The Empire's Fall (Pt.2)

Chapter One: Hoth

I gallop across a windswept ice slope on my tauntaun. I'm all bundled up, not that I have much choice, if I don't wear all these layers I would freeze to death.

I gallop up the slope and rein my tauntaun to a stop. Pulling off my protective goggles, I notice something in the sky. I take a pair of electrobinoculars from my utility belt and through them I see smoke rising from where something crashed.

The wind whips at my fur-lined cap and I activate my comlink transmitter. My tauntaun shifts and moans almost nervously beneath me.

"Echo Two to Echo Three and Seven. Han, Luke, do you read me?"

After a bit of static I hear two very familiar voices.

"Loud and clear, kid," that comes from Han. And,

"Loud and clear, Leeda. What's up?" that is from Luke.

"Well, I finished my circle. I don't pick up any life readings."

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser. The sensors are placed, I'm going back." Han says over the comlink.

"Right," I start. "I'll see you two shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long."

"Okay. Hang on where you are for a minute, Lee. I'm going to come with you."

I sigh, but agree. Then I click off my transmitter and rein back on my tauntaun. She seems nervous. I pat her on the head to calm her down a little. Then Luke comes up beside me.

"Hey, steady girl. What's the matter? You smell something? Is it Luke?"

Luke and I both take small devices from our belts and start to adjust them, when suddenly a large shadow comes over us from behind. I hear a monstrous howl, not unlike the noise Sandpeople make, then Luke and I turn at the same time and see a huge shape towering over us. It's one of the Ice Creatures, one of the only life forms, aside from us, that are on this planet, and it lunges at us.

"Aaargh!" Luke and I yell together.

Luke grabs for his pistol, but is hit flat in the face by a huge white claw. Then the other claw comes for me. I try to dodge it, but the next thing I know something cold, and hard, is colliding with my head.

I wake up in an ice cave with a splitting headache. I look around, and find out, I'm hanging upside down! Luke is right next to me in the same position, and he's just waking up as well. One side of his face is covered in frozen blood, and I imagine I don't look any better. He opens his eyes as the Ice Creature lets out a chilling wail that echoes off the walls. I pull myself up, grab hold of my ankles, and try to unfasten the binds that are keeping my feet on the ceiling, and unfortunately, I am unsuccessful.

Exhausted, I drop back down, and hang next to Luke. As we both hang there we spot our lightsabers lying near a pile of our discarded gear, and it's about three feet out of our reach.

Then we get the same idea. I focus on my saber and, as I stretch my hand out towards my weapon, I squeeze my eyes closed tight in concentration.

Just as the Ice Creature looms over Luke and I, the lightsabers jump into our hands.

I instantly ignite my saber, and Luke does the same, we swing up and cut ourselves loose from the ice. We flop in the snow in heaps. The creature moves back, his giant eyes blinking. We quickly scramble to our feet. We swing our lightsabers together and the beast screams in pain.