“WHAT WAS THAT?” Milo asked breathlessly, skidding to a halt.
Lina slammed the panel and the door slid shut, sealing them in. “I don’t know,” she said. “But it was big.”
“Mistress Lina…” CR-8R said.
Milo bent over, breathing hard. “Could there be someone else on the ship?”
“Master Milo…” CR-8R tried again.
Lina banged her fist on the solid steel door. “Whatever it was, or whoever, they’re not getting in here.”
“Hey, shut up and listen to your robot!” someone snapped. “He’s trying to tell you something.”
They turned. Milo froze in horror. Lina gasped.
The gate into the far cell hung open, twisted almost off its hinges. The tin cup lay on the floor, crushed flat.
Stel leaned against the bars of his own cell, staring in amazement. “I honestly didn’t think he had the strength,” the young man told them. “But he just kept pounding. Never said a word, just bang, bang, bang. I thought he was out of his mind, space crazy. Then I heard it snap.”
“This hinge,” CR-8R said, pointing. “It was loose.”
“The stormtrooper,” Milo said, remembering. “He threw him into the gate. That must have weakened it.”
Lina shivered, remembering the bellow they’d heard in the storage bay. Davin must have been so close, it was a miracle he hadn’t caught them.
“I was going to ask him to free me, too,” Stel admitted. “Then I saw the look in his eyes. There was nothing on that alien’s mind but murder. That’s when I knew where he was going.”
“Wh-where?” Milo asked.
“After you, of course,” Stel said.
“So why didn’t he kill you?” Lina asked. “He had the chance.”
Stel gave her a crooked smile. “Maybe he likes me. Or maybe he just figured I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“What do we do now?” Milo asked Lina. “If we’re trapped in here, what happens to your plan?”
“What plan?” Stel asked. “You guys have a plan?”
Lina explained about the spiders, Stel’s eyes lighting up as she told him about the separate power sources and her scheme to rig the cell block battery to the navicom.
“Not a bad plan,” he said. “She’s a smart one, that Shade, huh? Separate power cells, why didn’t I ever think of—”
There was a thump behind them and Milo jumped. It came again, the heavy door into the cell block shuddering violently.
“He’s come for us,” Lina said, trying to keep her voice steady. “What do we do?” She thought she heard shouting, as though the madman was calling out to them.
“I’ve got an idea,” Stel said. “It’s not as good as yours, but…”
“Just tell us,” Lina pleaded, glancing back as the door rattled again.
“Okay,” Stel said. “You two kids get safe in the cells. The droid opens the door. Davin goes for you. I hide against the wall and hit him with that stunner. He goes down, we lock him up, everybody celebrates.”
Milo rolled his eyes. “Why are we always the bait?” he groaned.
Stel laughed. “If it makes you feel better, think of yourself as a distraction. You’ll be safe in the cells. Me and the droid are the ones taking the risks.” He turned to Lina. “What do you say, boss? Do I get the job?”
Lina gave him a thoughtful look. Then the thud came again and she nodded. “Crater, let him out. It’s the only way.”
CR-8R paused for a moment, unsure. Then he tapped in the code and the gate swung open.
Stel took a step into the hallway, a grin breaking across his face. “You won’t regret this,” he said. “Now, Lina, get in my cell. Milo, in yours. I’m not saying anything’s going to go wrong, but if it does I’d feel safer if you weren’t locked in together.”
Lina’s heart hammered as the young convict swung both gates shut, sealing them in.
“And give me the stun-stick,” he said, reaching in to take it. He flicked the switch, the rippling energy reflected in his green eyes. For a moment Lina thought she saw something else in there, something like hunger.
“Okay, droid,” Stel said. “You know what to do.”
CR-8R positioned himself by the door. “Please be careful. We’re all in a lot of danger if you miss your mark.”
“Don’t sweat it, oilcan.” Stel grinned. “I know what I’m doing. Besides, this guy’s got no interest in droids. It’s us he’ll be after.”
He pressed himself against the wall, holding up one hand and counting down on his fingers.
Four, three…CR-8R reached for the panel. Stel raised the stun-stick. Lina watched breathlessly.
Two, one…The door slid open. A huge figure loomed in the doorway, pausing for a moment before ducking inside. Davin towered over CR-8R, throwing the droid into shadow.
Then Lina noticed something that made her head spin. The big alien was smiling. He held his palms up as he stepped toward them, his eyes shining with what looked like relief.
“You’re alive,” he said. “I was—”
Stel leapt from hiding. There was a flash of blue light.
Davin fell like a tree, face-first. His forehead hit the deck with a crunch, right in front of Lina’s cell.
Milo gripped the bars. “Did you see his face?” he asked Lina. “Something was wrong.”
“I know,” she called back. “What was he trying to say?”
“He was probably trying to tell you how glad he was that you’re okay,” Stel interrupted. “How thankful that I hadn’t had the chance to hurt you. Yet.”
The young man spun on his heel, shoving the stun-stick at CR-8R. There was a spray of sparks and CR-8R reeled back. Electricity crackled as Stel thrust again, digging the stick furiously into the droid’s side.
CR-8R shook, letting out a deafening screech. His repulsors failed and he hit the floor, metal limbs jerking and twitching, appendages writhing like a nest of angry snakes.
Stel twirled the stun-stick around his hand like a baton. He drew back and dealt Davin a kick in the side, so hard that the Lasat’s whole body shook. Then he turned to Milo and Lina.
“Surprise!” he said, and beamed at them.
Lina stepped back, her hands clenched into fists. Stel’s thin lips twitched excitedly and there was a wild gleam in his eyes.
“You’re the butcher of Brentaal IV,” Milo said. “It was you all along.”
“That’s what they called me,” Stel admitted. “The things I did, sometimes I can’t even believe it was me. But that was a long time ago. I’m better now. Sort of.”
“So why did you lie to us?” Lina asked. “Why did you say it was Davin?” She gestured to the snoring body face-down at her feet.
“Because I wanted you to like me and hate him,” Stel said. “I like to be liked. Doesn’t everyone?”
He placed one foot on Davin’s back.
The alien grunted but did not wake. “He came here for you, of course,” Stel said, taking a step up and balancing on Davin’s motionless form. “He was sent to get you out. But he couldn’t say so in front of me. He was smart, you see. He never trusted me for a moment.”
“How do you know what he was up to?” Milo asked. “How do you know he came to rescue us?”
Stel snorted. “Have you really not figured it out?” he spat. “I was on the run for years, that part was true. Those senators put a price on my head so big, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone caught up to me. But then the Republic was gone. And when the stormtroopers came knocking, they weren’t there to arrest me.”
Lina gasped. “You’re working for the Empire. But you’re a killer.”
“Exactly.” Stel laughed. “I was just the kind of person they were after. Someone who could do the things even their troopers couldn’t. And the first mission they gave me was him.”
He bounced on his heels, grinning cruelly. “I tracked him to Lothal, then I called in the stormtroopers and they snatched him up,” he said. “But when I heard the orders had been changed, that he wasn’t going to face trial in Capital City but would be shipped to Noctu by some bounty hunter…I knew something was up. I told them to lock me up right along with him.”
“How would that help?” Lina asked. “Why didn’t you just order the Shade to bring him back?”
“Because I have no doubt that when we get to Noctu he’ll have a ship waiting.” Stel grinned. “So I don’t just get him, I get everyone he’s working with. It’s a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself. And it would’ve worked perfectly if it wasn’t for those blasted spiders.”
There was a groan of gears and Lina looked to see CR-8R picking himself up, tipping as his repulsors faltered then kicked back in. “Are either of you hurt?” he asked.
“You’ve only been out for a few moments,” Lina said. “Just long enough for us to find out this one’s working for the Empire. Davin’s the real rebel.”
CR-8R hung his head. “I did try to warn you,” he said. “I assume he’s expecting Davin to lead him to his people. Which means there’ll be an Imperial transport waiting for us when we reach the asteroid mines.”
Stel clapped appreciatively. “Bolt-bucket here’s not as dumb as he looks,” he said. “I honestly had no idea who any of you were when I came on board. All I knew was that there were two kids and a droid, and that I couldn’t let any of them escape. They didn’t say anything about bringing you in alive, though.”
“You lay one hand on them,” CR-8R said, “and I’ll—”
“You’ll what, chrometop?” Stel cut him off. Then he sighed. “I need the girl to help me fix the navicomputer. And I need the boy to keep her in line. So don’t get your circuits in a bunch. For now, you’re all safe.”
He looked down. “There is one thing you can do for me, though,” he said. “Get this lump of meat back where he belongs.”
“I refuse to take orders from the likes of you,” CR-8R said firmly, crossing his arms.
“Fine.” Stel marched to Milo’s cell. “Come here, kid. This won’t hurt. Much.” He thrust the stun-stick through the bars.
“Fine!” CR-8R protested. “I’ll do as you ask.” He took hold of Davin’s ankles and dragged him toward the nearest cell.
“Right inside,” Stel ordered. “I know he’s heavy, but look at those arms. Load lifter, right? Now get back here, and make sure you lock it.”
CR-8R did as he was told, tapping in the code. Stel pushed past him, grabbing the gate and giving it a good shake.
“Seems secure,” he said. “I guess he could try and smash his way out again, but not before we get where we’re going. Now, if you’d also be so kind as to unlock the girl’s cell.”
CR-8R hesitated, but Stel shook the stun-stick at him. Lina stepped cautiously into the corridor, taking CR-8R’s arm.
“Your plan was good,” Stel told her. “I’ve decided to stick to it, with a few modifications. But I’ll need you up on the bridge. I’m guessing another pair of hands will come in useful.”
“I’ll never help you,” Lina spat.
Stel shrugged. “Fine,” he said. “The Empire will retrace our course and find us eventually. I’m sure I’ll be able to find a fun way to pass the time until they do.” And he fingered the switch on the stun-stick, the blue light flickering off and on.
Lina stared at him. She knew this was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so sure he was trustworthy, none of it would’ve happened. All she could do now was buy some time and hope Davin’s people were heavily armed.
“So how do we find the power cell?” she asked.
“We don’t need it,” Stel told her. “We’ve got a portable power source right here.” And he jerked a thumb at CR-8R.
“I’m afraid that won’t work,” the droid told him. “I’m running on emergency power already.”
“Then I’ll drain what’s left and figure it out from there,” Stel snapped. “I don’t have time to go tearing up the floor searching for the source when all I need is enough juice to run the navicom. Once we’re on our way you can shut down.”
“And what about me?” Milo piped up.
“You stay here,” the young man told him. “And remember, I have your sister.” He smiled, clicking his heels. “Right, let’s move. The girl first, then the droid, then me.”
“We’ll be back,” Lina promised Milo as she stepped out into the corridor. “Just sit tight.”
“Be careful,” Milo called out. “Don’t do anything risky, okay?”
Lina forced a smile. “Who, me?”
Then she was gone.