BITING OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW? Chapt. # 2
"Alright, Chewie, punch in the surface coordinates for Loc-Lam." Han solo instructed as he watched the flight monitor. There're two oblong planets on the screen, but I'm not sure which one we're supposed to land on."
Chewbacca deftly entered the numerical coordinates and a single, larger image the planet popped up on Han's screen. "Guess that's the place." Han confirmed. "This sure is off the beaten track…no telling what we'll find there…so stay alert!"
The Falcon angled into the lower atmosphere of Loc Lam.
"Check the gauges for the surface pull of gravity and oxygen saturation. Sure hope we don't need life-masks." Han directed as he scanned the area through the cockpit window. Chewbacca nodded, checked the readouts and growled an answer.
"69.3 oxygen sat." Han repeated. "Just don't try to take any deep breaths." He teased.
The Wookiee then gave the gravity reading. "Guess we'll be a little light on our feet."
As the Falcon glided lower, treeless landforms came into view; craggy hills, broad, flat areas and swampy lakes and marshes.
Chewbacca pointed and woofed at the same time Han spoke. "There're the lights of the spaceport, sure looks small."
They circled the small grouping of mound-shaped buildings looking for a nearby landing flat.
"Let's set her down here." Han said when he spotted a large, clear area.
The ship hovered, then settled heavily on the ground. Han quickly turned switches and flipped levers to put the starship in a stationary position.
"Keep the running lights on, Chewie, and don't shut down completely - we may have to make a quick getaway."
The Falcon's low, vibrating, thrumming hum drowned out all other sounds and a loud bang at the hatchway caught Han off guard and he jerked around, quickly drawing his blaster. "What the….." he exclaimed. He silently motioned for Chewbacca to go to the other side of the hatchway. At the Wookiee's nod Han hit the 'open' pad and as the hatchway slid up, four human-like beings rushed into the ship, their weapons drawn and pointed at Han.
"Hey! What is this?!" Han shouted.
"Drop the blaster, now!" One ordered in a metallic sounding voice, he was apparently the leader. Han hesitated and the being brandished his weapon threateningly at Han. "NOW!"
Chewbacca roared and one of the group turned and shot a laser beam at the Wookiee. Chewbacca dodged and the white-hot beam slammed into the ships hull, making a smoldering crater.
Instantly the being holding his weapon on Han, knocked Han's blaster to the deck. "What are you doing here?" He questioned gruffly.
"I'm here to pick up cargo." Han looked at his blaster, mentally calculating his chances of reaching it.
The being nodded to the other three, each lowered their weapon. At a command from their leader, the three scattered throughout the starship.
Han took a step forward. "What the hell is going on here?!"
"Searching your ship. Let me see your ships registration and Universal Pass. Han stepped back into the cockpit and reached inside a covered compartment on the flight console.
"Make sure only what I ask for comes out of there if you want your hands still attached to your arms." The leader threatened.
Han moved slowly, handing the papers to the being, hoping he couldn't tell they were forged. The being looked the papers over thoroughly..Han could feel a drop of sweat slip down
his shirt collar. Chewbacca was silent and still as stone. The being looked the Corellian over from head to foot. "Han Solo."
"That's right."
The being refolded the papers and handed them back as Chewbacca joined Han near the cockpit.
"We were informed you would be arriving."
"Then why all this?" Han questioned, waving his arm in a sweep.
"Precautions. What you will be hauling is extremely important, secretive and…..dangerous."
"And that is?" Han let the question hang in the air.
"Better you don't know…you're just the delivery boy." Han bristled at being called a 'boy'.
The other three beings reappeared in the cockpit hallway. "All done sir." One reported.
The leader told Han, "We had to be sure there would be no double cross."
"Didn't see any places where the cargo could be housed." One of the other beings told the leader.
The being winced. "We may have to delay the shipment…get someone else."
"Seeing in his 'mind's eye' the promised credits slipping away, Han said, "I've got cargo holds that can't be discovered. And I've been boarded and searched a few times."
"Show me." The leader said.
"Han nodded to Chewbacca and together they moved to the grated deck plates, lifting one for the leader to inspect. "There are six cargo wells here."
The leader huffed. "They looked pretty obvious to me..right out in the open."
Han and Chewie dropped the heavy covering. "Just return vents for the ship's air regulation." Han gave a pause. "You didn't know about them till I told you…and you were standing right on them.
The leader gave a smirk of a smile. "Guess you'll do, then. Open the rest of the holds and we'll get you loaded…want you gone within two orbit hours."
The leader then nodded to the three standing by the hatchway. "Tell them they can load the cargo."
The three left to carry out the order. Under the watchful eye of the leader, Han and Chewbacca removed the grated deck plates.
"Get your ship ready for immediate lift-off."
Han followed by Chewbacca, worked in the cockpit until all that was needed for them to do when the cargo was loaded, was to take flight.
From the cockpit window, Han saw the three armed beings, with their weapons trained on six other human-like beings who were each carrying an approximately three meter square, red, metal box walking toward the ship. The Falcon's pilots watched as the six positioned their boxes in the holds. That done, Han secured and locked the deck plates.
The armed beings marched the six out of the ship.
"Here are your coordinates for delivery." The leader held a palm readout for Han to see. "Vary your flight..don't fly directly to this destination. When you are there…wait in your ship..you will be contacted. You won't be given any other directions…you job will be finished."
Han nodded in understanding and Chewbacca gave a moderate growl. "Any ship's temperature or flight speed limits on the cargo?"
"Just treat it like any other cargo you haul." The leader told him. He then held out a currency plate. Han took it and gave a slight gasp at the amount. "This is DOUBLE what was offered." He said to the leader, who gave a slight smile…."she said you had a partner." and nodded at
Chewbacca.
"Safe flight. Captain Solo. The being then left the ship and Han quickly closed and locked
the hatchway.
"Guess we're on our way, Chewie." Han said as he settled himself into his flight seat next to the
Wookiee.
Seconds before lift-off, Han caught sight of the group outside the Falcon. The leader had lined up the six delivery beings and one by one, they were shot dead - execution style.
"Ridian's Abyss, Chewie!" Han cursed. "Did you see that?" Chewbacca roared an exclamation. Han looked back at the grated cargo hold. "What the hell are we carrying?!"
"Wonder if something like that is waiting for us when we deliver this stuff!
Han pulled the flight yoke and the Falcon lifted into the air.
On the ground, the leader watched the starship disappear into the atmosphere. He then looked at the six dead bodies splayed on the ground around him and said to the others;
"If he knew what he was hauling…..we'd be laying dead too."