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“Whew,” Han muttered softly. I’m glad that worked!

Muuurgh leaped to his feet, obviously ready to make good on his threat.

“Wait!” Han leaped up and grabbed one huge arm, hung on as he was dragged across the floor, through the living room, almost to the door. He dug his heels in and refused to let go. “Muuurgh, if you want her back, stop!”

Muuurgh slowed, then stopped. “Good,” Han said, panting. “Now let’s talk about this like rational sentients, okay? Sit down.”

Muuurgh sank down onto his pallet. Han switched on some music, then pulled his beat-up chair so close to the Togorian that they were nearly touching. “Talk low,” he whispered, and Muuurgh nodded.

“I’ve got a plan,” Han said. “I think I know how to get her, if she’s still here on Ylesia.” I just hope they haven’t shipped her off to the spice mines, he thought, but he didn’t say it aloud. Muuurgh knew what happened to the slaves as well as he did, by now.

“Okay, Vykk,” Muuurgh said, equally softly, “tell me the plan.”

Han thought a moment. “I’m going to need your help for some of this. I’ve got some preparations to make, and I’ll try to get everything possible set up before I leave.”

“Leave? Vykk is leaving?”

“Yes, but I’m not talking about our final escape. In a couple of days I’ve got to deliver a message and a gift from Zavval to a Hutt named Jiliac on Nal Hutta. I’m supposed to stay there and wait for a reply. I’ve never been to Nal Hutta, and I don’t know the drill there, but Jalus Nebl has.”

Muuurgh nodded to show he was listening, and nervously began to groom his white whiskers.

“So, okay. The Dream is really too small for three. I’m gonna point that out to Teroenza and tell him Nebl wants to get back into flying again as my copilot. I’m pretty sure he’ll agree to let me and Nebl fly this mission together. I’m gonna suggest that you stay here, ’cause there won’t be room for you.”

Han got up and began pacing back and forth as he thought. “The priests know you like to hunt, right? So when I get permission to take Nebl with me, you should request to spend a couple of days hunting. You can move fast over rough ground, right?”

“Very fast,” agreed the Togorian. “Fast enough to track and kill prey.”

“Do you think you could make it on foot to Colony Two?”

“Yes.” Muuurgh sounded positive.

“Well, it’s our best shot. If Mrrov is still here on Ylesia, there’s a better than fifty-fifty chance that she’s at Colony Two. You should go there and scout it out, find out if she’s there.”

“And rescue her!” Muuurgh leaped to his feet.

“No!” Han snapped. “Sit down. That would be the worst thing to do. They’d start a planet-wide search for the two of you. They’d use sensors tuned to Togorian readings to pinpoint you. Then you’d be captured and probably killed. Or sent to the mines of Kessel, which amounts to the same thing.”

“You want Muuurgh to see Mrrov, and not let her see him?”

“Exactly. Just find her, scout out where she sleeps, eats, stuff like that. Then, when we make our getaway, you and me will hop over to Colony Two and break her outta there. I’ve been doing some late-night scouting around this place, in case you haven’t noticed.”

“Muuurgh noticed,” the Togorian said dryly. “Everywhere Vykk went, Muuurgh was behind him, watching. Why do you think I knew to listen when you walked Bria back to her dorm?”

“Well, anyway, I’ve figured out how to create a diversion that’ll keep the guards busy while we get the best stuff out of the collection. And I know where the communications center is. I’ll make sure that communications between the colonies are down by the time we get outta here. We’ll hop over to Colony Two, and before they know what’s happening, we’ll grab Mrrov and be hightailing it off this planet. Then I’ll take you both back to Togoria, okay?”

Muuurgh looked at Han, his blue eyes narrowing, whiskers twitching with emotion. “You would do this for Muuurgh and Mrrov?”

“Yes. I swear it. If you help me and Bria break into and steal Teroenza’s stuff, I swear to you we won’t leave without Mrrov.”

The big Togorian thought