Kapitel 69: Yellow Brick Road (V)
But upon arrival, things were far from ideal.
It seemed that this section for first-class passengers was reserved for clients especially valued by the enterprise—those whose safety was a priority for the ship's security team.
Otherwise, she couldn't have explained the presence of two imposing security officers, muscular and stern-faced, standing idly in the corridor with weapons at the ready.
What unsettled her even more, though, was the sight of two men in expensive suits, casually conversing in the hallway. They leaned against the wall, seemingly relaxed, but Mara easily spotted the concealed weapons strapped inside their jackets and recognized the telltale behavior of seasoned bodyguards.
The only question was: whose men were they? Hoffner's security detail? Perhaps. If he regularly lost massive sums at the casino, it was plausible that the ship's management might have allowed him some exceptional protection. But these men were too far from cabin 1138. Something was definitely off. If they were a permanent security detail, the ship's guards wouldn't be watching them so intently.
Or were they protecting someone else? Maybe the woman Hoffner had been with? Or perhaps they weren't connected to this situation at all and were guarding someone in one of the nearby rooms. Bodyguards might do that… but official security personnel wouldn't carry concealed weapons. If they had an arrangement with the management, openly carrying holstered weapons under their arms would suffice.
And this pair was clearly trying to pass as ordinary, harmless guests. If Mara hadn't seen this kind of pretense before, she might not have given them a second glance.
A troubling thought flickered at the back of her mind.
These men weren't bodyguards.
They were agents. Despite their professional training, their behavior showed carelessness. Only seasoned operatives allow themselves such lapses—young, inexperienced agents wouldn't make the mistake of standing in a way that could reveal their concealed jackets.
Was it professional negligence, or…
She nearly slapped her forehead in realization.
She remembered where she had seen such disregard for secrecy before.
CorSec Agents—the intelligence and law enforcement service of Corellia. Like most Corellians, CorSec agents loved fast ships, took risks without hesitation, and were known for their extraordinary luck. It was said that this luck stemmed from their tendency to approach life's challenges with a large dose of reckless nonchalance.
So, someone else was after Hoffner. Probably CorSec. But why?
The question was rhetorical. She intended to find out.
"We've got a problem," she whispered to the operatives as she walked down the corridor, pretending to be lost. The sympathetic security officers kindly explained that the cabin she was looking for—whose number she had fabricated on the spot—was on another deck. That was exactly what she had hoped for; they didn't pay much attention to her stylized combat outfit. After all, she didn't have a vibroblade, thermal detonator, or blaster protruding from every pocket. If a wealthy girl wanted to wander around in a tight jumpsuit, so be it. The security team had undoubtedly seen stranger things in their time. "Someone else is after Hoffner."
They huddled in a small vestibule in front of the elevator. There were no cameras here, and the ones that did face them weren't focused on anything important. However, when the elevator doors opened, they would be caught in the camera's view inside the cabin.
"Orders?" one of the stormtroopers asked.
"Move out," she commanded, addressing one of the operatives. "You'll cut off their escape route from one side. You," she said, turning to the other, "will approach from the opposite direction." I'll run back down the corridor as if I'm trying to escape. And make your face angrier," the stormtrooper bared his teeth. "Not that much. Okay, there's no time for theatrics. The main task: first, we neutralize the two men in suits—they're a bigger threat than the security guards. Once we've disarmed them, we head to Hoffner's cabin. We can't let him reach the escape pods! Let's move quickly, before 'Nemesis' arrives—otherwise, panic will ensue…"
She didn't have time to finish. A low hum, like the distant roar of engines, reverberated through the ship.
"They're already here," Mara sighed. "Everyone, to your positions."
The first stormtrooper, who was supposed to cut off the escape route, moved toward his target with swift, purposeful strides. Meanwhile, Mara tousled her hair and dashed back down the corridor, doing her best to appear as a panicked victim of a failed attack. She calculated that the first stormtrooper needed some time and slowed her pace at the corner, waiting ten seconds. She let out a series of shrill screams.
Turning into the desired corridor, she sprinted toward the two men in suits.
"Help! Please, help! I beg you!"
The men hesitated for a moment before Mara flung herself into their arms. It was a simple psychological ploy.
"Miss, what's going on?" one of them asked gruffly. But before he could react further, a stormtrooper came around the corner, his face twisted in rage—his usual state.
"Hey, you! What do you want with the lady?" the man in the suit demanded, suddenly protective.
"Gentlemen!" The security guards approached, aiming to resolve the situation before other passengers could take notice. "Step away from the girl! All of you!"
Mara noted that the second stormtrooper had already appeared behind the "bodyguards." Who would have thought that a guy that big could move so silently?
At that moment, the entire cruise liner seemed to shudder slightly, vibrating through its hull.
With a subtle nod from Mara, the first stormtrooper charged at the suited men, while the second stormtrooper tackled the security guards from behind.
"Miss, move aside!" demanded the man in the suit, the one Mara had pressed against in her act of seeking protection. He even tried to push her away, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
"Definitely a Corellian," she thought, applying a painful technique to his arm. The man gasped in pain, contorting as he followed the trajectory of his twisted limb, only to receive a knee strike to the face, sending him reeling against the wall.
The second man, hearing the commotion behind him, turned and attempted to draw his blaster. But before he could react, the second stormtrooper's fist connected with the back of his head. Judging by how he crumpled, the blow wasn't lacking in force.
The ship shook again.
This time, the rumble was closer, less distant. It seemed the Nemesis had started its assault.
Mara turned, barely maintaining her balance. The first stormtrooper had already snapped one of the guards' necks and was wrestling with the other. Mara aimed and shot the security officer in the leg with precise accuracy.
"Move!" she ordered, noticing that both of her companions were now armed. The stormtrooper who had been fighting both security guards held two blasters.
Blasting through the door lock took only seconds.
The first stormtrooper kicked the door open and rushed into Hoffner's cabin. Gunfire erupted immediately. Mara dove in after him, narrowly avoiding a line of red blaster bolts.
With an acrobatic twist, she dodged the enemy fire, spotting a middle-aged woman on the other side. Taking cover behind a bulkhead, she waited for a moment, then suddenly changed her position, crouching low. She peeked out just as the first stormtrooper began laying down suppressive fire from the other end of the cabin. The woman ducked for cover, realizing she was at a disadvantage...
Mara didn't give her time to reconsider.
A crimson bolt of energy pierced the woman's throat, and she crumpled to the floor.
Knowing the second stormtrooper was guarding the entrance, the red-haired woman emerged from her hiding place.
"Who the hell are you?" a voice called out from somewhere below the first stormtrooper.
Mara glanced at the trooper, who was sitting on something.
"Captain Hoffner?" she grinned.
** Captain Hoffner **
"Yes," the man replied. He had dark skin, short hair, expensive clothing, and meticulously groomed facial hair. It was a clear attempt by someone of low birth to appear wealthy. How predictable. "Who are you, and what do you want from me?!"
He was lying face down, the stormtrooper's knee pressed painfully into his back. Considering the hand-to-hand combat skills taught to soldiers on Carida, Mara knew how difficult and agonizing it would be for Hoffner to move.
"All in due time," Mara smirked.
At that moment, Coral Vanda trembled again. This time, the roar was accompanied by the groan of tearing, evaporating metal—Nemesis had breached the hull. The crew now had little choice: either surface and surrender to the Empire, or play the part of heroes. But, as far as Mara could tell, there were few heroes aboard this ship. The hired staff, being in non-combat roles, wouldn't risk their lives—they weren't paid nearly enough for that. The security team, however…
"We're getting out of here, heading to the escape pods," she announced. The stormtrooper silently pulled out handcuffs from his pocket and secured Hoffner to himself. Comparing the physiques of Hoffner and the stormtrooper, it was clear the former didn't stand a chance.
"If you stick with us, you'll live," Mara hissed in the dark-skinned man's ear. "If you disobey my orders, I'll kill you where you stand. I wasn't paid to deliver you alive. But I'm sure you can make it worth my while."
"Yes, of course!" the man exclaimed. "There, in the closet! A case! It has three hundred thousand credits! I don't have any more!"
"I'm sure you have something to bargain with," Mara replied coldly, but the stormtrooper remained indifferent. He was a naval special forces operative, a master of boarding actions, not an intelligence officer. He wouldn't understand that she was now breaking down Hoffner's will to extract as much information as possible.
Before leaving, Mara glanced in the indicated direction and pulled out a metal case filled to the brim with cash. Thin, valuable credit chips of various denominations... and judging by the empty slots, there had been many more.
Taking this little bonus for herself, Mara and her team left the cabin. Taking advantage of the passengers' panic, who were struggling to stay upright after the Star Destroyer's latest salvo, the girl and her three men moved swiftly toward the escape pods.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein