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.
15
Exactly on time, Lowie’s preprogrammed distraction echoed through the tunnels of the Diversity Alliance. Computers triggered alarms everywhere. Sirens blared and lights flashed; a recorded voice requested emergency assistance.
Jacen ducked. “Uh-oh! They know we’ve escaped!”
But Lowie chuffed with laughter and shook his shaggy head. “Ah, yes. I see!” Em Teedee piped up. “Tery clever indeed, Master Lowbacca. I’m sure we’re all most impressed.”
“What? What’s going on?” Jaina asked. Beside her, Tenel Ka crouched, ready to fight with nothing but her bare hand. Yet no attack came.
“Master Lowbacca arranged for the central computer system to activate an emergency alarm that has fooled the sensors into detecting a toxic gas leak in the grottoes farthest from the smallcraft landing bay. Emergency crews and security guards will rush in the direction of the alarms whilst—” Jacen clapped his hands. “While we run the other way! Good thinking, Lowie!”
Tenel Ka nodded. “Excellent strategy, Lowbacca.”
Squads of soldiers hustled down side corridors.
Fearful alien workers poked their heads out of their chambers. Lowie maintained his alert posture, pretending to guard the four “dangerous humans.”