that doesn’t suit me. It’s not engaging, but it isn’t restful, either.”
Copying her gesture from when we first met, I waved a hand back and forth between us and said, “Same here!”
We let Artoo board first and followed him up.
“We have to stop on Pasher on the way to get all the details from my dad,” Nakari said. “I think we have to pick up some custom armor, too. The creatures the collection crew were after are supposed to be dangerous.”
“What are they?”
“Not sure. My dad’s information protocol means he never gives specifics like that in messages in case they’re intercepted. We’ll find out soon enough. Plus, I want to impress upon him that we’re doing this as a special favor and expect a special favor in return.”
She invited me to pilot, content to be a passenger. “I’m already familiar with the ship and what it can do. You might need some additional time to get acquainted.”
It was true I wasn’t as comfortable yet in the
Desert Jewel
as I was in my X-wing, but I complimented her on what I’d experienced so far. The
Desert Jewel
deserved every admiring glance she received.
Pasher was located in the Inner Rim at a sort of interstellar dead end. Entering the system and viewing it from orbit reminded me of Tatooine, though Pasher didn’t have any moons, and since it lacked the intersecting hyperspace lanes of Tatooine, it wasn’t a popular haven for smugglers. Kelen Biolabs was the largest industry on the planet and Fayet Kelen had many demands on his time, but he carved out some for his daughter when we arrived at the sprawling complex of his industrial kingdom. I probably did not make the best impression on him, but it was Nakari’s fault. Her earlier impersonation of him turned out to be uncannily accurate, so much so that I could not suppress a goofy half smile in his presence, which he may have found annoying. It was difficult to tell. He was portly, had decided to shave his head rather than try to hang on to a halo ofhair, and was gifted with an abundance of jowls. He used his deep voice to boom imperious orders at his employees—whom he actually called minions—and then softened them at the end by adding on “there’s a love” or “just because you’re brilliant.” When we first walked into his office, he turned to an assistant standing nearby and barked, “Minion! Fetch us caf!” And then immediately modulated his tone, saying, “But only because you are kind and deserve a long paid holiday soon.” I guess his employees were all in on the joke, or at least compensated well enough that they overlooked his idiosyncrasies. He noticed my expression, however, and shouted at Nakari, “Daughter! Who is this and why is he laughing at me?”
“This is Luke Skywalker, Daddy. He’s with the Alliance and he’ll be going with me to Fex.”
“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” I said, nodding at him.
“Hmph! Skywalker. Where have I heard that name?”
“He’s the one who destroyed the Death Star, Daddy.”
“Ah! The pilot!” He lowered his voice and said to his daughter, “So you’ve decided to go to Fex after all? Good idea bringing him along.”
“Yes, we’ll go, but we expect to be compensated for the trip.”
“Compensated! For what?”
“For finding the collection crew and bringing back whatever we can.”
“Ah! Very well! The more you bring back, the looser my purse strings. But you must be prepared.
Minion!
” he bellowed. A different assistant, a lean, tall, older man, walked through a door set in the wall to our left and asked Fayet Kelen how he might serve. “Fetch two suits of the new Fexian armor prototypes immediately for my daughter and her pilot! And a case of stun sticks! Have them delivered to her ship as soon as possible! And,” he added, more quietly, “please give my regards to your family. I hope your son is doing well at the university.”
The man bowed and departed without a word, accepting boththe order and the good
Copying her gesture from when we first met, I waved a hand back and forth between us and said, “Same here!”
We let Artoo board first and followed him up.
“We have to stop on Pasher on the way to get all the details from my dad,” Nakari said. “I think we have to pick up some custom armor, too. The creatures the collection crew were after are supposed to be dangerous.”
“What are they?”
“Not sure. My dad’s information protocol means he never gives specifics like that in messages in case they’re intercepted. We’ll find out soon enough. Plus, I want to impress upon him that we’re doing this as a special favor and expect a special favor in return.”
She invited me to pilot, content to be a passenger. “I’m already familiar with the ship and what it can do. You might need some additional time to get acquainted.”
It was true I wasn’t as comfortable yet in the
Desert Jewel
as I was in my X-wing, but I complimented her on what I’d experienced so far. The
Desert Jewel
deserved every admiring glance she received.
Pasher was located in the Inner Rim at a sort of interstellar dead end. Entering the system and viewing it from orbit reminded me of Tatooine, though Pasher didn’t have any moons, and since it lacked the intersecting hyperspace lanes of Tatooine, it wasn’t a popular haven for smugglers. Kelen Biolabs was the largest industry on the planet and Fayet Kelen had many demands on his time, but he carved out some for his daughter when we arrived at the sprawling complex of his industrial kingdom. I probably did not make the best impression on him, but it was Nakari’s fault. Her earlier impersonation of him turned out to be uncannily accurate, so much so that I could not suppress a goofy half smile in his presence, which he may have found annoying. It was difficult to tell. He was portly, had decided to shave his head rather than try to hang on to a halo ofhair, and was gifted with an abundance of jowls. He used his deep voice to boom imperious orders at his employees—whom he actually called minions—and then softened them at the end by adding on “there’s a love” or “just because you’re brilliant.” When we first walked into his office, he turned to an assistant standing nearby and barked, “Minion! Fetch us caf!” And then immediately modulated his tone, saying, “But only because you are kind and deserve a long paid holiday soon.” I guess his employees were all in on the joke, or at least compensated well enough that they overlooked his idiosyncrasies. He noticed my expression, however, and shouted at Nakari, “Daughter! Who is this and why is he laughing at me?”
“This is Luke Skywalker, Daddy. He’s with the Alliance and he’ll be going with me to Fex.”
“Pleasure to meet you, sir,” I said, nodding at him.
“Hmph! Skywalker. Where have I heard that name?”
“He’s the one who destroyed the Death Star, Daddy.”
“Ah! The pilot!” He lowered his voice and said to his daughter, “So you’ve decided to go to Fex after all? Good idea bringing him along.”
“Yes, we’ll go, but we expect to be compensated for the trip.”
“Compensated! For what?”
“For finding the collection crew and bringing back whatever we can.”
“Ah! Very well! The more you bring back, the looser my purse strings. But you must be prepared.
Minion!
” he bellowed. A different assistant, a lean, tall, older man, walked through a door set in the wall to our left and asked Fayet Kelen how he might serve. “Fetch two suits of the new Fexian armor prototypes immediately for my daughter and her pilot! And a case of stun sticks! Have them delivered to her ship as soon as possible! And,” he added, more quietly, “please give my regards to your family. I hope your son is doing well at the university.”
The man bowed and departed without a word, accepting boththe order and the good
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