by John Whitman
"It's the truth. Others have come to look for the library, and some say that
it's been found. But no one who found the library ever lived to tell of it.
For they're all, every last one of 'em, dead."
Tash and Zak both swallowed nervously, but Hoole cast a cold eye at the
old man. "If it's so dangerous, why are you here?"
The graybeard cackled again. "That's the spirit! Don't let an old man
scare you. There's a fortune to be made here, if you can survive the curse.
But I'll tell you this. I'm the closest of this bunch. I'll find the library."
He turned away, chuckling to himself.
Zak whistled. "I'd say that guy's a few coordinates off the space lane."
"Don't mind him," ForceFlow said. "These treasure hunters are kind
enough, but they're all in competition to find anything valuable on Nespis,
especially the library."
"They don't seem that friendly." Zak pointed to another small camp. "Look
at that guy."
The camper sat in the midst of his supplies. His body was as thin as a
blade, and his face was very long, but his cheeks puffed out and were slightly
red. He seemed to be contemplating something private. Then, as if feeling
Zak's eyes on him, the man turned his head and looked at them. Tash shuddered.
He looked at them as though he was looking at his dinner.
Zak wrinkled his brow. "He looks familiar."
"A newcomer," ForceFlow said. "Like Domisari, he arrived only recently.
Come along. I've set up my equipment in a small room right down this hallway."
As ForceFlow guided them down a side passage at the far end of the
solarium, Deevee moved up to his side, slipping between him and Tash to ask
questions about the history of Nespis 8.
Tash didn't mind. In fact, her feet dragged, and she soon dropped back
behind her brother and Uncle Hoole on the way to ForceFlow's quarters. Her
whole body felt heavy, as though someone were tugging on her jacket to hold
her back.
What's wrong with you? she scolded herself. You should be thrilled.
You've been wanting to meet ForceFlow for months. Now not only have you met
him, but he may help you find a secret Jedi library! Snap out of it, Tash.
Lost in thought, she almost didn't notice when someone tapped her on the
shoulder. The tap came again, harder, and Tash turned to see who wanted her
attention.
But no one was there.
CHAPTER 6
Tash blinked.
The passageway was dark.
"Who's there?" she whispered.
The only response was a gentle shift in the air. A cold breeze passed
through Tash. She felt it deep in her bones and shivered.
"Who's there?" she whispered again, urgently.
She thought she heard a long, low, mournful moan, but there was no one in
the hallway. Zak and the others had followed ForceFlow farther down the
passage. She was alone.
Or was she?
"Zak!" she shouted. "Uncle Hoole!"
She ran after them and caught up to them as they turned back in alarm.
"Tash, what's wrong?" the Shi'ido asked.
"Someone tapped me on the shoulder back there," she replied. As she said
the words she realized how silly they sounded.
"That's pretty terrifying, Tash," Zak laughed.
"No, I mean, it was someone who wasn't there. I mean... I don't know,"
she stopped. Her heart was pounding. "I felt someone touch me... then it was
almost as if they walked right through me." She shuddered. "But I didn't see
anyone."
ForceFlow smiled at her. "Perhaps I can explain. Nespis 8 is a very large
station, with hundreds of rooms and hallways. It's so big that it actually has
its own weather patterns, like a planet. Some of the rooms have even flooded
and become shallow lakes. We get different temperatures, different air
currents. Sometimes it feels like someone is breathing down your neck."
"Are you saying what I felt was the wind?" Tash asked in surprise.
"Exactly," the man replied.
They reached ForceFlow's quarters-a square room that once must have been
a research laboratory. ForceFlow had filled it with computer equipment. Wires
and circuit boards were everywhere. "As you can see I haven't had time to set
things up properly. I wanted to bring my computer equipment along this time
because it's possible we'll be staying for quite a while. Our search could go
on for days or weeks."
"Our search?" Hoole asked suspiciously. "Our search for what?"
ForceFlow looked surprised. "Why, the Jedi library, of course."
Hoole furrowed his brow. "Sir, we appreciate your help, but we have some
difficulties to deal with. We have no time to chase rumors and legends."
ForceFlow paused a moment, then set his clear blue eyes on Tash. "As Tash
can tell you, I specialize in gathering information, so I know all about your
troubles. I know that you've discovered this mysterious Project Starscream,
and that an evil scientist named Gog is after you. But, believe me, you won't
be able to save yourselves or stop Project Starscream without help. And the
only thing that can help you now is the vast knowledge contained in the Jedi
library."
ForceFlow turned to Hoole. "If half the stories I've heard are true, the
library contains information on Jedi teachings that could help you stop
Project Starscream, and maybe even rid the galaxy of the Empire forever."
"What about the curse?" Tash asked. "I mean, if all the other parts of
the legend are true, what about the part that says Nespis 8 fell to the dark
side, and that a Dark Jedi placed a curse on it?"
ForceFlow waived his hand dismissively. "Bantha fodder. Nespis 8 is real,
the library is real. The rest is all rubbish."
Hoole touched the long fingers of one hand to his chin as he considered.
At last he said, "I am not convinced. But I do agree that this seems to be a
good place to hide from the Empire. And I see no reason not to search for this
mythical library-as long as it poses no danger for Zak and Tash."
ForceFlow smiled. "I can assure you there is nothing to worry about."
Soon afterward, Hoole excused himself to check on the Shroud. Zak, who
never missed a chance to work on a starship engine, followed, leaving Deevee
behind to watch over Tash. The droid and the girl talked with ForceFlow for a
while, but he seemed even more secretive in person than he had been over the
HoloNet. Tash guessed that ForceFlow was reluctant to talk in front of anyone
he didn't know well. But she was dying to talk to him alone and get to know
him better. She turned to her droid companion.
"Deevee, why don't you go back to the Shroud and do some research on
Nespis 8? It might help us find this Jedi library."
Deevee tilted his silver head. "Tash, I can assure you I have all the
information I need stored in my memory banks. My computer brain is quite-"
"I know," she interrupted, "but I think it might be useful to do a little
digging."
Deevee hesitated, giving the electronic version of a confused blink. But
his caretaker program detected no danger. After all, ForceFlow was the person
they had come all this way to meet. So the droid said, "Very well," and
shuf
fled away.
Tash turned back to ForceFlow. At last she had a chance to speak to her
hero. She tried to find the courage to speak her mind. "I just wanted to tell
you it's a pleasure, I mean... it's an honor to finally meet you."
ForceFlow bowed his head modestly. "I wouldn't call it an honor, Tash.
We're all in this fight together."
"But you," she searched for the right words, "you're doing so much. The
Emperor nearly wiped the Jedi clean out of history. There must be thousands of
others like me, who never would have heard of the Jedi Knights if not for you.
"
ForceFlow's eyes twinkled at her. "You would have found out, Tash.
Somehow, you would have known. I can tell that about you."
Tash felt herself blush. "How have you managed to keep defying the Empire
for so long without getting caught?"
"Just lucky, I guess."
"But you'd have to be a genius to stay one step ahead of the entire
Empire. Unless..." she hesitated. "Unless you're working with the Rebels."
Now it was ForceFlow's turn to hesitate. He shifted uncomfortably, then
cast her a sly look. "Remember, you said that, not me."
Tash grinned.
"But I'm not important, Tash," ForceFlow said sincerely. "You are. From
what I know, you and your friends have stumbled onto something very dangerous.
This Project Starscream is very top secret stuff. Even I hardly know anything
about it, and I've tapped into some high-level information. How did you find
out about it?"
Tash began to explain. As she talked, ForceFlow listened with such an
open, honest look on his face that she found herself pouring her heart out to
him. She told him how the Empire had destroyed their home planet of Alderaan,
and how she and Zak had been adopted by Uncle Hoole. ForceFlow seemed
particularly interested in why Hoole had taken them on their first mission to
the living planet of D'vouran.
"How did he know?" the man asked.
"I don't know," Tash replied. "Back then we didn't know anything was
going on. But..." She looked around, as though someone might be listening. She
felt terrible for what she was about to say, but she had to tell someone, and
ForceFlow was her only confidante. "To tell you the truth, I think there's
something mysterious about Uncle Hoole. I mean, he's saved us several times,
and I know for sure he's not working with the Empire, but the more I learn
about him, the more suspicious I get."
ForceFlow raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Tash lowered her voice. "On D'vouran, we met a crime lord who knew Uncle
Hoole. Then a bounty hunter named Boba Fett seemed to know about him too. Even
Jabba the Hutt knows him!"
"Well, that's no evidence of anything," ForceFlow said softly.
"There's more. Recently, my brother and I got a hold of Hoole's computer
files. There are four years missing from his records. No one knows where he
was or what he was doing."
"That is unusual." ForceFlow paused. "Maybe it's a good idea to keep an
eye on him after all."
Tash shrugged. "I just wish we'd never gotten ourselves caught up in this
Project Starscream mess. I wish we were out of it."
"You will be," ForceFlow promised. "Just find that library, and I predict
you won't have to worry about a thing."
Tash looked around at the computer equipment piled in ForceFlow's room.
"Where do you get your information? You seem to know as much about Project
Starscream as we do.
ForceFlow suddenly yawned. "Forgive me. I haven't stopped moving since I
arrived here, and I still need to finish setting up my equipment. Perhaps we
could finish our discussion later?"
Before Tash could answer, he turned to his machines and began to sort
through a thick tangle of computer wire.
Dismissed, Tash left ForceFlow's small chamber and wandered out into the
solarium. Zak and Deevee were just returning from the Shroud.
"So you finally dragged yourself away from ForceFlow," Zak teased. "What
do you think of him?"
Tash shrugged. "He's a lot like I imagined. Mysterious, full of secrets..
." Her voice trailed off.
Zak laughed. "Looks like Tash has a crush!"
"I do not!"
"Yeah, then why are you turning red?"
Tash felt her cheeks burning. She changed the subject. "What do you think
of him?"
Zak shook his head. "He's all right, I guess. I mean, this place is more
like a floating tomb than a hideout, but it's still better than being at Jabba
the Hutt's place." Zak's eyes lit up. "Jabba the Hutt. That's it!"
"That's what?" Tash asked.
"That's where I know that fortune hunter from. I saw him at Jabba's
palace!"
Tash was stunned. "That's impossible!"
"No, it isn't," Zak argued. "He could have followed us."
"I'm afraid Tash is right," Deevee said. "That man obviously arrived
before we did. How could he have followed us if he was here ahead of us?"
Zak scowled. "There's only one way to find out," he muttered, and started
to walk off.
"Zak, where are you going?" Tash hissed.
Deevee sputtered, "Zak I insist that you..."
But Zak was already on his way to the thin man's camp.
Tash caught up with Zak and followed him the rest of the way. The man was
exactly as they had left him, sitting serenely amid his stacks of supplies,
his face settled into the hint of a sneer. He looked at them as they
approached, but did not greet them.
"Excuse me," Zak said politely, "but I was just telling my sister that
you look familiar. Have we ever met?"
The thin man pursed his lips. "No."
"Oh." Zak tapped his forehead, pretending to search for some old memory.
"Are you sure? Maybe on a different planet? Somewhere like... Tatooine?"
Silence.
Zak started to fidget under the man's steady glare. Tash jumped in. "Um,
okay, maybe not. Sorry to bother you. My name's Tash, Tash Arranda. This is my
brother, Zak."
Silence. Then the man's thin lips parted and he spoke two words. "Dannik
Jerriko."
"Great. Thanks. Nice to meet you," Tash said, turning away. She could
feel Dannik Jerriko's eyes boring into her like laser beams. "Nice going,
rancor brain!" she hissed at her brother as they retreated to the other end of
the solarium.
"That's him!" Zak whispered back. "He followed us here."
"You're crazy," she insisted. "But even if you're not, so what? If Jabba
the Hutt wanted to kill us or Uncle Hoole, he would have done it when we were
in his palace. Dannik Jerriko is no threat to us."
Tash said the words with a confidence she didn't really feel. All of her
instincts told her that whoever he was, Dannik Jerriko meant them no harm. But
she wasn't sure she could trust her instincts anymore. After all, she'd
learned the hard way that she wasn't a Jedi and never would be.
Zak shook his head. "Tash, I'm telling you I saw him as clearly as I see
him right-" Zak stopped in mid-sentence. He had pointed back toward the thin
man's camp, but Dannik Jerriko wasn't there. Zak and Tash stood there in
silence, wondering where he had gone.
asked.
Zak looked at her. "I didn't say anything."
Tash furrowed her brow. "Yes, you did. You just mumbled."
Zak rolled his eyes and looked at their droid companion. "Deevee, did you
hear me say anything?"
"Not a word," the droid confirmed, "and my auditory sensors are quite
well-tuned if I do say so myself."
"Tash, you're getting jumpy," her brother warned. "You're letting this
creepy place get to you. Relax. We're hidden from the Empire, and ForceFlow is
going to help us. What could possibly go wrong?"
At that moment, a triumphant shout echoed through the halls of Nespis 8.
"I found it! I found it! It's mine!" someone roared. The treasure hunters in
the solarium looked up, startled. The happy cry bounced off the walls so many
times and so loudly that Tash had to cover her ears. Joyful laughter followed,
then there was brief moment of silence.
Then the walls began to scream.