A Lily Pond

could hear the sound of Wedge's fighter roaring into the sky toward the Rebelrendezvous point. "Activate the power and stop worrying. We'll soon beairborne," Luke said in response to Artoo's nervous beeping. His was the last Rebel ship to abandon what had, for a very brief time, been asecret outpost in the revolution against the tyranny of the Empire. Darth Vader, a raven specter, quickly strode through the ruins of the Rebel icefortress, forcing his accompanying men into a brisk jog to keep up. As they movedthrough the corridors, Admiral Piett rushed up to overtake his master. "Seventeen ships destroyed," he reported to the Dark Lord. "We don't knowhow many got away." Without turning his head, Vader snarled through his mask, "The MillenniumFalcon?" Piett paused a moment before replying. He would have preferred to avoid thatissue. "Our tracking scanners are on it now," he responded a bit fearfully. Vader turned to face the admiral, his towering figure looming over the frightenedofficer. Piett felt a chill course through his veins, and when the Dark Lord spokeagain his voice conveyed an image of the dreadful fate that would be inflicted if hiscommands were not executed.