IX

Flying through the outer most reaches of the Circarpous solar system, Han Solo expertly guided the Millennium Falcon through a ring of asteroid-sized debris consisting mostly of volatile ices and scattered amounts of rock infused with metallic components. "I gotta hand it to you, Bexen," he said in the communicator, "it's pretty ingenious carving ships from stone."

A short distance ahead, one of the smaller sized chunks of debris flew not in an orbital path, but along a controlled trajectory. Bexen dove under one of the vast chunks of ice and swooped beside another, approaching a large, nearly spherical body with a surface painted with the pinks and reds of hydrocarbons. "Circarpous has always used every resource for maximum efficiency," she replied. "It only made sense to use what was available when exploration and colonization of the solar system began. The real boon comes from using the ores and ices in these asteroids as a fuel source."

To Han's right, Chewbacca reacted to a shrill alarm with a growl and flipped a few switches. "Chewie's picking up a lot of traffic."

Bexen smiled. "A few of the larger asteroids are hollowed out generational colony ships."

"With all your technical skills, you still had doubts about joining the Alliance?"

"After the Clone Wars, no one was sure which side to trust. Instead of trusting in someone else, we decided to put our faith in ourselves."

"You had to know the Empire would come back someday."

"You got me on that one, Captain Solo. Naively, we hoped they would forget about us." Bexen watched her scopes carefully, her helmeted face aglow in the reflection of orange and yellow screens on the control counsel. "Don't stray from our flight path here on in. There are a lot of mines in this area."

"Thanks for the warning. Keep 'er straight, Chewie." The Wookie barked back, getting a smile from Han.

Bexen's elongated ship weaved past giant metal sentinels with spines jutting out from cylindrical bodies. Spinning through the mines, Han followed her to the surface of a small moon orbiting Circarpous XIV. They dove into a large crater where a huge metal door split apart in multiple layers, granting them access to the subsurface interior.

Landing in a docking bay awash in white light, the two ships gently touched down. As Han and Chewbacca walked toward the stone ship, Bexen carefully exited from a dorsal hatch, leaving her helmet in the compartment above her head. "This way to the command center," she said, picking a path between ships to a ladder leading up to a series of raised platforms.

"Any ideas about how we're going to approach V so we don't tip off the Imperials?"

"We'll come in from the far side of the planet," Bexen said mounting the ladder. "If we use one of the asteroid ships and slip into a decaying orbit, we should be able to drop far enough away from the settlement so that no one will suspect anything." She reached the top. "When we get to the Imperial installation, we'll break out the heavy artillery."

Han mounted the deck with a crooked grin. "I like the way you think."

Luke and the Princess followed the opening in the shaft right into a tunnel. "I hope Halla can find the Coway exit as easily as she made it sound," Luke ventured.

"Yeah, I'd sure hate to lose her company," Leia said. "Life's been one unending party since we joined up with her."

"She's not so bad. Besides, we need her if we're going to keep the Kaiburr Crystal out of the Empire's hands."

Leia shuddered. "Essada. I'd almost forgotten about him."

"Why are you so afraid of an Imperial Governor?" he asked gently. "What did Tarkin and Vader do to you on the Death Star before Han Solo, Chewbacca, and I rescued you?"

If only Han was here, Leia thought. He'd know how to handle Halla. He'd get us out of this. The Princess turned memory-haunted eyes on Luke. "Maybe I'll tell you someday, Luke. But not now. I'm not ready. I haven't forgotten enough. If I told you, I might remember too much."

"Don't you think I can take it?" he asked.

"It's not that. It's my own reaction I'm worried about. Whenever I start to remember, I come apart." She glanced around. "Is it my imagination, or is it getting brighter in here?"

Luke noticed it, too. The light was a faint blue-yellow, somewhat brighter than the hue of his saber.

The Princess stood next to an especially luminous section of stone. It seemed as if the rock itself was pouring out the light. She dug at the wall. Light came off in her hand, setting her palm aglow. "It's some kind of growth. A luminous lichen or a fungus. I don't know. I'm no botanist. But the walls are absolutely covered with it." She brushed the living light from her hand and looked on down the gradually descending cave. "It's another world down here."

As they continued, the path they traveled on leveled off. The tunnel widened into a true cavern. Multi-colored stalactites hung from the ceiling, mineral impurities turning them into painted pendants coated with phosphorescent growths. Blunt-tipped stalagmites thrust ceiling ward. The only sound was the ever-present music of dripping water until a faint rumble reached their ears.

"What's that sound ahead?" Luke asked. They proceeded cautiously. The noise turned out to be the song of a fast running underground stream. It ran parallel to their path.

They passed a hole in the cave's roof where water poured through and disappeared into a pond. Further on, they encountered a miniature forest of helicites. The grotesquely contorted gypsum crystals defied gravity in swirling projections from floor, walls, and ceiling. Reflections from the glowing plant life reached blinding proportions.

In addition to the lichen, there were larger, more advanced varieties of light-generating vegetation. Cantilevered mushrooms, small ferns, and ivy. "This place is exquisite," Leia said. "A fairyland. Far more attractive than the surface." Her eyes glittered. "It's so peaceful."

"Let's hope we find that exit soon," Luke commented.

Instead of sloping upward, the path continued level. If anything, the tunnel widened ahead of them. They turned a sharp bend to find their path blocked by water.

"The trail leads right into this underground lake," Luke said.

"That water's as black as the Emperor's mind," Leia said. "It's immense. I can't even see the other shore."

Luke followed the trail into the water and waded out to his chest. "Too deep to cross, too far to swim." A forest of huge, yellow-brown leafy pads floated on the black surface. They were roughly circular in shape with pointed ends where the upturned edges met.

Sloshing over to them, Luke tentatively stepped onto a two and a half meter wide plant pad. As he pushed down with his weight, the yellow interior gave like a sponge. But it didn't break and his foot didn't push through.

Unsteadily, Luke moved onto the pad. His knees sank into the surface, but he was buoyed. He bounced up as high as he could and came with both knees. The pad sank up to his hips and rebounded solidly.

Luke rolled over the edge. He saw a man-thick stem securing the pad to the lake bottom. Luke activated his lightsaber under the surface. Bubbles promptly broke the glassy water as the hard blue light gleamed in the blackness.

Taking a deep breath, Luke slid into darkness. The saber provided enough light to show him the stem. It took only a second or two to slice through the tough core.

Luke broke the surface and took a few quick breaths. He switched his blade off and tugged the pad close to shore. "When I cut this loose, I noticed it's concave on the bottom," he told the Princess. "It should be pretty stable. After all the walking, I thought a raft looked pretty good."

He employed the saber again to cut a small hole in the rear of the pad. Luke passed the hilt to the Princess. With a thin roll of survival cord, Luke secured their craft to a stalagmite on shore. Luke sat down, legs fully extended.

"I didn't know these worked underwater," Leia said, turning the weapon over in her hand. She spotted a series of transparent selenite crystals flowing from roof to the floor. They were about two meters tall and perhaps a couple of centimeters thick. When she activated Luke's lightsaber, the phosphorescent quality gave them the look of stained glass.

Cutting some loose, Leia switched the saber off and brought the crystal slabs to Luke. "We can use these as paddles." Leia sat next to him. She stretched her arms and back and yawned.

"Ready to go?" Luke asked.

"I need to rest for just a little bit."

"Go ahead. I'm not tired yet." Leia lay back. Luke did a moment later. In two minutes they were both sound asleep.

Six colossal warships slid out of hyperspace like javelin lances. The Imperial Death Squadron loomed over the jungle planet; perfectly carved gemstones against the velvet of space. As they approached Circarpous V, the massive Star Destroyers slid into geosynchronous orbit along the planet's ecliptic.

Deep within the Executor, Captain Piett stood outside a night black meditation chamber. He snapped to attention as the two halves split open like some prehistoric beast revealing extraordinarily large teeth. Inside, the pod was awash in white light, illuminating the pitch-black frame of the Dark Lord of the Sith. "Yes, Captain, what is it?" Vader said with a subdued voice.

"My lord, the fleet has emerged from hyperspace and taken orbit around Circarpous V."

"Very good, Captain."

"However, attempts to establish contact with the mining facility on Circarpous V have failed."

"Have my shuttle prepared for immediate departure."

Captain Piett bowed his head slightly. "Yes, Lord Vader."

Vader's chair rotated one hundred and eighty degrees, bringing him face-to-face with a wall screen. The gray panel flickered with static and cleared, presenting the Dark Lord with the face of Admiral Ozzel. "Yes, Lord Vader?" he asked, his frame stiff.

"I will be departing for the surface of Circarpous V to retrieve Skywalker and the girl. Their presence here can only mean the Rebellion's top operatives are also present. Monitor the system carefully for any unusual traffic or activity and move the other ships to intercept accordingly."

"Understood, my lord."

As Han and Chewbacca passed metal crates to another man loading a ship carved out of stone, a klaxon alarm blared. Bexen, engaged in conversation with a few other men, paused. She walked away from them, quickly joined by Solo and the Wookie. Bexen paused behind a young man seated behind a large glass panel showing every planet in the system. "What is it?" she asked.

"A fleet of Star Destroyers just exited hyperspace. They're taking orbit around V."

Han leaned toward the display. "Oh no," he said softly. He looked at Bexen. "They brought in a command ship." Chewbacca growled.

"Why?" Bexen asked.

"It means someone really important has come for Luke and Leia." Han rubbed his chin. "Take a good look at that fleet. That small armada can destroy a planet just as effectively as the Death Star obliterated Alderaan. I don't suppose you got a couple of ships powerful enough to go head-to-head with Star Destroyers?"

Bexen stood straight. "Just the mine field," she said. Han's head tilted and his eyebrows wrinkled. Bexen nodded. "To get them out here, we'll distract them with what looks like an evacuation."

"Well, that's sure to get their attention."

"The mines will hold them off long enough to get your friends out." She looked at the young man behind the computer station. "Scramble some of the generational ships and make it look like they're leaving. Get word to Du'Tarc. I want all available units brought out here."

"Right, commander."

Standing on the bridge of the Nullifier, Bin Essada gazed out the view ports across the busy Circarpousian city. He heard footsteps approaching and didn't turn, or even wait, for the sub officer to speak. "Has Prime Minister V'Litizer reconsidered my offer?" he asked.

"Sir, Lord Vader's fleet has just taken orbit around Circarpous V."

Essada's lips tightened and his beady eyes narrowed. "Very well. We'll rendezvous with him and offer our services."

The sub officer bowed slightly at the neck and said, "Yes, sir."

The holographic image of Prime Minister V'Litizer wavered slightly before Mon Mothma. "Governor Essada has made good on his threat to set up a blockade in our system. An Imperial fleet arrived just moments ago."

"This is the first step in an Imperial stranglehold designed to drain your planet's resources and inscript the population into its military and labor programs."

"It would appear that the Empire has been mining resources from Circarpous V for an unknown period of time. There is an instillation there collecting dolovite."

Mon Mothma swallowed hard. She stole a glance at Admiral Ackbar on her left. She slowly turned her gaze to the holographic image.

"The rebels cells in the system are preparing a distraction of sorts in an effort to rescue Senator Organa. If the Empire suspects any help from us, I fear the consequences."

"Your fear… That is the perfect reason to join the Rebellion. We need your help to free the galaxy of Imperial tyranny and fear. I implore you, Prime Minister."

"You have our support," V'Litizer said.

"And you have ours. Keep me advised of the situation."

As the hologram faded, Mon Mothma turned to the salmon colored Mon Calamari commander, Admiral Ackbar whose large, yellow eyes met her grim expression. "Put the fleet on standby, Admiral. And have General Madine dispatch his best agents across the galaxy to find out what the Empire is constructing."

Administrator Grammel stood within the circular control counsel in the temple's damaged command center. He tapped buttons and read reports. The large screen on the wall hung at a slanted angle, the surface cracked. One of the partitions near the corner had fallen in. Large blocks of stone were scattered about. Some of the fur drapes were pulled down and several pieces of furniture in the lounge area lay crushed under boulders.

Sub officer Puddra was behind Grammel, monitoring progress reports from scout teams deep in Mimban's jungles. A panel blinked. Puddra tapped a button. A rectangle of green letters flashed up. He took in a sharp breath.

"Captain-Supervisor," Puddra said stiffly.

"What is it, Puddra?" Grammel's eyes never left his work.

"You have an incoming message on the short range communications band."

"Have those incompetent fools located the escaped prisoners?"

"No, sir. This message is originating from an inbound shuttle."

Grammel's right eyebrow raised. He took a breath and stood straight, turning to his sub officer, hands clasped behind him. "It must be Governor Essada's representative. Dose the message indicate who it is?"

"Yes, sir. It's Lord Vader."

Grammel's face paled.

"He's demanding you meet him on the landing platform with the two prisoners."

Grammel flecked his tongue and cleared his throat. "Let's not keep the gentleman waiting, shall we?"

"Yes, sir." Puddra bowed slightly at the neck. Grammel stepped down to the floor before his arms fell straight to his sides.

Rare was the night on Mimban when the skies cleared, allowing the stars to shine. High over jungle growth, they sparkled.

Seated around the glowing embers of a campfire, Halla, Hin, and Kee finished eating from the bones of the carcass of some hunted animal skewered and cooked over open flames. "I do hope Master Luke and Princess Leia haven't fallen into harm without benefit of my expert counsel to guide them," Threepio said. Squatting to the golden 'droid's left, Artoo made a double syllable electronic sound.

"Don't be silly." Halla finished gnawing on a bone, tossing it into the fire. "Those kids are havin' the time of their lives strollin' about, seein' the sights."

A streak of light in the night sky caught the old woman's attention. "See there?" she pointed above the trees, following its path. "That's a falling star. In some cultures, they're considered a sign of good luck." The light dipped low. Halla smiled. "What in ding blazes could possibly go wrong?"

Standing, Halla rubbed the small of her back. "We best get moving if we're going to meet up with them anytime soon." Hin and Kee made sounds of protest, lost on Halla. They ate a few more quick bites before they stood and scattered sand over the flames to extinguish the fire.

The 'falling star' wasn't a star at all. Nor was it meteor debris caught in the planet's gravitational grip to be burned up by atmospheric friction. Gliding through the night, an Imperial Shuttle gracefully dipped low over trees, approaching a landing deck connected to a small base hidden by surrounding jungle growth. Gull wings gently lifted. Support struts dropped. The shuttle made a soft touchdown in the center of one of two large circles.

Captain-Supervisor Grammel waited with Puddra and a pair of Stormtroopers. Steam jetted from the craft as the boarding ramp lowered. Darth Vader's black armor was a shadow silhouette against the night. Save the eyepieces and triangular breathing filter, much of his form was hidden. Red and white lights glowed on his chest plate and belt.

Stalking down the ramp followed by two guards, the Dark Lord of the Sith paused before the recently scarred Imperial Officer. Grammel swallowed hard.

"Captain-Supervisor Grammel," Vader rumbled dangerously, "you now have fifteen seconds to explain why Skywalker and the girl aren't lying bound at my feet."

"Lord Vader," Grammel stammered, "they escaped with the help of some powerful friends. One, a Jedi Master, I'm told."

Grammel's words elicited the slightest reaction in the Dark Lord. The Jedi were supposed to be extinct. This bit of information made the situation much more dangerous. If any surviving Jedi were to lay claim to the Kaiburr Crystal first, Darth Vader's illusion of absolute power would be in serious jeopardy. Raising a black gauntleted palm, Vader said, "Give me the stone fragment."

Taken by surprise at this turn in the conversation, Grammel faltered. "Yes, my lord. Of course." He fumbled the box from a uniform pocket, turning it over to the towering black figure.

Darth Vader opened the lid. Even as he stared into the glowing red gem, the Dark Lord felt its power. This was a chip from the Kaiburr Crystal. He extracted the stone, dropping the box. Sensations rushed through him like a wild vortex. It was intoxicating.

"My men have tracked the criminal group to a remote area of Mimban," Grammel finished his initial report.

While he held the glittering jewel fragment, Darth Vader's connection to the Force intensified. He saw a vision of a region far beyond the base, leading deep into the jungle. Skywalker and his companions had traveled through the dense growth. Their destination was far in the distance, a forgotten temple, similar to the many abandoned aboriginal structures scattered across the planet. Within its age-old walls stood a gothic statue carved from deteriorating stone. The Kaiburr Crystal was set within the idol, casting crimson illumination around a dark, dank chamber. The Sith Lord's connection with the Force vision vanished then, although the magnification of that supernatural power held sway over his great black frame.

Darth Vader considered Grammel's last remark. What a dangerous proposition indeed to have the crystal fall into the hands of a surviving Jedi Knight.

"Has the nature of this instillation been compromised?" Vader asked.

"There's no reason to believe it was," Grammel reported confidently. "The fugitives broke free of the prison compound and fled into the forest."

"Your men are now under my direct command. I trust that will increase their efficiency levels significantly. We leave immediately." Darth Vader strode ahead followed by his guards, forcing Grammel and his men to double their pace to keep up.

Luke woke with a start, sitting up fast, flicking his eyes in all directions. His breath came in shallow gasps. He was cold all over. There was something moving… something stirring…

But there was nothing. Only the steady trickle of the stream merging with the water and the sound of liquid dripping into the lake from overhead.

Gently, Luke shook Leia's shoulder. "Hey. Leia. We should get moving." Her eyes opened and she sat up.

Wordlessly, they slipped onto their makeshift boat. Luke untied the cord from the stalagmite, recoiled it, and replaced it on his belt. He pushed off. The pad slid out onto the lake as if greased. Luke took up one of the long selenite blades.

"Feeling better, Princess?"

"Mmm. It's amazing what uninterrupted sleep can do to improve one's outlook. If this keeps up, I might feel cautiously optimistic about our journey."

Several of the Prime Minister's personal guards walked onto the stage in the conference chamber where the leaders of pocket resistance groups discussed the possibility and plausibility of joining the Rebel Alliance. Their hushed conversations stopped and their attention focused on them.

The aged Prime Minister, followed by Dillinger Du'Tarc, appeared next, taking a central position in front of the gathering. "Friends and allies," he began. "The Empire has arrived in our system."

Whispers and mumbles came from the small groups seated in the amphitheater. "An Imperial Grand Moff met with me to discuss Circarpous allying itself with the Empire. He came because he knew Senator Organa and her escort are being held on Circarpous V at an Imperial mining instillation."

"What are the Imperials doing on Mimban?"

"How is it our intelligence never knew about this?"

"The mining operation has been in place since the end of the great Clone War," V'Litizer said. "The Empire seemed uninterested in the rest of this system, so the government has turned a blind eye to their presence. Somehow, Senator Organa landed on the wrong planet and was taken into Imperial custody. When Grand Moff Essada met with me, he threatened to set up a blockade. It would seem he has made good on his threat. An Imperial fleet has arrived."

A wave of conversation echoed throughout the chamber. V'Litizer held out his hands. "Their first priority will be to collect the Senator. I have been in contact with Senator Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance, to keep her advised of the situation. In the meantime, she dispatched a few rebel allies to rescue Senator Organa. They are with Bexen Trimmelette who has pledged her full support to the Rebellion. I have done the same for Circarpous IV. If there is any hope of rescuing Senator Organa and keeping the Empire from completely subjugating this system, I urge you all now to do the same."

Hushed whispers soon grew into nods of approval. Delegates began standing, applauding the Prime Minister. He smiled warmly at them as he scanned over the breadth of the room. "The first stage of the rescue is to lure the Imperial fleet to the mine fields surrounding XIV. We need fighter ships to converge in that area so the rescue party can slip unnoticed to V."

After a period of slow, painful paddling, Luke's upper shoulders ached relentlessly. In the endless quiet, they rested periodically.

Far above, Luke saw the cavern ceiling dominated by clusters of stalactites dwarfing any formations they'd seen thus far. Several of them must have weighed tons.

There were also some dozens of meters in length and no thicker than a man's thumb. All were liberally coated with the luminescent lichen-fungi. They filled the enormous chamber with a comforting yellow-blue glow.

Luke heard something between the intermittent pings of water drops falling from the stalactites overhead. He reached back to put a warning hand on the Princess' shoulder.

"What is it?" she whispered.

Luke stared at the absolutely flat, unbroken lake surface.

"Listen."

Leia studied the water nervously in the dim light. A faint plop-plop sounded.

"That's just drip-water from the ceiling," she husked.

"No, it's too erratic. Drip-water falls steadily."

The noise vanished. "I don't hear it anymore, Luke. It must have been drip-water."

Luke looked worriedly at the black mirror they floated on. "Me either." Taking up his selenite paddle, he dipped it into the water and pulled again. He peaked over his shoulders every few strokes. The faint sound reached his ears again. Luke held up his hand.

"Stop."

Leia raised her paddle clear of the water.

"There it is again. Don't you hear it, Leia?" She didn't reply. "Leia?" Turning, Luke found her fixed on something in the water. Her mouth hung open.

She pointed. Luke instinctively reached for his lightsaber. He spotted an ominous and threatening projectile - an arrow trail of bubbles moving rapidly toward them.

Moving carefully to the rear of the pad, Luke balanced himself on a knee and a leg and activated the tightly held saber in his right hand.

The bubbles stopped.

It rose; a pale, translucent, amorphous form, shining with phosphorescence, its color not unlike the great wandrella. But compared to the lake-spirit, the worm-thing was a familiar creature.

"Stay back," Luke said to the Princess. "I'll deal with this."

There was no face. Nothing recognizable in that constantly altering form. It lifted thick pseudopods clear of the surface. They glowed in the dim cavern light. Luke thought he could see part way through the creature. Strange internal contours swirled through it.

One pulsing white arm flailed at the fragile craft. Luke swung at it with his saber. The blue beam passed completely through glowing matter. While the saber produced no visible damage, the action caused the giant amoeba to retract the limb.

"The beam won't cut it. It only reabsorbed the arm."

Another curling tentacle swiped at Luke. This time he stabbed at it. The beam went straight through with no hint of blood or internal fluids of any kind. There weren't even any sounds of pain. Only the lapping of water against the spongy pad and Luke's grunts filled the chamber.

Part of the shape came up out of the water behind Luke and Leia. "Luke! Look out!" she said.

The sweeping limb caught Luke from behind as he cut another pseudopod. It wrapped around his waist and swept him over the side. "No!" the Princess screamed.

With barely a breath in his lungs, Luke was yanked below the surface. His heart raced and his limbs thrashed. Water burned in his nasal passages as he cut at limbs pulling him deeper.

For the Princess, anxious moments passed with no sign of Luke. "No," she said softly.

Luke's chest muscles heaved. He gritted his teeth, frantically cutting away at the shape. He spun over and over, growing tired and disoriented. Air trickled from his nose and opened mouth as he swallowed water. Still, he kept cutting.

Bubbles boiled at the surface near the raft. "Luke?" Leia watched them.

He finally broke the surface not far off, gasping. "Luke!" Leia called. He coughed and groaned, kicking away from the shape, swinging his blade wildly at every limb. Flaring brilliantly beneath the water, his saber hacked at something unseen.

It let loose long enough for him to crawl back onto the pad. The saber arced dangerously near the Princess and his legs as Luke cut at clinging limbs. He kept cutting, plunging the blade straight down into a configuration of appendages he hoped was a mouth. The semi-transparent shape sunk into the water. Luke cut at tendrils and tentacles until the last grasping pseudopod slunk out of sight.

Dripping wet and breathing heavily, Luke coughed a few times. He knelt on the pad and tried to look every which way at once.

"There!" Leia exclaimed. Luke saw a line of bubbles in the water. They moved away from the pad. The gurgling faded to nothingness as the bubble trail vanished from sight.

Exhausted, Luke switched the saber off and fell on his back. He stared at the pincushion ceiling. "You did it, Luke. You drove it away."

Luke panted. His abdominal muscles burned. He felt anything but victorious. "Maybe. Maybe it just got tired and went away." He studied the lightsaber hilt in his fist. "Or maybe it decided a saber beam's not very palatable." He reattached it to his belt, sat up with a groan and locked his arms about his knees.

Leia held him from behind the shoulders. "Luke, I think I'm ready to leave this place now."

They picked up their paddles and resumed digging through the black water.

Deep below the surface of the planet, Halla led the 'droids and the Yuzzem through a glowing cavern. She cackled with triumphant laughter at the phosphorescent growth glowing from the walls. "I told you I could find the nearest Coway exit hole in my sleep! That'll teach you to doubt old Halla."

Threepio wasn't assured, shuffling behind the old woman. "Perhaps it was the wrong one," he speculated. "There wasn't one sign of Master Luke or Princess Leia."

"The kid said thirty-one degrees east, didn't he? It ain't my fault if he can't read a tracomp."

Sounds reached them abruptly. There was a thumping of running feet and things being tossed through the air.

"What in ding blazes?" Halla spun around, confused, afraid. Shapes approached them in the semi-darkness. The Yuzzem crouched, barking loudly.

"Oh dear, miscreants abound!" Threepio yelled. Artoo let off an electronic shriek. Hin and Kee made guttural sounds, baring fangs. In an instant, they were trapped under heavy nets. Lithe, misty figures pulled them tight, keeping the group at bay. "Doomed. We're all doomed," Threepio said. Chattering conversations passed between the silhouetted bipedal creatures. Spears were pointed at them. Double-bladed axes were held at ready.

"If you don't quit saying that, I'll terminate your auditory functions personally," Halla warned Threepio. She glared at the Coway from behind the rope cage. "I got a bad feeling about this."

Despite Luke's apprehension their translucent assailant would attack again, the far shore of the lake hove into view.

There was more than a naked shoreline coming toward them. Numerous structures were clustered near the beach. Many were stone, others had metal walls, and some had a combination of both materials.

Considerable age, however, didn't leave any edifice unmarred by time. The metal was rusted and pitted with holes. The stone sported rust stains and growths of calcium deposits and other minerals that looked much like the stalagmites in the surrounding areas.

"That city looks incredibly ancient," Leia said. "Kind of beautiful, though. Think the Coway built it?"

"I doubt it. Design luxury isn't usually a primitive people's prime concern." Try as he might, Luke couldn't locate a single window. Openings that must have served as doors were squat and oval.

An ancient dock protruded from dry ground ahead. While no boats of any kind were in sight, the long wooden platform extending out into the water left no doubt about its function.

They paddled for the left-hand shore until the pad's stem scraped bottom. Stepping out into water up to his waist, Luke extended a supportive hand for the Princess.

They sloshed to shore and walked toward the pathway. The city of the Thrella loomed silently. Luke looked in every direction, studying the area. "Looks like the trail goes right through town."

They walked into the maze of structures. "This city has to ancient," the Princess said, "given the relative scarcity of underground erosion."

"Yeah. The decay of these buildings has to be because of time. There's no shoddy design or construction. Even the metalwork shows signs of forging and machining."

"Everything's neatly laid out and very well planned," Leia observed. "No right angles. A lot of sweeping curves and arches. Not only were they architecturally talented, they went for aesthetics. I agree. I don't think the Coway did this. Primitive construction is strictly utilitarian. Certainly, all this is the product of intelligence."

"One that has long since disappeared from Mimban," Luke mused. "I would have liked to meet the Thrella."

Something clattered softly behind them. Luke whirled. The mystifying oval portals stared back at him like the eye sockets of gray skulls.

"Now what?" the Princess asked.

"I thought I heard something," he informed her, staring resolutely ahead. As they walked along the meandering pathway, the buildings drew closer. He felt a crawling sensation in his chest, as if someone, or something, was staring at him. It was an almost palpable feeling. Every time he jerked around sharply for a look, there was nothing. Not a suggestion of movement. Not a sigh. Not a sound.

Luke was grateful when the buildings started to thin out. Empty doorways beckoned. He was tempted to enter one of the ruined structures to see the interior. But this was not the time for exploration. Their first concern was to find the way out, not to go poking through the ancient metropolis. However wonderful it was.

He wondered what caused the extinction of Mimban's advanced races. The temple-builders and the Thrella. Interracial warfare, perhaps? Or sequential decadence ending in being overwhelmed by aborigines like the greenies?

Rock scrapped rock. When Luke spun, there was a hint of movement behind a wall of stalagmites off to their left. "Don't tell me you didn't hear that." He stared toward a ridge of colored spires.

"We're in a cave. Rocks fall constantly."

A shape fell from above. In one smooth motion Luke drew and activated his lightsaber. The creature was cut in half.

Luke and Leia stood back-to-back. Their path was blocked by two more of the bipeds. Another group appeared behind them. Three moved in cautiously.

"Get ready," Luke said. "Here comes the rush."

Leia picked up a broken stalactite. She shifted it efficiently in her hand as the humanoids stalked them.

The Coway were slim and covered with a fine gray down. Their eyes were shrunken, dark orbs, the skin around them a bluish color. They wore abbreviated sets of trousers. Charms and assorted instruments dangled from their ankles, upper arms, and neck.

All of them were armed with a long, thin flowstone spear. A couple carried double-bladed axes. They displayed no fear of Luke's lightsaber, despite the recently demonstrated lethal quality.

Whether they had a fair knowledge of human technology from surface visits or their bravery was born of ignorance, Coway tactics were primitive. With a rolling cry, the three behind charged together, while the two ahead rushed in several moments later. The slight difference in time was critical.

A single swipe of the saber sliced two of the thrusting spears in half. The third jabbed at the Princess. She blocked with her stone rod and got her legs around the onrushing native's. She sent it crashing to the ground. Rolling over on top of him, Leia brought the stalactite down hard on its skull near the right temple. A sound like plastic breaking caused the Coway to go limp as blood gushed freely.

Luke ducked a wild axe swing and cut two hands off at the wrists. The Coway fell to the ground, holding up cauterized stumps. A Coway next to him bolted away from the fray into the cavern.

The two latecomers entered the fight. Luke dispatched one with a sweep to the legs. The second jabbed at Luke with his spear. Luke promptly cut off the tip. Its owner threw the shaft at Luke, spun, and ran back the way it came.

"Leia!" Luke turned to the Princess. She adroitly dodged alternating cuts and jabs of the remaining native, hunting for an opening. But when the Coway saw Luke approaching, it turned to retreat.

Hefting the saber carefully, Luke let the weapon fly. Spinning through open air, it sunk into the small of its back until the solid pommel contacted flesh. The Coway fell to the ground dead.

"Hurry!" the Princess urged, salvaging an axe from one of the fallen Coway. "We can't let it get away to warn any others." Luke retrieved his weapon and hurried after her.

Together they ran in pursuit of the single remaining Coway. In their rush, neither noticed they were traveling uphill, for the first time since they'd abandoned the Thrella well.

A huge pile of fallen rubble lay ahead. The fleeing Coway reached it and started scrambling for the top. "Too late. We'll never catch him now," Luke said.

"Stand back!" While still on the run, the Princess took aim and heaved the axe with more force and accuracy than Luke would have given her credit for. It struck the native on the right shoulder and sent it tumbling down the other side of the rock pile.

"You got him," Luke exclaimed. "Remind me to never make you angry."

They started up the hill of broken stone. It looked brighter on the far side. They stopped when they topped the rise.

And paused there at the sight of what lay just beyond…

"So what do we do now?" Luke asked.

"Oh my," Leia said softly.