Zekk indicated the singed place on his arm. “It wasn’t easy.”
Tyko chose this moment to break up the reunion. “More to the point, my young hoodlum, what are you doing here? What business do you have threatening us? You’re lucky IG-88 didn’t blast you to cinders.”
Zekk took a moment to holster his weapons and give Jaina a real hug before looking directly into Tyko’s eyes. “I take it you’re Tyko Thul? I was hired to rescue you. But it looks like I’m a bit late for that.”
Tyko stared skeptically at Zekk. “Do you really expect me to believe you were hired to help me? A scruffy-looking bounty hunter like you? Aryn Dro Thul would hardly have contracted with some disreputable juvenile to come to my rescue. She could afford the most famous names in the business.”
Raynar considered this with surprise. Would his mother have hired Zekk? Remembering how the dark-haired young man had dumped him into the river mud during the Second Imperium’s attack, he still felt some resentment toward Zekk.
“First of all,” Zekk answered in a stern tone, “the ‘most famous names in the business’ are already out hunting for your brother. Second, it was Bornan Thul himself, not Aryn Dro, who hired me. He wore a disguise, but still risked his life to enlist my help. Just to find you. He attempted to remain anonymous, but I discovered his identity anyway.”
This news changed everything. Raynar’s face lit up. “You saw my father? Is he all right? Where is he? Can I go to him?”
Compassion showed in Zekk’s emerald eyes when he looked at the blond-haired boy. “He’s alive and healthy, at least—but he had to go back into hiding. Everyone is after him.”
“Why didn’t you simply bring him in, you fool?” Tyko snapped. “Aren’t you a bounty hunter? Our family would have rewarded you with more than enough credits to make it worth your while.”
“It was tempting,” Zekk admitted. “But that wouldn’t have been honorable. I can’t betray my employer.”
“Honor,” Tyko sneered. “Who ever heard of a bounty hunter concerned with his honor? Besides, Bornan left his entire family to think him kidnapped or dead, for who knows what reason. How honorable is that?”
Raynar rounded on his uncle. “All right, let’s discuss honor. Aren’t you the one who arranged to have yourself kidnapped, Uncle Tyko? You let Mi-believe you were in great danger. How honorable is that?”
“I had only the best of intentions, my dear boy,” Tyko blustered. “I just wanted to help my brother to—”
“Help? You tried to trick my father into revealing himself, without even knowing what he was hiding from. And you succeeded! If someone other than Zekk had found him, my father could be dead right now.”
“He’s right,” Zekk said. “I believe Bornan Thul is in hiding for a good reason. I can tell you for certain that his life is in danger. There were only two things he hired me for: to locate you”—this with an accusing glance at Tyko—“and to send a message to his family.”
Zekk reached into a pocket of his vest and pulled out a message packet. He tossed it to Raynar, who, though surprised, easily caught it. “Now I’ve fulfilled both parts of my job for him. If he’s smart, Bornan Thul won’t come out of hiding again without expert protection.”
“At least we know my father’s not hurt,” Raynar said. “Yet.”
“It is also fortunate no one was hurt by coming to Mechis III,” Tenel Ka said pointedly.
“Not hurt much, at least,” Jaina said, examining the burn on Zekk’s arm. She grinned at him and gave him another hug. “I’m glad you’re here. At least this time you didn’t show up in the middle of a bounty hunter attack, like you did at Alderaan!”
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.