Star Wars_ Tales From Jabba's Palace - Kevin J. Anderson [86]
“Move him into position,” Jabba said.
Max hopped up, straining to see, but couldn’t get more than glimpses.
“Put him in!” Jabba commanded.
A murmur came from everyone at the viewports, then suddenly people cried out in alarm. Max heard blaster fire and a hum like nothing he’d ever heard before, an almost electric sound that seemed to grow louder and softer in time to the blaster shots.
Jabba howled in outrage. The window shutters closed and most of the Gamorrean guards on board headed for the top deck. Something had clearly gone wrong, Max thought. He looked at Sy.
“What should we do?” he asked.
“Nothing!” she said. “It’s not our problem. We’re just the band.”
“But—”
“Do you want to get in trouble with Jabba?” she demanded.
Max looked around and finally spotted Jabba at the other end of the observation cabin. “No, no, no!” Jabba was shouting, gesturing with his two tiny arms. Nobody seemed to be paying any attention to him.
Suddenly Princess Leia leaped to action. She smashed the sail barge’s environment controls with her chains. The lights failed; a dusky near-darkness dropped over the passenger cabin. Max blinked and let his eyes adapt to the darkness. Princess Leia, he saw, had looped her chain around Jabba’s neck and was pulling with all her strength, bracing her legs against his huge back.
He looked around. She shouldn’t be doing that. Where were the guards? He took a step toward Jabba, wondering if he should try to help, but Sy put a hand on his arm.
“She’s killing him!” he said.
“Let her,” Sy said softly. “Our contract’s with Jabba. We’ll be free once he’s dead.”
“But it’s murder!”
“He’s doomed anyway,” she said. “Too many people are out to get him.”
Max felt torn up inside. His first boss. His first contract. All that food for life. How could he give up security so easily?
Jabba suddenly lolled forward, his tongue protruding. His eyes were flat and glassy. Dead. So much for decisions, Max thought. He’d waited too long.
But perhaps they could get a gig with Princess Leia. She was, after all, a princess. Even if she didn’t eat well, she must certainly pay well enough—his needs were modest. Just six or seven meals a day, and snacks to keep him happy.
“Princess,” he called. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
She was holding her chain out to one of the droids—the little R2 unit who had been serving drinks earlier. The droid cut through the chains easily.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said.
“Probably not a bad idea,” Sy Snootles said in his ear.
Max hesitated. “What about our equipment?”
“We can always come back for it.” Sy ran to the opposite side of the observation cabin, the one facing away from the Sarlacc, and pushed open a shutter.
Outside, Max could see one of the sail barge’s huge steering vanes.
“Come on, Droopy,” Sy called. “Time to go!”
Droopy followed. Max hesitated a second, gazing back at his organ, then followed. Sounds of battle still came from outside. He didn’t want to get caught in any fighting, especially if someone tried to storm the observation cabin to get to Jabba.
A huge explosion suddenly rocked the barge. Sy almost fell out the window as the sail barge shifted. More sounds of blaster fire came from the top deck.
“Quickly!” Sy called. “Jump!”
“Are you crazy?” Max demanded.
Droopy jumped without a second’s hesitation.
“Come on, Max,” Sy said. “It’s not that far, and you can slide down the steering vane most of the way. There’s sand below. It’ll help break your fall.”
Turning, she jumped.
Max pushed open the shutter and looked down. It seemed like an awfully long way. He hesitated. Droopy helped Sy up. They both looked unhurt.
“Jump!” Sy Snootles called. “Max—jump!”
Something exploded behind Max, and the force of the blast was like a shove in Max’s back. He flew out the viewport, over Sy and Droopy, and hit the sand flat on his back.
The fall stunned