## Chapter 23

1 In the real world, this maneuver (minus the throttle cutback) is called an Immelmann turn. It’s not much used by modern-day fighters, but shows up frequently in air shows.

—TZ

2 The preferred generic term for these things is now electrobinoculars, with the older macrobinoculars referring to a somewhat lower-quality version of the devices.

—TZ

3 Writing dialogue that mirrors the human characters’ voices is one thing, but Tim also manages to reproduce a distinctive range of machine-made noises. I had no trouble throughout this book hearing the correct R2-D2 utterance, whether it was a warbling question, a surprised squeal, a shriek of warning, or here, the “squeamish-sounding awe.”

—BM

4 Tuckerism: Ken and Denise Hillyard of Tampa.

—TZ

5 In my original outline, this scene had the same ultimate result—Mara grudgingly agreeing to work with Luke to get out of the forest alive—but I didn’t yet have any of the details worked out. Betsy spotted that, and pointed out that I needed a good reason for Mara putting aside her desire to just kill Luke then and there.

I agreed, and just to be on the safe side I gave her two reasons: R2’s sensors, and the counterpart encryption system that would let her find out what Karrde had told the Imperials and, therefore, what she would need to say to make their stories match up.

And of course, both reasons also require her to keep R2 intact, which she also didn’t want to do. Given subsequent events, it’s just as well she gave in on that point, too.

—TZ