On Arbra, as Luke and the droids head to a briefing on Han's whereabouts, R2 wanders off, hearing hears cries for help, and a Hoojib, Fuffle, runs to inform Plif. Leia tells the Rebels that either Dengar, IG-88, or Bossk (reptilian monarch of the Qotile System), was cut out of a deal with Boba Fett and, therefore, might tell where he's waiting for Jabba. This information cost the life of Leftenant Hammertree. Colonel Greymark assigns Rebels to individual assignments. Plif, Fuffle, and other Hoojibs tell 3PO that R2 went into a tunnel they consider evil. As 3PO and Chewie follow, an energy field admits 3PO and the Hoojibs but not Chewie, so he forces his way in. Inside is a dead city, with R2 hanging broken from gooey green strands. Chewie tries to free him but is forbidden by the Darker, this domain's ruling entity. As the Hoojibs run to warn Leia, the Darker offers 3PO and Chewie bug-covered refreshments. He says that before the Hoojibs' arrival, beings who shed their base emotions to search for a new home left him trapped behind the field, which repels negative emotions. Sensing the Rebels, he lured R2 to use his circuits to free himself and kill his jailers. Paralyzing the Hoojibs with fear to make them stay, he fills Chewie with hatred to make him attack 3PO. Hitting a wall, Chewie buries himself in bricks as 3PO escapes to a library and seeks a way to stop the Darker, finding instead a cookbook for balka greens. Luke looks for the droids, but Lando says they're probably resting. As 3PO finds a log of the Arbrans' last days, Chewie attacks. Dousing him with lubricant, 3PO tries to break his spell by mentioning past adventures, succeeding with Han's name. The Darker fills him with terror, but 3PO says he can be destroyed by the force field. Chewie cannot shed his fear, so the Hoojibs attack, distracting the Darker, and Chewie throws him at the field. As the city shakes and implodes, they barely escape to the surface, incredulous when a passing Rebel implies they were "on vacation" the whole time.

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