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Boba Fett regarded Bria intently. “Tomorrow, when we dock with Nar Hekka’s docking platform, you and I are going to leave the Queen, walking closely together. I will be armed, but not with any weapon a visual inspection or security scan could discern. You will stay close by my right side at all times, and remain silent. Understood?”

She nodded. “Yes. But what about Lando?” The note of fear in her voice for him made the gambler glance at her appreciatively.

“Calrissian’s life depends on you, Bria Tharen. If you give me your word that you won’t alert anyone, I will leave him behind, bound and gagged, but alive.”

Bria raised her eyebrows. “You would trust my word?”

“Why not?” he asked, with an undertone of mockery. “You value the lives of innocents more than you do your own. I know your type. But just to make sure … I plan to wire Calrissian before we leave with a remote control detonator. If we encounter any problems, the cleaning droids will have to scrape his remains off the walls.”

Lando swallowed painfully.

Bria glanced at the gambler and gave him a reassuring smile. “You’re right about me. I give you my word that I won’t cause any trouble.”

“Good,” Fett responded. “At the moment—”

The bounty hunter broke off as an alarm suddenly shrieked through the Queen of Empire with an ear-splitting volume. Lando sat bolt upright, his eyes widening. What the …

Fifteen seconds later the entire Queen bounced—there was no other word for it. The huge ship heaved like a buoy on a stormy sea. Lando’s stomach lurched, and he fell over on his side. He looked over at Bria, who had managed to remain upright, saw her gagging, struggling not to be sick.

“What’s going on?” she gasped. Lando, remembering Boba Fett’s order to remain silent, struggled to right himself.

“We came out of hyperspace,” Fett said. “The failsafes must have encountered a sudden gravity shadow and reacted automatically.”

Lando silently applauded the bounty hunter for his acumen as he managed to roll back over and sit up. It was hard work, with his hands bound behind him.

“What would cause that?” she said. “An engine malfunction?”

“Possible,” Fett said. “But more likely an attack. An Imperial Interdictor cruiser could bring a ship out of hyperspace.”

“But why would the Imperials attack a cruise ship?” Bria asked.

Lando had been wondering that same thing, and couldn’t think of an answer. Bria frowned as she concentrated on the straining vibrations of the ship. “You’re right about the attack,” she said. “We’re caught in a tractor beam.”

Grabbing his case, the bounty hunter dragged it behind the ornamental screen that decorated one wall of the luxury suite. Faintly, Lando could hear the swish of robes being doffed.

The gambler managed to catch Bria’s eye and mouthed, “Trust me, Lady Bria. Follow my lead if we get an opening.” He had to repeat it several times, until she nodded in comprehension and flashed him a shaky smile.

Minutes later the bounty hunter emerged, clad once more in his Mandalorian armor. He carried his blaster rifle, which was his only visible weapon, but Lando knew from experience that the bounty hunter was a walking arsenal of camouflaged weaponry. Walking over to Bria, he removed the restraints from her ankles, and then did the same for Lando. “You two come with me,” he said. “And … Calrissian … remember. You’re expendable. Lady Tharen … if you try anything, Calrissian dies. Clear?”

“Yes,” Bria said.

Lando nodded, then managed to get to his feet unaided, despite his bound arms. Boba Fett, in a parody of gentlemanly behavior, assisted Bria to rise. She wobbled a bit on her high-heeled shoes, flexing her feet and grimacing at the pins-and-needles.

Fett picked up the sound sponge and deactivated it, stowing it in a pocket of his trousers. With the muffling device turned off, Lando could hear the sounds of blaster fire, screams and running feet. A public address system boomed: “All passengers … please remain calm and in your cabins. There is an intruder alert, but your crew is working