Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon

Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon was the second book in The Lando Calrissian Adventures.

Editions

 * ISBN 0-345-31163-9; September 12, 1983, Del Rey, 181-page paperback
 * ISBN 0-345-33588-1; April 12, 1984, Del Rey (Science Fiction Book Club Edition), 151-page hardcover

Publisher's summary
A solar system with little more than luxury hotels catering to the underemployed filthy-rich, the Oseon was every gambler's dream come true. And so it was for Lando Calrissian, gambler, rogue, and con-artiste. Until he broke the gambler's cardinal rule: never beat a cop at high-stake games of chance.

Soon Lando and his feckless five-armed robot companion were being stalked by two enemies&mdash;one they knew but could not see, and one they saw but did not recognize...until it was too late.

Plot summary
Following their adventures in the Rafa system, Lando Calrissian and his droid companion, Vuffi Raa, lifted-off from Rafa IV with a hold full of valuable life-crystals. After the sale of the crystals and with a decent stake, Lando decided to attempt the honest occupation of free-lance freighter captain. Not counting the difficult issues of filling out landing-permit forms, going over bills of lading, and figuring overhead and profit margins, plus a nearly fatal pirate attack, Calrissian yearned to practice his original profession again. So, while on Dilonexa XXIII after a failed delivery, he jumped at the chance when he received an invitation from Lob Doluff, Administrator Senior of the Oseon system, to play sabacc in the credit rich asteroid belt. As an added pleasure, he would be arriving just prior to the seasonal event known as Flamewind. Unbeknownst to Lando and Vuffi Raa, Rokur Gepta was also making his way to the Oseon in an attempt to exact revenge on Calrissian for his treachery in the Rafa system.

As the pair made their way to Oseon 6845, the Millennium Falcon experienced a bit of misfortune. An explosion rocked the underside of the starship, and it was discovered that a bomb was placed there on their previous stop on Dilonexa. After repairing the damage, the crew made a safe planetfall in the Oseon. Vuffi Raa discovered a second explosive device on the ship shortly after touch-down, alertly defusing it, averting disaster. During a particularly lucrative turn at the gaming table, Calrissian received word that his ship was on fire. When Lando reached the space terminal, he realized there was nothing wrong with the Falcon. As he turned to leave, he was set upon by an unknown assailant. After a brief struggle, Lando was able to dispatch his attacker using his concealed stingbeam. Lando Calrissian was starting to believe that someone or something was out to get them. Thinking his actions an act of self-defense and fearing no punishment, he promptly reported the incident. Doluff and his peacekeeper assistant, Bassi Vobah, agreed with the charge of self-defense, but the Oseon system exercised a strict no-weapons statute, punishable by death.

Requiring the service of an independent pilot, Lob Doluff offered Lando Calrissian a deal as an alternative to execution. It had been discovered that Bohhuah Mutdah, an extremely wealthy inhabitant of the Oseon, received an illegal shipment of lesai every season during Flamewind, when it was forbidden to travel within the system. The radiation that accompanied Flamewind was a detriment to navigation and life support systems. Nevertheless, Lando was to act as the supplier, and transport Bassi Vobah along with Imperial narcotics agent, Waywa Fybot, to Oseon 5792. After the deal was made, the two law-enforcement officers would arrest Mutdah, and Lando would be free to depart the Oseon with all his belongings, including his winnings.

During the trip from the sixth to fifth belt, the crew of the Millennium Falcon and her passengers were set upon by a ragged squadron of two dozen starfighters. After some respectable flying, Calrissian was able to evade the bandits, dispatching a pair of them. Finding a crevasse on an unpopulated asteroid, Lando and Vuffi Raa were able to set down to affect repairs and strengthen the Falcon's shields. Unfortunately, the fighters discovered the crevice in their search for the starship. Employing a tactic which detonated part of the rock, Lando Calrissian destroyed all but five of attacking fighters. They retreated and the Millennium Falcon was able to continue it's journey to 5792.

The four adventurers made an uneventful landing on Oseon 5742, where Calrissian was promptly escorted, with his vacuum-wrapped parcel, to Bohhuah Mutdah. Shortly after introductions were made, Vobah and Fybot burst in and attempted to arrest Mutdah. The narcotics agent promptly eliminated his colleague, to shelter the entrepreneur. It was soon discovered that Waywa Fybot was in league with Mutdah, who promised the avian a discharge from his duties, in exchange for protection. To Lando's confusion, Bohhuah Mutdah shot and killed the Quor'sav, and his obese form was immediately transformed into that of Rokur Gepta. Things were finally beginning to make sense. During a session of torture by chagrin, Calrissian discovered it was Gepta who made his life as a tramp freighter captain difficult. Raising rates, lowering resale prices; even arranging the harassment and death of Bohhuah Mutdah, and his subsequent replacement, was part of Gepta's scheme. Apparently, the vengeance Rokur Gepta knew no bounds.

As Gepta prepared Calrissian for another round of torture, the habitation dome of Bohhuah Mutdah was compromised by a strafing run by the five remaining fighter-craft Lando previously encountered. While the Sorcerer of Tund was distracted by the attack, the gambler made quick his escape, and was able to work his way back to the spaceport and raise ship. Manning the Falcon's quad-guns with Vuffi Raa at the controls, Lando engaged the enemy. The pair finished off three and scattered the last two. Seeing that one of the fighters was disabled and adrift, the droid suggested a rescue of the pilot. As the aged soldier was brought onboard, it was discovered that he was Klyn Shanga, a Renatasian and the flight-leader of the squadron who accused the droid of being the destroyer of their world. After pleading his case, and in an effort to exhibit clemency, Vuffi Raa suggested that he and Lando allocate a portion of the profit from their recent exploits to Renatasia. In true rogue fashion, Lando responded by trussing up his prisoner, replying, "... forget it. I'm going to enjoy being rich."

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon.