Star Wars_ Rebel Force 06_ Uprising - Alex Wheeler [8]
But there was no indication of any other weapons systems or planetary defense.
Han grinned. Whoever this Soresh was, he clearly didn't know how to lay an ambush.
This was going to be a piece of puff cake.
"Pardon me, Captain Solo?" Luke's golden protocol droid walked stiffly into the cockpit. His astromech counterpart wheeled in beside him. "Are you absolutely sure you wish to take such a rash course of action?" C-3PO asked, for the hundredth time. "Perhaps if you would let me negotiate with the Imperial Commander? After all, I am a protocol droid, well versed in forty-seven forms of hostage negotiation—"
"You don't negotiate when someone's got a blaster to your head," Han said impatiently. "You use a bigger blaster."
The astromech droid, R2-D2, beeped and whirred.
"Yes, Artoo, I'm sure Captain Solo does know what he's doing. I simply wanted—"
R2-D2 issued a high whistle.
"Oh, really?" C-3PO said. "And when exactly is the last time you used a blaster?"
The astromech droid beeped a response.
"I most certainly will not," C-3PO said huffily. "Why don't you jam a restraining bolt in your—"
"Enough!" Han shouted. "I can't think with you two yammering in my ear."
"Certainly, Captain Solo," C-3PO said, offended but obsequious. "We'll leave it to you."
"Good," Han growled. He prepared the ship for landing. The laser cannons were armed and ready, and his blaster, as always, was by his side. "I've got some negotiating to do."
Han set the Falcon down on the moon, about half a klick from the hostages. A solitary figure stood in the red sand, waiting.
"Stay here and stay out of trouble," Han instructed the droids. Then he and Chewbacca disembarked. The air was thin and choked with dust, but breathable. The man standing before him wore a hood over his face and carried an ancient triple blaster. It hung loosely at his side.
"Greetings, Captain Solo," he said. "Welcome to my kingdom."
"So you're Soresh?" Han said.
The man nodded. He took a few steps toward the Falcon.
Han raised his own blaster and aimed it toward the Imperial. "How about you stay where you are and I stay where I am until this is settled," he suggested.
"I have no argument with you," Soresh said. "I trust you've brought Luke."
"I have," Han said. His finger tensed on the blaster trigger. He was the one who had come up with this plan—but that didn't mean he was sure it would work. Not that he would ever admit as much out loud.
"And where might he be?" Soresh asked, in a pinched voice.
"He might be inside the ship," Han allowed. As he spoke, an X-wing fighter roared into the atmosphere, laser cannons blazing. Right on time. Han grinned. "Then again, he might not."
A second X-wing followed on the tail of the first. They spiraled through the air, strafing the weapons embankments with carefully aimed bursts of laserfire. One after the other, the cannons exploded. The hostages cheered.
"You don't realize what you've done," Soresh said, raising his blaster.
But, distracted by the surprise attack, he moved too slowly. Han fired first, and his aim was true. Soresh flew backward, scorch marks spreading across his chest. The Imperial's shot went wild, sending a harmless burst of laserfire into the sky. He landed several meters away, kicking up a cloud of red dust. Han approached the body, blaster at the ready, but Soresh didn't move. His eyes gazed sightlessly up at the sky; his chest lay perfectly still.
He was dead.
It was over.
Luke couldn't believe everything had gone so smoothly. By all reports, Commander Rezi Soresh was some kind of strategic genius—but apparently his skills were overrated.
Because there was Soresh, lying on the ground dead, his plans destroyed