Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 07_ Shards of Alderaan - Kevin J. Anderson [39]
"That means we can use our own remote transmitter to pull data from our friend's memory banks, see who he is and what he's after," Jaina said, feeling her heart pound with new optimism. "Turnabout. Give this guy a taste of his own medicine."
"Shall I begin now, Mistress Jaina?" Em Teedee said hopefully. "I'm certain I can perform the appropriate shcing fimctions.
I feel so... useful here in my position.
Almost like the captain of a ship."
"Don't get delusions of grandeur, Em Teedee," Jacen said, and Lowie chuffed with laughter.
"Using the Rock Dragon's remote slicer would not be a wise idea at the moment," Tenel Ka said. "If we did, our enemy would know we were alive-and that we had background information-just as we can see he's probing us now."
"Good point,' Jaina said. "Wait a while, Em Teedee. Meantime, we should go out and check over our situation, move a few rocks, see how bad it is this time."
"Yeah," Jacen said, "before our friend figures out what to do with the information he's stolen from us."
Carrying portable high-powered glowrods, the young Jedi Knights put on their breathing masks and ventured out into the collapsed cavern to look over the battered exterior of the ship. Rock shards had pounded the Rock Dragon's hull, smashing the already-damaged engines, the stabilizers, and some of the external communications systems.
'We're banged up-but it could have been a lot worse," Jacen said optimistically.
"The Force was with us," Tenel Ka said.
Lowie groaned and gestured toward what had been the opening of the crater cave. A collapsed wall of rock completely blocked the exit.
Boulders piled in a jumbled wall sealed them inside like a tomb. The Wookiee's shoulders slumped.
Jaina patted his ginger-furred arm.
"With our lightsabers and the Force, I'm sure we can clear that away given time."
"But how much time do you think we have?" Jacen said. Nobody hazarded a guess.
Jaina cleared the rubble from the top of the ship and climbed up onto it.
Kneeling, she inspected the hull plates, brushing away dust with her fingertips. "Like Em Teedee said, no evident ruptures. The worst news, though, is that our communications array is smashed. We can't send out a distress signal."
"Not that we'd want to," Jacen said.
"My friend Jacen is correct," Tenel Ka said. 'A distress signal would only lure others into the ambush. We do not know how many more pirates may be hiding in this asteroid field."
"There's already one too many," Jacen said. Bending over, he hefted one of the boulders that had wedged itself between a flight fin and a starboard stabilizer, and tossed it aside. The young man grinned as he saw the rock fly farther than he had anticipated in the asteroid's low gravity.
"Hey, it's easier than it looks!"
"I wish we knew who our enemy is, and why he shot us down," Jaina said.
"Maybe it's all a mistake."
Then they whirled as blasting sounds came from the rubble wall that had sealed them into the cramped chamber.
Lowbacca growled, his fur fluffing in anger as he bared his fangs.
"Our enemy has come for us," Tenel Ka said.
"Blaster bolts-we left our lightsabers in the ship!" Jacen cried.
Stone shards exploded into powder at the center of the avalanche wall.
Then, as the smoke settled and the incinerated rock cooled, a figure stepped through the opening, holding his blaster out and ready to fire.
He wore scratched armor and a helmet like the ancient Mandalorian warriors had once used.
Boba Fett.
"Children of Han Solo,' the bounty hunter said in a gruff, threatening voice.
Jaina sucked in a shocked breath. 'My father told us about you," she said, straightening to kneel on one knee on top of the ship. She crossed her arms over her chest. '@y have you attacked us? There's no bounty on our ship."
'Hey, there's not even a bounty on our dad anymore," Jacen added.
'I am not hunting Han Solo," Fett answered. "I have moved on to other assignments. Where is Boman Thul?"
Bornan Thul?