TheRebelcommandcenter,itswallsandceilingstillshakingandcrackingundertheforceofthebattleonthesurface,wasattemptingtooperateamidthedestruction。7 f# }9 k7 \ a, j/ D
Pipes,tornapartbytheblasting,belchedspraysofscaldingstem。Thewhitefloorwerelitteredwithbrokenpiecesofmachineryandchunksoficewerescatteredeverywhere。Exceptforthedistantrumblingoflaserfire,thecommandcenterwasforebodinglyquiet。0 m/ e o. H$ y& n: w+ c% w
TherewerestillRebelpersonnelonduty,includingPrincessLeia,whowatchedtheimagesonthefewstill-functioningconsolescreens。ShewantedtobecertainthatthelastofthetransportshipshadslippedpasttheImperialarmadaandwereapproachingtheirrendezvouspointinspace。
4 Q4 k j0 J) `4 M M- C+ m1 \ HanSolorushedintothecommandcenter,dodginggreatsectionsoftheiceceilingthatcameplungingdownathim。Onegreatchunkwasfollowedbyanavalancheoficethatpouredontothefloorneartheentrancetothechamber。, S( d* T; H: c7 N9 k5 d+ o
Undaunted,HanhurriedtothecontrolboardwhereLeiastoodbesideSee-Threepio。 G% r5 _# q' ]! k4 |' G) y; x( b
Iheardthecommandcenterwashit。Hanappearedconcerned。Areyouallright?Theprincessnodded。Shewassurprisedtoseehimtherewherethedangerwasseverest。
: E! X. F2 B" M7 w) F Comeon,heurgedbeforeshecouldreply。Youvegottogettoyourship。Leialookedexhausted。ShehadbeenstandingattheconsoleviewscreensforhoursandhadparticipatedindispatchingRebelpersonneltotheirposts。Takingherhand,Hanledherfromthechamber,withtheprotocoldroidclackingafterthem。
6 g( Z) N& R8 H/ a; W* W Astheyleft,Leiagaveonefinalordertothecontroller。Givetheevacuationcodesignalandgettothetransport。Then,asLeia,Han,andThreepiomadetheirhastyexitfromthecommandcenter,avoiceblaredfromthepublicaddressspeakers,echoinginthenearbydesertedicecorridors。Disengage,disengage!Beginretreataction!Come,on,Hanurged,grimacing。Ifyoudontgettherefast,yourshipwontbeabletotakeoff。Thewallsquakedevenmoreviolentlythanbefore。Icechunkscontinuedtofallthroughouttheundergroun TheRebelcommandcenter,itswallsandceilingstillshakingandcrackingundertheforceofthebattleonthesurface,wasattemptingtooperateamidthedestruction。: P* j0 s5 l2 `; h" A. A
Pipes,tornapartbytheblasting,belchedspraysofscaldingstem。Thewhitefloorwerelitteredwithbrokenpiecesofmachineryandchunksoficewerescatteredeverywhere。Exceptforthedistantrumblingoflaserfire,thecommandcenterwasforebodinglyquiet。" C2 T; @; a% L* Z$ Q2 n, u8 \. g
TherewerestillRebelpersonnelonduty,includingPrincessLeia,whowatchedtheimagesonthefewstill-functioningconsolescreens。ShewantedtobecertainthatthelastofthetransportshipshadslippedpasttheImperialarmadaandwereapproachingtheirrendezvouspointinspace。& M) y6 }6 C" j; f2 N) C# T1 I% N
HanSolorushedintothecommandcenter,dodginggreatsectionsoftheiceceilingthatcameplungingdownathim。Onegreatchunkwasfollowedbyanavalancheoficethatpouredontothefloorneartheentrancetothechamber。
% B. M# S9 Z5 s( K Undaunted,HanhurriedtothecontrolboardwhereLeiastoodbesideSee-Threepio。- @9 Y4 M% g" E1 {4 C# t% D
Iheardthecommandcenterwashit。Hanappearedconcerned。Areyouallright?Theprincessnodded。Shewassurprisedtoseehimtherewherethedangerwasseverest。1 l$ R5 A, y. c- j- l
Comeon,heurgedbeforeshecouldreply。Youvegottogettoyourship。Leialookedexhausted。ShehadbeenstandingattheconsoleviewscreensforhoursandhadparticipatedindispatchingRebelpersonneltotheirposts。Takingherhand,Hanledherfromthechamber,withtheprotocoldroidclackingafterthem。
; O5 I' |/ x. A& P8 F5 T3 e Astheyleft,Leiagaveonefinalordertothecontroller。Givetheevacuationcodesignalandgettothetransport。Then,asLeia,Han,andThreepiomadetheirhastyexitfromthecommandcenter,avoiceblaredfromthepublicaddressspeakers,echoinginthenearbydesertedicecorridors。Disengage,disengage!Beginretreataction!Come,on,Hanurged,grimacing。Ifyoudontgettherefast,yourshipwontbeabletotakeoff。Thewallsquakedevenmoreviolentlythanbefore。Icechunkscontinuedtofallthroughouttheundergroun dbaseasthethreehurriedtowardthetransportships。; z4 c) z- J$ o% p2 u
TheyhadnearlyreachedthehangarwhereLeiastransportshipwaswaiting,readyfordeparture。Butastheynearedthecornertheyfoundtheentrancetothehangarcompletelyblockedbyiceandsnow。: E! l* W a! I- J; o# i
HanknewtheywouldhavetofindsomeotherroutetoLeiasescapeshipandquickly。Hebegantoleadthembackdownthecorridor,carefultoavoidfallingice,andsnappedonhiscomlinkastheyhurriedtowardtheship。TransportCOneSeven!heyelledintothesmallmicrophone。Werecoming!Holdon!TheywerecloseenoughtothehangartohearLeiasescapevesselpreparingforlift-offfromtheRebelicebase。Ifhecouldleadthemsafelyjustafewmetersmore,theprincesswouldbesafeandThechambersuddenlyquakedwithaterriblenoisethatthunderedthroughtheundergroundbase。Inaninstanttheentireceilinghadcrasheddowninfrontofthem,creatingasolidbarrieroficebetweenthemandthehangardocks。Theystaredinshockatthedensewhitemass。 |