Star Wars_ Rebel Force 2_ Hostage - Alex Wheeler [11]
Luke paused, meeting Nahj's searching gaze. Leia would be outraged if she learned the truth. She would never trust J'er Nahj—and that might get in the way of helping his people.
On the other hand, it felt wrong to lie to her.
What do I do? he asked silently, hoping that the mysterious certainty he'd felt earlier would return. But the Force, if that's what it had been, was silent. He was on his own.
"Everything's fine," he said steadily. "I just…decided to do a little exploring."
J'er Nahj breathed out the same quiet sigh he had when Luke pulled the lightsaber from his throat. Halle's scowl didn't fade.
"Are you on your way back?" Leia asked, still sounding anxious.
"Actually, I think you should join me here," Luke told her. "There's something you need to see."
CHAPTER SEVEN
You sure he didn't happen to mention what he was doing all the way out here?" Han asked, slogging through the muddy streets. If it was mud. It smelled more like raw sewage.
Leia shook her head. "Just said it was important that we come."
Han didn't have anything against the idea of coming to the rescue. Obviously the kid had gotten himself into some kind of trouble, as usual. Han just wished he'd found trouble a little closer to home.
Back at the hotel, they had autovalets, a greenputt course, fresh-squeezed juma juice, and bloody nerf steak—all paid in full by the Delayan government. Whereas here, on the outer edge of the city, all they had were abandoned construction sites, mounds of festering garbage, and sewage. Scrawny rodents with patches of greenish-yellow fur scampered in the gutters, and bludflies swarmed overhead. Han was sure he'd caught a glimpse of a borrat burrowing under a nearby building, at least two meters from tusk to tail. Not that Han had anything against life on the shady side of town—but a little luxury every once in a while never hurt.
The pubtrans flitter didn't even extend to this neighborhood, and the driver they'd hired had refused to drive them more than halfway. "You won't find anyone willing to take you to that part of town," he'd warned them. "You'd have to be crazy."
More like stubborn, Han thought, glancing at the princess. She'd just shrugged and insisted they walk. He didn't even know why he was still on this planet. One more day, he told himself. Then I'm out.
Chewbacca issued a low, gutteral growl. The Wookiee was crankier than usual
"You know why you couldn't be the one to stay behind," Han said. "If that Deputy Minister or his cronies try to track down the princess, someone needs to be there and talk
'em out of it. And something tells me Elad will do the job better than two droids and a Wookiee."
They hadn't been forbidden from leaving the hotel—not exactly. But that was because they hadn't asked. They'd snuck out the window, leaving Elad and the droids behind to explain things if it was discovered they were gone.
Chewbacca growled again.
"Because I don't want them here, bugging me!" Han said. "The little one's okay, but that protocol droid…" He shook his head. "Let's just say the less time I spend with him, the less chance he has of getting turned into a scrap-pile."
The Wookiee let out a mournful groan.
"Not so bad?" Han exclaimed. "Easy for you to say. The rustbucket's terrified of you.
Has some crazy idea you're going to rip off his arms."
Chewbacca barked out a reply.
"Well, okay, so I am the one who gave him that idea. I just wanted him to shut his mouth for five seconds. Can you blame me?" Han swore under his breath as his boot squished into something soft and pungent. It looked like it had once been alive—but he didn't look too close.
"Han," Leia said quietly.
"I know, I know." Han scowled down at his boot, trying to scrape off the worst of it.
"The bag of bolts comes in handy sometimes. Sometimes. "
"No, Han. Look!"
Three men— No, he realized, not men. Boys—stood before them, blocking the narrow road. They stood mutely with their hands raised, palms up.
"What do you think they want?" Leia murmured. "Money?"
Han shot her a sharp