[Galaxy Of Fear] - 08(10)

“How curious, Captain,” said Hoole. “I am an anthropologist, and I am here for much the same reason. I think you will find the garden a most informative means of studying the S’krrr culture.”

A small, evil smile crept across Thrawn’s lips. “That is what I hope.”

Tash folded her arms across her chest and scowled. “I never realized Imperial captains were art lovers.”

Thrawn looked mildly amused by Tash’s defiant tone. “I find the information useful,” he said. “The more insight I have into a culture, the more easily I can… deal with it.

The way Thrawn said the word deal made Zak’s blood run cold.

Thrawn spun around and marched off without another word, his junior officers following. As soon as they were out of earshot, Tash asked, “Uncle Hoole, do you think he’s telling the truth?”

Hoole shook his head. “I do not know, but I am sure he has not come to arrest us. He probably does not realize we are fugitives from the Empire.”

“Thank the stars for that,” Zak put in. “The last thing I want to see is the inside of an Imperial detention center.”

“Indeed,” Hoole replied. “But still, I am uneasy. Captain Thrawn is here for some reason, and I am sure it means trouble for anyone who gets in his way. We must be cautious.”

Hoole insisted that they spend the day near the ship. Zak was happy to oblige-it gave him a chance to help repair the Shroud. But Tash was disappointed. She had wanted to visit Sh’shak in the garden. Instead she was forced to watch Zak and Hoole tinker with the starship’s engines for most of the day. By the time they quit that evening, she was bored out of her mind and restless.

Hoole was inside the Shroud, using the small emergency generator to cook their evening meal. The sun had half set, spreading a dark orange glow across the horizon. Tash and Zak lay on their backs on the ship’s entry ramp, looking up at the darkening sky. Above them, dark shapes swooped and whirled in circles, sending high-pitched calls into the cooling air. The shreevs had come out to hunt.

“It’s just not fair,” Tash was saying. “Uncle Hoole should have let me go see Sh’shak. How many chances am I going to get to spend a whole day with a real poet and philosopher?”

“One chance is one too many, if you ask me,” Zak replied sarcastically. But his mind was elsewhere. The shreevs circling above his head reminded him that he still hadn’t told anyone about his accident.

“Tash, I’ve got to tell you something-“

“Zak,” Tash interrupted. “I want to ask you a favor.”

He paused. “Sure. Name it.”

She pushed a strand of blond hair behind her ear. “I want to go check out the Imperial shuttle tomorrow morning. Will you come with me?”

“What’s there to see?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” his sister admitted. “I just think that Thrawn is up to something. It’s just a feeling.”

Zak knew all about Tash’s feelings. She was in touch with the Force, the mysterious power that gave the ancient Jedi Knights their abilities. Over the last few months, Zak had learned to listen to Tash and her feelings.

“Okay,” he said.

“Great. I’ll wake you early,” she said. “Oh, did you want to tell me something?”

“Your meal is prepared,” Hoole’s voice called from inside the ship.

Zak sighed. “It can wait.”

That evening passed more quickly than the one before. Zak had convinced himself that as long as he kept killing beetles, he could prevent the garden from being damaged. That comforted him enough to help him sleep well, until he felt something tickling his ear well before sunrise. He tried to brush it away, but it kept tickling him. Finally, he opened his eyes to find Tash sitting beside his bed.

“Get up,” she said.

Zak blinked. His eyes were too full of sleep to read his chrono. “You’ve got to be kidding,” he groaned.

“You promised,” Tash said.

Grunting, Zak dragged himself out of bed and into his clothes. He was still rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he followed Tash out of the Shroud and through the garden arch. The sky was turning from black to gray.

The Imperial shuttle was not far away. They could see its bulk through the morning mist, crouched like a giant predator waiting to strike.

Zak yawned. “Great, it’s an Imperial shuttle. Can I go back to bed now?”

“No,” Tash replied in a lowered voice. “I have a feeling something’s going to happen.”

“Sure,” Zak said. “If we stand here long enough, we can watch the shuttle rust. Tash, even secret Imperial plots don’t get going until after breakfast-“