Star Wars_ Episode V_ The Empire Strikes Back - Donald F. Glut [48]
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the seeker attack was over. The glowing balls returned to hover on either side of their master's head.
Artoo Detoo, the ever-patient observer, let out an electronic sigh and shook his metal dome-head.
Grinning proudly, Luke looked toward Yoda.
'Much progress do you make, young one,' the Jedi Master confirmed. 'Stronger do you grow.' But the little instructor would not compliment him more than that.
Luke was full of pride at his marvelous achievement. He watched Yoda, expectantly waiting for further praise from him. But Yoda did not move or speak. He sat calmly - and then two more seeker balls floated up behind him and moved into formation with the first two.
Luke Skywalker's grin began to melt away.
A pair of white-armored stormtroopers lifted Captain Needa's lifeless form from the floor of Darth Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer.
Needa had known that death was the likely consequence of his failure to capture the Millennium Falcon. He had known, too, that he had to report the situation to Vader and make his formal apology. But there was no mercy for failure among the Imperial military. And Vader, in disgust, had signaled for the captain's death.
The Dark Lord turned, and Admiral Piett and two of his captains came to report their findings. 'Lord Vader,' Piett said, 'our ships have completed their scan of the area and found nothing. The Millennium Falcon definitely went into light-speed. It's probably somewhere on the other side of the galaxy by now.'
Vader hissed through his breath mask. 'Alert all commands,' he ordered. 'Calculate every possible destination along their last known trajectory and disburse the fleet to search for them. Don't fail me again, Admiral, I've had quite enough!'
Admiral Piett thought of the Avenger's captain, whom he had just seen carried out of the room like a sack of grain. And he remembered the excruciating demise of Admiral Ozzel. 'Yes, my lord,' he answered, trying to hide his fear. 'We'll find them.'
Then the admiral turned to an aide. 'Deploy the fleet,' he instructed. As the aide moved to carry out his orders, a shadow of worry crossed the admiral's face. He was not at all certain that his luck would be any better than that of Ozzel or Needa.
Lord Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer regally moved off into space. Its protecting fleet of smaller craft hovered nearby as the Imperial armada left the Star Destroyer Avenger behind.
No one on the Avenger or in Vader's entire fleet had any idea how near they were to their prey. As the Avenger glided off into space to continue its search, it carried with it, clinging unnoticed to one side of the huge bridge tower, a saucer-shaped freighter ship - the Millennium Falcon.
Inside the Falcon's cockpit all was quiet. Han Solo had stopped his ship and shut down all systems so quickly that even the customarily talkative See Threepio was silent. Threepio stood, not moving a rivet, a look of wonder frozen on his golden face.
'You could have warned him before you shut him off,' Princess Leia said, looking at the droid that stood motionless like a bronzed statue.
'Oh, so sorry!' Han said in mock concern. 'Didn't mean to offend your droid. You think braking and shutting everything down in that amount of time is easy?'
Leia was dubious about Han's entire strategy. 'I'm still not sure what you've accomplished.'
He shrugged off her doubt. She'll find out soon enough, he thought; there just wasn't any other choice. He turned to his copilot. 'Chewie, check the manual release on the landing claws.'
The Wookiee barked, then pulled himself out of his chair and moved toward the rear of the ship.
Leia watched as Chewbacca proceeded to disengage the landing claws so that the ship could take off without mechanical delay.
Shaking her head incredulously, she turned to Han. 'What do you have in mind for your next move?'