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to match the bars, and slipped through with a slight scraping sound. Fluttering, it continued drifting up the
corridor.
Halla was hardly breathing now, her entire being thrown into the tremendous effort she was making.
Luke watched as the tray dipped, rose to its former height, dipped again before continuing on up the
corridor.
"Boy," came an echo of the old woman's voice, "you got to help me." Her eyes were still closed.
"I can't, Halla," he told her tightly. "I'm no good at this."
"Got to, boy. Can't hold it myself much longer." Even as she finished the tray dipped, struck the ground
with a clang before rising once again.
Luke shut his own eyes and tried to concentrate only on the tray, ignoring the cell, the Princess,
everything but that floating flat plane of formed metal. A familiar voice seemed to remind him of
something.
"Don't try so hard, Luke," the voice said. "Remember how I taught you. Relax, relax, let the Force work
through you. Don't try to force the Force."
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Letting other thoughts leak into his mind, pleasant thoughts, Luke strove to comply. A general sense of
well-being flowed through him and he smiled. The tray lifted firmly to its former height, continued on up
the hallway at a rapid pace.
The Princess switched her gaze constantly from Luke to Halla and back. Striking the corridor wall, the
tray commenced bumping along it. It finally reached the recessed control, turned itself flat to the wall and
covered the depression. A very faint click sounded. An open ellipsoid appeared in the middle of the cell
bars.
Halla let out a long, slow sigh and wavered, almost falling. She caught herself as the tray plunged toward
the floor. Hin and Kee gasped, as did the Princess.
Luke leaned forward, his brows lifting sharply. Something caught the tray barely a centimeter above the
hard stone floor and lowered it gently, and silently, the rest of the way.
First through the gap were the two Yuzzem. The Princess followed immediately behind. Once clear, she
turned and called to Luke. "What are you waiting for... come on!"
But Luke was back at the window. "Are you all right, old woman?"
"I will be," Halla quipped, her face still showing the strain, "if you don't call me that too often. Couldn't
have done it without your help, boy. Your control is good."
"Not as good as your guidance," he responded gently. "You showed me the way. I've been lucky. I've
had good teachers."
She reached through the bars and patted his hand. "You're kind, Luke boy. There's a big landspeeder
garage and maintenance yard nearby. You turn right as you exit this mausoleum and pass some prefab
administrative co-ops. Continue on until you hit a small adjusted stream. Turn right again, follow the
stream. You'll pass a few more, larger buildings.
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"Eventually you'll reach the depot. The garage is the big structure on the immediate left. I'll meet you
there with your 'droids."
"What happens when we get there?"
"Happens? Why boy, we've got to steal a land-speeder or crawl-high. Or do you think we're going to
walk to the crystal? Not on this planet! See you there."
"Right," Luke acknowledged.
"Hurry up, Luke!" the Princess was calling to him, expecting a flood of troops at any moment. When he
didn't reply, she rushed back into the cell, grabbed one arm and pulled. He came willingly, still glancing
back toward the window Halla had already abandoned.
A loud commotion sounded ahead and Luke made worried noises.
"What's wrong?" the Princess asked, trying to see around corners in front of them. "It's the Yuzzem."
"Sounds like they're having fun," she demurred, after an especially violent crashing echoed down the
corridor.
"We ought to be trying to sneak out of here quietly."
"A subtle Yuzzem. You might as well wish for a squadron of Y-wings," she snorted derisively. She
picked up the tray and passed it over the cell lock, then slipped it back inside the bars.
"That should give them something to think about," she announced with satisfaction. "Let them think we
dematerialized the bars. It won't bother Grammel, but it might make some of his troops uneasy. I want
anyone trailing me to be as nervous as possible." Together, they started up the corridor. Hin and Kee
were waiting around the second corner. The first Yuzzem was standing over the limp forms of three
troopers. He was using a 'droid to beat a fourth soldier to pulp. The 'droid he was holding by one leg
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was coming apart at roughly the same rate as the man. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]