Solo continued his rout of all opposition, running at top speed down the long

hallway, yelling and brandishing his pistol. Occasionally he got off a shot whose

effect was more valuable psychologically than tactically.

Half the troops had already scattered down various subpassages and corridors.

The ten troopers he continued to harry still raced headlong away from him, up against

a dead end, which forced them to turn and confront their opponents.

Seeing that the ten had halted, Solo likewise slowed. Gradually he came to a

complete stop. Corellian and Imperials regarded one another silently. Several of

the troopers were staring, not at Han but past him.

It suddenly occurred to Solo that he was very much alone, and the same thought

was beginning to seep into the minds of the guards he was confronting.

Embarrassment gave way rapidly to anger. Rifles and pistols started to come up.

Solo took a step backward, fired one shot, then turned and ran like hell.

Chewbacca heard the whistle and crump of energy weapons firing as he

lumbered lightly down the corridor. There was something odd about them, though:

they sounded as if they were coming closer instead of moving away.

He was debating what to do when Solo came tearing around a corner and nearly

ran him down. Seeing ten troopers in pursuit, the Wookie decided to reserve his

question for a less confused moment. He turned and followed Solo back up the

hallway.

Luke grabbed the Princess and pulled her back into a recess. She was about to

retort angrily at his brusqueness when the sound of marching feet caused her to shrink

back into the darkness with him.

A squad of soldiers hurried past, responding to the alarms that continued to ring

steadily. Luke looked out at the retreating backs and tried to catch his breath. "Our

only hope of reaching the ship is from the other side of the hangar. They already

know someone's here." He started back down the corridor, motioning for her to

follow.

Two guards appeared at the far end of the passageway, paused, and pointed

directly at them. Turning, Luke and Leia began running back the way they had come.

A larger squad of troopers rounded the far bend and came racing toward them.

Blocking ahead and behind, they hunted frantically for another way out. Then

Leia spotted the cramped subhallway and gestured to it.

Luke fired at the nearest of their pursuers and joined her in running down the

passage. It looked like a minor service corridor. Behind them, pursuit sounded

deafeningly loud in the confining space. But at least it minimized the amount of fire

the troops could concentrate on them.

A thick hatchway appeared ahead. The lighting beyond turned dimmer, raising

Luke's hopes. If they could lock the hatch even for a few moments and lost

themselves somewhere beyond, they might have a chance of shaking their immediate

tormentors.
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