The insects reached the edge and turned around, the lenses of their dark helmets turned up toward the Falcon. Soon, the gel began to bleed off in green wisps.
“What are they waiting for?” Han turned his palms up and gestured impatiently. “Open already!”
Once the gel had evaporated, the insects returned to the center of the portal and began to mill about aimlessly.
“Is there anything on the comm channels?” Han asked.
Leia double-checked the channel scanner. “Only background static-and not much of that.” She did not suggest trying to comm the Shadow. Some insect species were sensitive to comm waves, a fact that had led to some tragic misunderstandings in the early days of contact between the Verpine and the rest of the galaxy. “I could wake Threepio. He might be able to tell us something about who we’re dealing with here.”
Han sighed. “Do we have another choice?”
“We could sit here and wait for something to happen.”
“No,” Han said, shaking his head wearily. “You can’t outwait a bug.”
Leia rose and flipped the droid’s circuit breaker. After the light had returned to his photoreceptors, he sat turning his head back and forth as he calibrated himself to his surroundings, then finally fixed his gaze on Leia.
“I do wish you would stop doing that, Princess Leia. It’s most disorientating, and one of these times my file allocation table will be corrupted. I could lose track of my personality!”
“Wouldn’t that be too bad,” Han replied.
“Threepio, we need your help,” Leia said, allowing the droid no time to process Han’s sarcasm. “We’re having trouble communicating with the indigenous species.”
“Certainly!” C-3PO responded cheerily. “As I was saying before you debilitated me, I’m always happy to help. And you are certainly aware that I’m fluent in-“
“Over six million-we know,” Han interrupted. He pointed outside. “Just tell us how to communicate with the bugs.”
“Bugs?” C-3PO stood and turned toward the roiling mass of insects. “I don’t believe those are bugs, Captain Solo. They appear to be a sentient hybrid of coleoptera and hymenoptera, which often use complex dances as a means of communication.”
“Dances? You don’t say!” Han returned his hands to the control yoke and throttle. “So what are they telling us?”
C-3PO studied the insects for a moment, then emitted a nervous gurgle and moved forward to the control console.
“Well?” Han demanded.
“How odd.” C-3PO continued to study the creatures. “I have no record of this happening before.”
“Of what happening?” Leia stepped to the droid’s side. “What are they saying?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you, Princess Leia.” C-3PO kept his photoreceptors focused below her eyes. “I have no idea.”
“What do you mean, no idea?” Han demanded. “You’re always bragging about how many forms of communication you’re fluent in!”
“That’s quite impossible, Captain Solo. Droids are incapable of bragging.” C-3PO returned his attention to Leia. “As I was explaining, my memory banks contain no record of this particular language. However, syntactic analyses, step comparisons, and pattern searches do suggest that this is, indeed, a language.”
“You’re sure?” Leia asked. “It couldn’t be random wandering?”
“Oh no, Mistress Leia. The pattern and period of circulation bear a statistical correspondence that is quite significant, and the recurring oblique head bobs suggest a syntax far more sophisticated than Basic-or even Shyriiwook.” C-3PO turned back to the viewport. “I’m quite sure of my conclusions.”
“Then let’s hear ‘em,” Han demanded. “Who are these guys?”
“That’s what I’m trying to explain, Captain Solo,” C-3PO said. “I don’t know.”
They all fell quiet, C-3PO carefully documenting the mysterious dance while Leia and Han tried to see how this fit into the mystery of why the survivors of the Myrkr mission had been summoned here. None of it made any sense. It seemed almost impossible that the insects could have any tie to the Myrkr strike team. And even Leia could feel that they were not strong enough in the Force to send the call Jaina and the others had reported.
C-3PO suddenly stepped away from the canopy. “I’ve identified the basic syntactical unit! It’s really quite simple, a matter of positioning the abdomen at one of three levels to indicate whether a step is-“
“Threepio!” Han interrupted. “Can you tell us why they’re not opening the door?”