The Darkness Read online

  Lina’s heart hammered as the young convict swung both gates shut, sealing them in.

  “And give me the stun-stick,” he said, reaching in to take it. He flicked the switch, the rippling energy reflected in his green eyes. For a moment Lina thought she saw something else in there, something like hunger.

  “Okay, droid,” Stel said. “You know what to do.”

  CR-8R positioned himself by the door. “Please be careful. We’re all in a lot of danger if you miss your mark.”

  “Don’t sweat it, oilcan.” Stel grinned. “I know what I’m doing. Besides, this guy’s got no interest in droids. It’s us he’ll be after.”

  He pressed himself against the wall, holding up one hand and counting down on his fingers.

  Four, three…CR-8R reached for the panel. Stel raised the stun-stick. Lina watched breathlessly.

  Two, one…The door slid open. A huge figure loomed in the doorway, pausing for a moment before ducking inside. Davin towered over CR-8R, throwing the droid into shadow.

  Then Lina noticed something that made her head spin. The big alien was smiling. He held his palms up as he stepped toward them, his eyes shining with what looked like relief.

  “You’re alive,” he said. “I was—”

  Stel leapt from hiding. There was a flash of blue light.

  Davin fell like a tree, face-first. His forehead hit the deck with a crunch, right in front of Lina’s cell.

  Milo gripped the bars. “Did you see his face?” he asked Lina. “Something was wrong.”

  “I know,” she called back. “What was he trying to say?”

  “He was probably trying to tell you how glad he was that you’re okay,” Stel interrupted. “How thankful that I hadn’t had the chance to hurt you. Yet.”

  The young man spun on his heel, shoving the stun-stick at CR-8R. There was a spray of sparks and CR-8R reeled back. Electricity crackled as Stel thrust again, digging the stick furiously into the droid’s side.

  CR-8R shook, letting out a deafening screech. His repulsors failed and he hit the floor, metal limbs jerking and twitching, appendages writhing like a nest of angry snakes.

  Stel twirled the stun-stick around his hand like a baton. He drew back and dealt Davin a kick in the side, so hard that the Lasat’s whole body shook. Then he turned to Milo and Lina.

  “Surprise!” he said, and beamed at them.

  Lina stepped back, her hands clenched into fists. Stel’s thin lips twitched excitedly and there was a wild gleam in his eyes.

  “You’re the butcher of Brentaal IV,” Milo said. “It was you all along.”

  “That’s what they called me,” Stel admitted. “The things I did, sometimes I can’t even believe it was me. But that was a long time ago. I’m better now. Sort of.”

  “So why did you lie to us?” Lina asked. “Why did you say it was Davin?” She gestured to the snoring body face-down at her feet.

  “Because I wanted you to like me and hate him,” Stel said. “I like to be liked. Doesn’t everyone?”

  He placed one foot on Davin’s back.

  The alien grunted but did not wake. “He came here for you, of course,” Stel said, taking a step up and balancing on Davin’s motionless form. “He was sent to get you out. But he couldn’t say so in front of me. He was smart, you see. He never trusted me for a moment.”

  “How do you know what he was up to?” Milo asked. “How do you know he came to rescue us?”

  Stel snorted. “Have you really not figured it out?” he spat. “I was on the run for years, that part was true. Those senators put a price on my head so big, I knew it was only a matter of time before someone caught up to me. But then the Republic was gone. And when the stormtroopers came knocking, they weren’t there to arrest me.”

  Lina gasped. “You’re working for the Empire. But you’re a killer.”

  “Exactly.” Stel laughed. “I was just the kind of person they were after. Someone who could do the things even their troopers couldn’t. And the first mission they gave me was him.”

  He bounced on his heels, grinning cruelly. “I tracked him to Lothal, then I called in the stormtroopers and they snatched him up,” he said. “But when I heard the orders had been changed, that he wasn’t going to face trial in Capital City but would be shipped to Noctu by some bounty hunter…I knew something was up. I told them to lock me up right along with him.”

  “How would that help?” Lina asked. “Why didn’t you just order the Shade to bring him back?”

  “Because I have no doubt that when we get to Noctu he’ll have a ship waiting.” Stel grinned. “So I don’t just get him, I get everyone he’s working with. It’s a brilliant plan, if I do say so myself. And it would’ve worked perfectly if it wasn’t for those blasted spiders.”

  There was a groan of gears and Lina looked to see CR-8R picking himself up, tipping as his repulsors faltered then kicked back in. “Are either of you hurt?” he asked.

  “You’ve only been out for a few moments,” Lina said. “Just long enough for us to find out this one’s working for the Empire. Davin’s the real rebel.”

  CR-8R hung his head. “I did try to warn you,” he said. “I assume he’s expecting Davin to lead him to his people. Which means there’ll be an Imperial transport waiting for us when we reach the asteroid mines.”

  Stel clapped appreciatively. “Bolt-bucket here’s not as dumb as he looks,” he said. “I honestly had no idea who any of you were when I came on board. All I knew was that there were two kids and a droid, and that I couldn’t let any of them escape. They didn’t say anything about bringing you in alive, though.”

  “You lay one hand on them,” CR-8R said, “and I’ll—”

  “You’ll what, chrometop?” Stel cut him off. Then he sighed. “I need the girl to help me fix the navicomputer. And I need the boy to keep her in line. So don’t get your circuits in a bunch. For now, you’re all safe.”

  He looked down. “There is one thing you can do for me, though,” he said. “Get this lump of meat back where he belongs.”

  “I refuse to take orders from the likes of you,” CR-8R said firmly, crossing his arms.

  “Fine.” Stel marched to Milo’s cell. “Come here, kid. This won’t hurt. Much.” He thrust the stun-stick through the bars.

  “Fine!” CR-8R protested. “I’ll do as you ask.” He took hold of Davin’s ankles and dragged him toward the nearest cell.

  “Right inside,” Stel ordered. “I know he’s heavy, but look at those arms. Load lifter, right? Now get back here, and make sure you lock it.”

  CR-8R did as he was told, tapping in the code. Stel pushed past him, grabbing the gate and giving it a good shake.

  “Seems secure,” he said. “I guess he could try and smash his way out again, but not before we get where we’re going. Now, if you’d also be so kind as to unlock the girl’s cell.”

  CR-8R hesitated, but Stel shook the stun-stick at him. Lina stepped cautiously into the corridor, taking CR-8R’s arm.

  “Your plan was good,” Stel told her. “I’ve decided to stick to it, with a few modifications. But I’ll need you up on the bridge. I’m guessing another pair of hands will come in useful.”

  “I’ll never help you,” Lina spat.

  Stel shrugged. “Fine,” he said. “The Empire will retrace our course and find us eventually. I’m sure I’ll be able to find a fun way to pass the time until they do.” And he fingered the switch on the stun-stick, the blue light flickering off and on.

  Lina stared at him. She knew this was all her fault. If she hadn’t been so sure he was trustworthy, none of it would’ve happened. All she could do now was buy some time and hope Davin’s people were heavily armed.

  “So how do we find the power cell?” she asked.

  “We don’t need it,” Stel told her. “We’ve got a portable power source right here.” And he jerked a thumb at CR-8R.

  “I’m afraid that won’t work,” the droid told him. “I’m running on emergency power already
.”

  “Then I’ll drain what’s left and figure it out from there,” Stel snapped. “I don’t have time to go tearing up the floor searching for the source when all I need is enough juice to run the navicom. Once we’re on our way you can shut down.”

  “And what about me?” Milo piped up.

  “You stay here,” the young man told him. “And remember, I have your sister.” He smiled, clicking his heels. “Right, let’s move. The girl first, then the droid, then me.”

  “We’ll be back,” Lina promised Milo as she stepped out into the corridor. “Just sit tight.”

  “Be careful,” Milo called out. “Don’t do anything risky, okay?”

  Lina forced a smile. “Who, me?”

  Then she was gone.

  “WAKE UP!” Milo shouted, rattling the bars as hard as he could. “Please, wake up!”

  Davin lay on the floor of the far cell, arms splayed at his sides. He twitched, grunted, and reached up to scratch his nose. Then he settled back and began to snore, his great bulk rising and falling.

  Milo sank against the bars, crying out in frustration. Too much time had passed since Stel had marched Lina and CR-8R back to the bridge. His sister could take care of herself, he knew that. But he also knew that Stel was not to be messed with. He’d seen the mad gleam in the young man’s eyes.

  The door leading out of the cell block stood open, the corridor beyond still in darkness. A moment before, Milo had thought he saw movement out there, low to the ground. And if he held his breath and listened hard, he could hear the scuttling of tiny feet.

  The spiders had been drawn by the power source in the cell block. But as long as the ceiling light was working, there was no way for them to enter.

  A thought started to form in his mind. But before he could latch on to it he heard a groan. Davin was trying to lift himself up.

  “Yes!” Milo cried out. “That’s right, Davin. You can do it.”

  The Lasat shook his vast dome of a head, reaching up with one fist to push himself off the floor. “I’m up,” he moaned. “Leave me alone, Mother. I won’t be late.”

  Then he rolled over and sat up, blinking. His head lolled, eyes straining to focus. They fixed on the boy, and Milo saw a gleam of realization beneath his huge protruding forehead.

  “What happened?” Davin asked, his voice slurred and booming. “What’s going on?”

  “Stel took my sister,” Milo explained. “He’s the villain, not you.”

  “So you worked it out,” the alien said, grasping the bars to pull himself up.

  “Sorry,” Milo said. “He seemed…nicer.”

  “Teach you not to go on looks,” Davin grunted, rubbing his head. “He hit me with that stunner. Again.”

  Milo nodded. “He said you wanted to hurt us,” he said. “So we let him knock you out. Then he told us the truth.”

  “Imperial,” Davin said. “I could smell it on him. That’s why I couldn’t say why I came here. Truth is, the Bridgers sent me.”

  “I hoped they had,” Milo said warmly. “But listen, we’re in trouble. Stel’s found a way to get the ship running again. When we reach Noctu, the Empire will be waiting.” And he told Davin everything that had happened, from the spiders to Stel’s betrayal.

  “Then there’s no time to waste,” Davin said when Milo had finished. He gave the bars of his cell a powerful shake, the steel groaning beneath his fists. But the gate did not budge.

  Davin snarled. “The last one had a weak hinge. This one’s solid as rock. If only I had a stormtrooper to throw at it.”

  “I have an idea,” Milo admitted. “I haven’t completely thought it through, but I think it’ll work. Can you reach that?”

  He gestured to the flattened tin cup, discarded in the hallway between the cells. Davin got down on his knees, straining between the bars. The muscles in his arm stood out like twisted vines. He grabbed once, twice, then took hold and pulled the battered cup toward him.

  “Okay,” he said, climbing to his feet. “I’ve got it. Now what?”

  “You see that panel by the door?” Milo asked. “The Shade told us it was a light switch. I need you to turn it off.”

  “Why?” Davin grimaced. “Then we’ll be sitting in the dark.”

  “The only way to get out of these cells is to power down the locks,” Milo explained. “And there’s only one way I can see to make that happen.”

  He glanced back toward the open doorway. Tiny shapes writhed and scuttled in the darkness beyond.

  Davin’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious,” he said. “I’ve heard some crazy ideas, but letting in a bunch of cyborg spiders…I won’t do it.”

  “I’m sure they won’t bite unless we provoke them,” Milo insisted. “We just need to stand perfectly still and let them do their work.”

  But Davin shook his head. “You don’t know that,” he said. “And I can’t stand spiders. They give me the creeps, ever since I was a kid.”

  Milo couldn’t help smiling. “You’re scared,” he said in amazement. “I guess everyone’s frightened of something, but I thought you…”

  “Thought I what?” Davin demanded. “I may look tough. Okay, I am tough. But that don’t mean I want creepy crawlies running all over me.”

  “Well this is the only plan we’ve got,” Milo said. “If it works we could get up to the bridge before Stel can get the hyperdrive working. But if you’re too much of a coward…”

  Davin growled, deep in his throat. Then he spat on the floor. “All right,” he said. “But if one of those things sinks its fangs into me, it’ll be your fault.”

  He leaned out as far as he could, clutching the cup. Milo held his breath as Davin tested his aim. Then the alien whipped the cup as hard as he could. There was a crash and the lights went out.

  “Nice shot!” Milo called out.

  Davin snorted. “Thanks,” he said. “Now what?”

  “Now we stay very still,” Milo told him. “And listen.”

  At first he heard only one set of tiny feet, barely audible as the first spider scuttled tentatively into the cell block. Then he heard another one following, and another. The tapping turned to a rattling rush as the tiny creatures swarmed across the metal floor.

  “I really don’t like this,” Davin whispered in the darkness.

  “Just stay still,” Milo said. “I swear, they won’t hurt you.” He bit his lip, hoping he was right.

  Then Davin moaned in discomfort. “I can feel them on me,” he muttered fearfully. “On my legs. They’re climbing up.”

  “Just breathe,” Milo told him. “Try to think about something else.”

  The Lasat snorted. “I’ll think about how I’m never doing another favor for those Bridgers,” he said.

  Now Milo felt them, too, like tiny fingers grasping at his pants. It almost tickled, but he didn’t feel like laughing. He stood as still as he could, feeling them reach his shirt, thankful that he’d remembered to tuck it in. They won’t hurt you, he repeated to himself. They’re just friendly little creatures, they won’t hurt you….

  Then one of them brushed against his neck and he had to fight to keep from crying out. His hands were shaking, and he balled his fists, slipping them into his pockets.

  Suddenly, a voice cut the silence and the room rippled with pale blue light. “Stop, prisoner!” the Shade’s hologram demanded. “Any attempt to escape will be met with retaliatory force!”

  It stood in the center of the hallway, one hand raised. “Return to your cells!” it shouted. “Return immediately!”

  In the shimmering light Milo could see Davin in the far cell, a huge, motionless shadow. The light shifted, and for one wild moment Milo thought the alien had put on some kind of metal suit. Then he realized—he was covered from head to toe in spiders. They swarmed all over him in rippling silver waves.

  “Wow, they really seem to like you,” Milo called out. There were three spiders on his own shirt, one in his hair, and a couple more on his legs, but for the most
part they seemed to be leaving him alone.

  “Great.” Davin’s strangled voice emerged from the gleaming mass. “How do I get them to stop?”

  “Be quiet!” the hologram barked. “Everyone, silence!”

  “It’s weird,” Milo said. “Why would they go for you like this?”

  “I should have said before,” Davin said sheepishly. “I took a laser blast in the chest, years back. The medibots fitted me with a metal lung. Must have its own power source.”

  Suddenly, there came a rising hum from the far end of the cell, like a motor charging. Peering sideways, Milo could see the spiders swarming around one particular panel on the floor, clambering over one another in their eagerness to reach it. They began to dig into the deck, using their sharp pincers to tear at the metal.

  The spider in his hair scuttled free and dropped to the floor. He felt the others doing the same, hurrying toward the source of the sound.

  “They’ve found the power cell,” he whispered. “Shouldn’t be too long now. I hope.”

  “You’d better be right,” Davin muttered, his voice muffled. “Because I think they…Oh no, this one’s trying to get in my mouth.” He spat, and Milo heard something hit the floor.

  “Be careful,” he warned. “Don’t spook them.”

  The spiders had chewed a hole in the floor of the cell block. They swarmed into it, the hum of electricity rising and falling as they began to drain the power.

  “You don’t…” Davin said, following Milo’s gaze. “You don’t think they’ll try and do that to me, do you?”

  Milo didn’t know what to say. The spiders wanted energy; they didn’t care where it came from. If they figured out there was a source inside Davin, they’d do whatever they could to get at it.

  “I don’t—” he started. But before he could finish, the lights in the ceiling flickered on, pulsed for a moment, then died once again. With a click, the cell gate swung open.

  “Stop!” the hologram barked as Milo stepped out cautiously, crossing the hallway. “Get back! Stay where you are! Move along!”