Read Star Wars - 214 - Jedi Prince 05 - Queen of the Empire for Free Online

best-known magic act in the galaxy began. Bithabus, a highly evolved Bith humanoid with a large head and large lidless black eyes, came out onstage to thunderous applause. Then Bithabus doubled in size before everyone’s eyes, twisted himself like a pretzel, rolled across the stage floor, and magically turned into a droid very much like See-Threepio. The show was great fun, and Han, Leia, and Lando were having the time of their lives.
    "A-haw-haw-haw . . . !" Zorba laughed, as the bounty hunters brought before him all the valuables they had just stolen.
    Tibor placed some priceless earrings, bracelets, and necklaces into Zorba’s hands.
    "Zorba," Tibor said, "this is no time for laughter. You’ve been tricked! You thought Princess Leia was dead. But Zorba-by the ghost of your great ancestor Kossak the Hutt, I swear Leia is still alive. And she’s here in Fun World right now!"
    "Impossible!" Zorba raged. "She was trapped in the Imperial Factory Barge when we blew it up and sent it crashing into the Rethin Sea back on Bespin! No one could have escaped that explosion alive!"
    "She must have gotten off the factory barge somehow before you destroyed it, Zorba. With my own eyes, I saw her enter the Asteroid Theater with Han Solo and Lando Calrissian!
    They’re there watching the magic show of Bithabus the Mystifier!" Zorba fumed, slurping his tongue in thought. "Princess Leia . . . alive? No!" Then he smacked his left fist into his right palm and grunted, "There will be no more mistakes. This time I’ll watch with my own eyes as the princess takes her last breath-just like she watched my poor son Jabba choke to death. She’ll die-right where Jabba did, on Tatooine at the Great Pit of Carkoon!"
    Zorba’s yellow reptilian eyes scanned the group of bounty hunters gathered before him. One of them was an alien of the same species as Bithabus. "You there --Cobak," Zorba said with a sneer. "You should be able to pass for Bithabus the Mystifier. I hope you can learn a little magic-fast!"
    As the curtain rose after the intermission, Han, Leia, and Lando watched the performer come to the center of the stage. Bithabus silently looked out at the audience as though searching for someone. Han noticed that the magician’s eyes seemed to meet Leia’s glance.
    "For my next trick," the magician said, "I’ll need a volunteer. I prefer a human. A lady, if possible."
    The magician’s eyes locked on Princess Leia. "You there, Miss!" he exclaimed. "Perhaps you would be kind enough to serve as my volunteer?"
    "I was afraid of this," Leia whispered to Han. "Did I ever tell you about my stage fright?"
    "Go on," Lando. said. "You can’t say no, Leia, it’s for the good of the show! You’ll have fun; come on."
    Leia reluctantly got out of her box seat and went up to the stage.
    "What planet are you from, Miss?" the Mystifier asked.
    "The planet Bespin," Leia said, giving a phony reply. "I grew up in Cloud City."
    "And your name?"
    "Uhm-Zelda," Leia said. "Zelda Gizler."
    "Married or single, Zelda?"
    "Almost married," Leia said, smiling. "The big day is tomorrow."
    "And what will your married name be, Zelda?" he asked.
    "Kluggerhorn. Mrs. Zack Kluggerhorn."
    Leia glanced at Han, who sat grimacing. She could see his lips shaping the words "Zack Kluggerhorn?" And then he pinched his nose in mock disgust.
    "Well, congratulations, Zelda. If Mr. Kluggerhorn is here tonight, I’d like to assure him that all I’m going to do is shrink you down to the size of a pea-then we’ll remove the space between your atoms so you’ll be no bigger than a virus. Sound like fun? Of course it does. Come, just step inside this beautiful golden cage . . ." Leia hesitated.
    "You look upset, Zelda," the magician said. "There’s absolutely nothing to fear. I can assure you, I’m not planning to ship you off to be a slave in the spice mines of Kessel!" The audience broke out laughing. And so did the magician.
    Everyone was having a wonderful time except Leia, who