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Oblivious to Raaba's tension, Sirra leaned forward to study the ship; she seemed eager to sit behind its controls. Raaba gestured for her to do as she wished, and Lowie's sister sprinted toward the open passenger cruiser. With absolute fascination, she investigated the engines, the hull, the landing struts, before finally clambering inside.

Raaba held back, feeling her stomach knot.

What if Lowie's friends had come to abduct him, to steal him away from his place in the Diversity Alliance? It would be a decidedly human thing to do. Humans were sore losers, she thought, unwilling to let aliens make their own choices.

Raaba hurried over to a communications console, switched to a private channel, and summoned Adjutant Advisor Hovrak. In the growling Wookiee language she rapidly told the angry wolfman of her suspicions.

Hovrak snarled. "I knew there was something strange about that ship," he said. "I must increase security. Raaba, join me in the main grotto, and we will send out search parties from there. Is Lowbacca still stationed in the computer center?"

She nodded, and Hovrak said, "Good, then we will concentrate our search in that area. If we can keep your friend distracted, perhaps he will not realize anything is happening. We can take care of this before it becomes a problem."

Raaba clenched her powerful fists and her biceps bulged against her armbands. Lowie. The young Jedi Knights were undoubtedly looking for him.

Jaina led the way next, her senses tingling.

"Lowie's close," she said. "He's just up here."

"Be careful, Jaina," Tenel Ka said.

"I'm careful," she answered. Jaina paused at the corner to detect any alien Diversity Alliance soldiers in the next section of tunnel, but it too was empty. Eerily quiet. They had been incredibly lucky so far.

These catacombs seemed abandoned. When Nolaa Tarkona took control, she had slaughtered many Twileks who fought against her--and now this section of tunnels was indeed like a tomb.

The floor grew smoother, as if heavy footsteps had polished the rough-hewn stone. Ahead, Jaina saw several corridors that branched around the same central place, a large room with glassed-in walls and a support structure holding it up; heavy-duty recirculation fans fed in cooling air.

Computers and terminals filled the enclosed chambermand there, flanked by a Sullustan and two polished hacker droids, sat Lowie!

"There he is!" Jaina said in a hoarse whisper.

"I'm certain he'll be most pleased to see us," Em Teedee said at her shoulder. "I simply do not know how he manages to get by without me."

The ginger-furred Wookiee hunched over a terminal linked to a mainframe.

His lanky arms hung down as he studied a screen, deep in concentration.

He punched buttons on a keypad.

Symbols scrolled up past his eyes. Lowie nodded, then moved to a different terminal.

Before anyone could stop her, Jaina hurried out into the tunnel intersection. She would have to get Lowie's attention, but it seemed impossible without also sounding an alarm.

Em Teedee swiveled in the air, his optical sensors glowing. "I'm certainly anxious to speak with Master Lowbacca again."

Not wanting to be left behind, Raynar and Jacen accompanied Jaina, scurrying forward, keeping low. Tenel Ka hesitated, looking around in the dim tunnels instead of ahead. "We must be cautious." Then she felt a cold shiver of warning up her spine.

Jaina spun around, also sensing it, just as Em Teedee let out a thin wail. "Oh dear, they've found us."

Tenel Ka whirled to face a large group of one-eyed Abyssin armed with spiked clubs, a towering Trandoshan reptile, and a wolfman who appeared to be the leader. He grinned with triumph, showing off his fangs.

Tenel Ka grabbed for her lightsaber, but the alien soldiers already had their blasters drawn.

The wolfman barked a quiet order. "No light-sabers, Jedi Knights," he said, "or we will cut you down where you stand. I am Hovrak, and every soldier here obeys my orders."

An Abyssin reached up to snatch Em Teedee out of the air.

"Let