Jedi Bounty
Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta
To our friend and faithful reader Deb Ray
Acknowledgments
Writing each volume of the Young Jedi Knights requires the help of many different people—Sue Rostoni, Allan Kausch, and Lucy Wilson at Lucasfilm Licensing; Ginjer Buchanan and Jessica Faust at Boulevard Books; Dave Dorman, cover artist extraordinaire; Vonda McIntyre (who created the character Lusa); Mike Stackpole for his help with Evir Derricote and the plague, as well as the Twi’leks; A. C. Crispin for her help with Aryn Dro and Bornan Thul; Lillie E. Mitchell, Catherine Ulatowski, and Angela Kato at Word-Fire, Inc.; and Jonathan Cowan, our primary test-reader.
1
Jacen Solo added another branch to the small campfire. He inhaled the jungle scents that mingled with the spicy smell of burning wood. Yavin was alive and wild and mysterious around them.
His twin sister Jaina stared pensively into the flames, while Tenel Ka, dressed in her usual lizardhide armor and boots, paced in restless circles around the small clearing. Raynar fidgeted beside Jacen, picking up twigs and tossing them into the embers. His moon-round face had a fretful, haunted look, as if he wasn’t at all enjoying their night out camping in the jungle.
Jacen leaned back and lay down with his hands behind his head.
Oblivious to the bits of forest debris that distributed themselves through his curly brown hair, he looked up into the star-filled sky and reached out with the Force.
He tried to sense small creatures hiding in the jungle around them, but tonight his usual ability eluded him. He sighed. Unfortunately, his Jedi senses picked up mostly his sister’s worry, Raynar’s anxiety, and Tenel Ka’s frustration.
“It’s just not the same without Lowie here,” Jaina said.
“I should certainly say not,” Em Teedee, the miniaturized translating droid, agreed. The little droid hovered with the newfound freedom of the microrepulsorjets he’d had installed on Mechis III. He followed just behind Tenel Ka as she made each restless circuit of the clearing.
Jacen gave up trying to sense small animals. “It’s been weeks since Lowie left. He hasn’t even tried to contact us.” He sat up and looked at his sister. “Hey, you don’t suppose Lowie decided to join the Diversity Alliance, do you?”
“I hope not. They’re the ones who put out a bounty on my father, after all,” Raynar answered before Jaina could speak. He clenched one hand around a fistful of twigs until they snapped. “I’ll bet there isn’t a bounty hunter in the whole sector who’s not trying to track down the infamous Bornan Thul and collect the reward Nolaa Tarkona offered.” A hint of bitterness infused his words.
Jaina bit her lower lip. Reflections of the flames danced in her brandybrown eyes. “Zekk’s out there with all those bounty hunters—but at least he’s on our side. He’s taking a pretty big risk, too. If the Diversity Alliance finds out he worked for your father and helped your uncle Tyko, Zekk could be in trouble.”
Jacen thought about their dark-haired friend. Zekk had been trained by the Shadow Academy to use the dark side of the Force but had turned away from it. Deciding to start a new life, he’d chosen to become a bounty hunter. With his piercing emerald eyes, excellent fighting skills, and knowledge of the Force, Zekk would be a formidable opponent to anyone who crossed him.
“Don’t worry about Zekk, Jaina. I have a feeling he can take care of himself. I’m more worried that Lowie might be pressured to stay on Ryloth and work for the Diversity Alliance. You heard what they did to Lusa.”
Jaina scowled. “Lowie’d never join a political group that despises humans. He’s our friend.”
Jacen tried to imagine the lanky Wookiee hating anyone simply because he’d been ordered to. The idea seemed ridiculous. “No, I can’t believe he’d go along with that. But why hasn’t he at least tried to send us a message?”
“Perhaps he has,” Tenel Ka said from the opposite side of the clearing. “He may have been unsuccessful.”
Jacen glanced up at the statuesque warrior girl as she broke into a trot. Her red-gold hair, half of which was caught up in Dathomiran warrior braids, flowed out behind her like the tail of a comet.
Em Teedee kept pace with her. “Surely you’re not suggesting that poor Master Lowbacca might have been prevented from making contact with us!” the translating droid wailed.
“It is possible. If so, he could also have been prevented from returning here,” Tenel Ka said.
Jaina groaned. “That would explain a lot—like why the communications center on Ryloth never lets us speak to Lowie when we get a connection through to them.”
“Hey, if Lowie’s in trouble, then I think we ought to do something about it,” Jacen said.
“Agreed,” Tenel Ka said, still jogging along the perimeter of the clearing.
Jaina shrugged. “No argument here. If we can’t talk to Lowie any other way, we’ll go to Ryloth in person.”
“Oh my! We could be doomed!” Em Teedee said. “But I would gladly sacrifice my last circuit if it would be of any help to Master Lowbacca. Indeed…,” the little droid continued bravely, “going to Ryloth may be an excellent opportunity for me to use my translating skills: I am fluent in over sixteen forms of communication, you know. Well, I suppose that’s all settled, then.”
“I guess you should count me in too,” Raynar added.
Jacen looked at Raynar. The lightly freckled youth with the spiky blond hair seemed tense and edgy. Raynar’s blue eyes followed Tenel Ka and Em Teedee around the circle. Around and around and around. “Do you really have to do that, Tenel Ka?” Raynar blurted out at last.
“The jungles are dangerous at night,” Tenel Ka replied without slowing.
Her voice was steady and she didn’t gasp or pant as she spoke. “Tionne advised us to post a watch. Therefore, I am ensuring the safety of our campsite by patrolling its perimeter.”
“I knew that,” Raynar said in exasperation.
Jacen gave a lopsided grin. “We know you offered to take the first watch, Tenel Ka. I think Raynar was just wondering why you’re practically running. If you wear yourself out, you’ll be too tired to fight against any real threat.”
Tenel Ka raised an eyebrow skeptically. “I have found that when I combine physical exercise with my other duties, I am able to think more clearly. It is also an excellent way to release tension.”
Jaina chuckled. “In that case, maybe we could all use a good run.”
Just as his sister spoke, Jacen sensed it: something out in the jungle watching them. Tenel Ka noticed it too, for she stopped dead in her tracks.
Em Teedee narrowly avoided colliding with her shoulder. A split second later the warrior girl dove to the ground and rolled as a snarling, fang-filled ball of fur sprang through the air where she had been standing.
Jacen and Jaina were both on their feet, lightsabers in hand, before the furry creature touched the ground. “It’s a rakhmar,” Jacen yelled. “Probably looking for a quick meal.”
The meter-long beast sprang into the air again, a dynamo of black-swirled fur and snapping teeth. This time, it struck at the only person who had no weapon. ˘
“Raynar, look out!” Jaina cried, leaping after the vicious creature, but Raynar was already moving to dodge the sweeping claws. He launched himself forward, narrowly missing the campfire.
Menacing yellow eyes glittered in the firelight.
The rakhmar overshot its target and grazed Raynar’s leg with its razorsharp rear claws.
The jungle predator spun around as Raynar snatched a burning branch from the fire, ready to defend himself. The rakhmar crouched on its back legs, muscles coiled, ready to lunge again.
Raynar held his torch high. A strong arm yanked him backward just as the predator sprang—and a pair of lightsabers slashed past him in a parallel glare of emerald green and electric violet.