[Han Solo] - 03(74)

“We came out of hyperspace,” Fett said. “The failsafes must have encountered a sudden gravity shadow and reacted automatically.”

Lando silently applauded the bounty hunter for his acumen as he managed to roll back over and sit up. It was hard work, with his hands bound behind him.

“What would cause that?” she said. “An engine malfunction?”

“Possible,” Fett said. “But more likely an attack. An Imperial Interdictor cruiser could bring a ship out of hyperspace.”

“But why would the Imperials attack a cruise ship?” Bria asked. Lando had been wondering that same thing, and couldn’t think of an answer.

Bria frowned as she concentrated on the straining vibrations of the ship.

“You’re right about the attack,” she said. “We’re caught in a tractor beam.”

Grabbing his case, the bounty hunter dragged it behind the ornamental screen that decorated one wall of the luxury suite. Faintly, Lando could hear the swish of robes being doffed.

The gambler managed to catch Bria’s eye and mouthed, “Trust me, Lady Bria.

Follow my lead if we get an opening.” He had to repeat it several times, until she nodded in comprehension and flashed him a shaky smile.

Minutes later the bounty hunter emerged, clad once more in his Mandalorian armor. He carried his blaster rifle, which was his only visible weapon, but Lando knew from experience that the bounty hunter was a walking arsenal of camouflaged weaponry. Walking over to Bria, he removed the restraints from her ankles, and then did the same for Lando. “You two come with me,” he said. “And … Calrissian …

remember. You’re expendable. Lady Tharen … if you try anything, Calrissian dies.

Clear?”

“Yes,” Bria said.

Lando nodded, then managed to get to his feet unaided, despite his bound arms. Boba Fett, in a parody of gentlemanly behavior, assisted Bria to rise. She wobbled a bit on her high-heeled shoes, flexing her feet and grimacing at the pins-and-needles.

Fett picked up the sound sponge and deactivated it, stowing it in a pocket of his trousers. With the muffling device turned off, Lando could hear the sounds of blaster fire, screams and running feet. A public address system boomed: “All passengers … please remain calm and in your cabins. There is an intruder alert, but your crew is working to restore order. We will advise you as matters progress.

Please remain calm. All passengers …”

Right, Lando thought. They’re going to restore order.., sure they are ….

The gambler glanced at Bria, and she looked at him and shrugged slightly.

They reached the door, and Fett gestured to Lando. “Open it.” The corridor was pure chaos. They had to wait in the doorway until a mob of screaming passengers, most of them dressed only in nightgowns and robes, fled past.

Fett glanced at a small, palm-sized device he held. “Turn right,” he instructed.

Lando and Bria obeyed. The gambler found it surprisingly difficult to walk with his arms bound behind him. It affected his balance.

Several times they had to step into doorways to allow shrieking hordes of passengers to run past. The sounds of blaster fire were closer, now, as they neared the boat decks.

They left the passenger cabins behind, and took a series of glidewalks that Fett directed them to. From the sounds, most of the pitched fighting was going on near the docking areas. Sounds of battle grew louder, closer.

As they neared the shuttle deck, they saw sprawled bodies littering the corridor, most of them wearing uniforms marking them as the liner’s crew.

A number of the bodies belonged to passengers, but none wore Imperial uniforms. Bria glanced at Lando as they stumbled along. He was surprised at her composure in the face of carnage—dead bodies made most citizens sick.

Lando strained his eyes for a glimpse of the attackers, but so far they hadn’t encountered any. He licked dry lips, knowing that, even with bound arms, he had to try to make some move before the three of them climbed into a shuttle together. In a shuttle, they had no chance. He glanced sideways at his fellow captive, assessing her ability to possibly back him if he tried something.

For a moment it occurred to him to wonder just why this lovely young woman—she couldn’t have been much over twenty-five—had Boba Fett after her. She must be more than what she seemed, and his observations of her so far backed that up. Most citizens, faced with the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy, would be reduced to quivering lumps of protoplasm.

But Bria was plainly not your ordinary citizen ….

They rounded a corner that led to the shuttle deck, only to run smack into a boarding party. Lando froze, Bria beside him, faced with twelve or thirteen unsavory characters dressed in loud, gaudy, mismatched clothes that gravely offended Lando’s fashion sense. They were festooned with garish jewelry.