THE CHASE>>>>>

Using my personal comp and locator, I set the coordinates and made my way deeper into the complex.

 

Following my comp's beacon, I found myself in what appeared to be a derelict cargo bay....in the far corner was a service elevator.

 

Knowing that activating the elevator was sure to draw attention, I pressed the bottom button, fired up the unit, and jumped atop as it descended.

 

Some debris was on the elevator's top, so I concealed myself underneath.....as the elevator dropped ever faster, I became concerned......

 

"Must be the express!"


I noted the passage of startled Gammorean guards as they flashed by, and I heard their anxious grunts.

"Those must have been the lifeforms I picked up earlier."

 

Abruptly, the elevator shuddered to a stop. I spied through a hole in the ceiling that the doors were thrown open by several Gammoreans and a few other aliens I could not place.

 

Finding nothing, the guards soon became less distraught. A particularly nasty looking guard pressed one of the upper buttons, and closed up the elevator.

 

"POO-DOO!!!! Here's where I get off!" I thought as I leapt out from under my cover, and scrambled for the recessed emergency ladderwell as the unit began to accelerate.

 

I pressed my body against the ladder as the elevator rushed past, scraping my back.

 

Just as I was congratulating myself for being so light-footed, the last guard walking away stopped, cocked his head to one side, and began to turn back around!

 

Quickly mustering up the Force, I clouded his mind as he came back to the shaft, and looked up....directly at me!!!!

 

With cold eyes, he peered about the shaft, snorted gruffly, and went back to his comrades.

 

I sighed inwardly......."Midichlorians.....remind me to buy you guys a round of Bendakk & Blue Milk when we get home!"

 

In my haste to make for the ladderwell, I neglected the fact that it was on the far side of the elevator shaft......the leap over to this level's opening would be a monstrous one.

 

I scaled a few rungs of the ladder, concentrated deeply, and threw myself into a long, graceful reverse swan-dive flip for the opening......and missed!!!

 

As my heels careened off the openings' lip, I reached back hard over my head with both hands, and grasped the very edge.....my fingers felt like they were being ripped out by their roots!

 

"That was swift!!!!" The back of my head had bounced hard against the rock wall and was throbbing, and my arms did not appreciate this awkward pull-up position......

 

Blinking the sweat from my eyes, I spun myself around, noting that it was still quite a drop to the ground........"Geez....where is the ground????"

 

Pulling myself up to the berm, I looked about cautiously, then worked myself up and over onto the platform.

 

Laying prone, I surveyed a huge warehouse, strewn with ships of all kinds, rigging cranes, conveyers, and immense storage crates.

 

Laying low, I crabbed my way to take cover. Finding some gear stacked haphazardly, I took the chance to Force-leap from piece to piece to get a better vantage point.

 

The higher I climbed, the larger this facility got! Within the depths of this area, to my disbelief, I saw several Destroyer class ships being attended to by a veritable sea of droids.

 

"How the.....? Destroyers???? Here????" It was incredulous to me that someone, anyone, could have gotten such large ships down this far......unless........

 

I saw a myriad of catwalks just above me, with droids racing about to their tasks......I used the Force to make one last leap to the nearest walkway.

 

Once on the catwalk, I stayed against the rails, and let the drones and droids move past. As I worked my way along, I felt what seemed to be a cool, steady breeze coming from the depths of this place.