But the hatch stayed open, showing no inclination to close automatically. Luke

was about to let out a shout of triumph when the ground suddenly vanished ahead of

him. His toes hanging over nothingness, he failed to regain his balance, succeeding

just in time to nearly go over the edge of the retracted catwalk anyway as the Princess

plowed into him from behind.

The catwalk had been reduced to a stub protruding into empty air. A cool draft

caressed Luke's face as he studied walls that soared to unseen heights overhead and

plunged to fathomless depths below. The service shaft was employed in circulating

and recycling the atmosphere of the station.

At the moment Luke was too frightened and concerned to be angry with the

Princess for his attention. A burst of energy exploded above their heads, sending

metal slivers flying.

"I think we made a wrong turn," he murmured, firing back at the advancing

troops and illuminating the narrow corridor behind them with destruction.

An open hatchway showed on the other side of the chasm. It might as well

have been a light-year away. Hunting along the rim of the doorway, Leia located a

switch and hit it quickly. The hatch door behind them slid shut with a resounding

boom. At least that cut off the fire from the rapidly nearing soldiers. It also left the

two fugitives balanced precariously on a small section of catwalk barely a meter

square. If the remaining section were to unexpectedly withdraw into the wall, they

would see more of the battle station's interior than either wished.

Gesturing for the Princess to move aside as much as possible, Luke shielded his

eyes and aimed the pistol at the hatch controls. A brief burst of energy melted them

flush with the wall, insuring that no one could open it easily from the other side.

Then he turned his attention to the vast cavity blocking their path to the opposite

portal. It beckoned invitingly—a small yellow rectangle of freedom.

Only the soft rush of air from below sounded until Luke commented, "This is a

shield-rated door, but it won't hold them back very long."

"We've got to get across there somehow," Leia agreed, once more examining the

metal bordering the sealed doorway. "Find the controls for extending the bridge."

Some desperate searching produced nothing, while an ominous pounding and

hissing sounded from behind the frozen door. A small spot of white appeared in the

center of the metal, then began to spread and smoke.

"They're coming through!" Luke groaned.

The Princess turned carefully to stare across the gap. "This must be a single-

unit bridge, with the controls only on the other side."

Reaching up to the point at the panel holding the unreachable controls, Luke's

hand caught on something at his waist. A frustrated glance downward revealed the

cause—and engendered a bit of practical insanity.

The cable coiled tightly in small loops was thin and fragile seeming, but it was

general military-issue line and would have supported Chewbacca's weight easily. It

certainly ought to hold Leia and himself. Pulling the cable free of the waist catch, he

gauged its length, matching it against the width of the abyss. This should span the

distance with plenty to spare.

"What now?" the Princess inquired curiously.

Luke didn't reply. Instead, he removed a small but heavy power unit from the

utility belt of his armor and tied one end of the cable around it. Making sure the

wrapping was secure; he stepped as close to the edge of their uncertain perch as he

dared.

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