Free The Force Unleashed by Sean Williams Page A

cannon.
    Trawling around the Outer Rim with Darth Vader's surly emissary and his
    dysfunctional droid hadn't been high on her wish list. Neither had been bombing
    defenseless planets or being spurned by her father . . .
    Funny how life turned out.
    The blue-green world of Felucia hung against a vast and empty backdrop as they
    emerged from hyperspace. It filled the forward view as she activated the sublight
    drive and trimmed their approach vector. When everything was in order, she killed
    the engines and let the ship coast silently through the planet's steep gravity well.
    This wasn't the commswamped environment of Raxus Prime and Nar Shaddaa. If they came
    in too hot, they would shine like a comet to anyone looking.
    "Felucia in range," she announced. PROXY occupied the copilot's chair, monitoring
    life support and comms. Starkiller Rood behind them with arms crossed over his chest
    and face shrouded beneath a hood he had put on after leaving Raxus Prime. He had
    barely said a word through the long trip, speaking only to give orders and avoiding
    all her attempts to provoke conversation.
    She felt slightly stung by this-she had thought she was breaking through his
    strong-but-silent image and getting a glimpse of the man beneath-but she maintained
    a professional demeanor. That was all her job demanded. "Readings?" he asked.
    "No major settlements," she said, glancing at PROXY's board, "but life signs are
    overwhelming the scanners. The planet is completely overgrown. I have no idea where
    we should set down."
    "I'll tell you."
    The small hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She craned her neck to watch what
    he was doing and saw only that he had closed his eyes. But something was definitely
    happening. The air seemed to thicken around him, as though a whirlpool were
    gathering. The hollows in his cheeks grew deeper, emphasizing his lashes and the
    sensuality of his mouth. Her heart rate quickened slightly.
    She took a deep breath and turned back to her controls. This was none of her
    business. Ships and machines were her province, not the strange skills of Darth
    Vader and his ilk. For all her innate curiosity, it was dangerous to know too much
    sometimes. She had to remain detached and disinterested.
    Just do your job, Juno Eclipse.
    Starkiller stirred and leaned forward to point at a map display on the console near
    her.
    "There, on the equator." "What is there, exactly?"
    He exhaled. She felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek. "Leave that to me.
    Engage the cloak and take us down."
    She nodded, hoping he wouldn't notice the slow flush spreading up her neck, and
    eased forward on the throttle.
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    * * *
    The Rogue Shadow rocketed down into the planet's upper atmosphere, fighting
    turbulence caused by surges of thick, humid air. Coruscant it might not have been,
    but Juno began to feel a twinge of curiosity. Before her mother's death, Juno had
    been interested in xenobiology-something frowned upon by her father, but which she
    had found endlessly fascinating. There was so much life in the galaxy, assuming so
    many different forms. She could have spent a thousand lifetimes trying to catalog it
    all, only to find that it had evolved into countless new forms during the process,
    forcing her to start all over again.
    The thought hadn't appalled her. If anything it had filled her with wonder-the same
    sense of wonder she now felt stirring at the sight of Felucia's vast fungal forests
    and verdant lakes. Again she was struck by the contrasts among Nar Shaddaa, Raxus
    Prime, and this world. Felucia was brimming over with life in all forms, from the
    tiniest grass blade to the most massive fungi she had ever seen, with roots snaking
    over the ground, vines and mildew curling up swaying trunks, and insects everywhere.
    The air in the Upper atmosphere exhibited pollen and spore counts that were off the
    scale. Her eyes felt assaulted by color everywhere she