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but no serial nuraber or special designation. Either its original owners didn't care about such legal trivialities, she reflected, or they had something to hide.

"A nice ship to add to our collection," Nolaa said. "Unfortunately, it won't augment the military branch of our fleet."

Hovrak rubbed his claws together. "But the Diversity Alliance cannot depend on military might alone, Esteemed Tarkona. Though we have the moral high road, we do not have the strength of numbers; it is possible we never will. We must win the battle through other means."

"Our time is running out!" Nolaa snapped. She clenched her jagged teeth, which she had recently filed sharp again. "That is why we must obtain the plague! Where is Bornan Thul?"

She scowled, staring toward the heavy blast doors that sealed the opening to the small-craft bay in the cliffside. "I am astonished at that human's resourcefulness. He should have been captured and brought to me months ago." Her hand squeezed into a fist so tight that her pointed claws drove into the skin of her palm, drawing dark blood.

"We've raised the bounty," Hovrak said. "Soon Fonterrat's navicomputer will be in our possession, and we can find the Emperor's plague storehouse."

Nolaa shook her head, her tattooed head-tail swaying from side to side.

"We've already offered enough credits to interest everyone with any talent. We need a lucky break. We need someone to come across the right clue."

She focused her pale eyes on the Rock Dragon as the Sullustan pilot set the craft down and shut off the repulsorlifts. She scowled again and turned to Hovrak. "Run a full data check on this vessel. I want to know everything about it." Her face held a troubled expression. "It probably has nothing to do with Bornan Thul, of course. The ship is of Hapan design, and the Hapans are not allied with the Bornaryn fleet--at least we don't think so."

The Sullustan pilot popped his head out of the Rock Dragon's hatch and jabbered something about how well the passenger cruiser handled.

He bowed respectfully to Nolaa before Hovrak shooed him away.

The Trandoshan representative entered the landing bay, stamping his feet.

Corrsk sniffed, scanned the area with his orange eyes, rippled the armored scales on his hide. His muscles bunched and he crushed his wide jaw together with displeasure, sampling the air. He eyed the Rock Dragon with instinctive loathing, then went directly to Nolaa Tarkona.

"You seem agitated, Corrsk," she said. "What are your concerns?"

Corrsk inhaled deeply and. shook his massive head. "Smell Wookiee.

Trandoshan hate Wookiee."

He glared at the Rock Dragon. "Human ship. Should be no Wookiee there."

Nolaa remembered that earlier in the day Raabakyysh, Lowbacca, and Sirrakuk had worked on ships in the small-craft bay, tinkering with engine systems and sharing maintenance suggestions.

All of their jobs had been tracked by the headquarters' exhaustive computerized record systems. The residual scent of Wookiee fur must still be hanging in the air, Nolaa thought, though she herself could not detect it.

"Make peace with your primal desires, Corrsk," Nolaa said, her voice firm but understanding. "I know Wookiees are your natural enemies, but in the Diversity Alliance we rise above such things.

We have one true enemy: the New Republic, the humans... those who would deny us our rights as sentient beings. Don't waste your time on the wrong target."

"Kill humans?" Corrsk said. "Haven't killed any humans yet." He drew in a snarling, hissing breath.

Nolaa nodded in commiseration. "I sympathize. I can't wait until we are finally able to obliterate their despised race--but for that to happen, the Diversity Alliance must work together.

If the Empire and the Rebels could call a temporary truce at Bakura, then we must show ourselves superior to them. We can have a lasting peace among alien species."

The Trandoshan nodded, and his wide shoulders sagged with the difficulty of the task she had set for him.

"Your anger is a good thing, Corrsk--if you know