Danse Macabre/Part 10

Third Aurek checked his chrono. "Our dear soup-slurping friends should be here within the hour."

"Animals," Second Besh spat. Despite the passage of a day and a scorching shower, he still felt contaminated by her kiss. "They're disgusting."

Fourth Mern hedged, "General Seldec commanded—"

"And I obey," Besh interrupted flatly. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"It will be worth it, to be rid of the bug," Third Aurek said. He shrugged. "At least the Anzati have the decency to look Human."

"That increases the insult," Besh retorted; the scar on his cheek stretched as he glowered at his brother. "All the galaxy should see them for what they are."

"The Anzati aren't Jedi."

Besh could hardly argue with that, but… "We need to stay alert. The Anzati are beasts we can put to labor, but don't forget who they work for."

"Darth Alecto." Third Aurek didn't look as bored now, and Fourth Mern bared his teeth. "Is it true that she's taken Darth Vandak's place?"

"So it seemed," Besh admitted. "General Seldec thought so. In leading the snot suckers and in Darth Saleej's councils."

"So much the better," Aurek growled. "Our vengeance against her starts here."

"If and when the opportunity presents itself," Besh reminded him. "The Anzati are targets of opportunity, but the bug is the objective. Don't lose sight of our purpose, brothers."

Fourth Mern nodded grudgingly. Third Aurek crossed his arms, saying nothing more. Besh didn't care for that silence, but before he could press his brother, Third Herf entered the warehouse. "Gravo's coming. He's not alone."

"He expects us to betray him, and so he comes…prepared." Aurek snickered. "I do like this one."

"Clear vision," Besh reminded him.

"Oh, I'll still eviscerate him if I have to," Aurek replied with a smile. "I'll just feel bad for a minute."

Besh glanced at Mern and Herf, nodding, and they stepped away into the shadows. Gravo had his uses, certainly, but he was not the true believer Antifol had been, and he did not need to know all their plans or their full strength. Fourth Mern had been disquieted by Besh and Aurek's decision to remove Antifol, but that was to be expected of the Fourth Rank; brothers and skillful warriors they were, but tactical geniuses they were not. Under these circumstances, a useful mercenary was more valuable than an unreliable zealot; General Seldec had taught Second Besh and his comrades of the Second Rank to think creatively about tactical problems, and he was confident the General would ratify the decision. He had even said as much to the hideous Klatooinian, Targere—in exploiting his resources to get their teams to Anaxes, they could hardly expect all those resources to remain viable after the bug was exterminated.

Second Besh stood as Gravo and his fellows walked in; Third Aurek continued to lounge on an ammunition case with a bored expression. There were three other men with Gravo—all Human, Besh was pleased to see, although not all were familiar. Gravo was whistling as two of his comrades steered cargo crates on hover dollies, but Besh felt his wariness in the Force. "Afternoon, gents."

Besh and Aurek remained silent, studying Gravo with identical expressions from two different angles; as it usually did, silence sped Gravo's heartbeat and drew more words. "Er…we've got the packs. I haven't had a chance to test them, but this is exactly how we rigged them on Eriadu."

"Show me," Besh commanded.

Gravo gestured, and his compatriots opened the crates to reveal jetpacks with folded wings; extended, they would stretch a man's armspan twice over. The wings had four individual rockets each, and Besh had to concede the cleverness of the design; they could achieve the propulsion of a single main thruster and cut the drive signature into eighths.

"We got six of 'em rigged up, like you said," Gravo explained. He looked around; Besh sensed Fourth Mern and Third Herf monitoring the situation, but invisible. "Got more friends coming in from out of town?"

"Concern yourself with your own part in this," Third Aurek said, pushing himself up from his ammo crate; all three of Gravo's colleagues took a step back. "They'll work?"

"They can reach the altitude, but they might still be visible," Gravo's first mate ventured. "The drives."

"The descent?" Aurek asked, ignoring the implied question.

Gravo gestured under the jetpacks. "Parachutes. Try to time the drop carefully, the risers are pretty simple.  Nice and quiet, but not a lotta steering."

Besh considered asking for an explanation of the mechanics, but ultimately just nodded; it would not due to appear more dependent on them than he and his brothers already were. "Good. You've done well."

"'Get a bonus' well?" Gravo asked, trying a smile.

Aurek cocked an eyebrow, but neither of them smiled back, and after a moment Gravo's smile withered and died. Letting him squirm a moment, Besh finally said, "You've served well, and for that we'll deliver you from the Republic and get you off Anaxes when our business is done. If you feel not…what was it…being 'sent to some penal colony' isn't enough of a reward, you're welcome to negotiate with our master directly when we return to Ciutric IV."

Gravo swallowed. "Right. Well, if we're gonna be working for you now, we'll, uh…we'll work up some proposals."

"Do that until we call for you."

"Got it. Sir."

Gravo and his men walked out; some of them glanced back, although Gravo himself mastered the impulse. Besh waited until the door had closed behind them before calling, "Fourth Mern." When his brother appeared a moment later, Besh added, "Follow them. If they do as ordered, no action.  If they seem likely to compromise us, kill them all and any witnesses."

"Yes, Second Besh."

When he was gone too, Second Besh looked over the jetpacks. "The Anzati will come for these soon. We shouldn't be here when they arrive."

Third Herf nodded once and began to gather their belongings, but Third Aurek drifted over to the cases. "You think they have more than six?"

"Undoubtedly, but the others will have to find their own way in. Perhaps that will teach the animals to be more honest."

The disdainful curve of Third Aurek's eyebrow showed he found that prospect as likely as Second Besh did, but he simply strolled around the case a moment longer before kicking the lid shut. "Perhaps fewer is to our advantage. Surely even they're skilled enough to deal with the snipers, and it's less of a challenge for you."

Second Besh narrowed his eyes, unsure what his brother was implying. "They're Forceless. They're nothing."

"Ah, not quite Forceless, are they? And if they turn on you…"

"Fourth Mern and I can deal with them. Look to your own mission."

"I'm pleased you've such faith in our little brother's fighting skills. And your own."

"And you?" Second Besh asked coolly. "How are your dancing skills?"

Third Aurek smiled. "Speaking of which, I should get cleaned up and meet my date. It'll be a night to remember."