Lando set the Falcon down gently in the landing bay of Neral’s moon. Despite the Hynestian princess pointing a blaster at him—his own blaster, for that matter—he felt good. Happy. Lucky. He might have a princess tied up in his lounge, but he had a ship full of gherlian furs, and he was about to pay off one of his outstanding debts. Normally, paying someone back would put Lando in a terrible funk, but not this time.

This time, he was coming out ahead. He was sure of it.

Neral’s moon was the kind of place where one could find anything to do. Podracing? Definitely. Unta fish juggling? Sure, why not. Sabacc? Of course. If it was fun and people were paying money to do it, you could find it on Neral’s moon.

Not that Ne’eda, the moon’s owner, was known for fun. She was better known for thrashing folks who wronged her. But Lando had always done well by Ne’eda, and in return Ne’eda had never sent her Stalwarts, the crew that kept order on Neral’s moon, after him.

That had all changed a little while before, when Lando had fled the moon without paying his debt after a particularly terrible round of Sabacc. To be fair, it was mostly because he hadn’t cheated. If he’d been cheating he would’ve won more hands. And that was the time he’d wagered L3-37. Well, one of them. The truth was, the Falcon didn’t run so hot without L3. The ship needed her, and L3 had kept Lando from crashing into a moon or a planet while in hyperspace more than once. He couldn’t very well lose her.

So he’d skipped out on his debt. And Ne’eda had been after him ever since. Her last message had been simple and straight to the point: he would give her what he owed or she would send her Stalwarts to end him. Painfully.

Lando was smart. He didn’t need to be told twice.

So there he was once again, on Neral’s moon, hoping to make things right with Ne’eda. Clear his debts, so to speak. He carried with him a small swatch of gherlian fur tucked inside the lining of his cape, a hidden pocket he’d been delighted to find after buying the lemon-yellow garment, and whistled as he walked up to the tower. Neral’s moon was watery, covered in beautiful multihued canals. Bioluminescent creatures called klinnet glimmered in the water, casting enough light to see by. Their glow was even visible from space. The first time Lando had visited the moon he’d been young, and he’d spent a ridiculously long time staring at the water, trying to figure out what caused the radiance. It wasn’t until one of the creatures had swum to the surface and splashed him with a large dorsal fin that he’d moved. His embarrassment had quickly surpassed his curiosity.

This time he took in the sight with appreciation but never slowed his steps. He had to find Ne’eda before her Stalwarts found him.

The automatic doors of Ne’eda’s Tower, the largest gaming parlor on the moon, slid open with a pressurized hiss, and Lando stood inside the entryway for a moment to get his bearings. Creatures of all kinds milled about, from humans eating frozen joral cream to Zygerrians laughing as they played hologames. Most everyone had dressed to impress, the women wearing gowns that sparkled and draped beautifully and the men boasting only the finest suits. Lando spotted a couple of bounty hunters milling about in their distinctive Tantel armor and skirted them easily by keeping a good chunk of the crowd around him at all times. It wasn’t that he thought there was a bounty on his head, but one could never be too sure.

Either way, Lando felt a particular lightness in his chest. He really did like Neral’s moon, especially Ne’eda’s gaming parlor. It catered to the highest of high-end clients, and Lando was delighted to note that he fit right in.

Lando spotted the Sabacc tables and paused. Now that he thought about it, maybe he could squeeze in a game or two before he found Ne’eda.

He’d gone only a few steps toward the Sabacc tables before a large Wookiee stepped into his path, howling something in Shyriiwook.

“Oh, hello, friend. I don’t suppose you know where I can find Ne’eda?” Lando asked.

The Wookiee responded by grabbing Lando’s upper arm and fairly lifting him off his feet as he dragged him toward a turbolift located behind a bank of large, leafy potted ferns.

“Friend, I assure you this isn’t necessary,” Lando said, but the furry creature didn’t listen. Lando could either run along on tiptoes or be dragged, so he ran. He didn’t even want to consider what the rough grip was doing to the fine cloth of his cape.

Lando smiled and waved at people who stared as the Wookiee dragged him through the lobby and to the turbolift.

Once inside, the Wookiee released Lando. He smoothed his clothes. “I genuinely hope this isn’t wrinkled,” Lando muttered, straightening his shirt and adjusting his cape. Honestly, while he understood the need for a businesswoman like Ne’eda to have a certain kind of staff to ensure her interests were served, he did not like being treated like some common criminal.

There was nothing common about Lando Calrissian.

Lando felt a bit queasy as the turbolift sped to the top of the tower, but by the time the door opened, he’d plastered his characteristic smile back on his face.

“Ne’eda,” Lando said, hands held out to show he was unarmed. As if the Wookiee would’ve brought him to Ne’eda’s den without checking him for weapons. “It is a delight to see you again. You are looking as beautiful as ever. Did you just molt?”

The penthouse of Ne’eda’s Tower belonged to the gaming parlor’s namesake. There was very little space for the Wookiee and Lando, though; a huge tank took up nearly the entire floor. Inside the tank sat Ne’eda, head of the Stalwarts and the undisputed ruler of the moon.

Ne’eda growled underwater when she saw Lando. He wasn’t sure what kind of creature Ne’eda was, but she looked fierce. She was bright purple and had two arms and a powerful tail lined with vicious-looking spikes. On either side of her neck were large gills, and fan-shaped fins protruded from her head where her ears would be if she were human. The one time Lando had seen her leave the tank, it had been to swallow a man whole. The human had owed her money, and when he couldn’t pay she’d climbed out of her tank, dragged herself across the floor with her clawed hands, unhinged her jaw, and swallowed him down.

It was a fate Lando very much wanted to avoid. In fact, if he could avoid being eaten altogether, that would be swell.

His luck held, because Ne’eda didn’t climb out of her tank. Instead she leaned back, her facial fins flaring this way and that. A series of gurgles followed, bubbles floating to the top of the brackish water.

“She says that you are a terrible liar and that you owe her four thousand credits,” said a droid standing next to the tank. The protocol droid was on the small side, but with Ne’eda looming over him in her tank he felt much more imposing.

“I am not lying, Ne’eda, you look absolutely vibrant. Just completely rejuvenated since the last time I saw you, and I have returned to settle my debt. Although, I’m pretty sure it was only two thousand credits the last time we spoke.”

Ne’eda burbled, and the droid translated. “That was before interest. You owe four thousand credits now.”

“Ah, of course,” Lando said. “Well, I am afraid I don’t have enough credits, then, and I am fresh out of purple glandis flower juice, but I have brought you something even better.” Lando pulled out the scrap of gherlian fur dramatically, holding it up so it could catch the light. He waited for the sounds of exclamation and astonishment that were sure to follow.

He was sorely disappointed.

Ne’eda gurgled, swimming to the left and to the right in her tank as she tried to get a better look at what Lando held.

“She wants to know what it is,” the droid said, voice deadpan. Ne’eda’s droid reminded Lando of just how terribly behaved L3 was. Maybe he’d ask Ne’eda for some tips once they settled their business. It would be nice if L3 just did what she was asked instead of arguing all the time.

“What?” Lando finally asked after he realized his mind had wandered.

More sounds from Ne’eda. More droid translations. “The thing you’re holding. She asked if it was food, because it doesn’t smell like food.”

“What, this? No, it’s not food. But I am impressed you can smell food even from inside the tank. Seriously, very impressed. No, this is gherlian fur. A single pelt can be worth several thousand credits. Just this piece alone is worth a hundred credits.”

Ne’eda shook her head. “She doesn’t care for the skins of dead creatures,” the droid said.

“What, but it’s not a dead creature,” Lando sputtered. “It’s a very particular kind of lichen that grows only on Hynestia. The Empire has started to demand the entirety of the planet’s production, which is why it’s so valuable,” Lando said. For the first time, a bit of worry began to creep in. He hadn’t actually thought Ne’eda would refuse the gherlian furs. After all, she could sell them for a handsome profit.

“So the furs are controlled by the Empire. Meaning that reselling them will immediately set off any number of alerts,” the droid said, once again interpreting Ne’eda’s burblings. “Do you take me for a fool, Calrissian?”

“Now, Ne’eda, I think there must be some kind of misunderstanding,” Lando said as the Wookiee grabbed him once more.

“Mistress Ne’eda is not confused,” the droid translated in its flat voice. “The deal was for you to deliver thirty barrels of purple glandis flower juice or pay the credits you owe. Otherwise, your life would be forfeit. You have brought no credits, there is no glandis flower juice, and my mistress is hungry.” The droid stepped back, and Ne’eda hauled herself out of the tank, flipping over the side and landing on the floor with a heavy splat.

The Wookiee pushed Lando toward Ne’eda. Her mouth opened unnaturally wide. Lando tried to fight his way free, but the Wookiee was too strong, and there was nowhere for him to go.

It looked as though maybe his luck had actually run out.