“Remember who you’re talking to, kid,” he said. “This is Han Solo. I’ve been sticking my finger in the eyes of two-credit dictators like you since before I broke your mother’s heart, so show a little respect when you threaten me. And don’t lie. I hate that.”
Raynar was no more intimidated than he had been by Saba. He simply glared down at Han, his breath coming in slow, angry rasps.
Luke leaned close to Leia and whispered, “Han dated Raynar’s mother?”
“You’d be surprised at the women Han’s dated. I always am.” Leia stepped to Raynar’s side, then said, “You must admit the collapse looks suspicious. If it was an accident, how did the Yoggoy nest know to evacuate the area? And what about the blue Kind we saw? The ones we killed?”
Raynar’s breathing softened to a wheeze, and he turned to face Leia. “The only dead Kind we have found at the site was your guide.”
“The otherz must have taken the bodiez,” Saba said. “There were more than the onez Nanna killed.”
“You were mistaken,” Raynar said. “The dust was thick, the rubble was still falling. What you saw were shadows.”
“Who’re you trying to convince here?” Han demanded. He glanced at the attendant bugs, wondering whether they could have more say than he realized. Perhaps they were the reason Raynar was trying to deny the Colony’s responsibility. Perhaps they didn’t approve of murdering guests. “Because we know what we saw.”
Raynar turned back to Han. “Eyes can deceive, Captain Solo. What you say you saw is impossible.”
“Or our interpretation of it.” Luke’s voice was thoughtful. “What if it wasn’t the Kind who attacked us at all?”
“Others aren’t allowed to wander Yoggoy alone,” Raynar said. “We would know even if someone else attacked you.”
“What if you didn’t know they were here?” Leia asked.
Raynar’s eyes narrowed in thought, then he shook his head in a gesture that-for a change-seemed more Raynar than insect. “You said Yoggoy was warned to evacuate. Why would Others do that?”
“And if they did, you’d certainly know they were here,” Luke said.
Han frowned at Luke. “Don’t tell me you’re buying this?”
“Not that it was an accident,” Luke said. “But that Ray-er, UnuThul-believes it was.”
Leia caught Han’s eye, then gave a curt nod that suggested he should believe it, too. “I think we can all agree on that much,” she said. “If the Colony wanted us dead, they wouldn’t have given up after one try. The attack was supposed to look like an accident, which means somebody was trying to hide it from the Unu.”
“We’re glad you believe us, Princess,” Raynar said. “But there’s no evidence to support your theory.”
“How could you know?” Han demanded. “There hasn’t been time. The attack was less than thirty minutes ago!”
“Yoggoy workers have already cleared much of the rubble,” Raynar answered. “The only body they have-Kind or Other - is your guide’s. The evidence suggests the towers just collapsed. We are sorry it happened when you were about to pass beneath them.”
“Does that happen often?” Leia asked. “That a spire just collapses?”
“Once, when there was a quake,” Raynar said. “And sometimes storms-“
“Not what I asked,” Leia said, stepping off the hoversled. “Let me show you something.”
She took Raynar’s meaty hand, then led him up the boarding ramp into the Falcon. Han followed with Luke and Saba, but fortunately only a small part of Raynar’s entourage-the bug with the really long antennae and another covered in furry bristles - joined them. They caught up to Leia and Raynar in the Solos’ sleeping quarters. The pair were standing in front of the bunk, staring at the famous moss-painting hanging on the wall.
“This is Killik Twilight,” Leia said to Raynar. “Do you recognize anything?”
“Of course,” Raynar said. “Lizil was very excited about the painting.”
Raynar stepped to the side of double bunk-the Solos had installed it when they had realized the Falcon was going to be their primary home-then leaned closer to the painting and began to run his gaze over every detail.
“Thank you for showing it to us,” he said. “We wanted to ask, but our meetings have gone so badly that we didn’t want to presume.”
Han raised his brow. Maybe there was less Raynar left in that seared body than he thought. The Raynar Thul whom Han remembered had been a decent-enough kid, but his wealthy family had never taught him to do anything but presume.