[Last Of The Jedi] - 08(15)

One by one, the other flight simulator teams were blasted out of the sky. Soon only Trever and Lune were left with Kestrel and his partner, Flinn.

“I think we should let them win,” Lune muttered as put the ship into a steep climb. “We don’t want to attract too much attention.”

Trever took a moment to shoot a look at Lune. “Or we could just win and drive Kestrel crazy.”

Lune grinned.

Kestrel was a good pilot, but Lune was better. Lune stayed above them, flying fast, as fast as the simulator would go, and never lost control. He let them chase him. The program released a field of asteroids into the frame. Lune dodged them easily. One of them clipped one of Kestrel’s wings.

“That’s it. He’s going to have control problems. I’m going in,” Lune murmured. “Get ready.”

Trever hunched over the controls. “Go.”

Lune was calm as he swept the ship into an arc. Then he suddenly heeled to the right and dived. “I’ll tell you when to shoot.”

Trever would have been annoyed, but he knew Lune’s skill was greater than his own. “Now. Starboard guns.”

Trever shot the starboard laser cannons and Lune made a sharp starboard turn. It seemed simultaneous which would make the aim go awry, but it was a split second before, and the aim was true. Kestrel was already firing at them, but the fire streaked across open space. Trever’s shot went home. Kestrel’s ship exploded.

Trever let out a whoop of pure joy. The class cheered and jeered, depending on their loyalties. Kestrel had his supporters, but most of the younger recruits had been rooting for Lune and Trever.

They climbed out of the cockpit simulator. Kestrel’s neck was bright red as he climbed out at the same time. Oops, Trever thought. They’d humiliated him. They were fresh recruits, and they’d beaten him.

Squ-awk! Ruby-throated ketel Trever wanted to catcall, but he bit back the insult.

Maggis called for attention. “That was the most pathetic display I’ve ever seen,” he said in disgust. “I’ve seen toddlers in a nursery throw blocks with more accuracy. AH of you should be flunked out today. Divinian, you were the only one to show any skill whatsoever. Fortin, you get a failing grade.”

“But I blasted Kestrel out of the sky!” Trever protested.

“I heard that yell. You showed emotion. That’s against Imperial rules. Do that in a cockpit again and the next thing you know you’ll be eating slop on a tray in the Mining Corps.”

Kestrel smirked at him.

“Tomorrow we take a look at some real starships in the hangar, so I want you up on your manuals. Strain your puny brains. Class dismissed. In other words, get out of my sight.”

The class started to move out as the clanging bells and flashing lights urged them to hurry.

Kestrel drifted behind them.

“You’re going down, Fortin,” he said.

“You think? Seems like you’re the one who just flamed out,” Lune replied.

“I wouldn’t make friends with Fortin if I were you, Divinian,” Flinn said, coming up close to Lune’s side and leaning in. “He’s not going to last long. Pretty soon he’ll be a drone worker on a mining planet.”

“Maybe,” Trever said. “But I know one thing for sure - we just outflew you, outgunned you, and outclassed you.”

Kestrel opened his mouth angrily, but just then they passed under the gaze of Maggis, who stood at the doorway, arms folded. He looked at them from under his heavy black brows.

“That probably wasn’t the best move,” Trever muttered as they entered the swirl of recruits in the hallway. “It was the stupidest thing we could have done.”

“Yeah,” Lune said cheerfully, “But it sure felt good.”

Trever looked over his shoulder. Maggis was still watching them.

“I’d better take off. Don’t think we should be seen together. As soon as I come up with a plan, I’ll find you.”

“I already have a plan,” Lune said. “Meet me in the commons room an hour after lights-down tonight.”





CHAPTER NINE


Ferus was desperate for news, but he was traveling with a group of Imperial officers and couldn’t show his agitation by the tiniest look or gesture. He knew that the operation on Ussa should have been completed by now. Amie should be at the Eleven’s safe house. But the coded signal hadn’t been sent. Something must have gone wrong.

The Imperial ship dipped into the inner atmosphere of Coruscant. They headed for the busy high-clearance Imperial landing stage. Ferus wasn’t used to arriving on Coruscant so officially. He’d had to sneak to and from the planet several times, and it hadn’t been easy. Now clearances were completed in minutes, and soon he was ushered into a luxurious airspeeder and taken directly to one of the private small landing platforms at the Senate complex. There a military escort greeted him and ushered him to the office of the Inquisitors, several levels down from Palpatine’s office in the Senate Tower.