Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 12_ Return to Ord Mantell - Kevin J. Anderson [27]
Decided he wanted it all for himself. Challenged me to a blaster fight."
Jacen was instantly alert. His father had always been one of the best shots in the New Republic. "And?"
His father lifted one shoulder for a second, then gazed down into the flames. "And I lost."
All three young Jedi stared at him in disbelief "But you're not dead,"
Jacen pointed out.
"How did Gallandro die, then?" Anakin asked.
"His aim was good, but not fatal. He drew first, hit me in the shoulder.
My shot went wide, and I dropped my blaster as I fell.
While I was down he put binders on me and went off to chase one of the other members of our team, a Ruurian."
"They look kind of like miniature Hutts, don't they?" Anakin asked.
"Only furry, and with legs?"
Han nodded again. "I wasn't even there when Gallandro caught up with the Ruurian. But the treasure vaults had been booby-trappedrigged so that if you drew a weapon in certain areas, the automated defenses would take you out. There were warning lights in those areas, but the Ruurian had removed them. Gallandro never realized he was walking into a trap."
Han grimaced. "I don't know. Maybe I'd've done the same thing.
The Ruurian explained it to me afterward: he figured Gallandro had nothing to worry about-so long as his intentions were peaceful. But if the guy drew his blaster... well, then he'd get what he deserved.
Could be that Gallandro only meant to injure the Ruurian, like he did me.
In any case, the vault's defenses did the rest."
Jaina squeezed her eyes shut. "How awful."
Jacen remained skeptical. "If that's the way it happened, then why didn't you just tell Anja?"
His father's eyes clashed with his. "Tell her what? That her father was a traitor? A man who turned on his own team once the treasure was found and took it from them? A hotshot blaster jockey who got fried because he thought with his weapons instead of his brain?"
Han drew a deep breath, let it out with a slow shake of his head.
"Besides, I had no idea before today that Gallandro had a daughteror that she's blamed me for his death all these years. With the resentment she's built up in her life, if I told her what really happened, she might just take it into her head to go after the Ruurian, Skynx, because he disabled the glow signals that would've warned her father not to draw his blaster."
Han's eyes filled with doubt, and he looked back into the artificial firepit. "Still, I do feel a kind of responsibility toward her. I wish there was something I could do."
Jacen wondered if there was some additional reason why his father should feel responsible. Had he told them everything?
"Maybe there is something we can do," Anakin said.
Han sat back, a thoughtful look on his face. "Her planet, you mean?"
Jacen brightened at this idea. "That's right. Anobis isn't too far from here. And that civil war sounds terrible."
"It wouldn't hurt to go check it out," Han admitted. "In my official capacity, of course-see if there's anything the New Republic could do to help. "
"Kind of a diplomatic mission, you mean?" Jaina said.
"I'm sure Mom would agree to that."
A slow lopsided grin spread across Han Solo's face. "Yeah. I think she would," he said, getting to his feet.
He reached out to ruffle both of his sons' hair, then walked around the circle, leaned down, and kissed Jaina on the cheek. "You kids get some sleep now. I'm gonna get dressed, go down to a comm center, and put in an official call to the Chief of State of the New Republic."
Jacen nodded with satisfaction. It was the least his father could do.
After a strangely restless night populated by images of unbearably sad eyes and flowing dark hair streaked