End Game Read Online Free Page B

the project when King Veruna died, but I was so obsessed with unraveling the mystery of the Gungan cities, I couldn’t bring myself to stop. I was beginning to make real progress when the Trade Federation announced its blockade, and most of my informants went to ground.”
    “Rellias,” Maul said. “Begin with that.”
    Leika made adjustments to the crystal reader, and a new 3-D map came into view. He pointed to a data entry that accompanied shifting views of a dense cluster of hydrostatic bubbles that made up the underwater city of Rellias.
    “Here are the location coordinates.” His furry hand moved. “The bubbles are permeable at certain points, and emit a natural glow that derives from the interaction between plasma and energy generated electromagnetically.”
    “The name of the governor of Rellias,” Maul said.
    “Boss,” Leika amended. “Boss Ganne. An Ankura Gungan—the ones with green skin and hooded eyes.”
    Maul filed the name away. “How far to the bubble city closest to Rellias?” Leika rocked his head back and forth. “Hard to say. Several of my sources confirmed that there is a fortified underwater plasma channel, somewhere in this area”—his forefinger drew a circle in the air—“that eventually leads to Otoh Gunga, Langua, Jahai, and the rest, which I believe to be in Lake Paonga, close to where it merges with the Lianorm Swamp. Otoh Gunga is the capital, if you will, and home to the Rep Council and the high ruler, Boss Rugor Nass. There is said to be a second approach to Otoh Gunga from the north, from a site called the Sacred Place.” Maul turned away from the projected map to regard Leika. “The Sacred Place?” The Bothan shrugged. “No one I spoke with knew why it’s called that, or precisely where it is.” He paused for a moment. “Are you … planning to attack the cities? I only ask because I feel compelled to warn you that the Gungans are well armed. Their standing army is what kept King Veruna from attacking them, and in part the impetus for his creating the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps. That, and to counter the strength of the Trade Federation.”
    “And to counter the power of the Muun, Hego Damask,” Maul said, dangling the name.
    If Leika was surprised, he kept it to himself. “Well, Magister Damask, of course. He controls all of it. Even the coming election on Coruscant.”
    “Damask will put Senator Palpatine in power?” Maul asked carefully.
    “Naboo’s favorite son?” Leika laughed shortly. “Hasn’t Damask already done so?” Maul didn’t want to hear any more about it. Snatching the data crystal and reader, he threw open the door and stepped into the light. Glancing at Leika, he said: “The terms will be honored.” As he made his way out of the detention camp he thought about Darth Sidious, and it occurred to him to wonder if the terms of their agreement would be honored.

    By the time Maul returned to OOM-9’s forward observation base, the dark waters of the marshland were clotted with poisoned gooberfish, and a stench hung in the humid air. The water level was lower, but not nearly as low as Maul had expected.
    “As quickly as we drain it, the marsh replenishes itself, Commander,” the droid told him. “The marsh and the lakes beyond appear to be linked to vast reserves of underground water.” Maul handed the data crystal to OOM-9. “The location coordinates for Rellias can be accessed from the menu. Transmit the data to your STAP patrols and order them to saturate the location with depth charges. Then prepare the S-DST for immediate embarkation and meet me on board.” The droid accepted the crystal and hurried off.
    Carrying half the company of droid troopers and the full contingent of droidekas, the aquatic destroyer hovered through a maze of channels shaded by thriving forest. By midafternoon it had maneuvered its way into a twisting passage that provided a link between the marsh and an enormous clear-water lake. Far to the west, two