Star Wars_ The New Rebellion - Kristine Kathryn Rusch [162]
Leia dropped, careful to land beside the grate, and not in the open hole that seemed to extend forever.
“What is this place?” she asked.
“From what I can gather,” Luke said, “it’s some sort of dungeon. The Thernbee has been here a long time.”
Leia looked at the creature. Its gigantic tail swept back and forth, making a pounding sound each time it hit the wall. “You sent me the map,” she said.
“He doesn’t speak,” Luke said. “I’m not even sure if he understands spoken language. He’s psychic.”
“And friendly, I trust,” Leia said as she made her way to Luke.
“Very friendly. Too friendly, sometimes.” Luke watched her walk, which seemed to her a sign that he wasn’t well. That and the odd greenish color of his skin. His clothing was torn and blackened, the edges of his hair were singed, and his artificial hand had lost all its skin. He had a splint around his left ankle. As she picked her way across the rungs of the grate, she saw that the back of his shirt was gone. Most of his skin was missing there, too. It was a running, pus-covered mass of sores.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“My X-wing exploded,” he said. He held a blaster in one hand, and several more were tied to him. The Thernbee was watching them, his tail twitching.
Leia felt her heart skip a beat. “Imperial detonators,” she said.
He shook his head. “That doesn’t feel right.”
“No, Luke, I saw them. They’re in the computer systems.”
He sighed. She hovered over him, uncertain what to do. She had never seen him like this, wounded, exhausted, and hesitant.
“The Alderaan is nearby.”
“I know,” Luke said. “I’m sure Kueller knows too. I wish—” He stopped himself.
“You wish I hadn’t come. But I’m here now. We have to get you out of here.”
“He wants to kill us,” Luke said. “If he kills us, he thinks he’ll be the next Emperor.”
Leia smiled. “I’m no longer on the Council. No matter what he does to us, he won’t be able to influence them.”
“It has nothing to do with the Council,” Luke said. “It has to do with our Jedi abilities. He thinks that he has to defeat us.”
“Then why hasn’t he tried to kill you?”
“He needed me to bring you here.”
She glanced at the Thernbee. He was watching them. “Are you sure you can trust that creature?”
Luke raised his head. “I forgot,” he said. He closed his eyes. His forehead scrunched with concentration. Leia didn’t like the lull. She picked up blasters, and attached them to her clothing as best she could. Then Luke opened his eyes.
The Thernbee was standing. His tail had stopped wagging and was moving slowly, as if in confusion. It looked like a giant puppy, eager and uncertain as to what to do next.
“Go home!” Luke said and waved his hand at it. “Please.”
The Thernbee took two steps and was suddenly beside him. Luke raised his hands over his head as the Thernbee licked him. Leia cried out, and the Thernbee backed off.
“It’s okay,” Luke said to her. He smiled at the Thernbee and patted his nose. “Go home,” he whispered.
The creature jumped the open hole and ran down the hallway, leaving hundreds of large white hairs behind it.
“Come on,” Luke said. “Let’s go to the Alderaan.” His clothing was dripping.
“Shouldn’t we clean you off first?”
Luke shook his head. “The Thernbee’s saliva has some numbing properties. I know it hasn’t healed me, but it improves my strength.”
“There’s a long ladder up there,” Leia said. “Think you can climb?”
“Anything to get out of here,” Luke said.
“I don’t understand,” Leia said. “If Kueller wants us both so badly, why has this been easy so far?”
“For you, maybe,” Luke said. “But I wouldn’t have gotten all these blasters without the Thernbee’s help. Kueller had a dozen guards stationed at this grate. I think this is a lull while they go back for reinforcements. Let’s make the best of this while we can.”
He stood slowly, and despite what he had said about the Thernbee’s numbing saliva, Leia saw pain on his face. He gathered the last of the blasters, and tied them to his torn clothing. He limped to the space below the tunnel, looked up, and took a