Star Wars_ Rebel Force 01_ Target - Alex Wheeler [31]
The Dug snorted.
"Okay then, a hundred credits," Han said. "But only when we reach Kenuun."
Leia expected the Dug to ask for payment up front—but surprisingly, he agreed.
"Call me Grunta," he said, drawing back his thick, weathered lips into a puckered smile. "It'd be my pleasure to take you where you need to go. Friend." The Dug jerked his wrinkled head at the others, his ear fins twitching. "What about them?"
Han leaned in close and lowered his voice. "You know how it is when you start racking up the credits. Plenty of hangers-on wanting a piece of the action. Follow me around everywhere, do whatever I say. They're harmless."
Leia fumed, but kept her mouth shut. The Dug set off down the alley on his long, spidery forelimbs, without waiting for them to follow.
"What makes you think we can trust him?" Leia murmured to Han, as they hurried after him.
"Relax, Princess," Han said. "You're in my world now."
Leia sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The galaxy was filled with so many strange beings, Luke marveled, as they followed Grunta through a network of grungy narrow alleys. He tried to imagine what it might be like to be a Dug, eating with his feet and walking on his hands, but it was no use. Not a surprise, Luke thought. He could barely imagine what it was like to be someone like Han, much less an alien from the other side of the galaxy.
"Seems we're going from the middle of nowhere to the edge of nowhere," Elad said lightly, falling into step with him. He didn't sound worried, just mildly curious. Han and Leia were following closely behind the Dug, with Chewbacca and the droids bringing up the rear. Luke felt an odd jolt of pleasure that Elad had chosen to speak with him. The pilot sometimes seemed so oddly removed—he smiled and laughed at all the right moments, but there was always something about him that seemed absent, as if a part of him was missing.
Maybe it is, Luke thought, remembering what Leia had told him about Elad's past. It must be hard for him to connect to people, after all he'd lost.
"So, Luke, how'd you end up with this motley crew in the first place?" Elad asked.
It seemed an odd question to ask out of the blue. "Why?"
"Just wondering." Elad shrugged. "You said you were from Tatooine, right? That's kind of a backwater—no offense."
Luke shook his head. "Trust me, I know. It's the definition of nowhere."
"And you're young, untrained…yet Leia puts so much faith in you."
"She does?" Luke asked, hoping he didn't sound as eager as he felt. He was surprised by Elad's words. Often he wondered if Leia had any faith in him at all. After all, it had been a long time since he'd done anything to deserve it.
"Sure. You can tell by the way she looks to you for advice, the way she listens. She trusts you. You've known her for a long time?"
"Not really," Luke said. "I only joined the Rebellion recently."
"But before the destruction of the Death Star, right?" Elad asked.
Luke stiffened. "You heard about that?"
Elad spit out a laugh. "The whole galaxy heard about that. Such a blow for freedom!"
He shook his head. "I'll tell you, if I could meet the being who flew that ship…" He turned to Luke. "Well, you must have met him, right? Tell me, what was it like, coming face-to-face with the hero of the Rebellion?"
The hero of the Rebellion? Luke wanted nothing more than to admit the truth.
Imagine, a man like Elad, admiring him.
But that would be against protocol.
"Never met him," Luke lied. "The Alliance is pretty big."
"Of course. I'm sure only people at the princess's level can keep track of everyone."
"Uh-huh," Luke said absently, barely listening. He stopped walking. A strange feeling had swept over him.
The Force! he realized suddenly. It was warning him of something. Something evil.
Elad?
It seemed impossible. But something was definitely wrong. Elad was asking something, but Luke could barely make out the words. The air around him had become a dense, viscous fluid, making it difficult to breathe, impossible to speak or move.
Everything