The enemy must have new techniques.
A door in the bulkhead ahead of her hissed open, and a man stepped through. He wore a full-coverage garment of glistening blue material and a helmet, narrower and closer than a pilot’s. Its faceplate was transparent, and through it she recognized the features of jagged Fel.
He extended an empty hand. “Alema, surrender. I guarantee…”
She raised her blowgun and shot him. He pitched forward.
No-he knelt forward. He was drawing his holstered blaster before she’d realized he wasn’t dead, wasn’t dying. Armor, he had to be wearing armor.
He raised his blaster and shot her.
The blast struck her in the left shoulder, spinning her around, throwing her to the ground. Pain lanced through her-pain, and a realization that he’d broken her clavicle, that he’d further mutilated her.
She rolled to one side as he shot again. The blast missed her. She lashed out at him through the Force, sweeping him aside, hurling him deep into a mass of cargo crates. The wall of crates, held together by tough webbing, folded in on itself as if devouring jag.
She got up and ran, staggering worse than ever, through the doorway by which jag had entered.
“She’s entering the bow hangar bay for longterm vehicle storage,” Wedge said.
Han, sitting at another viewing station, nodded. He switched from the view of the storage bay to one of the hangar bay; they could both see Alema running, looking between vehicles as if seeking one in which she could escape. “She’s not messing with the holocams anymore,” he said. “I bet it costs too much energy or concentration.”
Wedge focused on his own view, which showed the folded wall of crates into which jag had disappeared. “Jag, do you read me?”
His response was a series of words Wedge didn’t understand, but they sounded like they were designed to peel rust off durasteel.
“Sounds like Chiss,” Han said. He activated his comlink again. “Target is now entering the hangar bay for stateroom patrons.”
Leia was the first of the pursuers to reach the hangar bay used by the Errant Venture customers who had rented compartments for more than a day. The main doors in the floor were open, and a shabby YV 666 light freighter was sinking through them into space.
Alema Rar was in the cockpit. Leia exchanged looks promising mayhem or death with her for a second, and then the transport was out of sight. “Han, why didn’t you seal those doors?”
Han’s voice was anguished. “I tried. I couldn’t. The GA military has a program override that prevents Errant Venture or other facilities from locking in military spacecraft. If there’s one lousy Tee-sixteen skyhopper aboard that belongs to the armed forces, those doors stay open.”
Leia could hear Wedge’s voice in the background: “How did she slice the access codes to a transport so fast?”
“She stole my ship!” Lavint clamped her head between her hands as if trying to prevent an explosion. She spun around as if seeking some corner of her small stateroom where she could find refuge from the truth. “My ship.”
Han glanced at Leia and shrugged. “Actually, she’s taking it better than I expected.”
Leia awkwardly patted the captain’s shoulder. “I know you must have loved your ship…”
Lavint was abruptly still. “Actually, I hated her. But she was still worth something.” She shrugged. “Oh, well. I have another one coming.”
“Speaking of what you have coming…” Han produced a data card and held it before her.
She reached for it, but he kept it out of her grasp, and now she eyed him suspiciously. “What is it?”
“The location of the Confederation meeting you told me about,” Han said. “Place and time.”
Lavint’s eyes gleamed. “So give it over. I met the terms of our contract.”
Leia shook her head, smiling with just a little bit of malice. “That was no contract. You made requests, remember?”
“True.” Lavint didn’t look too disappointed. “But you obtained and brought the information. So it must be on the table.”
“It is,” Han said. “But among other things, we want to know what it’s for. It cost me a lot of favors to get.”
“Oh.” Lavint considered, and looked between them. “I’m going to give it to a man. For a ship, and to clear me out of his life. Out of his consideration.”
“Is he likely to turn it over to the Galactic Alliance government?” Leia asked.
Lavint nodded instantly. “I’d put the likelihood at about one hundred percent.”
Leia said, “I don’t think we can…” But Han handed Lavint the card.