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The ore hauler was a giant rust bucket that looked as if it had served as a freighter since the Clone Wars. Its outer plating was scored from cosmic radiation, solar flares, and a few potshots taken by space pirates. The bulk of its body consisted of tetrahedral storage bins linked together in a hodgepodge cluster. Some of the storage bins had broken latches; others looked as if they had been welded shut.

Raynar leaned forward and whistled. "In my parents' fleet, we overhaul all the hull plating long before it can pick up that much ionization damage."

Propulsion systems lined the rear of the hauler, glowing white. A computerguided bridge console lay buried deep within the ship's core like the rudimentary brain of a prehistoric creature. Jaina noted no weapon emplacements-no defensive systems whatsoever, in fact.

She nudged the Rock Dragon's repulsorjets, tweaking them closer and adjusting her speed to match the hauler's exactly. "We're just going to hitch a ride here," Jaina said. "Hang on while I get closer."

"Dear me, this may require some rather difficult flying, Mistress Jaina,"

Em Teedee said.

"Please allow me to assist you with the coordinates."

She looked over at the empty seat where Lowie usually sat. "All right.

I could use a little help from a qualified copilot at the moment."

The little droid's sensors dimmed as he frantically ran calculations on the navigational computer.

Biting her lower lip, Jaina dusted her fingers across the guidance controls and eased the Rock Dragon closer and closer to the corroded hull.

She adjusted their speed minutely, moving to place the Hapan passenger cruiser exactly on top · of one of the tetrahedral cargo containers.

With a thunk, the ships joined, and Jaina engaged a magnetic locking device that would fix the Rock Dragon in place. She let out a sigh of relief and sat back, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

"There! That ought to do it. Now we can ride the ore hauler right on down. They'll take us along as part of the package.. and we'll slip into Nolaa Tarkona's tunnels without any trouble at all."

Heavy blast doors groaned open on the mountainside, exposing the starship grotto in the caves of the Diversity Alliance. On schedule, the ancient ore hauler followed the automated beam to its cleared landing area. With a burst of repulsorlifts and a backwash of dust and exhaust fumes, the clumsy freighter settled to the rock floor as workers scrambled to receive it. They prepared for another important shipment off-planet.

Computer engineers logged the hauler's arrival and more loads ofryll ore were sent up from the deep underground mines. A hodgepodge group of Diversity Alliance recruits and re-commissioned droids waited for the safety lights to wink off on the hauler's guidance console.

Gamorrean guards watched the activity, marching back and forth to look busy.

The business of the Diversity Alliance had to proceed without delay--and Adjutant Advisor Hovrak made sure there were no complications.

The proud wolfman stood clad in his clean uniform, proudly watching the activity around him.

The spray of medals and ribbons on his chest gleamed.

"Prepare for work," Hovrak said with a growl.

"We have to fill this ore shipment and send the transport away. The processing facility is not yet operating to its full capacity, and the next vessel is already approaching orbit. Now, move!"

"Yes, sir," a Gand said, his voice puffing beneath his respirator mask.

He moved slowly, punching a request into an electronic pad at his side.

From other catacombs came heavy, metal-sided carts filled with ryll-rich rubble that had been mined by the slaves down in the deep tunnels. The Gand directed a work crew to attend to the arriving carts.

Hovrak gazed at the automated freighter, which reminded him of a bantha sleeping in the desert sun. Its sides creaked as it adjusted to the extreme temperature variations, freezing in space and burning through a steep descent in the atmosphere.

Everything checked out.

This old robotic craft had been donated to the Diversity Alliance by a