THE CHASE>>>>>

Stepping out on the ledge, I judged the drop, and leapt down to the tank. The droid looked at me blandly as I force-pushed it off the turret......"Now for some real damage!"

 

In all the confusion, I surmised the guards had lost track of me, and a gaggle of them ran right past the tank......I slid into the gunner's position and started the tank forward toward the massive opening in the cavern's ceiling.

 

With the laser-cannon at maximum elevation, I targeted the opening, and opened fire as rapidly as the tank would allow.

 

As I did so, the guards swarmed the tank, firing everything they had at it....to no avail. "They sure build these things tough."

 

As the tank rocked from the impacts, I maintained fire on the cavern's throat, and finally it bagan to give way under the duress.

 

Every alarm in the tank was going off now, both from my continuous fire, and from the damage outside, but my work was done......the cavern opening was quickly collapsing under it's own weight.

 

I turned to the tanks' drive controls, threw it into reverse, and laid into the throttle.....the guards launched themselves clear as the tank gained speed.

 

I hover-spun the vehicle as best I could, but in doing so I bounced several times off the hulls of the transports and other ships, making progress anarchic at best!

 

By now, the cavern ceiling was loosing all integrity, and through a rear viewport, I could make out monstrous chunks of rock & earth tumbling down, engulfing everything in their path.

 

One chunk of granite dropped cleanly into a large transport's cargo hold, and the ship went up like some miniature Death Star......the shock-wave gave my tank an uncontrollable push!

 

Fighting the controls, I saw several droids and numerous crates bounce off the tanks' armour plates as it careened wildly......."Let me off this crazy ride!!!!"

 

Just as I thought I had it under control, the tank slammed into a smallish transport, and wedged itself smartly under the ships' landing gear.

 

The hatch was jammed, so I cut a section of the armour away.......I was expecting a rousing volley of blaster bolts to greet my exodus, but the cavern was a maelstrom, and no one seemed much interested in me now.

 

"Exit, stage right" came to my mind from one of my old books, and I made haste for what appeared to be a cargo elevator.

 

Just as I reached the lift, several guards and techs rounded a corner, and converged on the elevator.

 

The startled guards quickly drew down on me, and it was all I could do to deflect their multitude of blasts as the lift started it's ascent.

 

As before, the lift accelerated at a nauseating rate, and my chest heaved from the pace of the combat I had left below....."I'm gettin' too old for this sort of thing."

 

Once the lift reached the top, I piled out, slowed time, and ran as I had never run before.

 

Guards were seemingly coming out from everywhere, albeit slowly, and I knew this would be the final gauntlet.

 

Using my saber and armour for cover, and continuously slowing time throught the Force, I raced toward an old hanger. "Please let there be a working bird in here!"

 

Just outside the hanger door's, my force-powers were depleted, and time resumed it's relentless pace, as did the voluminous blaster fire from the enraged guards.

 

I dove inside the hanger, hit the door controller, and returned fire madly as they closed. "Man, talk about a Cliberian hornets' nest!"

 

I turned from the doors, and looked about......under a camo tarp lay a Naboo trainer! I hauled off the cover, and leapt into the cockpit. "C'mon, sweetheart, don't let me down!"

 

The switch triggered the converters, but there just wasn't enough juice to fire off the engines.....I dove out of the cockpit, found some spare power packs and began the tedious task of spark-charging the converters.

 

Some of the guards had come around to a side entrance......I spent the last of my blaster's powercell, threw the weapon aside, and proceeded to deal with them with my blade.