THE PARADISE SNARE(77)
Stepping over to the comm unit, he pulled out the small multitool most pilots automatically carried in their pockets, and set to work loosening the casing. He intended to disable the comm unit, then replace the casing, so whoever tried to use it wouldn’t realize for a while that it had been sabotaged.
Moments later he lifted the outer shell off and put it on the floor.
His eyes widened at the myriads of wires, circuits, transponders, cables, and row after row of identical unlabeled compartments. Han groaned aloud.
“How’m I supposed to know which of these carries the line to the power generators?”
Selecting a wire at random, he cut it with the multitool’s small laser torch. The power indicator remained ON. Han cut another wire. Then another. With growing frustration, he grabbed a handful of the circuits and yanked them loose.
Still no visible result.
Swearing under his breath, he ripped and tore and lasered ruthlessly, until he was breathing hard with the effort—and the power was still on!
Over five minutes had passed.
“Stupid board …” Han snarled and, drawing his blaster, thumbed it up to full intensity and discharged it right into the middle of the stubborn console’s innards. Flames shot up, the smell of singed insulation tickled his nostrils, sparks erupted-and the power indicator went out.
“That’s better,” Han muttered grimly. For good measure, he stunned the Twi’lek again, then he turned and left.
Once outside the Administration Center, he pulled on his goggles and headed down the jungle path at a trot. His strides came faster and faster, until he was nearly running full-out, and only a headlong fall into a mud puddle slowed him down. Dripping and cursing, he climbed back to his feet and headed off again.
The other buildings were ahead of him, now, including Bria’s dorm. Han had checked out the dorms long ago and determined that unlike the Administration Center and the spice factories, they were not guarded at night. After all, the t’landa Til didn’t care whether anyone harmed their slaves—slaves were easily replaceable.
Bria’s little bunk was on the second floor. A dim night-light glowed in the stair landing. Han tiptoed up the stairs, blaster set on STUN at the ready, but he met no one. The pilgrims were so euphoric after the Exultation each night that they slept like the dead.
Han wasn’t sure exactly which bunk Bria occupied. Peering through his goggles, he padded quietly down the central aisle, glancing at the sleeping faces in the various types of sleeping couches, pallets, and bunks favored by various species.
A board creaked beneath his foot, and Han paused, holding his breath.
A figure sat up in a human-style bunk, clad in a sleeveless white nightshirt. “Vykk?” she whispered.
Han nodded and beckoned urgently. “Fast!” he hissed.
To his surprise, she was already wearing her pants. Grabbing her overtunic and her sandals, she tiptoed toward him, automatically avoiding the squeaky floorboard.
Together, in silence, they made a cautious way down the stairs, through the hall, and out into the blackness of the night. Bria pulled on her goggles.
“C’mon,” Han said, catching her hand before she had time to say a word.
“We’ve gotta hurry!”
He broke into a run, and she pounded gamely alongside him. Soon, though, her strides shortened, and he could tell that she was fighting a stitch in her side. Slowing to a rapid walk, he towed her along the jungle path. She was breathing too hard to speak, but Han, who was in better shape, caught his breath quickly.
“Tonight’s the night,” he told her. “I need you and Muuurgh to start in on Teroenza’s collection, while I get the guards off our backs.
Think you can do it?”
She nodded breathlessly. “Ganar Tos …” she gasped.
“Forget him,” Han said curtly. “You’ll never see him again, with any luck.”
“But he … and Teroenza …” She yielded to his urgent tug and began jogging again. “Going to make … me … marry… him …”
Han’s eyes widened. “Ganar Tos wanted to marry you? Minions of Xendor! Good thing we’re gettin’ outta here!”
Unable to speak again, she just nodded.
By the time they reached the Administration Center, Bria had her second wind. She followed Han as he led the way down the darkened corridors to the door of Teroenza’s collection room. Muuurgh was waiting for them. At his feet lay a pile of blasters. Bria’s eyes widened. “What are those for?”
“Diversion,” Han said. “Okay, now.., here’s this bypass code …”
Quickly he entered the code, and as before, the door opened. The three of them tiptoed into the huge, dimly lit room. Han reached into Bria’s desk and removed a powerful glowrod and flicked the bright light around the room. “Think we dare turn on the lights?”