Han Solo - Rebal Dawn Part 26

She turned, glanced back, saw him. "Stay back!" she hissed. "I can handle this."

"I know you can," Han yelled. "I just want to watch!" For the first time ever, he heard her swear. She took careful aim with her blaster rifle, then, when the target came up from behind a vehicle, squeezed off a round. The guard went down and lay motionless.

"Good shooting!" Hah applauded.

Together, they ran back into cover with the troops.

Bria spotted the comlink she'd dropped, picked it up.

"Red One, this is Rainbow One; say your status," Blevon's voice was still calm.

Bria was calm, but a little winded. "This is Red One. The turbolaser has been knocked out, and we hold most of the factories. We're attacking the warehouse and dor-mitory right now. Should be done in ten minutes." "Understood, Red One. Will you need White One?" "I don't think so, Rainbow One. We're beating them."

"Rainbow One copies."

They waited, listening tensely. Then . . . "Rainbow One, this is Gld One. Objective secure." "Rainbow One... copy that."

A minute later, they heard, "Rainbow One, this is Or-ange One. Target is secured."

"Rainbow One. Copy that."

The other commanders from all the colonies except Colony Three reported' in, one by one. By that time, Bria had checked in with all her people. "Rainbow One," she said. "This is Red One. Report target is se-cure here."

"Rainbow One, copy that."

"We still haven't heard from Colony Three," Bria said, worriedly. "They're the ones who needed backup. Hope everything's okay...."

As if in answer to her concern, a different voice spoke up. "Rainbow One, this is White One, reporting from Colony Three. Target is secure."

Blevon said, "Acknowledged, White One. Where's Blue One?"

The new voice was bleak. "She's dead."

Bria looked up. "Well, that's it. Ylesia is ours, gentles, except for mopping up. Let's call in those s.h.i.+ps."

Han turned to Chewbacca and pulled the WooBee aside. "Chewie, I need you to do something right now," he said.

"Arhnnnn?"

"We've got this area secured, but it sounds like Mrrov and Muuurgh could use some help up in the Admin Building. Where the Treasure Room is. I want you to check on 'em, make sure they've got it secured, give 'em a hand if they need it. Your night vision is about as good as a Torgorian's, and if they're chasin' some of those guards through the jungle, you could be a big help, and you know it."

"Hrrrrrhhhhh!" Chewbacca, as usual, took a dim view of being separated from his partner.

"Come on!" Han said. "I'm worried that some of those guards might break in and start stealin' Teroenza's collection! That's our stuff, remember?"

Chewie grumbled, but his resistance was weakening. "Listen up, furball," Han snapped, "I don't have time to argue. I trust Muuurgh and Mrrov, but I don't know those other Togorians. And all it would take is one busy guard who managed to break in. So you help Muuurgh and Mrrov secure the place, make sure the Treasure Room is still locked up, and come straight back. Shouldn't take you half an hour. You remember the lo-cation of the Treasure Room on that plan I sketched for you?"

"H rrrrrrnnnnnnnn..."

"Good. Get your furry b.u.t.t in gear."

Chewbacca was not happy, but the Wookiee de-parted without further argument.

By now, s.h.i.+ps were dropping from the pink-tinged sky like metal rain, landing in the center of the compound.

Han was just taking a swig of water from his flask when a dark figure ran toward him. Han pushed up his goggles, squinted in the wan pre-dawn light, and real-ized it was Lando. Even before he saw the gambler's face, Han knew something was wrong. He hurried toward his friend.

"Han... it's Jarik. Kid took a hit ....He isn't going to make it. He's calling for you."

"Blast!" Together, they ran.

Lando led him over to the temporary aid station the medics had set up, then pointed to a stretcher. Han walked over, looked down, and recognized Jarik's unruly hair-and that was practically all. The young man's face was a scorched, reddened horror. At first Han thought he was dead, then he saw that Jarik was still breathing. He looked up hopefully at the nearest medic.~ The Alderaanian shook her head grimly, mouthed, "Sorry."

"Hey . . . Jarik . . . can you hear me?" Hah took the grimy hand in his, grasped it firmly. "Kid . . . it's Han .... "

Jarik no longer had much in the way of eyelids, and Han knew he must be blind. But he turned his head slightly, and his mouth moved. "Han..."

"Don't try to talk . . . you're gonna be fine. They'll pop you in a bacta tank, and you'll be chasin' girls and shootin' Imps in no time."

A faint thread of expelled air, and Han recognized it as the ghost of a laugh. "Liar.... Han... got... to... tell you."

Han swallowed. "Yeah? I'm listenin'..."

"Name... my name... it ain't... Solo. Lied to yOU."

Han cleared his throat. "Yeah, I know, kid. That's okay. I give it to you. Far as I'm concerned, you earned it long ago."

"You... knew?"

"Sure. I've known from the beginning, Jarik."

The lax fingers tightened once, and then released. Han leaned over, checked for a pulse, then gently re-leased his grip and stood up. His eyes were stinging, and it took him a second to regain control. The medic bustled by, and Han grabbed her sleeve. "He'S gone. Where's his ID?"

She handed him a corn-chip. Han took it, then keyed in, "Jarik Solo," under the "name of deceased" field. The medic called for help, and two labor-droids trundled forward. Han watched as they efficiently wrapped the dead youth in the sheet, then carried him over to the row of bodies laid out neatly on the ground.

Before he could turn away, they were putting an-other wounded Rebel onto the stretcher. "Water..." the woman croaked. Han took out his flask. "You're gonna be okay," he said, as he helped her to drink. "Don't worry."

The woman drank thirstily. "Thanks ...."she slumped back onto the stretcher.

"That's okay," Han said. "What's your name?"

"Lyndelah Jenwald .... "she muttered, and winced.

"My arm hurts .... "

"We'll get you some help," Hah promised, and went in search of a medic.

Satisfied that Jenwald was getting the attention she needed, he left the aid station and joined Lando, who looked at him sadly. "Han, I'm sorry. I tried to look 'after him, but they launched a grenade and I had to hit dirt, and the next thing I knew..." the gambler broke off, shaking his head.

Han nodded. "I know what it's Like. There wasn't anything you coulda done, Lando. Don't beat yourself up." Hah took a deep breath. "He was a good kid."

"Ye'&--" Lando broke off as both humans heard a familiar roar. Han hastily waved at Lando and went run-ning away from the aid station toward Chewbacca.

The Wookiee, seeing that Han was still unharmed, grabbed Han's shoulder and ruffled his hair in a Wook-iee greeting. Han took a deep breath. "Chewie, pal," he said, "brace yourself. Jarik bought it."

The Wooldee stared at him for a moment, then threw back his head and voiced a roar of mingled rage and grief. Han silently echoed his friend's distress. Chewbacca pulled Han out of the way, began gestur-ing and growling emphatically. "Mrrov?" Han said. "Wounded? She gonna make it?"

Chewie wasn't sure, but he thought so.

"I gotta go find Muuurgh," Han said. "Tell you what, Chewie, you go get the Falcon, fly her over to that ap.r.o.n by the Admin Building. , Then we'll be ready to load 'er up."

Chewie nodded and loped away. In moments his tall form was lost to view amid the hurrying troops, dodging between the parked shuttles and tramp freighters.

Hah looked back for Lando, but his friend was gone. He went back to the aid station, asked wherethe Togo-rians were being cared for. The medic he questioned didn't know. It took three tries for Han to find out.

Finally, he was directed to another auxiliary aid sta-tion, where most of the non-humanoids were being treated. Hah saw Muuurgh~ huge black shape crouch-ing beside a pallet, and hurried over. "Hey, Muuurgh!"

The Togorian turned at the sound his voice, then leaped up and grabbed Hah in a fierce hug. "Muuurgh is glad to see Han Solo. They are taking us up now, and MuUurgh did not wish to go without saying farewell."

Hah looked down.at Mrrov. A bandage covered half her head. "What happened?"

"Muuurgh and Mrrov were on guard at the landing field, and three Gamorreans rushed us. She took two hits from a force-pike before Muuurgh tore her attacker's throat out."

"Oh, hey, pal... I'm so sorry ...."Han said. "She's gonna be okay, isn't she?"

"She has lost the eye," Muuurgh said. "And medic says perhaps her hand must come off. He does not know. But she will live. And she will take pride in know-ing that the slaves are free, the Priests are dead."

Han nodded, and couldn't think of anything to say. The medics approached with an anti-gray pallet, and loaded the wounded Togorian femme onto it. Han walked with Muuurgh to the medical shuttle, watched as Mrrov was loaded in, and gave Muuurgh a last, silent hug goodbye.

After watching the shuttle lift off, Hah turned back toward the big spice warehouse, figuring that was where he'd find Bria. Seeing Jace Paol hurrying by, Han asked the lieutenant where she was. Paol jerked a thumb back at the Pilgrims' dormitory. Hah jogged over that way, then paused, midway between the warehouse and the dormitory.

Rebel troops were herding Pilgrims out of the dorm, and the dazed, frightened slaves were plainly on the~ verge of panic. Bria stood before them, a microphone in her hand, and addressed them. "Listen to me!" she called. "The Priests are all dead! You are free now, and we've come to help you?

"They killed the Priests? one old man shouted, and began to sob. Wails and moans filled the air.

"Just get on these shuttles quickly!" Bria said. "We have medics and medications to help you feel better. We can cure you!"

The crowd grew increasingly restive. Another mo-ment and there will be a riot, Hah thought, uneasily. It was obvious that Bria wasn't getting through to them at all.

"We want Exultation!" one shouted, and the next moment, they were all chanting and waving their fists in the air. "We want Exultation/"

Bria waved at the shuttles. "Just get on the shuttles!

We'll help you!"

"We want Exultation!"

The crowd surged forward, and Bria, with a dis-gusted air, signaled her troops. They opened fire with stun beams, and Pilgrims began collapsing in droves.

Having been stunned a few times himself, Han~ body ached in sympathy for the Pilgrims, and he was a bit shocked by Bria~ ruthlessness in ordering her troops to simply shoot the slaves.

But there wasn't much point in saying anything about it, he decided. As he stood there hesitating, watching the labor droids begin loading limp Pilgrims into the shuttles, Bria turned away and saw him.

Hah waved, and she ran toward him. He grabbed her, hugged her fiercely, so relieved that they'd both made it through alive. "Jarik?" she asked.

Han shook his head. "No," he said. "He didn't make it."

"Oh, Han... I'm so sorry!"

Wrapping his arms around Bria, Hah held her close, kissed her, and felt her kiss him back. They stood wrapped together in the midst of chaos.

Finally, she pulled away, and said, "It~ time to head for the Admin Building. We've got to see to the Trea-sure Room."

Han nodded. "Chewie~ got' the Falcon up there by now, ready to load her up," he said, looking around. The sun was up by now, and the scene before him was orga-nized chaos with Rebel troops everywhere. Bria tugged at him, but Han didn't move. "Where~ Lando?" he asked. "He was here a few minutes ago. Did he go to pick up his share of the spice?" "Come on!" she urged.

Han looked over at the warehouse, figuring that Lando would probably be right there, waiting to get his share. He spotted him, and took a step toward the warehouse, only to have Bria pull him back. "No! Come on, we have to go!"

Han~ eyes narrowed. "There~ something funny go-ing on in there," he said. He could see Lando, and Arly Bron and Kaj Nedmak and about six other smuggler captains standing there, near the open doorway of the Warehouse. Just . . . standing there. Not moving. Han looked at Lando, and Lando looked back, but the gam-bler didn't move. "Come on!"

Hah started toward the warehouse, then stopped in surprise and dismay. Now he could see what was resting beside the door, covering the smugglers. A heavy re-peating blaster on its tripod, with a Rebel soldier stand-ing behind it. And posted at intervals, three additional Rebel guards-all with their weapons trained on the smugglers.

"What in blazes is going on?" Han demanded, swing-ing around to confront Bria. "What are you doing?"

She bit her lip. "I hoped you wouldn't find out," she said. "It would have been easier. Han, I got my orders last night. There~ something really big going on, and we need every credit we can sc.r.a.pe up. Everyone is going to have to make sacrifices. The smuggler captains are being held hostage for a little while. Their crews are be-ing allowed to pick up the unprocessed spice... but we have to take the prime stuff. We need it, Han. I'm sorry, but I don't have any choice."

Han~ mouth dropped open, and he glanced back over his shoulder to see other smugglers glaring at him. Oh, blast! he thought. They think I was in on this from the beginning!

What was he to do now? Give up his own share in the Treasure Room, to side with the smugglers? Most of them wouldn't lift a finger to help him out, if their posi-tions were reversed, Han knew that. Besides . . . he didn't know any of them that well.

Except Lando...

Han shook his head and looked at Bria. "Honey, why didn't you tell me what you were planning?"

"Because you would never have gone 'along with it," she said.

"But Lando is my friend." Han shrugged. "The rest of 'em... I barely know. But Lando..."

"Come on," she said. "Your share of the Treasure Room is yours to do with as you please. If you feel bad, give Lando his share later."

Han thought that over, and then sighed. I'll make it up w you, Lancb~, he thought. The Corellian shrugged mentally as he walked away with Bria, leaving the smugglers behindl I cbm't like th~s . . . but what else can I do?

He reflected that it was a good thing that Chewie wasn't here. The Wooldee had an overactive conscience ....

When Han and Bria reached the Admin Building, they found Chewie waiting for them, and the Falcon on the ap.r.o.n. Chewie demanded to know where Lando was, and Han hesitated. "He's going back with Arly," he said, after a second.

Fortunately, Chewie was too taken up with the Trea-sure Room to notice Han's discomfiture.

Han had picked up a small thermal detonator from the Rebel a.r.s.enal, and it was the work of a moment to blow the door.