“Rest and recreation are most important during rough times.” Han smiles. “It’s an investment in mental health.” Han reaches into his pocket and fingers his currency. “As a matter of fact, why don’t I make a little investment in your mental health?”
The officer stares at Han’s pocket without moving. “What are you trying to hide?” he asks at last. “Why don’t we find out? Sergeant!”
Quickly, the spacetroopers move into position, four of them immediately covering Han and Chewbacca with their heavy blaster rifles, while the remainder disarm the two smugglers and search for hidden weapons.
As the spacetroopers work, Han protests, “No! You thought I was offering a bribe! This is a misunderstanding; can’t we discuss it?”
His protests fall on deaf ears. Within ten minutes, Han and Chewbacca are in the Executor’s brig and the Falcon is in one of the destroyer’s hangars.
“I don’t undertand it!” Han says when he and Chewbacca are alone. He rises and begins pacing the length of their cell. It is four steps long, with a ceiling that disappears into blackness. The walls are barren of anything except a depressing black-gray finish meant to impress the captive with the hopelessness of his situation.
“Arrogh, eeoorr.”
“What do you know about reading humans?” Han says. “He wanted a bribe.”
A low growl is the Wookiee’s only response.
“Okay, so he hinted that he wanted a bribe. I still don’t understand it.”
They debate the officer’s words for two hours. Finally, Han says, “I give up. It had to be something personal. Maybe he doesn’t like Wookiees.”
Chewbacca snarls an angry question.
“Lot’s of people don’t like Wookiees. Leia, for example.”
“Ooouuuugh!”
“What makes you think it’s me she doesn’t like? She probably got herself kidnapped just so I’d rescue her.”
Chewie’s groan indicates the likelihood he gives the suggestion.
Han does not respond. Instead, he stares vacantly at the wall for nearly a minute. At last, he bursts, “I know Alfreda Goot’s real identity! It’s Leia!”
The co-pilot looks at Han as if he is crazy.
“Got any better ideas?”
Chewbacca shakes his head.
“Think about it. Do we know who Alfreda Goot is? How can a stranger have known we were on Ord Mantell? Who else would challenge me to a race? I tell you, this crazy race is Leia’s way of trying to prove she’s as good as I am!”
Although he looks dubious, the Wookiee does not argue.
An hour later, the cell door opens. “Admiral Ozzel wishes to see you, prisoners.” Ten stormtroopers stand at the door.
“It’s about time,” Han snaps.
The stormtroopers escort the pair through a maze of corridors. Han keeps careful track of the route, especially when they pass a hangar holding the Falcon. After ten minutes of walking, the party enters a guarded elevator and ascends to the destroyer’s bridge.
Two dozen officers monitor the ship’s instruments. A squat, evil-looking man stands in the center of the bridge. He is studying the Black Widow Nebula through the forward viewport. At length, he turns to face Han.
“Your ship is empty, Captain. Why did you offer my officer a bribe?”
“Because he asked for one,” Han responds.
Ozzel smiles, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. “Come now. Captain Piett is too well paid for that. Tell me of your own accord or…” Ozzel motions to his right. Three meters away, a dark metal globe hangs suspended in the air by independent repulsors. A tangle of metal arms protrudes from it’s soulless body. The arms are tipped with painful looking instruments.
Han gulps. Leia spoke once of such a machine. The commentary was brief but chilling.
“What do you want?” asks the smuggler.
“Tell me where you were going.”
“To a rendezvous with an Imperial ship,” Han lies. “In there.” He nods toward the nebula.
Ozzel’s eyes light up. “For what purpose?”
“To take a cargo to the Alliance.”
Ozzel furrows his brows. “Do you know the nature of this cargo?”
The Corellian hesitates. “No,” he says at last.
“Come now. A renegade governor arranges a meeting in the darkest reaches of the Black Widow, and you do not ask why?”
Han sighs. “Okay, I know.”
“Then you also know that your act constitutes the highest treason!” Ozzel roars. “I sentence you to death. You have ten hours to contemplate your crimes.”
“Hol on,” Han says. “Can’t we strike a deal?”
Ozzel sneers. “I doubt it.”
“I’ll give you the renegade and the cargo; in return. you release me and Chewbacca.”
Ozzel turns to face the viewport. “The nebula is not so large that we cannot find the other destroyer. Take them away!”
The stormtroopers return the prisoners to their cell. After reassuring Chewbacca that he will think of a plan, Han falls into a depressed silence. Try as he may to focus his thoughts, Han’s mind will do nothing but race ahead to his impending execution. He keeps returning to the question that matters lease: how will they do it?
Chewbacca, too, remains sullen. Han imagines that the Wookiee’s thoughts ran along lines similar to his own, but who can tell? Wookiees live far longer than humans, so Chewbacca will lose more than Han. Will that intensify the fear or increase his regret? Han cannont known; in the last analysis, his friend Chewbacca is an alien, and no human can hope to read his thoughts.
After four hours, the pilot turns his thoughts to the cell. Only the barest illumination lights its black walls. The ceiling, though Han senses its presence, is lost in the depths of darkness overhead. The door appears as thick as walker armor, as if the Emperor intends it to restrain the massed oppression of his rule. Han feels helpless in a way he has never felt helpless before.
Why didn’t Ozzel accept his offer? The con was perfect. Ozzel wanted to believe the story so badly that he was putting the words into the smuggler’s mouth. So why didn’t he accept the offer? Ozzel cannot believe that two blind destroyers can find even their own shadow in the sense-deadening nebula. Why did he seem so confident? If he already knew where his quarry would show, why did he press Han?
Suddenly, Han understands. Ozzel is smarter than he looks!
“We’re going to live, Chewie!” the pilot crows.
Chewbacca sighs and lies down. Han does not know if his words have eased the Wookiee’s mind, but within minutes, Chewie is snoring loudly. The Corellian yawns and stretches out on the other bunk. The guards will wake them when the time comes.
A low squeal wakes Han. Four stormtroopers stand outside the cell’s open door. He shakes Chewbacca awake. “It’s time.” The Wookiee yawns and stretches, then eyes the stormtroopers as if he is considering them for breakfast.
The squad leader motions them out. “Hope you enjoyed your last sleep,” he says. “me, I would have done something more interesting.”
“Yeah? Like what?” Han yawns in turn, trying not to look as alert as he knows he will have to be. “These cells have lousy entertainment modules.” He notes with a grin that the troopers make no effort to bind his hands. This will be too easy; he did not expect Ozzel to be so obvious.
As Han hoped, the four stormtroopers lead them down the same maze of corridors he memorized the day before. The pilot considers his options. Although the troopers have probably been ordered not to kill their prisoners, Han doubts that Ozzel has told them to permit an escape – for the admiral’s plan to work, the Imperial must make the captives believe they have escaped on their own. So, he and Chewbacca have to subdue their captors before the troopers have a chance to respond.
If he attacks the guard in the front first, he will acheive the highest element of surprise. Unfortunately, that leaves his back open to the guard behind him. On the other hand, attacking the guard to his rear first will take a split second longer, allowing the troopers more time to react. But the guards in front will not be immediately aware of the attack; with a little luck, he can take out the first guard before the others realize what has happened. He knows that Chewbacca will follow his lead, whichever method he chooses.
If Han attacks the guard in front first, Click Here
If Han attacks the guard to his read first, Click Here