Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A Star Destroyer moved through space, releasing Imperial probe robots from its underside. One of these probes zoomed toward the planet Hoth and landed on its ice-covered surface. An explosion marked the point of impact. A weird mechanical sound rose above the whining of the wind. A strange probe robot, with several extended sensors, emerged from the smoke-shrouded crater. The ominous mechanical probe floated across the snow plain and disappeared into the distance.
A small figure galloped across the windswept ice slope. The bundled rider was mounted on a large grey snow lizard, a Tauntaun. Curving plumes of snow rose from beneath the speeding paws of the two-legged beast. The rider galloped up a slope and reined his lizard to a stop. Pulling off his protective goggles, Luke Skywalker noticed something in the sky. He took a pair of electrobinoculars from his utility belt and through them saw smoke rising from where the probe robot had crashed. The wind whipped at Luke's fur-lined cap and he activated a comlink transmitter. His Tauntaun shifted and moaned nervously beneath him.
"Echo Three to Echo Seven and Echo Two. Mary... Han, do you read me?"
After a little static a familiar voice was heard.
"Loud and clear, kid. What's up?" replied Han. "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, we're going back." Mary added. "Right. I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long." "Be careful!" Mary concluded.
Luke clicked off his transmitter and reined back on his nervous lizard. He patted the beast on the head to calm it.
"Hey, steady girl. What's the matter? You smell something?"
Luke took a small device from his belt and started to adjust it when suddenly a large shadow fell over him from behind. He heard a monstrous howl and turned to see an eleven-foot-tall shape towering over him. It was a Wampa Ice Creature, lunging at him ferociously.
"Aaargh!"
Luke grabbed for his pistol, but was hit flat in the face by a huge white claw. He fell unconscious into the snow and in a moment the terrified screams of the Tauntaun were cut short by the horrible snap of a neck being broken. The Wampa Ice Creature grabbed Luke by one ankle and dragged him away across the frozen plain.
☾☼
Stalwart figures rode their Tauntauns up to the entrance of an enormous ice cave. Rebel troopers rushed about unloading supplies and otherwise securing their new base. The riders, Han Solo and Mary swinged off their lizards and pulled off their goggles. They walked into the main hangar deck toward the Millennium Falcon, which was parked among several fighters. Mechanics, R2 units, and various other droids hurried about. They stopped at the Millennium Falcon where Solo's Wookiee copilot, Chewbacca, was welding on a central lifter. Chewie stopped his work and lifted his face shield, growling an irritated greeting to his boss.
