Star Wars_ Tales From Jabba's Palace - Kevin J. Anderson [38]
The far edge of the sail lifted. The dark creature crouched on its heels, extending a hand as if to raise something … but his hand did not touch cloth or spar. A black cloak, hooded like theirs, draped his face.
Sienn whimpered. Oola scrabbled at her belt with sandy fingers, fumbling for her decorative little dagger. “Keep away,” she hissed and signed in Twi’leki.
The shrouded creature leaned onto one hand. Deep under his hood, Oola caught a glimpse of chin and a glint of blue. Twi’leks never had blue eyes.
“Keep away,” she repeated. The words didn’t sound as menacing in Basic.
The creature shed his cloak and edged forward. Human like Rudd, he had clean, tow-colored fur. Unlike Rudd’s kitchen-rag garb, his black undercloak clothing looked intact (although well worn) and tucked down. If this was a predator, her impression of Rudd had been right: Rudd was scum, even among his own people. Bib Fortuna’s organization dropped in her estimation. So did her decision to cooperate.
The human’s unnatural blue eyes glanced from Oola to Sienn, back to Oola. “I feel your fear,” he said softly. “Come with me. I’ve got a—” He used several more words that she didn’t understand, but he finished with two that she did: “safe place.”
Oola laughed shortly. “No safe place on this world,” she guessed aloud. It alarmed her that this human’s way of speaking, whether or not she understood his words, dispelled her logical fear of him.
Sienn shook like one of Master Fortuna’s collar ornaments. Oola raised up on her elbows and knees, lizard-style, and brandished Rudd’s little dagger like a claw. “Who are you?” she demanded. “What do you want?”
“I mean you no harm.” He didn’t flinch from her blade. “My name is Luke.”
She rolled the word down her tongue. “Luke. Go away, Luke.”
“I was born on this world.” Every word tried to soothe her. “I’ve returned on important …” He used another word she didn’t know and couldn’t guess at. Maybe it was the name of his spaceship.
“Then go do what you came back for,” she said. “Leave us alone.”
He leaned down onto both hands and crawled closer. Something dangling from his belt caught her attention. It didn’t look like a blaster, and it certainly wasn’t a knife. But she’d never seen a money pouch shaped like that. If it was a weapon, he wasn’t reaching for it. He must not think her quick enough—or determined enough—to use her knife. She wriggled her knees up under her hips and dug her toes into the sand. This lizard could spring.
“What’s your name?” he asked. He was almost close enough to touch.
“Nothing, daughter of nobody.” She didn’t want to hurt him, just chase him away. She picked her target—his left arm was extended. She could jab his elbow. Just enough to—
His right hand flicked, a beckoning gesture. Her arms collapsed. She dropped chin first onto the sand and lost her grip on her knife.
He crooked one finger. The dagger spun across the ground into his grasp. “Sorry,” he said. “But I won’t hurt you. You mustn’t hurt me. Are you slaves?”
What was this Luke creature? His face looked placid, even kind … but she couldn’t trust that power in his voice and his right hand, and she didn’t want to be kidnapped twice. She backed off again. Her left foot struck something. “Ouch!” squeaked Sienn.
“Come with me,” Luke whispered. “I’ll hide you. If anyone sees me, I have to … hide.” Now he was underestimating her grasp of Basic. “Or … I have to get rid of them.”
Oola scooted deeper and scooped up a handful of sand.
“I don’t mean you.” His smile seemed genuine, though she was no judge of humans. “I’ll get you to the Rebel Alliance. They don’t buy or sell anyone.”
According to Master Fortuna’s people, the Rebel Alliance was even more dangerous than the Empire. She held her ground.
The human—Luke—turned to address Sienn. “Come with me?” he cajoled.
Oola twisted around to warn her partner