[Han Solo] - 03(114)

Han heard shouts from Jarik, who was in the ventral gun turret and must’ve gotten a spectacular—and terrifying—view of the blast.

Too close for comfort!

He peeled away, accelerating to get well out of the range of the turbolaser. None of the other ships was hit, thankfully.

The alternate landing sites were on the beach, more than two kilometers from the center of Colony One. Han brought the Falcon in for a landing, setting her down on the hard-packed sand, not far from the breakers. He sat there for a second, just breathing hard, enveloped by the Ylesian darkness. He kept his lights on, so none of the other pilots would be tempted to land on top of him.

To his right as he sat in the cockpit, were the dunes, and, beyond them, the mudflats and Colony One. To his left was the Zoma Gawonga, which, in Huttese, meant “Western Ocean.” Behind and before him stretched the beach, and already other ships were settling into place.

Leaving Chewie to finish up their post-landing checks, Han keyed his comm. “Shuttle One, this is the Falcon. Bria, this is Han. Come in, Shuttle One.”

A crackle of static, then her voice. Han let out a sigh of relief.

He’d lost track of formation a bit back there, and, while he thought Shuttle One wasn’t one of the ships hit, he hadn’t been positive until now.

“Han, I read you. Shuttle One landing now, alternate site. I’m going to deploy my troops for the ground attack. We’ll go in over the dunes.

My squad will head through the jungle for the compound.”

“I’m coming with you,” Han said. “Don’t go without me.”

“Copy, Falcon.” She hesitated. “Han, we need to secure the Admin Building.

Can you take care of dispatching the Togorian squad?”

Han knew she was thinking about the Treasure Room. The plan all along had been for Muuurgh, who knew the layout and the jungle, to lead his squad of Togorians in there. But now they’d have to go a lot farther ….

“Right,” he said. “I’ll do that.”

Han went back to the lounge, where the Togorians were unstrapping, checking the charges in their weapons, and commenting to each other about rough rides. They wanted to know why all the stomach-churning aerial acrobatics. Han spent a minute explaining, then went on to tell Muuurgh, Mrrov, Sarrah and the other Togorians that they’d landed much farther from their target than anticipated. “This will be tougher than we originally planned,” Han said. “You’re going to have to make about a two-kilometer hike through the jungle.”

Muuurgh stood up, careful not to whack his head in the cramped surroundings of the Falcon’s lounge. “Do not worry, Han,” he said.

“Muuurgh will lead the way through the jungle to the Administration Building. Muuurgh hunted all around Colony One, and Muuurgh remembers terrain well.”

Han pulled on his infrared goggles and his light helmet, picked up his weapons, then he and Chewbacca followed the Togorian squad down the ramp.

Han watched their bright yellow images make their way up the beach. He pushed up his goggles, and was instantly engulfed in complete darkness.

The Togorians had vanished like shadows into the surrounding blackness.

The Corellian took a deep breath of the late-night air, and the smell of the Ylesian ocean brought back a rush of memories.

“Chewie,” he said, “stay sharp. This world can be a real pit. Good thing it ain’t rainin’, for once.” He tapped his goggles. “You need a pair of these, pal?”

Chewie shook his head, affirming that Wookiee night-sight was far superior to human vision. He could see fine and didn’t need goggles.

When Han turned to go up the landing ramp, Lando and Jarik came trooping down it. Like Han, they were carrying heavy blaster rifles and wearing helmets with infrared goggles. They stood together at the bottom, watching the Rebel soldiers assembling from the shuttles. Most of the landing vehicles were down now.

“So … where do you guys think you’re goin’?” Han asked.

“To find some action,” Jarik said. “I ain’t missing this!” The youth clutched his blaster rifle, bouncing on his toes, obviously excited at the chance to take part in his first ground assault.

Han had always figured he’d let Jarik stay in the ship. Safer that way.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “The Togorians are gone to capture the Admin Building. Me and Chewie are headin’ out with Bria. If you guys go lookin’ for action, then who’s gonna guard the Falcon?”

“Lock it and activate the security systems,” Jarik said. “Nobody’s gonna get inside unless you let ‘em, Han.”

Lando gestured at the beach. The last Rebel and smuggler ships were coming in for a landing. “Won’t Bria post a rear guard to watch the ships?”