Star Wars_ Splinter of the Mind's Eye - Alan Dean Foster [66]
“According to the fella with the gash in his shoulder who preceded you here,” Halla went on, “you only killed two. The others are just wounded. Apparently the Coway treat death as an inevitable, everyday occurrence. Primitive society, remember? To their way of thinking the two you killed simply died a little earlier than they should have. One chief even berated the dead men just now for making a poor decision. Says they ought to have waited for reinforcements. He’s arguing that the blame isn’t yours, it’s the dead ones’, for acting stupid when they should have known better.”
“That’s barbaric,” the Princess muttered.
Halla looked smug. “What’ve I been telling you all along? Anyway, the one with the shoulder you sliced, Luke, is telling—”
“Not him,” objected the Princess, “me.”
“Oh?” Halla’s estimate of the Princess rose a notch. “Well, he’s been ranting on about what a great fighter Luke is.”
Luke looked distressed at this admiration of an action he’d despised. “A lightsaber against spears and axes isn’t a very fair fight.”
Halla nodded agreeably. “That’s what they’re arguing about now.”
“I’m not sure I follow you, Halla.”
“I tried to tell them everything, Luke boy,” she explained, “when you and the girl were climbing down this side of the rockfall. I tried to convince them that not only were we from off-planet and of different variety from the miners, but that you were both fighting the humans on the surface and that if we won, you’d kick them all off Mimban. Then the Coway could go back to roaming the surface whenever they pleased.
“One chief is all for it, the second thinks I’m the biggest liar in the history of their race, and the third is undecided. That’s what all the noise is about: the first two are each trying to persuade the third to take his side.”
“What about this proposal?” the Princess wanted to know.
“Oh, that.” Halla managed to look embarrassed. “I suggested that if they couldn’t make up their minds as to what the truth was, they could let Canu decide. As near as I can figure, Canu’s their local god in charge of adjudicating. All our greatest warrior has to do to convince Canu that we’re telling the truth is to defeat one of their tribal champions.”
Luke blinked. “Give me that again, Halla?”
“Don’t worry,” Halla assured him, “you have the Force on your side, remember?”
“Force? I’d rather have my saber.”
She shook her head apologetically. “Sorry, Luke boy. You said it yourself. Axes and spears against a saber’s not fair.”
Luke turned away, looked discouraged. “I’m no fighter, Halla, and you overestimate the Force’s usefulness.”
“Luke, these people are no giants.”
“They’re not midgets, either. What happens if we agree to this contest and I happen to lose?”
Halla’s answer was delivered with her usual aplomb. “Then we’ll likely have our throats cut in some uniquely primitive manner.” He kicked angrily at the ground. “Please, Luke. I tried my best. It’s our only possibility. They wouldn’t agree to fight one of the Yuzzem. They don’t think of them as intelligent.”
“Either that, or they’re not as primitive as you think,” declared the Princess.
“It’s not that so much, child, as the fact that it’s we humans who are exploiting the surface. So we’re the ones who have to prove ourselves before Canu.”
Further discussion was forestalled when the three chiefs abruptly broke off their conversation. One of them—Luke couldn’t tell them apart—turned and called something out at Halla. She listened intently, then grinned.
“It’s on. They’re willing to abide by Canu’s judgment.” She turned a concerned gaze to Luke. “I’m an old woman, boy, but like I’ve told you, I still have a lot of living planned. Don’t let me down.”
“You must win, Luke,” the Princess said. “If I don’t attend that meeting of the underground on Circarpous eventually, our absence is likely to keep them from ever considering joining the Alliance.”
Luke’s eyes moved from Halla to Leia. “The Alliance? What about me? Don’t let you down. Both of you listen.” He tapped his chest and regarded Leia. “It’s more important in