Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 11_ The Emperor's Plague - Kevin J. Anderson [12]
Even so, Nolaa did not intend to give up willingly.
She would make her mark in blood if nothing else. When pushed to the wall, some creatures turned very vicious indeed. She summoned Rullak, the Quarren representative, and Kambrea, the Devaronian female whose wily ways had allowed her to move up quickly in the ranks of the Diversity Alliance. Kambrea had recruited many members, both from her own race and from other downtrodden species. Nolaa also sent for Corrsk, her reptilian Trandoshan general wounded in combat by the young Wookiee who had betrayed them and fled back to his cronies in the New Republic.
She looked stonily at her three generals as they came forward. All had increased in rank since the untimely death of her wolfman Adjutant Advisor, Hovrak.
"The New Republic is sending a team to inspect Ryloth," Nolaa said, "and we must choose whether to surrender meekly, or fight to the death. We can either be cowards or martyrs-and I know which I must choose."
She didn't ask for their decision. She knew Corrsk would fly into a battle frenzy, but Rullak and Kambrea were not quite as determined to lay down their lives for a dream. They had come to the Diversity Alliance to gain personal glory, and Nolaa doubted they would sacrifice their own blood for the cause.
"We've gathered arms, weapons, explosives," Nolaa pointed out. "We have a few fighting ships, enough for a small armada. And we have sufficient weaponry and devoted soldiers to make a stand here. We can fight! We will lure the unsuspecting New Republic team into our catacombs and slaughter them. Then we declare Ryloth neutral-exempt from human law-and refuse to grant them any further access."
Kambrea looked astonished.
"But they will never let you get away with that. They will force their way in, howling for revenge!"
Nolaa stiffened. Her tattooed head-tail lashed back and forth.
"We have the power of righteousness on our side. If we become martyrs, the whole galaxy will see how humans treat any resistance to their domination. "
Kambrea took a step backward. The Quarren fidgeted, his face tentacles quivering. Corrsk stood like a towering statue.
"Kill humans," he said in his gargling voice. A signal alerted Nolaa, and she felt cold inside. She hadn't expected the human team to arrive for another day, at least-but it would be just like them to attempt to catch the Diversity Alliance unawares. One of the Duros command system operators signaled her.
"Esteemed Tarkona, Boba Fett's ship has arrived. He bears urgent information for you."
"Boba Fett!"
She did not allow herself to hope. The masked bounty hunter had already reported failure too many times. Still, he would not have come without good reason. She waited for the Slave IV to enter the landing bay and for Fett to be escorted into her presence. Ignoring the guards, the masked bounty hunter strode directly up to Nolaa Tarkona, his shoulders squared.
In one gauntleted hand he carried a data cylinder. The slitted visor showed nothing of his face.
It was difficult to read his body language, but Nolaa thought she detected a swagger of pride that had been missing the previous times he had come to her.
"We cornered Bornan Thul," Fett said without any greeting. "He escaped in a small lifepod and triggered his ship to self-destruct."
Nolaa wanted to strangle something, someone nearby.
"So he got away again? You dare to report another failure?"
"No," Fett said. He held up the data cylinder. "Before his ship exploded, I sliced into his computers and drained the files. I sorted through them