Star Wars - Adventures in Hyperspace 002 - Shinbone Showdown Read online

  While Han and Chewbacca argued, they did not notice the short creature who had followed them out of the greenhouse. When Han mentioned the gems, the creature moved toward Han and tugged at his sleeve. Han snapped, “What do you want?”

  The creature began moving toward Torkil Mux’s spaceship, pulling Han along with him. Han said, “Let go of me!”

  Han heard Chewbacca snarl from behind. Still gripped by the creature, Han said, “What’s that, Chewie? You think we should follow Shorty? Fine. Let’s follow Shorty.”

  Shorty led them into Torkil Mux’s ship. Inside, Han and Chewbacca were surprised to see many large crates filled with gems. Chewbacca looked at Han and growled.

  “You said it! Looks like Torkil Mux was trying to take these gems for himself.”

  Chewbacca barked a question.

  “All right,” Han answered. “If you have a plan that will keep Jabba happy, I want to hear it.”

  Chewbacca explained his plan to Han. When Chewbacca was done, Han said, “Not bad, Chewie. Let’s do it.”

  Han and Shorty exited Mux’s spaceship. While Shorty shared the plan with the other laborers, Han returned to the Falcon and brought out the hoversled, a simple anti-gravity platform used for moving freight.

  Han expected Torkil Mux to emerge from his headquarters any minute. When Mux stepped out with his security droid and saw Han using the hoversled to move an entire planting bed out of the greenhouse, Mux shouted, “Stop! What are you doing?!”

  “Wookiees know a lot about plants,” Han replied. “My partner told me that all of these plants were diseased. If I don’t remove them from the greenhouse, they’ll contaminate the new seeds and soil. You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you?”

  “No,” Mux said, “Of course not. But why are you bringing the diseased plants to your ship?”

  Han answered, “So I can get rid of them properly.”

  As Han was transferring the last plants from the greenhouse to the Falcon, Torkil Mux noticed that none of his laborers were in sight. Mux motioned for Han to stop, then asked, “Where are my workers?”

  Han looked around. “Beats me. All I know is that they’re not on my ship.” As he spoke, he waved his right arm at the Falcon. He thought, I hope Chewbacca’s watching for my signal.

  Glaring at Han, Mux said, “You’re up to something!”

  “Me?” Han put on his best baffled expression. “I just work for Jabba, and I’m only trying to help you, too.”

  Suddenly, the engines fired on Mux’s spaceship. Mux and his security droid turned around to see the ship lift off from the ground. Mux cried, “My ship!” He looked back at Han and said, “You stole my ship… and my workers!”

  “How could I?” Han said. “I’m not even on that ship.”

  Mux said, “If you don’t bring my ship back, I’ll command my droid to shoot you!”

  “Tell you what,” Han offered. “You count to three, and then we’ll find out if your droid is faster on the draw than I am.”

  “Agreed!” Mux said. “One…”

  Han’s right hand-flashed to his hip. He drew his blaster and fired at the droid. The droid’s head exploded, and it collapsed to the ground.

  Mux looked at his fallen droid, then said, “You cheated!”

  Han shrugged. “I happen to like to shoot first,” he said. “And I’m not the one who tried to cheat Jabba!” Han turned and walked off, taking the plants on the hoversled with him.

  As soon as he was onboard the Falcon, Han raised the landing ramp, went to the cockpit, and started the engines. From the cockpit, he saw Torkil Mux angrily shaking a fist at him. Then the Falcon lifted off, and rose rapidly from Shinbone’s surface.

  “Chewie, do you read me?” A moment later, he heard Chewbacca’s response. “Nice flying, pal,” Han replied. “Prepare to dock.”

  Han found Mux’s spaceship waiting for him in Shinbone’s orbit. The two ships docked, and Chewbacca boarded the Falcon. Han said, “Did you and Shorty get all the plant people on board?”

  Chewbacca nodded.

  “Good,” Han said. “Now, let’s see if we can get the plant people to help us move the soil, seeds, and planting beds to the other ship, and at least sixty kilograms of gems to the Falcon. Jabba’s only expecting fifty kilograms of gems, so he should be more than happy.”

  Chewbacca barked a question.

  “The rest of the gems?” Han replied. “The plant people deserve them more than we do. But where should the plant people go from here?”

  Chewbacca let out a series of hoots and barks. Han answered, “Kashyyyk? You’re sending the plant people to your own home planet?”

  Just then, Shorty stepped up beside Chewbacca. Chewbacca growled and patted Shorty’s head.

  Han smiled and said, “I’m sure they’ll all be very happy on Kashyyyk. Now, can we start transferring the stuff so you and I can get back to Tatooine?”

  Jabba the Hutt had a private suite in his arena on Tatooine. After Han and Chewbacca delivered the gems from Shinbone, Jabba insisted that they meet with him in the suite. Jabba said, “Tell me about the mine on Shinbone.”

  Choosing his words carefully, Han said, “Well, after we unloaded the shipment for Torkil Mux and he gave us the gems, his droid went crazy and started shooting at everyone. Mux and his laborers fled. I shot the droid in self-defense.”

  Jabba’s gaze traveled from Han to Chewbacca and back to Han again. Jabba said, “Mux and his laborers fled, eh? That’s too bad. Those plants were unique life-forms. I just found out that the seeds that you delivered to Shinbone were the last of their kind. Very valuable.”

  “You mean, you knew that Mux’s laborers were walking plants? That he was growing them?”

  “It was Bib Fortuna’s idea,” Jabba said. “But if such plants run off at the first sign of trouble, what use are they to me?” Jabba reached into his snack bowl, grabbed some glowslugs, and stuffed them into his mouth. “Now,” he continued, “about the gems…”

  Han said, “What about the gems?”

  “You brought back more than I expected, Han,” Jabba said. “You could have taken some, and I might never have found out.”

  “Chewie and I take all sorts of risks,” Han said, “but stealing from you? Give us a break, Jabba. We aren’t stupid.”

  Jabba grinned, then bellowed, “Fortuna! Give my friend Han a credit chip so he can place a bet on the next monster fight.”

  Bib Fortuna handed a chip to Han. Han looked at the chip and commented, “A single credit! This must be my lucky day. Come on, Chewie. We still have to fix our hologame table.”

  Leaving Jabba’s arena, Han and Chewie began walking back to Docking Bay 94. As they moved along the sun-baked street, Han said, “Hey, pal, I forgot to give you something.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wriggling snoruuk.

  Chewbacca cooed as he took the mushroom. Looking at Han, he barked a question.

  “Of course, it’s the same one you lost in the Falcon.” Han replied. “Would I lie to you?”

  11.6.18.15.14.5-1