“So when we pull up under them,” Han explained, “they’ll put out the entry burn.”
“You’re entering a gravity dive?” Juun’s voice was filled with awe. “May I have permission to record? We should document how you pull out-especially given the damage to our controls.”
“If we pull out,” Leia groaned. She hated gravity dives. “But go ahead. What can it hurt?”
“We’ll pull out,” Han said, “assuming Saba and Tarfang get that vector plate disconnected. And we’ll need to know if there are any mountains in that mess. Better run a terrain scan.”
“I’ll try,” Leia said. “It’s difficult to get a reading while we’re spiraling out of control to our deaths like this.”
“Who’s out of control?”
Leia began to activate the imaging scanners, struggling to keep her hands on the appropriate switches as the Falcon bucked and shook. Zark Squadron continued to zing cannon fire at their stern, but the Noghri’s accuracy seemed to have a chilling effect on the Chiss. Despite the renowned speed of their clawcraft, Fel’s pilots were closing the distance much slower than Han had expected-and not nearly fast enough to keep them from reaching the planet, as Juun had calculated.
“Wait a minute!” Han said. They were so close to Tenupe now that all they could see ahead was pale mass of green clouds, marked here and there by a blue blob of cloudless sea, spinning past the forward viewport ever more quickly. “Something’s not right.”
“You can say that again.” Leia sent the terrain scan to his display. “Look at this.”
The map showed a rugged jungle planet of high mountains and vast drainage basins, with no large oceans, but rivers wide enough to see from orbit. It also showed a dozen cruisers converging on the Falcon’s point of entry, their course and original locations clearly outlined by the huge vapor trails they were leaving in their wakes.
“Get a tactical readout on those-“
The data appeared on Han’s tactical display. As he had expected, they were drop cruisers-terrible in space combat, but ideal for supporting planetside operations. And the energy blooms on their hulls suggested they all had fully charged tractor beams.
“This is a setup!” Han pulled the three functional throttles back to three-quarter power-not suddenly, but enough to buy a little reaction time. “Jag is trying to drive us into a trap!”
“Trying, Han?” Leia asked.
“Trying,” Han growled. “Nobody traps Han Solo.”
Han waited until the Tenupe’s little red moon showed through the top of the canopy, then jerked back on the yoke. A series of muffled crashes rumbled up the access corridor-the inertial compensators could not quite neutralize the high g forces-but the planet’s cloud-swaddled face vanished from the forward viewport.
Jagged Fel’s voice came over the cockpit speaker immediately. “I told my superiors that trap wouldn’t fool you. But if you check your tactical monitor, you’ll discover your situation has only grown more hopeless.”
Han checked his display and had to agree. A pair of Chiss Star Destroyers had appeared on Tenupe’s horizon, eliminating all hope of escaping around the curve of the planet. Zark Squadron was cutting the corner behind the Falcon, approaching at an angle and continuing to fire.
“Don’t force me to destroy you and the Princess, Captain Solo,” Jagged said. “Things didn’t work out between Jaina and me, but I still remember you all fondly.”
“Do what you have to, kid.” Han pushed the three functioning throttles back past their overload stops. “I always liked Kyp Durron better anyway.”
Leia slapped the comm microphones off. “Han! Are you crazy?” she demanded. “Kyp?”
“Relax.” Han gave her a crooked smile. “I’m just trying to make him mad. I know Kyp’s way too old for her.”
Leia closed her eyes and shook her head. “Do you really think now is a good time to make Jag angry? He has an entire fleet at his disposal.”
“Nothing to worry about,” Han said. “He’s bluffing.”
“Han, Jagged was raised by Chiss. They don’t know how to bluff.”
“Must be why they’re so bad at it.” Han winked at her. “Send Meewalh and Cakhmaim to help Saba and Tarfang with that vector plate. I don’t think we’re going to need them in the turrets much longer, but it would be nice to have control of this tub again.”
Leia activated the intercom and relayed the order. The laser cannons had barely stopped firing before Jagged’s voice came over the comm again.