Jedi Bounty Read online

  JEDI BOUNTY

  by

  KEVIN J. ANDERSON and REBECCA MOESTA

  BOULEVARD BOOKS, NEW YORK

  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.

  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 lizard-hide armor and boots, paced in restless

  circles around the small clearing. Raynar fidgeted beside Jacen,

  pick'rag 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

  allf 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 Bor-nan 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

  brandy-brown 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 i
n 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, light-sabers 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

  razor-sharp 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.

  The energy blades sliced the vicious rakhmar into three even pieces that

  fell to the ground with wet thumps.

  With their lightsabers still blazing, Jacen and Jaina inspected the

  clearing for any other would-be predators.

  "I do not believe you will need this," Tenel Ka said, taking the

  firebrand from Raynar and tossing it back into the campfire. "Your

  instincts and reactions were commendable."

  "Oh, yes. Excellently well done, everyone!" Em Teedee's silver oval

  floated over to Raynar. "I scarcely had time to be frightened although

  I do believe Master Raynar has sustained some injury."

  "It's not too bad." Raynat pulled aside his brown Jedi robe to examine

  the thigh where the rakhmar had clawed it. Dark blood ran from a pair

  of gashes just below his right hip.

  Jaina knelt beside Raynar and examined the leg.. "What do you think?"

  she asked her brother.

  Jacen winced. It looked worse than he had expected. "I think we

  shouldn't have walked all the way here. Maybe we should're borrowed

  Lowie's T-23 instead. It's a long hike back to the Great Temple."

  Tenel Ka pressed her hand against the wounds to slow the bleeding.

  "Raynar should not walk with this injury," she agreed. "We must bind

  the leg."

  By the light of the campfire, Jaina tore strips of cloth from the bottom

  of Raynat's Jedi robe.

  Em Teedee brightened his optical sensors to provide lighting from above

  while Jaina and Tenel Ka bandaged Raynat's thigh. Unperturbed by all

  the blood, Tenel Ka wiped her hand on the ground.

  "I think I'll be able to walk now," Raynar said bravely, though his

  voice wavered. When Jacen and Jaina helped him stand, however, all

  color drained from his face and his knees buckled.

  Jacen caught him before he fell.

  "Dear me! Perhaps Master Raynat would be better advised to rest while

  one of us returns to the Jedi academy to summon assistance," Em Teedee

  said. "I believe I would make an appropriate messenger. Therefore, I

  volunteer to serve in that capacity."

  But before the little droid had even finished speaking, Jacen heard

  something approaching through the jungle. "We've got company," he said.

  Tenel Ka had already assumed a fighting stance, lightsaber drawn, before

  they identified the sound as hoofbeats.

  "Lusa?" Raynar murmured. "Is it Lusa?"

  At first Jacen thought his friend must be delirious, but he quickly

  discovered that Raynar was right. Her rich cinnamon hair and mane

  flying, Lusa galloped out of the trees. Only when she reached the

  center of the clearing did she come to an abrupt stop.

  In the firelight, sweat glistened on the centaur girl's bare torso and

  flanks. Her face seemed to go almost as pale as Raynar's when she

  looked at him. "You're hurt!" she gasped.

  Color flooded into Raynar's face. "Yeah, I . . .

  noticed."

  "Hey, how'd you find us?" Jacen asked.

  Still looking at Raynat with concern, Lusa answered distractedly.

  "Before you left Raynar gave me a general idea of where you would be

  camping. When I got the message, I just headed this direction and hoped

  to find you."

  "Message? What message?" Jaina asked.

  "Oh." Lusa stamped a hoof. Her eyes sought out Tenel Ka. "I believe

  you have a grandmother who used to be queen of the Hapes Cluster?"

  "This is a fact," Tenel Ka said.

  "Well, she's wreaking havoc with the protective forces stationed in

  orbit. She asked for Master Skywalker, and when she found out he wasn't

  here she demanded to see you immediately.

  Tionne told her that you were out, and the New Republic forces wanted to

  detain her ship while they ran a background check, but your grandmother

  wouldn't listen. She must have intimidated the guards somehow, because

  she'll be at the landing field in half an hour."

  Jacen chuckled. "That sounds like Ta'a Chume all right."

  Tenel quirked an eyebrow at him. "It would seem we all have business

  back at the Jedi academy." She turned her cool gray eyes back toward

  Lusa. "Raynar requires immediate medical attention. He should not

  walk."

  "I . . . I could carry him," Lusa said. She sounded rather

  uncertain.

  Jacen knew the idea must have been difficult for the centaur girl. For

  years the Diversity Alliance had taught her to loathe humans. She was

  just beginning to unlearn her distaste for physical contact with them.

  "I couldn't ask you to--," Raynar began.

  "You do not need to ask," Lusa interrupted.

  She folded her legs to kneel beside him, then spoke gently. "I am . .

  . offering."

  Jacen breathed a sigh of relief.

  "Well then," Jaina said, "what are we waiting for?"

  It took the companions nearly two hours to get back through the jungles

  to the Jedi academy.

  Jaina and Lusa took Raynar into the Great Temple so that the medical

  droids could examine him, while Tenel Ka and Jacen headed directly

  toward the landing field.

  An armored Hapan vessel hovered overhead. A couple of New Republic

  guardian ships had apparently accompanied it down from orbit, and the

  guards stood awkwardly on the stubbly grass, gazing up at the cruiser.

  At Tenel Ka and Jacen's approach, the ship finally descended onto the

  field. When the exit hatch opened, two dozen armored Hapan soldiers

  scrambled down the ramp and arrayed themselves around the vessel to form

  a barrier against anyone who might try to come close to the former Queen

  of Hapes. Only then did Ta'a Chume herself appear. The aristocratic

  old woman glided down the ramp, waved an imperious hand to summon her

  granddaughter and Jacen, and disappeared again into the ship.

  Jacen felt nervous as he and Tenel Ka walked toward the ring of g
uards,

  who parted to let them pass. The warrior girl led the way into the ship

  without hesitation.

  In the centermost chamber, Ta'a Chume waited for them. She perched

  regally on a repulsor-bench, looking every centimeter the queen that she

  had once been.

  Tenel Ka stopped directly in front of her grandmother.

  "I assume you have brought information about the Diversity Alliance,"

  she said without preamble.

  Ta'a Chume sighed. "Such a beautiful child.

  And such a shame about the loss of your arm in that lightsaber accident.

  If you would only reconsider about that prosthetic limb . .

  ."

  Jacen saw Tenel Ka stiffen.. "Grandmother, you did not come to Yavin to

  discuss my arm."

  Jacen was surprised that the former queen did not seem offended by her

  granddaughter's abrupt answer, and instead merely shrugged and smiled

  faintly. "No, but you can't blame a grandmother for trying. I did some

  research for you ....

  Tenel Ka nodded. "What have you learned about Nolaa Tarkona?"