The Broken Pitcher

The general turned to his assault officer. "All troops will debark for groundassault," Veers said. "Prepare to target the main generator." The lead walker, flanked by two of the hulking machines, lurched forward, itsguns blazing to scatter the retreating Rebel troops. As more laser fire came from the oncoming walkers, Rebel bodies and parts ofRebel bodies were flung through the air. Many of the soldiers who had managed toavoid the obliterating laser beams were crushed into unrecognizable pulp beneath thewalkers' stomping feet. The air was charged with the stink of blood and burningflesh, and thundering with the explosive noises of battle. As they fled, the few surviving Rebel soldiers glimpsed a long snowspeeder as itretreated in the distance, a black trail of smoke escaping its burning hull. Although the smoke rising from his crippled speeder obstructed his view, Hobbiecould still see some of the carnage that raged on the ground. His wounds from awalker's laser fire made it torture even to move, let alone operate the controls of hiscraft. But if he could mange to work them just long enough to return to the base, hemight be able to find a medical robot and…