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The TIE fighter, as if seeing it as his one chance for escape, darted back down toward the rough greenery of Massassi trees. It dodged jagged branches that thrust up like blackened witches' fingers where lightning and forest fires had burned the jungle, dipped down to trace the winding courses of rivers, and streaked over lush canyons-all with the Millennium Falcon following in hot pursuit.

If it were only a matter of speed, the Falcon's more powerful engines could have outrun the TIE fighter and brought it down, but the small ship's maneuverability among the dangerous treetops gave the Imperial pilot a definite advantage.

Han Solo, however, had greater determination. "What have you done with my kids?" he yelled into the comm channel.

It was obvious he expected no answer, but to everyone's surprise, the pilot spoke back in a calculating voice. "They are your children, pilot?

They were alive when I left them-but the jungle is a dangerous place.

There's no telling if they will last long enough for you to rescue them."

Tenel Ka marveled at the brilliant strategy. "It's a trick," she said.

"He wants you to break off the pursuit."

"I know," Han said, glancing back at her. His face was ashen. "But what if it's true?"

The TIE pilot used Han's brief hesitation to take his last best chance for escape: arrowing upward and bolting straight toward space. The twin ion engines roared through the thinning atmosphere.

Chewbacca yelped in reaction. Without waiting for Han to give the order, the Wook-iee copilot pushed the accelerators to maxi mum. The Falcon, white heat rippling from its rear sublight engines, zoomed after the TIE

fighter.

The acceleration slammed Tenel Ka back against her seat, and she grimaced as the tug of additional gravities stretched her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut. Beside her, Low-bacca grunted with the strain, but Han and Chewie seemed accustomed to putting such stress on their bodies.

The bright, milky-blue sky grew darker, turning a deep purplish color around them as they soared upward. The stars shone out as the Falcon pulled into the night of space. The blurry sphere of the great orange gas giant Yavin filled most of their cockpit windows.

The TIE fighter zigzagged to throw off pursuit, shifting course at random intervals and burning a great deal of energy.

"Maybe we can still wound his ship and pull him in," Han said, his voice strained.

Chewbacca piloted the Falcon as Han controlled the weapons systems. "I can't get a target lock," Han said.

The TIE fighter zoomed above the green jewel of the jungle moon.

Arching around in a tight orbit, the Falcon clung to it, following closely. Han fired repeatedly with his laser cannons-but the scarlet bolts missed.

Han pounded his fist on the control panel. "Hold still for a minute!" he shouted.

Then, as if obliging, the TIE fighter paused in the middle of the weapons systems aim-point grid. The target lock flashed brightly, and Han gave a whoop of excitement.

"Gotcha!" he said, and depressed both sets of firing studs.

But at the last possible instant, the lone TIE fighter shot forward with a blaze of astonishing speed, becoming a molten metal point of light. It dwindled in the sudden distance, screaming forward with instant lightspeed-and plunged into hyperspace with a silent bang.

"It's not my fault," Han Solo said, gaping at the vanished target. He let his shaking hands fall away from the firing controls. "A TIE fighter doesn't have lightspeed engines! It's a short-range ship."

Lowbacca grumbled an explanation, and Tenel Ka nodded.

"Jaina did what?" Han said in disbelief. "But that hyperdrive was for her to tinker with, not to install. She's got a lot of explaining to do with I see her-" He broke off, suddenly realizing where the twins were.

"Forget the TIE fighter. Let's go get the twins!" he said.

He changed the Falcon's course and arrowed straight back down to the emerald-green sphere of the jungle moon of Yavin.

22

Back at the tiny jungle clearing where the wreck of the TIE fighter had rested