Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy I: The Paradise Snare (42 page)

H
an Solo stood alone amid the teeming mass of cadets gathered at the rooftop landing field on Coruscant. The tight collar of his new uniform chafed his neck, but he resisted the urge to tug at it. Doing so might wrinkle it, and Han wanted to look his best.

All around him, cadets were being hugged and kissed farewell by their families. Only a few cadets were alone, as he was. Han scanned the crowd and noticed a dark-skinned boy a few meters away, who didn’t seem to have anybody. And there was a young woman with military-short hair standing across the landing field who was also alone.

But most of the cadets had fathers, and mothers, brothers and sisters and grandparents, uncles and aunts and cousins, who’d come to see them off in their hour of triumph.
Han felt a wave of loneliness. He was older than the other cadets, and that, too, set him apart.

But hey … I’m
here.
I
made
it
.

The transport
Imperator
lay waiting for them on the landing field. Soon, the cadets would be boarding it for their trip to Carida, the Imperial military training world. Han smiled a little as he studied its lines, its oversized dorsal fin. A Corellian corvette. How fitting …

He gazed at the crowd again, searchingly, and suddenly realized that he’d been hoping to see a certain red-gold head among the well-wishers.
Dumb, Solo. Really dumb. You didn’t
really
expect her to show up, did you? She’s long gone!

No, Han decided, he really hadn’t
expected
Bria to show up. But maybe, deep down, he’d
hoped
she would …

He sighed. Dewlanna had used to quote an old Wookiee proverb at him, something that translated into Basic as, roughly: “Joy unmixed with sorrow is suspect.”

Dewlanna …

If only she could see him now. Han imagined her, her tall, shaggy form, her snubbed black nose, her little, twinkling eyes nearly hidden beneath tufts of graying tan Wookiee hair. She would be very proud today, he knew that. For a moment she was so real that he could almost imagine her, could almost hear her growls and moans as she told him how proud he’d made her. She’d ruffle up his hair so he’d look attractively “scruffy.”

Han smiled faintly at the idea.
I made it, Dewlanna
, he told her image silently.
Look at me. You’re my family, my only family, so it’s right that you be here today, even if you’re only in my memory …

And Bria …

Face it, Solo, you still care. You still watch for her, and listen for the sound of her step, her voice. You need to get over this, man …

Han shook his head, as though he could dismiss Bria’s image as easily as he’d summoned Dewlanna’s. But he was taking Bria aboard the
Imperator
, as surely as if she were
here, walking beside him. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t forget her.

Another of Dewlanna’s old Wookiee proverbs surfaced in his mind: “To have a good memory is to be both blessed and cursed …”

How
right you are, Dewlanna
, Han thought.

He shifted his weight, and stabbing pain in his right leg reminded him of the fight the night before last. Han blew out his breath.
He’s dead, Dewlanna
, he thought.
Your killer is dead. You can rest easier, knowing that, I’ll bet …

An Imperial officer was making his way through the crowd, now. As he passed Han, the Lieutenant paused and looked at him sharply. “Your name, Cadet?”

Han snapped to attention. “Cadet Han Solo, sir!”

“You forget how to salute, Cadet Solo?”

“No, sir!” Han said, and gave the man his best salute.

The officer gazed at Han’s face. “Cadet Solo, what happened to your face?”

For a moment Han was tempted to say he walked into a door, but he decided that the truth was probably the best answer. “Sir, I got in a fight.”

“Really? I could never have told,” the lieutenant said, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. “What was the fight about, Cadet Solo?”

Han thought fast. “My opponent insulted the Imperial Navy, sir.”

After all, it was true.

The lieutenant raised an eyebrow. “Really, Cadet? That was most … unwise … of him. Did you give him a good thrashing for his disrespect, Cadet Solo?”

Han remembered just in time not to nod. “I did, sir. I assure the lieutenant that he will never say anything insulting about the Imperial forces again, sir.”

“Very good, Cadet Solo.” The lieutenant smiled faintly and walked on, to the head of the group.

Han breathed a long, slow sigh of relief.
Made it through that one!

An amplified voice echoed across the landing fields. A
noncommissioned officer was standing beside the lieutenant, giving orders. “Imperial cadets! Assemble in ranks!”

There was general confusion for a second, then the lines of cadets formed into ranks. “We will board the transport ship in rows. No talking, and pick up your feet.”

Silence fell. Han was in Row 4. He stood as straight as he could, looking neither left nor right, waiting for his orders to move. From somewhere, the martial theme of the Imperial Navy began playing in the background.

“Row one! March!”

“Row two! March!”

“Row three! March!”

Excitement coursed through Han, singing in his blood
This is it. What I’ve waited for all my life …

“Row four! March!” bawled the noncom.

Han right-faced smartly and followed the man ahead of him toward the
Imperator
. As he marched, he allowed himself a faint smile.

Today it begins
, he thought.
My real life begins
.

He imagined Dewlanna’s and Bria’s faces. They were smiling, too.

His feet were on the ramp. Han took a deep breath, the kind of breath that a newborn might draw in order to give its first cry, its first shout of,
I’m here! Listen to me, I’m ALIVE!

Han Solo
felt
new, as though he’d just been born. The dark past tumbled off his shoulders, and only the bright future lay ahead.

He marched forward into it eagerly, and did not look back.

A.C. Crispin is the author of the bestselling
Han Solo Trilogy
. Her newest project is a prequel to the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom
, focuses on Jack Sparrow’s early life, and will be released May 17, 2011.

Ms. Crispin writes in her own universes, including her seven book
StarBridge
series, and
Storms of Destiny
, the first novel in a planned trilogy. She’s also created stories in other media universes, including Star Trek, V, and Alien. Crispin is active in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and serves as the Chair of Writer Beware, SFWA’s “scam watchdog” volunteer group.
www.writerbeware.com

Ann Crispin is married to SF writer Michael Capobianco and lives in Maryland. Learn more about her current projects by visiting her website:
www.accrispin.com
.

By A.C. Crispin

Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy
The Paradise Snare
The Hutt Gambit
Rebel Dawn

Fantasy
Gryphon’s Eyrie (with Andre Norton)
Songsmith (with Andre Norton)

Star Trek
Yesterday’s Son
Time for Yesterday
The Eyes of the Beholders
Sarek

Science Fiction
The Starbridge Series – Books 1-7

The Exiles of Boq’urain:
Storms of Destiny
Winds of Vengeance
Flames of Chaos

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

You saw the movies. You watched the cartoon series, or maybe played some of the video games. But did you know …

In
The Empire Strikes Back
, Princess Leia Organa said to Han Solo, “I love you.” Han said, “I know.” But did you know that they actually got married? And had three Jedi children: the twins, Jacen and Jaina, and a younger son, Anakin?

Luke Skywalker was trained as a Jedi by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. But did you know that, years later, he went on to revive the Jedi Order and its commitment to defending the galaxy from evil and injustice?

Obi-Wan said to Luke, “For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.” Did you know that over those millennia, legendary Jedi and infamous Sith Lords were adding their names to the annals of Republic history?

Yoda explained that the dreaded Sith tend to come in twos: “Always two, there are. No more, no less. A Master, and an apprentice.” But did you know that the Sith didn’t always exist in pairs? That at one time in the ancient Republic there were as many Sith as Jedi, until a Sith Lord named Darth Bane was the lone survivor of a great Sith war and created the “Rule of Two”?

All this and much, much more is brought to life in the many novels and comics of the
Star Wars
expanded universe. You’ve seen the movies and watched the cartoon. Now venture out into the wider worlds of
Star Wars
!

Turn the page or jump to the
timeline
of
Star Wars
novels to learn more.

H
an Solo, former Imperial officer, sat despondently at a sticky table in a dingy bar on Devaron, sipping an inferior Alderaanian ale and wishing he were alone. Not that he minded the other denizens of the bar—horned Devish males and furry Devish females, plus a smattering of nonhumans from other worlds. Han was used to aliens; he’d grown up with them aboard
Trader’s Luck
, a large trading ship that wandered the spacelanes of the galaxy. By the time he was ten, Han had been able to speak and understand half a dozen nonhuman languages.

No, it wasn’t the aliens around him. It was the alien
beside
him. Han took a swig of his ale, grimaced at the sour taste, then glanced sidelong at the cause of all his troubles. The huge, hairy being gazed back at him with concerned blue eyes. Han sighed heavily.
If only he’d go home!
But the Wookiee—Chew-something—utterly refused to go home to Kashyyyk, despite Han’s repeated urging. The alien claimed he owed something called a “life debt” to former Imperial Lieutenant Han Solo.

Life debt … great. Just what I need
, Han thought bitterly.
A big furry nursemaid trailing after me, giving me advice, fussing over me if I drink too much, telling me he’s gonna take care of me. Great. Just great
.

Han scowled into his ale, and the pale, watery brew reflected his countenance back at him, distorting his features until he appeared nearly as alien as the Wookiee. What
was
his name? Chew-something. The Wookiee had told him, but Han wasn’t good at pronouncing Wookiee, even though he understood it perfectly.

Besides, he didn’t
want
to learn this particular Wookiee’s name. If he learned his name, he’d likely never get rid of his hairy shadow.

Han rubbed a hand over his face blearily, feeling several days’ stubble. Ever since he’d been kicked out of the service, he kept forgetting to shave. When he’d been a cadet, then a junior lieutenant, then a full lieutenant, he’d been meticulous with his grooming, the way an officer and a gentleman should be … but now … what difference did it make?

Han raised his glass in a slightly unsteady hand and gulped the sour ale. He put the empty tankard down, and glanced around the bar for the server.
Need another drink. One more, and I’ll feel much better. Just one more …

The Wookiee moaned quietly. Han’s scowl deepened. “Keep your opinions to yourself, hairball,” he snarled. “I’ll know when I’ve had enough. Th’ las’ thing I need is a Wookiee playin’ nursemaid for me.”

The Wookiee—Chewbacca, that was it—growled softly, his blue eyes shadowed with concern. Han’s lip curled. “I’m perfectly capable of lookin’ after myself, and don’t you forget it. Just ’cause I saved your furry butt from being vaporized doesn’t mean you owe me a thing. I tol’ you before—I owed a Wookiee, long ago. Owed her my life, coupla times over. So I saved you, ’cause I owed her.”