Star Wars - 093 - The Life of Luke Skywalker - Ryder Windham by Ryder Windham

Author:Ryder Windham
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-04-01T16:20:30+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

"Help!" a woman screamed from across the forest. "Please! Someone! Help!"

Luke was surprised to hear any stranger's voice. Because the Millennium Falcon's sensors had not detected any evidence of civilization on the jungle planet, he hadn't expected to encounter any intel igent life forms. Without hesitation, he turned and bolted through dense foliage, running toward the unseen woman.

Luke, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 had been on the Falcon, traveling with the Rebel fleet after hastily evacuating their former base on Yavin 4. They had guided the fleet to a hyperspace jump point that would take them directly to their new base on the ice planet Hoth. Unfortunately, when they had attempted to fol ow the other ships through hyperspace, the Falcon's navigational computer had gone haywire. The Falcon had emerged from hyperspace in an unknown sector, and the crew had been forced to land on the uncharted world to make repairs to the navicomputer as wel as the hyperdrive.

Han had been anxious about the planet even before they'd landed. He maintained that trouble always had a way of finding them on apparently peaceful worlds, and he had encouraged Luke to scout around to make sure that nothing unpleasant would interrupt their work on the Falcon. Initial y, al Luke had found were strangely beautiful plants, towering trees, and a few smal nonthreatening creatures. He had been musing that Han's anxiety was unfounded

—before the woman's scream pierced the tranquil forest.

Luke vaulted over a thick, fungus-covered root of an enormous tree to arrive at the edge of a clearing. He found himself facing a monstrous plant with an eyeless, bulbous head and a gaping maw. Long tentacle-like tendrils extended from beneath the head, and one tendril was coiled around a terrified girl.

She had fair skin and blond hair, and her scant clothing appeared to be made from animal skins. To Luke's astonishment, he recognized her.

Tanith Shire?

He hadn't seen Tanith since they'd gone their separate ways at a spaceport on the planet Kabal, where they'd parted with a kiss. She'd been wearing more conventional clothes at the time.

Luke ignited his lightsaber and rushed the carnivorous plant. His blade swept through one tendril, but then another appendage lashed out and struck his wrist so hard that the lightsaber was knocked from his grasp. As the lightsaber fel to the forest floor, Luke found himself suddenly lifted off his feet by the powerful monster.

The tendrils snaked and constricted around Luke's body. He managed to extend his right hand over the grip of his holstered blaster pistol, but the monster pinned his arms to his sides. Desperate to reach his blaster, he extended his fingers as far as he could.

Luke stil had much to learn about the power of the Force. He wasn't even trying to use the Force when the pistol sailed out of its holster into his waiting grip. As the monster twisted and tightened its hold on him, Luke squeezed the blaster's trigger.

He shot the monster at point-blank range. It let out a rasping shriek, and then al of its tendrils went slack.

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