Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 10_ Jedi Bounty - Kevin J. Anderson [7]
Without the income from ryll, the Diversity Alliance would have had to rely completely on donations from supporters. As it was, credits from the sale of the valuable mineral were used to rescue the downtrodden and to spread the word about unifying all non-human species. The Diversity Alliance would fight for alien rights as no government ever had.
The bulky ore hauler hummed past them and down a side passageway that led to a secured loading area. Half a dozen workers struggled with its cargo containers, while a small traffic-controlling lizard waved brilliant glow-rods to direct the large ships and keep them away from each other.
Although Lowie and Sirra had seen the starship grotto and its various hangar bays before, they had never had a full-fledged tour. Since neither he nor his sister had yet expressed a desire to join the Diversity Alliance, Lowie suspected that Raaba was trying to impress on him the worthiness of Nolaa Tarkona's ambitions.
Raaba probably thought that the flashy new ships and their excellent docking and repair facilities might entice Sirra to join the Diversity Alliance. She was probably right, Lowie thought.
But as the tour continued, his own uneasiness did not dwindle. This place, these attitudes just did not ring true to him. In fact, the docks only served to remind Lowie that he and Sirra did not have their own ship and could not leave Ryloth whenever they chose. If he asked to go back to Yavin 4, he suspected Raaba would find some excuse to delay him.
Feeling a tingle of his Jedi senses, Lowie turned to find Adjutant Advisor Hovrak watching them intently from one of the small bays. He stood beside Raaba's star skimmer, the Rising Star, as if guarding it.
Noticing that he had been seen, Hovrak motioned the three friends over.
The wolfman stroked a clawed hand over the Rising Star. He suggested that Raaba might want to train Sirra to fly the star skimmer.
He advocated that all their members learn everything they could, to reach their fullest potential.
Guessing correctly, he said that Sirra had probably never flown such an agile, modern craft before. Vho knows?" the Adjutant Advisor added in a sly voice. "If Sirra proves herself an able pilot and decides to join the Diversity Alliance, I might just need to get her a new star skimmer of her own."
With a sinking sensation in his stomach, Lowie watched Sirra's patchworkshaved fur bristle in delight as she looked over the ship with shining eyes. She traced her fingers over the Rising Star's hull.
Lowie sighed. He had been hoping to persuade Raaba to take the two of them back to Kashyyyk the next day. He was anxious to continue his Jedi training under Master Skywalker, but somehow he didn't think there was much chance of convincing either of them now....
Without saying anything, Lowie followed after the two young Wookiee women.
He had a very bad feeling about this.
THE GRASSY LANDING clearing near the rebuilt Great Temple was damp from an evening shower. Water droplets clung to the lush jungle underbrush that had been pressed down by the frequent shuttles returning from orbit.
The unseasonable rain had been as warm and as brief as a farewell embrace from a friend, but its moisture had brought out all the fragrant exotic scents from the thick forest around them.
Everything was quiet, hushed.
The companions worked with quiet speed to make the Rock Dragon ready for their unscheduled journey.
Standing outside the Rock Dragon, Raynar performed the prefiight checks Jaina had assigned him. When Lusa approached, he could sense the centaur girl's presence immediately, as if there were a change in the air temperature. He tried to hurry through his tasks so he could spend a few more minutes with Lusa before they left. At the sound of a hoof impatiently stamping on the soft ground, though, he turned to her with a smile.
In a way, Raynat was glad Lusa wouldn't