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Han nodded, and couldn’t think of anything to say. The medics approached with an anti-grav pallet, and loaded the wounded Togorian female onto it. Han walked with Muuurgh to the medical shuttle, watched as Mrrov was loaded in, and gave Muuurgh a last, silent hug goodbye.

After watching the shuttle lift off, Han turned back toward the big spice warehouse, figuring that was where he’d find Bria. Seeing Jace Paol hurrying by, Han asked the lieutenant where she was. Paol jerked a thumb back at the Pilgrims’ dormitory. Han jogged over that way, then paused, midway between the warehouse and the dormitory.

Rebel troops were herding Pilgrims out of the dorm, and the dazed, frightened slaves were plainly on the verge of panic. Bria stood before them, a microphone in her hand, and addressed them. “Listen to me!” she called. “The Priests are all dead! You are free now, and we’ve come to help you!”

“They killed the Priests!” one old man shouted, and began to sob. Wails and moans filled the air.

“Just get on these shuttles quickly!” Bria said. “We have medics and medications to help you feel better. We can cure you!”

The crowd grew increasingly restive. Another moment and there will be a riot, Han thought, uneasily. It was obvious that Bria wasn’t getting through to them at all.

“We want Exultation!” one shouted, and the next moment, they were all chanting and waving their fists in the air. “We want Exultation!”

Bria waved at the shuttles. “Just get on the shuttles! We’ll help you!”

“We want Exultation!”

The crowd surged forward, and Bria, with a disgusted air, signaled her troops. They opened fire with stun beams, and Pilgrims began collapsing in droves.

Having been stunned a few times himself, Han’s body ached in sympathy for the Pilgrims, and he was a bit shocked by Bria’s ruthlessness in ordering her troops to simply shoot the slaves.

But there wasn’t much point in saying anything about it, he decided. As he stood there hesitating, watching the labor droids begin loading limp Pilgrims into the shuttles, Bria turned away and saw him.

Han waved, and she ran toward him. He grabbed her, hugged her fiercely, so relieved that they’d both made it through alive. “Jarik?” she asked.

Han shook his head. “No,” he said. “He didn’t make it.”

“Oh, Han … I’m so sorry!”

Wrapping his arms around Bria, Han held her close, kissed her, and felt her kiss him back. They stood wrapped together in the midst of chaos.

Finally, she pulled away, and said, “It’s time to head for the Admin Building. We’ve got to see to the Treasure Room.”

Han nodded. “Chewie’s got the Falcon up there by now, ready to load her up,” he said, looking around. The sun was up by now, and the scene before him was organized chaos with Rebel troops everywhere. Bria tugged at him, but Han didn’t move. “Where’s Lando?” he asked. “He was here a few minutes ago. Did he go to pick up his share of the spice?”

“Come on!” she urged.

Han looked over at the warehouse, figuring that Lando would probably be right there, waiting to get his share. He spotted him, and took a step toward the warehouse, only to have Bria pull him back. “No! Come on, we have to go!”

Han’s eyes narrowed. “There’s something funny going on in there,” he said. He could see Lando, and Arly Bron and Kaj Nedmak and about six other smuggler captains standing there, near the open doorway of the warehouse. Just … standing there. Not moving. Han looked at Lando, and Lando looked back, but the gambler didn’t move.

“Come on!”

Han started toward the warehouse, then stopped in surprise and dismay. Now he could see what was resting beside the door, covering the smugglers. A heavy repeating blaster on its tripod, with a Rebel soldier standing behind it. And posted at intervals, three additional Rebel guards—all with their weapons trained on the smugglers.

“What in blazes is going on?” Han demanded, swinging around to confront Bria. “What are you doing?”

She bit her lip. “I hoped you wouldn’t find out,” she said. “It would have been easier. Han, I got my orders last