There was only a brief, brilliant flare of light, then nothing. The shattered remains of the two TIE fighters drifted away into the darkness and the tremendous asteroid—undeflected in its course—continued on its way.
. F$ q1 s: ~$ Y6 t Han felt an inner glow as bright as the spectacle that had just lighted up the view.0 p t3 E2 i2 [" a# g
He smiled to himself in quiet triumph.* N( ^6 C. s7 ]8 K3 e' Z; ^
Then he noticed an image on the main scope of his control console and nudged his hairy copilot. "There." Han pointed to the image. "Chewie, get a reading on that. Looks pretty good." "What is it?" Leia asked.
?2 X9 _) Y1 i' U/ m5 F" j! ?- B The Falcon's pilot ignored her question. "That should do nicely," he said.2 y! h, g+ [! m8 \2 m" e' F% q
As they flew near the asteroid's surface, Han looked down at the craggy terrain, his eye caught by a shadowy area that looked like a crater of mammoth proportions.
: q* T8 }5 u2 h0 x He lowered the Falcon to surface level and flew it directly into the crater, its bowllike walls suddenly rising up around his ship.
! x% Y! q C4 R% S. I0 F' G And still two TIE fighters chased after him, firing their laser cannons and attempting to mimic his every maneuver., z T+ _# Q" d* g8 J) ]. _8 ?% n2 I& i
Han Solo knew he had to be trickier and more daring if he was to lose the deadly pursuit ships. Spotting a narrow chasm through his windscreen, he banked the Millennium Falcon to one side. The ship soared sideways through the high-walled rocky trench.
/ ~8 T1 A. [; O" b3 d! B. ^ H Unexpectedly the two TIE fighters followed. One of them even sparked as it grazed the walls with its metal hull.
' ^$ Q2 j7 U! Q$ O Twisting, banking, and turning his ship, Han pressed through the narrow gorge.
( y X, S# M% P From behind the black sky flared as the two TIE fighters crashed against one another, then exploded against the rocky ground.# @; I; b- p. G
Han reduced his speed. He still wasn't safe from the Imperial hunters.( X. G3 U+ I Q, h& K0 x5 L
Searching about the canyon, he spotted something dark, a gaping cave mouth at the very bottom of the crater, large enough to hold the Millennium Falcon—perhaps. If not, he and his crew would know soon enough. |