"I can see why you don't want them around," Luke said. "Any idea how it got in there?"
"Not yet," the Aristocra said. "We'll begin a thorough search of the vessel in the morning." His eyes bored into Luke's. "Of our vessel, and all others associated with it."
"Of course," Luke said, sensing Mara's sudden wariness. "May I ask exactly what this search will entail?"
"For you, it will most likely be noninvasive," Formbi assured them. "Line creepers exhale a distinctive mixture of gases that is quite easy to detect. If none of those gases is detected in your vessel's compartments, that will be the end of the procedure."
"And if you do detect any?" Mara asked.
"Then we will of course need to examine those areas more thoroughly," Formbi said. "But you should have nothing to be concerned about. If you haven't opened your vessel elsewhere in this region of space, it's highly unlikely you could have picked up any vermin. But we must check nevertheless."
"We understand," Luke said. "Actually, if one of these things is aboard the Sabre, we'd be just as glad for you to get rid of it. Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Thank you, but no," Formbi said. "We'll alert you before entering your vessel, of course."
"We thank you in turn," Luke said, sensing the dismissal in his tone. "We'll see you in the morning, then."
"One other thing," Formbi said as they turned to go. "I'm informed that both you and Jedi Skywalker activated your lightsabers during your search this evening."
"Yes, we did," Mara said. "We were hunting a possible saboteur, if you recall. Not to mention defending ourselves against a Chiss warrior with a twitchy trigger finger."
"Yes—that," Formbi said, sounding embarrassed. "An unfortunate occurrence. The warriors have been spoken to, and it will not happen again."
Something seemed to flicker through the Aristocra's eyes too fast for Luke to catch. "But in return, I must ask you not to activate your weapons again as long as you are aboard a vessel of the Chiss Ascendancy."
Luke frowned. "Not at all?"
"Not at all," Formbi said flatly.
"What if we're in danger?" Mara demanded. "Or if you or one of your people is in danger?"
"Then of course you may do whatever you deem necessary," Formbi said. "But General Drask has insisted that the casual waving of alien weapons aboard the Chaf Envoy will no longer be tolerated."
"Casual?" Mara echoed disbelievingly. "Aristocra—"
"We understand," Luke hurriedly cut her off. "We'll do our best to comply with the general's order."
"Thank you," Formbi said, dipping his head slightly. "Until the morning, then."
The corridors were deserted as they made their way back. Just the same, Luke waited until they were in the privacy of their quarters before breaking the silence. It made for better security, and also gave his quietly seething wife time to cool down. "What do you think?" he asked when the door was solidly sealed behind them.
"My low opinion of General Drask just dropped a few points," she said darkly. "Of all the stupid, childish—"
"Take it easy," Luke soothed, sitting down on the bed and pulling off his boots. "And don't blame Drask, at least not directly. I don't think he was the one who gave the order."
Mara frowned. "Then who did? Formbi?"
Luke nodded. "That's the feeling I was getting."
"Interesting," Mara murmured thoughtfully. "And the reason?"
"No idea," Luke said. "But don't forget how annoyed Drask was when we helped the Five-Oh-First put out the fire. Formbi may be playing politics again, trying to give Drask fewer things to complain about."
"Terrific," Mara muttered as she started again to get ready for bed. "It's so nice to spend time with an honorable people like the Chiss."
"It could be worse," Luke pointed out. "We could be doing this with Bothans. What did you think about his story?"
"The one about Car'das?" Mara snorted under her breath. "He's lying through his teeth on that one, too. There's no reason to let Car'das rattle off Jinzler's list of alleged credentials in an exotic trade language when he understands Basic. He could have switched languages anywhere along the way, just as soon as it was his turn to speak."
"I was thinking that, too," Luke said. "The obvious conclusion is that they didn't want Jinzler to know what they were talking about."
"Exactly," Mara said. "You'll also notice Formbi never actually answered my question as to whether he knew Car'das from somewhere else. And don't forget that they held their little rendezvous in the outer Crustai system where Drask and the rest of the Chiss couldn't eavesdrop."
She shook her head. "They're planning something, Luke," she said darkly. "Something devious. Possibly devious and nasty."
"I know," Luke said, pulling her down onto the bed beside him and wrapping his arm around her. "Do you want to leave?"
"Of course not," she said. "I still want to see Outbound Flight, assuming that part of the story isn't a lie, too. Besides, if there's some trap being spun here—whether for us, Fel, or Drask—we're really the only ones available to stop it."
She shifted position to nestle herself more comfortably against his side. "Unless, of course, you want to leave that to the Geroons?" she added.
Luke smiled at the thought. "No, I think we'd better handle it," he agreed. "Pleasant dreams, Mara."
His last mental image, as he drifted off to sleep, was a darkly amusing one of Bearsh and Estosh and the other Geroons shaking in terror as they stood huddled in one of the ship's corridors, trying desperately to hold blasters steady.
Fel looked up from his desk as Grappler sat down across from him. "Yes?"
"It is in place," the other said, his large eyes reflecting the light from Fel's desk lamp. "Tapped into the navigational repeater lines."
Fel laid aside the datapad he'd been reading. "That was quick," he commented. "Any chance of the Chiss spotting it?"
The orange highlights of Grappler's green skin faded to yellow, the Eickarie equivalent of a head shake. "Not by any casual search," he said. "It is in a conduit behind a cabinet, not directly behind an access panel."
Fel nodded. "Nicely done," he said. "What about our Jedi? Do they suspect anything?"
"Of course they suspect," Grappler said, the highlights becoming orange again. "But they know nothing." His mouth opened in a sardonic grin. "Jedi Skywalker asked me to thank you for my assistance to her."
"Don't underestimate them," Fel warned. "I've heard stories about these two, both from my father and from Admiral Parck. They're sharp, they're quick, and they're very, very deadly."
"I would have it no other way," Grappler assured his commander, stiffening his shoulders proudly. "I look forward to learning their full measure in combat."
Fel took a deep breath. So the game had begun. Time to sit back and let it play. "You'll get your chance," he promised Grappler softly. "I guarantee it."
CHAPTER 10
The vermin search began early the next morning, with four pairs of Chiss armed with atmosphere sniffers starting at the bow and stern and checking every room, storage compartment, conduit, access panel, and supply package aboard the Chaf Envoy. They reached the Jade Sabre about midday, and Mara watched in polite but stolid silence as they made their methodical way through her ship.
Fortunately, Formbi's prediction proved to be correct. No line creepers were found, and within half a standard hour the search team had departed down the transfer tunnel, leaving nothing behind but a faintly metallic aroma from their equipment.