Star Wars: Shadow Games by Michael Reaves Read Free Book Online Page B

wryly. Chances were good Dash was going to find out to exactly what lengths Spike would go to protect her stunning boss.
    They worked their way from the observation deck down to the well-deck where Dash, in inspecting the life pods, discovered that the
Nova’s Heart
was equipped with a secondary shuttle—a prettier, glossier counterpart to the stubby little planet-hopper they’d arrived in. This shuttle was about eight meters long, held six people and a nav droid, and was sleek as a dart. Its long, tapered hull ended in a deadly-looking point that, slanting down as it did from its backswept stabilizer planes and V-shaped forward viewport, gave the little ship the threatening look of a raptor. He was convinced he was lookingat a fighter—not the kind of vehicle you took on a pleasure outing.
    “Whoa. That’s different. One of Charn’s upgrades?”
    Marrak shook his head. “It came with the ship. It’s a Falleen design.”
    Dash’s insides squirmed.
Falleen
. That explained the faint sense of menace about the thing. Dash had no love for the Falleen—least of all for a particular Falleen, Prince Xizor, with whom his limited contact had been both deadly and disastrous. In Dash’s estimation all Falleen were duplicitous and cagey.
    He felt suddenly as if Dantari fire ants were crawling across the nape of his neck. He shook the feeling away and studied the Falleen shuttle warily. “Came with the ship, huh? Well, it’s definitely not stock—”
    “Of course not. It was something the previous owner added, apparently. Maybe he liked to take day trips.”
    Day trips into danger, maybe
. Dash shook himself—damn thing was just a shuttle craft. “I’d like to see the bridge.”
    “So would I,” said Eaden.
    The bridge was spectacular. It was a large, open, teardrop-shaped chamber with formfitting seats for the captain and mate, and seats of only slightly less impressive design at three other consoles along the sloping bulkheads. Between the flight console and the viewport was a holographic tactical display that made Dash’s mouth water. Lando didn’t even have one of those on the
Lady Luck
.
    Of course
, Dash reminded himself,
Javul probably makes in a day what Lando
—
or I
—
make in a year. If it’s a good year
.
    “
That’s
not stock equipment.”
    The captain smiled. “No, it’s not. And let me tell you it is worth the cost in an asteroid field or maneuvering in close quarters.”
    “Indeed,” murmured Eaden, moving toward the flight console as if drawn by a magnet.
    “I see communications and security consoles,” Dash said, waving at the stations along the port side of the bridge, “but what’s that over there?” He gestured to a station just starboard of the copilot’s seat.
    “Weapons control,” said Marrak. “Another artifact of days gone by. The previous owner had laser cannons mounted on the fuselage.” He pointed up, then down. “They’re still there, but we’ve never had occasion to use them. It’s not polite to shoot at your fans, even when they’re really annoying.”
    “Yeah.” Dash’s eyes were drawn back to the captain’s chair. “Um … can I?” He tilted his head toward the flight console.
    Marrak’s smile deepened. “Be my guest.”
    When they at last finished their tour, Dash was weary and his head felt as if the ship’s specs were leaking from his ears. It would all sort itself out during a good night’s sleep, though; that he knew from experience. By the time he woke tomorrow to his first full day of work as Javul Charn’s “security consultant,” he would have the various decks, rooms, and passageways of the
Nova’s Heart
categorized, cataloged, and classified. His mind worked best, Dash liked to say, when he wasn’t using it.
    He was forced to use it, though, during dinner, at which he and Eaden were introduced to the ship’s complement as the “new security officers.” This was greeted with some interest by the crew, who exchanged knowing looks