TEN

Three jumps after departing Lizil, Han was running a systems check while Leia plotted the course to the Rago Run, the long hyperspace lane that would take them back into Galactic Alliance territory. So far, the Swiff had performed flawlessly, even reminding them to eat when the ship’s droid brain noticed that none of the processing units in the galley had been activated in twenty hours.

“I don’t like it,” Han said, studying the nacelle-temperature history. “No machine is this reliable.”

“To the contrary, Captain Solo,” C-3PO said. “When properly maintained, operated in the appropriate environment, and not pushed beyond performance parameters, machines are very reliable. Malfunctions most often result from a biological unit’s inattentiveness. I can tell you that has been true in my own experience.”

“Watch it, Threepio,” Leia advised. “It’s not smart to insult the hand that oils you.”

“Oh,” C-3PO said. “I certainly didn’t mean to imply that you or Captain Solo have ever been neglectful. I have had other owners, you know.”

“Other owners? Now there’s a thought.” Han looked over to the copilot’s station, where Leia was seated in one of the cockpit’s self-adjusting, supercomfortable Support-Gel flight chairs. “How are those jump coordinates coming along?”

“Almost done,” she said. “The navicomputer’s a little slow, at least compared with the Falcon’s.”

Han felt a small burst of pride. “That surprises you? The Falcon has top-notch—”

He was interrupted by the sharp pinging of an alarm.

“I knew it!” Han said, looking for a flashing indicator on the hyperdrive section of the expansive control board. “That warp stabilizer was running a couple of degrees hot at the end of our last jump.”

“Actually, Captain Solo, the Swiff’s systems status remains at optimum,” C-3PO reported. “Aboard a Dray-class transport, that chime indicates a proximity alert.”

Han shifted his gaze to the sensor area of the console and found the flashing beacon.

“That can’t be good.” He reset the alarm, then activated the intercom. “Be ready back there.”

The Noghri replied that they were always ready, and a bank of status beacons turned amber, indicating that the Swiff’s weapons systems were coming online.

Han brought up his tactical display and saw that a space–time hole had opened behind them. An instant later, the distortion closed and a bogey symbol appeared in its place.

“I knew getting out of there was too easy,” Han said. After putting Tito and the Verpine off the ship, they had simply lifted the Swiff’s boarding ramp and pushed through the air lock membrane before the confused Killiks had a chance to stop them. “Someone must’ve slapped a homing beacon on our hull.”

“Maybe,” Leia said. After departing Lizil, they had done a security sweep of the interior of the vessel as a standard precaution, but there had been no time to do an external search without actually landing somewhere. “It’s not going to do them much good, though. We’ll be ready to jump in thirty seconds.”

“As long as they don’t start shooting in twenty.” Han went to work on the sensors, trying to determine what kind of vessel was following them. “When it comes to a fight, this thing is no Falcon.”

Before Han could get a sensor readout, the vessel’s transponder code appeared, identifying it as a Mon Calamari Sailfish-class transport named Real Deal. A moment later, a chirpy Squib voice began to hail them over the open comm channel.

“Solo, you there?”

The Deal fired its ion engines and began to approach.

Han glanced over at Leia, who appeared just as surprised as he did, then activated his comm. “We’re here.”

“What are you doing?” asked a second Squib, probably Grees. “You’re going the wrong way.”

“We were starting to feel unwelcome,” Han said. “And that’s close enough, you three. The Noghri are still a little sore about those hit-bugs you sent.”

“Hey, we knew they didn’t stand a chance against you,” Sligh said. “But we had to try.”

“That was good, the way you turned Tito on us.” Grees sounded more angry than admiring. “He got Krafte and Seneki before we could stop him.”

“But no hard feelings, okay?” Emala asked. The Deal finally decelerated, but continued to drift toward the Swiff, slowly closing the distance. “We’re the ones who started it, so fair is fair.”

“Sure,” Leia said. “But why do I doubt you followed us out here to mend partition barriers?”

“That’s what we like about you guys,” Sligh said. “Nothing gets past you.”

“We could use someone like you in this thing of ours,” Emala added.

The Squibs paused expectantly.

“You’re trying to hire us?” Leia scoffed.

“Recruit,” Sligh corrected. “Hire is such an ugly word.”

“War is very good for business,” Emala added. “And this one is just going to keep getting bigger and better. Trust me when I say that we can have a very profitable relationship.”

“Not a chance,” Han said. He checked the weapons systems and found all of the status beacons green. If the Squibs continued to close, they were going to be in for a big surprise. Real Deal might be better armed than the Swiff, but the Swiff had Noghri gunners—and Han Solo in the pilot’s seat. “But thanks for the offer.”

“Let me put it to you plainly, Solo.” Grees’s voice was low and menacing. “This isn’t an offer you want to refuse.”

“I just hate it when someone tells me what I want.” Han looked over and, seeing that the calculations for the next jump were complete, signaled Leia to transfer the coordinates to the guidance system. “So why don’t you—”

“You’re really not getting this, are you?” Grees interrupted. “Jaina is still in Colony space. We can help you get to her—or we can get to her ourselves.”

Leia’s finger hovered over the transfer key. “Are you threatening our daughter?”

“Not at all,” Emala said. “We’re giving you a chance to protect her.”

Han’s rage boiled over. “You try anything, and not only will I stop you, I’ll personally drag you out of your fur and feed you to a Togorian.”

“Now who’s making threats?” Grees asked. “You think you’re too good for us, so what choice do we have?”

“It’s your own fault,” Sligh said. “We’re not responsible for what happens.”

“That’s it!” Han grabbed the yoke and throttles, preparing to bring the Swiff around to attack. “There’s not going to be enough left of you—”

Leia reached over and pulled his hands off the yoke. “Han, no.”

Han frowned. “No?”

“Think about it.” Leia deactivated the comm microphone. “Why did they really come after us? Why did they put a death mark on us?”

Han thought about it. “Right. They still haven’t come clean with the Killiks about Juun and Tarfang—”

“No.” Leia shook her head. “The Squibs vouched for us to Lizil. If we tell the Alliance what the Colony is planning, it’s on their heads.”

Han let out a long breath. “So they’re trying to distract us.”

“Exactly,” Leia said. “They don’t need to hire us or kill us. If they can just delay us for a while, maybe even get lucky and actually put us out of commission—”

“We’re going to keep going, aren’t we?” Han interrupted.

Leia nodded. “We have to.”

She transferred the jump coordinates to the guidance system, and Han’s heart suddenly felt as heavy as a black hole. Even if the Squibs talked their way out of being held responsible for “Lord Rysto’s” betrayal, they were sure to lose a fortune when the coups failed—and Squibs hated losing money. They would do their best to make good on their threat.

The Deal began to accelerate, then the lock-alarms began to chirp, announcing that the Swiff was being scanned by targeting sensors. Sligh’s voice came over the comm channel.

“I can’t believe you’re making us do this, Solo. Don’t you love your daughter?”

Han tried to ignore the Squib, but the question was too painful. Of course he loved his daughter. He would move stars to protect both of his children, to keep from losing them as he and Leia had lost Anakin. But that was growing more difficult every day. First Jaina had become a Jedi, then a Rogue Squadron pilot, and now she and Zekk were Joiners, fighting on the wrong side of a war that might never end. When you had a daughter as headstrong as Jaina, there was only so much a father could do—even when that father was Han Solo.

“They’re not bluffing, Leia,” Han said, leaving his comm microphone off. “You know they’ll do it.”

“They’ll try,” Leia said. “Jaina can take care of herself.”

“Yeah, I know.” Han pushed the throttles forward and began to accelerate away from the Deal. He knew Leia was right, that any assassin the Squibs sent after Jaina would be sorely outmatched—but that did not make it any easier to place the Alliance’s welfare ahead of her safety. “I guess it runs in her blood.”

“What runs in her blood?” Leia asked.

“Being a Jedi,” Han answered. The attack alarms began to screech as the Deal opened fire. “Whatever Luke does with the order, it’s pretty clear you’ll be staying in it. Duty always comes first with you.”

Leia looked hurt, but reluctantly nodded. “I’m not the only one, Han.”

“I know, Princess.” The Swiff shuddered as the Deal’s first salvo hit the rear shields. Han activated the hyper-drives, and the stars stretched into an opalescent blur. “And Luke won’t even give me a lightsaber.”