The Abduction of Psyche

The Abduction of Psyche
The British Are Coming
The Broken Pitcher
The Jewel Casket
"The Empire must have an outpost there," Solo admitted. "Although, accordingto the atlas, Alderaan had no moons." He shrugged it off. "Galactic topographywas never one of my best subjects. I'm only interested in worlds and moons withcustomers on them. But I think I can get him before he gets there; he's almost inrange." They drew steadily nearer. Gradually craters and mountains on the moonbecame visible. Yet there was something extremely odd about them. The craterswere far too regular in outline, the mountains far too vertical, canyons and valleyimpossibly straight and regularized. Nothing as capricious as volcanic action hadformed those features. "That's no moon," Kenobi breathed softly. "That's a space station." "But it's too big to be a space station," Solo objected. "The size of it! It can'tbe artificial—it can't!" "I have a very strange feeling about this," was Luke's comment. Abruptly the usually calm Kenobi was shouting. "Turn the ship around! Let'sget out of here!" "Yes, I think you're right, old man. Full reverse, Chewie." The Wookie started adjusting controls, and the freighter seemed to slow, arcingaround in a broad curve. The tiny fighter leaped instantly toward the monstrousstation until it was swallowed up by its overpowering bulk. Chewbacca chattered something at Solo as the ship shook and strained againstunseen forces. "Lock in auxiliary power!" Solo ordered. Gauges began to whine in protest, and by ones and twos every instrument on thecontrol console sequentially went berserk. Try as he might, Solo couldn't keep thesurface of the gargantuan station from looming steadily larger, larger—until it becamethe heavens. Luke stared wildly at secondary installations as big as mountains, dish antennaelarger than all of Mos Eisley. "Why are we still moving toward it?" "Too late," Kenobi whispered softly. A glance at Solo confirmed his concern. "We're caught in a tractor beam—strongest on I ever saw. It's dragging us in,"the pilot muttered. "You mean, there's nothing you can do?" Luke asked, feeling unbelievablyhelpless. Solo studied the overloaded sensor readouts and shook his head. "Not againstthis kind of power. I'm on full power myself, kid, and it's not shifting out of coursea fraction of a degree. It's no use. I'm going to have to shut down or we'll meltour engines. But they're not going to suck me up like so much dust without a fight!" He started to vacate the pilot's chair, but was restrained by an aged yet powerfulhand on his shoulder. An expression of concern was on the old man's face—and yet,a suggestion of something somewhat less funereal.