jetted himself onto the top of the stump and was wheeling along the edge, using his arm extension to hold out a mirror and spy on something moving along around the base.
Luke signaled Han to continue around the stump, then Force-jumped up with R2-D2. Han crept up behind C-3PO.
“Back here, Threepio,” he whispered. “What have we got—”
C-3PO straightened and turned to face him. “What a relief!” he exclaimed. “I was afraid they were going to come on you from behind.”
A familiar scurrying sound rose from down the slope, just out of sight around the stump, and Han suddenly felt sick to his stomach.
“Thanks for the warning,” Han growled. He thrust the electrobinoculars at C-3PO and raced for cover next to the stump. “Get back,
now
.”
Han barely managed to kneel partway inside a small hollow before six Gorog Killiks scuttled into view. It was about what he had been expecting, but being right only made him more queasy. He just couldn’t handle bugs, not since those crazy Kamarians had tracked him down on Regulgo … but he couldn’t think about that now, not if he wanted to keep control of himself.
“Okay, fellas, stop right there. Drop those …” Han hesitated when he realized that it was not blaster pistols the insects were holding. “… shatter guns and tell me why you shot up my landspeeder.”
The Gorog began to thrum, raising their weapons as they turned.
“You
know
why,” C-3PO translated. “The Night Herald told you to stay out of Gorog’s business.”
“Too bad.” Han leveled his DL-44 at the closest bug’s head. “Now hold it right there.”
They did not, of course, and Han put a blaster bolt through the first one’s head the instant its shatter gun swung toward him. He burned another hole through the thorax of the second bug as it extended its weapon arm, then Luke dropped down behind the group with his lightsaber blazing. The blade droned a couple of times and two more Gorog fell, then the stump around Han erupted into acrid-smelling bark shards as the surviving insects squeezed off their first shots. Han fired back, Luke’s blade whined again, and the last two insects collapsed.
Han stood, holding his blaster in both hands, and Luke lowered his blade and spun in a slow circle, examining each of the corpses. He had almost finished when he suddenly staggered, then abruptly shut down his lightsaber.
“Blast!”
“What’s wrong?” Han started forward. “I didn’t hit you with a stray, did I?”
Luke turned with a scowl. “I’m a little better than that, Han.” He lifted his gore-slimed boot and scraped the sole across a Gorog mandible, then said, “They’re all dead. I was hoping to get some answers out of them.”
R2-D2 chirped something from the tree stump, then began to rock back and forth on his treads.
“What is it, Artoo?” Luke asked.
“He says you might be able to ask one of the six who were talking to the smugglers,” C-3PO translated helpfully. “They’re on the way up now.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think they’re coming to talk to
us
,” Han said.
After a quick scan of the area to make sure there were no other Killik surprise parties, Han and Luke returned to their original hiding place. The six Gorog were clambering up the slope with their weapons drawn. The four Aqualish smugglers had broken out G-9 power blasters and were kneeling on their hoversled, hiding behind the barrels of reactor fuel and aiming up the slope to cover the insects. The Neimoidian was fleeing toward the far side of the old building foundation.
“I’ve got the smugglers.” Luke started toward the low end of the root. “Take the Gorog—and remember, we need one alive. I want to find out what that reactor fuel is for.”
Han caught him by the arm. “Those bugs have shatter guns,” he said. “Maybe we should just run for it. You know how the Dark Nest is. Once we’re back over the hill with the loggers, they won’t want to show
Luke signaled Han to continue around the stump, then Force-jumped up with R2-D2. Han crept up behind C-3PO.
“Back here, Threepio,” he whispered. “What have we got—”
C-3PO straightened and turned to face him. “What a relief!” he exclaimed. “I was afraid they were going to come on you from behind.”
A familiar scurrying sound rose from down the slope, just out of sight around the stump, and Han suddenly felt sick to his stomach.
“Thanks for the warning,” Han growled. He thrust the electrobinoculars at C-3PO and raced for cover next to the stump. “Get back,
now
.”
Han barely managed to kneel partway inside a small hollow before six Gorog Killiks scuttled into view. It was about what he had been expecting, but being right only made him more queasy. He just couldn’t handle bugs, not since those crazy Kamarians had tracked him down on Regulgo … but he couldn’t think about that now, not if he wanted to keep control of himself.
“Okay, fellas, stop right there. Drop those …” Han hesitated when he realized that it was not blaster pistols the insects were holding. “… shatter guns and tell me why you shot up my landspeeder.”
The Gorog began to thrum, raising their weapons as they turned.
“You
know
why,” C-3PO translated. “The Night Herald told you to stay out of Gorog’s business.”
“Too bad.” Han leveled his DL-44 at the closest bug’s head. “Now hold it right there.”
They did not, of course, and Han put a blaster bolt through the first one’s head the instant its shatter gun swung toward him. He burned another hole through the thorax of the second bug as it extended its weapon arm, then Luke dropped down behind the group with his lightsaber blazing. The blade droned a couple of times and two more Gorog fell, then the stump around Han erupted into acrid-smelling bark shards as the surviving insects squeezed off their first shots. Han fired back, Luke’s blade whined again, and the last two insects collapsed.
Han stood, holding his blaster in both hands, and Luke lowered his blade and spun in a slow circle, examining each of the corpses. He had almost finished when he suddenly staggered, then abruptly shut down his lightsaber.
“Blast!”
“What’s wrong?” Han started forward. “I didn’t hit you with a stray, did I?”
Luke turned with a scowl. “I’m a little better than that, Han.” He lifted his gore-slimed boot and scraped the sole across a Gorog mandible, then said, “They’re all dead. I was hoping to get some answers out of them.”
R2-D2 chirped something from the tree stump, then began to rock back and forth on his treads.
“What is it, Artoo?” Luke asked.
“He says you might be able to ask one of the six who were talking to the smugglers,” C-3PO translated helpfully. “They’re on the way up now.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think they’re coming to talk to
us
,” Han said.
After a quick scan of the area to make sure there were no other Killik surprise parties, Han and Luke returned to their original hiding place. The six Gorog were clambering up the slope with their weapons drawn. The four Aqualish smugglers had broken out G-9 power blasters and were kneeling on their hoversled, hiding behind the barrels of reactor fuel and aiming up the slope to cover the insects. The Neimoidian was fleeing toward the far side of the old building foundation.
“I’ve got the smugglers.” Luke started toward the low end of the root. “Take the Gorog—and remember, we need one alive. I want to find out what that reactor fuel is for.”
Han caught him by the arm. “Those bugs have shatter guns,” he said. “Maybe we should just run for it. You know how the Dark Nest is. Once we’re back over the hill with the loggers, they won’t want to show
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