Tales from the New Republic by Peter Schweighofer Read Free Book Online Page B

Intelligence.”
    “If she’s here…” Terror choked off Arkos’s voice.
    The senator put steel into his voice. “Hang with me, Arkos. She’s not invincible—she walked right past me, remember, and snagged someone who’s got nothing to do with our business. Keep your head and we’ll all keep ours.”
    Arkos thought for a moment, then nodded quickly. “You’re right. Thanks.”
    “Not a problem. Let’s get things going.” Bel Iblis smiled. “There will come a point when Isard realizes she needs to come back here and complete her business with you. By then I want everything we need to do done, and the only thing left for her here is our laughter at her blunder.”
    Part III
By Timothy Zahn
    Hal Horn’s afternoon sojourn with Agent Glasc and her aide, Trabler, made one thing abundantly clear to him. These two, as efficient as they might be as investigators, were not part of Darkknell Special Security, not even whatever they might call their internal investigations bureau. They have all the arrogance I’d expect from the Isk-isk division, but it’s usually only displayed to Hutted-up cops, not civilians .
    Glasc had moved Hal from location to location, proclaiming each to be a suspected Rebel contact site. Most were sleazy little holes like Arky’s store, but a couple had been more upscale and toward the west side of Xakrea. The gourmet caf shop where Hal and Trabler waited outside on either side of the door was one of the more prosperous places. Hal had enjoyed the rich aroma of the small shop, and had reluctantly agreed to wait outside as the owner took Glasc into her private office to discuss things.
    Hal arched an eyebrow at Trabler. “Hard to believe the owner didn’t think we’d fit in with the clientele.”
    The bigger man frowned, causing his blond brows to kiss each other above his nose. “You think we look like Rebels?”
    Hostility poured through Trabler’s voice and Hal was perfectly glad his Force senses were a bit tired, since it saved him the full force of the anger rolling off the guy. “Easy, my friend, I didn’t mean to suggest that at all. You know as well as I do that the Rebel tag on this place was likely snitched by the other caf shop around the corner. Customers here seem a bit too prosperous to be Rebels.”
    “Think so, do you?” Trabler snorted coldly. “You’d be surprised at how highly some Rebels are placed. Then again, maybe you wouldn’t.”
    “And that’s supposed to mean?”
    “Means one can’t be too sure who’s gone over or not.” Trabler half smiled. “The Core Worlds have their share of Rebels, sure, but rimkin have more.”
    “Interesting point.” Hal let a pair of women exiting the shop shield him from Trabler. The last time Hal had heard the word “rimkin” used, he had broken up a fight in a Corellian tapcafe where a local had beaten someone from Imperial Center to a pulp for applying such an insulting term to him. Not too many rim-dwellers apply that word to themselves .
    The door opened again and Agent Glasc appeared. She was daubing a white handkerchief against a dark spot on her gray blouse. “She was useless. Broke down and blubbered about evading taxes, but she knows nothing about the Rebellion. Or the plot against Bel Iblis.”
    Trabler glanced at his datapad, then pointed on down the street. “Continuum Void is next on the list. It’s that way.”
    Hal took the lead and found Glasc quickly pacing beside him. “The owner didn’t react to any of the holographs you showed her?”
    Glasc shook her head. “Ignorant, completely ignorant, as was her staff. Places like this claim to bring the latest in Imperial culture to Darkknell, but it’s only what they imagine really goes on at the heart of the Empire. I mean, Corellia is a Core World—did you think the Corellian blend caf was the sort of thing you’d drink at home?”
    “Well, no, but that’s because at CorSec we brew it strong enough to be used for medicinal purposes.” Hal