Luke found himself in a large rotating bubble protruding from the side of the

ship. A long, wicked looking tube whose purpose was instantly apparent projected

from the apex of the transparenthemisphere. Luke settled himself into the seat and

commenced a rapid study of the controls. Activator here, firing grip here...He had

fired such weapons a thousand times before-in his dreams.

Forward, Chewbacca and Leia were searching the speckled pit outside for the

attacking fighters represented by firepricks on several screens. Chewbacca suddenly

growled throatily and pulled back on several controls as Leia let out a yelp.

"Here they come."

The starfield wheeled around Luke as an Imperial Tie fighter raced toward him

and then swung overhead to vanish into the distance. Within the tiny cockpit its

pilot frowned as the supposedly battered freighter darted out of range. Adjusting his

own controls, he swung up and over in a high arc intended to take him on a fresh

intercept course with the escaping ship.

Solo fired at another fighter, and its pilot nearly slammed his engine through its

mountings as he fought to avoid the powerful energy bolts. As he did so, his hurried

maneuver brought him under and around to the other side of the freighter. Even as

he was lowering the glare reflector over his eyes, Luke opened up on the racing

fighter.

Chewbacca was alternating his attention between the instruments and the

tracking screens, while Leia strained to separate distant stars from nearby assassins.

Two fighters dove simultaneously on the twisting, spiraling freighter, trying to

line their weapons on the unexpectedlyflexible craft. Solo fired at the descending

globes, and Luke followed with his own weapon a second later. Both fired on the

starship and then shot past.

"They're coming in too fast," Luke yelled into his comlink.

Another enemy bolt stuck the freighter forward and was barely aside by its

deflectors. The cockpit shuddered violently, and gauges whined in protest at the

quantity of energy they were being asked to monitor and compensate for.

Chewbacca muttered something to Leia, and she murmured a soft reply as if she

almost understood.

Another fighter unloosed a barrage on the freighter, only this time the bolt

pierced an overloaded screen and actually struck the side of the ship. Though

partially deflected, it still carried enough power to blow out a large control panel in

the main passageway, sending a rain of sparks and smoke in all directions. Artoo

Detoo started stolidly toward the miniature inferno as the ship lurched crazily,

throwing the less stable Threepio into a cabinet full of component chips.

A warning light began to wink for attention in the cockpit. Chewbacca

muttered to Leia, who stared at him worriedly and wished for the gift of Wookie-gab.

Then a fighter floated down on the damaged freighter, right into Luke's sights.

His mouth moving silently, Luke fired at it. The incredibly agile little vessel darted

out of his range, but as it passed beneath them Solo picked it up instantly, and

commenced a steady following fire. Without warning the fighter erupted in an

incredible flash of multicolored light, throwing a billion bits of superheated metal to

every section of the cosmos.

Solo whirled and gave Luke a victory wave, which the younger man gleefully

returned. Then they turned back to their weapons as yet another fighter stormed

over the freighter's hull, firing at its transmitter dish.
关键字:星球大战
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