Free Recovery by Troy Denning Page B

calculations. “Ten minutes,” he said. “We will reach tractor range in five.”
    Han opened a comm channel. “Hold tight,
Sureshot
. Help’s on the way.”
    â€œJust don’t be all day about it,” came the reply.
    Leia spent the next few minutes scarcely breathing as the
Falcon
closed. The Headhunters continued to harry the
Roamer
, though it was just harassment and everyone knew it. On Leia’s recommendation, they opened a channel to the captain and promised to broker a lenient sentence in return for cooperating with New Republic Intelligence. The captain responded by promising not to drag the
Sureshot
into the sun in return for shutting off the tractor beam, then closed the channel. Izal Waz suggested offering the crew freedom in exchange for the bacta tanks, but Leia overruled that idea. If the captain knew what they were really after, there was a good chance he would destroy the tanks out of vindictiveness.
    So they waited and watched on the tactical display as the other two flights of Wild Knights used the Yuuzhan Vong picket ship for target practice. Though the vessel was hurling an amazing amount of plasma and magma into space, the ancient starfighters always seemed to be where the enemy attacks weren’t, or to angle their shields at just the right time, or to take the Yuuzhan Vong gunners by surprise. The corvette analog disintegrated bit by bit, slowly at first, then more rapidly, and finally it simply flew apart and became indistinguishable from the dust ring.
    Han whistled. “Where were they when the Yuuzhan Vong attacked Ithor? The New Republic could use a few more pilots like those.”
    â€œThis one does not think Master Luke would have approved,” Tesar said. “We are given to understand he does not want the Jedi to hunt as soldierz.”
    â€œYou’re all Jedi?” Leia asked.
    â€œAll of the pilotz, yes.”
    The blocky silhouette of a Damorian freighter eclipsed the tiny sun ahead, its glowing ion drives sliding across the cockpit canopy as Han brought the
Falcon
in behind it. The smaller disk of a YT-1300 appeared below them and a little off to one side, its back painted in a patternless kaleidoscope of the primary colors so favored by the Arcona. The Headhunters were barely visible, a trio of tiny black crosses chasing the bolts of their laser cannons up the
Roamer
’s half-kilometer hull.
    Han spoke over the intercom. “Ladies, we’re counting on you to take out the drive nacelles. Izal, why don’t you handle the tractor beam?”
    â€œOn my way.”
    The Arcona unbuckled his harness and rose. The mere sight of the massive hull ahead was enough to convince Leia they could not change its vector in time.
    â€œHan,” she said, “this isn’t the way to do it.”
    Han half turned in his seat. “I’m listening.”
    â€œWon’t there be an escape hatch above the bridge?”
    â€œYeah—locked from the inside,” Han said.
    â€œDoesn’t matter,” Leia said. “We have Jedi.”
    Han frowned. “The CorDuro crew will be waiting.”
    â€œSo?” Tesar asked. “We have Jedi.”
    For some reason even Izal Waz did not seem to understand; this sent Tesar into a fit of sissing. Leia waved the back of her fingers at Han.
    â€œWe have five minutes,” she said. “I can handle the cofferdam.”
    â€œFour and a half minutes,” Izal Waz corrected, stepping to the back of the flight deck.
    â€œTwo will do.” Tesar began to siss again. “We have Jedi.”
    â€œRight.” Han drew his blaster and passed it to Leia. “I just hope we still have Jedi when this is done.”
    Leia led the way to the port docking ring, where Bela and Krasov were already waiting in their brown Jedi robes. They were a terrifying contrast to Izal Waz, who if the truth was told, looked rather comical in his ragged flight tabard.
    Han set