[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(55)

There were no human presences in any of the nearby buildings, Jaina extended her Force-awareness deeper into the villa and was surprised to feel nothing there, either. But when she reached beyond the compound itself into the surrounding area, she did detect a knot of frightened people deep under the hill, in the vicinity of the villa’s underground hangar.

“You feel that?” Jaina asked Zekk. “They’re hiding from us.”

Zekk nodded. “Probably an emergency shelter under the hill with the hangar.”

“That would make sense,” Jaina said. “But why would they be afraid of MS?”

Zekk shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to ask them.”

He did not bring up the possibility of asking Zar, and Jaina did not suggest it. Another conversation with the woman would only cause further delay, and Jaina doubted they would learn anything useful. Zar was hardly the type of woman a shrewd Hapan noble would trust with any information not meant to deceive.

They continued deeper into the villa, with Zar trailing along and protesting. Now and again a mouse droid zipped across a nearby intersection, and once they came across a cleaning droid carefully polishing the gratenite blocks that paved the walkway. Otherwise, the interior of the villa remained as deserted as the entrance had been.

Given that the buildings were all locked and they were simply here to deliver a message, Jaina refrained from breaking in. But from the evidence she noticed as they passed-scarred door frames, an outdoor roasting pit, the sour smell of tanning vats-the villa certainly appeared to be the favorite hunting retreat of a very wealthy noble. The only odd part was that the Ducha would feel compelled to take her entire household into hiding because two Jedi had arrived with a message from Tenel Ka.

A few moments later, they reached the hill at the back of the compound, where an artificial cliff indicated the source of the gratenite that had been used to build Villa Solis. A pair of white towers stood tight against the cliff, one on each side of a large pit. The pit was surrounded by a chest-high wall, and from its interior rose a faint stench of decay and muskiness.

After confirming that both towers were sealed as tightly as had been the other buildings, Jaina went to inspect the pit. It was about three meters deep from the foot of the wall, with a muddy bottom littered by crushed bones and animal skulls. Pressed into the thin mud were the impressions of dozens of huge paddle-shaped feet, always arranged in pairs on either side of a long serpentine depression.

The back of the pit extended beneath the cliff, creating a large cave beneath the hill. Deep within the cave, Jaina sensed a cluster of semi-intelligent presences.

Zekk came to her side and peered over the wall, then made a sour face at the smell. “I hope that isn’t the only way in.”

“Can’t be.” Jaina pointed at the strange tracks pressed into the mud at the bottom of the pit. “No people feet.”

“And I don’t see the Ducha crawling through the mud just to avoid us, either.” Zekk turned his attention to the towers beside the pit. “The entrance must be in one of those.”

He started toward the nearest tower, holding his lightsaber and clearly intending to cut his way inside.

“Hold on,” Jaina said. “Let’s not do any more damage than we have to-Ducha Galney is supposed to be one of Tenel Ka’s most loyal allies.”

She turned to Zar, who had finally stopped protesting but was continuing to follow the two Jedi through the compound. “How do we get into the emergency shelter?” Jaina asked. “You can help us, or you can explain to Ducha Galney why we had to cut our way in.”

Zar frowned in confusion. “Emergency shelter?”

She had barely spoken before a chorus of shrill squeals rang out from the pit. Jaina and Zekk spun around to find six creatures-at least that was the number of mouths Jaina saw-spilling out of the cave in a slimy gray tangle. They were about as long as speeder bikes, with thick tubular bodies, stubby legs, and flipper-shaped feet.

As soon as they saw Jaina and Zekk, they launched themselves against the side of the pit. They hit belly-first and clawed frantically at the stone, dragging themselves up high enough to thrust their round-nosed heads over the wall, snapping and screeching at the two Jedi.

Jaina and Zekk retreated a step and ignited their lightsabers-then were nearly knocked over as Zar pushed between them, placing herself between the lightsabers and the creatures from the pit.

“No! Please!” She spun and faced the two Jedi, extending her arms to protect the strange creatures. “I’ll tell you anything you want-just don’t hurt my babies!”

The creatures began to squeal more excitedly than ever, their heads bobbing up and behind Zar as they licked at her ears and arms, coating her head and shoulders with stringy yellow slime.