Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 04_ Agents of Chaos 01_ Hero's Trial - James Luceno [101]
Reck stationed one of his men at the intersection of the corridors and moved on.
Han felt his blood rush and heard his heart pounding in his ears. He thought about Chewie, and about Lwyll, Roa, and Fasgo. The travel pack slid from his hand onto the floor, and he immediately squatted down and pulled out his empty blaster.
Droma watched him with mounting concern. “I thought the idea was to steal a shuttle and get off ship.”
“That can wait,” Han grumbled. “This is personal.”
“Personal?” Droma whispered harshly. “I feel compelled to mention that your weapon—”
“Save it for someone who cares,” Han interrupted.
He regarded the blaster, compressing his lips in anger, then forced a breath and stood up.
“What is he doing?” Elan asked Droma worriedly.
Droma shrugged resignedly. “He has this need for confrontation, even when unnecessary.”
Han swung to them. “Find yourselves someplace to hide. I’ll be back for you.”
Cautiously and with the useless blaster raised, Han moved toward the intersection Reck and company had passed through. The man Reck had left behind remained oblivious to Han’s presence until he felt the business end of the blaster touch the side of his neck.
“Not a sound,” Han warned.
The man tensed and swallowed audibly.
Han’s right hand closed on the raider’s blaster. “I’m relieving you of your weapon, soldier.”
The man nodded. “It’s your party, pal.”
Han grinned. “You catch on fast.”
“What now?”
Han pressed the muzzle of the loaded blaster against the man’s back and took hold of his own weapon by the barrel, raising it over his head. “This might hurt a bit,” he said.
The man turned ever so slightly. “What might—”
Han brought the grip of the blaster down hard on the back of the raider’s neck, crumpling him to the deck. Then he set out in the direction Reck had taken. Approaching another intersection, he could hear voices ahead. Pressed to the wall, he lowered himself somewhat, and peered around the corner. Reck and the possible Yuuzhan Vong were only ten meters away. With no plan in mind, other than to finish things with Reck, Han started around the corner. At the same time, however, he heard something behind him and swung to the sound. A thickset human in spacer garb had a Tenloss disruptor rifle trained on him.
Han dived to the right, getting off one shot as he did. The raider fired back but also missed. Han caught a glimpse of Reck turning toward him as he disappeared into another corridor and straight into the blaster sights of two more Peace Brigaders. He jinked to the left, firing blindly, then launched himself feetfirst at the larger of the pair. The raider grunted in pain and tumbled backward, losing his weapon. But Han hit the floor harder than he had planned to and lost most of his wind. By the time he had scrambled to a crouch, the smaller raider was all over him, along with the one with the Tenloss.
Han swung wildly, struggling for all it was worth, but it didn’t take long for them to pin him, flat on his face with the right foot of the largest raider planted on the back of his neck.
With a skewed view of the corridor, Han watched Reck and the rangy miscreant hurry onto the scene.
“All right, hero,” the big raider said, “get up.”
The pressure on his neck eased, and Han expelled his breath. He tasted blood in his mouth and was suddenly aware of a throbbing pain in his right hand. As he was pushing himself to his feet another raider showed up, escorting Droma, Elan, and Vergere at blasterpoint.
“I found these three running scared,” he reported to Reck.
“We were just searching for a ’fresher,” Han heard Droma say in a good-natured way. “They’re never around when you need them.”
Reck advanced a couple of steps and swept his eyes over everyone. Much to Han’s surprise, Reck didn’t appear to recognize him, but perhaps only because he was too busy scrutinizing Droma.
“You’re a … Ryn?” Reck ventured.