Star Wars_ The Approaching Storm - Alan Dean Foster [97]
“Lorqual.” Tooqui was sawing away at the material binding Kyakhta’s ankles. “To fight fight Qulun, Tooqui need big stick.” He looked up long enough to smile smugly. “Lorqual herd big stick. Tooqui stampede them this way.”
Kyakhta gaped down at the Gwurran. “You stampeded a whole herd of lorqual toward us? We could’ve all been flattened!” As if attesting to the validity of the guide’s observation, something banged hard into the transport a second time.
The Gwurran glanced over at the guide. “Big-mouth Alwari maybe should flatten mouth-lips a little. Also sit still, otherwise possible Tooqui have accident and cut off toes.”
“Listen, you little—ou, watch what you’re doing down there!”
Within moments every one of them stood tall once again, their equipment and their freedom restored. Lightsaber in hand, Luminara moved guardedly to the front of the transport and peered out. Glowpoles rocked in their stands and frightened Qulun ran to and fro, while the pelting rain continued to obscure much of what might otherwise be seen. Looming above all was the swaying, head-swinging, immense bulk of a single badly disoriented and very angry lorqual.
Force, she thought. If that was one lorqual, what must a stampede of them look like? Glancing back, she caught sight of the agitated but determined form of Tooqui, squeezed in among the others.
“Whatever happens from now on, Tooqui, I want you to know that I and Obi-Wan and our Padawans think you are very brave indeed.”
“Not just brave. Brave brave!” The Gwurran started to step forward, then shrank back as the rampaging lorqual head-butted a sizable water cistern in their direction. It exploded against the ground nearby, adding a little more liquid to the wind-driven downpour. “But right now, just a little scared scared.”
“With good reason.” Obi-Wan had moved up alongside Luminara to scrutinize their immediate surroundings. “If they haven’t broken free or been injured by these lorqual, we should try to reach our suubatars.”
“The suubatars will be all right, Master Obi-Wan.” Bulgan spoke from behind the Jedi. “They are too valuable for the Qulun to lose. They will have sent lookouts to watch over them and keep them safe from the stampede. And if they stand together, suubatars are big enough to turn even lorqual.”
The Jedi nodded. “Then we should have a few guards to deal with.”
“That’s fine, Master.” Crouched close behind his teacher, Anakin gripped his lightsaber tightly. “Having been tied up for so long, I could use a little recreation—excuse me, exercise.”
Barriss frowned at her counterpart. “You’re not preaching payback, are you, Anakin?”
“Of course not,” he shot back. “I’m just saying that if someone gets in my way, at this point I’m not in the mood to pause and discuss the situation politely.”
Huddled within the transport, they waited until the way was clear. Then the time for debate was at an end. With Tooqui, Obi-Wan, and Luminara taking the lead, the party of former prisoners sidled out of the battered transport and began working their way back toward the rear of the Qulun encampment. Along the way they encountered few of the traders. Those they did come across were mostly terrified females and children doing their best to stay clear of the amok lorqual. They had neither the time nor the inclination to concern themselves with escaping prisoners.
Fury and confusion swirled all around them, the chaos compounded by the still-potent storm. Despite this, they reached the corral area located at the back of the encampment without incident. Crouching low beside a storage transport sealed tightly against storm and intrusion, they carried out a swift inspection of the enclosure. Their suubatars were up and pacing nervously. The travelers’ supply packs, Luminara noted, were still strapped to the restless beasts’ backs.
“I make out three sentries—no, four,” she whispered tautly to Obi-Wan.
He nodded tersely. “That’s all I can see.” Raising an arm, he gestured wordlessly.
Beckoning to Barriss, Luminara moved off around the back of the feed-carrying transport.