The droid took a few mincing steps into the room. "That
explains it then. Bzavazh-ne pentirs o ple-urith feez?"
Muftak did a double take. His language. "Where did you learn
that?"
The droid tilted its head, and its illuminated eyes seemed full
of satisfaction. "Oh, friend Talz, I am conversant in the
languages and customs of your planet, Alzoc Three, and four
thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight other worlds. I am Master
Jabba's protocol droid, Kay-eight Ellarr. Master Jabba couldn't do
without me. Admittedly, I've never had a chance to use my Talz
module before. I'll just check with Master Fortuna to see if you
are telling the truth."
Kabe, under control now, was moving slowly toward the droid,
trying to look pleasant. She uncoiled her climbing rope. "We're
telling the truth, droid. You don't have to check."
"Oh, but I do, friend Chadra-Fan, k'sweksni-nyip-tsik. You have
no idea what trouble I'd get into if I didn't-" Suddenly Kabe
sprang and wrapped the rope around its limbs. "The restraining
bolt, Muftak!"
"My friends, please don't-" K8LR was moaning like a Jawa street
beggar. "Oh! Master Jabba will punish you-" It began to fight, but
the Talz loped forward, and with a single motion collared it and
grabbed the bolt affixed to its chest. K8LR was struggling, trying
to free itself of the ropes around its body, but Muftak was
desperate. With a quick wrench, he ripped the bolt free.
When the bolt came off, the.droid stopped struggling.
"Oh, thank you," it said. "You have no idea how much better
that feels. I never liked working here. Never. That Jabba ... so
uncouth! And the rogues that work for him! Things I've seen would
curl your proboscis, friend Talz. Now, if you don't mind, I think
I'll be leaving. Could you untie me?"
"Be quiet, droid!" Kabe pricked up her ears, listening
intently. When she detected nothing, they began gathering loot
again. K-8LR, s till half trussed, followed them about,
complimenting them on their selections in a metallic whisper.
"Kay-eight Ellarr," Muftak said, stuffing a tiny figurine
carved from living ice into his furry abdominal pouch, "if you
really are grateful, tell us where the Hutt keeps his most
valuable treasures."
The droid stopped, appearing to think. "There are Corellian
artifacts on the walls of his audience chamber that are beyond
price, if my memory banks are correct. And a shapework from the
earliest days of human civilization."
"Take us there!"
As Muftak and the droid headed for the door, talking in low
voices about the location of Alzoc III, Kabe hastily pried a large
fire-gem from the eye of a sculpture. She stuffed it into one of
the myriad pockets of her robe, joining the other small valuables
she'd secreted about her person. I'll never have to pick pockets
again, she thought
They followed the droid back into the hall and to the right. As
they tiptoed along, Kabe's ears twitched at a noise so soft no one
else could have heard it. Breathing. Agonized, rasping . . . and
aware. She halted before the third door. "Who is in this room?"
she demanded of K-8LR. "Whoever is in here is awake."
K-8LR stopped. "It is one of my former master's victims, I'm
afraid. A human courier. They have been torturing him for days
with a nerve disrupter."
Muftak motioned her on, but Kabe hesitated. "Do you know how
much Valarian would pay for a nerve disruptor?" she whispered to
the Talz. "Droid, can you open it?"
"Certainly, madam." K-8LR interfaced with the lock and the door
swung open.
Muftak shifted nervously, scratching his head. "Kabe, let's not
get involved with this. It stinks in there."
The Chadra-Fan ignored her friend, marching into the room.
Reluctantly, Muftak followed.
A naked, frail, sallow man with an air of infinite sadness lay
strapped onto a bunk, moaning. As they entered, his eyes fastened
on them. The nerve disruptor, a small black box mounted on a tall
tripod, stood by the bed. Kabe went over and, resolutely ignoring
the human, began to disconnect it.
"Water," the man pleaded in a ghastly husk of a voice. "Water .
. . please."
"Be quiet," Kabe snapped. Even as her fingers moved, deftly
unscrewing little components, she remembered the days before
Muftak had found her, when she'd wandered the streets of Mos
Eisley, hungry . . . and nearly crazed with thirst. Unable to stop
herself, she looked up at the human. Their eyes met.
"Water," rasped the man. "Please . . ."
Kabe's fingers slowed, then, cursing under her breath, she
pulled a small flask from her belt and held it out. "Here's water.
Now leave me alone." With his arms restrained, the human could
only gaze at the flask longingly.
"I'll give it to you, sir," said K-8LR, coming forward. He
raised the human's head, and held the water to his lips.
The nerve disruptor was finally detached. Kabe stuffed it in
her sack. "This alone will buy us enough juice for a lifetime!"
she said triumphantly.
The human finished the water and licked his cracked, impossibly
rough lips. He eyed them carefully. "You two . . . are interested
in credits. How'd you like to earn thirty thousand, quick, without
risk?"
Muftak, restless, was keeping a lookout on the hall. Kabe,
already turning to leave, halted. She regarded the man
suspiciously. "What d'you mean, human?"
"My name is Barid Mesoriaam. Remember that name, because it
will be your password. If you deliver a datadot to a certain Mon
Calamari who will be in Mos Eisley for the next few days, the
credits are yours."
Kabe considered. "A datadot. Thirty thousand? But where'll you
get it? How do we know - "
"You'll just have to trust me. As to the location of the dot
..." Mesoriaam closed his mouth and worked his tongue against his
teeth. When he opened it, there was a tiny black circle visible on
the tip of his tongue. Kabe plucked the datadot off.
Muftak, who'd returned to the bedside in time to hear most of
the exchange, stared wide-eyed at the man. "What is on this dot
that is of such value?" he asked.
Mesoriaam tried to raise himself, but he was too weak. "That is
not for you to know. Tell the Mon Calamari it is for General
Dodonna's eyes only."
"Barid Mesoriaam is a participant in the Rebellion against the
Empire," said K-8LR smugly. "They wish to restore power to the
Senate, as I understand it. No doubt the datadot has something to
do with Rebel plans."
The Talz stroked his proboscis, thinking. "Here, Muftak, put
this in your pouch," Kabe ordered, holding out the datadot.
Muftak complied. "Rebels," he repeated meditatively. "Kay-
eight, what was Jabba trying to get out of him? Was he under
Imperial order to do this?"
"My former master does not play favorites," replied the droid.
"He sells to the highest bidder. Unfortunately fo
r him, no matter
how Mesoriaam was tortured, he revealed nothing."
"Since you know what I am and what this dot contains," said
Mesoriaam, "there is nothing to stop you from selling the
information to the Prefect. But, if you do, remember that there is
no place for nonhumans in the Empire. In the proud days of the
Republic, all beings had equal status. Look around you and tell me
if that is still the case."
Kabe scowled impatiently. "If your friend'll give us thirty
thousand, I don't care what he-" She whirled around abruptly.
"What was that?"
Lights came on in the hall. "Oh, no," said K-8LR. "This doesn't
seem to be a very promising turn of events."
Muftak drew his blaster. "Let's get out of here. Now."
The Talz held his breath as he reached the hallway, brandishing
his blaster, but no one was in sight. Kabe followed, trying to fit
one more prize in her already full bag. "Jabba's audience chamber,
Muftak. That shapework must be worth millions!"
Muftak gaped at her, incredulous. "Kabe, are you crazy? We've
got to-"
From out of the lounge sprang two burly, porcine Gamorreans
brandishing axes, grunting obscenely. Muftak shoved Kabe behind
him, and they backed away from the newcomers. The Talz triggered
his blaster - but nothing happened. "Shoot them, Muftak!" Kabe
shrilled.
Muftak emitted a frustrated hum. "I'm trying!"
Encumbered by his sack, he examined the weapon as best he
could, backpedaling all the while. The Gamorreans squealed at each
other, evidently making plans. Desperately, Muftak wiggled the
power supply into better contact, saw the ignition coil begin to
glow hot. Got it. Aiming, he fired at the nearest guard. The
weapon spat, and the bolt of energy caromed off the guard's
axhead, which it was using as a shield. The Gamorreans dived for
cover, just as a tiny Jawa appeared from another door, firing its
blaster. Muftak coaxed out a few more shots, sending the Jawa
scurrying back into hiding.
"This way!" Kabe was heading past the main entrance, a
reinforced blast door big enough to admit the enormous Hutt. One
glance told Muftak it was electronically locked.
The Chadra-Fan scurried in the direction of the audience room.
"There's another exit in here - hold them off while I get it
open!"
"Hold them off?" Muftak cried. "How?" He followed Kabe, and
they dashed into the huge, circular audience chamber. Dominating
the far end of the room was the Hutt's ornate wooden dais; over it
hung a gigantic tapestry depicting a grotesque scene of Hutt
family life.
Just as Kabe had promised, there was another, smaller door -
but it too bore an electronic bolt. "Now what?" Muftak gasped.
"We're trapped!"
"Maybe I can get it open ..." Kabe said uncertainly. "But I'll
need time . . ." Pulling out the nerve disruptor, she set it on
the floor, pointing at the doorway, then turned it on. "I'll use
this to block the entrance!"
Time was against them - they'd only gotten halfway across the
chamber before more Gamorreans charged through the door, howling
like Tusken Raiders. One was armed with a blaster. Lethal bolts
ricocheted behind them as Muftak grabbed Kabe and dashed across
the chamber, taking cover behind Jabba's audience dais.
The blaster bolts halted abruptly, and the two thieves peered
out to se'e the four Gamorreans staggering in the entranceway,
yowling with pain and fury. Sighting carefully, Muftak cut three
of them down with well-placed shots. The fourth escaped back into
the hall.
Kabe started crawling for the door. "I'll open-"
All hell broke loose. Ten guards of various species appeared at
the doorway, each of them loosing a barrage of blaster fire.
Kabe's disruptor held them back for the moment, but the two
friends were pinned down behind the dais.
"We can't hold out much longer like this." Muftak grunted,
sighting and firing into the gaggle of guards jammed into the
entrance., "Sooner or later one of their shots will hit the
disruptor-and then they'll be in here."
Kabe's only response was a terrified squeal. Muftak peered over
the dais, searching for a good target, and glimpsed chalky-white
albino features at the back of the crowd. Bib Fortuna . . .
Jabba's Twi'lek major-domo, who was doubtless directing the battle
from the safety of the hallway. A whistling snarl from overhead
attracted his attention, and he glanced up to see a huge net
hanging from the ceiling, large enough to cover the entire middle
of the audience chamber. Word had it that the net contained kayven
whistlers, flying carnivores with appetites as large and sharp as
their teeth. Jabba used the kayven to "influence" recalcitrant
business associates into deals favorable to the Hutt.
Aiming at a hulking Abyssin's torso, Muftak squeezed off
another shot, and was rewarded when the being went down with a
scream. "Muftak, what are we going to do?" Kabe bleated. He
glanced down at her, saw her huddled, quivering, against his side.
"If we could only get that door open," the Talz muttered, half
to himself. But it was too far away . . .
Another blaster shot sizzled overhead, so close that Muftak
threw himself over Kabe, almost mashing her flat. A crackling
filled the air; the tapestry behind them was now burning in one
spot and smoldering in several others. That's it . . . we'll never
get out of here alive, he thought. I'll never get off this sandy
hell, never see Alzoc III . . . never taste the nectar of those
flowers-
"Get off me!" Kabe squeaked beneath him. Muftak levered himself
up, gasping and gagging on smoke. Kabe stared at the fire round-
eyed. "Muf-tak ..." she wailed.
The Talz squinted against the smoke tendrils, trying to aim. He
fired at a Gamorrean, but blurred vision made him miss. Return
fire caromed off the furniture. One blaster bolt struck the nerve
disruptor, shattering it.
Now they'll be all over us! Muftak thought, but the guards
still held back. Evidently they hadn't realized that the entrance
was now clear - either that, or the smoke deterred them. Maybe Bib
Fortuna ordered them to stay back, figuring the fire will get us,
he thpught. That way he doesn 't risk losing any more guards.
Without warning, the exit door swung open.
Fresh night air rushed in, fanning the flames, sending the
smoke eddying in billows. Muftak grabbed the two sacks of loot,
shoving them into Kabe's hands. "Run for it!" he ordered. "I'll
cover you!"
The Chadran-Fan hesitated. "But what about you?"
"I'll be right behind you!" he lied. Someone as small and quick
as Kabe might be able to make it out the door, under the cover of
his fire, but Muftak, with his lumbering bulk, didn't have a
chance. But at least Kabe would live. With the wealth in those
sacks, she'd be set for life . . .
"Go!" he cried, literally booting her out from behind the dais.<
br />
He fired at the guards, catching a glimpse of her scuttling
through the smoke out of the corners of his left eyes. A hail of
fire forced him down again, but not before Muftak was rewarded by
the sight of Kabe vanishing through the door. Thank the Force for
that. He settled back, his blaster scorching his paw as he
prepared to sell his life dearly . . .
Gasping, choking, Kabe staggered out the exit and into the
night. The heavy sacks of loot weighed her down, but she'd sooner
have cut off her arm than lose them. Ducking through a gate and
into a walled garden, she sagged against a life-size sculpture of
Jabba, gulping air. Behind her she could hear blaster bolts
whining. Where was Muftak?
Peeking through the gate at the exit from the audience chamber,
the Chadra-Fan watched as clouds of smoke billowed. With each
passing second, the pain in her pounding heart and straining lungs
eased. Still no Muftak. Kabe glanced up the street, hearing the
distant sounds of firelighters and water sellers converging on the
Hutt's town house from all directions.
Where in the name of the Force was Muftak?
Kabe winced at the sounds of more blaster fire from the
audience chamber. Smoke darkened the night, obscuring the stars.
The entire room must be ablaze . . . Muftak!
Grimly, the little Chadra-Fan realized that her friend had
never intended to follow her. He'd given her the chance to escape
at the price of his own life. Slowly, she picked up the two laden
sacks. She'd be crazy to throw away the Talz's last gift to her .
. . Muftak wanted her to get away-with the loot.
Kabe took a step toward the gate on the other side of the
garden, heading for the alley. Images flashed before her eyes, of
herself, starving, whimpering in alleys, too weak to run, almost
too weak to walk. Muftak had picked her up, tucked her under his
arm, and carried her home to his den . . . had bought water for
her, and food . . .
Kabe took another step . . .
The sacks slipped from the Chadra-Fan's fingers, thudded to the
sandy ground near the sculpture's stone tail. Kabe kicked them
viciously, knowing they wouldn't last two seconds out here, no
matter how she tried to conceal them. "Damn you, Muftak!" she
squealed -
- and, turning, raced back into the audience chamber.
Chittering loudly, Kabe could pick up Muftak's presence by his
Star Wars - Tales From The Mos Eisley Cantina Page 14