“You’re going to be fine, Zak,” she whispered, patting his hand. “You’re going to be just fine. And I promise that somehow I’m going to make the Empire pay for this.”
After a while Deevee came to replace Tash.
“We are still several hours away from Gobindi. Why don’t you rest for a little while?” he said, his electronic voice imitating concern so perfectly that Tash was sure the droid felt emotions. “I have added some basic medical skills to my program, and I’m confident I can care for young Zak.”
Reluctantly Tash allowed Deevee to take her place, but she did not rest. Instead she went straight to her cabin and logged onto her computer.
MESSAGE TO FORCEFLOW.
She waited. There was no response.
She decided to post a message anyway, hoping that he would pick it up soon and send a reply.
FORCEFLOW. I NEED INFORMATION RIGHT AWAY. WILL TRY TO CONTACT YOU AS SOON AS WE REACH THE PLANET GOBINDI. REPLY SOON!
She transmitted her message, hoping that her mysterious contact would receive it before Zak grew any sicker.
Three hours later, the Shroud prepared to drop out of hyperspace into the Gobindi system. Tash sat next to her uncle. He had asked her to act as his copilot, while Deevee remained by Zak’s side, ready to use the new skills he had just programmed into his computer brain.
Uncle Hoole deactivated the hyperdrive, and Tash watched out the forward viewport as the stars changed from the white streaks of hyperspace to the twinkling pinpoints of realspace.
And then they were blotted out by the shadow of an Imperial Star Destroyer.
Collision alarms blared in the Shroud’s cockpit. Tash stifled a cry as Hoole jerked the ship’s navigational stick hard to the left and the Shroud plunged down and away from the Destroyer. The Star Destroyer’s huge, wedge like shape cut through the fabric of space like a blade as it passed above them.
Hoole was still trying to regain control of the Shroud when the first laser shot streaked past them, just meters from the Shroud’s hull. Another shot followed, and only the Shi’ido’s flight pattern saved them from becoming a ball of exploding gases.
“Why are they firing at us?” Tash yelled.
Hoole’s voice was tight and controlled. “I don’t know.”
“Raise our deflector shields!” she urged.
“If I do, they will think we want to fight or escape.”
Another laser shot flared nearby, even closer than the one before. “Tash, ” Hoole ordered, “open a comm channel. Tell them we mean no harm.”
Tash activated the Shroud’s comm system, but before she could send her message a voice blared over the speakers.
“Attention, unidentified ship. You have been targeted as a pirate ship. Prepare to be boarded or destroyed!”
“Pirates? Why do they think we’re pirates?” Tash shouted.
“Reply to their message,” Hoole said with amazing calm. “Tell them we are not pirates and we will cooperate.”
Once more Tash activated the Shroud’s comm system, but all the channels were filled with harsh static. “I think they’re jamming our signal,” she said.
Hoole focused on the controls but managed to mutter, “They hailed us as an unidentified ship. Aren’t we broadcasting a telesponder code?”
Tash had a lot to learn about star piloting, but she knew that telesponder codes were the automatic signals all starships sent out so that other ships could identify them. The only people who didn’t use telesponder codes were pirates and smugglers.
Tash searched the control console for the appropriate switch and found that it had been shut down. She realized what had happened. “Zak must have accidentally turned it off when he passed out up here.” She flipped the switch. “I hope this helps.”
Tash expected that it would only take a few seconds for the telesponder to begin transmitting and for someone aboard the enormous Imperial warship to receive the code. But she did not expect the Destroyer to stop firing and suddenly veer off.
The Imperial voice broadcast over their loudspeaker once again, and this time it was filled with concern. “Apologies. A mistaken transmission. You are clear to proceed.”
Without another word, the Star Destroyer sliced its way along the space lane.
“What was that all about?” Tash asked.
Hoole gave the slightest shrug. “No harm was done. Let’s make haste for the Gobindi system.”
No harm done! Tash thought. They could have destroyed us, and they hardly gave it a thought. The Imperials don’t do anything but hurt people.
As the Shroud’s sublight engines propelled them through the star system, Tash and Uncle Hoole saw three more Star Destroyers, all bristling with weapons and cutting across the orbital paths of the Gobindi system’s twelve planets.