single mechanical eye as the smaller robotstudied the battered casing of his friend. A patina of metal and fibrous dust coatedthe usually gleaming bronze finish, and there were some visible dents -all the resultof the pounding the rebel ship they were on had been taking.
　　Accompanying the last attack was a persistent deep hum, which even the loudestexplosion had not been able to drown out. Then for no apparent reason, the bassothrumming abruptly ceased, and the only sounds in the otherwise deserted corridorcame from the eerie dry-twig crackle of shorting relays or the pops of dying circuitry.Explosions began to echo through the ship once more, but they were far away fromthe corridor.
　　Threepio turned his smooth, humanlike head to one side. Metallic ears listenedintently. The imitation of a human pose was hardly necessary-Threepio's auditorysensors were fully omnidirectional-but the slim robot had been programmed toblend perfectly among human company. This programming extended even tomimicry of human gestures.
　　"Did you hear that?" he inquired rhetorically of his patient companion, referringto the throbbing sound. "They've shut down the main reactor and the drive." Hisvoice was as full of disbelief and concern as that of any human. One metallic palmrubbed dolefully at a patch of dull gray on his side, where a broken hull brace hadfallen and scored the bronze finish. Threepio was a fastidious machine, and suchthings troubled him.
　　"Madness, this is madness." He shook his head slowly. "This time we'll bedestroyed for sure."
　　Artoo did not comment immediately. Barrel torso tilted backward, powerfullegs gripping the deck; the meter-high robot was engrossed in studying the roofoverhead. Though he did not have a head to cock in a listening posture like hisfriend, Artoo still somehow managed to convey that impression. A series of shortbeeps and chirps issued from his speaker. To even a sensitive human ear they wouldhave been just so much static, but to Threepio they formed words as clear and pure asdirect current.
　　"Yes, I suppose they did have to shut the drive down," Threepio admitted, "butwhat are we going to do now? We can't enter atmosphere with our main stablizer findestroyed. I can't believe we're simply going to surrender."
　　A small band of armed humans suddenly appeared, rifles held at the ready,red toms shoes women.Their expressions were as worry-wrinkled as their uniforms, and they carried aboutthem the aura of men prepared to die.
　　Threepio watched silently until they had vanished around a far bend in thepassageway, then looked back at Artoo. The smaller robot hadn't shifted from hisposition of listening. Threepio's gaze turned upward also though he knew Artoo'ssenses were slightly sharper than his own.
　　"What is it, Artoo?" A short burst of beeping came in response. Anothermoment, and there was no need for highly attuned sensors. For a minute or twomore, the corridor remained deathly silent. Then a faint scrape, scrape could beheard, like a cat at a door, from somewhere on the ship's hull.
　　When several muffled explosions sounded, Threepio murmured, "They'vebroken in somewhere above us,toms shoes youth blue. There's no escape for the Captain this time."Turing he peered down at Artoo. I think we'd better-"
　　The shriek of overstressed metal filled the air before he could finish, and the farend of the passageway was lit by a blinding actinic flash. Somewhere down therethe little cluster of armed crew who had passed by minutes before had encountered theship's attackers,light blue toms womens size 8.
　　Threepio turned his face and delicate photoreceptors away -just in time to avoidthe fragments of metal that flew down the corridor. At the far end a gaping holeappeared in the roof, and reflective forms like big metal beads began dropping to thecorridor floor. Both robots knew that no machine could match the fluidity withwhich those shapes moved and instantly assumed fighting postures. The newarrivals were humans in armor, not mechanicals.
　　One of them looked straight at Threepio-no, not at him, the panicked robotthrough frantically, but past h Related articles:

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