the space station’s technical data The Rebels hoped the data would reveal a way to destroy the Death Star The Empire was determined to recover the stolen stolen plans now in the possession of a young Senator from the planet Alderaan Princess Leia Organa
CHAPTER 1 Bursts of laserfire streaked after the consular starship Tantive IV which was racing for the planet Tatooine The ship was fleeing from the Devastator an immense Imperial Star Destroyer that was firing nearly all its turbolasers at the elusive ship Both vessels had just entered Tatooine’s orbit when the Devastator’s lasers scored a direct hit on the Tantive IV s primary sensor array The array exploded and the blast overloaded the starboard shield projector which caused another explosion Explosion damaging the power generator system and triggering a chain reaction throughout the ship With no starboard shield and no power to its engines the Tantive IV was effectively crippled Inside the battered Tantive IV the crew raced to extinguish EXtinguish fires as more blasts rocked the ship Struggling to remain on their feet Rebel crewmen and troops ran through a narrow white-walled passageway taking little little notice of the two robots that stumbled along with
them The droids were C 3PO a gold plated humanoid humanoid protocol droid and his counterpart R2 D2 an astromech astromech with a domed head and cylindrical body who moved on three legs Did you hear that C 3PO said to R2 D2 as the Tantive Tantive IV's engines powered down They've shut down the main reactor We'll be destroyed for sure This is madness More Rebel troops ran into the main corridor The two droids stepped aside into a shallow alcove to avoid being trampled The Rebels took up defensive positions and aimed their weapons at a sealed hatch at the end of the corridor C 3PO said We're doomed R2 D2 replied with a series of beeps and whistles There'll be no escape for the princess this time C 3PO said just loud enough for R2 D2 to hear Mere minutes before the Star Destroyer attacked the Tantive Tantive IV's commanding officer Captain Antilles had issued issued command control instructions to the droids ordering them to restrict and protect all references to Leia Organa's identity and presence onboard the Tantive Tantive IV The corridor was suddenly filled with the echoing echoing sounds of metallic latches clanking and moving around the ship's outer hull Hearing the noise C 3PO asked What's that R2 D2 beeped nervously The astromech suspected
that the Star Destroyer had used a tractor beam to draw the Tantive IV into the Destroyer’s main hangar and the clanking sounds were produced by a magnetic paralyzing pincer lock as it secured the captured ship Indeed that was exactly what had happened The Tantive Tantive IV was now nestled in the Star Destroyer’s underside underside hangar Although the hangar remained exposed to space the Tantive IV was trapped like a small fish in a sando aqua monster’s belly Inside the Tantive IV’s corridor the droids braced themselves against the alcove wall as the Rebel troops kept their eyes on the sealed hatch Suddenly sparks blazed at the hatch’s frame as it was cut from the other side Then the hatch exploded Before the smoke cleared a white-armored Imperial stormtrooper stepped through the shattered hatch and fired his blaster rifle at the Rebels The stormtrooper was immediately cut down by a hail of return fire from the Rebels but another another stormtrooper appeared from behind him firing as he stepped over his fallen predecessor The second stormtrooper also fell to the Rebels but there were more where he came from and they kept on coming The stormtroopers were identical Each wore a headconcealing headconcealing white helmet that resembled a robotic face with black polarized lenses for eyes and a grimacing vocoder for the mouth Below the vo coder jutting out from the helmet’s chin a grilled breathing filter was set between two artificial air supply nozzles
