Star Wars_ Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor - Matthew Woodring Stover [101]
“Hey, c’mon, Skywalker, take it easy,” Nick said. “I’m sure there’s a perfectly innocent explanation.”
“And I’ll be happy to hear it. Just as soon as we get Han and Chewie and Leia back on board this ship.
“Skywalker?” one of the others chimed in. “Any relation to the guy from The Jedi’s Revenge?”
“No,” Luke said with maybe a touch more emphasis than was absolutely necessary. “No relation at all.”
He looked back at the redhead. “Where did you leave them?”
She opened her mouth, but before she could speak Luke raised a hand. “Think before you talk,” he said. “I won’t ask you again.”
She closed her mouth. She looked up at Nick, then back at Luke. “Uhh, okay,” she said slowly. “Look, can we make a deal?”
“Sure,” Luke said. “This deal: You tell me everything I want to know, and do exactly as I say. In exchange, I’ll try to forget that you stole my best friend’s ship and abandoned him and my sister to die.”
“Your sister? Your sister is Princess Kissy-Face?”
“My sister is a princess. Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan,” Luke said evenly. “And if you called her Princess Kissy-Face in person, I can guess who gave you that shiner.”
Nick rubbed his eyes. “Aeona … you didn’t really pirate this ship, did you?”
“Well, what would you have done, if it was me in the meathooks of that ratbag?”
“Something worse, probably. But you’re not gonna win this argument, and there’s no time to try. The bad guys know we’re here, and they’re coming after us.”
Luke said, “You’re sure?”
Nick flashed him a grim look and tapped the thin scar that stretched around his head from temple to temple.
“So? We should be safe enough as long as we don’t try to move,” Aeona said. “Who’s gonna waste their time blasting a crashed ship?”
“Wait five seconds and you can ask ’em.”
Nick barely had time to get the words out before the first explosion ripped away the Falcon’s belly ramp and blasted a gout of flaming slag into the cargo hold that set the whole place on fire.
IN THE DEEP SHADOWS OF THE CAVERN FILLED WITH half-buried dead people, away from R2’s light, Han gathered Leia into his arms. “Leia, I just—I’m sorry things went this way. I just wish you and I had more time. Together.”
She smiled up at him and touched his face. “I know.”
“How is it we only kiss when we’re about to get killed?”
“Just lucky, I guess.” She kissed him, briefly, glancingly, but even that slight contact brought a hot flush of bittersweet regret for all the kisses he was pretty sure they’d never get the chance to share.
“Aroo-oo-ergh! Herowwwougrr.”
“What?” Han pulled away from her. “Are you sure?”
Chewbacca was kneeling alongside a young Mon Calamari who was buried to his armpits. “Herowwwougrr!”
Leia frowned. “What’s he saying?”
Han was already rushing to his copilot’s side. He reached down and pressed his fingertips to the Mon Cal’s face just above his left eye, checking for his sinus pulse. It was there: thin and thready but maintaining the typical syncopated three-beat rhythm. “He’s right!”
“About what?”
“This one’s still alive,” Han said wonderingly. “Looks like some more of them might be, too. Out cold, but breathing.”
“What’s that insignia?” Leia joined him at the Mon Cal’s side. “Artoo, aim the light over here.” When he did, her eyes widened and she pointed at the posting flash next to the rank cartridge on the Mon Cal’s battle-dress blouse. “Han—isn’t that the Justice? The ship Luke was on?”
Han was already up looking at the others. It was a backward progression: the captives became less and less healthy-looking as he went deeper into the cavern. In addition to the Republic soldiers, there were a number of guys in the Lava Gear armor of the Mindorese, but most of them were stormtroopers, and nearly all of them were dead. “It’s like those critters stuck them in here and just … forgot about them.”
Chewie grumbled. Han nodded. “Yeah, not my favorite way to go, either.”
R2 gave out a warning whistle that brought Han back to his feet.