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The Falcon, having fired its last refitted missile into its last target cavern, sat on a tunnel floor only a few kilometers from the exit shaft.

Leia gave Han a curious look. “We really can leave now.”

“True.”

“Any reason we're not?”

“I'm going to be the last one out.” Han knew that he sounded stubborn, maybe even sulky, rather than determined, but he didn't care. He'd demonstrated far too much nervousness about the underworld of Kessel, and he was determined to show himself and the planet that he wasn't driven by fear.

Leia glanced back over her shoulder. “Actually, technically, since Allana's in the seat behind us, she's going to be the last one out.”

“I should be the last one out.” Allana's voice was decisive. “I got to be the last one to shoot a missile.”

Leia smiled. “You sure did, kid.”

“Control to Falcon, come in.”

“Falcon here.” This was, Han hoped, the announcement that all other vehicles were out, and that the only thing left to do was stay clear of the planet's surface until the explosion sequence had run its course.

“Rearmament Team Epsilon is offline and not reporting in. Suspected bogey encounter. You're the closest vehicle with rescue capabilities—our last rescue speeder is bringing a stranded subsonics pilot out now. Can you investigate?”

“Absolutely. Let's have the coordinates.” As Han watched, both a set of XYZ coordinates based on Kessel's master map and a dotted-line navigational diagram based on the caverns map appeared on his nav console. “Got it, thanks.”

“Control out.”

Han brought the Falcon's repulsors up and gently lifted the transport from the rocky tunnel floor.

Leia leaned over to give the navigational diagram a look. “Not very far. He must have been on his way out.”

“Well, let's make sure he gets there.”

Their route led them through the cavern they'd seen destroyed before their original escape from the complex. Most of the life there had been lost by the explosion, so the cavern was dim, very little of the phosphorescent fungi on the ceiling remaining.

Once past the far entrance to the cavern, they progressed barely a kilometer into the connecting tunnel before they saw Epsilon. A human man, young and sandy-haired, he ran toward them as fast as his clearly exhausted legs would carry him, frantically waving at the Falcon as he came. He was alone and carried no equipment.

Leia unstrapped from her seat. “I'll get him at the boarding ramp.” She hurried aft as Han gently set the Falcon down as close to the running man as he dared. While the transport settled, Han heard the whir of the ramp descending. “Hey, Goldenrod, give up your seat for our new passenger. You can join Artoo aft.”

“Yes, sir. If I must, sir.” C-3PO unstrapped and awkwardly eased past Allana, then hurried aft.

“Rogue to Falcon, come in.”

“Falcon here, Wedge.”

“Are you on that rescue call? My exit route takes me out right past that spot, so I'm inbound. I can stand by your retrieval targets until you get there.”

“No, thanks, we're already on station.” Han heard the ramp lift into position. “Lifting off in about ten seconds.”

“No worries, then. Rogue out.”

There was a clatter of feet on deck plates, and Leia and their new passenger entered the cockpit. Han spared the young man a look. He was drenched with sweat and gasping so hard for breath that he was almost sobbing. “What happened to you, kid?”

The young man dropped into C-3PO's seat, his chest heaving. “Ran.”

“Where's your partner?”

“Destroyed. We need to go.”

Suddenly uneasy, Han lifted off and spun the Falcon around. “Destroyed by what?”

“Energy spider.”

Han's breath caught for a moment. He kicked in the thrusters and accelerated along their exit route. “Tell me you mean one of the new ones, the red ones.”

“No, one of the blue ones.”

A chill of apprehension climbed Han's spine. “Not good. You said destroyed, not killed. Your partner was a droid?”

“Loader droid. We'd been hearing this skittering noise at our last station. We took off for our exit, but we ran into a bogey—literally—which killed our speeder and our lights, except for pocket