Star Wars_ The Jedi Academy Trilogy 03_ Champions of the Force - Kevin J. Anderson [37]
“He’s spotted us. After him!” Han said. “If he jumps to lightspeed, we’ve lost him.”
The Falcon shot forward. Han sighted on a bright speck moving across their path against the starfield.
“Want me to power up the lasers, Han?” Lando asked. “We’re not going to shoot him, are we? What if he doesn’t stop?”
“Wouldn’t do any good to shoot him—not with that quantum armor of his.” Han opened a comm channel. “Kyp, it’s me, Han Solo. Kid, we’ve got to talk to you.”
In answer the Sun Crusher winked as it changed course and increased speed.
“Punch it,” Han said. “Let’s go.”
“We’re already pushing the red lines,” Lando said.
“She’ll hold together,” Han answered, then bent to the comm system again. “Hey, Kyp, listen to me.”
The Sun Crusher arced around and began to grow larger in the viewport.
“Ah … Han?” Lando said. “He’s coming right at us.”
Han felt exhilarated, glad that Kyp was turning around to talk with them.
“I think he’s going to ram us,” Lando said.
Han blinked in disbelief. He bent over the transmitter. “Kyp, don’t do this. Kyp! It’s me, Han.”
The Sun Crusher hurtled past them, swerving at the last moment to fire a burst of lasers from the defensive weapons mounted on its hull. Han heard the blasts thump against the Falcon, but they caused no damage.
“Must have been a warning,” Lando said.
“Yeah, some warning,” Han answered. “Kyp, why don’t—”
The young man’s brittle voice finally came at them. “Han, leave me alone. Go away. I’ve got work to do.”
“Ummm, Kyp—that’s what I’d like to talk with you about,” Han said, suddenly at a loss for words.
The Sun Crusher hurtled toward them as if for another strafing run. As the small craft rushed past, Han worked the controls and yanked out with the Millennium Falcon’s tractor beam, latching on to the small superweapon. “Hey, I caught him!” Han said in surprise.
The momentum of the Sun Crusher was enough to jerk the Falcon around, but the tractor beams held. Han pumped up the power, increasing his invisible grip. Finally both ships came to a relative dead standstill high above the orbital plane of the exploded red-dwarf star.
“All right, Han,” Kyp said. “If this is the way you want it … I can’t let you stop me.” The comm system fell silent.
“I don’t like the sound of that,” Lando said.
Kyp’s voice returned. “One of these resonance torpedoes is enough to make a whole star blow up. I’m sure it’ll make short work of a piece of junk like the Falcon.”
Han looked out at the crystalline shape of the Sun Crusher. The toroidal projector glowed a crackling blue and green, powering up to launch one of its projectiles at point-blank range.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Han said.
11
The midmorning light shone through open skylights into the temple’s grand audience chamber. Golden sunbeams dappled the polished flagstones, reflecting onto the rough-hewn walls.
From the raised platform behind his motionless body, the spirit of Luke Skywalker watched as Cilghal led the young twins on another visit. Cilghal held the twins’ hands, gliding forward with fluid steps. This morning she wore her bluish ambassadorial garment instead of her drab Jedi robe. Behind the Calamarian ambassador came a guilt-ridden Streen beside muscular and supple Kirana Ti.
Artoo-Detoo hovered close to Luke’s body, like a sentry rolling back and forth. The astromech droid had taken it upon himself to guard the Jedi Master after the devastating storm. Luke found the little droid’s loyalty deeply touching, though not surprising.
Han and Leia’s twin children stared wide-eyed at Luke, and his spirit watched them back longingly. Unable to communicate, he felt trapped. What would Obi-Wan have done in such a situation? He believed the Force would give him an answer, if he knew where to look.
“You see, children? Your Uncle Luke is safe. We rescued him last night. Your mother helped. We all helped. We’re still trying to find some way to wake him up.”
“I am awake!” Luke