Read Razor's Edge: Star Wars (Empire and Rebellion) for Free Online

your decisions affected people’s lives, it was important to have the advice of someone who didn’t always think you were right just because of who you were. Or who your father was.
    Luke Skywalker was deep into the engine compartment of his favorite X-wing when he felt a large hand grip his ankle.
It’s a good thing I know who that is,
he thought, resigned. “Chewie, I’ve got both hands in the proton torpedo launcher!” he protested. R2-D2, down on the deck beside the X-wing’s cradle, beeped in annoyance at being interrupted. The little droid was connected by various cables to the astromech socket and had been running diagnostics.
    Chewbacca rumbled a long comment. C-3PO, whom the Wookiee must have brought along to translate for him, said, “Master Luke, he says that it’s important and you should get your little—uh, you should get down here right now.” The golden droid added, presumably to Chewie, “That was rude, you know.”
    With a sigh, Luke slid out of the engine hatch and dropped to the deck. Pulling his protective goggles off, he asked, “What is it? I thought you were trying to get that isolator installed.” Turning around, he saw who was standing there and stopped short. “Oh, General Madine.”
    Madine didn’t answer immediately, his cool glance taking in snubfighter cradles and tech stations nearby, as if checking to see how many were occupied. The fighter repair bay for the
Independence
was normally crowded with pilots, techs, droids, and other support personnel, repairing damaged fighters, keeping up their maintenance schedules, or practicing in the simulators kept at the far end of the bay. But it was near the shift change, and few voices echoed around the big space. Wedge and the other members of Red Squadron were off on a mission; Luke should have been with them, but his X-wing’s targeting computer had started to throw error codes at the last minute and his part in the mission had been scrubbed for now. Keeping his voice low, Madine asked, “Can you be ready to leave with Chewbacca immediately?”
    â€œYes, sir.” Luke glanced at Chewie. Wookiees didn’t show concern the same way humans did, but his posture conveyed tension and impatience. “Do you want me to put together a squad?”
    â€œNo, just you,” Madine said. “Come aboard the
Falcon
where we can speak privately, and I’ll give you the coordinates and explain.”
    Luke didn’t miss the significance of “aboard the
Falcon
where we can speak privately.” If Madine was worried about being overheard on one of the flight decks of the
Independence
 …
    This can’t be good.
    As the
Gamble
exited hyperspace, there was a clunk that left Leia’s hands white-knuckled on the arms of the comm chair in auxiliary control. Han was piloting, with Ilen as backup, and both men hurriedly worked over the consoles, shutting down the hyperdrive. Something deep inside the ship made the deck vibrate. An alarm started to shriek, and Han absently slapped a control to shut it down. Leia could see various readouts creeping up into the red again.
    Then the vibration sputtered to a halt and the stars streaked back into reality.
    â€œThe hyperdrive is offline,” Ilen said with relief.
    â€œNice job,” Han commented absently, and Leia saw the back of Ilen’s neck flush with self-consciousness. Han tended to be sparing with compliments to other pilots.
    â€œDo we still have sublights?” Leia asked. She looked at the sensor screen just as a recognition code for Arnot Station popped up. She allowed herself a silent, relieved breath. They had made it. The station was only a short distance away, within easy reach of a distress call if the
Gamble
failed now.
    â€œWe have one engine. It’s holding stable,” Ilen said.
    â€œSo far,” Han said, confirming Leia’s long-held belief that he was the most