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Jaina gave a wordless cry of disbelief.

Tears trickled from the corners of Lusa's eyes, 'but she continued speaking as if she did not notice. "While... while Hovrak fed, Nolaa gave a speech.. "So it shall be with all traitors to the Diversity Alliance,"

she said. She praised us again for our loyalty and ended with these words. "I believe that the lesson here is simple enough. If you are not a friend to the Diversity Alliance, then you are a friend to our enemieswand a traitor to US all.""

"So it's true," Jacen said. "Lowie may not be able to leave the Diversity Alliance, even if he wants to."

Lusa nodded. "That was one of the reasons I came here with Master Skywalker--because of the security the Jedi academy and its guardian force could offer." She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself, as if the air in the tiny infirmary had suddenly turned icy. Raynar hated to see the tortured look on her face and wished he could comfort her.

"Nolaa Tarkona is very... idealistic," Lusa went on. She believes that all aliens must band together, that only by doing so can they defeat the humans who subjugated them for generation upon generation. If Lowbacca decides to return to his human friends, he will be in danger.

He is already trapped."

"But I'm sure Lowie never actually joined the Diversity Alliance. His parents said he only went there to see if he was interestedf Jaina objected.

Lusa shrugged. "Nolaa might not see it that way. If Lowbacca rejects her beliefs once he understands them, it could be enough for her to brand him a traitor."

"Then we have no choice but to go after him," Jacen said. %Ve can't leave him in the clutches of the Diversity Alliance."

"This is a fact," Tenel Ka confirmed.

Raynar sat up. "It's all settled, thenf Lusa sighed in resignation. In that case, you will need my help."

NEITHER THE ACHING cold nor the searing heat from the two intemperate halves of Ryloth's surface penetrated to the Diversity Alliance headquarters deep beneath the surface. But in the narrow region where hot met cold, an almost habitable zone of moderate temperature encircled the planet. This strip of mountainous land, only a few kilometers wide, was neither fiery nor frigid, light nor dark, but existed in a perpetual twilight between the extremes. The blast-shielded entrance to Nolaa Tarkona's grotto space dock opened out of a mountainside into this twilight zone.

Lowie couldn't help but be impressed by the variety and quality of ships that passed through the entrance, going about the business of the political movement. Other Twiek cities occupied sections of the mountains to the north and south, but Nolaa Tarkona had taken over all the prime areas, including tunnels in and around the main ryll mining centers. Here in Tarkona's headquarters, computer operators, pilots, mechanics, and all manner of workers kept busy night and day.

Lowie's sister Sirra crooned her amazement and complimented the Diversity Alliance on its wonderful fleet of ships. Raaba, who was conducting the tour of the starship grotto, hastened to assure them that not all of the ships belonged to the Diversity Alliancewonly the best ones.

The remainder were owned by trading partners, diplomats, bounty hunters, political allies, and the occasional mercenary who came looking for work.

Sirra pointed to a clunky, meteor-scarred old vessel clearly used for hauling freight of some sort. The big freighter was just entering the cavernous grotto dock, coughing exhaust and groaning as it extended its landing struts. Sirra joked that the old scow must belong to a garbage trader.

Raaba gave a comradely bark of laughter and leaned closer to her friends.

Those battered-looking ships, she explained, came and went regularly.

Despite their appearance, on their outward-bound journeys they carried ryll spice ore, a valuable mineral resource belonging to the Diversity Alliance. Though the ryll mined on Ryloth was substantially different in form and potency from the glitterstim spice found on Kessel, it still brought a high price on the open market.

A grin of pride