Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy I: The Paradise Snare by A.C. Crispin Page A

disguise his identity, had made quite a name for himself as a murderer, kidnapper, and pirate. “Dalla the Black” had become a name to make children quake in their beds on lonely outpost colonies or tramp freighters …
    The child Han wondered whether he was related to these men. Did royal blood run in his veins? Or the blood of a pirate and murderer? He’d probably never know, unless, somehow, he could persuade Shrike to divulge what he knew. He read about Dalla Suul’s exploits as a thief, and smiled grimly, wondering if he was actually following some kind of family tradition.
    Then he began checking the more recent Corellian news files and society pages in the computer. A search for the surname “Solo” brought up a name. Tiion Sal-Solo. She was a wealthy but reclusive widow with one child, a son. Thrackan Sal-Solo was six or seven years older than Han, in his late teens.
    What if I’m related to this Tiion Solo, or she knew my parents?
Han wondered.
This could be my best chance yet to get away
.
    When he went back to
Trader’s Luck
, Han talked it over with Dewlanna. The Wookiee agreed with him that while it was risky, Han had to take the chance of contracting the Solo family.
    “Of course,” Han said, resting his chin on his fist and looking dejectedly at the table, “once I did that, I couldn’t see
you
again, Dewlanna.”
    The Wookiee growled softly, telling Han that of
course
he’d see her. Just not aboard
Trader’s Luck
.
    “The last time I ran away, Shrike beat me so hard I couldn’t sit down for days,” Han said softly. “If Larrad hadn’t reminded him that he had something else to do, I really think he might’ve killed me.”
    Dewlanna rumbled. “You’re right,” Han agreed. “If this Solo family takes me in, they’re powerful enough and rich enough to protect me from Shrike.”
    Han even knew something about the rules and manners required of people living in Corellian high society. Every so often, Shrike would run a major scam on rich folks on Corellia. Han had been part of the background during several such con operations.
    Shrike would rent a wealthy estate on Corellia, and then set up a “family unit,” to provide a respectable backdrop to the scam. Han and the other children detailed to such a “family” would be sent to live on the estate. He’d go to a rich-kids school, and one of his jobs during the scam was to make friends with the children of the wealthy and bring them home to play. Several times, this had resulted in valuable contacts whose parents had been duped into “investing” in Garris Shrike’s current scam.
    Just a few weeks past, Han had been attending such a school—a school so well known that it had merited a visit from the famous Senator Garm Bel Iblis. Han had raised his hand and asked the Senator two questions that had been insightful and intelligent enough to make the Senator really notice him. After class was over, Bel Iblis had stopped Han, shaken his hand, and asked him his name. Han had glanced around quickly, seeing that nobody else was within earshot, and proudly told the Senator his
real
name. It had felt great to be able to do that …
    Shrike recruited Han frequently for his scam operations, partly because of the boy’s easygoing charm and winning smile, and partly because Han’s clandestine studies made him fit into his grade level better than most of the other children. Han had also gained a small reputation as an up-and-coming swoop and speeder pilot—a rich man’s sport ifthere ever was one. He’d met lots of kids from wealthy families while swoop racing, and several times Shrike had managed to lure their parents into whatever scam he was currently running.
    In a year, Han would be eligible to race in Corellia’s Junior Championship division. That would mean big prize money—if he won.
    Han both liked and disliked these assignments. He liked them because he got to live in the lap of luxury for weeks, sometimes months. Swoop and