Under A Black Sun Trilogy

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Under A Black Sun Trilogy Page 40

by Kevin J. Anderson


  of any species to go and have fun.

  Zekk shivered, even wrapped in his warm cloak. "Why would anyone want

  to come up here? It's too cold to relax."

  Tenel Ka, clad only in her lizard-hide armor, seemed unaffected by the

  drop in temperature or the brisk salty spray that feathered up from the

  racing waveskimmer.

  "Wait until you see Crystal Reef from the inside," Cilghal said, her

  voice soft, the words rich. "If I weren't an ambassador to my people,

  we would have had to wait a month simply to get docking privileges. I

  ... pulled a great many strings."

  "Then how did Anja Gallandro manage to get here?" Tenel Ka said.

  Jacen raised his eyebrows and looked over at her. "You should know by

  now not to underestimate Anja when she's determined to do something."

  Cilghal brought the waveskimmer into a crowded V.I.P docking area that

  looked like a series of metal-ceilinged caverns at the floating

  island's water level. Expertly, she wove her way between other bobbing

  vessels-many of them jewel-spangled or gaudily painted-and nudged the

  skimmer into place. Jacen, Tenel Ka, and Zekk scrambled out onto the

  well-lighted dock, while the Calamarian ambassador filled out the

  proper forms and punched in her access codes.

  Jacen gazed upward, lifting his chin so he could see the pearly

  metallic ceiling, the curved girders that supported the casino-resort's

  organic, flow-form architecture. The style reminded him of the strange

  coral reef design he'd seen the Mon Calamarians use in the designs of

  their world's impressive star cruisers.

  A surprising variety of beings bustled about, many of them obviously

  tourists, others uniformed employees of the Crystal Reef resort.

  Jacen noticed Mon Calamarians, tenacled Quarren, Bith musicians,

  walrus-faced Aqualish, homed Devaronians, and ten other races of

  sentient creatures he could identify, as well as two dozen more he,

  could not.

  Layered musical tones filled the air like scents, ranging from rumbling

  subsonic pulses, through music discernible by human ears, up into

  high-pitched frequencies that he could detect only as a faint vibration

  in his teeth.

  "Crystal Reef is a large place in which to find a single person," Tenel

  Ka said.

  Cilghal spoke in her soothing voice. "Fortunately, the resort has no

  choice but to allow me access to its records."

  "Then we should be able to track Anja through the resort's own computer

  systems," Zekk said, in a determined tone. "She doesn't seem to be

  trying as hard to cover her tracks here. We'll find her-and the

  Lightning Rod, I hope. I miss my ship."

  Jacen continued to defend her. "I don't think she's necessarily been

  hiding from us. Anja obviously needs to do something quickly, and is

  trying to do it before anyone gets in the way."

  " She still stole my ship...... Zekk grumbled. "And she might have

  guessed we'd come after her."

  "We'll ask her when we find her," Cilghal said and led them up into the

  main levels of the resort. After consulting some maps on the walls,

  the Mon Calamarian ambassador asked for guidance from uniformed

  attendants. Even she had not been to this place before. The courteous

  and helpful attendants answered every question.

  On different levels in the floating city, temperatures and atmospheric

  compositions varied from cold and clammy to hot and dry environments.

  In some, Jacen could smell acrid sulfurous gases; in others the air

  seemed so fresh and pristine he wanted to take huge gulps of it and

  wished he could save some for later.

  The support columns in the vaulted rooms were hollow water-filled

  cylinders made of transparisteel. Seaweeds, water flowers, and

  brightly colored fishes drifted from level to level through the

  connecting tubes.

  Finally, after ascending several ramps and sliding stairs, they reached

  the upper decks of Crystal Reef, high above the glittering, icechoked

  water. Out in the frigid air, Jacen watched cold puffs of fog rise up

  in front of his face each time he exhaled. Chattering Bothans played a

  game by sliding colorful tiles across a frost-slick surface.

  Steaming hot tubs bubbled at the center of the deck, their warm vapors

  rising a few meters before condensing into icicles on the deck railings

  and nearby furniture. Inside the tubs lizardlike aliens basked in the

  incredible liquid heat. Jacen could feel the increased temperature

  hovering over them like a steamy atmosphere dome.

  Meanwhile, Dralls frolicked in the water of the polar ocean below,

  their dark, short fur protecting them from the freezing temperatures.

  He watched them splash and play, having the time of their lives in the

  icy waves.

  "Do you think Anja would be on one of the casino decks?" Zekk asked.

  Tenel Ka frowned. "We can rule out no possibility."

  Jacen shook his head. He looked behind him at the tall white towers

  glistening like spikes above the floating city. All legal forms of

  gambling were practiced on Crystal Reef-from races to simple games to

  major sabace tournaments. Jacen wanted none of that, and he had to

  believe that Anja Gallandro didn't either.

  "I doubt gambling has anything to do with w'ly Anja came here.

  If she wanted to gamble, she could have done plenty on Cloud Citybut

  she didn't show any interest then. No, she came to Mon Calamari for

  some other reason after leaving Kessel. Maybe she was looking for

  someone she knows. In any case, we'll just have to find out what she

  really had in mind."

  "You forget, Jacen, my friend," Tenel Ka said, "if she is connected

  with Black Sun, they would wish to control all the gambling here.

  Therefore, her contacts may be on the gambling levels. This is a

  fact."

  Jacen had to concede the point, but it still didn't sound right to

  him.

  Finally, Cilghal found an information kiosk studded with computers and

  keyboards fitted for various types of tentacles, claws, and

  manipulative digits. She spoke quickly but politely to the data-hunter

  at the kiosk, a small-boned creature with ten articulated arms.

  Cilghal gave her diplomatic credentials and described the person they

  were seeking.

  The data-hunter's smooth, toothless mouth smiled politely. Its

  numerous arms and hands moved in a blur, typing in requests, searching

  records, hunting through databases. "Ah, what excellent luck,

  Ambassador. Anja Gallandro should be easy to locate in our beautiful

  city," the data-hunter said. "The young lady has not yet visited any

  of our casinos or gaming establishments, though with your good luck,

  Ambassador, maybe you should."

  Jacen tried unsuccessfully to suppress a chuckle at this blatant sales

  pitch. When Cilghal did not answer, the data-hunter quickly

  continued.

  "In fact, your friend has run up only a minimal bill during her stay

  here. Perhaps she is on the budget plan?"

  "That is a strong possibility," Tenel Ka confirmed.

  "Wouldn't surprise me a bit"' Zekk muttered.

  Impatient to get going, Jacen
leaned forward. "So where is she now?"

  "Ah." The data-hunter looked down at the screen, though Jacen could

  see only a blur of symbols flashing by. "At this moment, Anja

  Gallandro is visiting in our popular vehicle-rental docks attempting to

  procure a highly enjoyable underwater mode of transportation. I see

  ...

  she has been there for some time already. I believe she is engaged in

  an energetic discussion with our fine entertainment representative.

  "Unfortunately, your friend has no reservation or established credit,

  and we have quite a long and enthusiastic waiting list. Our

  state-of-theart minisubmersibles are one of the most sought-after forms

  of entertainment here on beautiful Crystal Reef. I could book one for

  you, if you are interested, Ambassador. We have a spectacular brochure

  .... " The data-hunter reached out an articulated hand to offer them a

  packet of colorful images.

  But Cilghal turned away with a polite smile. "Thank you. You've been

  most helpful." Giving a friendly wave, she ushered her young Jedi

  friends toward a lift platform behind the information booth. The

  datahunter raised all ten arms in a shrug of dismay and waited for

  another customer from whom it could earna commission.

  They descended again to water level, where durasteel arches opened out

  onto the cold oceans, letting some of the waves drift in, lapping

  against the supports. The structure of the Crystal Reef casino-resort

  muffled the water's extreme choppiness.

  A slow moving, treelike Yarin stood at the water's edge with its

  root-feet dangling into the water. The Yarin blocked access to all the

  rows of parked watercraft and minisubs. Anja stood there arguing with

  him, looking frustrated and weary, as if she'd been through the same

  phrases time and again. Her body seemed to tremble, but whether it was

  from tension or fatigue or something else, Jacen couldn't tell. A line

  of customers waited behind her, glowering.

  Jacen saw her and ran forward, accompanied by Zekk. "Anja! Hey, am I

  glad to see you!"

  "You weren't too easy to find," Zekk added.

  The young woman whirled and snatched the lightsaber handle from her

  waist. Her huge eyes opened wide at seeing the young Jedi Knights.

  Her face flushed, and her hand shook slightly as she released her grip

  on the lightsaber, but in a moment she recovered her arrogant

  demeanor.

  She tossed her head so thather long flowing hair drifted back behind

  her shoulders. "Good. I'm glad you're here. Will you tell this ...

  this tree stump here, who seems to have wood for brains, that I need to

  get a submersible, and I need it now?"

  "Perhaps I could be of assistance," Cilghal said, gliding forward in

  her rippling blue robes, "if you would explain to us why you need it.

  But not otherwise."

  Anja crossed her arms over her chest, flashing her dark tattoo. "And

  who are you? Another one of these Mon Calamarian casino employees

  trying to push me around?"

  "I am Cilghal," she said, nodding patiently and rolling her round brown

  eyes. "I am a Jedi Knight, and the ambassador for this planet."

  "Oh," Anja said, somewhat flustered. "I ... I'm pleased to meet

  you."

  "What purpose will a submersible craft serve?" Tenel Ka asked.

  "We have already found you here. Do you need to escape again?"

  "And where's my ship?" Zekk asked pointedly. "You'd better have taken

  care of the Lightning Rod."

  "Not a scratch," Anja said. "And I would have returned it, if you'd

  given me time. I just ... needed to get some transportation in a

  hurry."

  "I'm listening," Zekk said, still skeptical. "But you're not

  explaining very much."

  "Why should I have to explain everything to you?" Anja said, her voice

  uncharacteristically shaky. "I've got my own problems."

  "You stole my ship, for one thing," Zekk retorted. "I'd say that

  deserves some explanation."

  "Hey, if you want our help," Jacen said, trying to calm them both down,

  "maybe a few answers would make things easier. Come on, give us a

  reak, Ania. We're your friends."

  The young woman sighed, then stalked away from the treelike

  Yarin, who seemed entirely unfazed by the confrontation. The other

  customers came forward, relieved to have their turn at last.

  A frown wrinkling her brow, Anja sat down on a damp bench and put her

  chin in her hands. "This is humiliating." Tears tonned in her

  enormous eyes, but she didn't let them fall. "I found out that I've

  been a fool." Jacen blinked in surprise to hear such an unexpected

  admission from the disturbed young woman. "Your friend Lando

  Calrissian was right: I ... I'm addicted to spice.

  "I told you I could quit whenever I chose to. I believed it myself.

  Then I tried to quit. That was when I learned I'd only been fooling

  myself. I went to Kessel to get another dose, and it was there that I

  discovered the extent of my foolishness. I've been betrayed."

  "Not by us," Jacen assured her, an anxious expression on his face.

  "No," Anja said in a heavy voice.

  "Who do you know on Kessel?" Zekk asked. "And why did you go there in

  the first place?"

  "Black Sun has been controlling me," she said with a bitter laugh.

  "And I didn't even know it. Czethros acted as if he was my friend. He

  helped me when I needed it. He gave me food and supplies and training

  when I was just a desperate street kid. He gave me all the andris

  spice I wanted. I wouldn't have had a career piloting small ships

  without him."

  "But ... Czethros?" Jacen said, aghast. "He's a criminal, a

  murderer-" "Czethros is an evil man," Tenel Ka said. "He is in hiding

  and the entire New Republic is searching for him."

  "I'm out to get even with him, too," Anja said. "He lied to me.

  He said he had my best interests at heart. I trusted him, but now I

  know that behind my back he was selling those terrible weapons to

  perpetuate the civil war on Anobis. He's the one responsible for so

  many years of hopelessness, so much suffering, so much death. He used

  me. And I allowed it to happen......

  She shuddered, then looked up at Jacen, Zekk, and Tenel Ka. Her face

  grew ruddy with anger and embarrassment. "But not anymore.

  Czethros is involved in spice smuggling, you know. He also controls

  the gambling in hot spots throughout the galaxy, and he's engineering a

  major takeover. He's got operatives-traitors-in positions of

  importance everywhere. There's no way the New Republic can stop

  him."

  She flashed a humorless smile. "But I know a way to hurt him."

  She looked back toward the submersibles. "He has a large stash of

  andris spice here, under the Calamarian ice caps."

  "Makes sense," Zekk said. "That would keep the andris cold, and

  intensify its effects."

  "It's been delivered from Kessel in small shipments and stored there.

  Black Sun dealers will start distributing it to some of the highrolling

  gambler clientele here soon ... unless I can destroy it first."

  Tenel Ka frowned skeptically. "If you are addict
ed to spice, why

  should you be eager to destroy it?"

  "Because it'll hurt Czethros."

  "And you're sure you won't just save a little for yourself ?" Zekk

  challenged.

  "You can come with me if you want," Anja said defiantly. "In fact, I

  could use your help to get past that stupid tree-man. I've got to rent

  a minisub. We can go together, find the stash, and destroy it. I

  guarantee that'll deflate some of Czethros's plans."

  "But why do we not take the spice back to doctors and patients who need

  it?" Tenel Ka asked.

  "Because some of Czethros's men may already be on their way to stop

  me.

  If we don't destroy that spice, I have no doubt Czethros will manage to

  put his hands on it again before we ever have a chance to get it safely

  away from Mon Calwnari."

  Jacen looked at Zekk and Tenel Ka. "It would be a pretty safe way to

  strike a blow against him-and with all those credits lost, it would

  really hurt." He glanced back at Anja. "Was Czethros behind the

  troubles we had on Cloud City?"

  She hung her head. "Yes ... and I didn't do a thing to stop him.

 

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