CHAPTER FIVE
It wasn't until the White Rider jumped out of hyperspace that Kadar realized that something was wrong. The fact that another ship had appeared right behind him at the same time certainly helped.
"Dax Goldam," Kadar muttered under his breath. For nearly seven years had this man been pursuing him, for reasons he had yet to figure out. Not that he particularly cared, of course; there were sure to be tons of people who sought for competition or revenge against him.
He was about to activate his ships automated defense systems and prepare to evade Goldam's vessel when his comm-system chimed. He glanced at his rear-view screen to see that the other ship was remaining almost completely motionless and it didn't seem like it would be firing its weapons anytime soon.
'Soon' being the operative word.
Hesitantly, Kadar answered the call. "What do you want, Goldam?"
"Your head, as always," Dax Goldam's calm and smug voice replied. "But that should be common knowledge for us now. What I really want, at the moment, is to know what business you have with Azul Obez."
"Have you been following me, Goldam?"
"I take it you've failed to notice the tracking beacon on your ship?"
"I got rid of it as soon as I had arrived on Nal Hutta. How the heck did you follow me to Lianna."
"Seven-nine-one was able to pick up on your conversation with Raaxus," Goldam said. "Now then, how 'bout you answer my question about Obez."
"Take your blasted nose out of my business and I might let you live," Kadar growled.
"Ooh, that's not very polite. Well, if you want to be that way-"
Before Goldam could finish, Kadar made a wide U-turn with his ship and began firing its weapons. His opponent's vessel, which was an Amphibious Interstellar Assault Transport/infantry, was too large to evade the attack, but its strong hold was able to handle the attack.
In response to his attack, two turrets mounted over the AIAT/i's cockpit began firing. Kadar narrowly dodged the plasma bolts and returned fire with his ion cannon turret. The AIAT/i seemed to shudder from the attack, but continued to fire.
After activating the White Rider's twin blaster turrets and setting them to automated, Kadar considered his options. This battle could go on forever and he wasn't keen on staying out here for long. The only thing he could think of was to either fire a proton torpedo- which might only stall the large ship- or let Goldam follow him to Lianna, and find out why he had an interest in Obez.
Well, Kadar thought, in that latter case, my curiosity would be satisfied.
Abruptly turning his ship around, he aimed for the now-approaching planet of Lianna and advance forward.
* * *
"Salvan Tai, eh?" Xemer said as he and Wallen boarded their ship. "For some reason, that name sounds familiar."
"Well, I've never heard of him," Wallen replied. "Commissioner Orsalan told me that he's on Lianna with an estate, likely in the continent Anai."
"Any way we can narrow it further than that?"
"I'm afraid not," Wallen muttered. "The easiest way I can think of to find him is to ask around."
"Right, and the continent is how big, exactly?" Xemer said sardonically. "Are you sure the commissioner didn't give us any more info?"
"Not from the commissioner. But Director Kalenda did give out a warning: 'Beware the Snatchers.'"
"Snatchers, huh?" Xemer said, heading for the ship's co-pilot seat. "That doesn't sound good."
"Since when does anything?"
As Wallen took his seat beside Xemer at the controls, he suddenly paused for a moment. For some strange, ominous reason, something didn't seem...right. He glanced at Xemer, who was mapping out a route for Lianna. If the Kel Dor lieutenant was feeling any similar intuition as he was, he wasn't showing it.
Wallen shrugged the feeling off. Perhaps he was simply having a bad feeling about this mission. Nonetheless, however, he would remain cautious.
Bad feelings always became reality.
* * *
Due to its former ties to Count Dooku, and thus the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Serenno had not been viewed favorably by the public after the Clone Wars. When the Empire later replaced the ruling Counts with Imperial sympathizers, and then assassinated Count Adan Dooku, who was a friend of future Alliance founder Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan, Serenno was fully established to be an Imperial ally.
Following the end of the Galactic Civil War, Serenno had decided to remain neutral, and was able to go unscathed during the war against Darth Vorath's Sith. And so far, it had been able to do so with the Glorian War. But Jacen knew that it was only a matter of time before it too became a battleground.
Jumping out of hyperspace in the X-wing fighter he had learned to fly in, Jacen entered the Serenno system and began approaching the gray and green planet itself. Upon reaching a few parsecs from orbit, planetary security spoke to him via comlink.
"Alliance craft, this is Serenno Security of the Great Houses. State your business or else return to whence you came."
"I seek an audience with the Count of Serenno."
"Right, and I'm just gonna let you stroll into Carannia and chat with him. State your business with him and I might consider letting you do just that."
"I am a Knight of the Jedi Order," Jacen said. "I wish to speak with the current liege lord on what he knows of his predecessor, Count Dooku."
There was a pause. "A Jedi, eh?" the security personnel then said. "Give me a moment."
For a while, silence filled the comlink. When the security person finally returned, he said, "You're in luck. Count Valmar is willing to speak with you."
Jacen smiled to himself as he advanced towards the planet. The day was certainly off to a good start.
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