The central briefing room was located deep within the bowels of the temple.

The long, low-ceiling auditorium was dominated by a raised dais and huge electronic

display screen at its far end. Pilots, navigators, and a sprinkling of Artoo units filled

the seats. Impatient, and feeling very out of place, Han Solo and Chewbacca stood

as far away from the stage, with its assemblage of officers and Senators, as possible.

Solo scanned the crowd, searching for Luke. Despite some common sense entreaties,

the crazy kid had gone and joined the regular pilots. He didn't see Luke, but he

recognized the Princess as she talked somberly with some bemedaled oldster.

When a tall, dignified gentleman with too many deaths on his soul moved to

stand by the far side of the screen, Solo turned his attention to him, as did everyone

else in the room. As soon as an expectant silence had gripped the crowd, General

Jan Dodonna adjusted the tiny mike on his chest and indicated the small group seated

close to him.

"You all know these people," he intoned with quiet power. "They are the

Senators and Generals whose worlds have given us support, whether open or covert.

They have come to be with us in what may well prove to be the decisive moment."

He let his gaze touch many in the crowd, and none who were so favored remained

unmoved.

"The Imperial battle station you know all have heard of is approaching from the

far side of Yavin and its sun. That gives us a little extra time, but it must be

stopped-once and for all-before it can reach this moon, before it can bring its

weaponry to bear on us as it did on Alderaan." A murmur ran through the crowd at

the mention of that world, so callously obliterated.

"The station," Dodonna went on, "is heavily shielded and mounts more

firepower than half the Imperial fleet. But its defenses were designed to fend off

large-scale, capital ship assaults. A small, one- or two-man fighter should be able to

slip through its defensive screens."

A slim, supple man who resembled an older version of Han Solo rose.

Dodonna acknowledged his presence. "What is it, Red Leader?"

The man gestured toward the display screen, which showed a computer portrait

of the battle station. "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are our snub fighters

going to be against that?"

Dodonna considered. "Well, the Empire doesn't think a one-manfighter is any

threat to anything except another small ship, like a Tie fighter, or they would have

provided tighter screens. Apparently they're convinced that their defensive

weaponry can fend off any light attacks.

"But an analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has revealed what we

think is a weakness in the station's design. A big ship couldn't get near it, but an X-

or Y-wing fighter might.

"It's a small thermal exhaust port. Its size belies its importance, as it appears to

be an unshielded shaft that runs directly into the main reactor system powering the

station. Since this serves as an emergencyoutlet for waste heat in the event of

reactor overproduction, its usefulness would be eliminated by particle shielding. A

direct hit would initiate a chain reaction that will destroy the station."

Mutterings of disbelief ran through the room. The more experienced the pilot,

the greater his expressed disbelief.

"I didn't say your approach would be easy," Dodonna admonished them. He

gestured at the screen. "You must maneuver straight in down this shaft, level off in

the trench, and skim the surface to-this point. The target is only two meters across.

It will take a precise hit at exactly ninety degree to reach the reactor systematization.

And only a direct hit will start the complete reaction.

"I said the port wasn't particle-shielded. However, it is completely ray-shielded.

That means no energy beams. You'll have to use proton torpedoes."
关键字:星球大战
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