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As the Calamarian defenders snatched up their weapons again, Terpfen lunged forward to grab the baby out of Furgan’s hands.

The other Calamarians fired at Furgan, but the squat man rolled across the floor, got to his knees, and launched himself around the corner, moving far faster than Leia would ever have thought possible.

“After him!” Terpfen cried. He passed baby Anakin to Leia and dashed off in pursuit of Furgan.

As hot tears flowed from her eyes, Leia hugged her youngest son, trying to find words that would console him—but nothing came to mind, so she just made cooing noises. She sank to the floor, rocking him back and forth.

Ackbar’s broad feet slapped on the stone floor as he ran deeper into the catacombs. His lungs burned in the dry air, but still he insisted on more speed. He pulled ahead of the others. So far Winter had followed exactly the guidelines he had established for defense of the base.

He knew from the wreckage outside that the Foreign Intruder Defense Organism had done its job, eliminating half the Spider Walkers before they could breach the blast doors—but it had not been enough. Winter would have proceeded down to trigger the camouflaged assassin droids.

The other team members clattered behind him. He could smell dust and engine oil in the dry air, and also a sharp, damp smell like copper and smoke—blood.

The robed form of Winter sprang around the corner, holding a blaster in front of her, ready to fire. But she froze. For just an instant a smile of delight crossed her face. “Ackbar! I knew you would come.”

Ackbar strode toward her, resting his hand on her arm. “I arrived as fast as I could. You are safe?”

“For the moment,” she said. “The defenses have eliminated all but two of the intruders, according to my inventory.”

“Are you certain?” he said.

“I never forget anything,” Winter said, and Ackbar knew it was true.

“Leia and the rest of my team should be getting Anakin now,” he said, then continued softly, “We split up so that I could determine if you required assistance.”

She nodded. The expression on her face softened. “I will not feel comfortable until I see the baby safe.”

“Let’s go,” Ackbar said, still out of breath. Together they began the long run uphill.

Terpfen raced feverishly up sloping corridors. His feet were raw, bleeding from running on the textured floor, but still he ran. He didn’t care if this race killed him. He had to get to Furgan before the ambassador escaped.

Furgan had jerked his controls and made Terpfen reveal damning secrets of the New Republic, forced him to sabotage Ackbar’s B-wing so that it had crashed into the Cathedral of Winds, made him betray the location of the Jedi baby.

Terpfen would pay his personal debt in any way he could—but Furgan would also have to pay the price.

With determination coursing through his veins, Terpfen passed the other Calamarian pursuers. Through the dimness he could hear Furgan scurrying forward like a krabbex.

“Follow!” Terpfen wheezed as he shot past the others. Terpfen leaped over fallen hunks of metal shrapnel, blasted doors that the invading stormtroopers had blown away. He emerged into the landing grotto to find Furgan already scrambling into one of the unoccupied MT-ATs.

“You can’t escape, Furgan!” Terpfen shouted. He paused to catch his breath against the melted but now cooled hatch.

Furgan slung one leg over the edge of the Spider Walker and settled himself into its cockpit. His face wrinkled as if someone had scrunched it up from the inside.

“We already destroyed your Dreadnaught in orbit,” Terpfen said. Finding energy deep within him, he staggered toward the walker. He heard the other troops catching up.

Furgan looked amazed at the news, but then his face smoothed again with disbelief. “I know better than to trust you, little fish. Your whole life is a lie.”

Furgan closed the transparisteel canopy. The engines hummed to life. One of the outer blast doors had been completely torn away; the other hung half-open. Wind sighed through the opening. In the clotted purple