“You created holographic visitors,” Tash guessed.
“Exactly,” Fajji confessed. “We do have a few real visitors in Fun World, but most of the crowds you’ve seen today-they’re computer-generated images.”
“I knew it,” Deevee sniffed.
“Deevee, you knew that?” Tash started.
“Of course,” the droid replied. “Any droid worth his circuitry would know the difference.”
“But most species wouldn’t,” Fajji acknowledged.
“An investor certainly wouldn’t,” Lando said accusingly. “Fajji, why do I have the feeling you were trying to trick me into investing in your Fun World? “
“Master Calrissian, I-“
“Don’t say another word!” Calrissian snorted indignantly. “I’ll have to reconsider our arrangement and speak to you tomorrow. Good day!”
Calrissian stomped out of Fajji’s office with the two Arrandas and their droid in tow. As all four descended in the turbolift, Lando surprised his friends when his angry glare turned into a pleasant chuckle.
“Wha-?” Zak sputtered. “You’re not mad? That Fajji tried to trick you, and you’re laughing?”
Lando’s eyes flashed mischievously. “Just a businessman’s trick. I would have done the same in his place. In fact, I admire Fajji’s guts for trying to pull off the hologram trick.”
“But you seemed so angry in there,” Zak replied.
“Remember,” Lando said in return, “things are not always what they seem. Let’s go back to the lodge.”
That night, Zak dreamed.
He dreamed that he was on Uncle Hoole’s Shi’ido homeworld-a planet that, like Uncle Hoole himself, was a mystery. At first it was calm and beautiful, with clean, well tended streets and tall, elegant Shi’ido walking by. Zak felt peaceful and calm.
Then, in the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a large head and flashing red eyes. Two long, multi-jointed arms wriggled through the air, reaching for him. But when Zak turned toward the image, the entire world melted and changed shape.
Suddenly he was surrounded by Imperial stormtroopers. When Zak turned to run, the world shape-shifted again, and Zak plunged into a thick bog. Swamp water rose up to his chest. As he struggled through it, Zak felt the thick tentacle of a one-eyed, water-dwelling dianoga brush past his arm.
But again his attention was caught by a movement just out of eyesight. This time Zak managed to glimpse a huge domed skull before his dream melted and changed. A whole series of nightmares blended together as Zak plunged into a pit of writhing, squirming crystal snakes.
Zak awoke suddenly. He felt the sheets crumpled around him, soaked with sweat.
Zak had had nightmares before, but never so many all at once, and never so many different kinds. It was almost as though his brain were sorting through a list of the most frightening scenes imaginable. And what was that thing that kept moving in the corner of his eye? He tried to recall the image exactly as it had appeared in his dream, but he couldn’t.
“Just like a dream to do that,” Zak muttered.
He got out of bed and went to his window. It was morning, but still too early for anyone to be awake. All the attractions of Hologram Fun World had been shut down, and the amusement park stretched before him like a vast pool of darkness.
Zak left his room and walked down the hall to Tash’s. He was surprised that Deevee wasn’t standing in the hall-the caretaker droid’s usual post when the two Arrandas slept. He rang Tash’s door buzzer once. Then twice. On the third buzz, Zak thought he heard Tash call out from the other side of the door. He pressed the Open switch, and the door slid back.
Her room was dark, but Zak could see his sister’s silhouette outlined against a view window. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, very still. Although he couldn’t see her face in the dark room, he could tell she was looking at him.
“Tash,” he said softly as the door slid closed behind him. “I couldn’t sleep. Something about this place is still bothering me. Are you sure you aren’t getting any of your… you know, your feelings? The Force, or whatever it is… isn’t it telling you anything?”
His sister didn’t reply.
“Tash?” he whispered. “C’mon. What’s en your mind?”
Tash spoke in a slow, low voice.
“One of us must die.”
CHAPTER 10
“One of us must die.”
Tash repeated the phrase, this time a little faster.
“Tash?” Zak replied, craning his neck forward to see her face. “What are you talking about?”
“One of us must die!” she hissed urgently.