Star Wars - [Young Jedi Knights 10] - Jedi Bounty (by Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta)

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JEDI BOUNTY

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 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, 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.

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JEDIBOUNTYbyKEVINJ. ANDERSONandREBECCAMOESTA BOULEVARDBOOKS,NEWYORK ToourfriendandfaithfulreaderDebRay acknowledgments WritingeachvolumeoftheYoungJediKnightsrequiresthehelpofmanydifferentpeople--SueRostoni,AllanKausch,andLucyWilsonatLucasfilmLicensing;GinjerBuchananandJessicaFaustatBoulevardBooks;Da...

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Star Wars - [Young Jedi Knights 10] - Jedi Bounty (by Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta)

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