"Bring 'em on," Solo demanded, unreasonably enthused by their success so far.

"I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around."

"Maybe you're in a hurry to die," Luke snapped, "but I'm not. All this sneaking

around has kept us alive."

The Corellian gave Luke a sour eye but said nothing.

They watched as Kenobi operated an incredibly complex computer console with

the ease and confidence of one long accustomed to handling intricate machinery. A

screen lit up promptly with a map of sections of the battle station. The old man

leaned forward, scrutinizing the display carefully.

Meanwhile, Threepio and Artoo had been going over an equally complicated

control panel nearby. Artoo suddenly froze and began whistling wildly at something

he had found. Solo and Luke, their momentary disagreement over tactics forgotten,

rushed over to where the robots were standing. Chewbacca busied himself hanging

the gentry officer up by his toes.

"Plug him in," Kenobi suggested, looking over from his place before the larger

readout. "He should be able to draw information from the entire station network.

Let's see if he can find out where the tractor beam power unit is located."

"Why not just disconnect the beam from here, sir?" Luke wanted to know.

It was Solo who replied derisively, "What, and have them lock it right back on us

before we can get a ship's length outside the docking bay?"

Luke looked crestfallen. "Oh. I hadn't thought of that."

"We have to break the tractor at its power source in order to execute a clean

escape, Luke," old Ben chided gently as Artoo punched a claw arm into the open

computer socket he had discovered. Immediately a galaxy of lights came to life on

the panel in front of him and the room was filled with the hum of machinery working

at high speed.

Several minutes passed while the little 'droid sucked up information like a metal

sponge. Then the hum slowed and he turned to beep something back at them.

"He's found it, sir!" Threepio announced excitedly.

"The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactors at seven locations. Most of

the pertinent data is restricted, but he'll try to pull the critical information through to

the monitor."

Kenobi turned his attention from the larger screen to a small readout near Artoo.

Data began to race across it too fast for Luke to see, but apparently Kenobi somehow

made something of the schematic blur. "I don't think there's any way you boys can

help with this," he told them. "I must go alone."

"That suits me fine," said Solo readily. "I've already done more than I

bargained for on this trip. But I think putting that tractor beam out of commission's

going to take more than your magic, old man."

Luke wasn't put off so easily. "I want to go with you."

"Don't be impatient, young Luke. This requires skills you haven't yet mastered.

Stay and wait for my signal. They must be delivered to the rebel forces or many

more worlds will meet the same fate as Alderaan. Trust in the force, Luke—and

wait."

With a last look at the flow of information on the monitor, Kenobi adjusted the

lightsaber at his waist. Stepping to the door, he slid it aside, looked once left, once

right, and, disappeared down a long, glowing hallway.

As soon as he was gone Chewbacca growled and Solo nodded agreement.

"You said it, Chewie!" He turned to Luke. "Where'd you dig up that old fossil?"

"Ben Kenobi—General Kenobi—is a great man," Luke protested loftily.

"Great at getting us into trouble," Solo snorted. "'General,' my afterburners!

He's not going to get us out of here."

"You got any better ideas?" Luke shot back challengingly.

"Anything would be better than just waiting here for them to come and pick us

up. If we—"

A hysterical whistling and hooting came from the computer console. Luke

hurried over to Artoo Detoo. The little 'droid was all but hopping about on stubby

legs.

"What now?" Luke asked Threepio.

The taller robot looked puzzled himself. "I'm afraid I don't understand either,

sir. He says, 'I found her,' and keeps repeating, 'She's here, she's here!' "

"Who? Who has he found?"

Artoo turned a flat blinking face toward Luke and whistled frantically.

"Princess Leia," the announced after listening carefully. "Senator Organa—

they seem to be one and the same. I believe she may be the person in the message he

was carrying."

That three-dimensional portrait of indescribable beauty coalesced in Luke's mind

again. "The Princess? She's here?"

Attracted by the commotion, Solo wandered over. "Princess? What's going

on?"

"Where? Where is she?" Luke demanded breathlessly, ignoring Solo

completely.

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