"The next thing you knew, you'd practically destroyed our quad laser cannons and smashed the control to the bulkhead door," Luke said, "and shut down our hyperdrive. Now we can't escape!"

"But it wasn't my fault," Ken protested. "There was a loose crate and-"

Luke, Ken, and Threepio quickly braced themselves, as more Imperial laserfire hit the Millennium Falcon-probably at the intake vent for the s.h.i.+p's cooling system. Artoo fell over onto his back, his dome striking the hard metal floor. "I'll help you, Artoo," Ken said, lifting the barrel-shaped droid back up. "Somebody should have manufactured you with hands, little droid. Then you wouldn't have these problems."

"Bzeeebch bzooop!" Artoo tooted in grat.i.tude.

"Success!" Threepio shouted, unaware of Artoo and his troubles. "I've just replaced this piece of torn cable. Our quad laser cannons should be working splendidly now! By tightening up the connector to the hyperdrive modulator, I seem to have fixed it!"

The Millennium Falcon's defensive guns climbed up to full power again. And the lights on the display panel indicated to Han and Chewbacca that they could now use the hyperdrive and accelerate to light speed once again.

"Nice move!" Han said, as Luke returned to the navigation room. "Hey, what's the kid doing here?" he asked upon seeing the young Jedi Prince tagging along behind Luke.

"Ken!" Princess Leia exclaimed, shocked to see the boy aboard.

But Leia was even more shocked when, instead of going into hyperdrive and escaping at faster-than-light speed, Han Solo began playing a dangerous game of s.p.a.ce-tag. The Falcon darted toward Grand Moff Hissa's Imperial strike cruiser, as Han and Chewbacca took aim.

"Not so close, Han," Princess Leia shouted. "If they're going to blow up the Falcon, don't make it any easier for them!"

"n.o.body's going to blow us up, Princess," Han said confidently. "We're just going to puncture a few holes in their air locks so those c.o.c.ky Imperials can say good-bye to their air. Then they can eat our s.p.a.ce dust!"

But Han had spoken too soon.

Grand Moff Hissa's marksmen made a direct hit on the Millennium Falcon's backup cooling system. And then, to add insult to injury, they melted the Falcon's missile tubes.

Han and Chewbacca had no choice but to cut the battle short, s.h.i.+ft their s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p into hyperdrive, and run from the fight at faster-than-light speed.

CHAPTER 6.

Near the Valley of Royalty In the Null Zone of s.p.a.ce, deep inside s.p.a.ce Station Scardia, a group of Prophets of the Dark Side gathered around the carbonite block that had just been delivered.

The carbonite was now on a thick platform, directly below the deadly neutron furnace that powered the cube-shaped s.p.a.ce station. Trioculus's face stuck out of the block, covered with a thick film of carbonite, looking as though he had been sculpted in black marble.

Kadann had given Trioculus his dark blessing to rule the Empire. With help from Grand Moff Hissa, Trioculus had fulfilled Kadann's prophecy about the new Imperial leader: After Palpatine's fiery death Another leader soon comes to command the Empire And on his right hand he does wear The glove of Darth Vader!

Kadann gazed deeply at the frozen face of Trioculus. It was no longer the face of the confident and brash liar who had once visited Kadann to prove that he wore the indestructible symbol of Imperial might-the right-hand glove of Darth Vader. It was now a twisted, burned, and tormented face-the face of a failure who had never measured up to his dark mission, and a disgrace to the Empire. Trioculus had failed to locate the Lost City of the Jedi-or the young Jedi Prince who was raised in the Lost City by Jedi caretaker droids.

Kadann sneered, knowing that the fateful end of Trioculus was close at hand.

Kadann hobbled over to the trigger that was to blast the carbonite block with deadly rays from the neutron furnace. The black-bearded dwarf shook his head in disgust, then touched the trigger.

TZZZZZZZZZZCH!.

The scorching heat of four fiery neutron beams struck the carbonite block from all sides.

The carbonite blistered, buckled, turned white-hot, and then, as the Prophets of the Dark Side s.h.i.+elded their eyes from the blast of intense light, the block completely vaporized.

When Kadann released his fingertip from the trigger of the neutron beam, there was nothing left of the block at all. Not even a trace of it remained on the platform.

Kadann turned to Prophet Gornash, the ma.s.sive prophet who towered alongside him.

"It's done," Kadann declared.

"But the glove," Prophet Gornash objected. "The glove of Darth Vader is indestructible.

Why isn't the glove still on the platform?"

Kadann's smile didn't fade. "You call yourself a prophet, Gornash, and yet you cannot answer such an obvious question?"

"Regretfully, Kadann, the answer truly eludes me," Gornash replied, raising his brows quizzically. "Unless, perhaps, we have just vaporized someone else, not Trioculus."

"But for that to be the case, I would have to be mistaken," Kadann said. "And in this universe, Gornash, all things are possible, except one. And what may that one thing be?

Say it, prove that I have taught you well."

"It's impossible that you could ever be mistaken, all-seeing, all-knowing Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side!" Gornash replied, bravely glancing at the stem face of Kadann.

Kadann nodded slowly. "You are correct. Have no doubt that Trioculus has been destroyed.

But the glove-the glove still exists. In fact, the day Trioculus removed it, it was already on its way to me here, thanks to the efficient work of High Prophet Jedgar and my secret team of Imperial intelligence agents."

Kadann unlocked one of his thousands of display cases in s.p.a.ce Station Scardia and removed a delicately carved black box made of onyx. He lifted the lid and revealed the glove of Darth Vader! "Behold!" Kadann declared triumphantly. "No greater symbol of darkness was ever made than this glove -- the gauntlet that once covered Darth Vader's right hand. When it caused Trioculus to go blind because of his unworthiness, he removed it and began to wear a replica of the glove -- one that was a fake, just like Trioculus himself. And now that he's been vaporized, may that liar and impostor never rest in peace!"

The Millennium Falcon came out of hyperdrive and circled back toward the planet Duro, zigzagging its way as it approached one of the six huge s.h.i.+pyards...o...b..ting the gray planet. The Falcon was almost out of control.

FZZZZ-SWOOOOOs.h.!.+.

The cooling system was leaking fluid into the cargo bay, causing a small flood.

KAb.u.m . . . KAb.u.m ... KAb.u.m . .

And the Falcon's melted missile tubes rattled against one another, weakening their bearings.

"This s.h.i.+p is in sorry shape," Princess Leia lamented, as Han Solo slowed the s.p.a.cecraft to approach a s.h.i.+pyard docking bay.

"No need to despair, Princess," Han replied. "The Duro mechanics at these s.h.i.+pyards are the best in the galaxy. They'll have the Falcon repaired in no time."

"Growwwrrr-rooowf!" Chewbacca barked.

"I'm afraid you're right, Chewie," Han said. "They'll have it repaired if they have the spare parts we need. If not, we could be laid up for weeks."

Despite the flood in the cargo bay, Han and Chewbacca managed to navigate the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p to Orbiting s.h.i.+pyard Alpha-a s.h.i.+pyard circling Duro in a wide, oval orbit about a hundred miles above the planet's atmosphere.

A Duro mechanic at the s.h.i.+pyard quickly looked the Millennium Falcon over and told Han what the estimated bill would be for repairing it. All Han could say was, "Ouch!"

The Imperial attack from Grand Moff Hissa's strike cruiser had done more damage than anyone aboard the Falcon had expected. The replacement list included a brand new pa.s.sive sensor antenna, a rebuilt Carbanti 29L electromagnetic package, a new acceleration compensator, extensive repairs to the ion flux stabilizer, and even a new floor for the flood-damaged cargo bay.

"A lot of bad news for one day, Han," Luke said, as Han paced back and forth nervously.

"The Millennium Falcon is like a member of your family."

"Tell me about it," Han said with dismay.

"It's all my fault," Ken said.

"Owwwwwooooooo!" Chewbacca howled, moaning as if he'd just stepped on a thick avabush thorn. But it was a moan of sorrow, not pain.

The s.h.i.+pyard sent a sales representative to talk to Han about the situation.

"The bottom line here, Mr. Solo," said the salesman, "is that it'll be less expensive to sc.r.a.p the Millennium Falcon and buy a new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, than it would be to repair it. Now this s.h.i.+pyard can offer you a trade-in on a new model Carbanti DeLuxe with a supercharged hyperdrive unit. Or we could even give you a great deal on a Novaldex s.p.a.ce Warper, with six months guarantee in the case of any Imperial attacks. It's up to you!"

Han suddenly got a splitting headache. "No deal," he said. "I want my Falcon back in one piece. She might be just a hunk of tin to you, but the Millennium Falcon means as much to me as Luke's droids here mean to him. You don't think Luke would trash See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo just because they've got a few scratches and dents on them, do you?"

"You tell him, sir!" See-Threepio added, turning to the salesman. "We aren't interested in your new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps, and that's final!"

"I'm sure Mon Mothma will agree that the Alliance should pick up the tab for the repairs, Han," Leia said confidently. "After all, we made this flight at SPIN's request."

"Fix it," Han declared to the salesman.

While the Millennium Falcon was raised up on a huge rack in the repair bay, Princess Leia and Han Solo went to the rental agency in another warehouse in s.h.i.+pyard Alpha and leased a Corellian Action VI Transport, so they could continue their mission.

As soon as the lease papers were signed, they blasted off from the orbiting s.h.i.+pyard and headed toward Duro. Luke, Leia, and Ken sat in the second tier of seats behind Han and Chewbacca in the navigation console, with Threepio and Artoo beside them.

"No wonder almost all the aliens on Duro got pa.s.sports to live on other worlds," Princess Leia said, staring through the window down at the pockmarked gray planet. "There must be thousands of hazardous waste pits and toxic chemical landfills down there."

"Tzzzn-gleEEEch chbziiit-tlooog!" beeped Artoo-Detoo. The barrel-shaped droid suddenly projected a map.

"Look, Master Luke," Threepio said.

"Artoo must have fixed the glitch in Dustini's data disc," Princess Leia explained. "He's showing us the rest of the information."

The map showed a valley surrounded by a thick wall, with mountains beyond. The sound of Dustini's voice came from the data disc.

"We're seeing a schematic drawing of the Valley of Royalty on Duro," Threepio translated.

"The wall has prevented unwelcome creatures from entering the valley for thousands of years. Now we're seeing beneath the valley, underground-ancient catacombs, caverns, and tunnels-all secret and unknown to the Empire."

The hologram then changed to an image of a Duro s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p landing in the mountains near the valley. The s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p touched down in a concealed flat region beneath the shelter of overhanging cliffs. Suddenly, a small part of the mountain glowed red.

"The red area is a hidden doorway," Threepio continued. "It's an entrance that leads down into the mountain-a tunnel beneath the wall that surrounds the Valley of Royalty. It leads to the caverns where the Duro archaeologists are hiding while they gather the treasures of their planet."

All eyes in the s.p.a.cecraft continued to stare at the hologram, as the view changed once again. This time a building was revealed in the Valley of Royalty, not far from some ancient monuments. "That's the new Imperial Reprogramming Inst.i.tute," Threepio said, "where the Empire sends its most dangerous prisoners."

Just then the hologram soundtrack stuck, repeating the following words in Durese: "Ghinish-vik-Triclops ... Ghinish-vik-Triclops . ."

"That building is where the Empire is keeping Triclops prisoner," Threepio explained.

"Don't you mean Trioculus?" Princess Leia asked, knitting her brows.

"No, he definitely said Triclops," Threepio replied.

"Well, who is Triclops?" Luke asked.

"I know," said Ken. "I probably should have told you sooner, Luke, but Dee-Jay, my caretaker droid, said it would be dangerous to talk about Triclops to anyone-even to you.

Triclops is the deepest, darkest secret of the Empire. The only Imperials who know of his existence are the most powerful members of the Imperial ruling cla.s.s, such as the grand moffs."

"Then how do you know he exists, Ken?" a very puzzled Princess Leia asked.

"From the master computer files in the Jedi Library-in the Lost City of the Jedi. I was never allowed to see the whole file on Triclops," Ken explained, "but from what I did see, I learned that Triclops, like his name implies, has three eyes, just like Trioculus. And it is Triclops, not Trioculus, who is the real son of the evil Emperor who used to rule the galaxy with Darth Vader-Emperor Palpatine."

Ken told all he knew, as everyone listened to him with undivided attention. "The grand moffs refuse to admit officially that Triclops exists. They believe he's insane, and they're terrified that if he's ever set free, he might take over as ruler of the Empire, and destroy everything in the galaxy, including them! And yet, despite this danger, for some strange reason I don't understand, they still keep him alive!"

Under heavy cloud cover, the Corellian Action VI Transport began to descend.

"Thank your lucky stars that this freighter is a Corellian s.h.i.+p," Han said with satisfaction. "When I noticed this big brown k.n.o.b over here on the master control board, it clinched the rental deal for me. Know what this doohickey does?"

"Is that for bailing out if we're going to crash?" Luke asked with a smile.

"I know what it's for," Ken said, his eyes bright and alert. "It's a Forbes CC-Y Antiradar Defense Unit."

"Bright kid," Han said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Did you also pick that up at the Jedi Library in the Lost City?"

"Of course," Ken replied. "Dee-Jay taught a special cla.s.s in stealth systems."

Han pushed on the brown k.n.o.b as he guided the Action VI Transport down toward the mountains. "I'm sure Dee-Jay probably taught you that this CC-Y unit makes us invisible to Imperial radar," Han continued. "Without it we'd look as big as a star dragon on enemy radar screens."

As they came in for their landing, the belly of the Corellian Transport sc.r.a.ped against the mountain ridge.

WHOOOOOSH-SHHHHHH.

Clouds of hot exhaust gases billowed out of the transport's hyperdrive multiplier as it shut down.

Ken poked his head out of the transport s.h.i.+p's door and took two steps down the exit ramp.

Through the gray mist he could see the outline of the Great Wall far below. He also saw a huge dam looming above the valley, bubbling with foul-smelling toxic wastes from Imperial s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p manufacturing plants.

"That must be the Valley of Royalty down there!" Ken said excitedly. "Let's get going!"

"Wait a second," Luke said, coming down the ramp. "Where do you think you're going, Ken?"

"With you guys, of course. To save the archaeologists!"