Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 11_ The Emperor's Plague - Kevin J. Anderson [24]
Borra sighed.
"I should have found a way to do this myself a long time ago."
"We're finished here," Zekk said, impatient to get moving again. He grabbed several explosive packs to take with him. "We'll plant these along the way," he said, "then pick up Lowbacca back at the central chamber."
WITH EACH EXPLOSIVE she planted, Jaina felt the metal-lined hallways seem to close in on her. At her direction, Jacen set timed explosives in alternate places, while Tenel Ka drew her lightsaber and sliced partway through support beams or disabled safety interlocks.
"Blaster bolts! When this place blows, it's really going to blow," Jacen observed. "Hey, how many thermal detonators does it take to blow up an Imperial weapons depot?"
"Ah. Aha," Tenel Ka said, responding to Jacen's attempt at humor as if the question were a serious one.
"The answer is obvious." Jaina finished setting the time delay on her detonator, moved farther down the corridor, and began setting up the next one. "Okay then," she said, rising to the bait, "how many thermal detonators does it take?"
Still holding her lightsaber, Tenel Ka shrugged eloquently.
"All of them, of course." Jacen chuckled. "Yeah. I think you're right.
We..."
"Wait." Tenel Ka held up her hand for silence. She listened, then switched off her lightsaber so its hum would not mask any other noises.
Jaina heard the sound and sprang to her feet.
"Company?"
Tenel Ka backed a few steps down the corridor toward Jaina and Jacen, alert and looking in the direction from which the sound had come.
"Uh-oh," Jacen said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Something tells me that whoever our visitors are, they didn't arrive on the Lightning Rod or the Rock Dragon."
Jaina bit her lower lip as she felt the same tingle of warning.
"The Diversity Alliance?"
"This is a fact," Tenel Ka said. "We must stay ahead of them in order to complete our mission." But before the three young Jedi could move, several figures rounded a corner far down the hallway. A furry white Talz and a tentacle-faced Quarren were in the lead. They all recognized the Quarren, whom they had seen on Ryloth with Nolaa Tarkona. Lowie had told them his name.
"Rullak," Jaina said. Before Nolaa Tarkona's henchmen took another step, the three friends ran in the opposite direction down the corridor. Behind them the Quarren burbled a command and fired his blaster. The energy bolt spanged harmlessly off a metal wall and deflected into the ceiling, where it left a small, smoking hole.
"Excellent," Tenel Ka said as they ran.
"What?" Jacen asked. Another shot zinged past without touching them.
"They're trying to kill us!"
He ran full tilt toward an intersection of corridors.
"Yes, excellent," Tenel Ka said, moving into the lead beside him. Her long red-gold hair and warrior braids streamed out behind her. "Because Rullak's aim is terrible."
A third blaster bolt hit the floor several meters behind them, and Jaina realized that Tenel Ka was right. Jaina still carried a concussion grenade under one arm and a microdetonator in her hand. Risking a glance behind her, she noticed that the alien guards had not gained any ground.
She had already set the detonator in her hand. Without stopping, she reset the timer with her free hand, activated the microdetonator's magnetic backing, and smacked the explosive against one of the metal walls, where it clung. Then, pulling the concussion grenade from under her arm, she armed it and dropped it to the floor as Jacen and Tenel Ka disappeared around a corner ahead.
Jaina barely managed to dive to the floor around the corner before the first of her explosions went off. Jacen and Tenel Ka dragged Jaina back to her feet as the second blast shook the corridor.
"Those were only minor explosions," she panted. "Won't hold ' em long."
"Hurry then," Tenel Ka urged, switching her lightsaber back on and taking up her position in the rear as they pelted down the hallway. Sooner than they