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"All right," Zekk countered, "where should I start to look for him?"

"Now that's a better question," the bartender said. "I knew a bit of Fonterrat's schedule. He had a few other stops to pick up routing cargo and meet with certain associates... but his last scheduled destination was a human colony known as Gammalin. He never came back, and I never received any word from him."

"Gammalin," Zekk said, letting the word burn itself into his memory. "My ship has navigational files, so I'm sure I can find out where that is."

"Good. And when you do find him, you might want to backtrack his route, because..." Droq'l paused for effect, his round eyes twinkling as if he were a child with a secret "one of those associates Fonterrat was supposed to meet along the way was none other than the person you're trying to find for Nolaa Tarkona's big bounty: Bornan Thul. So, if you do a good job for me, you may just find more than you actually thought you would."

Zekk felt a surge of excitement. "It's a good start, at least! Thanks for the lead. You can count on me."

"Yes, but don't get too cocky. Everyone else in the galaxy is looking for Bornan Thul too, remember?"

"I remember. But it doesn't matter," Zekk said. "I don't mind the competition as long as I'm the one who finds him first."

And with a cheerful wave, he turned and raced back to the Lightning Rod.

AFTER THE BATTLE against the predatory ship High Roller, Lowie climbed out of the quad laser emplacement on the bridge of the Tradewyn. Though full of energy and pumped up from the fight, he was also disturbed that the ill-conceived ambush had cost their ruthless attacker his life.

Turning in a slow circle, Lowbacca scanned the viewports, observing the space debris and mangled bits of hull plating that drifted there all that remained of the bounty hunter's ship. They were safe now... at least until the next unexpected attack from someone else with a grudge against the Thul family.

When the weapons officer had been unable to score a hit on the swift High Roller from the control console, Tyko had called on Lowie and Jaina to assist him. The attacker's ship had fired relentlessly at the bridge, darting and dodging all return fire--until Lowie and Jaina had joined the fray, with their Jedi-enhanced abilities.

In the end, one of Jaina's shots had taken out the High Roller, and the danger from outside was truly over. For the moment.

Lowie's battle-ready reflexes began to relax, but waves of tension still rolled from the quad laser emplacement where Jaina sat.

A security guard entered the bridge deck, his face grim. He informed Tyko that Officer Kusk had been apprehended while trying to abduct Raynar and Aryn and that Jacen, Tenel Ka, and.Raynar himself had thwarted 'the plan devised by Kusk and his bounty hunter brother.

Tyko thrust out his generous lower lip and commented, "Brother? So Kusk was in on it. You see, you just can't get good help these days."

Lowie helped a shaky Jaina climb from the quad laser well. Her face remained flushed from the excitement of the space battle, but her brandy-brown eyes were somber. "If Zekk still wants to become a bounty hunter, I hope he never does anything that stupid," she said in a low voice.

Lowie crooned a soft note of understanding.

Tyko Thul approached them, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Those bounty hunters must be after all members of the Thul family, including me! Presumably, we can be used as bait to lure Bornan out of hiding." He shook his head. "I wish my brother wasn't so self-centered and foolish.

I'm getting a good picture now of what happened," he said. "The High Roller must have intended to create a diversion while Kusk kidnapped Aryn and Raynar, then launched them from this ship in an escape pod or any other craft that happened to be available."

"Like the Rock Dragon," Jaina said.

Lowie mulled this over, then rumbled his understanding. "Indeed," Em Teedee piped up. "A relatively simple plan."

"So the High Roller would have broken off