Star Wars_ Rebel Force 04_ Firefight - Alex Wheeler [33]
Breaking through the surface was like waking from a nightmare. Even the storm-darkened Kamino skies were a welcome change from the unrelieved darkness of the sea.
Han sucked in a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air and directed the aiwha back toward the research station. They were finally on their way home.
"You okay, kid?" Han asked as they glided through the city.
"I don't understand," Luke said, gripping the aiwha tightly. "How did you find us?"
"What makes you think I was looking for you?" Han joked. "Maybe Chewie and I just felt like doing some fishing."
"You saved my life," Luke said, craning forward in an attempt to meet Han's eye.
"I suggest you hang on," Han grinned as they dived toward the surface of the planet.
The research station was only a hundred meters away. "Pretty soon we'll be—"
" Duck! " Luke shouted, flattening Han against the aiwha. A blast of laserfire screamed past them. The aiwha shrieked as another blast scorched its tail. A row of Imperial assault tanks had assembled in front of the research station. Each was equipped with a rotating laser cannon and dual missile launchers—all of which were aimed at Han and Luke.
A concussion grenade dropped out of the sky, blowing one of the tanks to bits. A hailstorm of flak erupted from the wreckage. Han glanced up at Chewie, who'd tossed the grenade. "Thanks, pal!" he shouted. Chewbacca roared back, then pulled out his blaster and began firing at the tanks.
Han and Luke did the same, but it was useless; the tanks' deflector shields could easily bear the blasterfire. And pretty soon, one of the Imperial missiles would score a direct hit.
"Can't this thing fly any higher?" Luke shouted. "We have to get away!"
"I'm working on it!" Han said irritably, trying to come up with a better option. They could fly away on the aiwhas, all right, but then what? They ships they needed were inside the research station—which meant that if they ever wanted to go home, they had to find a way past those tanks.
And they had to do it before the tanks blew them out of the sky.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Luke hunched down, firing his blaster at the tanks as Han steered the aiwha. They wheeled in circles, trying to avoid the enemy fire. Rain pelted their faces. Gusts of wind buffeted them from side to side. A missile screamed past, too close for comfort. The aiwha bucked.
Luke lost his grip on the slippery hide. He lurched forward, sliding down the creature's back.
Han seized his wrist, hauling him upright. "Hold on tight, kid," he shouted, trying to make himself heard over the rushing wind. "This is gonna be bumpy!"
They zig-zagged through the streams of laserfire, riding the updraft higher and higher.
The atmosphere thinned. Bolts of lightning sizzled, uncomfortably close. But gradually the noise of battle faded, and the laserfire tapered off. As the ground disappeared beneath them, Luke realized they were hidden in the dense cloud cover.
Chewbacca followed their lead, guiding his aiwha up to Han's level. Soon they were flying side by side.
"That blasted scientist must have tipped them off," Han muttered. "I knew he was trouble."
Chewbacca's aiwha swooped in close enough that they could hear Div shouting. "What now?" he called.
"Ships are waiting for us in that station," Han shouted back. "We have to go back."
"We'll never make it past the tanks!" Luke pointed out. "They have too much firepower."
Han craned his neck around to grin at Luke. "You're exactly right. That's it."
"What's it?" Luke asked, confused.
"We'll give them something else to fire at," Han said. He waved at Chewbacca. "Come on!"
Luke held on more tightly as the aiwha dived through the clouds. The ground screamed toward them. The Imperial tanks charged up their weapons and began firing again. Han hooted in triumph. "That's right, boys!" he shouted, shaking a fist at the tanks.
"Come and get us."
The aiwha veered sharply to the right, heading away