[Han Solo] - 03(47)

Taking the hint, Han stepped back. “Han… that blip …” She pointed. “Is that Rimrunner?”

Han turned and looked at the schematic, then the viewport. Rimrunner was still in the plasma jet, visible only as an orange glow. “Yeah,” he said.

“She’s really picking up speed …. ” Silence reigned in the cockpit as the four watched the blip that was

Salla’s pride and joy speeding through the last of the plasma, accelerating faster and faster, heading for the accretion disk as the neutron star’s gravity pulled the freighter into an ever tighter, closer orbit.

Minutes later, a tiny flare blossomed for a second on the edge of the accretion disk. Salla stood up. “Well, that’s that,” she said, flatly. “If you gentles will excuse me, I need to use the ‘fresher.”

Han stood aside as Salla walked back into the Falcon’s interior. He thought about how he’d feel if it was his ship that had just bought it, and could understand the pent-up anger that she was barely controlling.

Minutes later, he heard muffled thuds and cries coming from the ship’s small lounge area. Han glanced at his friends. “I’ll check it out.”

When he arrived back in the lounge, he found Salla standing with her back to the hologram game board, beating her fists against the Falcon’s bulkheads and cursing a blue streak.

“Salla …” he said.

She whirled to face him, amber eyes blazing. “Han, why didn’t you just let me die?”

For a second he thought she was going to punch him, and got ready to duck.

But she restrained herself with a visible effort. “Why, Han?”

“Salla, you know I couldn’t do that,” he said, holding up his hands placatingly.

She stamped around the Falcon’s lounge, obviously on the verge of going nova. “I can’t believe I tried that microjump! I can’t believe the Rimrunner is gone! How could I have been so stupid?”

“We’d raced before, Salla,” Han said. “This time was just … bad luck.”

She slammed a fist into a bulkhead, cursed again, then stood cradling her abused hand. “That ship was my life! My living! And now, just .

. .

gone!” She snapped her unbruised fingers.

“I know,” Han said. “I know.”

“What am I going to do now? I can’t earn a living. I worked so hard to get that ship!”

You can ride with me and Chewie,” Han said. “We can always use extra crew.

You’re a hot pilot, Salla. You’ll find work. Good pilots are always in demand.”

“Ride with you?” she scowled. “I don’t need charity from you or anyone, Han.”

“Hey!” he said, in injured tones, “I am not in the charity business, Salla, you know me! It’s just that … hey … I need the help.”

She stared at him. “You need me?”

Han shrugged. “Well … sure. I couldn’t do without you, honey.

I don’t risk myself—or my ship–for just anybody, you know.”

“That’s true,” she muttered, staring at him intently. Han wondered what was going through her mind, but decided it wasn’t a good time to ask.

Cautiously, he moved toward her, wondering if she’d push him away again, but she didn’t.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her wiry form against him, kissed her cheek. “I know how you must be feelin’, Salla. I lost a ship not too long ago, too, remember.”

“I remember,” she whispered. “Hey, Han… I forgot to thank you.”

“For what?”

“Saving my life, what else?”

He chuckled. “You’ve saved my hide a time or two in tight spots, Salla, don’t forget. Remember that time the Nessies tried to pull a fast one on us? If it hadn’t been for you spottin’ those bogus datacards, I’d have lost a bundle.”

She began to shudder violently. Her teeth chattered. “D-don’t buhbeee n-nice ttto mmmeeee, Hhhan,” she managed, shivering. “Whwhat’s hhappening?”

He stroked her hair. “Adrenaline letdown, Salla. Happens alt the time after battles. You get the shakes, and you feel stupid, because by the time it happens, you’re safe.”

She managed a nod. “I’m ss-such a fffool.”

“But you’re a live fool,” Han reminded her. “That’s the best kind.”

Salla laughed shakily.





6


Farewell to Nar Shaddaa


Salla Zend was very quiet over the next week—so quiet that Han worried about her. He’d never seen her the way she was now. She refused offers to accompany Han and Chewbacca on a couple of Runs, even though Han wasn’t kidding when he said he needed her help. Jarik had recently found a girlfriend in the Corellian section of Nar Shaddaa, and was spending all available time with her. The kid had also hired on with Shug because the master mechanic was upgrading the hyperdrives on many of the Desilijic smuggling vessels. It was a big job, and Shug needed all the help he could get.