Star Wars_ Tales From the Mos Eisley Cantina - Kevin J. Anderson [53]
The blaster bolts halted abruptly, and the two thieves peered out to see the four Gamorreans staggering in the entranceway, yowling with pain and fury. Sighting carefully, Muftak cut three of them down with well-placed shots. The fourth escaped back into the hall.
Kabe started crawling for the door. “I’ll open—”
All hell broke loose. Ten guards of various species appeared at the doorway, each of them loosing a barrage of blaster fire. Kabe’s disruptor held them back for the moment, but the two friends were pinned down behind the dais.
“We can’t hold out much longer like this.” Muftak grunted, sighting and firing into the gaggle of guards jammed into the entrance. “Sooner or later one of their shots will hit the disruptor—and then they’ll be in here.”
Kabe’s only response was a terrified squeal. Muftak peered over the dais, searching for a good target, and glimpsed chalky-white albino features at the back of the crowd. Bib Fortuna … Jabba’s Twi’lek majordomo, who was doubtless directing the battle from the safety of the hallway. A whistling snarl from overhead attracted his attention, and he glanced up to see a huge net hanging from the ceiling, large enough to cover the entire middle of the audience chamber. Word had it that the net contained kayven whistlers, flying carnivores with appetites as large and sharp as their teeth. Jabba used the kayven to “influence” recalcitrant business associates into deals favorable to the Hutt.
Aiming at a hulking Abyssin’s torso, Muftak squeezed off another shot, and was rewarded when the being went down with a scream. “Muftak, what are we going to do?” Kabe bleated. He glanced down at her, saw her huddled, quivering, against his side.
“If we could only get that door open,” the Talz muttered, half to himself. But it was too far away …
Another blaster shot sizzled overhead, so close that Muftak threw himself over Kabe, almost mashing her flat. A crackling filled the air; the tapestry behind them was now burning in one spot and smoldering in several others. That’s it … we’ll never get out of here alive, he thought. I’ll never get off this sandy hell, never see Alzoc III … never taste the nectar of those flowers—
“Get off me!” Kabe squeaked beneath him. Muftak levered himself up, gasping and gagging on smoke. Kabe stared at the fire round-eyed. “Muf-tak …” she wailed.
The Talz squinted against the smoke tendrils, trying to aim. He fired at a Gamorrean, but blurred vision made him miss. Return fire caromed off the furniture. One blaster bolt struck the nerve disruptor, shattering it.
Now they’ll be all over us! Muftak thought, but the guards still held back. Evidently they hadn’t realized that the entrance was now clear—either that, or the smoke deterred them. Maybe Bib Fortuna ordered them to stay back, figuring the fire will get us, he thought. That way he doesn’t risk losing any more guards.
Without warning, the exit door swung open.
Fresh night air rushed in, fanning the flames, sending the smoke eddying in billows. Muftak grabbed the two sacks of loot, shoving them into Kabe’s hands. “Run for it!” he ordered. “I’ll cover you!”
The Chadran-Fan hesitated. “But what about you?”
“I’ll be right behind you!” he lied. Someone as small and quick as Kabe might be able to make it out the door, under the cover of his fire, but Muftak, with his lumbering bulk, didn’t have a chance. But at least Kabe would live. With the wealth in those sacks, she’d be set for life …
“Go!” he cried, literally booting her out from behind the dais. He fired at the guards, catching a glimpse of her scuttling through the smoke out of the corners of his left eyes.
A hail of fire forced him down again, but not before Muftak was rewarded by the sight of Kabe vanishing through the door. Thank the Force for that. He settled back, his blaster scorching his paw as he prepared to sell his life dearly …
Gasping, choking, Kabe staggered out