Star Wars: Adventures in Wild Space: The Nest

by Tom Huddleston

  “She’s changed…her tune,” she managed to gasp between breaths.

  “Maybe…she’s not so dumb…after all,” Milo panted.

  Sata frowned at them. “Less talking,” she said. “More running.”

  They could hear trees splintering as the beast followed them through the jungle. Lina wondered what had happened to Bort. Had he managed to flee, like Gozetta? Then they heard a distant cry that was abruptly cut off.

  They ran out onto open ground and they could see the hunting lodge below them, shimmering in the sunlight. Something hovered in the sky above it. Lina recognized Gozetta’s golden shuttle, fluttering on its thrusters. She could see the huntress up ahead, dashing toward the sleek little craft.

  Meggin picked up the pace, his face glowing bright red. “We’re saved!” he cried out. “We’re right behind you, boss!” He turned back to Milo and Lina. “Look, children, we’re saved!”

  “Don’t bet on it,” Sata growled, but she broke into a sprint nonetheless. Lina and Milo struggled after her, wondering how long they could keep up the punishing pace.

  The ship descended and the hatch began to lower as Gozetta got closer. She leapt up, grabbed on, and pulled herself over the edge. Then she vanished inside and the hatch began to close.

  “She’ll pick us up, just you wait and see,” Meggin said.

  The ship turned and Lina could see Gozetta in the cockpit, strapping herself in at the controls. She glanced back at them and then looked away.

  Lina knew that Meggin’s hopes were false. Gozetta would not risk her life for them. She gave them a single, apologetic wave, and fired the thrusters.

  “No!” Meggin cried out. “No, wait!”

  But his words were drowned out as the ship began to rise. Dust clouds kicked up and Lina had to cover her eyes as they were blasted with heat. The engines roared.

  And the jungle roared back.

  The creature rose from the jungle, standing on top of one of the tallest trees. Silhouetted against the sun like something from a nightmare, it raised a massive claw to the sky.

  Despite herself, Lina almost laughed. They had come here looking for a safe haven but found themselves in even more trouble. Evading stormtroopers was fun compared with this. She almost wished Captain Korda had tracked them there so she could have seen the look in his eyes when he came face to face with this monster.

  The creature sprang for the shuttle, knocking it with one large claw. The engines whined in protest as Gozetta fought for control. Her face whitened as she saw the creature rearing up on its haunches to reach for her ship again. The creature locked its claw around the rear engine port, pulling the ship backward. The thrusters fired, blasting hot gas into the creature’s face. It howled in pain, its snout burnt and blistered. But it did not let go, slashing at the shuttle with its claws. Clouds of steam billowed into the sky as the blows damaged the pipes and the ship’s systems began to fail.

  “We should go,” Milo said. “Now, while it’s distracted.”

  Lina nodded, dashing after him down the slope. She was unable to tear her eyes from the spectacle up ahead. Gozetta had managed to aim one of her cannons at the creature, hitting it with a spray of laser fire. One of its clawed arms hung useless at its side, but the other three kept grabbing for the ship, raking at it with furious energy.

  They reached the trail that led down to the Whisper Bird and paused to catch their breaths. Lina pulled the transmitter from her pocket, flicking it on.

  “Crater,” she cried out. “Crater, can you hear me?”

  “Oh, Mistress Lina!” CR-8R exclaimed. “Morq and I were so worried for your—”

  “Not now,” Lina shouted, glancing back up the hill to see the creature’s tail wrapping tightly around the shuttle. Struts snapped and smoke hissed as the engines continued to roar and whine. “We’re on our way. Get the Whisper Bird prepped and ready to fly!”

  CR-8R replied, “The couplings are fixed but the hyperdrive isn’t entirely—”

  “Forget that,” Lina interrupted. “We need to get off-world, fast. We can finish fixing it in orbit.”

  “Very well,” CR-8R said. “Would you like me to pick you up?”

  Lina looked back toward the creature. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said. “There’s…something after us. But don’t worry, we’ll find a way to lose it.”

  “Mistress Lina, are you in danger?” CR-8R asked. “If you are, it’s in my programming to assist you in whatever way I can.”

  “We’ll be okay, Crater,” Lina insisted. “Stay where you are and keep the engines running. We’ll be right there.” She flicked off the transmitter.

  Milo pointed excitedly. “Look,” he said. “I think Gozetta’s going to make it.”

  He was right. Somehow, the shuttle had managed to break free of the creature’s grasp and was rising unsteadily. It was flying on only two thrusters, but that seemed to be enough. Through the cockpit glass, Lina could see Gozetta fighting with the controls as the ship rose above the trees.

  Then the creature made a wild leap. Its mouth gaped open in midair, and its tongue shot out faster than a bowcaster bolt. It wrapped around the ship and dragged it back down.

  The creature’s jaws closed around the shuttle. Then the shuttle fell free, crashing into the trees and bursting into flames. The monster roared in pain, swatting at its wounded mouth. The ship rolled toward the ground, shattering tree branches as it came to a smoking halt.

  Lina felt suddenly exposed out in the open.

  “We can’t stop here,” Sata urged. “We have to find somewhere to hide.”

  “We have a ship,” Lina told her. “Down on the landing field.”

  Meggin’s eyes lit up. “A ship?” he asked. “Why didn’t you say so before?”

  “Wait,” Milo said, pulling off his backpack. “I’ve got an idea, but we have to stay still for it to work.”

  The creature’s giant head swung toward them. For a moment it stood completely motionless, watching them with its gleaming black eyes. “Forget that,” Meggin said. “You stay if you like. If there’s a way off this planet, I’m taking it.”

  He ran off down the trail.

  Lina looked at Milo apologetically. “I’m sure it’s a great plan,” she said. “But I don’t think we have a choice. Run!”

  They plunged down the muddy trail toward the landing strip. The air was thick with mist, hot and humid. Lina was almost too tired to be scared anymore, but the sounds of the creature behind them increased her speed. The beast stumbled along, its strides shaking the ground.

  “Let’s go, both of you!” Sata yelled, shoving them forward as a massive foot stomped behind her and a clawed hand swept the air overhead. Lina could hear the creature breathing and see its red eyes smoking like beacons in the fog. They were in its shadow now and it was only a matter of time before it—

  “You there!” a voice suddenly echoed from up ahead. “Yes, you, you big brute. Stop right there!”

  A bright light sliced through the mist and the creature skidded to an abrupt halt.

  MILO THREW HIMSELF FORWARD, joining Meggin on the edge of the landing field. The creature stopped and sniffed the air. Milo could hear it growling and swatting with its clawed arms. Twin beams illuminated the gloom and the voice boomed again. “By the authority vested in me, I demand that you desist all illegal pursuits and return at once to the hole from whence you came!”

  Milo could hear the creature whining uncertainly, unable to identify this new threat either by scent or sight. It took a step back, snapping its jaws defensively.

  Then a thin wind blew and the mist dispersed, revealing the owner of the voice. CR-8R floated a few meters above the landing field, his arms outstretched and his glowlamps on high power. He would have looked almost impressive if it hadn’t been for the sheer size of the creature towering over him. In its mighty shadow, he looked like little more than a toy.

  “Listen to me,” the droid boomed, his vocabulator turned to full
strength. “I command you to stop!”

  Milo could just make out the shape of the Whisper Bird up ahead. If they ran, they might make it. But what about CR-8R? They couldn’t leave him.

  There was only one thing to do. He’d have to put his plan into action.

  “Quickly, all of you,” he said, groping around in his backpack and pulling out the sticky sample jar. “We have to put this stuff on.”

  He unscrewed the lid and handed the jar to Lina. She reluctantly scooped out a handful of slime. “Are you sure?” she asked, grimacing.

  “No,” Milo admitted. “But it’s the only plan we’ve got. The six arms, the tongue, it all makes sense. That thing up there is just a massive version of the smaller stinkers. They go through all these different phases, and that is the end result.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Meggin said. “If that were true, why aren’t there more of these…creatures?”

  “Because it doesn’t want any rivals,” Milo argued. “It’s fine with them when they’re small. They help it catch food and in return they get to pick the bones. But I’ll bet that as soon as they’re big enough to be a threat, it kills them off. But the point is, it doesn’t eat the little ones. And if we smell like they do…”

  Sata smeared the goop all over her face and arms before passing the jar to Meggin. He frowned at Milo, then heard a loud cry from behind them and quickly slathered himself, too.

  The creature was circling toward CR-8R, fascinated by him but still unwilling to attack. The droid was waving his arms and flashing his beams. He spun on his repulsors and was trying everything he could to appear bigger, weirder, and more dangerous than he really was.

  “Go home!” he shouted. “Back to your cave! You’re getting very tired! Very sleepy!”

  The droid dodged as one of the monster’s feet thudded down just centimeters from him.

  “Hey, there’s no need for that!” CR-8R called out. “I demand that you—”

  The other foot slammed down and CR-8R swerved just in time, taking a glancing blow on the arm.

  “You’re being most unreasonable!” he sputtered as one of the creature’s claws struck him in the side. He rolled over, splashing into the mud. The creature lunged after him.

  “Enough!” CR-8R cried, but the monster’s foot came down and he was crushed into the mud. His one loose limb spiraled free. Milo heard Lina gasp as she clutched his arm.

  Then the creature turned on them. Its eyes glowed like two flames as it stalked toward them.

  They froze.

  The monster lumbered closer, lowering its large snout. Milo grabbed Lina’s hand. He badly wanted to close his eyes, but he knew he couldn’t. He tried to keep his breathing shallow as the creature’s shadow fell over them and its footsteps stopped. The creature’s tail slapped against the muddy ground. Milo could feel its hot, damp breath on his face.

  Suddenly, something slimy hit Milo’s head and he flinched. A hot liquid, smelling of rotten meat, trickled down into his face and he realized the monster had drooled on him. He fought the urge to wipe it away, holding perfectly still as the creature lowered its big snout toward them.

  Milo could feel Lina’s hand trembling on his arm. He was faintly aware of Sata at his side, and Meggin had begun to whimper. “Go away,” he squeaked, sounding more like a scared child than a grown man. “Please, go away.”

  “Be quiet,” Lina hissed as loudly as she dared. “You’ll get us all killed.”

  Then she shut her mouth quickly as the creature lowered its head farther, crouching until its bulging eye was even with her face. The creature’s eye moved on to Milo and he felt it staring into him, scanning every centimeter of his body. His only hope was that it would trust scent over sight, like other predatory creatures.

  The creature sniffed them again, grunting in disappointment. Then it raised its head. Milo took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and remain still. The creature opened its mouth and unrolled its tongue. It lowered the tip until it was barely centimeters above Milo’s head.

  Suddenly, there was a loud boom, followed by a roar. Something struck the creature, rippling with fire. It howled and snapped its jaws. The hard shell on its back cracked.

  The creature turned in a circle, scanning the trees. Milo’s breath caught in his throat as he saw Gozetta in the distance, a rocket launcher balanced on her shoulder. Her face was black with soot and streaked with blood, but she stood upright, facing down her target.

  “Come on!” she shouted, her mask amplifying her voice. “It’s just you and me, right now!”

  The creature lowered its snout and cried out in rage. Then it bounded toward Gozetta, every footstep shaking the earth. She fired off another rocket, but the creature dodged it. The missile hit the ground, sending up a spray of mud and fire.

  Gozetta ran back into the trees and the creature followed. It smashed through the dense foliage with a terrible roar.

  Then there was silence.

  THEY FOUND CR-8R gazing into the sky and buzzing quietly in the mud. Lina helped him up and he swayed unsteadily on his repulsors. His torso was weighed down with a thick coating of mud.

  “Thank you, Mistress Lilo,” he slurred through the mud on his vocabulator. “I’m door I’ll be all bite in a short crime.”

  “You’ll be fine, Crater,” Lina assured him, scraping the worst of the grime from his metallic face. “You’ve just taken a bit of a hit.”

  “You saved our lives, you know,” Milo told the droid as he picked up one of CR-8R’s loose limbs and handed it to him. “That thing would’ve had us if you hadn’t distracted it.”

  CR-8R hummed with satisfaction, and Lina could have sworn he was smiling. “That’s kind of you to say, Master Lina,” he said unsteadily. “But it’s in my programming to protect you, whatever the risk to my own wife.”

  Morq scurried out of the Whisper Bird to greet them, heading straight for Milo. The boy grinned, holding out his arms.

  A roar echoed from the jungle behind them. Morq spun around and fled back to the Bird, screeching.

  “We need to get out of here,” Lina said, picking up the pace.

  “Do you think she’s got a chance?” Milo asked, gesturing to the dense jungle.

  Lina shrugged. “She and that thing are both as crazy and as vicious as each other,” she said. “So maybe.”

  The access ramp lowered and she strode into the cargo bay, folding out the passenger seats as CR-8R and Milo hurried up into the cockpit. Meggin clipped on his belt, casting an uneasy glance through the open hatchway door.

  “I should say thank you,” he said awkwardly. “I mean, I want to. You and Milo, you saved my life. I won’t forget it. If there’s ever anything I can do…”

  Lina nodded shyly. “It was nothing,” she said. “You would’ve done the same for us. Right?”

  Meggin looked unsure, and then he nodded. “Right,” he said.

  Lina climbed the ladder into the cockpit. CR-8R floated in his usual spot. His arms whipped and whirred as he connected some cables, disconnected others, and tapped on the navicom controls.

  “Where are we going?” Milo asked. “We never found the source of the transmission.”

  Lina frowned. “Not so loud,” she whispered, motioning toward the rear hangar.

  “But maybe she sent it,” Milo quietly pointed out. “Maybe she could help us.”

  “It’s too risky,” Lina told him. “For now, let’s just get into orbit. Crater, you said the hyperdrive still needs work.”

  “Only about an hour’s worth, no more,” CR-8R reassured her as the thrusters roared and the Whisper Bird began to rise. “We’ll be out of this system before you know it.”

  “An hour? More like five,” Lina muttered bitterly as they circled the planet some time later.

  She was crouched in the cargo bay, up to her neck in wires. CR-8R drifted back and forth overhead, letting out a stream of complaints and computer code. The Venture’s sleek hyperdrive couplings were stubbornly refusing to polarize o
r interlink with the Whisper Bird’s outdated systems.

  One by one, Milo, Lina, Sata, and Meggin had taken the time to use the ship’s small washroom, scrubbing themselves clean of the foul-smelling slime. But the odor was still thick in the cabin, clinging to their clothes and the seats. That’s the problem with recycled air, Lina thought. If only they could open a window, but in high orbit, that wasn’t really a good idea.

  “Mistress Lina, see if you can run the sector seven out-lead into the naviscope array,” CR-8R suggested, peering down. “That might give the polarizers a boost.”

  Lina did as she was told and jumped back as sparks exploded from the wall. “I don’t think they’re compatible, Crater,” she said.

  CR-8R let out an electronic sigh. “Very well,” he said. “Back to square one. Curse this hyperdrive and all its rusty little circuits.”

  Milo passed Lina a hot cup of caf and served the others before settling into an empty seat and letting out a long, loud yawn.

  “How long is it since you’ve slept?” Sata asked, looking at him with concern.

  “I don’t remember,” Milo admitted, rubbing his eyes.

  “I have to ask,” she began cautiously. “What are you kids doing all the way out here on your own?”

  Milo shot Lina a quick glance, but she shook her head.

  “We got lost,” she told Sata. “We were in convoy with our parents on the way to Thune when we had a hyperdrive malfunction. But we know the way now. They’ll be waiting for us.”

  Sata gave her a long, thoughtful look. “I’m sorry,” she said. “But I can spot a liar, Lina. You might have convinced me if I hadn’t heard you before, in the cockpit. Milo asked where you were going and he said something about a transmission.”

  Lina glared at Milo. “Sorry, Sis,” he said sheepishly.

  “Well, I think I know the transmission you’re talking about,” Sata went on. “I wasn’t the one who set up the relay. I mean, I did, but it was Delih’s idea. And now he’s…he didn’t…”