[Han Solo Adventures] - 03 by Han Solo & the Lost Legacy (Brian Daley)

Author:Han Solo & the Lost Legacy (Brian Daley) [Solo, Han & Legacy, the Lost]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-03-10T13:35:26+00:00

11

“THERE’S something wrong,” Han said, peering intendy through his blaster’s scope in the morning light. “I’m not sure, but-Here, you look, Badure. “

“It just looks like a landing field to me,” Hasti commented.

“Just because it’s big and flat and has ships parked on it?” Han asked sarcastically. “Don’t jump to any conclusions; after all, we may’ve stumbled onto the only used-aircraft lot in these mountains.” A stiff breeze at their backs blew down the narrow valley toward the field. It had been snowing heavily in the region; at the far edge of the flat area below, a snowfield sloped sharply downward toward the lowlands.

“It’s not on any map I ever saw, ” declared Badure, squinting through the scope.

“Doesn’t mean a thing,” Han replied. “The Tion Hegemony’s survey-updating program is running something like a hundred and eighty years behind schedule and getting worse. And these mountains are full of turbulence and storm activity. A survey-flyover ship could’ve missed that place altogether. Even an Alpha Team or a full Beta Mission might not have caught it.” Thinking it over, Han rubbed his jaw, feeling his growth of beard. He, like the others, was drawn and haggard from the march and had lost a good deal of weight. The knife cutacross his chin was healing well enough in the absence of a medi-pack.

“Badure’s right,” Hasti said,. holding the survey-map reader up close to her face. “There’s nothing on her at all. And what’s it doing out here anyway? Look, they had to have carved away half that cliff to build it. Han was concentrating on the field with his remarkably acute vision. There, guidance lights and warning beacons were dark, understandable at a hidden base; but they seemed to be of a very outdated design. He could make out several craft that appeared to be about the size of spaceboats, and five larger ones. It was difficult to see any details because their tails and afterburners were pointed in his direction. Then he knew what was bothering him.

“Badure, they’ve got those ships parked and tied down with their rear ends into the wind.” Since the craft on the field followed common aerodynamic design principles, the sensible way to position them would have been with their noses into the prevailing air currents. Badure lowered the scope and handed back Han’s blaster. “The wind’s been steady, at least since last night. Either they don’t care what kind of knocking-around their ships will take if a storm kicks up, or the place is deserted.”

“We haven’t seen a soul down there,” Hasti said. Han turned to Bollux. “Are you still getting those signals? “

“Yes, Captain. They originate from that antenna mast down there by the field, I would say. They’re very weak. I only picked them up because the summit we climbed was close on a direct line of sight.” Han and Bollux had ascended that summit, a laborious session of trudging and scrambling and occasionally climbing, because of a suspicion of Han’s. In the mining camp, Hasti and Badure had heard rumors that J’uoch and her partners were increasing camp security.

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