jutting out from the helmet's chin a grilled breathing breathing filter was set between two artificial air supply nozzles More stormtroopers poured into the main corridor From their alcove the droids watched helplessly as several Rebel soldiers were shot down The Rebels fought back and the corridor was filled with deadly crisscrossing projectiles When a laserbolt slammed into the wall near the droids R2 D2 responded with a loud electronic shriek then rolled forward on his treads Not wanting to be left behind C 3PO stepped after his companion Laserbolts whizzed past their forms as the droids crossed the narrow corridor to a hatch that faced the alcove Incredibly neither droid was hit during their quick but harrowing exit Overwhelmed by the stormtroopers the surviving Rebels retreated hastily to other parts of the Tantive IV A squad of stormtroopers secured the corridor then instinctively moved away from the hatch as a tall caped figure entered He was clad entirely in black giving him the appearance of a menacing shadow amidst the white armored stormtroopers in the whitewalled whitewalled passageway His head was concealed by a helmet with a fierce looking faceplate distinguished by two recessed black oval visual sensors positioned above a triangular respirator A life support system control panel was affixed to his chest plate and he carried with him the sound of his mechanical 6
labored breathing Everything in his outward appearance appearance suggested that the black armored suit only barely contained the evil lurking within He was Darth Vader the Sith Lord Darth Vader ignored the two dead stormtroopers near the exploded hatch and surveyed the fallen Rebels on the corridor floor He felt neither pity nor remorse for the lives that had been extinguished These men brought this upon themselves They sealed their fate the day they chose to oppose the Empire Stepping over the corpses Darth Vader proceeded into the Tantive IV R2 D2 stood in a dimly illuminated subhallway that linked the Tantive IV's port airlock to the escape pod access tunnel He had lost sight of C 3PO almost immediately after they'd made their hasty exit from the main corridor and assumed the golden droid had either gotten lost or found a good hiding place The only reason R2 D2 had not yet attempted to find C 3PO was because he was busy making a holographic holographic recording of Princess Leia Organa R2 D2 had run into the young woman as she hid in the subhallway She had fair skin dark brown hair and wore a loose fitting white gown and travel boots She sounded distressed as she spoke which was understandable 7
understandable given the circumstances The droid was still recording when she glanced at a hatch behind behind her then turned back and bent to insert a data card into the slot beneath R2 D2's radar eye The droid stopped recording From nearby C 3PO cried Artoo where are you While Leia crept off to hide against the nearby wall R2 D2 extended his retractable third leg to the floor and moved in the direction of C 3PO's voice At last C 3PO said when he saw R2 D2 Where have you been They're heading in this direction direction What are we going to do We'll be sent to the spice mines of Kessel or smashed into who knows what R2 D2 rolled away from C 3PO heading for the escape pod access tunnel Wait a minute C 3PO said Where are you going Princess Leia peeked out from her hiding place and watched the droids exit She thought Unless that R2 unit delivers my message all will be lost As stormtroopers and captured Rebel troops marched by Darth Vader stood in the consular ship's operations forum and wrapped his blackgloved blackgloved fingers around the neck of the ship's commanding 8
commanding officer Captain Antilles Vader was about to proceed with his interrogation when an Imperial officer rushed up and announced The Death Star plans are not in the main computer Vader turned his visor to gaze at Captain Antilles Where are those transmissions you intercepted the Sith Lord asked as he lifted Antilles off the floor What have you done with those plans Antilles gasped We intercepted no transmissions transmissions Aaah this is a consular ship We're on a diplomatic mission Tightening his grip Vader asked If this is a consular ship where is the ambassador When no answer came from Antilles Vader decided decided the interrogation was over There was a horrid snapping sound from Antilles neck then his body went limp Vader tossed the dead soldier against the wall then turned to a stormtrooper Commander Vader ordered tear this ship apart until you've found those plans and bring me the passengers passengers I want them alive The stormtroopers marched off to search the ship Soon a squad arrived at the adumbral port subhallway subhallway and moved quietly down its length It didn't take long for a stormtrooper to spot Princess Leia's white gown against the dark walled chamber 9
