NooneonHothheardthesound。Atfirst,itwassimplytoodistanttocarryabovethewhiningwinds。Besides,theRebeltroopers,fightingthecoldastheypreparedforbattle,weretoobusytoreallylisten。
, i5 \ t( f; k# p3 L5 h2 N Inthesnowtrenches,Rebelofficersscreamedouttheirorderstomakethemselvesheardabovethegale-forcewinds。Troopershurriedtocarryouttheircommands,runningthroughthesnowwithheavybazookalikeweaponsontheirshoulders,andlodgingthosedeathraysalongtheicyrimsofthetrenches。+ b1 X: D4 s( [, L# l% H0 J
TheRebelpowergeneratorsneartheguntowersbeganpopping,buzzing,andcracklingwithdeafeningburstsofelectricalpowerenoughtosupplythevastundergroundcomplex。Butaboveallthisactivityandnoiseastrangesoundcouldbeheard,anominousthumpingthatwascomingnearerandwasbeginningtoshakethefrozenground。Whenitwascloseenoughtoattracttheattentionofanofficer,hestrainedtoseethroughthestorm,lookingforthesourceoftheheavy,rhythmicpounding。Othermenlookedupfromtheirworkandsawwhatlookedlikeanumberofmovingspecks。Throughtheblizzard,thesmalldotsseemedtobeadvancingataslowyetsteadypace,churningupcloudsofsnowastheymovedtowardtheRebelbase。
% @, H" a! M- O2 r- @ @+ H Theofficerraisedhiselectrobinocularsandfocusedontheapproachingobjects。
9 z3 Q- W. o/ K+ i2 |' U, l$ B2 C4 Y Theremusthavebeendozenofthemresolutelyadvancingthroughthesnow,lookinglikecreaturesoutofsomeunchartedpast。Buttheyweremachines,eachofthemstalkinglikeenormousungulatesonfourjointedlegs。0 i( R1 C/ t0 J$ ^% _
Walkers!Withashockofrecognition,theofficeridentifiedtheEmpiresAllTerrainArmoredTransports。Eachmachinewasformidablyarmedwithcannonsplacedonitsforesidelikethehornsofsomeprehistoricbeast。Movinglikemechanizedpachyderms,thewalkersemitteddeadlyfirefromtheirturnstilegunsandcannons。
4 Z, {0 O% U0 S Theofficergrabbedhiscomlink。RogueLeaderIncoming!PointZeroThree,EchoStationFive-Seven,wereonourway。EvenasLukeSkywalkerreplied,anexplosionsprayediceandsnowaroundtheofficerandhisterror-struckmen。Thewalkersalreadyhadthemwithinrange。Thetroopersknewt NooneonHothheardthesound。Atfirst,itwassimplytoodistanttocarryabovethewhiningwinds。Besides,theRebeltroopers,fightingthecoldastheypreparedforbattle,weretoobusytoreallylisten。
4 f' g- R, p8 l Q9 Q9 ?% C8 i Inthesnowtrenches,Rebelofficersscreamedouttheirorderstomakethemselvesheardabovethegale-forcewinds。Troopershurriedtocarryouttheircommands,runningthroughthesnowwithheavybazookalikeweaponsontheirshoulders,andlodgingthosedeathraysalongtheicyrimsofthetrenches。8 h( _2 u( U- |- ~- G
TheRebelpowergeneratorsneartheguntowersbeganpopping,buzzing,andcracklingwithdeafeningburstsofelectricalpowerenoughtosupplythevastundergroundcomplex。Butaboveallthisactivityandnoiseastrangesoundcouldbeheard,anominousthumpingthatwascomingnearerandwasbeginningtoshakethefrozenground。Whenitwascloseenoughtoattracttheattentionofanofficer,hestrainedtoseethroughthestorm,lookingforthesourceoftheheavy,rhythmicpounding。Othermenlookedupfromtheirworkandsawwhatlookedlikeanumberofmovingspecks。Throughtheblizzard,thesmalldotsseemedtobeadvancingataslowyetsteadypace,churningupcloudsofsnowastheymovedtowardtheRebelbase。
) q" V( }7 b; n9 t9 f2 G7 f" t Theofficerraisedhiselectrobinocularsandfocusedontheapproachingobjects。
, h% ~/ M5 W3 M3 q! j( D8 y Theremusthavebeendozenofthemresolutelyadvancingthroughthesnow,lookinglikecreaturesoutofsomeunchartedpast。Buttheyweremachines,eachofthemstalkinglikeenormousungulatesonfourjointedlegs。
: w( w* [" u0 n Walkers!Withashockofrecognition,theofficeridentifiedtheEmpiresAllTerrainArmoredTransports。Eachmachinewasformidablyarmedwithcannonsplacedonitsforesidelikethehornsofsomeprehistoricbeast。Movinglikemechanizedpachyderms,thewalkersemitteddeadlyfirefromtheirturnstilegunsandcannons。
2 h9 T: W1 l, h2 a0 `: r ] Theofficergrabbedhiscomlink。RogueLeaderIncoming!PointZeroThree,EchoStationFive-Seven,wereonourway。EvenasLukeSkywalkerreplied,anexplosionsprayediceandsnowaroundtheofficerandhisterror-struckmen。Thewalkersalreadyhadthemwithinrange。Thetroopersknewt heirjobwastodivertattentionwhilethetransportshipswerelaunched,butnoneoftheRebelsoldierswaspreparedtodieunderthefeetorweaponsofthesehorriblemachines。: b8 p5 ^8 c8 k8 W6 s* P! i y
Brilliantbillowsoforangeandyellowflamesexplodedfromthewalkerguns。1 P+ j8 l0 c- R& \3 `
NervouslytheRebeltroopersaimedtheirweaponsatthewalkers,eachsoldierfeelingicy,unseenfingerspiercehisbody。
7 Z" i" P9 u: O3 c# R Ofthetwelvesnowspeeders,fourtookthelead,soaringatfullthrottleastheymovedtowardtheenemy。OneAllTerrainArmoredTransportmachinefired,barelymissingthebankingcraft。Aburstofgunfireblewanotherspeederintoaballofflamingoblivionthatlitupthesky。 |