Star Wars - 214 - Jedi Prince 05 - Queen of the Empire by Paul Davids, Hollace Davids
Authors: Paul Davids, Hollace Davids
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Star Wars, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic
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Lordship," the grand moff explained. "But don’t fret about me. All that matters now is that you’re alive-and that you can bring Kadann under control again and lead the Empire to new dark and glorious victories against the Rebel Alliance!"
"What has Kadann done?" Trioculus asked. "He’s remained loyal to me, has he not? He gave me his dark blessing and accepted me as ruler of the Empire."
"That is correct, Trioculus," Grand Moff Hissa replied. "But while you were frozen in carbonite, Kadann took back his dark blessing and declared himself to be the new Imperial ruler."
"Curse him, then," Trioculus declared, "and may the cosmic radiation of the Null Zone bake his brain."
"The Prophets of the Dark Side can no longer be trusted," Hissa continued. "A prophet named Jedgar left me for dead in a puddle of toxic slime." Leading the way in his hover-chair, Grand Moff Hissa took Trioculus on a tour of the Moffship. As they proceeded through a corridor filled with weapons systems, Trioculus recounted the times he had employed the different weapons to slaughter helpless humans and aliens-the antiorbital ion cannon that had blasted many tourist spaceships that had accidently strayed into Imperial restricted zones . . . the turbolaser that had mowed down thousands of protesting slaves during the slave rebellion on Kessel . . . the C-136
"Grandfather Gun" Trioculus had used to blow up a dam and flood troublesome settlers in the Grand Kessel River Valley .. .
As Trioculus recounted his merciless murders of days gone by, the sound of laughter and taunts echoed throughout the Moffship.
"That’s Zorba the Hutt carrying on like a fool," Grand Moff Hissa explained. "Perhaps you can make him understand that his situation is no laughing matter. We grand moffs have tried, but he only laughs more."
Grand Moff Hissa took Trioculus through the Moffship, until they were face-to-face with Zorba the Hutt, who was still hanging by his wrists.
"Zorba!" Trioculus exclaimed, staring into the reddened eyes of his old enemy. "You’ll regret the day you decided to freeze me in carbonite! I should chop your carcass up into little pieces and feed you to hungry Fefze beetles!"
"If you do that," Zorba said, "then you’ll never see Princess Leia alive again."
"What do you know about Princess Leia?" Trioculus demanded.
"I’m the only one in the galaxy who knows where she is," Zorba replied. "I was planning to execute her at the Great Pit of Carkoon on Tatooine. But seeing as how you’re such a dear old friend, if you free me from these chains and spare my life, I might decide to tell you where she is and let you have her."
The very mention of Princess Leia’s name quickened Trioculus’s breath. Trioculus longed to make Leia appreciate the ways of darkness and evil. And when the princess understood and respected the power of the Dark Side, then Trioculus would take her as his bride!
"Let the Hutt down at once," Trioculus declared.
"But my Dark Lordship-" Grand Moff Muzzer protested.
"At once, I said," Trioculus thundered.
Grand Moff Muzzer lowered the hoist, and Zorba’s body settled down solidly on the floor.
"Unchain his hands!" Trioculus demanded.
The order was quickly obeyed.
"Now then, Zorba," Trioculus said with a slight glimmer of a smile. "I’ve kept up my end of our bargain. You’re unchained. Now tell me where I can find Princess Leia-or you’ll still end up as a snack for Fefze beetles after all!"
"Patience," Zorba said. "You don’t have to look very far. Princess Leia is much closer than you would dare hope."
At that, Zorba squirmed up the ramp to his spaceship. Trioculus followed right behind him.
"This way," Zorba declared. "If your stormtroopers had been clever enough, they would have found her already."
Zorba opened the door to the cargo bay. Trioculus’s evil heart skipped a beat as his eyes beheld the golden cage-with Princess Leia trapped inside.
The cage was moved at once to Grand Moff Hissa’s private
"What has Kadann done?" Trioculus asked. "He’s remained loyal to me, has he not? He gave me his dark blessing and accepted me as ruler of the Empire."
"That is correct, Trioculus," Grand Moff Hissa replied. "But while you were frozen in carbonite, Kadann took back his dark blessing and declared himself to be the new Imperial ruler."
"Curse him, then," Trioculus declared, "and may the cosmic radiation of the Null Zone bake his brain."
"The Prophets of the Dark Side can no longer be trusted," Hissa continued. "A prophet named Jedgar left me for dead in a puddle of toxic slime." Leading the way in his hover-chair, Grand Moff Hissa took Trioculus on a tour of the Moffship. As they proceeded through a corridor filled with weapons systems, Trioculus recounted the times he had employed the different weapons to slaughter helpless humans and aliens-the antiorbital ion cannon that had blasted many tourist spaceships that had accidently strayed into Imperial restricted zones . . . the turbolaser that had mowed down thousands of protesting slaves during the slave rebellion on Kessel . . . the C-136
"Grandfather Gun" Trioculus had used to blow up a dam and flood troublesome settlers in the Grand Kessel River Valley .. .
As Trioculus recounted his merciless murders of days gone by, the sound of laughter and taunts echoed throughout the Moffship.
"That’s Zorba the Hutt carrying on like a fool," Grand Moff Hissa explained. "Perhaps you can make him understand that his situation is no laughing matter. We grand moffs have tried, but he only laughs more."
Grand Moff Hissa took Trioculus through the Moffship, until they were face-to-face with Zorba the Hutt, who was still hanging by his wrists.
"Zorba!" Trioculus exclaimed, staring into the reddened eyes of his old enemy. "You’ll regret the day you decided to freeze me in carbonite! I should chop your carcass up into little pieces and feed you to hungry Fefze beetles!"
"If you do that," Zorba said, "then you’ll never see Princess Leia alive again."
"What do you know about Princess Leia?" Trioculus demanded.
"I’m the only one in the galaxy who knows where she is," Zorba replied. "I was planning to execute her at the Great Pit of Carkoon on Tatooine. But seeing as how you’re such a dear old friend, if you free me from these chains and spare my life, I might decide to tell you where she is and let you have her."
The very mention of Princess Leia’s name quickened Trioculus’s breath. Trioculus longed to make Leia appreciate the ways of darkness and evil. And when the princess understood and respected the power of the Dark Side, then Trioculus would take her as his bride!
"Let the Hutt down at once," Trioculus declared.
"But my Dark Lordship-" Grand Moff Muzzer protested.
"At once, I said," Trioculus thundered.
Grand Moff Muzzer lowered the hoist, and Zorba’s body settled down solidly on the floor.
"Unchain his hands!" Trioculus demanded.
The order was quickly obeyed.
"Now then, Zorba," Trioculus said with a slight glimmer of a smile. "I’ve kept up my end of our bargain. You’re unchained. Now tell me where I can find Princess Leia-or you’ll still end up as a snack for Fefze beetles after all!"
"Patience," Zorba said. "You don’t have to look very far. Princess Leia is much closer than you would dare hope."
At that, Zorba squirmed up the ramp to his spaceship. Trioculus followed right behind him.
"This way," Zorba declared. "If your stormtroopers had been clever enough, they would have found her already."
Zorba opened the door to the cargo bay. Trioculus’s evil heart skipped a beat as his eyes beheld the golden cage-with Princess Leia trapped inside.
The cage was moved at once to Grand Moff Hissa’s private
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