Star Wars - First Blood by Christie Golden Page A

against the floor of Ship’s interior as the vessel, eager for battle, dove toward his unwitting prey. Weapons appeared out of nowhere - laser cannons manifested from its belly and screamed fire at the freighter, a magnetic accelerator formed at its back to hurl devastating metallic orbs that punched holes in the freighter’s side.
Vestara watched, wide-eyed. She had never seen Ship attack before, and it was a beautiful dance of destruction.
Doesn’t it have any defenses! She thought to him.
It can carry up to six BDY crew skiffs, came Ship’s response. T hey would have launched by now if they were going to.
And as Ship had said it would happen, so it did. The freighter was disabled and unable to make the jump into hyperspace. Instead, it headed for the planet. Elation rippled through the Force, as Taalon directed Ship to follow.

* * *

The planet was pleasant and temperate. Ship had done perhaps too good a job on the vessel; there were gaping holes in its side... and even at a distance, Vestara saw footprints in the soft mud.
“They have fled already,” said Taalon as he and the others stepped out of Ship’s interior. Vestara let the other four precede her, as was proper.
“Of course they have,” said Workan, in a tone of voice that was almost a sneer. “Did you think they would sit around and wait to be caught?”
“Look there,” said Myal, pointing. “Humanoid tracks going off in two separate directions.”
“They will have weapons,” warned Workan.
“So do we,” smiled Lady Rhea, patting the lightsaber clipped to her belt. They had more than that, of course. All of them carried small, handheld blasters and parangs. The parangs, sharp-edged glass tools that, when thrown, returned to the thrower, had originally been designed merely to clear fields. Now, they were useful and deadly weapons. And of course, they all had the ultimate weapon.
The dark side of the Force.
Vestara had been extending herself in the Force as the others had. The fear exuded by the fleeing crew was rich and satisfying, almost overshadowing something-
“Come, Vestara,” Lady Rhea said. “We will go with Lord Workan.”
Vestara opened her mouth to say she thought she had sensed something, but out of the corner of her eye she caught the movement of a small ground-dwelling mammal scurrying out of sight. She was grateful for her hesitation. She was already being scrutinized as the only apprentice on the mission; she didn’t want to make a single misstep. Vestara closed her mouth and nodded, moving to follow as instructed.
“ You will come with me, Lady Rhea,” Lord Taalon commanded. “Lord Workan will take Saber Myal and Apprentice Khai.” The smooth voice brooked no disagreement. Lady Rhea inclined her fair head as if she didn’t care either way.
“Do me proud, Apprentice,” she said to Vestara.
“Yes, Lady Rhea. Of course” Vestara replied.
The hunt was on, and Vestara could feel the excitement building inside her. The terrain - open, grassy plains with patches of brown soil here and there - was far from ideal for concealment. There were clearly marked footprints here, flattened grasses there, and only one place that might offer any shelter - the gentle rise of forested hills.
“We’re fortunate they are not Force users,” said Myal.
“We are even more fortunate that they had no chance to hide their path,” commented Workan. Vestara remained silent - she only spoke when spoken to. Both the High Lord and the Saber were right. The frightened Force auras were like beacons, and the trail was obvious.
“Should we take them alive?” asked Myal. “They might be able to help us repair the freighter.”
“No,” Workan said. “You think too small, Myal. Ship will know how to repair it, if it is not too damaged. If he cannot, we will salvage what we can and return when we have more vessels. It is best to eliminate all witnesses.”
Vestara expected as much. She only hoped that she would be permitted a kill. She knew that