"You sense only a part of the force, Darth," Kenobi murmured with the assurance

of one to whom death is merely another sensation, like sleeping or making love or

touching a candle. "As always, you perceive its reality as little as a utensil perceives

the taste of food."

Executing a move of incredible swiftness for one so old, Kenobi lunged at the

massive shape. Vader blocked the stab with equal speed, riposting with a

counterslash that Kenobi barely parried. Another parry and Kenobi countered again,

using this opportunity to move around the towering Dark Lord.

They continued to trade blows, with the old man now backing toward the hangar.

Once, his saber and Vader's locked, the interaction of the two energy fields producing

a violent sparking and flashing. A low buzzing sound rose from the straining power

units as each saber sought to override the other.

Threepio peeked around the entrance to the docking bay, worriedly counting the

number of troopers milling around the deserted freighter.

"Where could they be? Oh, oh."

He ducked back out of sight just as one of the guards glanced in his direction.

A second, more cautious appraisal was more rewarding. It revealed Han Solo and

Chewbacca hugging the wall of another tunnel on the far side of the bay.

Solo also was nonplussed at the number of guards. He muttered, "Didn't we

just leave this party?"

Chewbacca grunted, and both turned, only to relax and lower their weapons at

the sight of Luke and the Princess.

"What kept you?" Solo quipped mirthlessly.

"We ran into," Leia explained, panting heavily, "some old friends."

Luke was staring at the freighter. "Is the ship all right?"

"Seems okay," was Solo's analysis. "It doesn't look like they've removed

anything or disturbed her engines. The problem's going to be getting to it."

Leia suddenly pointed to one of the opposite tunnels. "Look!"

Illuminated by the flare from contacting energy fields, Ben Kenobi and Darth

Vader were backing toward the bay. The fight attracted the attention of others beside

the Senator. Every one of the guards moved in for a better view of the Olympian

conflict.

"Now's our chance," Solo observed, starting forward.

All seven of the troopers guarding the ship broke and rushed toward the

combatants, going to the Dark Lord's aid. Threepio barely ducked aside as they ran

past him. Turning back into the alcove, he yelled to his companion.

"Unplug yourself, Artoo. We're leaving." As soon as the Artoo unit slipped

his sensor arm free of the socket, the two 'droids began to slowly edge out into the

open bay.

Kenobi heard the approaching commotion and spared a glance back into the

hangar. The squad of troopers bearing down on him was enough to show that he was

trapped.

Vader took immediate advantage of the momentary distraction to bring his saber

over and down. Kenobi somehow managed to deflect the sweeping blow, at once

parrying and turning a complete circle.

"You still have your skill, but your power fades. Prepare to meet the force,

Obi-wan."

Kenobi gauged the shrinking distance between the oncoming troops and himself,

then turned a pitying gaze on Vader. "This is a fight you cannot win, Darth. Your

power has matured since I taught you, but I too have grown much since our parting.

If my blade finds its mark, you will cease to exist. But if you cut me down, I will

only become more powerful. Heed my words."

"Your philosophies no longer confuse me, old man," Vader growled

contemptuously. "I am the master now."

Once again he lunged forward, feinting, and then slashing in a deadly downward

arc with the saber. It stuck home, cutting the old man cleanly in half. There was a

brief flash as Kenobi's cloak fluttered to the deck in two neat sections.

But Ben Kenobi was not in it. Wary of some tricks, Vader poked at the empty

cloak sections with the saber. There was no sign of the old man. He had vanished

as though he had ever existed.

The guards slowed their approach and joined Vader in examining the place where

Kenobi had stood seconds before. Several of them muttered, and even the awesome

presence of the Sith Lord couldn't keep a few of them from feeling a little afraid.

Once the guards had turned and dashed for the far tunnels, Solo and the others

started for the starship shifted direction and was moving toward the guards.

"Ben!" he screamed, firing wildly toward the troops. Solo cursed, but turned to

fire in support of Luke.

One of the energy bolts struck the safety release on the tunnel blast door. The

emergency hold broken, the heavy door fairly exploded downward. Both the guards

and Vader leaped clear—the guards into the bay and Vader backward, to the opposite

side of the door.

Solo had turned and started for the entrance to the ship, but he paused as he saw

Luke running toward the guards.

"It's too late!" Leia yelled at him. "It's over."

A familiar, yet different voice rang in his ears—Ben's voice. "Luke…listen!"

was all it said.

Bewildered, Luke turned to hunt for the source of that admonition. He only

saw Leia beckoning to him as she followed Artoo and Threepio up the ramp.

"Come on! There's no time."

Hesitating, his mind still on that imagined voice (or was it imagined?), a

confused Luke took aim and felled several soldiers before he, too, whirled and

retreated into the freighter.

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