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Authors: Kevin Hearne
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wishes. It was just as well that he didn’t try to speak, for Fayet had already turned his attention back to us and pointed at R2-D2, who had followed us in. “Can I transfer coordinates and other data to your droid?” he asked.
“Of course,” I said.
“Does this droid interact with anyone besides you?”
“He occasionally interacts with other members of the Alliance,” I said. “But mostly he’s my personal astromech.”
“It’s good to have a minion, isn’t it?”
Artoo bleeped something and the tone did not fail to communicate his annoyance with such a demeaning label. Fayet Kelen paused, considering the droid, then looked at me. “You should make sure to lavish him with compliments for his service.”
“Oh, I do. He’s the finest droid in the galaxy.”
Fayet nodded, satisfied, ignoring Artoo’s blat of disgust. “Are you returning to the Alliance after leaving here, or traveling straight to Fex?”
“Straight to Fex,” Nakari answered.
“Good. After the mission is complete I want all of the data I’m about to give you erased from the droid’s memory, agreed?”
“Sure,” I said. I could simply have Artoo make his own observations and record them for the Alliance’s benefit should we want to use the moon as a base. We’d erase everything he gave us but would have our own data to use afterward.
“Excellent.” He picked up a datapad from his desk and stabbed at it rapidly with a thick finger.
“Droid!
I am uploading the encrypted mission files to our system for your access. They will be accessible for fifteen minutes and you may connect to any socket on your way out. Filename
Fexian
, download using the password
Violet
, and decrypt the files using the key
Skywalker
. Acknowledge!”
Artoo chirped an affirmative as Kelen’s first assistant returned with almost comically tiny cups of caf, barely half a swallow,resting on porcelain saucers on a round tray. We all paused to drink and return the cups to the saucers, thanking the assistant for bringing them before she withdrew.
“And now, my daughter,” Fayet said, stepping forward and placing his massive hands on either side of Nakari’s face, “go and return to me safely. You are my pride and my world, and my love for you is as vast as the dune sea outside our city walls. You know this, do you not?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He nodded, satisfied. “Good.” He dropped his hands but then waggled a finger at her. “Now, this moon is an extremely dangerous place. Do not step outside your ship without your armor. Review the files I have given you carefully on the way.”
“I will.” She lunged forward and pecked him on the cheek. “I know you’re busy and you have to go.” She embraced him briefly and stepped back. “Thanks for seeing us.”
“Always.” His eyes flicked to me, then he thundered, “And you! Pilot!”
“Yes?”
“Exercise prudence on your journey. You will not show off. Let your skills commend themselves by your judicious use of them.”
“Understood, sir.”
“And stop grinning at me!”
I did my best to master my expression and said, “Yes, sir.”
“Come on, Luke, he’s late for a meeting,” Nakari said, tugging at my sleeve and leading me to the door. Her father was already shouting for another minion before we could make our exit.
Artoo paused in Fayet Kelen’s reception area, where a data-port in the wall allowed him to download the pertinent files for the mission. The tall, lean gentleman who had a son at university was waiting for us at the ship with three black cargo cases. “Two armor units and some stun sticks, as ordered,” he said. “I’d practice somersaulting in the armor if I were you.”
“Why?” Nakari asked.
“I’m assuming Mr. Kelen shared our survey files with you. Watch the holo of what you’re hunting and you’ll see what I mean.” With that cryptic comment, he wished us a safe journey and departed, but not before I noticed his brief shudder.
“Well, my
“Of course,” I said.
“Does this droid interact with anyone besides you?”
“He occasionally interacts with other members of the Alliance,” I said. “But mostly he’s my personal astromech.”
“It’s good to have a minion, isn’t it?”
Artoo bleeped something and the tone did not fail to communicate his annoyance with such a demeaning label. Fayet Kelen paused, considering the droid, then looked at me. “You should make sure to lavish him with compliments for his service.”
“Oh, I do. He’s the finest droid in the galaxy.”
Fayet nodded, satisfied, ignoring Artoo’s blat of disgust. “Are you returning to the Alliance after leaving here, or traveling straight to Fex?”
“Straight to Fex,” Nakari answered.
“Good. After the mission is complete I want all of the data I’m about to give you erased from the droid’s memory, agreed?”
“Sure,” I said. I could simply have Artoo make his own observations and record them for the Alliance’s benefit should we want to use the moon as a base. We’d erase everything he gave us but would have our own data to use afterward.
“Excellent.” He picked up a datapad from his desk and stabbed at it rapidly with a thick finger.
“Droid!
I am uploading the encrypted mission files to our system for your access. They will be accessible for fifteen minutes and you may connect to any socket on your way out. Filename
Fexian
, download using the password
Violet
, and decrypt the files using the key
Skywalker
. Acknowledge!”
Artoo chirped an affirmative as Kelen’s first assistant returned with almost comically tiny cups of caf, barely half a swallow,resting on porcelain saucers on a round tray. We all paused to drink and return the cups to the saucers, thanking the assistant for bringing them before she withdrew.
“And now, my daughter,” Fayet said, stepping forward and placing his massive hands on either side of Nakari’s face, “go and return to me safely. You are my pride and my world, and my love for you is as vast as the dune sea outside our city walls. You know this, do you not?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
He nodded, satisfied. “Good.” He dropped his hands but then waggled a finger at her. “Now, this moon is an extremely dangerous place. Do not step outside your ship without your armor. Review the files I have given you carefully on the way.”
“I will.” She lunged forward and pecked him on the cheek. “I know you’re busy and you have to go.” She embraced him briefly and stepped back. “Thanks for seeing us.”
“Always.” His eyes flicked to me, then he thundered, “And you! Pilot!”
“Yes?”
“Exercise prudence on your journey. You will not show off. Let your skills commend themselves by your judicious use of them.”
“Understood, sir.”
“And stop grinning at me!”
I did my best to master my expression and said, “Yes, sir.”
“Come on, Luke, he’s late for a meeting,” Nakari said, tugging at my sleeve and leading me to the door. Her father was already shouting for another minion before we could make our exit.
Artoo paused in Fayet Kelen’s reception area, where a data-port in the wall allowed him to download the pertinent files for the mission. The tall, lean gentleman who had a son at university was waiting for us at the ship with three black cargo cases. “Two armor units and some stun sticks, as ordered,” he said. “I’d practice somersaulting in the armor if I were you.”
“Why?” Nakari asked.
“I’m assuming Mr. Kelen shared our survey files with you. Watch the holo of what you’re hunting and you’ll see what I mean.” With that cryptic comment, he wished us a safe journey and departed, but not before I noticed his brief shudder.
“Well, my
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