Star Wars - Eruption by John Ostrander Page B

was bound and gagged on a cot next to the wall opposite the door. A large and surly looking Twi’lek stood guard, a slug thrower at the ready, but he was looking at the far end of the room.
    Focusing his senses through the Force, the Je’daii heard two more Twi’leks at the other end of the dormitory. Neither sounded happy.
    “…thought this would be over by now!”
    “You got other things to do?”
    “Other than sit next to a sokar volcano? Yes!”
    “The problem is that Je’daii sitting at the table. Not for long, though. Our contact will take care of her. Then we off the girl, leave the corpse where it can be found, and get gone.”
    Hawk couldn’t risk comming a warning to Lanoree. His best bet was to settle things here and hope his fellow Ranger was still alive. However, the moment he made a move, the two guards at the end of the room would see him and the guard closest to Oma would certainly kill her. He needed a diversion.
    The volcano provided a spectacular one. Ahead of schedule, the eruption started with a clap of thunder as plumes of pumice, flaming ash, and molten lava were belched into the air. Everyone was stunned for a moment, but then Hawk Ryo moved. His sword in his right hand and a long knife in his left, he swept into the room. Hurling the knife towards the guard standing next to Oma, he guided it with the Force into the Twi’lek’s neck. The guard’s finger tightened on the trigger of his slug thrower as he dropped; the shot went wild but was audible even over the roaring volcano.
    Hawk pivoted towards the two other guards and sped towards them as they turned to the source of the slug fire and spotted him. A moment for their reaction. A few steps for Hawk.  A moment as they brought their slug throwers around. Another few steps. They aimed their weapons. Hawk threw himself into a forward roll beneath their shots and pushed off of one leg as he came forward and up. Flipping in mid-air over the guards, the Je’daii shoved his boot down hard into the upturned face of the one to his right. Nose bone and cartilage cracked as the Twi’lek fell backwards. The Je’daii landed, spun, and thrust his sword into the fallen Twi’lek’s chest — a quick and clean kill. His partner kept firing, but always where the Je’daii had been. Hawk landed in a crouch and, with a gesture of his hand, delivered a Force blow that sent his target backwards through the window. The Twi’lek’s scream was covered by the volcano’s roar.
    Hawk preferred not to kill when he had the option, but there was no time and no other choice. Still, the dark part in him exulted and he struggled to bring himself back to the balance.
    Hawk squatted next to Oma. “I’m Je’daii ranger Hawk Ryo and I’ve been sent here to rescue you. Try to be calm.” Picking the teen up, Hawk threw her over one shoulder and raced back up to the roof. Superheated volcanic debris rained down on the town, the wooden buildings starting to catch fire. Hawk again tried to warn Lanoree, but the ash jammed the comm’s signal.
    It was hard to see through the ash and the Ranger tightened his grip on Oma. Calling on the Force once more, he leaped to the next nearest roof, ran across, and then jumped to the next roof after that. He could barely breathe and was jumping blind, but he hoped he could trust in the Force that he was taking them out of danger.
    And that Lanoree was not dead.
    ***
    Ranger Brock eased back into her chair. The discussions were still going nowhere but at least everyone was civil. A servant brought her a goblet of wine, a Vaisamond red, something she had developed a taste for on Ska Gora. Lanoree raised the goblet to her lips — and paused. She knew the bouquet of the wine and something bitter underlay the aroma.
    Lanoree turned her head to glance at the servant who had given it to her: a nervous little man, as old as Eomin Dessain. Fear came off him like a wave, a bitter aroma of its own. The servant turned to run. Lanoree caught