Read Online Star Wars: Scoundrels by Timothy Zahn - Free Book Online
Authors: Timothy Zahn
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also leaves.”
“It’s been happening three to four times a day,” Kell added. “There’s usually an early morning visit, then one around midday, one in the evening, and one day there was also one just before midnight.”
“The interesting point is that they’re the same three landspeeders each time,” Winter said. “The ID tags are different, but the landspeeders are the same.”
“As are the passengers, we assume,” Rachele said.
“How do you know they’re the same landspeeders?” Zerba asked.
“They have the same small scratches, dents, and other marks,” Winter said.
“You’re sure?” Dozer asked.
“Very sure,” Winter said. “Rachele has good electrobinoculars, and those details come through very clearly.”
“Sounds like Villachor’s playing host to some kind of ongoing meetings,” Bink suggested.
“He’s trying to find a slicer to steal my credits,” Eanjer said blackly. “Probably brought in someone from off world who’s taken advantage of the Festival crowds to slip into the city. If we don’t get in there quickly, we’re going to lose everything.”
“Steady,” Bink soothed. “Rushing off before you’re ready is a recipe for disaster. Besides, if this visitor is Villachor’s personal slicer, why isn’t he staying at Villachor’s place instead of coming and going?”
“And why the parade of local officials coming in to see him?” Tavia added. “No, there’s something else going on.”
“How do these officials look when they come out?” Lando asked. “Happy, angry, depressed?”
Winter and Kell looked at each other. “Nothing, really,” Kell said. “They just look—I don’t know. Normal.”
“You say there’s usually a midday visit?” Lando asked, standing up and walking over to the window. “Which direction do they come from?”
“Northwest, usually,” Winter said, going over and standing beside him. “They come into view along one of those streets up there, then head down the wide avenue along the outer wall, then go in through that gate, the one in the southwest corner.”
“And they leave the same way?”
“They leave through the same gate, but then take various routes back to wherever they’re ultimately going.”
“Have you tried following them?” Han asked.
“I didn’t think it would be safe,” Rachele said. “I’m guessing they have someone running high cover, and we need to have more than just a couple of trackers if we’re going to tail them without being spotted.”
“Well, we’ve got a decent-sized group now,” Han said, crossing to the chair beside Bink and Tavia and sitting down. “Winter, keep an eye out—see if they run their usual schedule. The rest of you, come over here and let’s see what Rachele’s found out about Villachor’s place.”
“It’s going to be a short demo, I’m afraid,” Rachele said as the others came back to the conversation area and sat down. Lando, Han saw with private amusement, was heading toward the seat between Bink and Tavia until Tavia noticed and scooted just far enough toward her sister to close the gap. Lando didn’t even hesitate, but smoothly changed direction and sat beside Zerba instead.
“Here’s the basics,” Rachele said when everyone was seated. She did something to her datapad, and a large multifloor schematic appeared in the air over the holoprojector. “Villachor’s mansion was originally built a hundred fifty years ago as the sector governor’s new home. You’ll note the rough aurek shape of the building: straight-edged north and south wings facing west, with northeast and southeast wings branching off from the center section behind them.”
“Let me guess,” Dozer said. “The governor’s name began with that letter?”
“His wife’s name, actually,” Rachele said. “The governorstead was moved again eighty years later, and the mansion went through a variety of owners until Villachor bought it eleven years ago.”
“Are these schematics
“It’s been happening three to four times a day,” Kell added. “There’s usually an early morning visit, then one around midday, one in the evening, and one day there was also one just before midnight.”
“The interesting point is that they’re the same three landspeeders each time,” Winter said. “The ID tags are different, but the landspeeders are the same.”
“As are the passengers, we assume,” Rachele said.
“How do you know they’re the same landspeeders?” Zerba asked.
“They have the same small scratches, dents, and other marks,” Winter said.
“You’re sure?” Dozer asked.
“Very sure,” Winter said. “Rachele has good electrobinoculars, and those details come through very clearly.”
“Sounds like Villachor’s playing host to some kind of ongoing meetings,” Bink suggested.
“He’s trying to find a slicer to steal my credits,” Eanjer said blackly. “Probably brought in someone from off world who’s taken advantage of the Festival crowds to slip into the city. If we don’t get in there quickly, we’re going to lose everything.”
“Steady,” Bink soothed. “Rushing off before you’re ready is a recipe for disaster. Besides, if this visitor is Villachor’s personal slicer, why isn’t he staying at Villachor’s place instead of coming and going?”
“And why the parade of local officials coming in to see him?” Tavia added. “No, there’s something else going on.”
“How do these officials look when they come out?” Lando asked. “Happy, angry, depressed?”
Winter and Kell looked at each other. “Nothing, really,” Kell said. “They just look—I don’t know. Normal.”
“You say there’s usually a midday visit?” Lando asked, standing up and walking over to the window. “Which direction do they come from?”
“Northwest, usually,” Winter said, going over and standing beside him. “They come into view along one of those streets up there, then head down the wide avenue along the outer wall, then go in through that gate, the one in the southwest corner.”
“And they leave the same way?”
“They leave through the same gate, but then take various routes back to wherever they’re ultimately going.”
“Have you tried following them?” Han asked.
“I didn’t think it would be safe,” Rachele said. “I’m guessing they have someone running high cover, and we need to have more than just a couple of trackers if we’re going to tail them without being spotted.”
“Well, we’ve got a decent-sized group now,” Han said, crossing to the chair beside Bink and Tavia and sitting down. “Winter, keep an eye out—see if they run their usual schedule. The rest of you, come over here and let’s see what Rachele’s found out about Villachor’s place.”
“It’s going to be a short demo, I’m afraid,” Rachele said as the others came back to the conversation area and sat down. Lando, Han saw with private amusement, was heading toward the seat between Bink and Tavia until Tavia noticed and scooted just far enough toward her sister to close the gap. Lando didn’t even hesitate, but smoothly changed direction and sat beside Zerba instead.
“Here’s the basics,” Rachele said when everyone was seated. She did something to her datapad, and a large multifloor schematic appeared in the air over the holoprojector. “Villachor’s mansion was originally built a hundred fifty years ago as the sector governor’s new home. You’ll note the rough aurek shape of the building: straight-edged north and south wings facing west, with northeast and southeast wings branching off from the center section behind them.”
“Let me guess,” Dozer said. “The governor’s name began with that letter?”
“His wife’s name, actually,” Rachele said. “The governorstead was moved again eighty years later, and the mansion went through a variety of owners until Villachor bought it eleven years ago.”
“Are these schematics
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