By:  A. C. Crispin Published by Bantam Books September 1997 Once one of the Academy's brightest stars, Han Solo is now a fugitive from the Imperial Navy.  But he has made a valuable friend in a former Wookiee slave named Chewbacca, who has sworn Han a life debt.  Han will need all the help he can get.  For the Ylesian Hutts have dispatched the dreaded bounty hunter Boba Fett to track down the man who already outsmarted them once.  But Han and Chewie find themselves in even bigger trouble when they agree to lend their services to the crime lords Jiliac and Jabba the Hutt.  Suddenly the two smugglers are thrust into the middle of a battle between the might of the Empire and the treachery of their outlaw allies...a battle where even victory means death!

    Han bent forward to scoop up the pot, and the Barabel female let out a roar.  "Cheater!  He's got a skifter!  No one can be so lucky!"
    Han sat back and looked at her, outraged.  He had cheated at sabacc plenty of times, using skifters--cards that would assume different values when their edges were tapped--but this time he had won fair and square.  Shaking his head vehemently, he said, "I wasn't cheating.  You were just outplayed, sister!"  When Han reached for the last of the card chips, the Barabel roared again.  One armored, sharp-taloned hand came sweeping down in a mighty blow that smashed the table in two, sending board, credits, and card chips flying.  Snarling, she advanced on Han.  "I'm going to bite your head off, cheater!"
    Han took one look at her gaping maw, realized that she was big enough to make good on her threat, and went for his blaster.  His right hand dropped down to his thigh with blurring speed, then the well-worn grip was there, nestled against his palm.
    His hand, still moving with extraordinary speed, started back up as he began his draw--
    --only to stop short when the blaster hung up in the holster!
    Han had barely a second to realize that the blaster's front sight, mounted on the end of the barrel, was caught at the bottom of his holster.  He tugged, trying to free his weapon.
    The Barabel leaped for him.  Han jumped back, but not far enough. . . .