The Knight's Move

With a deep sigh, Bait dropped back into his chair, watching the flashing lights above his head. As soon as his ship emerged from hyperspace, he switched to manual controls and shut the computer off. With both hands on the controls, he steered his ship past a large asteroid, surrounded by nothing but the nothingness of space.

The silence of what had just happened, still roared through his head, although he could barely grasp what had just happened. One swift stroke, and all the people were just gone. He had known about the plans for years, but to see them right there turned his guts inside out.

He pulled his ship into a gentle left turn, passing just around the giant gas planet by his side. Storms were having a deadly dance in the thick, green atmosphere, unable to disturb his flight high up in space. Bait couldn't help but wonder whether there was anything alive below these lightning-struck clouds, hidden from everybody.

Behind the gas planet, a giant space ship emerged from the darkness. Slowly, like an unstoppable avalanche of destructive power, it crept forward, its pointed nose pointing into nowhere. When Bait Camero saw the millions of light shining against the dark skies, he turned his computer back on and keyed in the last known communication channel. He didn't have to wait long for a voice to appear on the crackling speakers.

"This is Star Destroyer 70T, what is your current course, ship?"

"This is Bait Camero, requesting landing on Star Destroyer 70T. Transmitting passage codes now."

The codes were old, but he was hoping, his name would be enough to get him aboard. For a painfully long moment the speakers were quiet, then finally the voice replied.

"Landing approved. Welcome, Mister Camero. Please proceed to Landing bay 13L and hold short of MIKE-ALPHA."

"13L, short of MIKE-ALPHA, understood. Thank you."

With a sigh of relief he maneuvered his ship into the landing bay towards the end of the ship. He cursed silently, when he noticed the group of troopers awaiting him there. An officer greeted Bait as he left the back of his ship.

"Welcome, Mister Camero. We were not expecting your visit. May I ask, what brings you here?"

"No." With one hand Bait opened the cargo hatch to unload his luggage. "You may not, officer. Would you be so kind as to lead my way to a chamber, where I can rest?"

"Right ahead, Mister Camero. This way, please." Bait did not miss the angry look on the officer's face.

The corridors on the Star Destroyer were empty, almost deserted. They did not see any troopers besides the four in Bait's escort, merely a hand full of droids patrolling the hallways. Near the end of the visitor's barracks the officer opened a door. Nothing more than a small chamber opened up behind it.

"I am afraid, this is the only one that is unoccupied."

"It will do just fine, thank you." Two steps led down into the room, whose only decoration was an informative drawing about the flora on Alderaan. How ironic.

"I will be at your disposal, in case you need anything, Mister Camero." the officer explained, then he bowed his head ever so slightly and left. Looking forward to getting some rest, Bait spread his few belongings across the table, but merely a moment later someone knocked on his door.

"What is it?"

A trooper in his indespicably white puppet armor appeared in the door frame.

"Grandmoff Tarkin is expecting you, Sir."

"I didn't know Tarkin was here." Camero confessed.

"Just arrived, Sir. Should I take you to him?"

"Go ahead."

Tarkin's slender face looked exactly as earnest as Bait remembered it. His peering eyes seemed to pierce right through Bait and his smile was filthier than ever. It was impossible to tell what was going on behind those all-seeing eyes, but Bait knew that it was nothing good.

"Bait Camero." Tarkin greeted him, pouring with hypocrisy. "How long has it been?" He opened his arms as though for a hug, but Bait did not engage.

"Seven months, Tarkin. I was hoping, it would be a lot more."

The sinister Grandmoff of the Empire crossed his arms before his chest.

"Is this how you greet an old friend? After all that happened between us."

"You almost blew me!"

"Oh yes. Your little farm on Alderaan. I will confess, I had forgotten about that. I had... other things on my mind."

"Of all the planets in the galaxy. You had thousands, if not millions to chose from. Why Alderaan? And why now?"

Tarkin turned away from Bait and walked up to the window that covered the entire wall. He peered into the stars, as though he could see the remains of what used to be a symbol of wealth and peace in the distance.

"We had to pick a rather graphic illustration of power to confront the Princess with. Think of it as a pillar for the mind."

Bait's eyes grew in surprise.

"The princess is there?"

"Was there." Tarkin corrected. "A group of rebels allowed her to escape, with the help of an old Jedi. But rest assured, Kenobi has been defeated by Lord Vader."

"The emperor's henchman." Bait commented. Tarkin turned his head, and eyebrow raised.

"You would do good to overthink your choice of words, Camero."

"Whatever. Did you get the stolen plans from the princess?"

"She insists, they never received any transmission. But there is reason to believe she managed to send them to the rebels' headquarters without us knowing."

"Well, she wasn't going to write you a letter about it, was she?"

"Careful, Bait. Do not anger those you cannot silence. Lord Vader requested to see about this matter himself."

"And you can just sit here? I heard the rumors. It is a timed bomb you built there, just waiting to be ignited."

"Those stories have been silenced, Camero. Besides, even if the rumored trap exists, the rebels will get no possibility to exploit it. Our defenses will destroy them before they get anywhere near it."

"Don't be careless, Tarkin. You shouldn't put too much faith in that masked robot with his glow stick."

"That's enough!" Tarkin clenched his fists. "The emperor himself sent Lord Vader to investigate. A bomb is only as effective as its trigger. This conversation is over. Troopers! See our guest to his ship."

Two stormtroopers entered the room, taking position on either side of Bait, their blasters ready.

"Don't be a fool, Tarkin. Your station is flawed!"

Then the thick safety door closed and Tarkin vanished behind it. A stormtrooper grabbed Bait by the arm, but he shook him off.

"I can walk for myself, thank you."

Grandmoff Tarkin was still looking out the window and out into the galaxy, that would soon be freed of the rebel alliance and their futile attempts to resist the imperial forces. At this very moment, special forces were raiding the rebel base on Dantooine, that the princess had been kind enough to expose. It would only be a matter of time before they returned from a successful mission. With a wave of the hand, he called a trooper to his side.

"Is Camero still aboard this ship?"

"No, Sir. He just left the hangar bay."

"Good." Tarkin nodded slowly. "Target his ship, Commander. Fire at will."

"Understood, Sir."