Scoundrel’s Luck – 114

Han wrenches sharply to port and tries to break the Avenger’s grasp. The Falcon lurches, then spins out of control. Within seconds, the TIE fighters close in. Han tries to target the gun wells, but his vessel’s spin makes that an impossible task. The TIEs pick the weapons off at their leisure.

When the Falcon finally stops spinning, she is helpless. All of her ship-to-ship weapons have been disabled. The armed spacetrooper shuttle approaches, and two dozen men in bulky armor leap from its airlock toward the freighter. Han activates the Falcon’s anti-personnel blaster cannon and hits two troopers. Before he can do any more damage, a trooper launches a miniature proton torpedo from his suit and even that blaster cannon is destroyed.

The two smugglers check and recheck their weapons for the next two minutes. A bowcaster and heavy blaster pistol are poor matches for zero-g combat armor. Han does not know how he can escape this time, but he is determined not to rot in an Imperial brig.

At last, several clunks echo from the port side. A moment later, the airlock security system flashes an override warning.

Spacetroopers pour into the cabin. Han and Chewie return fire, but their weapons have little effect on the heavy armor. A spacetrooper points his blaster rifle at Han. A red flash blossoms in his eyes, then Han feels himself falling. His ears ring.

“I wonder why they bothered with the airlock?” he thinks. His vision fades entirely and Han feels as though he is falling from a great height.

Where will the smugglers wake up – in an Imperial brig? Will Han find out why they bothered with the airlock after all? Our heroes are too resourceful not to escape Imperial clutches – but that is another story. This has come to a close. Click here to return to the beginning and try again