Chương 26: Limits of trust (II)
Mara watched as the Star Destroyer vanished into the depths of hyperspace. Then, she turned and stepped away from the helm.
She studied the man beside her, who was silently staring into the vastness of space. It was rare to see such deep contemplation on Karrde's face.
"The Imperials are gone," she said quietly. "We can return to the planet and retrieve the cargo and whatever else we left behind."
After a moment of silence, Mara began to wonder if Karrde had heard her at all. He remained still, his gaze fixed on the void, his expression calm and focused. It was as though he had not just spent hours hiding in the crater of Myrkr's lone moon, waiting for the Imperial shuttles to stop ferrying supplies between the planet and the Star Destroyer.
"We won't be going back to Myrkr," he finally said. "Set a course for the alternate base."
"Boss," Aves said from the co-pilot's seat of the freighter, "we're leaving millions worth of goods behind…"
"Nothing we can't replace," Karrde sighed. "Better that than leading the Imperials straight to our stash."
"I'm sure the Grand Admiral has more pressing concerns," Mara said dryly. "Like chasing smugglers with Star Destroyers…"
"Yeah," Aves chuckled. "Not exactly the Empire's best use of resources."
"The Empire only cares about what benefits them," Karrde said, glancing at Mara, which made her feel uneasy. Talon still seemed to be probing, still suspicious of her. "They're not as interested in us as they might seem."
"It's good you didn't mention the projector cargo to that blue-skinned guy…" Aves started, but fell silent when Karrde shot him a steely look.
Mara's instincts, honed by years of service under the Emperor, were screaming. "Is there something I don't know?" she asked sharply.
"You know everything you need to know," Karrde replied evenly.
"Everything I'm supposed to know?" Mara pressed, her voice edged with challenge. Karrde held her gaze for a long moment before nodding slightly. Mara glanced at Aves, who smiled apologetically and turned back to the controls.
"Can we talk?" Mara asked, standing up and looking Karrde directly in the eye. He nodded again, this time looking at Aves, signaling him to leave first. Jade threw a quick glance at Aves, who, wearing a guilty grin, returned to his instruments.
As soon as she stepped out of the cockpit, she slammed the hatch behind her, making sure Aves wouldn't even think of eavesdropping. She leaned back against the metal door, crossing her arms over her chest, and fixed Karrde with a pair of emerald-green eyes.
"I don't like being treated like a fool, Karrde," she said bluntly. "What's going on?"
"We're leaving Myrkr," he replied simply, but his eyes shifted away from hers. That told her enough. He was uncomfortable meeting her gaze, which meant he felt guilty or was acting against her interests. Simple logic, drawn from her knowledge of human behavior.
"That's not what I meant," Mara said, her tone sharpening. "You're hiding something from me."
"As anyone in this business would," Talon replied. "What smuggler doesn't have a few skeletons in the closet?"
"Skeletons that Aves knows about, but you think I—your right hand—shouldn't?" Mara shot back, realizing she was interrogating him again, not just asking questions, but conducting an interrogation, much like she used to with overconfident Imperial governors in her past life…
"There are secrets men only share with other men, not with pretty women," Karrde said with a smile. But his smile faded quickly when he saw that his attempt at charm had failed once more.
"Does this have something to do with your conversation with Thrawn?" she asked, circling back. "About your supposed help to me and the Rebels regarding the transfer of that Star Destroyer to Booster Terrik?"
"An interesting slip," Karrde chuckled. "Only the Imperials still call the former rebels 'rebels.'"
"Do you see me wearing an Imperial uniform?" Mara asked, feeling her pulse quicken.
"There are also former Imperials," Karrde noted, this time meeting her gaze. He no longer needed to look away—he'd expressed what he feared. He suspected her of still having ties to the Empire. Thrawn had reawakened Talon's dormant suspicions.
"There are also dead Imperials," she replied as indifferently as possible. "Shall we continue listing the different states of Imperials?"
"Only those the Imperial Grand Admirals care about," Karrde retorted, his tone turning confrontational.
"You fall into that category too," Mara said. "He came straight to your personal base, which you consider your home."
"He arrived knowing full well that I was planning to make you my right hand," Karrde countered, playing his own cards.
"And he implied that you're not as honest as you pretend to be," Mara shot back. "The way you shut Aves up only confirms Thrawn's words."
"Since when do you know the secret Imperial Grand Admirals by name?" Mara felt her throat tighten. No, Darth Vader was definitely dead. It wasn't him. It was her own physiology. This happened when she was on the verge of failure. But here, there would be no failure.
"Ever since you called him by name when you spoke with the commander of that Imperial Star Destroyer," she recalled the exact sequence of names spoken on that fateful day. "Care to tell me why they know you by name? I think there's a connection. You help the New Republic deal with Imperial Star Destroyers, then a Grand Admiral shows up at your doorstep looking for lizards with unique properties that only you know about—and most likely only you know how to leverage. After his visit, you're so quick to abandon your base, leaving behind valuable goods, with buyers ready to pay, and then you say the Empire is only interested in profit. Not to mention we've been hiding on this moon for weeks before you decided to wait for another Star Destroyer to arrive, load it up, and now you want to leave."
"The best defense is a good offense," Karrde said, his intellect on display. "Isn't that right, Mara?"
"I'm not defending myself," she lied. "I'm trying to understand why, in the same month, I'm trusted enough to be promoted, and after that, the trust seems to disappear. In an organization where the leader constantly preaches trust in his subordinates."
"So much talk of trust," Karrde grinned. "Mara, you've recited it all yourself. Too many coincidences. On Thyferra, it wasn't the first or last time I helped the New Republic with valuable Imperial assets. But the appearance of the Grand Admiral on the same day I intended to promote you, and even the mention of this…"
"Who else knew you intended to promote me?" Mara asked.
"Only me," he said. "It wasn't even in my private notes. So I have to wonder—how did Thrawn know about it? And why did it all happen now? He's been in command in Imperial Space for nearly a year and only now decides to show up on Myrkr. And he's after ysalamiri. Why? What was all that talk about ships, trust, working for the Empire, helping the New Republic?"
"Maybe you should have asked him more directly?" Mara didn't show it, but she noted the order in which Talon recounted his conversation with Thrawn. The Grand Admiral had listed them in a different order. Talon spoke them from memory, in descending order of importance. And he put ships first. What exactly does Karrde know about ships that worries him so much? Some kind of secret? But what? It's clear that Thrawn knew something that unsettled Talon. And it seems the hint was about warships—though the Empire is now seeking starships to replenish its fleet, it's unlikely the Chiss would be desperate enough to want to buy a few of Talon's modified freighters. So Karrde's secret must involve warships.
Trust within the organization, is that it? Right.
"He probably wouldn't have answered," Karrde said. "It seems Thrawn was just 'shooting in the dark' hoping to provoke a reaction. Or he aimed to pit us against each other by sowing seeds of distrust."
"Well, he's certainly succeeded," Mara thought. Karrde was starting to squirm, trying to change the subject. That meant he definitely had something to hide. And he knew Mara had figured that out.
"You don't trust me," she continued to provoke him. "Otherwise, you would've mentioned that projector cargo… I doubt they're just holovizor projectors. Off the top of my head—deflector shield projectors?"
"No," he answered.
"Well, stop me when I'm right," Mara said. "Tractor beam projectors?"
"Good guess," Karrde admitted. "Since the deal on Thyferra, the New Republic hasn't been able to acquire, even on credit, half of what I salvaged from the Star Destroyer Malice. Since they couldn't afford to buy everything from Terrik, I bought up what couldn't stay on the Star Destroyer for ten million. To sell it to the New Republic at a profit. After all this time, the cargo is still at my base."
"Hopefully not on Myrkr?" Mara smirked.
"No," Talon assured her. Yet he didn't even attempt to smile, which showed how serious he was. He didn't even try to pretend that he trusted her again.
"And that's all you have to say after I found the tracking beacons on your starships?" Jade asked bitterly. As expected, Grand Admiral Thrawn couldn't resist the urge to follow the smugglers he so expertly manipulated. A meticulous search of Talon's small fleet, including his flagship, the Wild Karrde, revealed that the Imperials had installed tracking beacons capable of monitoring ships even in hyperspace. Following this discovery, Karrde ordered everything at the base to be abandoned—goods, equipment, even personal belongings. The computers were wiped and physically destroyed; no one wanted to test the Grand Admiral's prowess in surveillance. The fact that Thrawn was suddenly interested in the Talon group was clear to everyone. But only Mara and Talon himself understood that the reason was truly significant. And only one of them knew just how much. The other could only speculate.
"I haven't yet decided if I can trust you after everything that's happened," he finally admitted. Mara felt a weight lift off her chest, as though someone had released her lungs, allowing her to take a deep breath for the first time in ages. "But I'm grateful for your help in detecting the bugs." And for the plan to leave them on Myrkr to throw the Imperials off the scent. But you're a clever woman; you must realize that the Grand Admiral only began these games when you started to play a significant role in my organization. There's no need to delve into your past to see that you were deeply connected to the Empire. Incredibly so. Thrawn came to Myrkr because of you. Maybe he wanted to lure me out or had some other motive.
"But I'm still with you," she noted, sensing the bonds that had just begun to tie her to the "Claw" organization starting to unravel. One by one.
"Which could be seen as an attempt to earn loyalty," Talon said calmly, as if delivering a verdict. The realization hit her hard, filling her with sadness and a sense of loss.
A familiar feeling. She felt the same way when she finally understood that her past was over. What was lost could never be recovered. The last time she had felt this was when the Emperor died, forcing her to abandon her former life, believing it was forever. After all, who needed the Emperor's Hand when the new military leaders weren't worth a fraction of the fallen ruler? No one. They were more interested in dividing up what Palpatine had created.
And she, naïve as she was, had thought she might find refuge in this small, almost family-like organization led by "Claw." But that wasn't the case.
Strangely, she didn't even feel anger towards Thrawn, who had set all this in motion. He merely saw an opportunity and seized it. If Karrde had truly trusted Jade as he claimed, he wouldn't have fallen so easily for Thrawn's provocations.
Or was there something more? Could Karrde be trying to eliminate her as a witness, as living proof of his duplicity, contrary to his much-vaunted "neutrality"?
There was a way to find out. And it was quite simple.
"You wanted to know my past," she said, knowing she had hundreds of stories ready for any situation. She could sacrifice one of them to secure a place where she would still be welcome. "I'm... ready to tell you."
"No need," Karrde shook his head. "You've had plenty of time to do that. None of it matters anymore. Your reaction to Thrawn's arrival told me everything. Even Aves, and he's no weakling, couldn't tear the armrests off a chair carved from solid wood. But you did. I'm grateful for everything, Mara, for all you've done for us."
He had made his decision. And not just now. Perhaps he had been waiting here all this time, "hiding," not to see if the Imperials would follow their beacons, as he told the crew, but to decide if he should get rid of her. Would she become a burden to his organization? Would she be the target that allowed Thrawn to strike at the heart of the "Claw" himself?
And he had made up his mind. Not in her favor.
Suddenly, Mara realized a simple truth.
Only the Emperor had truly needed her. Only he cared for her, taught her, and gave her a purpose in life. To Karrde, and to Thrawn as well, she was just a resource. But at least the Grand Admiral didn't hide this from those around him. He was clear and direct. And in that, his honesty somewhat mirrored the Emperor's attitude toward Jade.
There was no trust left for Karrde. None for anyone. He only cared about what he loved—his vaunted reputation and his credit accounts. Nothing that could substantiate his supposed sincerity.
She had been fooling herself.
"You've done a lot for us, Mara," Karrde continued, still speaking quietly. "I'm willing to take you to any planet in the galaxy. The payment will reflect your contributions—in any currency you prefer. But…"
"I understand," she said. "This is where our paths diverge."
"I'm truly sorry," he added, the false warmth and concern that had once won her over now coloring his voice. "But you have to understand—I can't risk my business and my people. Even if I'm wrong."
Of course, you can't. After all, "business" comes first. Only then come your subordinates and associates.
"There's no need for a sentimental farewell, Karrde," she replied with a strained smile. "I'm a grown woman; I'll survive. Business comes first."
"I knew you'd understand," he said, oblivious to the fact that he had just revealed his hypocrisy. Perhaps she was expressing anger, rage, and disappointment, clouding her judgment, but... Maybe he realized she had seen through him and decided there was no point in pretending anymore.
"I'm a quick learner," she reminded him. "I don't think you have the time to travel the galaxy with a potential spy on board. If possible, drop me off on Myrkr. I don't need any money. Would you mind if I moved into your base and took whatever's left for myself?"
"Of course," "Claw" agreed. "But I think you're owed more than what's left there…"
"Let's call it the difference in exchange rates," she couldn't resist the biting sarcasm. "And yes, you don't need to descend to the planet on my behalf. I'll use the escape capsule. If you don't mind, I'll go pack my things. If you want, you can watch to ensure I don't take anything extra or leave anything behind."
"No need," "Claw" said, surprising her. "While we were talking, the crew has already taken care of everything."
"Efficient," Mara praised.
"You didn't have much," Talon said, stepping aside and gesturing for her to leave the Wild Karrde's cockpit. "We took the decks and chips—information related solely to my organization." Mara, I'm really, truly sorry…"
"I don't care," she thought coldly. She had survived Palpatine's death and would survive this too.
"Me too," she agreed, following him to the escape capsule bay.
Karrde, like a beaten bantha, trudged heavily behind her, as if escorting her not just from the ship, but out of his life as well.
As she boarded the escape capsule, the entire crew of the Wild Karrde watched her. Some with indifference, some with confusion, and some with outright misunderstanding. There was no anger, no triumph in their expressions. And that was a relief.
There was nothing to condemn her for. She hadn't betrayed anyone by joining their organization.
No one but herself and her true nature.
A few minutes later, when the Wild Karrde reached orbit above the base on Myrkr, Mara launched the capsule, sending it hurtling down.
Down to the green jungles of the planet. To a small clearing with a few modules and warehouses scattered around the perimeter.
Towards the future.
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