Hoole continued. “Almost twenty years ago I was a scientist. I thought I was brilliant, and I wanted to become famous in the field of genetics. I didn’t want to just clone things. I wanted to create life.
“When the Emperor came to power, I saw my opportunity. The Empire encouraged research in new areas of science. Another scientist and I were given millions of credits by the Empire and allowed to begin our experiments.”
“You worked for the Empire?” Tash said, hardly believing it. “Didn’t you know how evil the Empire was?”
“No,” Hoole replied. “No one knew how evil the Emperor was until it was too late. Besides, I was too busy with my research. Eventually, we finished our basic experiments. We needed more room, a larger facility. To create life out of nothing, we learned, we would need an incredible amount of energy. The Emperor built a huge laboratory here, on Kiva. Here, we explored the secrets of life itself.”
Hoole took a deep breath before continuing his story, as the wraiths continued to hiss and swarm around them.
“We created huge generators that could focus the power of an entire star into one tiny test tube. But we lost control of our experiments. Instead of creating new life, we let loose a blast of energy that swept across the entire planet, wiping out every living thing.”
“And then you just left these wraiths to suffer?” Zak asked.
Hoole shook his head. “No. I had no idea that the Kivans survived at all. The accident… it happened so fast. I tried to broadcast a warning, but the energy we released disrupted the transmission. My partner and I barely escaped before the explosion.”
A terrible thought snaked its way into Tash’s mind. She tried to hold it back, but it was too strong, too terrible. Several old, nagging questions repeated themselves in her brain.
How had Hoole known about Project Starscream and its leader?
How did so many underworld figures like Boba Fett and Jabba the Hutt know Hoole?
How did Hoole know where Gog’s headquarters would be?
Finally, she asked the question, afraid of hearing the answer. “Who was your partner? Who was the other scientist?”
Hoole’s voice was filled with agony. “It was Gog.”
“No,” Tash said.
“That’s impossible,” Zak said. “This is all some kind of terrible lie. It can’t be true. Gog nearly killed us, and you worked with him?” His voice became shrill with anger.
“Zak, Tash, there’s more to the story-“
“I don’t care!” Tash said, her voice cracking. “You lied to us. And what’s worse,” she choked, “you destroyed an entire planet. All these creatures-you turned them into nothing but ghosts. What you did… it was as bad as what the Empire did to Alderaan!”
“All that you say,” said Hoole, “is true.”
Zak broke in, his voice full of bitterness. “I’ll bet that’s why you wanted to take care of us. When Alderaan was destroyed, it reminded you of your own crime. You felt guilty. You didn’t take us in because you cared about us. You just wanted to make yourself feel better!”
Hoole said nothing.
The shadows closed in. The wraiths pressed about them so thickly that they became almost solid.
The voices declared, Years ago we swore vengeance. Today we shall have it. The murderer Mammon will be punished for his crimes.
“What are you going to do to him?” Zak asked.
Before we were destroyed, our laws stated that victims had the right to confront those who harmed them. Thousands upon thousands died here because of him. He will stand here, and be forced to hear the agonized voices of each person he destroyed.
Tash and Zak both shuddered.
The voices continued. And then, when Mammon has seen all the misery he has caused, he will be executed!
CHAPTER 12
He will be executed!
The phrase was repeated over and over again, carried through the shadows by hundreds and thousands of voices. Hoole remained as still as stone.
Tash and Zak felt shadowy hands grab them. They were pushed from behind and pulled from the front, carried away from Hoole. Seconds later, the shadows parted, and Tash and Zak found themselves standing in the gray light of Kiva once again, not far from where the Millennium Falcon had landed.
Turning quickly around, they saw, in the center of the valley, a huge, quivering shadow-dome like the one they’d seen earlier. Only this time they were on the outside.
For a moment, the two Arrandas just stood there, dazed. Neither of them knew exactly how to feel. Hoole had taken them in, he had cared for them. He had even saved their lives, more than once. But he had also kept a terrible secret from them.
Zak was the first to speak. “I can’t believe it.”