• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Two heads spread out on long, sinuous necks from each muscular torso. A wicked tail dangled behind each creature, ending in a hooked stinger that glistened with crystals of poison. Iridescent scales glittered in the coppery dusk light, as if illuminated by stoked embers. Yellow reptilian eyes widened their pupil slits, seeking their target.

Alchemical monsters created long ago during the dominion of Exar Kun on Yavin 4, these creatures had lived for generations in the black and dripping grottoes of distant mountains. Now three of them had awakened, called to destroy the body of Luke Skywalker.

The flying creatures struck the open skylights at the apex of the ziggurat. With metallic claws they scrabbled on the weathered stones that framed narrow windows. Each creature’s double heads bobbed up and down, hissing and snapping in anticipation.

Folding their batlike wings against them, they squirmed through the skylights into the open chamber. Moving together, the creatures descended toward Luke’s helpless body, long talons extended.…

Luke’s image shimmered but cast no light in the dim chambers where the twins lay sleeping. The door was open. Cilghal sat up studying in her own room across the corridor, but she could not yet hear Luke’s voice. The boy Jacen could—and Luke had no time.

“Jacen,” he said with his muffled inside-the-head voice. The boy stirred. Beside him Jaina sighed and rolled over in her sleep. “Jacen!” Luke said again. “Jaina, I need your help. Only you can help me.”

The boy woke up, blinking his dark eyes. He scanned the room, vawned, then fixed his eyes upon Luke’s image. “Uncle Luke?” he said. “Help? Okay.”

“Wake your sister and follow me. Tell her to raise the alarm and bring all the other Jedi. But you have to help me now! Maybe you can hold them off long enough.”

Jacen didn’t ask questions. By the time he shook his sister, she had already started to awaken. She too saw Luke, and the boy needed only a few words to explain the situation.

Jacen trotted down the hall on his little legs. Luke drifted in front of him, urging Jacen faster, faster, toward the turbolift.

Jaina ran into Cilghal’s quarters and screamed, “Help, help!” at the top of her lungs. “Uncle Luke needs help.” The Jedi trainees surged out of their quarters.

Suddenly alarms rang out. Luke realized that Artoo, still standing sentry duty in the grand audience chamber, must have triggered them. He didn’t know, though, what the astromech droid could do against the monstrous winged creatures summoned by Exar Kun.

Jacen hesitated inside the turbolift while Luke showed which button to push. “Hurry, Jacen!” Luke said. The turbolift shot upward and spilled them into the vast, dim chamber.

Down at the end of the promenade, Artoo hummed back and forth, whistling and warbling shrilly. His arc-welding arm extended, flashing blue sparks, but the reptilian creatures flapped into the air, circling around the sluggish droid as if they considered Artoo to be no threat.

Two of the creatures flapped up from the raised platform upon hearing the turbolift doors open. They honked and hissed, spitting at the very small boy who emerged alone to challenge them.

Artoo squealed, as if thankful for any sort of help. The alarms continued to hammer through the temple.

The third creature perched at the edge of the long stone table on which Luke’s body lay. Its two heads bobbed forward to let out a dual squeal of annoyance. One of the heads snapped down to tear a mouthful of cloth from Luke’s robe. The other head curled back scaled lips and flashed a jagged row of fangs.

“They’re angry,” Jacen said as if he had some kind of empathy with the creatures. “They’re … wrong.”

“Chase them away from my body, Jacen,” Luke said, eyeing the poisonous stingers on their tails, the vicious teeth, the sharp claws.… “Go help Artoo. The others will be here in just a few seconds.”

Without fear Jacen shrieked like a wild warrior as he ran toward the monsters on his stubby legs. He flailed his arms, yelling.