I was obsessed with everything Star Wars.
That year, all I wanted in the whole world was to seeReturn of the Jedi.
But we couldnt even afford a Christmas tree, much less a trip to the movies.
Credit: Disney
I had to settle for going to my local library and checking out the media tie-in novel.
I cried the whole way through it, she says.
Below is the chase from Chapter 4 ofMost Wanted:
Qira reached the edge of the basin.
Lucasfilm Ltd.
Three storm tunnels gaped open in the wall before her, set all in a row.
The one on the right took a hard turn back toward central Coronet, so that wasnt an option.
Either of them would be safe enough, as long as it didnt start raining.
Disney
She wasted precious moments debating between the two tunnels.
Light flashed in the middle one, followed by a clunking sound.
Something or someone was coming toward her.
She reached down and ripped the torn piece of fabric from her skirt.
She bruised her shin in her haste to climb up.
It was too low to run; she half crouched, half crawled as she pushed forward into darkness.
The decoy fabric might buy her only a minute or two.
Lady Proxima would protect her.
It was the only rational thing for her to do.
Moloch and the other lieutenants could hold off any pursuers.
Even that idiot Rebolt and his hounds could be formidable in a pinch.
She just had to get there.
Footsteps and splashing echoed behind her.
It sounded like a whole army was coming.
Someone entered this tunnel recently!
Her decoy hadnt worked.
At the very least, shed been hoping theyd split up, unsure which way she went.
She knew better than to count on luck, though.
There were so many intersections and dead ends, and she knew every single one.
She could easily lose her pursuers there.
So long as she didnt panic.
So long as she was smart, quiet, and fast.
The tunnel opened up, and her back and shoulders thanked her for the opportunity to stand up straight.
Light poured down from a storm drain above her head.
To her left was another tunnel, sloped slightly upward.
She plunged in and used forearms, elbows, and knees to leverage herself upward.
Water ran past her in the other direction.
Which way did she go?
boomed a voice, and Qira froze.
Sound was tricky in these tunnels.
Sometimes a noise as loud as a freighter engine was really a kilometer away.
And sometimes the merest whisper of sound was as close as your ear.
I think shes headed toward Old Town, someone else said.
Tell them to send a unit to Old Town to cut her off.
Qira crept forward silently.
Stealth was more important than speed in this slick, upward-sloping tunnel.
Otherwise shed lose her feet and slide right back into the arms of those CorSec guards.
Every bit of forward progress was agony.
Her heart was too loud in her chest, and her breath came fast and hard.
A lip of darkness lay ahead.
She just had to reach it.
Lights flashed against the walls around her, turning them from gray black to rust red.
Hey, I think I see her!
Stop right there or Ill shoot.
Qira heaved herself up over the lip of darkness onto a stone ledge.
No time to rest or even think, because guards were climbing up the tunnel after her.
Ahead was a branching corridor that ran beneath an old cantina.
All the White Worm scrumrats knew about it.
In return, the White Worms got to use the chute whenever they needed to evade pursuers.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and it would be Qiras salvation.
She reached the corridor and paused to listen.
All was quiet, save for a steady, echoing drip-drip-plop.
Something exploded on the ledge shed just vacated.
Qira tumbled to her knees, holding her hands to her ears.
It took a moment to realize what had happened.
Not a real explosion.
Someone had thrown a stun charge.
She scrambled to her feet and sprinted ahead, but her gait was unsteady, her ears ringing.
Just a little farther… She saw the chute.
Once inside, she would slide right into White Worm territory.
Footsteps splashed nearbytoo near.
She reached for the curtain.
Someone barreled into her, sending her sprawling in the muck.
Hands were reaching for her.
She fought back like a rancor, attacking blindly with hands and feet.
Get off of she started to yell.
said a familiar voice.
Cmon, we have to get out of here.
Hands reached for her again.
People are after me.
You cant stay here.
Qira threw off his hands and scrambled to her feet on her own.
He tried to pull her back, away from the entrance to the chute.
Han, what are you doing?
Why did he keep grabbing her?
The guards would be on them at any moment.
The chute is right there!
We could be back at Proximas in less than
Were not going back there.
Her heels made furrows in sewer mud as he dragged her away.
Blast, she said through it all.
They cut me off.
There was no reaching the chute now.
It was too late.
Han had ruined everything, and now they were probably going to die.
yo, Qira, Han said.
I dont want to leave you behind.
She had no choice but to follow him.
It was the only way left not blocked by guards and stun charges.
Together, they plunged into the dark, footsteps close at their heels.
