[Galaxy Of Fear] - 08(15)

When all the beetles were dead, Zak gave one enormous, disgusted shudder and sat down.

“That was not prime,” he breathed.

“How did they get in here?” Tash wondered, carefully avoiding dead beetle bodies as she stepped into the room.

“More importantly,” Hoole added, “why did they come in here? These creatures have no reason to crawl onboard the ship.” He considered. “Curious. First thing tomorrow morning, we will go see Vroon. Perhaps he can tell us something. In the meantime, as long as you are in no real danger, I suggest we all get some rest.”

No real danger, Zak thought. Try telling yourself that when you’ve got little creepy-crawlies under your blanket.

Tash helped Zak sweep the remains of the drog beetles from his cabin and change his bed covers. But once he was back in bed again, Zak couldn’t sleep.

“I should have told everyone that first day,” he said out loud. “I should have told them I’d broken the law and killed a shreev. It was an accident. It’s just like with the engines. I should have told them.” He scratched his head furiously-it still felt like there were bugs crawling through it. “But how do I tell everyone now? I’d have to admit that I tried to cover it up!”

Zak finally fell asleep, his dreams alternating between images of the swarming beetles and the disappointed face of Uncle Hoole once he found out about the shreev. Zak didn’t know which was worse.

Zak slept in late the next day. By the time he stumbled out of bed, rubbing his cheeks to wake up, Tash and Hoole were dressed and ready.

“Hurry, please,” Uncle Hoole insisted. “I would like to speak with Vroon about these insects, and then depart as soon as possible.”

Zak looked hopeful. “Are the engines fixed?”

“Almost,” his uncle replied. “Another hour or two of work should do it.”

As soon as Zak was dressed they left the Shroud together and headed toward Vroon’s workshop.

Except for Thrawn’s shuttle, the Imperials had left, but the evidence of their presence was everywhere. Deep gouges had been cut out of the thick grass, and entire flower patches had been trampled.

“This is exactly what I had feared,” Hoole said, a hint of sadness creeping into his even voice. “This garden is hundreds, perhaps thousands of years old. In one day, the Empire has destroyed part of it. Imagine what would happen if the Imperials took permanent control of the planet. That is why a complete record of the Sikadian Gardens must be made and preserved.”

“Uncle Hoole. I just thought of something,” Tash said. “Do you think there’s some connection between the Empire and these beetles? We were here for a full day without any real problems. But the minute the Empire showed up, the bugs seemed to be everywhere. Zak found one in his food right when they arrived, they were all over that dead Imperial, and then they swarmed into Zak’s cabin. Maybe it’s an Imperial plot.”

No it isn’t, Zak thought. It’s just me.

But he still couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.

They reached Vroon’s workshop. The door was ajar, so Hoole tapped on it lightly. There was no answer.

“Hello!” Hoole called out, but still no one responded.

Hoole pushed the door open, then jumped back, startled.

Zak could see just inside the workshop around the edge of Hoole’s arm. He saw the workbenches and the tables. He saw the plant wired to its digital readout. And he saw Vroon sitting on the floor.

Buried beneath a swarming mound of beetles.





CHAPTER 9


Vroon’s body was nearly covered with a layer of drog beetles three or four deep. The beetles were crawling all over him, but very slowly. Unlike the beetles they had found on the dead Imperial, or the beetles that had swarmed on Zak’s bed, these bugs did not move in frantic, scurrying motions. They waddled slowly around Vroon’s body like little old men waking up from a nap.

Zak became aware of a soft sound filling the workshop. It was a low, steady hum. It was so sweet and soothing that Zak began to yawn.

“Is he-?” Tash whispered.

“No,” Hoole replied softly. “Listen to that sound. It’s wingsong. Vroon is using wingsong to influence the beetles.

“How can he stand having them crawl all over him like that!” Zak wondered. “It’s disgusting.”

They watched for a few more minutes, transfixed, as Vroon continued to soothe the beetles. Slowly, however, the wingsong started to wear off. The beetles seemed to become more agitated, moving in faster circles, hopping and leaping over one another.

Then Vroon shook his entire body. All at once, the beetles spread their wings, and the swarm lifted away from Vroon like a cloud. He slipped out from beneath them as the drog beetles settled onto the floor.