Star Wars - When the Domino Falls Read Online Free Page A

“But at the time,” he whispered, conjuring a mental image of the young woman, “it certainly seemed worth it.”
    “He only wants to help those people, Ancher.”
    “What will he prove? What will he have when it’s over, if he survives.”
    “He won’t know that until it’s done.” Drake hesitated, hearing his father’s bitter tone in his own voice. “Ancher, you’ve been living on Socorro all these years and you still don’t understand. Maybe a Corellian smuggler could look the other way, but a Socorran smuggler can’t. It goes against our nature.”
    “That’s what your father said!”
    “Because there’s a difference, Ancher. You call it pride. I call it honor.” Drake took a shuddering breath. “Why do you think bounty hunters avoid Socorro? Because you and others like you are protected by Socorran tradition, a tradition that kneels to no government, no authority, no law.”
    Subdued, the Corellian moved away, shielding the pride behind his eyes. “Damned if you’re not just like him.”
    Grinning, Drake replied, “Why should that surprise you?” Behind them, he heard Nikaede’s low voice, miserably yowling defeat.
    “You did your best, Wook.” Ransom consoled, needing no translation to define her surrender. “Damn it!” he spat, roughly brushing his hands through thick, black hair. “There’s got to be another way!”
    “Ancher,” Drake whispered. He leaned his head against the smuggler’s chest. “We can’t stay here.”
    “We’re not, Drake,” Ancher soothed, cradling the boy against him. “Tait, we don’t need that damned thing. Risking a few lumps, we could ditch this place and get to the starport.”
    “We’ll take more than few lumps,” Ransom chuckled. “They keep at least six armed security men and two stormtroopers overnight.”
    Staring up at the Wookiee, Ancher grinned. “The odds sound right about even.” Challenging Nikaede, he whispered, “Why don’t you go over there to them bunks and show us how you feel about the Imperials taking over your homeworld.”
    Nikaede humphed inquisitively, inclining her head to one side.
    “We need a distraction, Nikaede,” Drake explained. “Go on, show them how you feel about being locked up in here.”
    Howling a maniacal war cry, Nikaede threw a side kick, high and wide, smashing the exterior window and bending the bars beyond the building. Retractable climbing claws sprang forward, slicing walls and ripping through bedding. Demolishing the small cell, she snatched at the bunks, easily ripping the bottom tier from the wall. For a moment, Drake thought the Wookiee had really berserked, watching pensively as she swung the cot over her head.
    Ancher grabbed the young Socorran, pulling him into a safe corner. “Help!” he started shouting. “Somebody help!”
    “The shag’s gone bloody!” Tait screamed, slapping his hands against the cell wall. “You plastic heads get me out of here!” He flinched visibly as Nikaede grasped the top bunk tier and yanked, shattering plaster and cement as she ripped the bolts from the floor. Summoned by the alarmed voices, four guards and a stormtrooper burst into the cellblock, brandishing weapons.
    “She’s berserk,” Ancher said calmly. “It happens when they get penned up like this.”
    “You idiots put her in here!” Ransom screamed. “Get her out before she comes after me next!”
    “10-33, Code Blue,” the stormtrooper reported over the comlink. “Get them out!” he snapped to the security team.
    Accessing the keypad, the sentry opened the door, pulling Drake and Ancher out of the cell. As the other stormtrooper and the remaining sentries rushed to the scene, another guard grabbed Ransom by the sleeve, forcing the smuggler behind the security team and out of danger. Storming the deranged Wookiee, the first stormtrooper secured his rifle and fired a quick burst.
    “No!” Drake screamed and lunged at the guard beside him. Swinging his fists in wide, controlled arcs,