Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 21_ The Unifying Force - James Luceno [175]
“No mystery why we’re not taking flak from plasma emplacements,” Han said, as he and Leia powered the freighter through a reconnaissance fly-by. “Nothing short of a planet-buster is going to crack that skullcap.”
“The yorik coral has enzymatically digested and absorbed the Senate’s duracrete and transparisteel,” Harrar explained from the navigator’s chair. “The constituent materials have been used to fashion a new exoskeleton that goes deep underground and forms an impervious sphere around the dhuryam—the brain.”
C-3PO had a tight grip on the chair next to Harrar’s, and R2-D2 was securely planted behind his counterpart. Cakhmaim was in the dorsal gun turret; Meewalh in the forward compartment.
“How impervious?” Han asked over his shoulder.
“Sufficient to allow the dhuryam to survive an invasion as a self-contained, and possibly self-propelled, vessel—similar to that which constitutes the crown of the Citadel.”
“An escape pod,” Leia said.
“But massive,” Harrar elaborated. “Capable not only of preserving the dhuryam—with all its engineered genetics and learned skills—but also of preserving the lives of any who happen to be in the Well when the sphere launches.”
“Oh, my,” C-3PO remarked.
R2-D2 seconded the protocol droid’s stupefaction with a long whistle.
Han growled and rubbed his head. “So how are we supposed to get inside the thing, if you’re telling me that bombs can’t?”
Harrar leaned toward the viewport. “Complete your overflight. Let us see if we can’t locate the entrance to the secret passageway Jacen and Vergere used to escape from the Well.”
As Han banked the Falcon to the west, Leia gazed at the sprawl of vegetation-clad structures below, then pointed toward the extreme southwest projection of the dome. “Borsk Fey’lya’s office would have been right about there.”
Han sighted down her finger. “Right there, buried under who knows how many tons of yorik coral.”
Leia glanced at him. “I guess the dome has spread out since Jacen was here.”
“You could say that.”
“An unexpected turn of events,” Harrar said.
Han growled. “I’m getting tired of surprises. There has to be another way in.”
“Perhaps the front door,” C-3PO said.
“Yeah, we’ll just go up and knock,” Han said. “Isn’t that how you got yourself into Jabba’s palace?”
“Actually, Captain Solo—”
“The front entrance may prove problematic,” Harrar interrupted. “Continue your circle, and I’ll show you why.”
Lit from within by explosions and flashes of lightning, the northern horizon was a towering anvil of black clouds. Han veered east around the two-kilometer-wide dome, and a long elongated tunnel came into view, protruding from the dome. The hemispherical corridor appeared to be made of the interwoven branches of thousands of slender trees.
“The hedge maze,” Harrar said. “The ceremonial avenue that leads to the atrium of the Well.”
Han laughed. “A walk in the park. Unless you’re going to tell me a hedge is impervious to weapons.”
“The hedge is not only as solid and fire resistant as your durasteel, but the trees that comprise it are studded with needle-sharp thorns that range in size from that of your thumbnail to that of your arm. The thorns contain a neurotoxin potent enough to devastate the nervous system of any creature hapless enough to be pricked by them.”
Han tightened his lips in frustration. “I say we see how it handles a couple of concussion missiles.”
“A waste of armament,” Harrar said. “Any damage the missiles render, the dhuryam will quickly repair.”
“Yeah, well, since you’re so smart, you think of a plan to get us inside.”
“I already have. How wide is your craft, Han Solo?”
“Twenty-five meters, give or take. Why?”
Harrar took a breath. “A tight fit. But given your piloting skills I think it can be done.”
Leia swiveled her chair around to face him. “You think what