Star Wars_ The New Rebellion - Kristine Kathryn Rusch [175]
He was seated in the cockpit, Chewbacca beside him, and Mara Jade in the seat behind. She was still pale and weak. She claimed that the ysalamiri were affecting her Force sense even though they were as far from her as they could be.
He liked that.
“Chewie, hail someone on the New Republic fleet,” Han said. “I need to know where Leia is.”
“Her ship wasn’t here when we got here,” Mara said.
Chewbacca ignored her and punched the communications relay. Han hovered near the Wild Karrde. Talon still hadn’t gone into hyperspace. Something was keeping him nearby.
“I thought he was out to save his hide.”
Mara smiled. “I think he’s still interested in mine,” she said cryptically.
“Great,” Han said.
Chewie mumbled something about no one having seen Leia since the battle began.
“Long shot, then,” Han said. He swerved away from the Wild Karrde and headed toward Almania. “Scan the surface, Chewie. The Alderaan has a distinctive signature. We’ll find her if she’s there.”
Chewie’s large paws moved on the console. Mara leaned back in her seat. “You’ll die before Kueller allows you on the surface.”
“I doubt that, sweetheart,” Han said. “He’s wanted me there all along.”
Mara had no reply to that. Chewbacca continued searching. Han piloted the Falcon high over the fighting.
It looked ugly down there. The Star Destroyers had sustained a lot of damage, but they hadn’t given up. There were too many TIE fighters, and no X-wings, only A- and B-wings. One of the New Republic’s battleships was already destroyed. Only two were left.
“Don’t think about it, Solo,” Mara said. “Either you get your wife or you save the fleet.”
He knew that, but watching made him feel helpless. Then something zoomed in his periphery. “TIE fighter at two-oh-nine. Chewie, man the controls. I’m going for the guns.”
“I’m coming with you,” Mara said.
Han climbed to the topside gunport as Mara climbed to the bottom gunport. He adjusted his headset as he sat before the controls of the laser cannon. Stars and fighters swarmed around him.
“You in there, Mara?”
“Ready.”
“Okay,” Han said. “Stay sharp.”
The TIE fighter went over them, shooting. Han swiveled his chair and aimed the cannon, shooting as he did so. Mara’s fire from below shone red against the blackness of space.
The fighter exploded in a brilliant white flash.
“Got him!” Mara yelled.
Two more TIE fighters appeared to his gunport’s starboard. Then three shot overhead as three crossed below. Two more appeared port.
“Chewie!” Han shouted as he shot cannon fire in all directions. The Wookiee knew better than to let this sort of trap set up. The Falcon continued moving forward and then, suddenly, it flipped on its side and slipped between the fighters.
The fighters, used to shooting at the tinier A-wings, took a moment to recover.
“Chewie, circle,” Han said.
Chewbacca executed a perfect parabola. Han and Mara aimed and shot at opposing TIE fighters. Both exploded as five more came to their rescue.
“There’s a multitude of those things!” Mara said.
“Kueller sure spent a fortune,” Han said. “Not even the Empire deployed this many at once.”
Chewbacca yowled from below. More TIE fighters were coming their way.
“What’d he say?” Mara shouted.
“He said we’re pulling fighters from the battle. Your ugly little nightmare friend must know we’re here.” Sweat was pouring down Han’s face. His shoulders ached from pulling on the cannon. He was swiveling and twisting so much in the chair that he didn’t know which direction he faced in relation to the cockpit. He supposed it didn’t matter.
“I thought you said he wanted you alive.”
“He did!” Han was shooting at five TIE fighters. He winged one, and it rolled off in the distance. Another flew over, firing as it went. Most of the shots bounced off the deflector shields.
A third fighter fired a round. The shots connected, and something exploded on the Falcon.
“Chewie?” Han shouted.
Chewbacca growled something about losing a deflector shield.
“Chewie, that was more than a shield!”
Chewie growled again. He nearly had the shield fixed