“And a naked man the size of a dwarf Wookiee is going to stay hidden for how long?” Jaina demanded.
Doran winced. “That’s what Tiu asked. In almost those exact words, as a matter of fact. So I said, ‘Forget it.’ And she said, ‘No, it’s a good plan, except for the fact that, as usual, you introduced a fatal flaw. We pull out the fatal flaw and it’s viable again.’ “
Jaina nodded. “And fixing the plan meant substituting a tiny Omwati woman for a big slab of hanging meat.” She seethed, but held her anger deep. She didn’t want any member of her operation left behind on Corellia … but she had to admit that a resource, hiding out in Thrackan Sal-Solo’s opulent home, could prove invaluable in the days to come. And Tiu, despite bearing the distinctive delicate blue skin and opalescent pale hair of her species, was very, very good at stealth and hiding games.
She covered the protocol droid’s face and stood back from it, then pointed at Doran. “You. Get some bacta patches for Zekk’s burns and whatever Kolir needs to deal with her mouth.” Then her gaze fell on Thann. “You. Get us a vehicle.”
CORELLIAN ORBIT
Han Solo sent Millennium Falcon down a course that was in a slightly lower orbit than Klauskin’s formation of ships and back in the direction from which they’d come. In his wake came the squadron of A-9 Vigilances.
“They’re not breaking off,” Leia said.
“I can see that,” Han said, his voice testy. “Do they not believe their transponders? Do they think I’m pretending to be Han Solo?”
Green laserfire flashed past the cockpit’s starboard viewports. Then the Falcon shook as her stern took a hit from one of the pursuers’ shots. Both Leia and Han could hear C-3PO’s wail of “Oh, dear …” waft out from the transport’s central areas.
Han added some side-to-side slew to their movement and rose, climbing into a higher orbit-almost into the path of a Mon Calamari heavy carrier, Blue Diver
“Han, what are you doing?” Leia’s voice conveyed a hint of worry.
“These vessels won’t fire on me,” he said, his tone cocksure even if his words sounded a bit unlikely. “I’ve already talked to Dodonna, remember? But they may fire on our attackers.”
“They may.”
Ahead, Blue Diver’s shields were already up-it was clear she was sustaining some long-distance fire from opportunistic Corellian starfighters-and now her bow and starboard turbolasers began to track the small-craft parade the Falcon was leading. At this distance, it was impossible to tell whether the turbolasers were aimed at the Falcon herself.
The Falcon shook again and again, harder, as the speedy A-9s came closer toward her stern. Two of them shot past the transport’s bow and moved on ahead.
“In just a minute,” Leia said, “they’ll get far enough ahead that they can come around and head back toward us. Meaning you’ll have to distribute your shield power equally all around, meaning some of those overcharged lasers might start punching through.”
“I know,” Han said. There was misery in his voice.
“Han, we have to return fire. Make them duck and scatter.”
“I can’t fire on Corellians, Leia. Not when I … when I …”
Leia didn’t finish the statement for him. Caused this.
The Falcon and her pursuers reached firing range for Blue Diver’s weapons and those guns opened up, their energy flashing past the Falcon-and past the madly dodging A-9s, as well. Leia was relieved to see that the Falcon did not appear to be among the vessel’s targets. But the battery fire came awfully close, and a single aiming mishap could put them square in the vessel’s targeting brackets.
Then they were parallel to Blue Diver, blasting far too close along her starboard side, her guns tracking and firing.
The Falcon shot past Blue Diver’s stern. Six A-9 Vigilances continued to pursue her. The two that had gone ahead were intact and beginning their turn.
“Han,” Leia said, “you’re going to lose the Falcon.”
It was unfair of her. Simple as they were, her words had additional, unspoken meaning. You’re going to lose your first love. You’re going to lose your freedom.
Han growled as though the sound were being pulled out of him with a fishhook. Then, through clenched teeth, he said, “Yeah. Hold on.”
It wasn’t just a command to wait. He threw the Falcon into a starboard turn that sent the transport shooting out past Blue Diver’s stern, up into the open space between the Galactic Alliance and Corellian task forces, where starfighter squadrons were mixing it up in touch-and-go firing runs and dogfights. Then he said, “Get to the guns.”