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“Just try not to make a mess of it,” Doole said. “I want Solo gone and all traces removed. Nothing left. It’s only a matter of time before the New Republic comes nosing around. We’ve got to be absolutely clean. Is the energy shield functional yet?”

“We’re testing it this morning, and our engineers are confident it’ll work. Solo and the Wookiee will be dead by then,” Skynxnex said. “My personal guarantee.”

Doole’s lips curled like a rubbery gasket stretched out of shape. “Don’t enjoy yourself too much.”

Skynxnex smiled back at him and turned to leave. His black eyes glittered. “Only as much as necessary,” he said.

The mine car roared through the tunnels in total blackness. Han had no choice but to trust the computer guidance system.

Chewbacca had found the accelerator button and punched it repeatedly, trying to get farther away from the multilegged horror deep in the mines.

Han gripped the sides of the car with hands gone white from cold and terror. Each time they shot past a gaping side tunnel, his imagination heard noises of skittering legs and scythelike claws reaching out to pluck them from the passing car.

“Our course is taking us back to the muster room,” Kyp said. “This could be our chance to escape.”

“Where else should we go?” Han asked. He felt his heart pounding. Chewbacca groaned a question, and Han translated it. “Do you know any other way out of these tunnels?”

“I don’t,” Kyp said, “but maybe I could find one.”

Han fought to contain a sudden fit of shudders. “I don’t know about you, but I’m in no mood to go wandering through dark tunnels feeling for a way out—not with that thing chasing after us.” The thought of a freezing death in the energy-draining fangs of the monster made the option of imprisonment in the spice mines seem not so terrible after all.

Before they could form some sort of alternative plan, the floating mine cars coasted to a halt in the long holding chamber. The metal door at the far end slammed shut behind them. With his infrared goggles, Han could see the activation controls on the wall next to an inner door. His knees were weak; his hands trembled as he punched access for the muster room.

Light flooded around them, and the three survivors staggered inside, holding each other. Chewbacca used his hairy arms to keep both Han and Kyp on their feet.

Dazzled, Han cupped his hands over his eyes and let the infrared goggles dangle on his neck. “Boss Roke is dead,” he croaked to no one in particular. “There’s a monster in the tunnels. It attacked the guard. We barely got away.”

“Han—” Kyp said.

Chewbacca sniffed, then roared in anger.

Han fought to focus his vision. He heard people rustling in the muster room. He saw only shadows in the glare. Finally, he could make out a tall, gangly form with dark hair and sunken eyes on a skull-like face.

“Glad you’re back, Solo,” Skynxnex said from the other side of the room. He drew the double-blaster at his hip.

Everything seemed to move slowly for Han. He had not yet come down from the boost of adrenaline caused by utter terror. Han saw the gun, saw Skynxnex, saw the man’s cadaverous face. Doole had sent his henchman to kill them.

Han wasted no time, shoving Chewbacca backward. “Back in, Chewie! We’ve got to get out of here!” He yanked Kyp through the open doorway. Chewbacca let out a yowl and lunged into the dark chamber where the floating mine cars waited.

“Hey!” Skynxnex began to run in long, leaping strides that carried him across the muster room. Han sealed the door in his face, scrambling the lock mechanism.

“It’ll take him a second to figure the access code. Get in the car, now!” Han leaped onto the swaying pilot seat. “Looks like we’re going to try one of those alternatives you wanted, Kyp.”

He powered up the rocking vehicle. From the other side of the door came pounding and then the sounds of blasters striking the metal. Skynxnex was going to disintegrate his way through. They had to get to the relative safety of the tunnels right away.

Han punched up the computer guidance