Okay, I’ll take it. Now…we have a droid factory. We have the bounty hunters. We have the money to pay the bounty hunters. What’s next?

Is it a holiday? I think I’m due a little holiday time.

DARTH VADER:

I need certain information confirmed. From one who is proving elusive.

APHRA:

That kid who destroyed the Death Star—Skywalker?

DARTH VADER:

Not yet. First this.

APHRA (narration):

You see what I mean about alternating between wildly secretive and mind-blowingly forthcoming? Anyway. He handed me a datachip—

and gave me a name.

And one more bit of information, something he really wanted to know about.

But I’ll get to that in due time.

DARTH VADER:

Contact me only when you have succeeded. If you do not contact me within a month, I will contact you.

That is not something you would enjoy.

APHRA (narration):

And with that…he was gone. Leaving me once again with no company but my killer robots.

Oh, and all my money.

Normally, the money would’ve been the main thing I took pleasure in.

But this time…there was something more. I could tell I’d impressed him. I’d impressed Darth Vader.

I’d done something only I could do, and I’d done it well. I’d showed him that there was only one Chelli Lona Aphra: rogue archaeologist, excellent heister and double-crosser…and supposedly totally loyal to him. Perhaps the ultimate double cross?

I’d proved to him that my brilliance was no fluke, that I could get things done and keep all of his secrets.

And now he was entrusting me with even more of them.

I was getting closer to discovering the cracks in his armor, I could feel it—and that gave me an even bigger thrill than stealing all those credits.

Of course, Trip had to interrupt my nice moment with more of his complaining…

TRIPLE-ZERO:

Mistress Aphra, when Mr. IG-90 received a share of the spoils, I couldn’t help but take my continuing poverty somewhat personally…

APHRA:

You take your joy in work.

TRIPLE-ZERO:

I was not locked in a room with a humanoid and a sharp implement, Mistress Aphra. There was little “joy.”

APHRA:

Patience, Triple-Zero. In this outfit, it can only be a matter of time.

SCENE 24

INT. GAMBLING PARLOR. THE SPIRE. ANTHAN PRIME. DAY.

APHRA (narration):

Naturally, Vader gave me basically no information regarding the decryption of this mysterious datachip. I knew that it contained information on someone called Commodex Tahn, and that Vader thought Tahn might possess some vital knowledge.

And…yeah, there was that one other thing I haven’t told you yet.

Having to do with what that “vital knowledge” might entail. Be patient.

Anyway, this was just another opportunity to prove my brilliance.