Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 10_ Jedi Bounty - Kevin J. Anderson [29]
Dust and sweat and fear mingled with the sickly aroma of fungus in the stuffy air. Water from distant springs trickled down in copper-colored rivulets to pool in salty, scummy puddles on the uneven floor.
"If you need refreshment, drink from there," said one of the guards.
"Blaster bolts!" Jacen said in disgust. "You expect us to drink that?"
"Not necessarily," said the guard. "But you'll get nothing else from us, so you'd better consider it. If you're hungry, eat fungus. It isn't too poisonous."
One of the mine bosses, a round-eyed RodJan, came up to inspect his new team. He spoke quickly through his tapirlike snout, as if racing to get through a boring memorized speech. "You're here for one purpose: to break stones. You'll never get anywhere close to pure ryll, since the low-grade ore is shipped off planet for chemical separation of the spice. SOme of you will use hammers to chip away rock from the walls.
It's backbreaking work, and we enjoy watching you suffer."
"What will the rest of us do?" Raynat asked, looking thoroughly intimidated at the prospect of such intense labor.
"I"nat job will be... worse," the Rodian said.
Reflected light gleamed off his huge metallic eyes. With sucker-tipped fingers, he pointed up to where a network of cables, scaffolding, and fibercords suspended groups of workers under the forest of fungus-covered stalactites. "The rest of you must harvest those rock spikes. Without failing."
As if on cue, two dangling workers broke one of the large inverted pinnacles. The stalactite flew down through the air like a deadly spear to crash into a holding pit far below. Dust and debris billowed up.
Guards shouted at the other slaves to keep working.
"We have discovered a new technique," the Rodian said with pride in his thin, warbling voice. "That special fungus you see leaches ryll through the rock and concentrates it in the stalactites. After you break the stone free for us, we can quickly collect the ore in its most valuable form. This helps the Diversity Alliance fund its important activities."
The young Jedi Knights looked at each other, as disturbed at the thought of assisting Nolaa Tarkona's insidious plan as they were to be slaves.
"You--one-armed girl." The RodJan gestured toward Tenel Ka.
"Adjustant Advisor Hovrak suggests that I give you the most diiTcult assignment. To the cables with you... and your friend here."
The guards hustled her and Jacen off toward hanging fibercord harnesses, fumbling to fasten the frayed loops around their torsos. A Sullustan supplier handed them each a small vibrating rock hammer.
"That's this," Jacen asked, "a toy?"
"This is your assigned ryll excavating device," the Sullustan said.
"It is the most powerful tool you slaves are permitted to wield."
Tenel Ka herted the puny hammer in her grip, but could think of no way to use it as an effective weapon. None of the surly-looking captives in the mine met the companions' eyes, feigning a lack of interest in the new prisoners.
Using a pulley arrangement, two slaves heaved Tenel Ka and Jacen up toward the jagged ceiling.
The floor disappeared beneath her booted feet, and the spiked stalactites rushed down to meet her.
Jaina and Raynar, pushed toward one of the expansive walls, were handed small power digging tools. Glowering armed guards told them to get to work. After a glance up at their companions suspended from the ceiling, the two began to chop halfheartedly at the rockface.
Next to Jaina, Raynar struggled against the unyielding stone. His hands quickly became bruised and bloody from clawing away the loose rock that Jaina broke free. As the son of a merchant lord, he had never worked so hard with his hands. Jaina's hours spent tinkering with mechanical objects had given her just enough calluses to make her tough--but