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"I expect no such difficulty in restraining myself where you are concerned, Leia Organa. In several ways,
you are responsible for my setbacks much more than this simple boy."
"Monster," was all she could spit out, furious and afraid.
"Do you remember that day back on the station," Vader mused, with deliberate patience, "when the
late Governor Tarkin and I interviewed you?" He placed a peculiar stress on the word "interviewed."
Leia had both hands on opposite shoulders and was shivering as if from intense cold.
"Yes," Vaderobserved, perverse amusement in his voice, "I can see that you do. I am truly sorry I
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have nothing as elaborate to treat you to at this time. However," he added, swinging his weapon lightly,
"one can do some interesting things with a saber, you know. I'll do my best to show you all of them if
you'll cooperate by not passing out."
Leia's hands dropped to her sides. The fear did not leave her, but she forced it into the back alleys of
her mind by sheer will. Running the few steps to Luke's side, she knelt and groped at his wrist. When she
rose, she was holding the lightsaber carefully in one hand. Vader looked on approvingly. "You're going to
fight. Good. That will make it interesting."
She spat at the advancing giant, a pitifully feeble gesture as she brandished the lightsaber. "The Force
give me leave to kill you before I die," she snarled.
Ah awful coughing laugh issued from behind the gargoylish breath mask."Foolish infant. The Force is
with me, not you. But," he shrugged amiably, "we will see." He assumed a position of readiness. "Come,
girl-woman... amuse me."
Grimly determined, mouth clenched, she moved toward him. As she did so Vader abruptly let his
arm fall, let the lambent beam of his saber hang limply at his side.
"Leia, don't!" Luke yelled to her. "It's a feint... he's daring you. Kill me,then yourself... it's hopeless
now."
Vader looked over at Luke contemptuously, then back at the Princess. "Go on," he told her, "lethim
fight for you if you want. But I won't let you kill him. I've been robbed too often."
Leia appeared to hesitate,then lunged straight at Vader with the tip of the saber. Simultaneously the
Dark Lord brought his own beam up in a lightning gesture to parry hers.
But Leia performed a spinning, twisting arc in the air and brought her saber down in a slashing flare of
blue light. Energy flashed as it contacted the Dark Lord's armored breath mask. Only superhuman
reflexes enabled him to avoid the full effect of the blow. If there was anyone in the vast chamber more
surprised than Vader, it was Luke. He fought to free his trapped leg with a slight twinge of hope.
"Almost, little Princess, almost," Vader murmured without anger. "I have been guilty of
overconfidence before." He adjusted his stance. "I will not be guilty again."
His saber curled in, around, down. She barely managed to deflect the blow as she backpedaled.
Again he advanced, swung; again she deflected the cut.
They dueled on, with Vader steadily pressing his attack. It required every bit of skill and strength the
Princess possessed for her simply to defend herself. There was no thought of mounting an assaultof her
own .
One occupant of the temple chamber was not watching the fight. High above and far away from the
duelists, Halla stood at face level with a pulsing, multifaceted crimson crystal as big as her head. With
trembling hands she reached out, caressed it. A twist and pull brought it out of its socket in the statue
with unexpected ease.
For a long moment she held the jewel in both hands, gazing deeply into a luminescence that was
almost alive. Then she was picking her way back down the juts and thrusts of the idol, clutching the
crystal tight to her bosom with her right hand.
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Vader cut down, the Princess brought her saber up yet once more to parry, and Vader at the last
instant changed his swing. The tip of the energy beam slashed across her midsection, slicing through her
miner's suit to leave a black burn across her middle. She winced in pain, grabbed at the wound with her
free hand. Vader allowed her no respite, continued to press forward.
Luke's efforts to pull himself free had left him as firmly pinned as ever, and utterly exhausted. He lay
on the ground, fighting to get his breath and energy back, forced to watch helplessly as Vader continued
his game of cat-and-mouse with the Princess.
Another intricate swing-and-thrust.This time his saber cut across her cheek, leaving another ugly
scorch mark. Tears came as her hand went to her burned cheek. She was moving more and more slowly
now, the hand holding Luke's lightsaber shaking uncertainly.
"Come, Princess-Senator Organa, where is your noble fortitude, your traitor's determination?" Vader
taunted her. "Surely a few little burns cannot hurt so much?"
Enraged, she swung the saber at him with fresh strength. Without straining, he blocked it completely
and continued to move on to cut at her again. Though she blocked it, the force of the blow sent her
tumbling, rolling to the ground. Vader followed relentlessly as she tried to crawl away and regain her feet.
His saber drew a long black gash down the back of her left leg.
Screaming, she rolled over somehow and ended up standing. Then she moved away from him with a
limp, favoring the damaged leg. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]