Star Wars_ The Han Solo Adventures - Brian Daley [219]
The ’droid sounded dismayed. “I know it sounds absurd in this day and age, sir, but unless we can do something, you’re all about to become, er, a human sacrifice.”
XII
“BY which,” Skynx said with a forlorn hope, “we may assume you mean only humans?”
“Not quite,” Bollux admitted. “They’re not really sure what you and First Mate Chewbacca are, but they’ve concluded they have nothing to lose by sacrificing you. They’re discussing procedures now.”
The Wookiee growled and Skynx’s red eyes glazed.
“Bollux, who are these people?” Han demanded.
“They call themselves the Survivors, sir. The signal we picked up was a distress call. They’re waiting to be picked up. When I asked them why they didn’t simply go to the city, they became very vexed and excited; they harbor a great deal of hatred for the other Dellaltians. I gathered that that animosity is tied up with their religion somehow. They are extreme isolationists.”
“How did you find all this out?” Badure wanted to know. “Do they speak any Standard?”
“No, sir,” the ’droid replied. “They speak a dialect that was prevalent in this section of space prior to the rise of the Old Republic. It was recorded on a language tape in Skynx’s material, and Blue Max had stored it along with other information. Of course, I didn’t reveal that Max exists; he translated for me in burst-signals and I conducted the conversation.”
“A culture of pre-Republic origins,” pondered Skynx, forgetting to be scared.
“Will you forget the homework?” snapped Hasti, then turned again to Bollux. “What’s all this about sacrifices? Why us?”
“Because they’re waiting to be picked up,” said the ’droid. “They’re convinced that life-form termination enhances the effect of their broadcast.”
“So we stumbled in, a major power boost,” mused Han, thinking of all those people who had disappeared in these mountains. “When’s the big sendoff?”
“Late tonight, sir; it has something to do with the stars and is accompanied by considerable ritual.”
We’ve got just one trump card left, Han thought, then said, “I think that’ll work out just fine.”
Their captors wasted no food or drink on them, which Han loudly proclaimed an indication that they had fallen into the hands of a low-class outfit. But they still had plenty of time to question Bollux.
The mountain warren was indeed a large complex, though it apparently housed what Bollux estimated to be no more than one hundred people living in a complicated family-clan group. Asked why he had been separated from them all, the ’droid could only say that the Survivors appeared to understand what automata were and held them in some awe. They had been adamant about the need to go forward with the sacrifice, but had bowed to his demands that he be permitted to see his companions.
On the details of the sacrifice Bollux was less clear. Ceremonial objects and equipment were being moved to the surface even as they spoke; the sacrifice was to take place on the mock-up landing field. Although the ’droid had been unable to locate the confiscated weapons, the captives decided that any attempt at escape would have a better chance of success if made on the surface. Han revealed his plan to the others, vague as it was.
“There are a lot of things that could go wrong,” Hasti protested.
Han agreed. “The worst of which is getting sacrificed, which will happen anyway. How long until nightfall?”
She consulted her wrist chrono; there were many hours yet. They decided to rest. Chewbacca barked his gameboard move to Han, then settled down for a nap. Badure followed suit.
Han scowled at the Wookiee, whose gameboard move was extremely unconventional. “Just because we’re going to be sacrificed, you’re playing a reckless game now?” The Wookiee flashed his teeth in a self-satisfied grin.
Skynx appeared to be in deep conversation with Bollux, using the obscure dialect the Survivors spoke. Hasti had gone off to commune with her thoughts, and Han decided not to bother her. He wished urgently that the group could take some immediate course of action to dispel any brooding.