Read “Star Wars: A Smuggler's Entanglement. Part II.” Page 3

The last containers full of Nedimix was finally pulled out of the Burned Cloak by a service droid, similar to the grapplers Deacon worked with on the mining grounds back on Nedij. By that time he was exhausted and hoping that the young, overly-driven field officer would hasten the additional paper work, pay Deacon the credits owed to Kaird's Operation (and his cut, as well), and let him blast out of Nos tai and head out to Utapau 7—that portion of his journey, of course, Deacon would keep to himself.

  Or could he?

  “And your next destination,” Field Officer Calrian asked nonchalantly, his eyes on some checklist on his info-slab.

  This sideswiped Deacon! Now he was beginning to see why Ccer had warned him about the Empire!

  Deacon scratched his chin, and then subtly waved his hand once just in front of his own face; his hand back on his stubbled chin. “Field Officer Calrian, sir, do you really need to know my next destination...?”

  The young officer looked up from his slab and focused on Deacon, frowning at the question.

  “Sorry?”

  “I was just wondering if it were really necessary for you to know where I was going next,” Deacon asked, his hand once again leaving his chin and gently waved once in the air.

  Field Officer Calrian's face slackened a bit and he shook his head. “No...of course not.”

  “After all, Officer Caliran,” Deacon nearly whispered, “you checked the ship and it's itinerary and manifest, and you wouldn't allow it to go, otherwise.”

  “Indeed,” the Imperial officer said firmly, as he deactivated the slab and lowered it to his side, “the ship's itinerary and manifest check out...you may leave now, Captain 90.”

  “Thank you, Field Officer Calrian,” he said with a quick nod and without delay went straight up Burned Cloak's ramp.

  Officer Calrian gave the standard orders for the clone troopers to take their positions while a ship was departing a docking bay, so that no one was in the way and for the troopers to keep an eye on any ship as it left.

  As soon as Deacon was out of the line of sight from the stormtroopers and Officer Calrian, Deacon sprinted to the cockpit, threw himself into his pilot's seat, strapped himself in, and fired up the ship's engines!

  There was a chirp from the console; it was Ccer, from one of the smuggling thrusters. “Ah, Captain 90...I see that we've finally got permission to proceed!”

  “Uh...something like that,” he said as he frantically switched on ship's functions. “Madam Ccer, make sure you and your family is strapped down.”

  There was a long pause at the other end of the communication. “Oh, no,” she said with a grave voice.

  “We still have a little time, but they'll catch on to us. And, ma'am...we're not going to Utapau 7!”

  “I understand, Captain. Do what you must. I told you about this Empire!”