Star Wars

Galaxy of Fear

Book 1

Eaten Alive

by John Whitman

source : IRC

uploaded: 13.II.2006

updated : 11.XI.2006

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PROLOGUE

The security door slid open with a hiss. A dark figure stepped into the laboratory, where a single scientist stood over an examination table. On the table, something was still alive.

As the dark figure approached, the scientist did not turn around. Only two other beings in the entire galaxy had access to his hidden fortress, and he knew who had come to see him.

"Welcome, Lord Vader," the scientist said.

The figure covered in black armor took a step closer. His face was hidden behind a black, skull-like breath mask. He was Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, the cruel right hand of the Emperor of the galaxy. "Have you completed your research?"

The scientist turned. In his hands he held a sharp, hooked instrument.

Behind him, the creature on the table shuddered, then grew still.

"Very nearly. The first five stages of my experiment are under way. Soon I will be able to complete the sixth and final stage. Then I shall provide the Emperor with the greatest power in the galaxy."

"That claim has been made before," Vader said. "The Death Star was supposed to be the ultimate mechanical terror. It destroyed the planet Alderaan, but then the Rebels destroyed the Death Star."

"Pah!" the scientist replied. "That battle station was a toy. My designs are not machines... I control the power of life itself. I will create the ultimate weapon for the Emperor."

"The ultimate weapon," Vader cautioned, "is the Force."

"Of course, of course."

Vader stared at the scientist for a moment, his breath rasping through his mask like a threatening hiss. "You are running out of time. Already your work may have been discovered."

The scientist scowled. "You mean by him? Don't worry about him. I will deal with him when the time comes."

Vader raised one hand in caution. "If this secret should leak as did the secrets of the Death Star, the Emperor and I will be most displeased."

Then the Dark Lord turned away.

The scientist stared after the armored figure, his eyes burning a hole into Vader's back. Soon, he thought, very soon, he would have the power to destroy even Darth Vader. Then he would take his place at the Emperor's side.

He turned back to his experiments. He lowered his hooked blade. On the table, the creature screamed....

CHAPTER 1

The attack came without warning.

In a small quadrant of space, an X-wing starfighter altered its flight path slightly to avoid the massive red moon looming ahead. As it did, a twin-ion engine ship, or TIE fighter, appeared in the moon's shadow, its two solar panels glinting with reflected light. Streaking through the void, the TIE opened fire, its dual turbo-lasers spitting out streaks of flame.

One of those laser shots creased the X-wing's hull. The X-wing's shields deflected most of the blast, and the shaken fighter banked away and accelerated to attack speed.

Relentlessly the TIE fighter followed. Not only was the TIE fast and maneuverable, but the pilot had an added advantage. She knew her opponent. She eyed him coldly as he twisted and turned in an effort to shake off his pursuer. But she stuck with him, sparing only quick glances at her tactical display, waiting for her target to fall into her sights.

She grinned. "You are mine."

The fleeing X-wing made a sharp course adjustment and headed straight for the small red moon. That pilot knew who was behind him. It was the same enemy he had faced a hundred times. She was good. If he was going to survive, he would have to be better.

"Try this," he challenged.

The X-wing pilot aimed the nose of his ship at the moon. Instantly the moon's gravity grabbed hold of him, and his speed increased. At the last possible moment, the pilot veered away. Keeping just within gravity's reach, the X-wing pilot gunned his engines and scraped along the moon's atmosphere. The belly of his ship left a trail of flames in the air as the tiny ship looped around the moon.

The effect was like a slingshot. Pulled forward by gravity, the X-wing hurtled around the moon's perimeter, far ahead of the pursuing TIE fighter. He came around the far side with his own lasers firing.

But the TIE pilot was ready for him. "Oldest trick in the manual!" she gloated. She had changed her course to intercept her quarry before he completed his backdoor maneuver, blasting the X-wing with laser fire. The X- wing jerked hard left in a desperate roll. Laser bolts exploded around his ship, but amazingly, not a single shot hit him. Laughing, the X-wing pilot scooted past the TIE fighter, then curled around to continue the dogfight.