[Galaxy Of Fear] - 02 - City Of The Dead (John Whitman), Star Wars - Books And Short Stories
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Star Wars Galaxy of Fear02City of the Deadby John WhitmanPROLOGUEIn his hidden fortress, the scientist strode up to a heavy security door. Next to the door a massive GK-600 guardian droid leveled a heavy blaster cannon and demanded, "Voice recognition and password."The scientist spoke calmly: "Project Starscream.""Password verified." The guardian droid lowered its blaster and opened the security door.The scientist stepped inside his control module. From this command center, he monitored a galactic network of computers and living agents, all working on various aspects of Project Starscream. But only the Emperor, Darth Vader, and he, the scientist, knew Project Starscream's ultimate goal."Soon now," the scientist told himself with evil glee, "very soon my power over life and death will be complete. Project Starscream is sure to please the Emperor, and then my control over the galaxy will begin. Nothing can stop me."An alarm sounded.The scientist sat down in front of his control module. Above a panel of computer controls sat five view-screens that allowed the scientist to watch over the five stages of his grand experiment.One of those viewscreens had just gone blank. Frowning, the scientist punched a control button. Instantly, streams of information sped across a computer screen. As the scientist read them, his frown deepened.His first experiment, on the planet D'vouran, had gone off-line. D'vouran was a living planet, a planet he had created as the first part of Project Starscream. Something-someone-had caused D'vouran to break free. Now the living planet was spinning through the galaxy, out of control.Hidden transmitters on the planet had captured images of the intruders just before D'vouran went wild. The scientist saw the images of two human children, a droid, and...... him.The scientist let out a snarl of hatred. It couldn't be a coincidence that he had been on D'vouran, could it?For a moment, anger filled the scientist. He reached for a button on his control console. With one command the scientist could order the destruction of Hoole and his companions.But he did not. His enemy was well known in the galaxy. His murder might attract unwanted attention. And if the Rebels got wind of these experiments, they might try to stop them just as they had stopped the Death Star six months ago.Instead he pushed a different button. Another one of the viewscreens lit up, and the scientist leaned back into the shadows so that his face could not be seen. On the screen the image of a horribly scarred man appeared."Evazan," the scientist demanded, "give me a progress report."The man on the screen, Evazan, sneered. "I'll give it to you. But first it's time we dispensed with the mystery. I'm tired of working for a faceless man."From the shadows, the scientist warned, "You are told what you need to know. And you are paid well.""Not that well," the man called Evazan replied. "You keep hinting that you're someone powerful in the Emperor's inner circle. But for all I know, you're a madman leading me on a wild mynock hunt." Evazan glared at the screen. "Now either you tell me who you are or I take my experiments to the highest bidder.""That would not be wise.""Who says?""I say." The scientist leaned forward, out of the shadows, at last revealing his face to his hired henchman..Evazan's eyes widened in surprise. "You!""That's correct," the scientist said. "Now listen carefully, or I'll feed you to my Cyborrean battle dogs. You must finish your experiments immediately. I have reason to believe that an old enemy of mine has discovered my work and that he will follow the trail to you."Evazan sneered. "If any intruders show up here, I'll take care of them.""Do it quietly," the scientist warned. "And quickly. The being who may try to interfere is more powerful than you suspect. You must destroy him without arousing suspicion."Evazan nodded. "I have just the means. There's an old superstition on this planet that will provide a perfect cover. Just tell me who the target is. ""His name," the scientist said, "is Hoole."CHAPTER 1Tap. Tap. Tap.Zak sat up in bed. What was that noise?Something was wrong. He was in his own room, in his own house on the planet Alderaan. But that was impossible.I can't be here. Alderaan was destroyed by the Empire.Zak and his sister, Tash, had lost their family, their friends, and their home. They had spent the last six months in the care of their only living relative, an uncle named Hoole.So Zak knew he couldn't be home, but everything around him looked and felt so real.Maybe it was all a bad dream! Maybe Alderaan wasn't destroyed. Maybe Mom and Dad are still alive!To Zak a bad dream would explain a lot. It would explain how his mother and father, and his entire world, could have vanished in a blast of Imperial laser fire. It would explain how he and his sister had been put into the care of their mysterious Uncle Hoole, a shape-changing alien scientist. And it would explain how they had barely escaped from a monstrous planet that had almost eaten them alive."It explains things," Zak said out loud, "because that was all a dream. It never happened. And that means I'm home!"He jumped out of bed.Tap. Tap. Tap.That noise had awakened him. Now it repeated itself.Tap. Tap. Tap.The noise was coming from outside his bedroom window. Zak got out of bed. His feet felt heavy, and his vision was blurred. He fumbled his way to the transparisteel window. He was about to press the Open button but suddenly stopped.On the other side of the window, he saw the empty void of deep space.Deep space? How could his bedroom be traveling through deep space?But it was. In the darkness, Zak could see stars and distant solar systems blazing like tiny points of light.He rubbed his sleep-filled eyes, but the vision didn't change.Tap. Tap. Tap.The sound came from just below his window. Zak resisted the urge to open it. If he did, the vacuum of space would suck him out. He pressed his face against the pane, trying to see what was down there.Tap. Tap. Tap.The object started to drift upward into Zak's range of vision. Zak gasped and stumbled back from the window.A dead, gray hand rose into view.It was followed by a pale white arm, and then strands of blackened hair. Finally the figure's face floated into view. It was white with empty sockets for eyes, but he recognized the face anyway.It was his mother.As he watched in horror, the mouth moved, and Zak heard his mother's voice moan, "Zak, why did you leave us behind?"Zak screamed.He opened his eyes.And found himself sitting up in a bunk onboard the ship known as the Millennium Falcon. His bedroom on Alderaan was gone. The corpse was gone. Tash was sitting bolt upright in a nearby bunk."Zak! What's the matter?" his older sister cried.Zak tried to catch his breath. "I-I guess I was dreaming," he finally said. "I dreamed I was in my room... but my room was floating in space. And then I saw Mom, but she was floating through space, too. Dead." He squinted to hold back a tear. He couldn't say any more.Tash walked over to her brother and put a comforting arm around his shoulder. Before she could speak, the door to their small cabin slid open and the snarling face of Chewbacca the Wookiee appeared. He was holding a wicked- looking bowcaster, and his enormous frame filled most of the doorway. Behind him, Tash and Zak could just see the silver frame of the humanoid droid, D-V9.Chewbacca growled a question."I think the Wookiee wants to know what's going on," D-V9 said. "So do I. "D-V9-or Deevee for short-cocked his mechanical headsidewaysin impatience. The droid had been Uncle Hoole's research assistant for years, until Zak and Tash came along and Hoole had made Deevee their caretaker. Deevee didn't always appreciate his new role, especially when one of his charges caused chaos in the middle of the night."It's nothing, Deevee," Zak said. "I just had a bad dream.""Hey, what's all the shouting?" demanded Han Solo, squeezing past his Wookiee companion."Nothing." Tash answered for her brother. "Sorry if we woke you.""No problem," the starpilot said. "The navicomputer says we're coming up on our destination anyway. Your uncle is in the lounge with Luke and Leia. You might as well get up."It didn't take Zak and Tash long to get ready. They had lost everything when they were orphaned six months ago. Anything that they had acquired since then, they had lost again only days before, when the planet D'vouran destroyed their ship and nearly took them with it. They had been saved by the Millennium Falcon and its crew.A few moments later, Zak and Tash entered the common area of the Millennium Falcon, where Uncle Hoole was waiting for them.Zak was fascinated by his uncle's appearance. At first glance, Hoole looked like a tall, thin human being-until you noticed that his skin was a light gray color, and his fingers were incredibly long. Hoole, who was only their uncle by marriage, was a member of the Shi'ido species. Although Zak knew that most Shi'ido were quiet and reserved, he could never quite get used to his uncle's grim, brooding personality.There was another thing about Hoole that Zak couldn't get used to. His uncle was a shape-changer. Like all Shi'ido, Hoole could transform into almost any living creature. Zak had seen it happen more than once. The memory made him shudder."Good. You're up," Hoole said. "We will be landing momentarily.""Landing?" Tash asked.Hoole nodded. "We need to purchase a new ship. This is the clo...
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