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“Laranth! I-Five! Buy some time!” he shouted. I-Five handed Nick’s body to the avian, and immediately his lasers and the Paladin’s blasters began firing at the targeting array. Jax knew that this would gain him only a few seconds before the computers implemented different vectors. He hoped it would be enough.

He leapt, letting the Force take him, letting it carry him across the intervening space between the plant entrance and the shuttle. He landed beneath the forward fuselage, and as his feet touched the ground he had the lightwhip in his hand. He lashed upward, extending the energized braid to its fullest length and slicing through the forward repulsorlift vanes.

One of the forward laser cannons lined up on him, but a particle beam bolt from Laranth’s blaster fused the barrel to molten slag.

“Make for the freighter!” he shouted at the others. They didn’t need to be told; they were already running full-out. Laranth and I-Five continued to give covering fire as they ran. Jax turned to follow—and found himself face-to-face with a tall, dark figure in a black cloak.

Vader—!

Captain Tanna shouted, “He’s disabled the forward vanes! We can’t lift!”

Time to go, Rhinann decided. This shuttle was doomed, and the other ship represented his only possible chance of survival. He had no idea what fate might await him if he deserted the shuttle for the freighter. He didn’t even know whether Pavan and his cronies would make it to the freighter, or if they’d let him board. But once again he was doing a most uncharacteristic thing: acting on instinct. So, while Vader and the captain were occupied with the sudden emergency, the Elomin hurried off the bridge and down the corridors to the landing ramp.

It would take too long to lower the ramp, he knew. Fortunately there were also four emergency escape tubes on either side. He pulled the red release lever and stepped into the nearest tube.

The drop was only about ten meters; the landing, due to the repulsor cushion, barely hard enough to notice. Rhinann stepped out. He had only one chance for survival, he knew, and that was to convince Jax Pavan that he was not an enemy. He gathered up his robes, preparing to dash for the other ship—and, to his surprise, found himself in front of the very one he was seeking.

It wasn’t Vader, Jax realized, after an instant’s shock. He wasn’t sure who it was; he recognized the species as an Elomin, but that was all.

“Listen to me,” the Elomin said urgently. “You must take me with you! I have something—”

“Tell me later,” Jax said. He grabbed the other’s arm and ran for the freighter, half dragging the surprised Elomin with him.

They reached the ship and dashed up the ramp. At the top was the depressurized main air lock. Jax raised the ramp, watching it rise with agonizing slowness. Finally it closed; he slapped the comm switch and yelled, “Lift!”

He heard the muffled throb of the repulsorlift engines, and felt a g-force that nearly pulled him to his knees before the ship’s gravity kicked in. He ran through the corridors that led to the cockpit, not looking to see if the Elomin was following.

The cockpit was crowded. I-Five was piloting, with the Paladin in the copilot’s seat. Den stood behind them, watching tensely. The avian and Nick Rostu were nowhere to be seen. Outside the cockpit was the night sky, with one of the smaller moons in view. Jax peered over the droid’s shoulders.

“Time?” he asked.

“Estimating one minute, forty-eight seconds to minimum safe distance,” I-Five replied. “Approximately two minutes to detonation.”

Jax gripped the back of the droid’s chair. They could still make it—

The ship climbed at a steep angle. Jax studied the rearview monitor, which showed a magnified view of the Factory District. The Lambda shuttle was still floundering as the captain and crew tried frantically to bypass the damaged vanes. But it was already too late. He glanced at the chrono beside the monitor.

Five … four … three … two … one …

The monitor went white. After an instant polarization