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“But it means something?” Han pressed. “This is the real reason he tracked us down before he went back to the Pellaeon, right?”

“Dad!” Jaina said. “Don’t you have an escape to organize?”

“Piece of cake.” Han activated his throat mike. “Zekk, how’s it looking outside?”

“We’re definitely going to be on the holo tonight,” Zekk said. “There are about a dozen newsvans filming me as we speak. I see BAU, HNE, HoloNews, and … a lot more, Captain.”

Translation: Zekk was worried about eavesdroppers, but Doran and Bandy—in the MSHoloNews van—were in pickup position.

“Okay,” Han said. “What about our ride?”

“The Cygnus-7 is having trouble getting back to us,” he said. “Their communications have been compromised, and every time they try to circle back to the detention center, they run into more GAS sleds. They think they’ve got twenty or thirty trying to box them in already.”

Translation: Turi and Taryn were deliberately allowing their communications to be monitored, trying to draw off as many GAS pursuit vehicles as possible.

“Stang!” Han said, pretending to be dismayed. He knew better than to think their comlinks’ Jedi encryption had been broken, but Zekk’s caution made it sound as though he were relaying their transmissions directly to the Cygnus-7—for the sole purpose of misleading GAS, of course. “We can’t get out of here without that Cygnus-Seven. Tell them to report in …”

Han glanced back and saw Leia leading Yaqeel and the other two Jedi toward him at a sprint. Between them, floating on tiny repulsorlift engines, were two carbonite pods bearing the terror-stricken faces of Valin and Jysella Horn.

“Two minutes,” Han said into his throat mike. “If the Cygni can’t shake free by then, we’ll head for the undercity and try to escape on foot.”

Translation: We’ll be at the pickup point in two minutes. Make sure Doran and Bandy are waiting.

“The undercity?” Zekk replied. “On foot?”

“In two minutes, that may be our only way out,” Han said. “It’s better than rotting in a GAS prison cell … right, Kunor?”

Kunor’s surprised voice sounded over Han’s earpiece. “Uh, sure, Captain Solo.” Across the atrium, Kunor’s white-clothed figure began to race along the access balcony toward a stairway that would take him up to Zekk’s level. “If you want to make a run for it, I’m with you.”

Translation: I’m on my way up to the extraction point.

“Okay, then I’ll start a count.” Zekk sounded truly terrified—which was how Han knew he was acting. The only thing Zekk feared was the dark side, and he had even faced that down a couple of times. “We’ll talk in two minutes.”

Translation: Get yourself over here. The ride leaves on time.

As Leia and the others approached, Han stood and laid out his plan in less than ten seconds.

When he was finished, Jaina asked, “Dad, are you sure you should be one of the ones pulling the pods? Without the Force, you’ll be vulnerable enough.”

“That’s why I’m going last. By the time I start across, there won’t be anyone left shooting.” Han checked his chrono. “Enough talk. Just remember, don’t stop for anything. Get to the extraction point, get aboard, and get going.”

He nodded to Natua and Seff, who immediately ignited their lightsabers and charged onto the catwalk. A storm of colored bolts rained down on them from the balconies. Instead of leaping into an acrobatic routine, the two Jedi remained on foot, intentionally drawing fire, their blades weaving glowing spheres of color about their heads as they batted bolts aside.

Han and the two Solo women made good use of the tactic. Han armed stun grenades and tossed them out into the atrium, and Leia or Jaina immediately sent them flying at the guards who had revealed their positions by attacking. By the time the two Jedi Knights were halfway across the bridge, the blasterfire had faded to a drizzle.

Han tapped Jaina on the shoulder. “You and Yaqeel are next. Go.”

Jaina tossed her blaster aside and launched herself from the hatch, snatching her