Showdown At Centerpoint

by Roger MacBride Allen

  Leia, Han, Mara, and the Selonians were all in the living room of the prison

  villa, standing up, saying their pointless diplomatic good-byes, when

  suddenly the com system in the corner came to life, all on its own. A blare

  of static filled the room, Han was startled enough to jump half a meter in

  the air, but the others took it all a bit more calmly. "Relax, Han." said

  Mara. "Someone out there has just used the auto-on system, that's all/' It

  was possible to turn most com systems on by remote control, so that the

  authorities could make an emergency announcement. The flat-field screen came

  on, showing a crazy-quilt of shifting, scrambling color. Then the image

  settled down to show a grainy image of a huge grinning skull It appeared to

  a thunderously loud and distorted musical accompaniment. The graininess and

  distortion told Han that the signal was being broadcast by a transmit- ter

  that wasn't quite up to the job, some piece of equipment that was being

  pressed into service. Even as he judged the technical quality of the

  broadcast as a matter of reflex, it took Han a moment to realize the full

  implications of the system's power-on. "Hey. wait a second!" he said. "This

  means the jamming is down! Now we can- "Shhh! Quiet,'' Leia said. ''If it's

  worth it to Thrackan to shut off the jamming just to make an announcement,

  it has to be important. I want to hear it." She hit a button on the com

  system's control panel, setting it to record the message, then sat down in

  front of the com screen. "How arc you knowing it is Sal-Solo who-" began

  Dracmus, when the skull image faded away and, sure enough, there was

  Sal-Solo himself, seated in what looked like the control room of a small

  military craft of some sort, smiling with every bit of the warmth and

  kindness of the skull his image replaced. There was something awkward, a bit

  clumsy about the setup, as if it had been improvised. The image wobbled a

  bit, as if it was coming from a handheld holographic recorder. "Greetings to

  all of you throughout the CorelHan system.1' Thrackan said as a bit of

  static scrambled his image for a second. "I am Thrackan Sal-Solo, Diktat of

  Corcllia. I have ordered that all communications jamming be turned off, so

  that 1 might inform all those in the Coreliian system-our friends and

  enemies alike- of two very important new prizes that Human League troops,

  acting under my command, have won. First, let it be known that we have

  gained control of Drall's planetary repulsor. The New Republic kept even the

  existence of this extremely powerful device secret from you, the people of

  the Coreliian system- "Because we didn't know it existed," Han muttered.

  "Shhhh!" hissed Leia. "-but now it is our possession. Soon we will control

  the repulsor on the planet Corellia as well. 1 understand that these devices

  are unknown to all of you. Suffice it to say that with these powerful

  weapons we shall be able to protect ourselves from all our enemies, whoever

  they may be." Dracmus turned to Kleyvits. "The League now has the Drall

  repulsor?" she demanded. "What will this mean?" "The second prize that we

  have won is of a more personal nature," Thrackan went on. "We have rescued

  the three children of Leia Organa Solo, Chief of State of that same New

  Republic." Han felt the blood drain from his face, felt his heart turn to

  ice. He looked to Leia and saw the same horror there. "We have saved them

  from the aliens who held them prisoner," Thrackan went on. "They are safe,

  here, with me now. I look forward to my chance to return them to their

  mother. First, of course, she must make her whereabouts known to us. She

  herself must come out of hiding and confirm her recognition of the Corel-Man

  Sector's freedom. I offer this video imagery to prove that I have the

  repulsor, and have the children safe." "Of all the low-down, dirty, rotten-"

  Han growled. "The lies that man tells!" The screen went dark again, and then

  showed a vast, silver cylindrical interior space, as seen from the bottom.

  The image was a bit wobbly still, and the resolution was not all it could

  be. but the picture was clear enough for all of that. The hoiocam panned

  about to show an assault boat-and the Millennium Falcon-sitting at the

  bottom of the cylinder. Men in uniforms walked purposefully about the two

  ships. The hoiocam panned up, to show six huge cones rising from the floor,

  and a seventh, larger than the others, in the center of the chamber, with

  the sky visible through the top of the chamber. "It is at least most

  certainly idcntical-ish to our own repulsor-" said Dracmus, before Kleyvits

  cut her off with a warning glare. The holocam view swung back down to the

  floor of the chamber and zoomed in to a group of forlorn-looking figures

  sitting and standing in a confined space. The view faded away, and then the

  image brightened to show a closer view of the sad-looking group. It was the

  children, held inside a force field containment, with Chewbacca, Ebrihim,

  and a Drall Leia did not know held in an adjacent containment. The cam moved

  from face to face, showed a close-up of each of them. Jacen, looking sad but

  determined; Jaina worried, her gaze straying to Anakin; Anakin glaring

  straight at the cam. His face was streaked with tears, and he looked

  snuffly, as if he had just calmed down after crying. The cam moved along to

  show Thrackan, smiling coldly. Leia choked back a sob, and Han felt a lump

  in his own throat. Thrackan had them. Thrackan had stolen children, Han's

  children. Thrackan had kidnapped his own flesh and blood. But then Han felt

  his sickness at heart, his fear, his horror, turn to cold, hard anger,

  clear-sighted anger. Thrackan wanted them scared, and shocked. But already

  Han was determined not to give Thrackan what he wanted. The holocam panned

  to the second Drall, and then, at last, to Chewbacca. There was something in

  Chewbacca's stance, in Chewbacca's expression, that gave Han hope. Chewbacca

  stood tall, he looked at the holocam, bared his fangs at it. He didn't look

  or act remotely beaten. Han knew Chewie-and that was not a Chewbacca who

  thought he was beaten. In that instant Han knew, knew beyond doubt, that

  Chewbacca still had a trick or two up his sleeve. Or at least he would have,

  if he wore clothes. The image faded away and returned to the original shot

  of Thrackan in the ship's control room. "That -ould be proof enough f- all

  that I speak the truth," Thrackan said, as another ripple of static whipped

  through the broadcast. "I await the answer of the Chief of State, and as

  Diktat of the Independent Sector of Coreilia, I call upon all Corellians to

  grant me their true allegiance." The skull-and-dagger image came back up,

  there was another blare of martial music, and the screen went dead.

  "Han-Han-he's got our children. He's got our children, and we-we can't do

  what he says. We can't." Leia looked to her husband, her eyes full of tears.

  "I know." said Han, the words tearing at his insides. "It wouldn't do any

  good, even if we tried." What good would it do, even, if Leia .said the

  words, even if she confirmed Corellian independence? At the very least, she

  would be driven from office, more than likel
y arrested on a charge of

  treason, and tiic agreement repudiated-and that would be nothing more than

  simple justice. It was plainly obvious thai Coreilia could not be allowed to

  break away, or else the whole New Republic might well collapse. Even a

  failed attempt, a failure that managed to seem noble and heroic, that looked

  like patriots struggling to throw off tyranny, would badly weaken the New

  Republic. Perhaps weaken it fatally. And how many would die in a new round

  of wars and rebellions? How many children of other parents would be murdered

  in those battles? " know we can't,"1 Han said, the words ashes in his

  mouth. "But how can we let him have them?" "This is most horrifying, and

  most bad!" said Dracmus. "Thrackan turns even more deeply against his own

  blood, his own Den and clan." Kleyvits turned toward Draemus. "What is it

  you are saying, Hunchuzue?" It was plain that "Hunchuzuc" was not meant as a

  compliment when it came from Kleyvits. "Know you not, eminent Klcyvils?

  Thrackan Sal-Solo is of the blood of Han Solo, of Leia Organa Solo's

  children! Close as two clans of the same Den! He threatens his own!"

  "Impossible!" Kleyvits said. "How could any being do such a thing? I am

  astonished! Astonished by so many things. Thrackan asks that you confirm

  your recognition of Corellian independence! Have you indeed recognized his

  claim? I do not understand, and I must." "Thrackan Sal-Solo lied," Dracmus

  said, the disgust plain in her voice. "He said things that were not true,

  for his own gain. Half of what he said was false, or else truth phrased to

  make lies seem true." "Impossible again! He said that- "Quiet! Both of you!"

  Mara shouted. "It is possible, and he has done it." She gestured with her

  arm to indicate Han and Leia. "He has done it to this man, and this woman,

  and their children. Respect their shock and sorrow. Be gone! Give them time

  for shock, for grief, a nd take your foolish debates elsewhere!" "No!"

  shouted Han. All his anger at his cousin, his blazing hot fury at the

  villainy of his own relation, suddenly found a new target, one closer to

  home, one that he could strike at and do some good. Suddenly he found words

  that were weapons, weapons that could strike at the bumbling, seemingly

  reasonable, manipulative, dissembling enemy who stood before him. "Stay

  where you arc! You, Kleyvits. How dare you sneer at Thrackan Sal-Solo,

  because he holds those of his blood hostage for gain? You do the same! You

  hold us!" "But-but-you are not of my family, not of my blood!" Han stabbed

  his finger at Dracmus and spoke. "She is of your blood, and you hold her

  spirit hostage by holding us, by forcing her to collaborate with you in

  goading us, harassing us. "She has saved my life, and I hers. She has risked

  her life for mine, and I have risked mine for hers. She has vouched for me

  with your folk. She has granted me her protection. We have lived and fought

  together. No, it is not blood-but it is family. We have claims on each

  other, of duty and respect. We were allies against you and your Overden. Now

  you force her to spit on her allies, against her will, for your own

  amusement." "Honored Solo, please--no more!'' Dracmus said. "There is much

  more, much more," Han said to Dracmus. "Your people speak the truth and have

  no skill in lies. Can you say, with honesty, that anything of what I say is

  wrong?" Dracmus suddenly seemed smaller, sadder, pushed down. "No," she

  said, "I cannot." Suddenly Han was inspired. Suddenly he had an idea, a

  hunch, an instinct. It might be wrong-but if it was right-if it was right,

  and he understood the Selonians properly . . . Yes. Yes. "Then let us have

  more truth," Han said. "You, Kleyvits. Speak now of your repulsor. Who

  operates it? Whose hand-paws are on the controls?" Kleyvits looked

  suspiciously at Han. "Why, those of good Selonians, of course." "But whose

  Selonians?" Han demanded. "Are they yours? Are they of the Overden?" There

  was a moment's deadly silence, and Kleyvits stood stock-still, only her eyes

  moving, back and forth from Han to Dracmus. Then her whiskers twitched once,

  involuntarily, and the claws of her hand-paws extended just a hairbreadth

  before retracting. "I must say no more about that," she replied. Han felt an

  angry jubilation, a moment's brutal glee. He" had won. He knew it. But he

  could not play the next card in this hand of sabacc. Only Dracmus could turn

  it over. This was (he crucial moment. Dracmus could choose not to hear what

  she had heard, or else- "You are wrong, eminent Kleyvits," Dracmus hissed

  from behind clenched, fully exposed, needle-sharp teeth. "You arc wrong down

  to the depths of your dishonored soul. You must, indeed, say more about it.

  You must say a great deal more." "I-I must say no more- "Who?" 'Dracmus

  demanded. "Who controls the repulsor? We capitulated because you had shown

  your power. But the power was not yours! It is dishonor! Who?" "I must say

  no more- "I will be ANSWERED1" bellowed Dracmus, a Dracmus who suddenly

  seemed the size and spirit of an enraged Wookiee. Her eyes blazed, her fur

  bristled. Her claws were out, her teeth were bared, and her tail-stump

  iashed with anger. "WHO?' "It is-they are-they are-the-the Cast-outs. The

  Sacorrians. The Selonians of the Triad.'1 "Sweet burning stars,'1 Mara

  whispered. "The Sacorrians. The Triad. I don't believe it." The room was

  silent again, but the silence seemed to echo from every corner, to shout at

  them all, to fill the room with its deadly emptiness. "If an ourworlder, a

  human skilled in lies, had told me such a thing. I would join with the

  honored Jade and refuse to believe it,'' Dracmus said, speaking at last,

  speaking in a voice as low, as quiet, as threatening and ominous as far-off

  thunder. "But you, a Selonian, speak the words, Klcyvits. and I am forced to

  believe. The words sicken me. The truth fills me with revulsion." Kleyvits

  dropped to all fours and cringed at Dracmus's feet. Plainly, it was no empty

  ritual. It was Kleyvits submitting to Dracmus and begging for mercy. "Rise

  up," snarled Dracmus. "Rise up and come with me. Others must be sickened by

  the truth. Others must hear. And then the days of the Overden will be over."

  Klcyvits got up on her hind legs and bowed deeply to Dracmus. Dracmus did

  not acknowledge the bow, but turned and left the room, her head held high,

  the humans forgotten. Kleyvits followed after her, head down, shoulders

  slumped, the roles of victor and vanquished utterly reversed. And, suddenly,

  the humans were alone. "I don't understand," said Han, drastically

  understating the case. "1 had a hunch there had to be some ringers brought

  in. 1 figured it had to be outsiders who had researched its operation that

  were actually running the repulsor. I figured that would make Kleyvits look

  a little bad-but nothing like that. What happened?" "I'll explain later,"

  Mara said. "Right now, see to Leia." Han turned toward his wife, who had sat

  back down in one of the splendid, luxurious chairs that filled this

  splendid, luxurious prison of a villa. She was sobbing quietly to herself,

  the tears falling quietly. "Oh, Han. Our children. That man has our

  children." "I know," said Ha
n. "I know. But he is not going to keep them. I

  promise you that we will get them-But suddenly Leia was on her feet, looking

  up, an eager, faraway look in her.eyes, the change in her demeanor

  bewilderingly fast. Han exchanged a glance with Mara, and it was plain they

  were both wondering, for a fleeting moment, if Lcia had suddenly become

  unhinged. But Han should have known better. Leia was made of sterner stuff

  than that. "It's Luke!" she said. "Luke is coming this way. I can fee! him,

  reaching out with the Force to me. He's homing in on me." "How soon is he

  coming?" Han asked. "How fast will he- Han's question was answered even as

  it was drowned out by the roaring thunder of a fast, low-flying aircraft.

  The tremendous noise filled the room, rattled the windows, and knocked

  several knickknacks off side tables. The sound receded as suddenly as it had

  arrived, as Luke's X-wing buzzed the villa. Han rushed out the open doors

  and saw the X-wing flying off into the distance before swinging around to

  make another pass. The X-wing came in low and slow this time, circling the

  villa. Lcia and Mara had joined Han outside, and all of them were

  frantically waving their arms, as if there was some mad chance that Luke

  would miss them, after flying in directly on top of them with pinpoint

  accuracy. The X-wing made one long, slow circuit around the perimeter of the

  villa, firing one or two bursts of turbolaser fire to encourage the guards

  to be on their way. The guards took very little convincing. By the time the

  X-wing set down next to the Jade's Fire, they were all headed straight for

  the nearest spot on the horizon. The canopy of the X-wing swung open, and

  Luke climbed out as fast as he could and jumped to the ground. He threw his

  arms around his sister, and then around Han. Mara hung back from these more

  effusive greetings, but at least managed a sincere-looking smile for Luke.

  "Oh, Luke, it's been so long, and so much has happened!" said Leia, giving

  him yet another hug. "That it has, Leia, that it has," said Luke. "I don't

  know that it's been all that much time," said Han, "but I'll go along with

  the part about a lot happening." The last time they had seen Luke, he was

  bidding them all farewell on their way to a nice, quiet family vacation on

  Corellia. Han hadn't expected to encounter anything more exciting than a