Star Wars_ Rebel Force 04_ Firefight - Alex Wheeler [32]
They flew swiftly toward the edge of the city, following the flashing signal of the homing beacon on the handheld portable monitor in Han's hand. As they approached the water, Han slipped on his breath mask. Chewbacca did the same. The masks made it difficult to talk—and once they were underwater, difficult would become impossible. But Han and Chewbacca understood each other. When they'd reached the beast's underwater lair, there wouldn't be many options to discuss. Their blasters would be useless. They'd managed to scrounge a couple of concussion grenades from the research station supplies, but there was no telling if they were still functional. This was the kind of mission with a limited number of possible outcomes.
They would run, or they would fight.
They would fail, or they would succeed.
When they found Luke, he would be alive. Or he wouldn't.
The aiwhas plunged beneath the water. Han stiffened against the icy blast. He hadn't expected the cold. His muscles cramped up, but he held tightly to the aiwha, forcing it deeper and deeper into the sea.
The signal was closer, but the beast was on the move. Han slowed the aiwha as they drew near. The distant surface cast little light, but swarms of Kaminoan electroeels gave the underwater world a dim glow. Han spotted the mouth of a cave in the distance and wondered if Luke was inside. But the signal had moved a half kilometer to the east, and Han decided to pursue that first. Chewbacca followed.
Suddenly, they both stopped cold. The aiwhas flung their wings out to halt their glide through the water, bucking and wriggling in fear. They had found the beast—and about twenty of the beast's closest friends.
And floating in the center of the ring of monsters: a large translucent bubble. Han narrowed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. Two shadowy human figures inside the bubble. One lit by the telltale blue glow of a Jedi lightsaber.
Luke was alive—and he was in trouble.
Han didn't hesitate. He forced the balking aiwha forward, faster and faster. The beasts were advancing on Luke. Han had only one weapon at his disposal, and now was the time to use it. He fired a concussion grenade directly at the beast farthest from Luke. It detonated on impact. The creature—and the two beasts on either side of it—exploded in a storm of frothing water and thick, viscous red fluid. Han had been hoping the explosion would frighten the creatures away. But the scent of blood drove them into a fury. They set upon the drifting pieces of flesh in a squall of wriggling tentacles and gnashing teeth.
Luke used the lightsaber to slit open the skin of the bubble. He swam furiously toward Han, who did his best to calm the panicky aiwha before it decided Luke would make good comfort food. The enemy pilot swam after Luke, but Han waved his hands. He'd brought along only one extra breath mask and air tank. Luke shook his head, pointing at the pilot, then at Chewbacca's aiwha, making his meaning clear. He wasn't going to the surface unless the other pilot came along.
He took the mask Han handed him and held it over his mouth for a moment, then passed it to the other pilot, who took a breath and passed it back to Luke. Han got the idea. And there was no time to argue. They were running out of air. Soon the beasts would be done feasting on carrion and start looking for fresh blood. Han shrugged and directed the enemy pilot to Chewbacca's aiwha. Luke forced him to take the mask. Han drew in a deep breath and handed his own mask to Luke. If the aiwha swam fast enough, they could make it back to the surface, switching off every few seconds.
He urged the aiwha to ascend, feeling like his lungs would burst. Soon Luke handed the breather back. They swapped it back and forth, streaking toward the surface. Han glanced back once, to see the horde of beasts