"I beg your pardon?" she said politely.

"I said, I've come to rescue you. Ben Kenobi is with me. We've got your

two 'droids-"

The uncertainty was instantly replaced by hope at the mention of the oldster's

name. "Ben Kenobi!" She looked around Luke, ignoring him as she searched for

the Jedi. "Where is he? Obi-wan!"

Governor Tarkin watched as Darth Vader paced rapidly back and forth in the

otherwise empty conference room. Finally the Dark Lord paused, glancing around

as though a great bell only he could hear had rung somewhere close by.

"He is here," Vader stated unemotionally.

Tarkin looked startled. "Obi-wan Kenobi! That's impossible. What makes

you think so?"

"A stirring in the force, of a kind I've felt only in the presence of my old master.

It is unmistakable."

"Surely-surely he must be dead by now."

Vader hesitated, his assurance suddenly gone. "Perhaps...It is gone now. It

was only a brief sensation."

"The Jedi are extinct," declared Tarkin positively. "Their fire was quenched

decades ago. You, my friend, are all that's left of their ways."

A comlink buzzed softly for attention. "Yes?" Tarkin acknowledged.

"We have an emergency alert in detention block AA-23."

"The Princess!" Tarkin yelped, jumping to his feet. Vader whirled, trying to

stare through the walls.

"I know it-Obi-wan is here. I knew I could not mistake a stirring in the force

of such power."

"Put all sections on alert," Tarkin ordered through the comlink. Then he turned

to stare at Vader. "If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape."

"Escape may not be Obi-wan Kenobi's intention," Vader replied, struggling to

control his emotions. "He is the last of the Jedi-and the greatest. The danger he

presents to us must not be underestimated-yet only I can deal with him." His head

snapped around to stare fixedly at Tarkin. "Alone."

Luke and Leia had started back up the corridor when a series of blinding

explosion ripped the walkway ahead of them. Several troopers had tried coming

through the elevator, only to be crisped one after another by Chewbacca. Disdaining

the elevators, they had blasted a gaping hole through a wall. The opening was too

large for Solo and the Wookie to cover completely. In twos and threes, the Imperials

were working their way into the detention block.

Retreating down the walkway, Han and Chewbacca encountered Luke and the

Princess. "We can't go back that way!" Solo told them, his face flushed with

excitement and worry.

"No, it looks like you've managed to cut off our only escape route," Leia agreed

readily. "This is a detention area, you know. They don't build them with multiple

exits."

Breathing heavily, Solo turned to look her up and down. "Begging your

forgiveness, Your Highness," he said sarcastically, "but maybe you'd prefer it back in

your cell?" She looked away, her face impassive.
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