrounded by an archipelago of icebergs

  was an artificial island, a glittering mound of lights and metal that

  drifted about on the frigid currents. The Crystal Reef casino-resort

  was incredibly exclusive, isolated, a place for the wealthiest members