Delusions of Grandeur

19

As Raaba guided her star skimmer toward Ryloth, she proudly shared details about her adventures in procuring the syren fiber for her belt. Then she added some history of the homeworld Nolaa Tarkona had reformed. In the cramped Rising Star, Lowbacca and his sister Sirra listened with interest.

Tarkona had chosen Ryloth as the headquarters of her ever-expanding Diversity Alliance. With its slightly irregular shape, the planet was tide-locked in orbit: one side always faced the sun, while the opposite hemisphere remained perpetually in shadow. This made the climate inhospitable, except for a narrow band of twilight between the baking day and the freezing night.

In this thin habitable zone and on the cold side, the Twi’leks had dug mountain warrens, honeycombing the rock with chambers and passages as they mined the addictive mineral ryll, which was sometimes sold as spice.

When Old Republic representatives had stumbled upon their world, many Twi’leks chose to leave and see the vast galaxy. Some had been trained as Jedi Knights, including the legendary Tott Doneeta, who had fought during the great Sith War four thousand years ago. In recent times, the lawyer and X-wing pilot Nawara Ven had been a talented member of Rogue Squadron.

But not all Twi’leks were so revered, Raaba went on. The reviled scientist administrator Tol Sivron had served the Empire by running a hidden super-weapons lab. The traitorous Bib Fortuna had profited from the misery of his own species, selling Twi’lek women as slaves—including Nolaa’s beautiful half-sister Oola. The talented dancers were in great demand among wealthy thugs such as Jabba the Hutt. But Nolaa had done her best to quash that trade.

Raaba had no doubt that Nolaa Tarkona marked a new high point in the history of her people. She had founded a political movement that would achieve widespread social acceptance and equality for all alien species. The New Republic, with all of its sweet-sounding promises, would finally be forced to live up to its commitments.

As he listened to Raaba’s speech, Lowie rumbled uneasily. He had spent a great deal of time with the New Republic. Although he had observed some continuing difficulties, most could be explained by ill-mannered individuals, not by any overarching human policy of discrimination and repression.

Still, Raaba seemed so passionate about her new calling that Lowbacca decided not to argue. He would hear with an open mind what her friends had to say. His sister Sirra viewed this trip away from home as a great adventure, and he did not want to ruin her enjoyment by making hasty judgments about Raaba’s beliefs.

As soon as the Rising Star entered orbit around Ryloth, a string of defensive satellites sounded their alerts, demanding that Raaba identify herself. A harsh voice forbade her to proceed until she had been cleared or her skimmer would be destroyed instantly.

Unflustered, Raaba transmitted her identification code, furry fingers dancing over the keypad. With Wookiee growls she announced herself as a loyal member of the Diversity Alliance, bringing two new members to meet Nolaa Tarkona. She was immediately authorized to enter the atmosphere and approach the mountain stronghold. Raaba’s dark lips peeled back in a grin, exposing her fangs.

As the skimmer cruised toward the blackened crags, Lowie saw that all entrances to the warrens had been covered and textured to be almost indistinguishable from the rippling rock. Towering blast doors in the naked cliffside ground open for the Rising Star.

Without hesitation, the chocolate-furred Wookiee barreled into the passage, swooping down into the lower warrens. Sirra gave a squeal of delight, and Lowie recalled his sister’s own practice flying back at the treetop city.

Raaba clearly knew where she was going. She easily followed a path of lights that lit the curving rock walls like colonies of phosphorescent creatures in a dark cave. Paying scant attention, she skimmed around corners, apparently selecting appropriate passages by instinct alone.

Finally, they reached an underground docking area where supply ships, passenger shuttles, and courier drones lay in various stages of preparation. Mixed groups of aliens bustled back and forth, carrying out the business of the Diversity Alliance. They scrutinized maps on electronic wallboards and hauled supplies to storage grottoes. Droids moved about, alert for spies or sabotage from enemies of the political movement and at the same time recording everything for later victorious documentaries.

As the three Wookiees climbed out of the Rising Star, Lowie stretched his lanky, ginger-furred arms and sniffed the air. His sensitive nostrils detected volatile hyperdrive fuels and coolants, as well as the body odors and pheromones from a host of different species. Beside him, Raaba seemed proud to be an integral part of such great work. She tugged on her glossy syren-fiber belt, reveling in her newly acquired badge of honor.

A Shistavanen wolfman in an impressive military uniform marched up to greet them. “Welcome back, Raabakyysh—we are pleased that you have brought new recruits to us.” He brushed his dark fur back and bowed, baring his fangs in a gesture of respect. “I am Adjutant Advisor Hovrak.”

The wolfman made a deep bow toward Lowie and raised his eyebrows, letting an interrogative growl escape his throat. “The fame of Lowbacca and his work as a Jedi Knight reached our ears some time ago. The Diversity Alliance welcomes you.” He gestured with one fiercely clawed hand. “Come. Nolaa Tarkona will see you right away.”

Inside her grand receiving chamber, Nolaa Tarkona stood from her massive seat and smiled to show sharply filed teeth. Her tattooed head-tail squirmed with pleasure. Lowie noted a glint from the optical sensor implanted in the scarred stump of the other head-tail.

Raaba marched forward with Hovrak, while Lowie and Sirra remained respectfully behind, waiting to be introduced. Lowie was impressed that the political workers were making such a grand gesture to welcome them. Surely, not all potential recruits received this kind of treatment?

Still, something about the Diversity Alliance made him uneasy. He couldn’t quite identify what it was … but he reassured himself by thinking that Raaba would not have allowed herself to become involved in anything unsavory.

“I am very pleased to have you among our members, my Wookiee friends,” Tarkona said. Her voice was powerful, flowing with rich currents of charisma. “Raabakyysh has been one of our most loyal supporters, and I am sure that you will also do your species proud.” She strode across the dais, her black robes sweeping around her.

“I am especially honored to have a Jedi among us,” Tarkona continued. “The Diversity Alliance has great work to do, and you possess crucial skills.” She stepped down to floor level. Raaba smiled, her furry face crinkling with pleasure.

“Raabakyysh tells me that you were also searching for Bornan Thul, Lowbacca. I certainly hope he is found soon. He betrayed my trust in him and … stole a precious treasure, a critical key to our work.” Tarkona’s head-tail thrashed with agitation. “Humans have always found our weak spots and exploited them, uncovering whatever means the most to us—and then taking it! It was my own foolishness to put my faith in a human in the first place.”

As she paced the floor, her feet whispered against the polished stone. “Not all humans are so unworthy, of course,” she amended when she saw Lowie bristle at the sweeping censure. Her tone was conciliatory. “Some humans have even accepted our assignment to hunt down this unworthy man who has so greatly wronged me. Of course, their reasons are purely mercenary, rather than honorable—but the end result is all that matters.”

At that moment Corrsk, the Trandoshan, strode into the chamber, carrying an electronic datapad and a sheaf of documents. He clearly meant to deliver them to Nolaa Tarkona, but when the giant reptilian alien saw the three Wookiees standing in the grotto, he stopped short. Instinct drew his muscles taut, and he dropped the datapad to the floor. Documents fluttered down as Corrsk raised his clawed hands to an attack position. A simmering growl bubbled like a geyser out of his throat.

Outraged and betrayed, Lowie roared defensively at seeing the Wookiees’ natural enemy. Bristling, he stepped close to Sirra, so that he and his sister could fight together. Trandoshan bounty hunters were famous for killing Wookiees, and Lowie had no intention of losing his pelt.

Sirra growled, also ready to fight with tooth and claw—but Raaba intervened, holding up her dark brown arms to prevent them from doing anything foolish. She cinched her red headband tighter, and her biceps bulged, holding her metal armlets in place.

“Corrsk, control yourself! Enough posturing,” Tarkona said impatiently. “Raabakyysh, thank you for deflecting this battle.” She turned to Lowie and Sirra. “Perhaps the concept has not yet sunk in, but here in the Diversity Alliance we’ve put aside our differences. Ancient rivalries and blood feuds are erased. We agree to surrender interracial hatreds to focus on the most pernicious enemy, our most important foes: humans everywhere. Wookiees and Trandoshans can only triumph if they fight side by side as comrades. We must!”

Shamefaced, the Trandoshan lowered his clawed hands and retrieved the items he had dropped. Lowie and Sirra watched the reptilian predator cautiously as he slunk forward to place the datapad and documents on the table beside Tarkona’s chair. Without a word, Corrsk vanished down a long dim tunnel.

Only then did Lowie allow himself to relax. Raaba chuffed with laughter, treating the entire incident as a joke.

Lowie didn’t find the experience terribly amusing, but he vowed to do his best to accept other species and to fit in with the ways of the Diversity Alliance.