Chapter Two

Nias Derril paced backwards and forwards in front of the docking port window. Not only was Galletti late but he had sent a message ahead informing Derril that he needed some serious repairs and upgrades done to the Phoenix. Derril knew Galletti fairly well, but the assassin usually used Romanoe. To make matters worse, Tarr Ranth had docked with his starship less that ten minutes ago and was just now starting to cycle the locks. This usually meant that Ranth was putting on his full armour. Nias wasn't usually a betting man but he could often smell trouble before it occurred. He had been told that this was a latent Jedi ability. Nias didn’t believe in the Jedi, or the Force. He only believed in his own ability to solve problems.

The lock finished cycling and Tarr Ranth stepped through. The tall bounty hunter had a full set of Mandalorian armour on. Nias knew that even the famed bounty hunter Boba Fett only owned two thirds of a set, the rest being modifications. Ranths armour was in stark contrast to Fetts. Completely black, highly polished and bearing a colonel's insignia, it had once been owned by his grandfather. Ranth had never let anybody but himself repair the armour. Nobody knew exactly what weapons or modifications it held. The same was true of his ship.

   "I believe the word you would normally use would be 'hello'." Ranths voice held a trace of amusement.

Nias pulled himself away from his thoughts and countered with an equally smooth answer.

   "Normally, but I'm waiting for an explanation. What do you want Ranth? You always follow trouble, or trouble follows you. Which is it this time?"

Nias wasn't afraid. Ranth knew that his ship held enough modifications to fry him on the spot. He had borrowed the specifications from a smuggling colleague, Jan Lomona. Ranth stepped forward, handing a communications flim and a cred stick to Nias.

   "This should explain everything. Shall I return to my ship or will you be providing me with quarters during my stay?" Ranth relaxed visibly. This worried Nias. He had worked with Tarr Ranth in the past and when he relaxed he was usually about to make more money.

   "You can use the guest quarters down the corridor.  CB-2 will show you the way."

At this a small power droid, heavily modified, sped out of a side corridor and squeaked at Ranth. Ranth nodded and started to follow the droid. As he did so Nias couldn't help but call out after him.

   "Oh, by the way. Stick to the corridors with green stripes on the floors. Anywhere else and the security system will fry you."

Ranth didn't bother to reply.

The Phoenix sped out of hyperspace into what would normally be classed as empty space. This space was anything but empty. Hanging in front of a small asteroid was a Victory Class Star Destroyer, or what was left of one. It had been stripped down to the space frame, except for the bridge and drive areas, and had been turned into a mobile space yard. On closer inspection the casual observer may have noticed the massive shield generators, but they wouldn’t have seen the structural changes that strengthened the space frame and the mobile tractors and gun emplacements. Goah noticed them. So did Mactin.

They also noticed the Dark Star.

Tarr Ranth activated the small box attached to his belt. A red light turned to green. He smiled inside his helmet and opened the door to his quarters. Turning right, he exited down the corridor and headed towards the bridge area. The corridor stripes turned from green to red.

   "What do you mean he's here to baby sit me?  ME!"

Goah's face was inches from Nias Derril’s face. Mactin leaned back in his chair and chuckled. Goah spun round and planted a fierce glare at his co-pilot. Mactin quickly became silent.

Nias walked over to a command terminal and withdrew a message chip.

   "This contains new orders from Glann Cipple. I've verified the codes. The orders are very authentic. However, you needn't have received them. Ranth doesn't yet know you've arrived and he doesn't have to. He's locked away in his quarters and he can't get to the bridge without being snagged by one of my alarms. There’s no way he can find out if you're here." Nias looked smug, and continued with his punch line. "And I'll only charge you 1000 credits for my silence."

Goah threw Derril a dangerous glare and moved towards the observation window, a thoughtful look descending on his face.

   "You’re certain he won't know we've arrived?  I don’t want Glann thinking I’ve double crossed him." Galletti turned to face Nias. "This drop off needs to go without a hitch. After the mess on Vorathie, I’m lucky to even get this run. If he thinks I've gone solo without his consent…"

Goah fell silent in thought. Nias moved beside up him and patted his shoulder in a friendly manner.

   "In that case, call it a freebie old friend.  Minus expenses, of course."

The sound of clapping from across the room alerted them both. Tarr Ranth stood there leaning on the doorframe.

   "Oh, Bravo! Good performance Goah! Sorry did I interrupt the show. Nias, do you really think this `has-been’ this worthless piece of Bantha Poodoo is worth your sympathy. How touching. No wonder Glann asked me to baby-sit him…"

Goah went for his rifle. Eighteen hours of Imperial interrogation, almost loosing his life and his ship and now the prospect of loosing his reputation, caused something to snap. His hands were a blur as he drew his heavily modified rifle and he was about to fire when the same rage that had opened in his mind, closed just as quickly. He stopped himself. This isn't right. I'm not normally this reckless.  Why am I loosing it? He looked across to Ranth who hadn't even moved. And he's so sure of himself, so in control. He's either an idiot or a computer. Goah put away his weapon.

Nias moved in front of him and faced Ranth.

   "Do you mind telling me how you were able to circumvent my security systems?" Nias had a Blaster trained on Ranth. Now Ranth looked interested. He reached slowly to his belt and removed a small attachment. He carefully handed it to Nias. Goah recognised it as a security transponder, just like the one he had been given when he had docked.

   "How?" Nias looked momentarily confused. He popped open the casing and quickly peered inside. A grin spread across his face.

   "I don’t believe it! You robbed this off Jan Lomona! Boy, is he gonna be mad when he finds out! How did you convert it?" Nias couldn't help himself.  He loved tinkering with anything technical or mechanical. He handed the box back to Ranth, who re-attached it to his belt.

   "First of all, Lomona lent it to me, on the condition it was returned safely. Secondly, while you were waiting for me to cycle the air lock, I took the liberty of scanning the frequency that your transponder used. I then coded the frequency into my transponder and shifted the wavelength exactly one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase. As the transponder sends out a signal every second, I was able to send out my signal between yours. That way, the security system was only able to recognise one person." Ranths explanation was delivered in a monotone, as if he had rehearsed it, which he had. He had wanted to get one over on Nias Derril for a long time. The man was well known for his ability to turn a dangerous or tricky situation to his advantage. He had avoided Imperial entanglements, bounties and Tarr Ranth for a long time. This was just one way of giving some payback. Petty, but Tarr Ranth knew it would drop off some of Derril’s confidence and that was always to his advantage and his pleasure.

Nias lowered his Blaster and smiled, bowing gracefully. He turned around, pressed a button on his belt and in less than a second Tarr Ranth was twitching unconscious on the floor. His smile got even wider when he noticed the surprised looks from Galletti and Mactin.

   "Don't look so surprised. I changed the frequency on my transponder. The security system activated the electro-grid as soon as it discovered there was an intruder on board." He holstered his Blaster. Taking a pair of electro-cuffs off Ranths belt, he secured them around Ranths' wrists.

    "I suggest you collect your belongings from your ship and meet me in Bay 52. I'll have the Freedom Flyer prepped and ready to go in fifteen minutes.  And hurry. He'll be awake in thirty minutes and we really don't want to be here when he realises what's happened."

Nias strode towards the door. The others looked at each other with satisfaction and followed him out.