Read Online Into the Void: Star Wars (Dawn of the Jedi) by Tim Lebbon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tim Lebbon
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many.
Sometimes, she fit right in.
Cloud Chasers drifted above, speeders buzzed along a slightly raised roadway in the
center of the street, and several types of indigenous beasts of burden carried people
on their backs or limbs. But Lanoree chose to walk. It meant that she had complete
control of her movements, and it would be easier to keep watch. She wanted to draw
her follower out, not escape from him or her.
She used the polished shine of speeders, the glass of display windows, and the reflections
in the eyes of those passing by to look behind her. And when she could not see, she
blinked slowly, casting her senses back to try and discover who and where her pursuer
was.
It was frustrating. She felt observed, and it could no longer be the usual curiosity
for a Je’daii Ranger; she had removed her Ranger star to try to blend in.
The end of the street opened up into a large market, stalls built across a wide marble-paved
square and suspended on three massive treelike structures around the square’s perimeter.
Small Cloud Chasers moored at some of these trees, ferrying people and freight to
and from the larger vessels that buzzed and drifted above. Lanoree trotted down the
curved stone steps that led to the square. Then she stopped, turned, and ran back
up.
She paused on the top step and looked around. The street she had walked along was
bustling. She looked at people walking toward and past her, human and otherwise. She
watched many more walking away. Probing with her senses, touching the pulse of the
Force, she felt for any image of herself in someone else’s regard … and found it.
Just standing there, watching, don’t forget she’s a Ranger, dangerous, mysterious—
She touched the haft of her sword and pulled it partway out of itssheath, turning, seeing a Cathar family paused twenty paces from her while the mother
and father fussed over their six children. Standing just behind them, pretending to
be a part of their group and yet so obviously not, was a shape that did not belong.
The man was small but stocky, wearing an expansive gray robe and a large mask. Lanoree
was sure he was Noghri—reptilian, skilled fighters, prized assassins. As she laid
eyes on him, he looked up and met her gaze.
She raised one hand, ready to Force-push him to the ground for the moment she’d need
to reach him.
He pulled a laser blaster and fired into the family group.
Screams. Panic. People running, fleeing, falling. The Noghri fired again, shooting
at random.
Lanoree drew her sword and ran at the shooter. He was already fleeing, blaster in
one hand and something else in the other. She could not make out what the device was.
She reached for him, shoved, but he dodged sideways, and her Force punch tripped a
beast of burden, spilling its three passengers.
As she passed the Cathar family, she glanced down and saw the woman on the ground,
blood pulsing from a terrible, black-tinged wound in her furry scalp. The father was
trying to pull the children away while crying out in mad grief. Lanoree wanted to
stay and help, but there would be others to do that.
She would best serve the dead woman by catching her killer.
The Noghri had flowed down the steps and was sprinting toward one of the mooring stations.
When they saw him coming, most people moved away, his violent intent obvious. But
when two militia crouched before him and aimed long, spearlike weapons at him, he
shot them both. The movement was almost too quick to be seen, and as they fell back
dead the killer was already entering the shadow of the mooring tree.
He was well trained. It would take someone who knew what he was doing to bring down
those two guards without pause.
She was gaining on him as he entered one of several doorways into the Cloud Chaser
mooring structure. He was still doing something with the object in his other hand,
and she paused and reached for him, concentrating, willing the
Sometimes, she fit right in.
Cloud Chasers drifted above, speeders buzzed along a slightly raised roadway in the
center of the street, and several types of indigenous beasts of burden carried people
on their backs or limbs. But Lanoree chose to walk. It meant that she had complete
control of her movements, and it would be easier to keep watch. She wanted to draw
her follower out, not escape from him or her.
She used the polished shine of speeders, the glass of display windows, and the reflections
in the eyes of those passing by to look behind her. And when she could not see, she
blinked slowly, casting her senses back to try and discover who and where her pursuer
was.
It was frustrating. She felt observed, and it could no longer be the usual curiosity
for a Je’daii Ranger; she had removed her Ranger star to try to blend in.
The end of the street opened up into a large market, stalls built across a wide marble-paved
square and suspended on three massive treelike structures around the square’s perimeter.
Small Cloud Chasers moored at some of these trees, ferrying people and freight to
and from the larger vessels that buzzed and drifted above. Lanoree trotted down the
curved stone steps that led to the square. Then she stopped, turned, and ran back
up.
She paused on the top step and looked around. The street she had walked along was
bustling. She looked at people walking toward and past her, human and otherwise. She
watched many more walking away. Probing with her senses, touching the pulse of the
Force, she felt for any image of herself in someone else’s regard … and found it.
Just standing there, watching, don’t forget she’s a Ranger, dangerous, mysterious—
She touched the haft of her sword and pulled it partway out of itssheath, turning, seeing a Cathar family paused twenty paces from her while the mother
and father fussed over their six children. Standing just behind them, pretending to
be a part of their group and yet so obviously not, was a shape that did not belong.
The man was small but stocky, wearing an expansive gray robe and a large mask. Lanoree
was sure he was Noghri—reptilian, skilled fighters, prized assassins. As she laid
eyes on him, he looked up and met her gaze.
She raised one hand, ready to Force-push him to the ground for the moment she’d need
to reach him.
He pulled a laser blaster and fired into the family group.
Screams. Panic. People running, fleeing, falling. The Noghri fired again, shooting
at random.
Lanoree drew her sword and ran at the shooter. He was already fleeing, blaster in
one hand and something else in the other. She could not make out what the device was.
She reached for him, shoved, but he dodged sideways, and her Force punch tripped a
beast of burden, spilling its three passengers.
As she passed the Cathar family, she glanced down and saw the woman on the ground,
blood pulsing from a terrible, black-tinged wound in her furry scalp. The father was
trying to pull the children away while crying out in mad grief. Lanoree wanted to
stay and help, but there would be others to do that.
She would best serve the dead woman by catching her killer.
The Noghri had flowed down the steps and was sprinting toward one of the mooring stations.
When they saw him coming, most people moved away, his violent intent obvious. But
when two militia crouched before him and aimed long, spearlike weapons at him, he
shot them both. The movement was almost too quick to be seen, and as they fell back
dead the killer was already entering the shadow of the mooring tree.
He was well trained. It would take someone who knew what he was doing to bring down
those two guards without pause.
She was gaining on him as he entered one of several doorways into the Cloud Chaser
mooring structure. He was still doing something with the object in his other hand,
and she paused and reached for him, concentrating, willing the
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