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"We are under attack," Tenel Ka said.

As if on cue, heavy blaster fire lanced out to explode in bright puffs when the ships howled past. Blaster bolts gouged molten craters in the ground and set some of the ancient buildings in the crater on fire.

The last two ships in the squadron came in with more specific targets.

One blast showered sparks from the starboard engine of the Rock Dragon, turning the hull plating to slag and ruining one of the passenger cruiser's stardrives. "No! " Jaina cried, helpless to stop The second attack was far worse, though.

"With precise targeting from full-powered blasters, the assault ship pummeled Uncle Tyko's transport, bombarding the tarnished-brass ship with irresistible energy until the craft exploded. A long plume of debris and flames spewed from the ruptured fuel pods.

"My ship? Uncle Tyko wailed. "How am I going to get home now?"

Jaina grabbed his fleshy arm and pulled him along as Jacen sprinted beside her.

"Let's worry about surviving this night first, okay?" Jacen said.

"Besides, my sister can fix just about anything."

"Don't get your hopes up," Jaina said, looking back over her shoulder at the flaming mound of debris.

Lowie charged up to join them as they ran for cover, avoiding the smoldering Rock Dragon just in case it became another primary target.

They all ran toward the ramps that descended into the abandoned stadium, hoping to find shelter there.

The warships decelerated, hovering over the encampment. In midair they disgorged silvery armored figures, not quite humanoid, that leaped out of the craft to drop from a height much greater than any human could have survived.

"Are those armored soldiers?" Jacen asked, "Space-troopers in full droid armor?"

"No," Jaina said, "not men in combat armor... I think they're droids--assassin droids!"

"That means real trouble," Uncle Tyko said. "Run into these tunnels! The droids will have heat-seeking optical sensors to help them locate us, but we need to stay ahead of them any way we can. Move!"

Five of the powerful assassin droids landed on the ground with clanking thuds, their armored legs spread apart, their mechanical arms drawn up in perfect balance.

Like automaton soldiers, they engaged their myriad weapons systems and marched forward, led by one droid that towered above all the others... It was also much more menacing.

"In here!" Uncle Tyko said, ducking low as he ran through an archway into a crumbling mazelike structure.

Jacen hoped that no vicious nocturnal predators lay inside the shadowy catacombs.

Their group could only handle one invincible enemy at a time.

They had no choice but to run blindly into the dark.

The squad of assassin droids stopped outside the maze entrance, lined up in ranks, then raised their weapon arms without even bothering to come inside the ruins. The droids fired from where they stood, blasting the exterior walls of the ancient structure. Explosions knocked down columns and support braces. Crumbling stones fell apart in clouds of choking dust.

"Oh, my!" Em Teedee cried. "What are we to do?"

"Run," Jaina said. "We're going to run."

The squad of assassin droids lowered their weapons and assessed the destruction blazing around them. Then they marched forward in lockstep over the rubble they had just created.

The tallest machine took the lead. His head was long and cylindrical, studded with flashing red optical sensors. The powerful droid moved with mechanical grace, each step an implacable advance toward its target.

"Oh, no--I recognize that one," Uncle Tyko said. "It's IG-88--the worst of all the assassin droid bounty hunters! He has some sentience programming and obeys no human orders. We're done for!"

"Indeed?" Em Teedee said. "Quite fascinating.

According to my files, IG-88 disappeared long ago, about the time of the Emperor's death. He hasn't been seen since."

"Gee, how'd we get so lucky then?" Jacen said. "Too bad he couldn't just have stayed hidden for a little while longer."

"If IG-88 is leading this group