The story opens with the
Millenium Falcon riding an asteroid in the Mytus system. Their target is the seventh planet in the system, which is fairly far out, so Han travels to the far side of the system, still in interstellar space, finds a suitable asteroid and adjusts its orbit with tractors and engine on a cometary orbit which will give them a good view of the target. Riding ony of thousands of asteroids, they are beneath the notice of the Authority on Mytus VII. And this is what they see:
The planet is an airless rock, as are all the other planets in this system. Even if someone escapes, they have nowhere to go. The entire system is also so remote no one is going to find it unless they're deliberately looking for it.
The installation on the planet's surface is marked by temporary dormitories, hangars, guard barracks, hydroponics, dome sheds, and weapons sites. They are connected by tunnel-tubes, not permanent tunnels just yet. Smack in the center of the installation is a very tall tower, like a gleaming dagger, under which is an
extremely powerful reactor, of the type used for capital ships or planetary fortresses. Remember Empire Strikes Back? Remember the deflector shield strong enough to deflect bombardment by
all of Death Squadron? That's what we have here.
That's one of two remarkable things about this planet. The second is that this is a no-go area, under highest Authority restriction, with warning that trespessers are subject to immediate destruction. Other than that, it appears to be a completely ordinary settlement. There are encrypted transmissions but the unencrypted stuff is entirely normal and uninteresting. Han suspects some of them are deliberately sent to further the appearance of normality.
The stakeout is boring. They have run out of fresh food and subsisting on emergency rations. Pakka is amusing himself with the Falcon's remote. Remember the remote Luke was sparring with in Episode IV? It's aboard, although not for lightsaber practice. Blue Max controls it, while Pakka attempts to stalk and spring on it. They are having reasonably good time, and Bollux is proving to be a true gem;
he has an astonishing number of stories and a previous owner has programmed him with a truly impressive array of jokes, which he delivers with a perfect deadpan delivery. It definitely helps, but days
of observation is still boring and no mistake.
Atuarre proposes contacting Jess, but Han doesn't agree; after an authority raid hit their base, the outlaws most likely found a hole and pulled it in after them; there is almost no chance they will be able to contact them in time to get any meaningful help.
Atuarre discusses why she is so determined to rescue her husband; when the Authority took their world there was armed resistance, and amongst the techniques the Authority used to combat them was an
interrogation technique called the Burning -- to set a blaster to low power, then use it to cook a person's flesh away , down to the bone, an inch at a time, while other people watch. The Burning usually gets answers, but Han considers anyone who would resort to such techniques as not worthy to breathe air.
It upsets Han, and he's more than willing to consider a mad dash charge into the system , guns a-blazin', but it's a certain failure, sheer madness. About the only thing he can think of is to fly into Star's End backward so they think the
Falcon is leaving.
The
Falcon's recorder bleeps; a plaintext holonet message addressed to the base.
"
To: Corporate Vice President Hirken
From: Imperial Entertainer's Guild
We beg the Viceprex' indulgence and forgiveness, but the troupe scheduled to stop at your location has been forced to cancel its itinerary due to a transportation mishap. This office will schedule a replacement immediately, when a troup with a droid of the requisite type becomes available. I am, distinguished Viceprex,
your abject servant,
Hokkor Long,
Secretary in charge of scheduling,
Imperial Entertainer's Guild
"
It's at this point a DM would look up from behind the shield at eager, expectant faces , and say: "Tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."
But they are. Han has seen a "replacement" act or two from the Guild before, and they'll put together any washed-up lousy has-beens up to keep from losing a gig. As toward a droid of the appropriate type? Scheduling mix-up, of course. "They'll think we stink like bantha droppings, but they'll buy the lie".
And that is why, a few timeparts later, a YT-1300 enters orbit around Star's End and declares itself to be the touring Vehicle of Madam Atuarre's Roving Performers. Clearance to land is granted.
A tunnel tube snakes out to the now-docked
Millenium Falcon and within it is a squad of Espos in combat armor with weapons.
Stepping off to greet them is , first Madam Atuarre herself, the face of the troupe. She is a dancer and singer, "bedecked .. with bunches of multicolored streamers, Trianii attire for festival and joyful occasions. She'd applied the exotic perfumes and formal scents of her species from the tiny supply in her belt pouch." She wears a coppery, metallic cape.
Next off is Pakka, the Acrobat, costumed as Atuarre but wearing a pre-adolescent male's scents.
Fourth off is The Marksman, trick shooter extraordinaire, a tight-cut black body suit with epaulets, piping, shining braid, and a broad yellow sash, upon which Han's blaster is buckled. His boots are polished to a mirror finish, and the whole ensemble is offset by an electric blue cape.
Finally, there is Bollux , "robotic raconteur, machine of mirth and merriment". Han has worked for a long time to knock out his dents and applied a five-coat paint job of red gloss, which is accentuated by the mask-and-sunburst icon of the Imperial Entertainer's Guild on side of his chest and silver pinstriping. He is no longer obsolescent; he is a classic.
There's a moment of awkwardness as they see The Marksman (Han in an alias) and his blaster, which causes their own weapons to come up. Atuarre defuses the situation and bluffs the Espo major leading the reception committee , calling him "general", and following Han's suggestion: Imitate the aristocrats she's seen, fat, dumb and happy.
BLUFF CHECK : SUCCESS!
The major knows they were expecting entertainers so, even though they weren't notified of this group, replacement entertainers is definitely plausible. Han locks down the
Falcon, and the major escorts them into the base.
Incidentally, the costumes were made by scavenging han's Wardrobe, survival tents, and assorted spare parts for the props worked to serve in the ship's machine shop. The clothes and costumes were all done by Bollux, who it seems was a valet to a regimental commander durign the Clone War, and thus is more than able to both sew and tailor.
Bollux, can you cook? Cause if I wasn't already married I'd definitely marry you, gender and species and vital status notwithstanding.
Han notes the other spacecraft in the port; a single
Assault Transport , as well as assorted unarmed cargo lighters and other small craft. No picket ships, which is helpful.
There are two large airlocks on the tower, one at ground level and one on the summit. The tower itself has an exterior of molecularly bonded armour, all of a single piece. It is probably the strongest building in the entire Corporate Sector, and certainly the most expensive.
They pass through the tube into a bank of elevators at the service core, which they ride to the summit.
They enter a room with a clear, transparisteel dome. "A small glen, complete with miniature streamlet, flowers and vegetation from many worlds sculpted to the last bud and leaf. The sounds of bird and small animals, the hum of pollinating insects, confined to the roof garden by partition fields. The glen was cleverly lit by miniature sun-globes of various colors."
It is within this place of splendor that we meet
Mirkovig Hirken, Vice President of Security for the Corporate Sector Authority. The Head Espo.
"A tall, handsome patriarch of a man. He wore superbly-cut uppermost-exec's attire -- cutaway coat, formal vest, pleated shirt, meticulously creased trousers set off by a jaunty white cravat. His smile was hearty and convincing, his hair white and full, his hands clean and soft, his nails manicured and laquered. Han instantly wanted to bop him on the skull and dump him down the elevator shaft."
Amongst the most important things about him is the master control unit he wears on his belt, allowing total control over the entire base. A paranoid and untrusting man is our Viceprex Hirken.
We also meet his wife,
Neera Opatajji-Hirken
"short, extremely fat, trying to hide it with expensive, well-tailored robes. Han thought she looked as if someone had draped a drogue parachute over an escape pod."
Fat-shaming, really? Well, I guess that's the 70s for you.
We also meet
Uul-Rha-Shan, Hirken's bodyguard.
"Reptile, bright green scales marked with diamond patterns of red and white, big, black emotionless eyes ... jaw hung open a bit, exposing fangs and a restless pink tongue. An assassin and gunman who would go anywhere and slay anyone for the right price". An exceptional and famous killer, he carries a disruptor.
*Looks at the artist's perception*. Why, why, why can't the artist conception match the text?
Practically the first question out of Hirken's mouth is about the droid ... is the droid fit for purpose?
Not knowing exactly what he's asking about, Atuarre bluffs again, and succeeds. They travel down to the tower's amphitheater to stage their acts. On the way,
Hirken drops the fact that he can't get enough of robot combat, and he has a champion combat droid , a Mark X executioner. Has our gladiator bought fought one before?
Atuarre, smooth as ever, responds, "No, Viceprex, not the Mark X".
This requires some fast thinking on everyone's part. Han volunteers that their droid is one of a kind, which they designed themselves: They call him Annihilator.
Picking up on the cue, Bollux speaks: "Annihilator, at your service. To destroy is to serve, exalted sir."
Gosh I love Bollux ... or Annihilator, as we must now call him.
Atuarre says they have other acts as well - singing, dancing, trick-shooting - and Mrs. Hirken instantly begs that they see those acts first. She's bored with seeing the Mark X smash up machinery and wants something new. Han leaps at the cue ; actually, Annihilator could use a little fine-tuning before battling a Mark X. Can he take the combat control component for maintenance?
Hirken agrees. Han steps up to Annihilator, and with some whispered instructions removes Blue Max, who has shut down his outside indicators, who will serve as a "control component". He follows a tech down to the service area, using this plan both to have a chance to look around Star's End by himself AND to postpone Annihilator's own match, which would certainly result in his destruction.
He and the tech leave, while the others travel to the Amphitheater and the show begins.
Pakka's act comes first; he is a competition-level acrobat and Neera is delighted with his show, as are many others in the audience. The Authority people are also delighted but they hide their own feelings when they see Viceprex Hirken's growing agitation.
Hirken keys a code on his control unit: "Have the Mark X readied at once."
Re: Let's Read: The Han Solo Adventures (1979)
Reply With Quote