“What’s the nature of the project, sir?”
“That’s on a need-to-know basis,” Sauro snapped. “I want a name tonight.”
“But I’d have to get parental permission -“
“There’s no time. Just follow my instructions.”
The hologram faded.
“Sounds like you got your tail whipped there, young fellow,” Bog said.
Maggis ignored the comment. He sat down heavily.
Unlike Maggis, Bog felt exhilarated. Vader! What luck! Bog couldn’t imagine how many political points he’d score by getting Lune into the program.
“I’m going to help you out here, Maggis,” he said. “I’m going to volunteer my boy. You couldn’t ask for a better kid. Smart. Follows orders. Loyal.”
“He’s very young. And he’s only just arrived. Senator Sauro specified older recruits.”
“Not really. You’ve got to learn to listen carefully. He said ‘unquestioning loyalty to the Empire.’ Now, that’s a different thing. That’s what my boy has.”
Maggis stared at him. “I don’t know if I’d… characterize your son that way.”
“I would. Special boy.” Bog leaned back. “I think you’d want to succeed with this one. Pleasing Lord Vader - shouldn’t take that lightly. I’d be talking to Sauro, too. Telling him how helpful you were. I’m sure you want to succeed in the job. We all want to see you succeed. You have such a bright future ahead of you.”
Maggis moved a durasheet from one corner of his desk to another. Bog wasn’t concerned with his reluctance. He would cave. Loyalty. That’s what the Empire was all about. Those who practiced it would receive their rewards. Maggis knew that.
Maggis cleared his throat. “Governor Divinian, I’ll recommend your son for the project. Of course.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
As he flew in low over the plains and cities of Acherin, Clive was shocked at the devastation. The planet had been blasted back to pre-tech times. The infrastructure had been blown to bits. The citizens were living in rubble.
When the Clone Wars began, Acherin had escaped any brushes with the conflict. They’d sided with the Separatists and were protected by an orbiting team of battleships from the Trade Federation. Their industries were too precious to lose. But a growing movement on Acherin began to side with the Republic, and after the wars ended, opposition to the Empire was fierce and vocal. Then the Imperial troops arrived, establishing garrisons and taking over major industries. Even the supporters of the Separatists joined the revolt.
The Acherins fought fiercely but were defeated. It was while under Imperial control that a civil war broke out between longstanding rival factions. The factions were concentrated in two cities, the ancient city of Eluthan and the larger, more cosmopolitan business center of Sood, The Imperials had closed their garrisons and moved all the factories off-planet. Acherin was no longer of any use to them. They left the planet without law, without government, without a power grid.
And now the devastation they left behind was being ground into dust by the Acherins themselves.
When Clive had been on the asteroid base, he’d spent time talking to its keepers, Toma and Raina, natives of Acherin. He knew about their lives before the Empire had invaded. He knew what Acherin had been. Now he saw how beings could be truly beaten and broken. They would have to rebuild their civilization from scratch without the resources to do it. But even so, the two factions were fighting each other for control, and as a result no progress could be made.
On his flight he had managed to reach Toma. Communication with the asteroid was difficult and he’d had to try again and again. When he’d reached Toma, they limited their conversation, not wanting a signal to be picked up. But Toma had managed to give him the lead he needed.
Toma had known Flame in the underground, so he’d known only her code name. She’d surfaced after the Empire had arrived. Toma had been the commander of the military arm of the resistance, so he hadn’t had much direct contact with Flame. But a trusted friend had reached him on a secret comm account he had set up and told him that a former comrade needed his help.
The blockade of the planet had ended, and it was easy for Clive to land in the outskirts of the ancient city of Eluthan. There was no checkpoint, no controls. He simply hid his transport in the canyons and walked toward the walled city.
He followed the twisting streets, occasionally consulting his datapad for directions. Without landmarks, it was easy to get lost. The city bore little resemblance to the glorious place he’d heard about. The dwellings had been built of a stone that must have been beautiful once, a soft golden color that turned into liquid fire in the setting sun. But the houses and public buildings had been blasted down to stumps and repaired with plastoid parts. There were large open squares that had once held grass but now were hard-packed dirt. He could see open fires and makeshift dwellings, the shadows of Acherins preparing the evening meal. A sense of defeat rose from the stones and the ground. Clive knew that seeing this would break Toma and Raina’s hearts.