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“It matters to me!” Tol Sivron said. He turned toward demon-faced Yemm, who was already scouring the records.

“It appears that Dr. Qwi Xux was responsible for that section, Director,” Yemm said. “She devoted much of her time to the operation and performance of the superlaser, giving short shrift to tactical considerations.”

Sivron sighed. “I see we’ve found a flaw in our approval system. Such weak spots should never have been allowed to pass through the progress reports and review meetings.”

“Director,” Doxin said, “let us not allow this to overshadow the marvelous performance of the Death Star superlaser itself.”

“Agreed, agreed,” Sivron said. “We should have a meeting immediately to discuss the implications of—”

The stormtrooper captain stood up from his station. “Director, we must establish certain priorities right now! We are under attack.”

An outside explosion made the Death Star framework around the control chamber vibrate.

“That’s three direct hits with proton torpedoes,” the stormtrooper said. “So far.”

As Sivron watched, four Z-95 Headhunters swooped out of the superstructure, their rear engines blazing.

“Well, then fire again with our laser,” Tol Sivron said. “Maybe we can hit one of them this time.”

“The power core is only half-charged,” Doxin pointed out.

Sivron whirled and parted his lips to show pointed teeth. “Isn’t that good enough to knock out a few little ships?”

Doxin blinked his piggish eyes as if he hadn’t considered the possibility. “Why, yes, sir—yes, it is. Ready to fire.”

“At your convenience, Division Leader,” Sivron said.

Eagerly, Doxin spoke into the intercom, commanding the gunners to fire. After a few seconds the incredible beam of light seared out; side lasers converged at a focal point and coalesced into a laser battering ram that plowed through the fringe of the oncoming cluster of fighters, vaporizing one old blockade runner in the vanguard of the left prong. Another ship was damaged by the backwash of the blast, but the attacking forces spread out and disappeared into the superstructure like parasites, firing again.

“Did you see that?” Doxin said with obvious pleasure. “We hit one!”

“Hooray,” Golanda said sourly from her seat. Her voice carried absolutely no enthusiasm. “Only about forty more to go, and you can’t even fire the superlaser again for fifteen minutes.”

“Director, if I may make a suggestion,” the stormtrooper captain said. “We have successfully tested the prototype laser, but to stay here any longer would serve no purpose. To endure unnecessary damage to this fine weapon is folly. We should protect the Death Star so we may present it intact to the Imperial authorities.”

“And what do you suggest doing, Captain?” Tol Sivron said. He dug his long claws into the armrests.

“We should withdraw to the Maw cluster. I doubt these small ships will follow. We are not highly maneuverable, but we can build up considerable speed. Note that we don’t need to go all the way back to the Installation, just to the opposite side of the cluster where we can hide.” The captain paused, then said slowly, “Once there, you will have time to hold a lengthy meeting, to decide what to do. You can … discuss the whole situation by committee if you like.”

Tol Sivron brightened. “Good idea, Captain. See to it. Let’s head out of here as fast as we can.”

The stormtrooper captain fed in a new course for the prototype. The huge open-framework sphere wheeled about on its axis and accelerated away from Kessel, cumbersome but picking up speed as it left the flurry of other ships behind.

After the blaze from the Death Star’s third blast faded, Han Solo rubbed sparkles out of his eyes, seeing distorted colors. “That was too close,” he said. “The fringe of the beam fried our forward shields.”

Shana’s old blockade runner had been destroyed, and some ships now flew off in retreat. “We have to regroup,” Kithra’s voice came over the comm system.

“I think we should just get out of here,” Han