Star Wars - Cloak Of Deception Read online

  the balcony of a palatial structure that overlooked the plaza. Then, to all

  sides of the plaza, appeared Nebula Front soldiers brandishing all styles of

  blaster weapons.

  Behind the terrorists gathered a curious but wary audience of slaves.

  "Again, we are betrayed," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

  Depa looked back at the pyramid doorway.

  Quaking with primitive fear, the three slaves were being shoved forward

  by two armed terrorists.

  "Only by our predictability," she said.

  "Master, who is our enemy here?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.

  Qui-Gon shook his head. "I've been wondering that since Dorvalla,

  Padawan. There is more to all this than we know." The terrorists' spokesman

  followed an exterior stairway down into the plaza, where he was joined by a

  second member--a Bith.

  Obi-Wan glanced briefly at Qui-Gon.

  "Master, isn't that--was "Quiet, Padawan," Qui-Gon cut him off.

  The human and the Bith stopped while they were still some distance from

  the ominous circle the Jedi had formed.

  "We have two choices here," the human began. "Of course, we could fight.

  Ultimately, you would certainly emerge the victors.

  But some of you might die in the process, and those who don't will be

  forced to kill all of us. Or--was He paused briefly. his-comwe could all lower

  our weapons." Qui-Gon looked to Yaddle and Tiin, who nodded curtly and

  deactivated their lightsabers. At a signal from the spokesman, the terrorists

  began to holster their blasters. Qui-Gon and the other Jedi followed suit,

  dousing their lightsaber blades but keeping the hilts at ready.

  "I'm delighted that we could reach an understanding," the human said in

  what sounded like genuine relief.

  Qui-Gon's gaze roamed over the terrorists in front of him. "Where is

  Captain Cohl?" He asked after a moment.

  The question took the human off his guard. "Ah, of course," he replied,

  after a moment. "You recognized his ship." "Where is he?" Qui-Gon repeated.

  The human shook his head. "I'm sorry to report that Captain Cohl is no

  longer with us. I believe he retired. But back to matters at hand, do we have

  a truce here?" "A temporary one, at best," Tiin cautioned.

  "One piece of business first," the terrorist said, then turned to the

  soldiers who had herded the three slaves into the plaza.

  Without warning, blasters discharged and the slaves fell to the ground.

  Depa broke from the circle and hurried over to them, going down on one knee as

  she reached the slave who had guided them out of the pyramid. She touched the

  slave's neck, then glanced up at Yaddle and gave her head a mournful shake.

  "That's what happens to traitors," the human was shouting to the slaves

  who had gathered round the plaza.

  Qui-Gon exchanged brief looks with Yaddle and Tiin.

  Seven lightsabers reignited.

  "We're annulling the truce," Tiin announced.

  The hologram showed a diplomatic cruiser attempting to maneuver through a

  field of asteroidlike space mines, grazing one then another, and another,

  losing pieces of itself with each encounter, and in the end vanishing in a

  brief-lived tempest of expanding fire.

  "That was the Ecliptic" Valorum explained to Senators Bail Antilles,

  Horox Ryyder, and Palpatine, in his office in the Republic Executive Building.

  "The images were relayed to Coruscant by the Famulus, one of the ships of

  House Vandron that led our mission into the Senex sector. All twenty judicials

  aboard the Ecliptic are presumed dead." Valorum switched off the holoprojector

  and lowered himself into his soft chair.

  "Has there been further word from the Prominence?"" Antilles asked.

  Valorum shook his head. "We know only that those aboard- - seven Jedi and

  five judicials--survived the crash. By now they could be in captivity." "Is

  there any evidence to suggest that House Vandron was involved in this?"

  Senator Ryyder asked.

  He was exceptionally tall, even for an Anx, with a long, bearded head

  that rose like a mountain spire from his curved neck. His skin was a

  variegated yellow-green, and his fingers were elongated spindles.

  He favored bright red robes, with high round collars.

  "No evidence whatever, " Valorum said. "Lord Crueya maintains that the

  commanders of their ships were ordered beforehand to avoid engagement, no

  matter what occurred." "I don't accept that for a moment," Antilles said.

  Valorum blew out his breath. "I'm not certain that I do, either. Master

  Yoda was right about the rulers of the Senex. They are no better than the

  Nebula Front terrorists." "Has the Front issued any demands?" Palpatine asked

  mildly.

  "Not yet. But I suspect we can sense what's coming demands that the

  Trade Federation be disbanded, or that the Republic guarantee reduced tariffs

  for the outlying systems. I will not consent to those, but, if nothing else,

  we should at least postpone the trade summit until this crisis is settled." "I

  respectfully disagree," Palpatine said.

  "I'm certain that is precisely what the Nebula Front wishes us to do."

  Valorum's forehead furrowed. "They could be holding the survivors hostage,

  Senator. And I'm responsible for having sent them into danger." "All the more

  reason to stand firm." Palpatine glanced around the room. "Supreme Chancellor,

  if I may say so, the moment is ripe to demonstrate the far-reaching authority

  of the Republic, and thus ensure Senate approval of taxation of the trade

  routes. Moreover, with the Nebula Front eliminated, the Trade Federation will

  be more inclined to accept taxation." Valorum frowned at him. "Need I remind

  you that the Senex sector is not Republic space?

  Sending additional forces to As - meru would constitute a violation of

  Senex sovereignty. The senate would never sanction such action." Palpatine

  remained calm. "Again, I beg to disagree. The senate will sanction it because

  Republic interests are at stake." Again he glanced at Antilles and Ryyder.

  "Assuming for the moment that the Jedi have failed in their diplomatic

  mission, the Nebula Front is free to disrupt the Eriadu summit, and thus

  broaden the existing conflict to include not only the Trade Federation, but

  also the Commerce Guild and the Corporate Alliance. Supreme Chancellor, you

  yourself said that the summit should, under no circumstances, be jeopardized.

  That was your paramount reason for dispatching the Jedi to Asmeru." "Yes,"

  Valorum conceded, "you're right." "And what of the Senex Houses?" Ryyder asked

  Palpatine.

  "They will support whatever actions we take, if only on the chance that

  we will rescind the restrictions that have prevented them from trading

  directly with the Republic." Valorum considered Palpatine's remarks, then

  shook his head. "Even if we are successful in securing Senate approval to

  proceed as you suggest, a show of force at Asmeru could provoke the Nebula

  Front to kill their hostages." Palpatine smiled tolerantly. "Supreme

  Chancellor, the hostages are Jedi Knights." "Even Jedi can be killed,"

  Antilles argued.

  "Then perhaps we should leave it to the Jedi High Council to decide a

  course of action." Valorum stretched the
baggy skin under his eyes.

  "I concur. I will attend to the matter personally." The lean air of the

  plateau was sibilant with the hiss of laser bolts, resonant with the thrum of

  lightsabers, energized by detonations of artificial light.

  Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Ki-Adi-Mundi stood with their backs pressed to one

  another, deflecting a hail of blaster bolts the terrorists poured into the

  plaza. The blades of their lightsabers - comgreen, blue, and purple--moved

  faster than the eye could follow, blazing bright as novas as they sent the

  bolts caroming from the ancient stone walls and ricocheting off the sloping

  faces of the pyramids.

  Elsewhere, standing tall on her extended legs, Vergere led a fleet

  assault up the staircase of an adjacent structure, her gleaming emerald blade

  raised above her downy head. Two of the judicials followed in her long stride,

  discharging their weapons as they ran.

  Not far away, Saesee Tiin led another pair of judicials in a charge

  against a half a dozen terrorists entrenched in a narrow alley between two of

  the pyramids, his blade a blur of cobalt as it parried bolts and sent blasters

  flying from outstretched hands.

  Yaddle and Depa remained with the injured cruiser captain near the

  entrance to the northern pyramid.

  Pinned down by a torrent of fire from the summit of the ion cannon

  bunker, they swung and windmilled their lightsabers, repulsing bolts as if in

  some crazed sports contest.

  Most of the slaves had scattered with the first bolts fired after the

  brutal execution of the three who had helped the Jedi. But several of the

  bioengineered bipeds were being used as living shields.

  Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Ki-Adi-Mundi began to work their way deeper into

  the plaza, intent on reaching the grounded CloakShape fighters, or perhaps

  even the gunship, before any of the terrorists could get to the crafts.

  Qui-Gon advanced with determination, scarcely aware of the thrum of his

  blade, or the chaotic fusillade of blaster bolts. His mind turned with each

  and every action of his adversaries, whirling right, left, or wherever needed.

  He left no traces of himself in any particular place or direction, focusing

  only on what lay ahead, with the past smoothing out behind him like the wake

  of a settling boat.

  He remained subtle and imperceptible, invisible in his detachment, never

  lingering to watch, or clinging to thoughts of what he might have done.

  Wounded by deflected bolts, terrorists fell in his path, though he had

  yet to meet any of them head-on, and by the looks of things wouldn't. Already

  they were retreating fast for the fighters.

  "If they launch, we'll really have our hands full," he told Obi-Wan in a

  moment of quiet.

  Then a new sound whipped up the frigid air.

  Around the sharp edge of the southern pyramid came two of the

  repulsorlift vessels the Jedi had last seen on the lake.

  Bolts from the crafts' repeating blasters lanced into the plaza,

  carbonizing the cut stones where they hit. In unison, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan

  leapt for cover, while Ki-Adi-Mundi parried a stream of fire that nearly spun

  him completely around.

  The vessels came about for another run, firing wildly.

  Momentarily overwhelmed, the trio of Jedi were forced to fall back. Qui-

  Gon saw that Vergere's and Tiin's teams were also being driven back down the

  steps and into the plaza. First to hit level ground, Vergere directed the

  judicials to race for the shelter of the northern pyramid, but only one of the

  men made it. The other was cut down by fire from a nearby tower.

  The two judicials who had fought beside Tiin were wounded. The Iktotchi

  carried one of them under his left arm, while he continued to divert bolts

  with the lightsaber clutched in his right hand. The other judicial scampered

  backwards, covering their retreat amid a storm of fire from the gunboats.

  In a blur of motion, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hurried to Tiin's aid, spinning

  and leaping in the face of the onslaught.

  The gunboats had completed their pass and were swooping in for another

  strafing run. At a nod from Qui-Gon, he and Obi - Wan leapt ten meters into

  the air with their swords raised, ripping the repulsorlift engine from the

  lead craft.

  Sparks showered down on them as they landed and rolled for cover.

  Overhead, the gunboat careened out of control and struck the upper story of

  the palace, exploding into white-hot fragments and loosing an avalanche of

  stone onto the plaza.

  Tiin and the judicials reached the safety of the pyramid entrance just

  ahead of the rockslide.

  Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan followed them inside, as bolts from the second

  gunboat's repeater blaster rained against the portal's engraved columns and

  monolithic lintel.

  Yaddle and the others were massed in the rear of the corridor.

  Flattened against the wall, Qui-Gon peered into the plaza. "We have to

  get to the fighters." "If we have to, we will," Tiin said.

  Obi-Wan nodded at Qui-Gon and reactivated his blade.

  Lightsabers raised, they charged back into the plaza.

  The High Council Chamber felt empty without the three Masters who had

  accompanied Vergere, Qui-Gon, and his Pada - wan to Asmeru. Now it was Yoda

  who stood at the center of the inlaid mosaic floor, pacing while Mace Windu

  and the others discussed what was to be done.

  "Even without word from the Prominence, we can't assume that the ship was

  destroyed, or that any who were aboard have been killed," Windu was saying.

  "Everything I feel about the situation tells me that Yaddle and the others are

  alive." "Alive, she is," Yoda said. "The others, too. But in grave danger,

  they are." "That supports the Nebula Front's claim that they're holding a

  dozen hostages," Adi Gallia said. "They're demanding that the Eriadu summit be

  cancelled." "Valorum must not give in to them," Oppo Rancisis cautioned.

  "He isn't going to acquiesce to the demands," Windu assured everyone.

  "He's aware that by doing so he would only lessen the chances for ratification

  of the taxation proposal." "The Nebula Front is not the important concern

  here," Yarael Poof said. "It is the Trade Federation that matters." Yoda

  turned to the long-necked Master.

  "Thought to be less important, the Nebula Front is.

  But directing this, they are. Directing all of this." He paced through a

  circle, then stopped. "Moving us around like pieces on a hologame board."

  "Then we need to finish the game," Even Piell said with conviction.

  Windu nodded. "I assured Supreme Chancellor Valorum that there was no

  need for him to deliver an apology in person. We agreed to intervene in this

  matter. Therefore, this is as much our responsibility as it is his." "Too

  little thought, we gave this," Yoda said pensively. "Un - revealed forces at

  work." He glanced at Windu. "Clouded, this is. Muddled by motives difficult to

  perceive." Windu interlocked his hands and rested his elbows on his knees.

  "The senate has promised the Supreme Chancellor whatever authority he needs to

  deal with the crisis. But we cannot leave the decision to him." Yoda nodded.

  "Focused on the trade
summit, he is." "The Judicial Department has also been

  given expanded authority," Windu continued. "They advocate dispatching

  additional forces from Eriadu, which is only a jump from Asmeru's location in

  the Senex sector." "The judicials are on Eriadu to safeguard Supreme

  Chancellor Valorum and the delegates," Gallia said.

  "The Judicial Department feels certain that they have enough personnel

  there to deal with both situations." "Do we have any assurances that the Senex

  Houses will stay out of this?" Poof asked.

  "We could offer them a deal," Piell said. "They have long wanted to trade

  with the Republic, but have been shunned because of continued violations of

  the Rights of Sentience. If we offer to arbitrate an accord between them and

  the Republic, I'm certain they would agree to overlook any territorial

  infringements that arise from the situation at Asmeru." Yoda gazed at the

  floor and shook his head back and forth. "Deeper and darker and murkier this

  becomes." He looked up at Windu. "How many Jedi on Eriadu?" "Twenty." "Send

  ten to Asmeru with the judicials to help Master Tiin and the others," Yoda

  said in a troubled voice. "Pay our debts when they come due, we will." Windu

  nodded somberly.

  "May the Force be with them," Gallia said for everyone.

  Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Tiin, and Ki-Adi-Mundi surged from the pyramid

  entrance, engaging the terrorists that had driven them back. A quarter of the

  way across the immense plaza, the Jedi spread out in a wedge formation, their

  constantly moving blades fending off blaster bolts loosed from ahead and to

  either side. Behind the energy barrier fashioned by the lightsabers, Yaddle,

  Depa, Vergere, and two of the judicials raced out to divert fire from the

  rear.

  The point of the wedge, Qui-Gon advanced steadily into the fray, whirling

  and crouching, his green blade sonorous as it sent bolts arching every which

  way.

  Terrorists fell wounded from the surrounding stairways, balconies, and

  rooftops, but none of them fled.

  "You will have to kill All of us, the spokesman had said.

  Unexpectedly, the unrelenting blasterfire began to taper off. Qui-Gon

  took a moment to look around, realizing in a rush that the terrorists were

  suddenly directing fire toward the heavily bulwarked perimeter of the plaza.

  With eerie, tremolo war cries, hundreds of slaves charged into the plaza