Timothy Zahn - Outbound Flight

Star Wars: Outbound Flight is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

2007 Del Rey Mass Market Edition

Copyright 2006 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & or where indicated.
All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Star Wars: Mist Encounter copyright 1995 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & or where indicated. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Published in the United States by Del Rey Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

D EL R EY is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

Originally published in hardcover and in slightly different form in the United States by Del Rey Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., in 2006.

Star Wars: Mist Encounter by Timothy Zahn first appeared in West End Games Star Wars Adventure Journal, Volume 1, Number 7, in August 1995.

Illustrations by A. J. Kimball

eISBN: 978-0-307-79575-5

www.starwars.com
www.delreybooks.com

v3.1_r2

To Michael A. Stackpole
For his contributions to the Star Wars universe:
Words of prose, words of advice, and, occasionally,
words of somewhat less consequence.
And in regards to that last category,
one of these days I will beat you at
Star Wars Trivial Pursuit.

T he light freighter Bargain Hunter moved through space, silver-gray against the blackness, the light of the distant stars reflecting from its hull. Its running lights were muted, its navigational beacons quiet, its viewports for the most part as dark as the space around it.

Its drive gunning for all it was worth.

Hang on! Dubrak Qennto barked over the straining roar of the engines. Here he comes again!

Clenching his teeth firmly together to keep them from chattering, Jorj Cardas got a grip on his seats armrest with one hand as he finished punching coordinates into the nav computer with the other. Just in time; the Bargain Hunter jinked hard to the left as a pair of brilliant green blaster bolts burned past the bridge canopy. Cardas? Qennto called. Snap it up, kid.

Im snapping, Im snapping, Cardas called back, resisting the urge to point out that the outmoded nav equipment was Qenntos property, not his. As was the lack of diplomacy and common sense that had gotten them into this mess in the first place. Cant we just talk to them?

Terrific idea, Qennto bit out. Be sure to compliment Progga on his fairness and sound business sense. That always works on Hutts.

The last word was punctuated by another cluster of blaster shots, this group closer than the last. Rak, the engines cant hold this speed forever, Maris Ferasi warned from the copilots seat, her dark hair flashing with green highlights every time a shot went past.

Doesnt have to be forever, Qennto said with a grunt. Just till we have some numbers. Cardas?

On Cardass board a light winked on. Ready, he called, punching the numbers over to the pilots station. Its not a very long jump, though

He was cut off by a screech from somewhere aft, and the flashing blaster bolts were replaced by flashing starlines as the Bargain Hunter shot into hyperspace.

Cardas took a deep breath, let it out silently. This is not what I signed up for, he muttered to himself. Barely six standard months after signing on with Qennto and Maris, this was already the second time theyd had to run for their lives from someone.

And this time it was a Hutt theyd frizzled. Qennto, he thought darkly, had a genuine talent for picking his fights.

You okay, Jorj?

Cardas looked up, blinking away a drop of sweat that had somehow found its way into his eye. Maris was swiveled around in her chair, looking back at him with concern. Im fine, he said, wincing at the quavering in his voice.

Of course he is, Qennto assured Maris as he also turned around to look at their junior crewer. Those shots never even got close.

Cardas braced himself. You know, Qennto, it may not be my place to say this

It isnt; and dont, Qennto said gruffly, turning back to his board.

Progga the Hutt is not the sort of person you want mad at you, Cardas said anyway. I mean, first there was that Rodian

A word about shipboard etiquette, kid, Qennto cut in, turning just far enough to send a single eyes worth of glower at Cardas. You dont argue with your captain. Not ever. Not unless you want this to be your first and last tour with us.

Id settle for it not being the last tour of my life, Cardas muttered.

What was that?

Cardas grimaced. Nothing.

Dont let Progga worry you, Maris soothed. He has a rotten temper, but hell cool off.

Before or after he racks the three of us and takes all the furs? Cardas countered, eyeing the hyperdrive readings uneasily. That mauvine nullifier instability was definitely getting worse.

Oh, Progga wouldnt have racked us, Qennto scoffed. Hed have left that to Drixo when we had to tell her hed snatched her cargo. You do have that next jump ready, right?

Working on it, Cardas said, checking the computer. But the hyperdrive

Heads up, Qennto interrupted. Were coming out.

The starlines collapsed back into stars, and Cardas keyed for a full sensor scan.

And jerked as a salvo of blaster shots sizzled past the canopy.

Qennto barked a short expletive. What the frizz?

He followed us, Maris said, sounding stunned.

And hes got the range, Qennto snarled as he threw the Bargain Hunter into another series of stomach-twisting evasive maneuvers. Cardas, get us out of here!

Trying, Cardas called back, fighting to read the computer displays as they bounced and wobbled in front of his eyes. There was no way it was going to calculate the next jump before even Qenntos luck ran out and the fuming Hutt back there finally connected.

But if Cardas couldnt find a place for them to go, maybe he could find all the places for them not to go

The sky directly ahead was full of stars, but there was plenty of empty black between them. Picking the biggest of the gaps, he punched the vector into the computer. Try this one, he called, keying it to Qennto.

What do you mean try? Maris asked.

The freighter rocked as a pair of shots caught it squarely on the aft deflector. Never mind, Qennto said before Cardas could answer. He punched the board, and once again the starlines lanced out and faded into the blotchy hyperspace sky.