Vision of the future

the turbolift at a carefully measured walk. This was going to be a pleasure.

* * *

A turbolaser flashed, its lethal red beam sizzling perilously close to the Falcon's starboard side on its way toward an Escort Frigate with Prosslee markings. Han spun the ship away from a second shot, dodged the other direction barely in time to avoid a pair of Bagmim customs ships driving with laser cannon blazing toward the Prosslee.

The whole universe had gone mad. With him square in the middle of it.

'What happened over there?' he called toward the comm, weaving between a pair of Opquis gunships.

'According to the Ishori, three humans came aboard about half an hour ago,' Leia's voice came back, the sound of an alert tone droning in the background. 'They had New Republic tech IDs and a letter from the Ishori High Conflux authorizing them to examine the Predominance's power couplings for oxidation damage.'

'All phony, of course,' Han growled, maneuvering the Falcon into a relatively clear space and looking around. It was like Endor all over again out there.

Except that this time the Empire was nowhere to be seen. It was Rebels fighting other Rebels.

'We know that now,' Leia agreed. 'Once aboard, they killed their escort and took over one of the turbolaser clusters. When the Drev'starn shield went down... Han, they got eight shots off onto the surface before we were able to cut off power to their cluster. The Ishori still haven't been able to storm the room and get to them, even with Barkhimkh and Sakhisakh helping them.' Beside Han, Elegos murmured something in the Caamasi language. 'How bad did Drev'starn get hit?' Han asked. 'Never mind—that's not important right now. What's happening with you and the ship?'

'We're under attack,' Leia said, her voice tense. 'Three Diamalan ships have joined up against us, one of them sitting between us and the planet in case we try to fire on Drev'starn again. No serious damage yet, I don't think, to either side. But that can't last.'

'Didn't you tell them what happened?' Han asked.

'I told them, the Predominance's captain told them, Gavrisom told them,' Leia said. 'They're not listening.'

'Or else don't care,' Han said, clenching his teeth hard enough to hurt. Leia, trapped aboard a ship under massive attack... 'Look, I'm going to try to get over there,' he told her. 'Maybe I can at least get you and Gavrisom off.'

'No—stay away,' Leia said sharply. 'Please. You'd never make it.' Han gazed bitterly out at the swirling battle. She was right, of course; from his new vantage point he could see the Predominance now and the storm of turbolaser fire raking across it, and he knew full well the Falcon's shields wouldn't stand a chance in there. But he couldn't just sit out here and do nothing. 'Look, I've outfought Star Destroyers before,' he said.

'You've outmaneuvered them,' Leia corrected him. 'There's a big difference. Please, Han, don't try to—'

There was a squawk, and suddenly she was cut off. 'Leia!' Han shouted, his chest tightening as he looked back at the Ishori war cruiser. It still seemed intact; but all it would take would be a single lucky shot into the bridge area —

'She's all right,' Elegos said, pointing at the comm display. 'They're just being jammed again.' Han let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. 'We've got to do something,' he said, searching the sky for inspiration. 'We've got to get her off that ship—' The comm crackled back to life. 'Leia?' Han called, leaning hopefully toward the speaker.

'Solo?' a male voice called. 'It's Carib Devist.'

Han grimaced. 'What do you want? We're kind of busy out here.'

'No kidding,' Carib snapped. 'And whose fault do you think that is?'

'We already know,' Han growled. 'Some troublemakers got aboard the Predominance and started shooting. Probably Imperials.'

'Definitely Imperials,' Carib retorted. 'And it was other Imperials who stirred the rest of the crowd into doing likewise. Or didn't you hear them broadcasting recorded attack orders in a half-dozen different languages?'

Han threw a glower at Elegos, feeling a stab of chagrin at having totally missed reality on that one. So that was what those small Imperial ships Carib had identified had been hanging around Bothawui for. Obvious.

Or at least it would have been obvious if anyone out there had bothered to take a minute