"It's a wonder you're still alive," she shot back smoothly. A quick look down

the corridor and she had started determinedly off in the other direction.

Solo looked at Luke, started to say something, then hesitated and simply shook

his head slowly. "No reward is worth this. I don't know if there's enough credit in

the universe to pay for putting up with her...Hey, slow down!"

Leia had started around a bend in the corridor, and they ran swiftly to catch up

with her.

The half dozen troops milling around the entrance to the power trench were more

interested in discussing the peculiar disturbance in the detention block than in paying

attention to their present boring duty. So engrossed were they in speculation as to

the cause of the trouble that they failed to notice the fey wraith behind them. It

moved from shadow to shadow like a night-stalking ferret, freezing when one of the

troopers seemed to turn slightly in its direction, moving on again as if walking on air.

Several minutes later one of the troopers frowned inside his armor, turning to

where he thought he had sensed a movement near the opening to the main passageway.

There was nothing but an undefinable something, which the ghost-like Kenobi had

left behind. Acutely uncomfortable yet understandably unwilling to confess to

hallucinations, the trooper turned back to the more prosaic conversation of his fellows.

Someone finally discovered the two unconscious guards tied in the service lockers

on board the captured freighter. Both men remained comatose despite all efforts to

revive them.

Under the direction of several bickering officers, troopers carried their two

armorless comrades down the ramp and toward the nearest hospital bay. On the way

they passed two forms hidden by a small opened service panel. Threepio and Artoo

went unnoticed, despite their proximity to the hangar.

As soon as the troops had passed, Artoo finished removing a socket cover and

hurriedly shoved his sensor arm into the opening. Lights commenced a wild flashing

on his face and smoke started issuing from several seams in the small 'droid before a

frantic Threepio could pull the arm free.

Immediately the smoke vanished, the undisciplined blinking faded to normalcy.

Artoo emitted a few wilted beeps, successfully giving the impression of a human who

had expected a glass of mild wine and instead unwittingly downed several gulps of

something 180 proof.

"Well, next time watch where you stick your sensors," Threepio chastised his

companion. "You could have fried your insides." He eyed the socket. "That's a

power outlet, stupid, not an information terminal."

Artoo whistled a mournfulapology. Together they hunted for the proper outlet.

Luke, Solo, Chewbacca and the Princess reached the end of an empty hallway.

It dead-ended before a large window, which overlooked a hangar, giving them a

sweeping, tantalizing view of the freighter just below.

Pulling out his comlink and looking around them with increasing nervousness,

Luke spoke into the pickup. "See Threepio...do you copy?"
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