Han fires past the Gamorrean charge at one of the humans. His shot goes wide, then he has to face the porcine creatures face-to-face. A Gamorrean axe crashes to the floor on Han’s right. Another clangs off the wall to his left. “We need maneuvering room!” the smuggler yells. He rushes to the center of the lounge and leaps atop the holoconsole. The image of the Twi’lek continues to dance. Han almost feels as if he has two bodies.
Sodarra follows him into the room, but chooses to stand on the floor at Han’s back. Both men fire their blaster rifles at the bosses. Han briefly glimpses one man staring dumbly at a smoking wound in his torso. Sodarra lets out a victory whoop.
The Gamorreans swing their vibroaxes again. Without their human superiors, the green-skinned brutes fight without discipline. Han jumps a slow swing, then side-steps a haphazard thrust. He pulls his blaster trigger twice and two Gamorreans stumble backward puzzled expressions on their painted faces.
Han turns to help Sodarra, but the wiry Imperial has already downed his opponents. Two mounds of gray-suited green flesh lie at his feet.
“Why’d they bother buying suits for those things?” Han wonders.
Sodarra is already too busy to respond. He searches cubicle 452 first, then goes through the effects of their opponents. So thorough is the Imperial Captain that it requires several hours. Han does not bother to help. He knows why they were ambushed; one of Sodarra’s men has arranged Taslo’s death.
“I cannont understandthis!” Sodarra says at last. “Who are these mercenaries? What happened to Taslo?”
Han does not explain. It makes no difference to him whether his bomb or Governor-General Vellam kills Vader. He looks at his chronometer. The bomb will detonate in an hour. If he doesn’t succeed in ejecting Vader before the device explodes, Han hopes Leia will eventually learn what he has done. He isn’t as concerned that she knows why he lost her race as he is that she knows why he and Chewbacca died. Han doesn’t consider himself one given to noble sacrifices, but after standing close to Vader he has a better understanding of what motivates Leia – and young Luke Skywalker, too. Without understanding why, it seems important that Leia know that he has shared some small part of her dream.
The Corellian nudges a corpse with his foot. “I don’t think they’re going to spill the beans,” he says. “Let’s get back to Mud Station before the Eradicator arrives.” Han wants one last chance to save the Falcon, Chewbacca, and himself.
“Yes,” Sodarra answers. “If they know we came to Shador, and it is apparent they do, they might have arrived by now.”
As they step into the lift, Sodarra says, “It is unfortunate we are enemies. You would make a worthy friend.”
“Yeah,” Han answers. “Too bad.”
“Perhaps I can persuade Lord Vader to pardon you? If I seek you for my unit, it is possible.”
Han shakes his head. “Sorry. Your choice of company stinks.”
The lift door opens into an empty tavern. Han leads the way toward the exit.
The Imperial sighs. “Then we must remain enemies.”
“I guess so,” Han sneers. He isn’t sure whether the offer should insult or flatter him.
As they step outside, half a dozen energy bolts strike the door frame.
“Now what?” Han gripes.
A team of stormtroopers approach Zeboron Gamma in a broad horn. Han fires at the large craft, then runs up the walkway toward a swift-looking bateau. Sodarra, providing covering fire, follows more slowly.
Han jumps into the bateau. A furred biped about a meter tall sits at the helm. It jabbers at Han in a tongue he does not understand, and its large eyes show its anger.
“Sorry, shortstuff!” Han says. He grabs the furry creature and tosses it into the slimy canal. The effort strains his left shoulder; the creature weighs much more than it appears to. Sodarra leaps into the boat.
“Can you drive this?” he asks.
“Does it have an engine?”
Han’s question puzzles Sodarra. “Of course.”
“Then I can drive it,” Han answers.
A pair of mucky paws grab the gunnel. Han smacks them with his rifle butt. The creature whines and slips back into the scummy canal.
Han engages the drive and the bateau leaps away from the walkway. Sodarra continues to fire back over Han’s head. Considering their relationship, Han feels less than comfortable about that. However, he has no time to object. With the throttle open wide, they streak up the canal.
A blaster bolt zips through the turbine support structure. Han starts involuntarily, then begins dodging wildly. Energy bursts sizzle into the filthy water on both sides of the boat, scenting the air with ammonia.
“We’ll soon lose them!” Sodarra yells. He continues to fire at the pursuers. With Han jerking the boat in random directions, he has small chance of hitting anything.
“Wanna bet?” Han answers. They are fast approaching a collapsed building. Han doubts that he can negotiate the narrow channel leading through the debris at his present speed.
Just before the dam, a side canal opens to the right. It is perhaps two meters wider than the partially-dammed channel.
If Han tries to negotiate the dam-narrowed channel, Click Here
If Han turns into the side canal, Click Here