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“I don’t have time for chitchat, Blue,” he said. “I need to fix this baby and get off this mud ball before Nandreeson discovers I’m here.”

“It’s probably too late,” Blue said. “Nandreeson keeps track of all the traffic around the Run. You’d better hope he’s busy with something else.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t have much of a choice,” Lando said. “Most of the circuitry quit. I need some repairs.”

Blue shook her head. “You won’t get any with that cargo list. Nothing worth trading. What have you got in your hold?”

“Nothing. I’ve been out of the business a long time.”

She grinned. “That’s right. You went legit. Just like Solo. So be straight with me, Lando. You here to be with your old buddy?”

“I’m here because the Luck’s down.” He had to play this cool. “Why’re you asking about Han?”

“Because he and that furball of a partner of his showed up a few days back. Figured you wouldn’t be long behind.”

“And since Solo rejected her, she’s hoping for your blood.” Kid DXo’ln leaned his balding head around the door. “How ya been, Calrissian?”

“Up and down.”

“Yeah, heard about that gas mining on Bespin. Turning legit has its rewards, huh?”

“I lost that little property to the Empire,” Lando said. He ducked under the partially open door, and stopped. Two dozen smugglers were at the base, blasters trained on him. He raised an eyebrow. “You folks sure know how to make an old friend feel welcome.”

“You’re not a friend, Calrissian,” Zeen Afit said. He was standing near the Kid at the base of the ramp. “You’re here to spy on us.”

“For whom?”

“Whoever pays the most,” the Kid said.

“Don’t accuse him of things when you have no proof,” Blue said.

“I just want to get the Luck fixed,” Lando said, even though his excuse was beginning to sound lame, even to him.

“Yeah?” Zeen said. “You know how it works around here. You don’t have enough cargo to trade for bantha dung, let alone a repair.”

“I know that,” Lando said. “But I have a lot of credits to offer.”

“So why didn’t you do that up front?” someone yelled from the side.

“Because, in my day, offering money to the Run was the best way to show you didn’t belong.”

Blue walked up the ramp and slid her arm through his. “It’s still that way, Lando,” she said. “Don’t let them scare you off.”

“I’m not,” he said, “But I do want to know if I can get repairs.”

“It’ll cost you,” Zeen said. “Ten thousand credits.”

“Ten thousand?” Lando pulled Blue closer. “You don’t even know what’s wrong yet.”

“Don’t have to,” Zeen said. “Figure you want to keep that ship away from Nandreeson’s people. The ten thousand is just for protection.”

Lando snorted. “As if you can protect me from Nandreeson. How many of his drones have blasters on me right now?”

“None,” the Kid said. “Nandreeson’s got Skip 6. We don’t let him near Skip 1.”

“Right,” Lando said. “And you guys all work for free now,”

“Lando, things have changed,” the Kid said.

“Not that much. Don’t insult my intelligence just because I’ve been away, and I won’t insult yours. I’ve got a legitimate problem with my ship or I wouldn’t be on the Run. So you find me the best mechanic around here, and I’ll guard the Luck myself.”

“How much you willing to pay?”

“As much as it takes to do this fast,” Lando said. Then he frowned at Blue. She seemed convinced, even if no one else did. “What were you saying about Solo?”

“You know he’s here, Lando.”

“I don’t see the Falcon.”

“I didn’t know you were looking for it.”

“How else did he get here?”

“Lando, don’t play dumb.”

“I’m not playing dumb,” he said. “You want to check my ship yourself? I haven’t spoken to Han in a long time. I’ve been trying to set up a legitimate mining operation on Kessel.” He pulled away from her and adjusted his cape. “But if Han is here, I would love to see him. Chewie knows as much about the Lady Luck as he does the Falcon. He could help me repair her, and then I won’t bother anyone.”

Blue studied him a moment, her magnificent eyes taking in all of him. Then she smiled, slowly, seductively. “You’ve always been a mystery to