Jedi Bounty

14

As he angrily traced his way through the Diversity Alliance computers, Lowie uncovered false file names, broke passwords, and tracked down all the records he needed to see. With each discovery, he grew more and more outraged over the secrets Nolaa Tarkona had kept from him—and from many of her followers.

His friends had come here to see him, to talk to him … but the supposedly compassionate Diversity Alliance had thrown them into the spice mines. As slaves!

All the while, Raaba had continued her sweet words to Lowie, trying to persuade him to join the Diversity Alliance. Apparently, his personal honor and his own wishes didn’t figure into her plans. She had hoped to prevent him from talking to the other young Jedi Knights, probably because she was too afraid to let him make up his own mind, to think for himself.

As he scanned a diagram of the complex passages around Diversity Alliance headquarters, Lowie found the vault where his friends’ lightsabers had been stored. He memorized the access code. His first step would be to retrieve the precious weapons. Next he would rescue the young Jedi Knights. Then, together, they would all get away from Ryloth.

He’d had doubts before, but no longer. He was completely through with the Diversity Alliance.

When Raaba had returned to him, Lowie had been so happy—but now he wished he’d never left Yavin 4.

Computers were Lowie’s specialty. He knew how to cover his electronic “tracks.” After removing every trace of his searches, Lowie switched off the terminal. He said nothing to the Sullustan computer technicians or the burnished-bronze hacker droids as he left the glassed-in room and set off down the convoluted path to the locked storeroom.

Since he was a respected guest of Nolaa Tarkona, the guards did not challenge him. Lowie had learned long ago that the key to successful bluffing lay in looking confident that you had a right to be where you were and to do what you were doing. He made his way firmly and decisively down winding corridors, taking turbolifts to other levels and passing through restricted areas, until he finally reached the little-used storage vault.

Lowie paused in front of the sealed metal hatch. A part of him still found it impossible to believe that he had been so completely deceived, and this would confirm—or prove false—all of his suspicions. He flexed his fingers, sniffed the air. His Force sensitivity had been scrambled by his conflicting emotions ever since he’d arrived on Ryloth; it seemed difficult to trust his Jedi training now. But somehow he sensed that he would not be alone here for long, and wasted no time.

His powerful fingers punched in the access code, and the vault door slid aside. Lowbacca’s ginger fur bristled as he scanned the narrow metal shelves. He saw three lightsabers inside: Jaina’s weapon, fashioned around a power crystal she had grown chemically in her quarters; Jacen’s, constructed using a Corusca gem he had mined himself at Lando Calrissian’s GemDiver Station; and finally, Tenel Ka’s carved rancor tooth handle. He also saw the utility belt that had been stripped from the warrior girl.

He let a growl build deep in his throat. His friends were here—and they were in danger.

Scooping up the three lightsabers, Lowie put them in a pouch attached to his syren-fiber belt, then rested his paw on the lightsaber clipped at his waist. This was a time for Jedi Knights to fight together.

Before turning away, Lowie froze as he looked down. He let out a low rumble of surprise. There on the bottom shelf he saw a silvery ovoid, its optical sensors dimmed from loss of power. Emteedee had been shut down and stored here as well. The Diversity Alliance, Lowie surmised, was planning to scavenge parts and circuitry from the miniaturized translating droid, or perhaps to search through its memory for weaknesses in humans or in the New Republic.

Lowie crouched low to pick up the translating droid. He looked around warily, anticipating Em Teedee’s outburst upon being switched back on.

Still sensing no one else nearby, Lowie risked reactivating the droid.

Em Teedee’s optical sensors glowed brightly.

He burst out in a tinny voice, “Oh, Master Lowbacca! How wonderful to see you again! We’ve been searching ever so long for you—and oh my, such terrible guards and soldiers! They did horrible things to Mistress Jaina and Master Jacen, and-” Lowie groaned for the droid to keep quiet and placed a meaty paw over the speaker grille. Em Teedee protested, but Lowie just shook his head and growled a warning about the danger they faced.

Em Teedee fell silent at once, awaiting further instructions.

Lowie’s spirits rose. Filled with renewed confidence now that he had the Jedi weapons and his own translating droid, he began on the next part of his plan. Firmly, and with great satisfaction, Lowie clipped Em Teedee back onto his belt, right where the droid belonged.

The stolen uniform of the Diversity Alliance security guard felt stiff and uncomfortable. But Lowie was pleased to note that the black studded sash around his waist, as well as the armored pads on his shoulders, gave him a fearsome appearance. He fluffed up the black streak over his left eye to make himself look even more intimidating—or so he hoped.

He marched purposefully down the corridor and took a turbolift to the excavation levels.

Once there, he boarded a highpowered mining car that whisked him off to the mine’s nether regions. On the way, Lowie glanced at his chronometer, noting just how many minutes he had before his diversion began.

Plenty of time—provided he didn’t encounter any problems.

Em Teedee spoke quickly but quietly; Lowie had already chided him for making too much noise. Still, the little droid seemed determined to express his alarm. “Master Lowbacca, are you quite certain that security uniform you’re wearing is necessary? It looks absurd, if I might say so. I simply can’t imagine you as the bullying sort. Perhaps we should wait until a better opportunity presents itself.”

Lowie grunted, and Em Teedee let out the electronic equivalent of a sigh. “Very well, but if you’re so convinced of your importance to Nolaa Tarkona, we’ve even greater concern for worry. The Diversity Alliance seem to be quite an unsavory lot.” Lowie growled his agreement, and the little droid fell silent, as if surprised the Wookiee hadn’t argued with him.

The mine car stopped. Lowie did not pause for an instant or show any hesitation. He sprang to his feet and marched briskly toward the noisy, echoing grottoes where, according to the computerized duty roster for slaves, all the new captives had been assigned to work.

Lowie squared his shoulders and strode into the grotto, his alert golden eyes flicking from side to side. Numerous forced labor crews pounded at the rock or shattered stalactites from above. The place smelled of sweat and despair, blood and pain.

The assigned guards were Abyssin, Gamorreans, and other brutish species who seemed to enjoy raining harsh blows upon the prisoners.

Bullies developed in all species, and these had found in the Diversity Alliance an opportunity to indulge in the activities that amused them most.

The guards turned at Lowie’s brash entrance, grunting guttural questions in various languages, but he bluffed his way forward, knocking them aside. In barks and growls, he demanded to see the shift boss. Finally, the pebbly-skinned Rodian appeared, huge eyes darting furtively around, his sucker-tipped hands tapping with impatience against his legs.

Lowie growled his fabricated orders, but the Rodian hesitated. Em Teedee piped up in an imperious voice, “How dare you delay us, you silly supervisor? Nolaa Tarkona has ordered that the four new captives be brought to her throne chamber. This guard has been sent to escort them.”

“But why?” the Rodian said. “Have I done anything wrong? Are they being taken from my charge? I need these workers.”

“Nolaa Tarkona needs them more,” the little droid snapped. “She intends to make a ransom demand. Your immediate compliance is essential for the success of the Diversity Alliance and the glory of our conquest.”

The Rodian grumbled and moved to a communications terminal. “I must confirm this with Adjutant Advisor Hovrak,” he said.

Lowie roared, and Em Teedee quickly translated, “Indeed not! You are to accept your orders directly from Nolaa Tarkona, without consulting her underlings. To do otherwise will be viewed as insubordination.”

The droid’s voice held an edge of electronic alarm. Lowie simply growled a warning that he would not put much faith in Hovrak’s position as Adjutant Advisor anymore, since the wolfman had failed Nolaa Tarkona several times recently.

The Rodian finally backed down and relayed the command in a shrill voice. A few guards snapped to the task, grabbing Jaina and Raynar from a work area near the wall, while two Gamorreans went to pull Jacen and Tenel Ka down out of their scaffolding harnesses up near the stalactite-covered ceiling.

When the four companions were dragged before him, Lowie’s heart turned to ice. A cold fury built inside him as he observed their bedraggled condition, their bloodied hands, their dirty skin and haunted eyes.

Jacen looked up as if in fear of another beating, but then recognized his friend. “Lowie!” he cried, but the Wookiee snarled at him to cut off any further outburst and told the miserable prisoner to be silent.

Jaina tossed her long straight hair out of her eyes and looked at him with a stony, unreadable scowl. This meant either that she understood his plan and was playing along—or that she was convinced Lowbacca had been brainwashed by the Diversity Alliance….

He gestured for the four humans to follow him.

The Rodian offered additional guards, but Lowie roared and bared his fangs at the mere suggestion that these weaklings could pose any threat to him.

The four weary and aching companions staggered down the corridor, following the Wookiee “guard” out of the mines. Lowie ushered them into a turbolift, closed the door—and then, finally away from prying eyes, gathered them all into a huge bear hug, slapping their backs and howling his joy at the reunion.

He had decided to leave the Diversity Alliance, he told them. He knew what the insidious group was up to now, and he could no longer tolerate being here, no matter how much his friend Raaba wanted him to stay.

“It’s not that easy, Lowie. The Diversity Alliance may not let you go,” Jacen said. They described Lusa’s adventure and how she had discovered that no one resigned from the Diversity Alliance. Attempting to leave could mean a death sentence. That was what they had come to tell Lowie in the first place.

Lowie just growled. He would find another way out, then, and he vowed to help them all escape from Ryloth. He had a plan to get them out of the tunnels and into the mountains, where he could rescue them.

The turbolift shot upward silently, taking them toward freedom at last.

From the observation gallery above the mine chambers from which he had spied on the captives, Corrsk watched as the Wookiee bluffed the stupid guards and led the prisoners away. Corrsk could have sounded an alarm at any time, because he knew for certain Nolaa Tarkona had given no such orders. Hovrak himself had no idea that Lowbacca had turned traitor and meant to free his human friends. Such news would cause considerable turmoil in the Diversity Alliance, Corrsk knew.

But he had other plans. “Kill humans!” he said under his breath. He let out a long, venomous hiss. “And Wookiees.”

He watched, then crept forward. He had anticipated this moment for a long time, but the cold blood of his predator ancestors had taught him patience. He knew how to wait for his prey.

Bloodlust sang in his veins, the scent of Wookiee taunted his nostrils, and nerves tingled beneath his scales. He could be a hero to the Diversity Alliance. He could prevent the escape of the human captives—and if one or two of the prisoners were killed during the recapture … surely Nolaa Tarkona would forgive him.

But best of all, Corrsk thought as his vision reddened, he would have his trophy: a fine Wookiee pelt. No one could protect Lowbacca from his claws and his skinning knives now. The Wookiee had turned against the Diversity Alliance, and the Trandoshan would make certain he paid the ultimate price for it.

Corrsk moved quickly out into the tunnels, happy to be on the hunt at last.