Star Wars_ Episode V_ The Empire Strikes Back - Donald F. Glut [66]
'Code Force Seven,' Lando commanded as he stopped in front of his aide.
At that moment the twelve guards aimed their laser weapons at the startled stormtroopers, and Lando's aide calmly took the six troopers' weapons from them. He handed one of the guns to Leia and one to Lando, then waited for the next order.
'Hold them in the security tower,' the Cloud City administrator said. 'Quietly! No one must know.'
The guards and Lando's aide, carrying the extra weapons, marched the stormtroopers away to the tower.
Leia had watched this rapid turn of events in confusion. But her confusion turned to astonishment when Lando, the man who had betrayed Han Solo, began removing Chewbacca's bonds.
'Come on,' he urged. 'We're getting out of here.'
The Wookiee's giant hands were freed at last. Not caring to wait for explanations, Chewbacca turned toward the man who had freed him, and with a blood-curdling roar, lunged at Lando and began to throttle him.
'After what you did to Han,' Leia said, 'I wouldn't trust you to-Lando, desperately trying to free himself from Chewbacca's ferocious grip, tried to explain. 'I had no choice,' he began - but the Wookiee interrupted him with an angry bark.
There's still a chance to save Han,' Lando gasped. 'They're at the East Platform.'
'Chewie,' Leia said at last, 'let go!'
Still fuming, Chewbacca released Lando and glared at him as Calrissian fought to regain his breath.
'Keep your eyes on him, Chewie,' Leia cautioned as the Wookiee growled threateningly.
'I have a feeling,' Lando muttered under his breath, 'that I'm making another big mistake.'
The stout little R2 unit meandered up and down the corridor, sending his scanners in every possible direction as he tried to detect some sign of his master - or of any kind of life. He realized he was dreadfully turned around and had lost track of how many meters he had traveled.
As Artoo Detoo turned a corner he spotted a number of forms moving up the corridor. Beeping and whistling droid greetings, he hoped that these were friendly sorts.
His tooting was detected by one of the creatures, who began to call out to him.
'Artoo ... Artoo ...' It was Threepio!
Chewbacca, still carrying the semiassembled See Threepio, quickly turned around to see the stubby R2 droid rolling their way. But as the Wookiee turned, Threepio was spun out of sight of his friend.
'Wait!' the aggravated Threepio demanded. 'Turn around, you woolly ... Artoo, hurry! We're trying to save Han from the bounty hunter.'
Artoo scooted forward, beeping all the way, and Threepio patiently replied to his frantic questions.
'I know. But Master Luke can take care of himself.' At least that was what See Threepio kept telling himself as the group continued its search for Han.
On the East Landing Platform of Cloud City, two guards shoved the frozen body of Han Solo through a side hatchway of the Slave I. Boba Fett climbed up a ladder next to the opening and boarded his ship, ordering it sealed as soon as he entered the cockpit.
Fett ignited his ship's engines and the craft began rolling across the platform for takeoff.
Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca raced onto the platform in time only to see the Slave 1 lifting off and soaring into the orange and purple of the Cloud City sunset. Raising his blaster, Chewbacca howled and fired the weapon at the departing spaceship.
'It's no use,' Lando told him. 'They're out of range.'
All but Threepio gazed at the departing craft. Still strapped to Chewbacca's back, he saw something that the others had not yet noticed.
'Oh, my, no!' he exclaimed.
Charging the group was a squad of Imperial stormtroopers, blasts already issuing from their drawn blasters. The first bolt narrowly missed Princess Leia. Lando responded quickly in returning the enemy fire, and the air was ablaze with a brilliant criss-cross of red and green laser bolts.
Artoo scooted over to the platform's elevator and hid inside,