Han stared at the surface-lit planet that grew before the curvaceous ship rapidly, several star destroyers patrolling on separate orbits. He noted Quolle's smooth, unconcerned face in front of him, Lando's clenched jaw to his left, before he realized that he'd been holding his breath. "I have a bad feeling about this," Han said.

Chewbacca grunted in front of him.

"We'd be a lot better off with this Jedi friend of yours with us," Lando said.

"He's not a Jedi," Han said, "Just some cocky kid."

The ship entered the thin Coruscant atmosphere on the evening side, dropped down into a cluster of tall, multifaceted buildings, mirrored glass glinting in the orange sky, cloud tides washing over their tops. Running lights flashed below, between buildings, crossing over, between, around labyrinthine city structures that strove to touch the tip of the atmosphere. Quolle took the ship down into the depths, sinking straight for the surface of the city, and finally set down on a platform that hung out over several sunken stories, attached to the dark side of a large building.

A short human man with shaved blonde hair met them at the foot of the ramp, escorted by a tall, large-framed reptilian humanoid with black scales and a curving form. "What is your business here?" the short man asked sternly.

"Jabba sent us," Han said. "I'm Captain Solo."

"Ah," his expression immediately brightened. "We've been expecting you. I'm Commander Treg, and this is my bodyguard, Skak." The commander led them into a small empty room. Muffled laughter, conversations, and upbeat music reverberated through the walls.

"Nice place," Lando said sarcastically. "What is this?"

"You're in the hindquarters of one of Coruscant's finest casinos," Treg replied.

Chewbacca growled at a corner of the room.

"What is it, Chewie?" Han asked.

A figure stepped forth, covered in burnt-orange fur, humanoid, with an elongated snout and willowy thin ears that curved upward in front of a fiery mane. Two beady black eyes stared at them all individually. "This is Lyrkk Feryk, one of the Bothans' top agents," the commander said. The Bothan wore grey fatigues and a blaster on his belt.

Lyrkk said nothing. They all regarded him respectfully for a moment.

"Let's get started with this cargo," Han said.

"Relax, Captain," said Treg. "We have droids to handle this job, and they've already begun."

"What kind of military strike do you hope to make on this planet?" Quolle asked. "Any group attempt on the emperor would be suicide."

"Indeed," said the commander. "We've plotted several simultaneous surgical strikes that require some exotic weapons, which is why we enlisted them from the Hutt. This will all be timed with other planned events."

"What are we going to do?" Han asked.

"You will report back to General Dodonna for further instructions," Treg said, adding, "if you choose to remain with the rebellion."

"How many soldiers do you have?" Lando asked.

"Fifty on Coruscant at this point," Treg said.

"You need more than that. If I can ferret out some mercenaries can you use them?"

"We have no more credits for mercenaries, friend."

"I have a few friends that owe me some favors," Lando said. "I'll see who I can round up."

"You're staying here?" Han asked.

"Looks like it," Lando said with a smirk. "I'd hate to see a pirate like you get all the credit."

The inner door burst open, and in marched a detachment of stormtroopers. Treg bolted for the door, but his bodyguard caught him by the neck and tossed him into a wall. The Bothan pulled his gun and fired expertly into Skak's chest, sending him to the ground while Lando led Han, Chewie, and Quolle out to the landing platform. The stormtroopers opened fire on Lyrkk, just as he ducked out the door and slammed it shut behind him. A speeder set down beside the ship, and two troopers hopped out shooting. Han rolled to cover behind some crates, while Chewie, Lando, and Quolle ducked behind the ship, and Lyrkk dove away from the door. Han popped one in the chest, and Chewie hit the other.

Quolle slapped the controls to open the ship, but Han yelled, "We can't take that ship now!"

"How will we get back to Aquari?" she asked.

Stormtroopers poured single-file from the door and interrupted the conversation with gunfire. Han shot back while diving for the abandoned squad speeder, followed closely by Lando. Chewbacca hurried Quolle up the ship's ramp while providing cover fire, then hopped up himself and hid behind the airlock wall. Lyrkk hid behind the door and shot each trooper in the back as he came out, until the onslaught stopped. He pushed the door shut and ran to hide with Chewbacca. Han took the speeder up into traffic, then looped around and swooped for his companions, stopping at a hover in front of the ship's ramp.

"Everyone squeeze in," he said, and Quolle hopped into the backseat first, followed by Chewbacca, and finally Lyrkk. The door burst open, just as Han took the speeder off once again. Troopers fired on them errantly; Lando and Lyrkk returned equally errant fire as Han wove rapidly away. Two speeders rose up behind them in pursuit, weaving expertly through traffic, attempting to flank Han's stolen speeder while his passengers competed to kill the drivers. Han dove and wove and turned sharply to lose the troopers, but they followed closely behind, each of them shooting for the stolen speeder.

Chewbacca scored a beam into one driver, sending the speeder careening into a tall building. Lyrkk knocked out the other one, and Han quickly set down on the nearest ship dock. Everyone jumped out and followed him to the nearest ship, a bulky grey freighter similar to the Millennium Falcon, but with a rectangular body. "Lando, can you override the security system on this thing?" Han asked.

"Forget it," Lyrkk purred. "Come with me." The Bothan turned and headed for the tower attached to the landing platform. "We should put some distance between ourselves and that speeder," he said.

The others followed. "What happened back there?" Lando asked.

"Skak betrayed us to the empire," Lyrkk said.

"Who?"

"The bodyguard," Han said. "How do you know this?"

"It's my job."

"Then you could've stopped it from happening," Quolle said.

"I found out too late," Lyrkk replied. He opened the door into a smoky tavern bursting with chatter and lounge music.

"What's going to happen to that planned strike?" Han asked.

"We'll discuss that when we contact Aquari," said the Bothan.

They stood in the short entryway. A silver protocol droid approached them. "Good evening, sirs and madame, may I help you with something?" it asked in a voice identical to C3-PO's.

"We need to find the elevator," Lyrkk said.