Galaxy Guide 03: The Empire Strikes Back

by Michael Stern
Revised and Expanded for Second Edition by Pablo Hidalgo

Credits

Design: Michael Stern
Development and Editing: Bill Slavicsek and C.J. Tramontana
Additional Material and Second Edition Update: Pablo Hidalgo
Second Edition Development: Bill Smith
Second Edition Editing: Paul Sudlow
Cover Design and Graphics: Brian Schomburg
Cover Art: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Interior Art: Ralph McQuarrie, Lucasfilm Ltd.
Publisher: Daniel Scott Paller
Associate Publisher/Treasurer: Denise Palter
Associate Publisher: Richard Hawran
Senior Editor: Greg Farshtey
Editors: Peter Schweighofer, Bill Smith, George Strayton, Paul Sudlow, Eric Trautmann
Art Director: Stephen Crane
Graphic Artists: Tim Bobko, Tom ONeill, Brian Schomburg
Sales Manager: Jeff Kent
Sales Assistant: Carl Klinger
Licensing Manager: Ron Selden
Warehouse Manager: Ed Hill
Accounting: Karen Bayly, Deanna Jonas, Wendy Lord
Billing: Amy Giacobbe

Published by West End Games, RR 3 Box 2345, Honesdale PA 18431.

Introduction

To: Major Arhul Hextrophon, Executive Secretary and Master Historian, Alliance High Command From: Lieutenant Voren Na'al, Assistant Historian Regarding: Continuing research into the events following the evacuation of the Hoth base.

Sir:

Your praise of my work and your request for a continuance of my mission came as a great surprise to me, since I still consider that sample of my work to be a pointedly biased piece. That bias was largely due to my growing personal involvement in the lives and stories of those I attempted to portray objectively. I have found this a painful and difficult mission, but it is my duty to continue, and with a growing sense of drive and purpose, I shall perform that duty.

Forgive me if my enthusiasm seems diminished since my last report, but the dark tragedy of recent events has lent a certain air of impending doom to my life and work. The Empire's might lies like a great weight on the shoulders of those gathered here at the rendezvous. We have seen and felt the full force of the Empire's destructive power, and now many of us wait resignedly for the next crushing blow. Some fear it will come with the stubborn inevitability of a dying star.

Perhaps there is a greater sense of hope and optimism among the Alliance fleet than I personally feel.

Most of those who are involved in the Rebellion have not followed the stories of the heroes of the Battle of Yavin as I have during these past years. I have seen the results of the last few weeks of conflict with the Empire. Had our people known of the horrible torture of those who knowingly accepted the heavy mantle of heroes, had our people known of the maiming of Commander Skywalker or of the tragic loss of Captain Solo, they might find hope and optimism to be as fleeting and futile as I now do.

But these rag-tag soldiers and starship pilots seem to feed off of and grow strong with the stalwart courage and character of Commander Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa. In their presence, I too feel a certain sense of hope for the future. For, if two people who have been through as much as Leia and Luke have over these past few weeks can remain hopeful and optimistic, then anyone can, even I.

And they have been through much: devastating attacks, narrow escapes, cold betrayal, mystical revelation, even a bit of romance. I still marvel at the grand adventure of it all, and yet the tragedy of recent events keeps things in painfully clear focus. But let me back up to the incident that so clearly marks for me the start of this series of reports. Let me begin with the planet where the Empire finally caught up with the Alliance. Let me begin with Hoth.

Voren Na'al

Once a reporter for the Galactic News Service, Voren Na'al now serves the Rebel Alliance as an historian. Specifically, Na'al works under Arhul Hextrophon, gathering information and recording the events surrounding those individuals now called "the Heroes of Yavin."

After witnessing the true evil power of the Galactic Empire, Na'al decided he could either quit reporting and ignore the increasing acts of tyranny, or he could expose the New Order for what it was. Before he became reckless, however, a chance meeting with Arhul Hextrophon provided him with a better option. Na'al joined the Alliance.

Unlike such Alliance heroes as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa, Na'al never fancied himself much of a warrior. If anything, Na'al fully acknowledged that he was a bit of a coward. After relocation from the Yavin base to Thila, then ultimately to Hoth, Na'al found himself pushed to the limits.

Na'al, being a non-combatant member of the Alliance, was supposed to evacuate on the first transport off Hoth. Instead, he remained behind, as the transport Quantum Storm blasted off to safety. Na'al helped the evacuation effort of subsequent transports, all the while gathering valuable holorecordings of the Battle of Hoth. The Rebel tacticians charged with analyzing the battle found the images he captured a great help.

For his bravery, Na'al sustained a broken ankle from a cave-in, and the Mantooine medal of bravery. He left Hoth behind aboard the transport Thon's Orchard, the ship that was to be Leia Organa's transport. The transport escaped, and Na'al waited patiently at the rendezvous site beyond the galactic rim. Eventually the Heroes of Yavin returned, and Na'al continued with his work chronicling their efforts.

Voren Na'al

Type Armchair Historian
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 3D+2, dodge 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 5D, bureaucracy 4D+2, cultures 4D+2, scholar: history 7D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Repulsorlift operation 3D+1
PERCEPTION 3D+2
Bargain 4D+2, investigation 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D, first aid 2D+2, repulsorlift repair 3D
Force Points 2
Character Points 8
Move 10
Equipment Datapad, holocam, blaster pistol (5D), falsified ID, 700 credits

An Icy Beginning

This second and darkest phase of my continuing report begins on the frigid, unforgiving snow plains of the planet known as Hoth. This report differs from the first, since, in this case, I was not following in the wake of those great heroes of the Battle of Yavin while attempting to recreate the astounding events in which they participated. Rather, this time, in this battle, I lived those events right along with them.

Since I was on Hoth anyway, and my assignment was a chiefly passive one, General Rieekan decided that he needed every available hand he could get, and I was put to work. I was actually grateful and enthusiastic about the enforced activity, since I had been feeling a bit useless watching, merely observing, while these brave men and women toiled to create an operational base out of an icy cavern. The work I was given to do was not very glamorous, but it made me feel as if I were contributing to the effort in some manner. As a great lady once told me, "We all serve the Rebellion in our own way."

Initially, the base comm units were not operational, since all of the equipment had to be adjusted to the low temperatures of Hoth, communications systems being particularly sensitive to cold. I was given the task of running messages between various high officials spread throughout the newly-tunneled caverns of Echo Base.

During this time I had good opportunity to see each member of the Echo Base command team in action, and needless to say, I quickly developed a tremendous respect for each of them.

Soon, though, communications were functioning, and I was assigned new duties. Not being a true soldier or scientist or technician or pilot, my duties were never on the level with those tasks undertaken by Skywalker or Solo. But I did my part to carve out Echo Base, and I got to see the people of the Alliance from a new perspective. I was glad for the work as it brought me into contact with almost everyone on the base, and in a certain sense made my real job, my mission, easier.

For all of the hardships involved in their construction, there was a peculiar beauty about the icy caverns of Echo Base, and there was an overwhelming sense of pride at the accomplishment of creating a place to live on a world that wasn't considered habitable. I think we were most proud of the fact that we didn't march in and obliterate the landscape as the Imperial military undoubtedly would have done if faced with the same task. Instead, we worked hand-in-hand with the natural elements of that frozen world and created something which was almost a part of Hoth itself. In a way, I feel we truly belonged.

Chapter One: Hoth Wastes

"Your tauntaun will freeze before you reach the first marker, even if you don't!" — Hoth Base Deck Officer

The following character profiles are drawn from various sources, including my own personal involvement in the events concerning these personalities. My stay on the ice planet Hoth was a particularly arduous one, but I feel it served to enlighten me as to the plight of the people I have been writing about. Having lived through the same experiences as they, I now feel very close to them.

Still, there were a great many sources of a less personal nature that contributed to the information presented herein. Data files, background checks, and interviews — both formal and informal — all played an integral part in the collection and retrieval of this information. Working side-by-side with the men, women and droids of Echo Base, I was able to question them casually, indeed almost invisibly, about their comrades, co-workers, and even their enemies. I was lucky enough to be present when Captain Solo brought the remains of the self-destructed probe droid back to base for memory scan. The techs and I managed to piece together a great deal of valuable information from the battered remains of that droid.

Beyond my work and experiences on Hoth, there were other avenues of research that I pursued after the base had been evacuated. The trans-system data storage library on Halowan provided me with a good deal of background information on the Hoth system and on the geography of Hoth.

Living on the ice planet for the period of time I did, I knew only the bitter effects of the elements, not the scientific reasons behind the effects. I became aware that the wampa was not an entirely unknown creature as we had once originally thought, but that similar beasts, perhaps related to the wampa, had been quite sufficiently documented by scientists and big-game hunters.

For this mission, unlike my former report which dealt with the heroes of the Battle of Yavin, I worked not after the fact but during the events that occurred. Most of what you are about to read is drawn from my own "on the scene" observations. The occasional, substantial gaps of logic and information that sometimes occur during the heat of action have been researched and filled in when I found the time for reflection and study. The combination of these two seemingly opposed elements of my work balance each other. The excitement and emotion-tinged "on the scene" observations are brought into sharp focus by the hard facts of my later research. Try to read these profiles as being more than just informational, however. Read them as if you were there, knee-deep in the numbing snow of Hoth's frozen wastes. Read these reports as if you were seeing these people close up and at eye-level.

Imperial Probe Droid

The specific type of probot that discovered the Hoth base was an Arakyd Viper. Vipers are launched from Imperial Star Destroyers with a specific destination in mind. The probe droid is carried in a streamlined hyperdrive and sublight pod, which it sheds upon landing on the designated world.

In the days of the Old Republic, probe droids were developed for peaceful exploration and survey missions. Later, as the Empire restricted deep-space exploration, those same systems were retooled for military reconnaissance, patrol, and base-hunting operations.

Hoth

Type Frigid Terrestrial
Temperature Frigid
Atmosphere Type I
Hydrosphere Dry
Gravity Standard
Terrain Ice plains, glaciers, mountains and ice grottoes
Length of Day 23 standard hours
Length of Year 549 local days
Starport Limited Services
Population No permanent population
Planet Function One-time Rebel base, smuggler and pirate base

The Probing Eye of the Empire

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al
Lord Vader's long-range probe search eventually found Echo Base.
The Hoth probe transmitted target data and self-destructed before capture.
Salvaged memory fragments confirmed that it identified the base perimeter and major defenses.

Arakyd Viper Probe Droid

Type Arakyd Viper Probe Droid
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Planetary systems 4D
MECHANICAL 3D
Sensors 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Search 4D, search: tracking 7D+1
STRENGTH 4D
TECHNICAL 2D+1
Equipped With Long range sensor, movement sensor, atmosphere sensor, blaster cannon (4D+2), self-destruct mechanism, repulsor generator, retractable manipulator arms, retractable sensor arms
Move 14
Size 1.6 meters
Cost 14,500

Probot Hyperspace Pod

Craft Arakyd Probe-mate Hyperspace Pod
Type Probot hyperspace pod
Scale Starfighter
Length 3.4 meters
Crew None (fully automated droid brain with astrogation 6D, space transports 4D)
Passengers Probot
Consumables 1 month
Cost 22,500
Hyperdrive Multiplier x1
Nav Computer Limited to 1 jump
Space 8
Atmosphere 415; 1,200 kmh (descent capable only)
Hull 2D
Sensors Passive 100/1D, Scan 200/2D, Search 300/3D, Focus 10/4D
Sensor Baffler +2D to detection difficulty

Wampa Ice Creature

The gusting winds of Hoth howl with an echoing ferocity. It is a howl that causes heads to turn warily, not for fear of the wind itself, but for what it may represent: the hunting cry of the wampa ice creature.

The Horror by Night

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al

The attacks near Echo Base came without warning. Perimeter sentries were attacked and dragged off into the darkness, and the defenders were forced to hold off repeated wampa incursions with heavy blaster fire.

Wampa Ice Creature

Type Snow Predator
DEXTERITY 3D
PERCEPTION 4D
Search: tracking arctic 6D, sneak: arctic 7D
STRENGTH 7D
Special Abilities Claws 7D+1 damage, teeth 7D+2 damage, camouflage +3D in arctic conditions, heat-diffusing body +2D vs sensor detection
Move 13
Size Up to 3 meters tall
Scale Creature

Tauntaun

Tauntauns were tamed and used as scout mounts at Echo Base. They are well adapted to Hoth's extreme cold, but prolonged exposure can still kill them.

Type Arctic Climate Omnivore
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 4D
Special Abilities Charge attack STR+1D+1, arctic adaptation (+2D stamina in severe cold)
Move 16
Size Adults stand 1.3 to 2 meters at the shoulder
Orneriness 1D

Chapter Two: Echo Base

"Imperial troops have entered the base! Imperial troops have entered the base!"
— Rebel Officer

Echo Base was protected by over a thousand SpecForce troopers trained in cold-climate combat. A series of weapons emplacements was designed to deter any ground assault, and a KDY v-150 Planet Defender ion cannon protected Hoth's skies. For further protection, Echo Base employed a powerful planetary shield, capable of deflecting any bombardment.

The men and women of Echo Base considered General Rieekan a serious, grim man. The general's brows seemed to be in a permanently furrowed state due to excessive worry. But it was not without reason that the General worried so.

General Rieekan's strategic caution came from hard lessons, including Alderaan's destruction. On Hoth, that caution helped shape the delaying defense that allowed major Alliance personnel and materiel to escape.

General Carlist Rieekan

Type Alliance General
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D+2, melee combat 3D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Bureaucracy 4D+2, military history 5D, tactics: fleets 7D, tactics: planetary defenses 9D, tactics: sieges 8D, tactics: starfighters 6D
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Repulsorlift operation 4D+1
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 4D, command 6D, command: Echo Base troops 9D+2
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 3D+1, stamina 4D
TECHNICAL 3D
Demolitions 4D, repulsorlift repair 4D+2
Character Points 10
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), comlink

Major Bren Derlin

General Rieekan selected Derlin as security and operations chief at Echo Base because of long campaign experience and proven reliability under pressure.

Derlin's rise to major is tied to the Nentan evacuation. Nentan had become a major stopover for liberated civilians, and when the Empire discovered the base there were not enough transports for everyone. Rather than allow a static last stand at the base itself, Derlin led a squad into nearby ruins, waited for Imperial focus to shift to the apparently abandoned installation, then captured a lightly guarded Imperial transport.

The Rebel personnel left behind boarded the captured vessel and escaped before Imperial command even requested proper clearance. The operation earned Derlin his promotion and made him a natural choice for Hoth command responsibility.

Type Alliance Major
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D+2, blaster artillery 5D, dodge 4D, vehicle blasters 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Survival 4D+2, tactics: squads 6D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 4D
Beast riding 4D+1, repulsorlift operation 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 5D, search 4D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D, stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 2D
Repulsorlift repair 3D, security 4D
Character Points 11
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), macrobinoculars, comlink

Too-Onebee

The Alliance depends on both organics and droids. Too-Onebee (2-1B) was one of the rare independent droids that effectively volunteered for Rebel service.

Too-Onebee initially served in relief operations on Firro after Imperial occupation, then was reassigned as personal physician to Governor Cuvir. During a later incident, a Rebel operative embedded in the governor's staff killed Cuvir while protecting mission security. Too-Onebee elected not to expose the operative and instead joined Alliance channels.

Assigned to Echo Base, Too-Onebee became one of the Rebellion's key surgical assets. His most famous Hoth intervention was stabilizing and restoring Luke Skywalker after severe trauma and hypothermic exposure.

Type Genetech 2-1B Surgical Droid
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 5D
MECHANICAL 2D
(A) Bacta tank operation 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
(A) Injury/ailment diagnostics 6D
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 3D
First aid 6D, (A) medicine 9D
Equipped With Computer interface tether, medical diagnostic computer, analytical computer, surgical attachments, hypodermic injectors (4D stun), medicine dispensers
Move 4
Size 1.5 meters
Cost 4,300

FX-7

The FX-7 medical assistant line is an older Medtech Industries design still used in Alliance facilities. Though superseded by newer models, it remains reliable in fixed medical stations.

FX-7 units were built as modular assistants for surgeons and surgical droids. Their cylindrical body supports multiple interchangeable manipulators, while the cap assembly carries diagnostic sensors and analysis hardware. Many FX-7 units interface directly with surgical computers or supervising droids through dedicated medical links.

Because Medtech collapsed years ago, most Alliance FX-7 units entered service through surplus acquisition, salvage, or black-market procurement.

Type Medtech Industries Medical Assistant Droid
DEXTERITY 0D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 4D
MECHANICAL 1D
(A) Bacta tank operation 4D
PERCEPTION 2D
(A) Injury/ailment diagnostics 4D
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 2D
First aid 4D, (A) medicine 5D
Equipped With Medical computer scomp link, diagnostic sensor suite, analytical computer, 20 light manipulator arms, one main manipulator, surgical attachments, hypodermic injectors (4D stun), medicine dispensers
Move 0
Size 1.7 meters
Cost 3,500 (used only)

Kay-Threepio

Kay-Threepio originally served Commander Narra of Renegade Flight. Because Narra repeatedly loaded tactical files and mission records into Kay without regular wipes, the droid's processing gradually developed practical tactical inference capability.

After Kay demonstrated direct combat-value analysis during fleet action, he was reassigned into Alliance support coordination and eventually served with high command through Yavin, Thila, and Hoth.

Kay-Threepio was destroyed during operations associated with the Battle of Hoth.

Type Cybot Galactica 3PO Human-Cyborg Relations Droid
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+2
Alien species 4D, bureaucracy 6D, cultures 5D, languages 11D, military history 5D+2, planetary systems 5D, tactics: fleets 5D+1, tactics: starfighters 6D+2
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Command 4D, command: Alliance High Command droids 6D+2
STRENGTH 1D
TECHNICAL 1D
Equipped With Humanoid body, visual/audial sensors, broad-band antenna receiver, AA-1 verba-brain, TranLang III, full vocabulator simulation package
Character Points 8
Move 8
Size 1.67 meters tall
Cost Not for sale

Renegade Flight

Renegade Flight was one of the Alliance's key convoy-escort groups assigned to mobile high command logistics. It was one of the oldest fighter elements in the Rebellion and carried a strong operational reputation.

Led by Commander Narra, the unit helped establish escort patterns that repeatedly outperformed unsupported Imperial convoy doctrine. Later Imperial escort-carrier deployment was, in part, a response to those losses.

Renegade Flight was eventually shattered near Derra IV when Imperial carrier-deployed TIE waves overwhelmed the escort screen and destroyed the convoy.

Colonel Ledick Firest

Firest was the field officer who translated Rieekan's strategic delay plan into trench-level execution on Hoth.

His operating concept was to let the Imperials commit toward the generator axis while preserving evacuation throughput at staging lanes. Rebel positions were adjusted to shape the approach corridor and keep walkers concentrated where snowspeeder and artillery action could extract maximum delay.

His orders were explicit: fire, fall back, reload, repeat, then break to evacuation corridors before encirclement. The expected casualties were severe, but the delaying action materially contributed to successful Alliance command withdrawal.

Type Alliance Field Commander
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 7D+2, blaster artillery 5D, dodge 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Intimidation 6D, planetary systems 5D, tactics: ground battles 5D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Beast riding 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 5D+1, search 5D, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 6D
TECHNICAL 3D
Character Points 8
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), grenades (5D), comlink, macrobinoculars, medpac

Chapter Three: The Battle of Hoth

"Echo station three-T-eight. We have spotted Imperial walkers."
— Unidentified Rebel Trooper

The Battle of Hoth was one of the decisive engagements of the Galactic Civil War. Once the Alliance confirmed the Imperial probe on Hoth, evacuation began immediately, but there was not enough time to clear Echo Base before the Imperial fleet arrived.

The Imperials dropped walkers and ground troops north of Echo Base while the fleet attempted to blockade space. The Rebels used their shield and ion cannon to launch transports in tight windows, but the ground battle became a desperate delaying action to buy time for command and personnel to escape.

In the end, the battle was a military defeat for the Alliance. Echo Base, the shield generator complex, and support emplacements were lost, even though many transports escaped and Rogue Group managed to down several walkers.

Echo Base Troops

The troops of Echo Base held against impossible odds, fighting a coordinated Imperial assault with limited artillery, infantry weapons, and a handful of snowspeeders.

Typical Echo Base Trooper

Type Rebel Soldier
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 5D+2, blaster artillery 4D, dodge 4D, grenade 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 1D+1
PERCEPTION 1D+1
Sneak 2D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D, stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Demolitions 2D+2
Character Points Varies, typically 0-5
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), grenades (5D), comlink, macrobinoculars (+1D to search over 50 meters), medpac

Corporal Maren Kelsome

Kelsome was one of many first-time combat troops pushed into the Hoth action. He transferred from arctic operations after service on Akuria II and was assigned to northern perimeter duty at Outpost Beta.

Type Rebel Soldier
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 5D+2, blaster artillery 4D, dodge 4D, grenade 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 1D+1
Beast riding 3D
PERCEPTION 1D+1
Hide 2D+1, sneak 2D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D, stamina 4D+2
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Demolitions 2D+2
Character Points 1
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), grenades (5D), comlink, macrobinoculars (+1D to search over 50 meters)

In the Trenches

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al
The walker assault on Hoth was unlike anything most Echo Base personnel had ever seen.
The first reports from forward scouts were followed by cut communications and the growing thunder of heavy walker steps.
Rebel troops held their lines as long as possible, then fell back in a fighting retreat during evacuation.

A Plan of Desperation

The snowspeeder anti-walker tactics developed by Luke Skywalker and Rebel tacticians combined direct attack patterns with harpoon-and-cable entanglement. Wedge Antilles and Wes Janson proved the tow-cable kill was possible, and the destruction of the first walker visibly boosted Rebel morale during the retreat.

Zev Senesca

It was particularly difficult for Luke Skywalker to watch Zev Senesca's snowspeeder burst into a ball of flame during the assault on Hoth. Just days before, Zev had flown the patrol that spotted and rescued Commander Skywalker and Captain Solo. Skywalker and Solo both felt as if they owed him a debt.

Zev was born on Kestic Station, a free-trader outpost near Bestine. His parents eventually became arms suppliers for the fledgling Rebellion, a risk that carried the death penalty. After Zev left to join the Alliance, the Imperial Star Destroyer Merciless destroyed Kestic. Zev initially blamed the Alliance, then learned a confidant had betrayed the station's role. He rejoined the Rebellion and became a distinguished combat pilot with 48 confirmed kills.

Zev Senesca

Type Brash Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Planetary systems 4D, value 4D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 4D+2, repulsorlift operation: airspeeder 5D+2, starfighter piloting: X-wing 5D+1, starship gunnery 4D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 5D+1, gambling 3D+2, search 4D
STRENGTH 3D
Lifting 4D+1, stamina 4D
TECHNICAL 3D
Repulsorlift repair 4D+1, starfighter repair 4D
Character Points 5
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), flight suit, comlink

Wes Janson

Wes Janson is one of the Alliance's most respected gunners. He flew with the Tierfon Yellow Aces, earned the True Gunner insignia, and built a reputation for precision fire under pressure. At Hoth, he proved that reputation again while flying with Rogue Group.

Janson still carried guilt over the death of his friend Jek Porkins. A medical lay-up forced Janson to miss a transfer flight, and Porkins took his slot.

Wes Janson

Type Brash Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D+1, melee combat 4D+1, missile weapons 6D, vehicle blasters 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Languages 3D, planetary systems 3D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 5D, repulsorlift operation 4D+2, starfighter piloting 4D+2, starship gunnery 6D, starship shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 3D+2, con 3D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D+1, stamina 4D
TECHNICAL 3D
First aid 4D, starship repair 4D+1
Character Points 1
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), flight suit, comlink

Derek "Hobbie" Klivian

Hobbie was the skeptic in Rogue Group and a balancing force against the squadron's more aggressive pilots. His caution came from his Imperial Academy years, where he and Biggs Darklighter watched friends disappear after anti-Imperial meetings were exposed.

After graduation, Hobbie and Biggs were assigned to the Rand Ecliptic, then defected and joined the Alliance. They became inseparable comrades until assignments split them.

Mutiny on the Rand Ecliptic

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al
Hobbie recounts that he and Biggs were ordered to Bestine with ore cargo while secretly planning to defect.
Their captain, Heliesk, appeared to expose them, but instead revealed he was an Alliance sympathizer and ordered a staged mutiny.
With Rebel help from Bestine, they seized the Rand Ecliptic, launched, and faced immediate TIE pursuit.
Biggs dumped ore into the fighters' approach path, creating a lethal debris field and buying enough time for hyperspace escape.

Hobbie Klivian

Type Brash Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 5D, dodge 4D+2, melee combat 4D+1, vehicle blasters 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Streetwise 3D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 4D+2, repulsorlift operation: airspeeder 5D, starfighter piloting 5D+1, starship gunnery 4D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Con 4D, hide 3D+2, sneak 3D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D+2, swimming 4D
TECHNICAL 3D
Droid programming 4D+1
Character Points 4
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), flight suit, comlink

Dack Ralter

Dack Ralter was one of Rogue Group's youngest members, born in captivity on Kalist VI to political prisoners. He escaped with a Rebel pilot named Breg, learned to fly under extreme pressure, and eventually became Luke Skywalker's gunner.

Dack Ralter

Type Brash Pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 4D+2, dodge 4D, missile weapons 6D, vehicle blasters 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Planetary systems 3D+2, survival 3D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 4D+2, repulsorlift operation: airspeeder 4D+2, starfighter piloting 4D+2, starship gunnery 5D+2, starship shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Con 4D, hide 4D, search 4D, sneak 4D
STRENGTH 3D
Climbing/jumping 4D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 3D+2, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 4D+1
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), flight suit, comlink

Running the Gauntlet

From the personal memoirs of Wedge Antilles
After ditching his damaged snowspeeder, Wedge escorted a transport with Hobbie and Janson under heavy fire.
A Star Destroyer blocked the escape lane and the ion cannon was down.
Wedge executed a Tallon split from directly behind Hobbie's Y-wing, broke target lock timing, and destroyed a key sensor globe.
The transport jumped to hyperspace as the fighters escaped.

Imperial Cold Assault Stormtrooper

The Blizzard Force snowtroopers assigned to Hoth were elite cold-environment assault troops operating in tandem with AT-AT units.

Imperial Cold Assault Stormtrooper

Type Snowtrooper
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 5D, blaster artillery 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 3D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Survival: arctic 4D
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 2D
Search 3D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D
TECHNICAL 2D
Character Points 3
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), blaster rifle (5D), concussion grenades (5D/4D/3D/2D), snowtrooper armor (+1D to Strength, -1D to Dexterity and related actions), terrain grip boots (+1D to climbing), ion flares, survival kit, food and water packs

AT-AT Walker Pilots

Typical AT-AT Walker Pilot

Type Walker Pilot
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 4D+1, vehicle blasters 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 3D
Repulsorlift operation 4D+2, walker operation: AT-AT 5D+2
PERCEPTION 2D
Command 3D
STRENGTH 2D
Stamina 3D
TECHNICAL 1D
Walker repair: AT-AT 4D
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D+2), battle armor with internal comlink (+1D energy and physical to head/chest, -2 to Dexterity and related actions)

Typical AT-AT Walker Gunner

Type Walker Gunner
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 4D+1, vehicle blasters 6D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Walker operation: AT-AT 3D+2
PERCEPTION 1D+2
STRENGTH 2D
Stamina 3D
TECHNICAL 1D
Walker repair: AT-AT 3D+2
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D+2), battle armor with internal comlink (+1D energy and physical to head/chest, -2 to Dexterity and related actions)

Lieutenant Nyrox

Lieutenant Nyrox, a Raithal Academy standout, was selected by General Veers for lead walker duty in Thunderer One.

Lieutenant Nyrox

Type AT-AT Walker Pilot
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Blaster 4D+1, blaster artillery 3D+1, vehicle blasters 3D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Value 3D
MECHANICAL 3D
Ground vehicle operation 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 4D+2, walker operation: AT-AT 5D
PERCEPTION 2D
Command 3D
STRENGTH 2D
Stamina 3D
TECHNICAL 1D
Walker repair: AT-AT 3D
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D+2), battle armor with internal comlink (+1D energy and physical to head/chest, -2 to Dexterity and related actions)

General Maximilian Veers

General Veers is one of the Empire's most effective ground commanders, combining tactical rigor, ruthless execution, and institutional loyalty.

General Maximilian Veers

Type Imperial Army Officer
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 5D+2, blaster artillery 6D, dodge 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Bureaucracy 5D, intimidation 5D+1, survival 4D+2, tactics: ground assault 8D+2, tactics: squad 6D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Walker operation: AT-AT 8D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 4D+2, command 6D+1, search 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 5D, stamina 5D
TECHNICAL 3D
Demolitions 4D, walker repair: AT-AT 5D
Force Points 3
Dark Side Points 2
Character Points 10
Move 10
Equipment Blast helmet (+1D physical, +1 energy), blast armor (+1D physical and energy), heavy blaster pistol (5D)

Thunder on the Snow: Imperial Forces at the Battle of Hoth

AT-AT Walker

Craft Imperial All Terrain Assault Transport
Type Assault Walker
Scale Walker
Size 20.8 meters long, 15.5 meters tall
Skill Walker operation: AT-AT
Crew 5, skeleton: 3/+10
Crew Skill Vehicle blasters 5D, walker operation 5D
Passengers 40 troops (or 2 AT-STs)
Cargo Capacity 200 kilograms
Cover Full
Cost Not available for sale
Move 21; 60 kmh
Body Strength 6D
Weapons 2 Heavy Laser Cannons (fire-linked), fire arc: front, crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander), skill: vehicle blasters, fire control: 2D, range: 50-500/1.5/3 km, damage: 6D
Weapons 2 Medium Blasters (fire-linked), fire arc: front, crew: 1 (co-pilot or commander), skill: vehicle blasters, fire control: 2D, range: 50-200/500/1 km, damage: 3D

AT-ST Walker

Craft Imperial All Terrain Scout Transport
Type Scout Walker
Scale Walker
Size 6.4 meters long, 8.6 meters tall
Skill Walker operation: AT-ST
Crew 2, skeleton: 1/+15
Crew Skill Missile weapons 4D, vehicle blasters 4D+2, walker operation 5D
Cargo Capacity 200 kilograms
Cover Full
Cost Not available for sale
Maneuverability 1D
Move 30; 90 kmh
Body Strength 3D
Weapons Twin Blaster Cannons, fire arc: front, crew: 1 (pilot), skill: vehicle blasters, fire control: 1D, range: 50-200/1/2 km, damage: 6D
Weapons Twin Light Blaster Cannons, fire arc: front, crew: 1 (co-pilot), skill: vehicle blasters, fire control: 1D, range: 50-300/500/1 km, damage: 2D
Weapons Concussion Grenade Launcher, fire arc: front, crew: 1 (co-pilot), skill: missile weapons: grenade launcher, fire control: 1D, range: 10-50/100/200, damage: 3D

Chapter Four: Imperial Fleet Profiles

After the destruction of the first Death Star, the Imperial fleet resumed its central role as the Emperor's primary instrument of intimidation and force projection. The command structure around Darth Vader's Death Squadron made fleet command one of the Empire's highest military honors.

The Emperor authorized construction of the Super Star Destroyer Executor at Fondor. Vader assembled key fleet elements around this flagship to hunt and destroy the Rebel Alliance after Yavin.

Admiral Ozzel

Many officers misread the real balance of power in Vader's fleet. Though Ozzel held formal rank, he repeatedly misjudged operational priorities and challenged Vader's decisions. His final error was forcing a hyperspace emergence too close to Hoth, alerting the Rebels and costing the Empire surprise. Vader executed him immediately.

Admiral Ozzel

Type Imperial Admiral
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 4D, blaster artillery 4D+1, vehicle blasters 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Bureaucracy: Imperial fleet 5D, planetary systems 6D, tactics: capital ships 7D+1, tactics: fleets 6D
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 5D, capital ship piloting 4D+2
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Command 10D, search 4D
STRENGTH 2D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 4D, security 4D+1
Character Points 9
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, datapad

Admiral Piett

Promotion within Vader's fleet was often driven by attrition through failure, not routine bureaucracy. Piett rose by anticipating command politics, controlling information flow, and surviving repeated crises. He ensured Vader saw the Hoth probe report despite Ozzel's dismissal.

After Ozzel's failure at Hoth, Piett was promoted to admiral and given command of the fleet. His position remained precarious: success bought time, not safety.

Admiral Piett

Type Imperial Admiral
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 4D+2, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Bureaucracy: Imperial fleet 5D+2, intimidation 5D, planetary systems 4D+2, tactics: capital ships 6D, tactics: fleets 4D
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 6D, capital ship piloting 4D+1, starfighter piloting 4D+1
PERCEPTION 2D+2
Command 8D+2, con 4D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Stamina 3D+1
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 4D, security 4D+1
Character Points 6
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), datapad, comlink

The Asteroid Belt

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al
The Hoth system's outer asteroid belt is the shattered debris field of two long-destroyed rocky worlds.
The region remains highly unstable and has historically attracted smugglers and other criminal traffic.
Native threats include mynocks and, by some accounts validated by Falcon sensor logs, exceptionally large space slugs.

Mynock

Type Parasite
DEXTERITY 3D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 1D
Special Abilities Energy Drain: survives by draining power from starships; Flight: can fly when sufficiently energized; Silicon Life Form: can survive vacuum exposure
Move 9 (flight), 1 (unit per turn)
Size Up to 1.6 meters long

Space Slug

Type Vacuum Predator
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 1D
STRENGTH 6D (creature scale) / 5D (starfighter scale)*
Special Abilities Vacuum survival; Teeth: STR+1D damage
Move 6 (creature-scale slugs only)
Size May range from about 1 meter to approximately 900 meters
Scale Creature to Capital
Strength varies with slug size; very large specimens scale upward dramatically.

Captain Needa

Captain Needa commanded the Star Destroyer Avenger during pursuit of the Millennium Falcon. A proven officer, he became one of Ozzel's key subordinates and inherited the risks of Vader's command culture.

His fatal mistake was overconfidence during pursuit through the Hoth asteroid field. After losing Solo's ship, Needa attempted to apologize to Vader in person and was executed.

Captain Needa

Type Imperial Captain
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D+1, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Bureaucracy: Imperial fleet 3D+2, intimidation 6D, tactics: capital ships 5D+2, willpower 4D+2
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 4D, capital ship piloting 5D+2
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Command 4D+2, command: Avenger crew 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D+1
Brawling 4D, swimming 3D+2
TECHNICAL 3D
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), datapad, comlink

Chapter Five: Bounty Hunters

After Hoth, Darth Vader supplemented Imperial fleet pursuit with professional bounty hunters. The target was Han Solo, and the payout drew some of the most dangerous hunters in the galaxy.

Boba Fett

Boba Fett is widely regarded as one of the deadliest hunters in the business: methodical, heavily equipped, and loyal only to payment and results. He pursued Solo under overlapping arrangements with both Vader and Jabba the Hutt.

Fett's pursuit doctrine combines patience, sensor deception, and overwhelming close-range violence. His armor and ship are both extensively modified for tracking, capture, and survivability.

Boba Fett

Type Bounty Hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Armor weapons 6D, blaster 9D, brawling parry 5D+1, dodge 6D+1, grenade 7D, melee combat 6D, melee parry 6D, missile weapons 6D+2, thrown weapons 5D+2, vehicle blasters 7D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 5D, bureaucracy 5D+2, cultures 5D, intimidation 7D+1, languages 5D+1, planetary systems 6D, streetwise 8D, survival 6D, value 6D+1, willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 6D+1, jet pack operation 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D, repulsorlift operation: speeder bike 6D, space transports 7D, starship gunnery 8D, starship shields 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 7D, command 4D+2, con 6D, gambling 6D, hide 4D+2, investigation 9D, persuasion 7D, search 8D+2, sneak 6D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D, climbing/jumping 4D, lifting 5D, stamina 7D, swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 2D
Armor repair 6D, computer programming/repair 4D, demolitions 6D, droid programming 4D, security 8D, space transports repair 6D
Force Points 5
Dark Side Points 6
Character Points 22
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (6D), Mandalorian battle armor, comlink, Wookiee scalps, Slave I

Boba Fett's Battle Armor

Model Modified Mandalorian battle armor
Type Modified personal battle armor
Cost Not for sale
Availability Unique
Game Effect Basic suit: +4D Strength vs physical damage, +3D vs energy; covers head/torso/arms; no Dexterity penalty
Game Effect Wrist lasers: 5D; armor weapons; range 3-5/25/50
Game Effect Rocket dart launcher: 6D; missile weapons; range 3-5/10/25; poison-capable
Game Effect Turbo-projected grappling hook: 20m line; missile weapons; range 0-3/10/20
Game Effect Flame projector: 5D; cone 1m wide by 1-5m long
Game Effect Concussion grenade launcher: 6D blast (5m radius); 20-round magazine
Game Effect Jet pack: Move 100m horizontal / 70m vertical; 20 charges
Game Effect Sensor pod: +2D search
Game Effect Infrared/motion sensor: +1D Perception in darkness or against moving targets
Game Effect Macrobinoculars: +3D Perception at range
Game Effect Sound sensors: +1D Perception/search in quiet conditions
Game Effect Internal comlink and broad-band antenna with ship comm interception capability
Game Effect Sealed enviro filter with two-hour internal oxygen reserve

Slave I

Slave I is built on a heavily modified Firespray frame. Fett optimized it for pursuit interception, sensor masking, and capture operations, including beacon/tracker torpedo systems and reinforced prisoner handling capacity.

It's Not My Fault
Solo's Falcon hyperdrive failures forced repeated sublight segments between Anoat and Bespin.
Those predictable vectors made long-range tracking by Slave I dramatically easier.

Slave I

Craft Kuat Systems Engineering Firespray-class
Type Limited-production sublight patrol and attack craft
Scale Starfighter
Length 21.5 meters
Skill Space transports: Firespray
Crew 1
Crew Skill See Boba Fett
Passengers 6 (prisoners)
Cargo Capacity 40 metric tons
Consumables 1 month
Cost Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier x1
Hyperdrive Backup x8
Nav Computer Yes
Maneuverability 1D
Space 7
Atmosphere 350; 1,000 kmh
Hull 4D+2
Shields 2D+2
Sensors Passive 35/0D, Scan 60/1D, Search 100/2D, Focus 3/2D+1
Special Sensor mask +2D to detect beyond 50 units; active jamming +3D to identify, -2D+2 to detect ship
Weapons 2 twin-mounted blaster cannons (turret), fire control 2D+2, range 1-7/20/30, atmosphere 100-700/2/3km, damage 5D
Weapons Concussion missile tube launcher (front), fire control 3D, range 1-3/5/7, atmosphere 100-300/500/700, damage 4D
Weapons Ion cannon (front), fire control 2D, range 1-5/10/15, atmosphere 100-500/1/1.5km, damage 5D+2
Weapons Tractor beam projector (turret), fire control 2D, range 1-8/15/20, atmosphere 100-800/1.5/2km, damage 5D
Weapons Two proton torpedo launchers (turret), fire control 1D+2, range 1-5/15/30, atmosphere 100-500/1.5/3km, effect: attaches homing beacon or S-thread tracker

Dengar

Dengar, a former swoop professional turned killer-for-hire, pursued Solo with a strong personal vendetta. A catastrophic racing incident involving Solo left Dengar physically scarred and psychologically fixated on revenge.

Dengar

Type Bounty Hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D+2, blaster artillery 4D+2, dodge 5D+2, grenade 5D+1, vehicle blasters 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Languages 3D+2, streetwise 4D+2, survival 4D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Beast riding 5D+2, repulsorlift operation 5D+2, starship gunnery 4D+2, swoop operation 6D
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 3D+1, con 5D+1, gambling 4D+2, hide 4D+1, search 5D+1, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D+2, climbing/jumping 4D, lifting 4D, stamina 5D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Demolitions 5D, repulsorlift repair 5D
Force Points 1
Character Points 12
Move 9
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D+2), concussion grenades (7D), vibroblade (STR+2D), flexi-steel binding wire, blast armor (+2D+2 physical, +1D+2 energy to torso/arms/legs), chest-mounted comlink

IG-88

IG-88 is among the most infamous autonomous assassin droids in the galaxy. Built from an illegal design lineage, it combines extreme lethality with independent operational planning.

IG-88

Type Holowan Mechanicals IG-series Assassin Droid
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 7D, dodge 6D, energy weapons: sonic stunner 5D+2, flamethrower 5D, grenade 6D, missile weapons 6D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Alien species 5D+1, intimidation 10D, languages 3D+1, planetary systems 3D+1, streetwise 4D, survival 4D+1, value 3D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 4D+2, space transports 5D+2, starship gunnery 3D+2, starship shields 3D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Command 4D+1, hide 3D+2, search 7D, search: tracking 10D+2, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 4D
Lifting 6D
TECHNICAL 1D+2
Computer programming/repair 3D+2, demolitions 4D+2, droid programming 4D+2, droid repair 4D+2, security 4D+2, space transports repair 3D
Equipped With Humanoid body, broad-band antenna, flamethrower (3D), long-range sensor (+2D search at 50-750m), movement sensor (+2D moving-target search), sonic stunner (4D stun), grenade launcher (5D)
Move 13
Size 2 meters tall
Cost Not available for sale
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), IG-2000 assault fighter

Bossk

Bossk answered Vader's call with both financial and personal motives. As a Trandoshan hunter with a long anti-Wookiee bias, he viewed capture of Chewbacca and Solo as both career and species vendetta.

Bossk

Type Trandoshan Bounty Hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 5D+2, dodge 4D+2, flamethrower 5D, grenade 4D+2, missile weapons 4D+2, vehicle blasters 5D+2
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 4D, intimidation 5D+2, languages 4D, planetary systems 6D, streetwise 3D+2, survival 5D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 5D+1, space transports 7D+1, starship gunnery 6D+1, starship shields 4D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 3D+2, con 3D+2, gambling 3D+2, hide 4D+2, search 5D+2, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 6D+2, swimming 6D
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D+1, security 4D+1, space transport repair 5D+1
Special Abilities Vision: infrared-capable, no darkness penalty; Clumsy: -2D on fine finger-dexterity tasks
Force Points 1
Character Points 14
Move 9
Equipment Blaster rifle (6D), grenade launcher (5D), flamethrower (4D), binders, Hound's Tooth modified freighter

Zuckuss

Zuckuss is a Gand findsman who adapted traditional ritual tracking methods to interstellar bounty work. His intuition-driven methods paired effectively with the analytical planning of 4-LOM.

Zuckuss

Type Bounty Hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D, dodge 6D+2, grenade 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Languages 3D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Beast riding 4D
PERCEPTION 3D
Hide 6D, investigation 6D, search 8D, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D
Special Abilities Findsman Ceremonies: three-hour ritual grants +2D to track target
Character Points 9
Move 10
Equipment Protective armor (+1D physical, +1 energy), blaster pistol (4D), vibroblade (STR+1D+2), three stun grenades (5D), Mist Hunter

4-LOM

Originally a protocol droid, 4-LOM diverged into high-end theft, intelligence work, and eventually bounty operations after substantial emergent reprogramming behavior. Its most successful long-term partnership has been with Zuckuss.

4-LOM

Type Industrial Automaton 4-LOM Protocol Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
Blaster 4D+2, dodge 4D+2, firearms: stun gas gun 5D
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 6D, bureaucracy 7D, cultures 5D, heist coordination 6D, languages 7D, planetary systems 6D+2, streetwise 5D
MECHANICAL 3D
PERCEPTION 4D
Con 6D, hide 5D, investigation 7D, sneak 5D
STRENGTH 2D
Brawling 3D+2
TECHNICAL 6D
Computer programming/repair 5D, demolitions 6D, droid programming 6D+1, droid repair 6D+1, security 7D+2
Equipped With Humanoid body, visual/audial sensors, vocabulator, broad-band antenna, VerboBrain, TranLang III (7M+ languages), stun gas blower (4D stun), body armor (+3D physical, +1D energy)
Move 10
Size 1.6 meters
Cost Not available for sale
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), datapad

Chapter Six: Dagobah

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al

The evacuation of the Hoth base forced the Rebel Alliance to scatter in every direction to evade the blanketing Imperial blockade above the embattled ice planet. While Captain Solo, Princess Leia and Chewbacca evaded the Imperial fleet in the deadly Hoth asteroid belt, Luke Skywalker followed his own destiny.

Luke had decided not to head straight for the Alliance fleet rendezvous after leaving the Hoth system. Rather, he set his course for the little-known Dagobah system. To this day, the commander will not speak of his experiences on the swamp world. Even Artoo-Detoo, Luke's astromech droid, is uncharacteristically silent concerning the time the pair spent on the out-of-the-way world.

I should note that this chapter has not been included in the published versions of this datafile, at the request of Commander Skywalker. It is only available to specific individuals with the permission of the commander. While I tried to fill in as much information concerning Dagobah as I could, there simply is a great deal that is unknown. I admit that my superior, Major Arhul Hextrophon, seemed more learned on the subject than I did. I did manage to come across a couple very outdated scouting reports at the University of Charmath. The first came from fragments of an Old Republic scouting expedition led by Halka Four-Den. The second one dates back to the first year of the Empire, by Keog Boorn.

Dagobah

The official information on Dagobah is sketchy. Located in the Outer Rim Territories, in Sluis sector, the Dagobah system is regarded with a mixture of fear and curiosity. While the people of the galaxy aren't very superstitious, Dagobah has taken on the reputation of being "haunted" or "cursed." Many years ago, the rampages of the Bpfasshi Dark Jedi were somehow, mysteriously stopped there. No one knows how or why. What is known is that the Dark Jedi fled to Dagobah.

Nothing was ever heard of the Jedi again. Ever since that time, the system has been avoided, as if it harbored some hideous plague.

The planet Dagobah is a primal jungle planet, teeming with lifeforms. Thick swamp covers most of the world, and within that breeding ground for life are all forms of avians, insects and predators. It is a hostile world.

Several scouting missions had been attempted on Dagobah. None were ever successful. Of the few that returned, most personnel spoke of an overwhelming atmosphere of "palpable evil." Considering the marginal potential of the world, further exploration was deemed unnecessary.

Of course, what is known to only a select few is that Yoda, the Jedi Master, took up residence on Dagobah. The planet has a "dark side nexus," possibly somehow related to the Bpfasshi Jedi. This nexus of negative energies helped hide Yoda's presence from the ever-peering senses of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. The immense evil balanced out the immense light of Yoda, allowing the ancient Jedi to patiently await the day the galaxy's last hope, Luke Skywalker, would come to him.

Dagobah

Type Terrestrial
Temperature Hot
Atmosphere Type I (Breathable)
Hydrosphere Moist
Gravity Standard
Terrain Swamp and jungle
Length of Day 23 standard hours
Length of Year 341 local days

Yoda

The following section, detailing Luke Skywalker's encounter with the Jedi Master, Yoda, was added by Arhul Hextrophon, Executive Secretary and Master Historian for the Alliance, after the original filing of this report by Voren Na'al. It appears only in Hextrophon's personal record. Whether he shall ever feel safe or free enough to share this information with the rest of the galaxy remains for the future.

Yoda, the Jedi Master, is a mysterious individual whose origin is lost in the distant past. For over 800 years, this small, wizened, green being has trained Jedi in the use of the Force, that power that binds all things together. Now, he lives on the swamp planet of Dagobah, hidden to all but a few.

Many think of Jedi as great warriors, but Yoda was quick to point out, in his strange dialect, that "wars not make one great." Appearances, it seems, can be deceiving. When first encountered, Yoda seemed to be a curious, grinning little jokester. His short stature, green skin, pointed ears and thin, long white hair only served to reinforce this misconception. But Yoda's power is vast and the Force is strong in him. With Yoda there is no try, only do, and for him nothing is impossible, for the Force is his ally.

His tiny mud house on the swamp planet is a simple, spartan affair. But like Ben Kenobi on Tatooine, Yoda does not need fancy technology or powered machinery. He is one with his world, with the entire galaxy, bound to it through the Force. He has no need to tame the wilderness around him, but instead draws power from its primeval strength.

The modest means by which the Jedi Master lives are a testament to his reliance on the Force alone, rather than upon material possessions and technologies. The teachings of Yoda are clear in their conceptual simplicity, yet complex in the depth of their scope. He teaches passivity over aggressiveness, understanding over assumption, and knowledge rather than action. The Jedi, he explains, is a vessel for the channeling of the positive energies of the Force. This power is not something that is derived or conjured, however, but ever-present in the galaxy.

With the demise of the Jedi at the hands of the Emperor, Yoda remains in seclusion, simply watching for the coming of the galaxy's new hope. Then Luke Skywalker arrived, sent by a message from his friend and first teacher, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who appeared to young Skywalker while he was dying in the frozen wilderness of Hoth. Yoda began the training that would bring Luke Skywalker the knowledge and power of a true Jedi Knight. But, for all his power, Yoda could not force the young man to stay and complete his training while the Empire threatened to destroy his closest friends.

Yoda

Type Jedi Master
DEXTERITY 2D+1
Dodge 7D, melee combat 8D, melee parry 7D, vehicle blasters 3D
KNOWLEDGE 4D+1
Alien species 10D, bureaucracy 8D+1, cultures 7D, languages 8D, planetary systems 6D, survival 8D, willpower 12D+2
MECHANICAL 2D
Astrogation 3D, beast riding 4D
PERCEPTION 4D+1
Bargain 7D, command 9D+1, con 7D, gambling 8D+1, hide 8D, persuasion 9D, search 6D+1, sneak 8D
STRENGTH 3D
Stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 2D
First aid 6D
Special Abilities
Force Skills Control 14D, sense 13D, alter 10D
Force Powers (these are the known powers Yoda possessed and it is believed that he had access to many other powers)
Control: Absorb/dissipate energy, accelerate healing, concentrate, control pain, detoxify poison, emptiness, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun, short-term memory enhancement
Sense: Combat sense, danger sense, instinctive astrogation, life detection, life sense, magnify senses, receptive telepathy, sense Force, sense path
Alter: Injure/kill, telekinesis
Control and Sense: Farseeing, lightsaber combat, projective telepathy
Control and Alter: Accelerate another's healing, control another's pain, return another to consciousness, transfer Force
Control, Sense and Alter: Affect mind, control mind, Force harmony
Sense and Alter: Dim other's senses
Force-Sensitive Yes
Force Points 35
Character Points 50
Move 5
Equipment Walking stick

Dagobah Lifeforms

Dragonsnake

The swamps of Dagobah are teeming with life, some dangerous, some helpful, all exotic. While Skywalker and Artoo only restricted themselves to a small portion of the swamp-world, that area alone had more life than could possibly be cataloged.

The dragonsnake is a native underwater predator on Dagobah. Active creatures, dragonsnakes hunt predators that wander too close to the water's edge. The dragonsnake is armed with razor-sharp fins, well-muscled constrictor coils, and deadly fangs.

Dragonsnake

Type Underwater predator
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 5D
Special Abilities
Bite: Does STR+2D damage. If dragonsnake's attack roll is double a target's parry or swimming attempt, target is swallowed whole. If swallowed, target receives STR damage, and target must inflict non-stun damage to be spit out.
Razor-sharp Fins: Do STR+3D damage.
Constrictor Coils: If dragonsnake connects with a Moderate brawling attack, target is ensnared. Target receives STR damage each round until free. Target must incapacitate dragonsnake to break free.
Move 5 (swim)
Size Up to 4 meters long

Swamp Slug

The giant swamp slug is an omnivorous creature that eats anything it can pull into its wide, lipless mouth. Its sheer immense size is one of its key natural defenses, and its small number of vital organs make it a difficult kill. Anything pulled into its maw is pulverized into a digestible mass by thousands of tiny grinding teeth that line its throat.

Swampslug

Type Omnivorous underwater giant
DEXTERITY 1D
PERCEPTION 2D
STRENGTH 7D+1
Special Abilities
Lack of vital organs: Due to their small number of vital organs, swampslugs receive +2D armor to resist attacks.
Bite: Does STR+1D damage. If swampslug's attack roll is double a target's parry or swimming attempt, target is swallowed whole. If swallowed, target receives STR+2D damage, and target must inflict non-stun damage to be spit out.
Move 4 (swim)
Size Up to 8 meters long

Butcherbug

An armored, multilegged insectoid creature, the butcherbug itself is not an impressive predator. It has a small mouth, and its reflexes are not the fastest. Its webbing, however, is deadly. The butcherbug spins a tough, molecule-thick wire web between the roots of the gnarltrees. The web is invisible, unless seen from just the exact angle. When a flying creature makes contact with the web, the monofilament wire shreds the animals to pieces. The butcherbug then emerges from its nest within the trees, devouring the pieces and cleaning the gore from the web.

Butcherbug

Type Web-using hunter
DEXTERITY 2D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 2D
Special Abilities
Armor: Provides +2D physical, +2 energy.
Microfine Web: Targets must make a Very Difficult search roll to spot the web. Contact with the web does 6D damage. If target is moving rapidly, damage is increased to 9D. The butcherbug, adapted to crawling on the web, receives no damage from it.
Move 6
Size Up to .7 meters long

Knobby Spider

One of the most bizarre predators on Dagobah is the knobby spider. Appearing as an arachnid, this lifeform is actually vegetable in nature. The knobby spider is a brief phase in the long life of a gnarltree, the huge calcified trees that line the Dagobah swamps. In this phase, the spiders are a form of mobile, detachable root that gorges itself on other animals, storing energy in its massive head. When enough energy has been gathered, the knobby spider anchors itself on its long, calcified legs, rooting itself in the rich Dagobah soil. There, it begins its next, and longest, phase of its life, expending its energy to grow upward into a mighty gnarltree.

Knobby Spider

Type Mobile predatory plant
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
STRENGTH 6D
Special Abilities
Bite: Does STR+1D damage.
Eight legs: Due to their number of limbs, knobby spiders can perform two actions per round with no penalty; a third action in a round receives a -1D penalty, a fourth action in a round receives a -2D penalty and so forth.
Move 11
Size Up to 4 meters tall

A Droid's Eye View

The following passage is the personal account of Artoo-Detoo's experiences on the planet Dagobah, as rather loosely interpreted by Arhul Hextrophon.

When Luke Skywalker first informed Artoo that they were not going to rendezvous with the fleet, but that they were going to someplace called the Dagobah system, the tiny droid was naturally upset. He became even more disturbed when he accessed the X-wing's astrogation computers and got what little information they had on the remote planet. All indications suggested that it was no place for droids, and despite Luke's reassurances, Artoo was worried. The fact that his master bypassed the standard astrogation procedure and performed a manual jump did little to settle Artoo's electronic nerves.

A crash-landing didn't help matters much, nor did falling into a swampy bog. It was dark and murky, but Artoo's sensors compensated and allowed him to move freely. Of course, he took the opportunity to tease his master a bit, letting him sweat it out a little before popping his sensor scope up out of the water. Artoo should have known better than to fool around like that, because the next thing he remembered was being swallowed whole by some sort of muck creature. Luckily the creature didn't care much for Artoo's power grapplers or his arc welder. The giant beast promptly spit the droid out, launching him well beyond the murky pool and onto the soft soil of the jungle.

The black ooze of the rancid lagoon had seeped into Artoo's circuits, and he was relieved when Master Luke suggested a thorough cleaning. Naturally, with the way the droid's luck was running, Luke never made it through the cleaning job. He was interrupted by the arrival of an "annoying little alien," who made a mess out of their camp, rummaging through it like a Jawa through a scrap pile. When Artoo tried to stop the little being from stealing a power lamp, the moody alien began to beat at the droid with his walking stick. Artoo was about to show this little pest just how tough a droid could be when Master Luke made him back off and let the annoying little being go about his business.

Artoo never did fully understand his master's behavior on this particular trip, and that worried the loyal droid. Naturally, when Luke wandered off with this alien, Artoo became alarmed. An order from Luke to stay back and guard the camp didn't help matters much. Within hours, it began to rain, "torrential downpour" was more accurate. Even for a resourceful droid, maneuvering on the surface of the swampy planet was nearly impossible. In the rain, the frightening yowls of Dagobah's indigenous lifeforms sounded even more menacing, and Artoo decided it would be most prudent to follow his master.

Creeping up to the window of the tiny clay hut into which his master had crawled, Artoo tried his best sympathy whistles in an attempt to make Luke take notice of him, but the young Rebel was occupied with other thoughts. So, the troubled astromech was resigned to endure the wet evening. Things began to look a bit more cheerful as the weather actually improved over the next few days. Still, Luke was acting strangely, and the reason for he and Artoo being on Dagobah was still unclear to the little droid. Also unclear were the reasons why his master suddenly began undertaking physical training under the tutelage of the tiny green alien.

Things really started to get out of hand when Master Luke decided to use Artoo in one of his mystical experiments. He nearly dislodged the droid's dome by dropping the droid from where he had him levitated about five meters in the air. Soon, however, Artoo could only marvel at the remarkable feats performed by his master. He began to encourage Luke in his mystical endeavors. Once, when Artoo whistled his encouragement to a distraught Luke, who had just failed a difficult test, Yoda, now perceived by Artoo as being somehow wiser and more important, turned and winked at the droid.

In that moment, Artoo saw Yoda for what he truly was, and Artoo knew that this trip was not a useless waste of time, but rather an essential quest on the part of Luke. It was a mission, and as such, it made Artoo feel important to be included in its accomplishment.

Everything began to make sense to the tiny droid toward the end of their stay on the bog world. Over a period of time, he had seen a change come over his master, both physically and mentally.

The youthful exuberance that Luke had once evinced had been replaced by a seriousness and sense of purpose. Naturally Artoo was excited about finally leaving that awful place, and the droid had gained an understanding about his master, and his master's place in the galaxy.

Chapter Seven: Bespin

The trials of the Millennium Falcon after a hasty departure from the embattled Hoth system, and its adventures within the Hoth asteroid belt, led to the majestic spires of Bespin's Cloud City. And to betrayal.

Stranded with only a poorly functioning backup hyperdrive, Han Solo had few choices. Oddly enough, the most viable option was to pay a visit to his old friend Lando Calrissian. Lando had taken on the job of Baron-Administrator of Cloud City, a small tibanna gas mining colony in Bespin, one of few nearby inhabited systems.

However, Solo's fate was beyond his control. Boba Fett had already assured the capture of Solo before he had even left the Executor. He guessed that Solo would have jumped into hyperspace as soon as possible if the hyperdrive worked. Solo's ship was disabled, and that limited the Corellian's options. As far as Fett was concerned, this was all too easy.

Fett's suspicions were confirmed by a simple glance out of the Executor's observation ports at one of the nearby Avenger escorts. Upon leaving the Executor, he placed Slave I near Avenger's waste chutes and blended into the foul mixture when Avenger dumped its garbage. Sure enough, Fett noticed a powered-down Falcon drifting off into the garbage flow. After the Avenger departed, the Falcon set its course, and Fett was able to determine where the Falcon was headed: Bespin.

Fett informed Vader, and the Executor and Slave I set course for Bespin, easily beating the Falcon there. Fett suggested the use of the former friendship of Calrissian and Solo as an effective tool in the capture. The Dark Lord took the plan to a higher level of complexity by forcing Calrissian to betray his friend after having gained his confidence. Vader did this in order to emphasize the hopelessness of Solo's situation, and to make the betrayal more painful to him.

Vader's own personal plans involving the capture of Luke Skywalker were easily served by the current situation. Luke could be imprisoned in carbonite, which would force him into hibernation, preventing him from using any of his Force powers. Vader could then present Skywalker to Emperor Palpatine, who would then lure young Luke into embracing the dark side.

Bespin

The gas giant Bespin is located along the Ison Corridor, a natural spacelane located just off the Corellian Trade Spine. The corridor consists of four systems, Bespin, Anoat, Hoth and Ison, in a straight line.

Bespin is a lightly-traveled world, with twin moons, H'Gaard and Drudonna, orbiting high above. Unlike other gas giants, Bespin has a region of habitable space within its cloud layer. It is in this layer that Cloud City, along with other floating mining platforms, works to extract valuable tibanna gas from the lower cloud layers.

The planet has a fast period of rotation, providing citizens of Cloud City with two days and nights for every one. Aside from Cloud City, the next major mining platform is a long-abandoned mining city called Tibannopolis.

Bespin

Type Gas Giant
Temperature Temperate (in the Life Zone)
Atmosphere Type I (breathable) in the Life Zone
Hydrosphere Moist (in the Life Zone)
Gravity Standard (in the Life Zone)
Terrain Gas Giant
Length of Day 12 standard hours
Length of Year 14 standard years
Sapient Species Humans, Ugnaughts
Starport Standard
Population 6 million
Planet Function Tibanna gas mining, gambling resort
Government Guild
Tech Level Space
Major Exports Tibanna gas, tourism, cloud cars
Major Imports Foodstuffs, mid tech, high tech

Bespin Lifeforms

Bespin has evolved a number of strange lifeforms, suited for survival in a world with no land. The deeper one goes into the cloud layer, the more exotic and bizarre the creatures become. The most prominent or noteworthy creatures are listed below.

Beldons

Beldons are among the biggest animals in the galaxy. These immense floaters appear as huge gas bags riding the wind currents in the colorful Bespin sky. Theories persist that beldons give off natural tibanna gas, and as such, these animals are protected by law. They are gentle animals, sometimes traveling in herds, feeding off the algae and nutrients that lie suspended in the clouds.

Beldons

Type Atmospheric floater
DEXTERITY 1D
PERCEPTION 4D
STRENGTH 9D
Special Abilities Electrolocomotion: Beldons generate an electrical field which allows them to maneuver in the clouds of Bespin. Electrolocation: Beldons are sensitive to disturbances in the electrical field surrounding them. They have an effective scan sensor capability of 2 km/1D.
Move 70; 200 kmh
Size 800 meters to 10 kilometers
Scale Walker

Rawwks

Rawwks are small, batlike scavengers that fly among the clouds of Bespin. Rawwks are the creatures most likely to be seen by visitors to Cloud City or Tibannopolis. Flocks of rawwk inhabit open girders and abandoned air chutes in both cities. They flock and dive in great waves, feasting on the algae in the clouds.

Rawwks seem to have a symbiotic relationship with beldons, as the beldons provide them with huge, moving nests, and rawwks clean their tendrils of any excess algae and provide an early-warning system by fleeing at the site of a velker.

Rawwk

Type Flying scavenger
DEXTERITY 3D+1
PERCEPTION 5D
STRENGTH 1D+1
Special Abilities Claws: Rawwks have small claws, which do STR+1 damage.
Move 20 (flying)
Size Up to 0.7 meter wingspan
Scale Creature

Velkers

Velkers are leathery, feathered flyers that are the predators of Bespin's skies. They feed on beldons, attacking in swarms, but they also pose a threat to small aircraft and cloud cars that stray too far from Cloud City. There are accounts of them actually attacking Cloud City, mistaking its electromagnetic signature for an immense beldon. Velkers sometimes travel in packs. They resemble primitive fixed-wing aircraft in shape, have long claws, and rows of deadly mouths lining their bellies.

Velkers

Type Flying predator
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 2D
Search 4D, sneak 4D
STRENGTH 4D
Special Abilities Energy Bolt: Velkers stun prey by delivering an ionized electrical bolt which causes 10D stun damage. Teeth: Do STR+1D damage.
Move 25 (flying)
Size Up to 4 meters tall
Scale Creature

Thranta

Thrantas are flyers transplanted to Bespin from Alderaan. They have broad, sail-like wings and body cores composed mostly of a gas bladder. The thrantas were brought to Bespin as a gift to his Alderaanian wife. Now, several of the thrantas have escaped to the wild, and have begun to reproduce in this new world. There are many thrantas that are domesticated, and ridden by alien riders in "sky rodeos."

Thranta

Type Alderaanian flyer
DEXTERITY 4D
PERCEPTION 4D+1
STRENGTH 3D+1
Move 25 (flying)
Size Up to 4 meters tall
Scale Creature
Orneriness 1D (tame), 4D (wild)

Cloud City

Cloud City was first and foremost a mining city. Founded by the eccentric Lord Ecclessis Figg many years ago, Cloud City's main economic asset was Bespin's naturally occurring spin-sealed tibanna gas. The gas is used as hyperdrive engine coolant and as a source of energy for blasters.

However, Cloud City was much more than a mining complex. It eventually developed into a luxurious, if remote, vacation area. Countless casinos, luxury hotels and exotic businesses appeared in the beautiful spires of the city's top levels.

Cloud City was home to a diverse population composed mostly of humans and Ugnaughts. The thriving economy allowed for a high standard of living for most, and the almost cooperative system of government allowed businesses, trade guilds and citizens great latitude within the free enterprise system.

Cloud City was among the most beautiful metropolises in the galaxy, and beckoned to those with a desire to mix beauty and wealth. Unfortunately, the untimely arrival of the Empire forced a great change on the city. Baron-Administrator Calrissian ordered a general evacuation of the city shortly after Lord Vader's arrival. Now, under the command of Imperial Captain Treece, the city is under the control of the Empire.

Cloud City (prior to the Imperial takeover)

System Bespin
Starport Type Standard class
Traffic Busy
Control Controller
Landing Landing team
Docking Areas Docking bay
Docking Fees 75 credits per local day (levels 1-50), 55 credits per local day (levels 51-120), 25 credits per local day (levels 121-280)
Customs Local patrol
Services Food, lodging, repair facilities, entertainment, storage bays, and vehicle rentals

Cloud City Capsule

Capsule Lord Ecclessis Figg and his team of Ugnaught workers built Cloud City to take advantage of Bespin's natural secret: a treasure trove of naturally spin-sealed tibanna gas, perfect for weapons modifications. The floating mining station made its fortune covertly selling this gas to weapons manufacturers not associated with the Empire.
The remainder of Cloud City's income is generated by a healthy tourist trade. Located far from the Core, Cloud City is one of the few places in the area locals can go for a luxurious resort.
Cloud City is located just off the Corellian Trade Spine, adjacent to the Anoat system.

Lando Calrissian

Lando Calrissian has had a very difficult, confused, and desperate time since Lord Darth Vader arrived on Cloud City. Things were much simpler before then. This one-time gambler, rogue, and interstellar con man had settled into a comfortable life as Baron-Administrator of Cloud City.

Sure, there were pressures that came with the job, supply problems, labor difficulties, and the like, but they were nothing compared to the kind of problems he used to encounter on a daily basis: jealous husbands, humiliated crime bosses, outraged government officials, and the last Sorcerer of Tund, to name a few.

As chief executive of the floating metropolis, Lando led a kind of double life. By day he was the responsible leader, settling disputes, appearing at charity luncheons, and making appearances at other occasions of pomp and circumstance.

Evenings on Cloud City were quite another story. Lando spent many of his nights in one disguise or another, milking the city's casinos for all they were worth. Many of these alter egos became quite famous around the glamorous Cloud City night spots, and few of the city's inhabitants seemed to notice that these highly successful gamblers and womanizers were hardly ever seen during daylight hours.

Meeting a Dark Lord

The following is a personal account of Lando Calrissian's meeting with Darth Vader.

It was one of those incredibly bright, beautiful days when you know something's just got to go wrong. Of course, when I'm talking about something going "wrong," I'm usually talking about a brawl down in Port Town or a Cloud Car accident or a union dispute. But when I was informed that an Imperial shuttle carrying Lord Darth Vader and a platoon of Imperial stormtroopers had arrived, "one of those days" became the day that I'd always feared would come.

I wasn't exactly sure how to greet him as I strode across the landing platform to meet the Dark Lord. What do you say to someone like that? "Are you here for business or pleasure?" didn't sound quite right to me. Anyway, I hoped the right words would come to me, and I hoped that this was just some kind of inconsequential visit. I knew better.

Vader stepped from the entry ramp and strode past everyone to come chest-to-face with me. Behind him, Boba Fett looked on in silence.

Vader was a giant of a man, if he even was a man. I could feel the heat issuing from his helmet as he spoke. I felt a certain tightness in my throat. "Are you Calrissian?" he asked flatly.

"I am," was my only reply.

He took a few seconds to study me, and it seemed as if he were peering directly into my thoughts. "I would speak with you," he said.

"Be my guest," was my smug answer.

I felt tightness around my windpipe once more as he responded, "In private."

The Dark Lord gestured and spoke as he began to stride across the platform. "An honor guard will not be necessary," he hissed. Somehow, he knew that I had a squad of Wing Guards hidden, ready to take action if necessary. "I am here about a personal matter. A matter which may prove ... mutually beneficial."

I was trying my best not to be intimidated, but failing miserably. "Sounds interesting," was my all-too-cool reply. "Why don't you step into my office?" I turned to face him then, "Leave the bounty hunter behind. His kind makes me nervous."

I didn't know how Vader would react to that, and, surprisingly, he answered with, "As you wish."

Behind me, I could hear the sound of Fett's wrist lasers powering up, but I didn't even turn around. There would be another time and place for that.

It was obvious after my initial, tentative probing that Vader was prepared to make certain allowances to achieve his ends. I would try to take advantage of that fact. He had apparently done research into my background, since he mentioned my former friendship with Han Solo. I had heard that Han had a price on his head, but I didn't know the Empire was after him. The old pirate was certainly hip-deep in it now. It wouldn't do any good to deny that I knew Han, so I tried a different approach.

"That lousy, no-good swindler still owes me quite a bit," I snapped. Naturally, that gambit backfired.

"Good," the Dark Lord replied. "Then, I'm certain I will have your complete cooperation in this matter."

My heart sank when the Dark Lord hit me with the deal. It was the life of an old friend in exchange for total security. It was no deal, there was no choice in the matter. Either I could agree to Vader's offer, or his troops would occupy Cloud City and Vader would get what he wanted anyway.

I had lives to protect. I agreed.

One of Lando's aliases was particularly successful. He was known only as "the old man" by those at the Royal Casino. Nightly, for a stretch of about three standard months, this mysterious gambler literally bankrupted the Royal. But, each night, he would make one final bet before leaving; he would bet everything he had won that night on a single spin of the Greehu wheel, or on one single-drop toss. He never won that final bet. The casino owners would breath a long, heartfelt sigh of relief, and the old man would leave in exactly the same financial condition in which he had arrived, but with the thrill of having won and lost a fortune.

It was a good life, and it seemed as far away from the Galactic Civil War as Lando could hope to be. But the arrival of Lord Vader changed all that. Everything that Lando had built on Bespin hinged on this distressing deal, which centered around selling out an old friend, Han Solo.

In a way, Lando considered Solo a better friend than the Corellian smuggler might know. It was Solo who won the famous Millennium Falcon from Lando in a rather well-documented sabacc match and, as it turns out, it was that moment which prompted Lando to give up his travels as a galactic rogue and settle down.

Lando had always secretly thanked Solo for "presenting the opportunity," but now he would have to betray that friendship in order to preserve what he had worked to establish over the past few standard years.

"No matter where you go, or how far from the Galactic Core you end up, it'll always find you." These were Lando's expressed feelings when asked about finally joining the fight for freedom. "I guess I was just kidding myself," he continued, "thinking I could run away and hide from trouble when all I was really doing was not dealing with how I felt about everything. I have never had a love for the Empire, and I always felt I had been doing my part to fight it, in my own little annoying kind of way."

Calrissian's roguish smile faded as he finished his statement, "When I settled on Bespin, it seemed that everything I was doing was for myself. Everything that's happened lately has been a test. Normally, I have my own special way of dealing with tests, but I couldn't find one of those ways that would apply this time. There was just no way to cheat. It was a 'true or false' kind of question, with no 'all or none of the above' options. So, I guess you might say I tried one answer, and found that I wasn't too happy with it, so I deleted that answer and chose another path of action." Now Lando has opted for the life of a Rebel, putting his days of ease and responsibility behind him to again take up the controls of the Millennium Falcon. He betrayed a friend, and that thought haunts him. Now he must rescue that friend or, if that fails, take his place with these brave freedom fighters. He does not know if he will fit in, if he will win a place in this family of friends, but he will do whatever he can to help them achieve their goals. The Empire has forced Lando Calrissian out of retirement, forced him to again take up his blaster. The Empire will regret the hand it dealt him, and on that Calrissian has staked his life.

Lando Calrissian

Type Gambler
DEXTERITY 3D+2
Blaster 6D+2, blaster: hold-out blaster 7D, brawling parry 5D+1, dodge 6D, grenade 4D+2, melee combat 4D+2, melee parry 5D+1
KNOWLEDGE 3D
Alien species 5D, bureaucracy 7D, business 7D, business: mining 10D+1, business administration 7D+1, cultures 6D+2, languages 5D, planetary systems 5D, streetwise 7D+1, survival 5D, value 5D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Archaic starship piloting 3D+1, astrogation 6D+2, communications 4D, ground vehicle operation 3D+1, repulsorlift operation 4D, repulsorlift operation: cloud car 5D+1, sensors 4D+2, space transports 8D, starfighter piloting 8D, starship gunnery 7D, starship shields 7D, swoop operation 4D+2
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 8D, bargain: tibanna gas 10D+1, command 6D, con 8D+2, forgery 6D+1, gambling 9D+2, hide 6D, persuasion 6D+1, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 2D+2
Brawling 5D+1, climbing/jumping 5D, lifting 4D+2, stamina 5D, swimming 4D
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D, droid programming 3D, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 6D+1, space transports repair 6D+2, starship weapon repair 4D
Force Points 1
Character Points 10
Move 10
Equipment Hold-out blaster (4D), comlink, sabacc card deck

Lobot

The position of Baron-Administrator has changed hands numerous times throughout the storied history of Cloud City, but the position of Administrator's Chief Aide has not. When the city in the clouds was first built, it was designed around a central computer core that could almost single-handedly run the systems operation of the entire city. This allowed the Baron-Administrator to keep a personal watch over the various systems, rather than rely on dozens of specialists.

But bureaucrats are not usually technophiles. After many years of struggling to operate the city's extremely sophisticated computer systems, it was determined that a computer liaison officer was needed between the city's central computer and the Baron-Administrator. It was also decided that this liaison, with an integral link to the computer, would also take over as the city's chief administrative aide.

But who could qualify for such a job? As it turns out, a young vagabond and ex-slave formerly held by a band of pirates, and just then convicted for robbery on Cloud City, was the answer.

The youth's name was Lobot, and at the time of his arrest he had no money, no future, and no hope. However, Ellisa Shallence, the Baroness-Administrator during the incident, thought that the young man did have the potential to turn his life around if given the proper chance. She suggested that, rather than serving a lengthy prison term, Lobot should indenture himself to the city as a borg who would become the new computer liaison officer. Of course, this opportunity involved a series of operations in which Lobot would be given advanced, brain-enhancing borg implants that would allow him to communicate directly with the city's central computer.

It wasn't until Lando Calrissian took control of the city that Lobot's full potential was reached. Lando used Lobot's unique abilities in ways they had never been used before, mostly in clandestine operations.

Working with Lando Calrissian, Lobot saw what a resourceful man might accomplish if he put his mind to it. But to Lobot, Lando seemed rather self-possessed. And when the two finally became caught in the battle between Rebellion and Empire, it was Lobot who urged his leader to help the Rebels.

It is unknown what happened to Lobot after the Millennium Falcon's escape from Cloud City. Reports indicate that Lobot remained the computer liaison officer for the new administrator, Imperial Captain Treece. If that is the case, it is believed that the Alliance still has an ally in the city in the clouds, as Lobot is no doubt looking out for the city's best interest, not the Empire's.

Lobot

Type Cyborg Administrator
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Bureaucracy 5D+1, bureaucracy: Cloud City 9D+2, business 8D, law enforcement: Cloud City 7D, value 4D+1, willpower 6D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Beast riding 3D, repulsorlift operation: cloud car 5D
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 4D, command: Wing Guard 8D, investigation: Cloud City 12D+2, search 5D
STRENGTH 2D+1
Stamina 4D+1
TECHNICAL 4D
Computer programming/repair 6D, computer programming/repair: Cloud City's central computers 11D, security 6D, security: Cloud City 12D+2
Force Points 2
Character Points 12
Move 10
Equipment Brain-enhancing cyborg implants (allows instant access to Cloud City's central computer whenever within one kilometer of city, gives +2D bonus to bureaucracy, law enforcement, computer programming/repair, and security when pertaining to Cloud City; can monitor movement on Cloud City and remotely control city systems), portable data storage facility (up to three knowledge cartridges)

Wing Guards

The blue-clad Bespin Guards, or "Wing Guard" as they are more commonly known, are the Baron-Administrator's strong arm of the law. They were a symbol of the city's commitment to order and quality of life, patrolling the sun-drenched avenues to keep peace in an otherwise tense environment.

The kinds of people drawn to mining are often rough and tumble, eager to prove their boasts and known to take out their tensions on those who cross their path. There were also many undesirables and fugitives passing through the city, and some made homes there. But for all the derelicts and criminals, there were just as many honest men and women who deserved protection and a chance at a peaceful life.

Until the Empire took over, the Wing Guards were under the direct control of the Baron-Administrator, though they were a separate entity unto themselves. Cloud City Security was more than a branch of government; it was also a thriving business.

The Wing Guards were paid in direct proportion to their level of success over a given period, as determined by poll results from the city's populace. This incentive program was implemented by Baron-Administrator Lando Calrissian.

When Lando first took the post, the Wing Guard was a corrupt, disorganized unit run by thieves and greedy bureaucrats. Private citizens paid for protection and efficient service, while those who could not afford to pay often went without either.

Under the new arrangement, the Wing Guard remained privately owned but was placed under complete control of the Baron-Administrator. The populace as a whole would pay for, and receive, Cloud City Security services. Individuals would no longer pay for special treatment. To keep rates competitive and reward outstanding work, Lando made the pay scale variable.

Under the personal direction of Lobot, who also served as special liaison to the Wing Guard, several important investigations were undertaken. By concentrating on mining union leaders with questionable portfolios and number-running organizations operating from major hotels, these investigations threatened to expose some of the city's worst corruption.

These operations would have been impossible under the old system. But thanks to the perseverance of Lando Calrissian, the city reached a pinnacle of respectability, shedding its reputation for corruption and underhandedness. Before the Imperial incident, Cloud City had become known as a reputable mining and resort colony.

Typical Wing Guard Officer

Type Wing Guard Officer
Stats All attributes 2D except: Dexterity 2D+2
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D, melee combat 4D+1, melee parry 3D+2, streetwise 3D+1, streetwise: Cloud City 5D, willpower 4D, con 3D, investigation: Cloud City 6D+1, search 5D+1, sneak 4D+1, brawling 3D, security 4D+2
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), blast vest (+1 energy, +1D physical), comlink

Typical Wing Guard Member

Type Wing Guard Member
Stats All attributes 2D except: Dexterity 3D+1, Knowledge 2D+1, Mechanical 2D+2, Perception 3D, Strength 3D+1, Technical 3D+1
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D, bureaucracy 3D+1, repulsorlift operation: cloud car 4D+2, command 3D+2, search 4D, brawling 4D, security 4D+2
Character Points Varies, typically 0-5
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, binders

Typical Wing Guard Pilot

Type Wing Guard Pilot
Stats Same as Wing Guard Member
Vehicle blasters 5D+2, repulsorlift operation: cloud car 6D+2

Typical Wing Guard Customs Official

Type Wing Guard Customs Official
Stats All attributes 2D except: Dexterity 2D+2
Blaster 4D, brawling parry 4D, dodge 4D, streetwise: Cloud City 5D, willpower 4D, con 3D, investigation: Cloud City 6D+1, search 6D+1, sneak 4D+1, brawling 3D, security 5D+2
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), blast vest (+1 energy, +1D physical)

Jerrol Blendin

Jerrol Blendin is a Wing Guard who operates on level 120, just above the wild and raucous Port Town. Blendin had been a rookie cop during the rule of Baron Raynor, a despotic and corrupt administrator who allowed corruption to seep into the Wing Guard. Blendin began idealistic, but when he saw his chief skimming off the top, taking bribes, and keeping stolen merchandise, it was hard not to follow suit.

He made it to the rank of captain by the time Calrissian restructured the Wing Guard. Blendin felt cheated. He had paid his dues, and now, just when he was in a position to take full advantage of the old system, along came Calrissian, a foreigner, and changed the rules on him. Blendin kept his mouth shut, however, and instead requested assignment to level 120.

Now, Blendin and his men make a few credits from locals and rough up a few thugs who come up from Port Town. In his own way, he keeps order, but the populace of that area live in fear of both the criminals and the police. Blendin commands his men never to go too far, and not to take too much, for fear of drawing attention to themselves.

Blendin's fate is unknown since Calrissian's call to evacuate Cloud City. Jerrol Blendin

Type Corrupt Wing Guard
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 4D, dodge 4D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+1
Bureaucracy 3D+1, streetwise 4D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Repulsorlift operation: cloud car 4D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 3D+2, search 4D
STRENGTH 3D+1
Brawling 4D
TECHNICAL 3D+1
Security 4D+2
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, binders

Citizens of Cloud City

The city in the clouds was populated by a diverse citizenry. The one thing that held this mixture together was mining. Cloud City was first and foremost a mining operation, and everyone there, in one way or another, was in the mining business.

Whether they were hotel managers, Wing Guards, shopkeepers, or cloud car mechanics, they depended on tibanna gas mining, the city's lifeblood.

The populace changed drastically from its early wild days. By the time of the Imperial takeover, businesspeople actually outnumbered the criminal element. This was due largely to the tourist trade, a relatively new concept on Cloud City.

When Lando Calrissian took office as Administrator, the city was already on its way to becoming an isolated but beautiful resort community. He had the right combination of contacts and talent to bring Cloud City fully into its glory, and before long, tourism was thriving.

Lando's biggest job was keeping seedier elements away from tourist facilities. He did this by keeping undesirables below the city's surface and situating the high-end hotels and casinos in the spires and upper levels. The division was natural.

Below the upper levels was Port Town, a haven for small-time criminals and thugs. Lando allowed Port Town to grow and prosper, believing that as long as its residents largely kept to themselves, it served as a pressure-release zone.

Meanwhile, the upper plazas and towers became a sparkling paradise of dramatic architecture set against stunning sunsets. Wealthy investors poured in. But while tourism was lucrative, mining remained the primary source of income.

Most families living on Cloud City were mining families. These were no ordinary miners: they included union breakers, picket-line crossers, and idealists, many of them fugitives from the tyrannical Imperial Mining Guild.

On Bespin there was the promise of a union run by miners for miners, with the profit going to miners. It was a fleeting dream. The Empire eventually caught up to Cloud City despite Lando's efforts to prevent that confrontation. The miners scattered across the galaxy, carrying only their hopes and memories of Cloud City.

Danta Belissa

Danta Belissa is a food and souvenir merchant who operates on level 120, just one level above the seedy Port Town of Cloud City. Belissa sells rich, spicy Corellian food for administrative personnel who work on this level. It is a small store, tucked away in a dusty corner. Belissa's store motto is, "It may be hard to find, but it's always worth the trip." In fact, the store is located right at the nexus of several breezeways, so the scent of roast kelbird and fried dinnd wafts for many meters.

While his wife and daughter do much of the cooking, Danta runs the business and the small souvenir and antique shop adjacent to the restaurant. He has five full-time employees, and they have been there for almost three Bespin years.

Things began turning ugly about two years ago when Wonn Ionstrike, the biggest criminal in Port Town, began sending thugs up to his store for protection money. Even reporting this to the police proved futile, as the local officer, Jerrol Blendin, was no more honorable than the criminals below. Things looked bad for Belissa's, as much of its income was going to both Ionstrike and Blendin.

Danta began to pack up the shop, clearing out the storage room when he discovered something that would save both his family and his business. As he moved one of the fryer units, he discovered an exposed gas conduit, which piped some of the tibanna gas harvested by Cloud City to other levels.

Danta placed a small siphon into the conduit and supplemented his income by selling bootleg tibanna gas to pilots and rogues who know where to get it. Danta has so far managed to keep his siphon secret from both Blendin and Ionstrike, and makes enough money from gas sales to keep his business afloat.

Belissa's fate after Lando Calrissian's call to evacuate the city is unknown. Danta Belissa

Type Merchant
DEXTERITY 1D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Business 4D, scholar: galactic history 4D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 2D
Repulsorlift operation: cloud car 5D
PERCEPTION 2D
Bargain 5D
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 2D
Move 10
Equipment Credit changer

Wiorkettle and Treva Horme Cloud City invited both small merchants and big business, as witnessed by Planet Dreams, Inc., a planetscaping company that operated on the upper levels of the city. This company, run by three equal partners, specialized in building habitable environment domes on private asteroids, and making otherwise uninhabitable environments not only habitable, but beautiful. Their clientele was among the richest in the galaxy, and they had several chains throughout the galaxy, centered around asteroid belts like the Mestra system and the Oseon.

About a year ago, the three executives, Wiorkettle, Treva Horme, and Ozz, relocated their head offices to Bespin due to low overhead costs and the out-of-the-way privacy of the gas giant. The company was seriously looking into selling private hovering platforms in Bespin's life zone, offering escape from even Cloud City.

The prospects looked good until the Ugnaught partner, Ozz, brought something to Wiorkettle and Horme's attention. According to their records, someone was embezzling from the company, stealing both money and terraforming hardware. The three were shocked and outraged that someone was getting away with this, and Ozz vowed to look into the theft personally.

His investigation was interrupted, however, by the arrival of the Empire. Not wanting their money-making enterprise swallowed by the Empire, Planet Dreams, Inc. downloaded all their files and evacuated the city. While Wiorkettle and Treva escaped in their private executive shuttle, Ozz was nowhere to be found.

Wiorkettle is a Snivvian male. He is the chief artist who decides on the aesthetic appeal of each of the new environments they sculpt and carve. The Snivvian always throws himself into each project, staying up night and day until it is just right.

Treva Horme, a Lutrillian female, is the executive planner. She watches the production schedule, making sure resources are allocated properly and projects are completed on deadline. While she is not, admittedly, the best at accounting, her true skill lies in presentation. Whenever sales pitches have to be made, they fall on her shoulders. She and Wiorkettle have moved back to the Oseon asteroid belt.

Ozz, a 150-year-old Ugnaught, manages resources and budget. While Treva allocates them, Ozz oversees inventory. He also is an expert at terraforming and engineering, and oversees logistical concerns for their projects. An old Ugnaught with a long memory, Ozz spent the first century of his life in slavery. Ozz's current whereabouts are unknown.

Wiorkettle

Type Snivvian artist
DEXTERITY 2D+2
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 4D+2, artist: sculpting 6D+2, bureaucracy 4D+1, business 5D, planetary systems 5D+2
MECHANICAL 2D
PERCEPTION 4D+1
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, droid repair 4D+2
Special Abilities Adaptive Skin: Snivvians can survive in temperature extremes from -30 to +45 degrees standard without harm or protective clothing. Snivvian skin gives a +1D armor bonus for physical damage.
Character Points 2
Move 10
Equipment Datapad, holo-sculpture projector

Treva Horme

Type Lutrillian Businesswoman
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Running 4D
KNOWLEDGE 3D+1
Alien species 4D, bureaucracy 5D, business 6D+1, cultures 4D+2, languages 4D+2, willpower 4D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Space transports 5D
PERCEPTION 4D
Bargain 6D, command 5D+2, con 4D+1, persuasion 6D+2
STRENGTH 2D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Computer programming/repair 4D+2
Move 10
Equipment Datapad

Ugnaughts

After humans, Ugnaughts were the largest portion of Bespin's population, at least before Imperial annexation. These small, pig-like aliens are natives of Gentes in the remote Anoat system, where they once lived in primitive colonies across barely habitable land.

Long ago, when Cloud City first began operations, its less-than-reputable leadership under Lord Figg searched nearby systems for cheap manual labor. They did not have to look far. Ugnaughts were eager to work for next to nothing.

The wonders of the city in the clouds triggered heavy Ugnaught immigration, and city leadership soon tried to cut off the flow. The aliens were turned away in droves, leaving those already in the city as a kind of Ugnaught mining elite.

But these so-called primitives were not as dimwitted as the city leadership assumed. They protested both the rejection of their kin and their own poor treatment in the city.

Threatened by a devastating miners' strike and eager to appease them, leadership restored immigration and allowed Ugnaught workers to form a coalition. Secretly, however, mining companies were directed to make conditions difficult. As more workers arrived, hours and pay dropped. Companies sold the situation as a labor glut created by immigration.

The Ugnaughts believed it, and immigration eventually slowed. While many original settlers stayed, others left. Those who remained raised families in the city and gradually became part of the broader Cloud City community.

Over the years, the administration became more benevolent, and Ugnaughts gained a distinct place in Bespin society. They still dominated lower-paying work, but many also started businesses or moved into fields like waste disposal, maintenance, and security.

Typical Ugnaught

Type Ugnaught worker
Stats All attributes 2D except: dodge 2D+2, Knowledge 1D, Mechanical 2D+1, Perception 2D+1, Strength 3D, Technical 1D+1
Mining tool operation 3D, bargain 3D+1, brawling 4D
Move 10
Equipment Datapad, force pick, laser spade

Ugloste

Ugloste was the head Ugnaught worker put in command by the Empire to modify the carbon-freezing chamber for human use. Ugloste had little interest in the Empire or the Rebellion, and had no idea why a human was being encased in carbonite. One less humy, he thought, no loss there.

Ugloste, 120 standard years old, had no love for humans. They had enslaved him and his family for many, many years. He saw his beloved wife die for the filling of some bureaucrat's coffers. That human bureaucrats should rule the galaxy sickened him.

But Cloud City was different. It was one of the few places in the galaxy where Ugnaughts could be Ugnaughts. The deepest crannies of the mining levels echoed with uglejig music, and the smoky scent of roast greeg pie always welcomed him home. Their songs, tales, and films could be experienced again, and new generations were being born never having known slavery.

Ugloste started over, with a new wife and twelve Ugletts. He began teaching them the art of gas mining, the value of hard work, and respect for their elders. Ugloste himself had to work several jobs to help make ends meet, from metal reclamation smelters to the carbon-freezing chamber.

When the Imperials arrived, the Ugnaughts asked no questions. Elders spoke of troubles, of a renewed threat to their people. A few spoke of taking up arms, but those were hot-headed youths with no family. Ugloste chose to wait. An Imperial officer told him to modify the carbon-freezing chamber, and handed him the specs on a datapad.

Ugloste looked the pad over. In it were detailed files of a human's anatomy. This particular human was brutally tortured, from the look of it, on a scan grid. For the first time in a long time, he remembered his first wife's screams as she went through the same torture. Oh well, he thought, just another humy.

He made the changes with no problems. His team worked to his specs, and he knew that carbon-freezing chamber inside and out. The carbon freeze would be painful, but not deadly. Those were the specs. That was his job.

He watched as the Imperials marched the humy in. He watched as the humy's friend, a Wookiee, roared and knocked over several stormtroopers. He recognized the Wookiee as the same one that had tried to steal from his smelting station earlier. Despite that act of thievery, Ugloste had a general respect for Wookiees. He could sympathize with any species enslaved by humans. But this Wookiee was fighting for the humy.

Ugloste watched as the humy kissed the woman. Pretty, he supposed, by human standards. He wondered if they were married, if they had children. As he watched the whole procedure, he walked back to the control station.

He made the slightest adjustment, the slightest change in the mixture of gases. The humy wouldn't suffer long. There had been enough suffering. Ugloste

Type Ugnaught worker
DEXTERITY 2D
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Streetwise 3D, streetwise: Cloud City 4D+1, willpower 5D+2
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Carbon-freezing chamber operation 5D+1
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 5D+1, con 4D, sneak 3D
STRENGTH 3D
TECHNICAL 1D+1
Carbon-freezing chamber repair 5D+1
Move 10
Equipment Force pick, laser spade

Chapter Eight: The Heroes of Yavin

From the data-journal of Voren Na'al To conclude this report, I will review the experiences of each of the heroes of the Battle of Yavin since their arrival on Hoth and my commencement of this assignment. It is with some trepidation that I do this, however, as the experiences and current status of these great heroes are neither pleasant nor inspirational. But then, neither is this report, which differs in that important respect from its predecessor.

This report reflects the somber reality of our experiences since the Battle of Hoth and the escape from Hoth, rather than the hope and idealism which were evident after the destruction of the Death Star. All of us have changed since then, as has this bloody civil conflict. There is no greater example of this change than in the Heroes of Yavin who, since leaving Hoth, have endured tremendous hardship.

They were once shining examples for the rest of us, and they continue to be examples, but not of the energy and the spirit that they once exemplified. Now, they are examples of what can, and has, happened to all of us, examples of the fact that no one remains untouched by the Empire's fist.

I had originally intended to interview each of these heroes, as I had done in my first report, but upon their arrival at the Alliance fleet they were in no shape or state of mind to indulge me. I did manage to speak informally with the Princess and even with Commander Skywalker, although both of them were distant and not particularly responsive. Lando Calrissian was much more cooperative, but he was forced to make a hasty departure, setting out with Chewbacca for Tatooine in search of their captured companion, Han Solo.

Both Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio, aware of my assignment and relatively unfazed by recent events, were very helpful in filling in many of the gaps in an otherwise comprehensive report. Having accompanied their fugitive masters in their astounding adventures following the assault on Hoth, the droids were able to provide certain insights into the events which took place. My problem was in sorting and interpreting some of the clearly droid-centered perspectives that each of them had, particularly Threepio, where the behavior of Leia, Han and Luke was concerned.

Princess Leia Organa

Apparently, some of the assertions I made during my initial report on the Heroes of Yavin have proven true. Among them is the alleged "more than professional" relationship between the Princess and a certain Corellian smuggler. Admittedly, my information on this matter is largely derived from a questionable source: the rather colorful observations of See-Threepio.

What Threepio described as a "shared breathing exercise of some kind" I can only interpret as a kiss, and an apparently passionate one at that. Add that they engaged in this "breathing exercise" several times, the last one being right before the bound and captured Solo was about to be put into carbon-freeze, an act which Threepio was at a loss to understand.

During their time on Hoth, Leia and Han were constantly at each other's throats. It was certainly apparent to most of the Echo Base personnel that something was up between them, since almost everyone had been "bombarded" by Leia's and Han's constant bickering at one time or another. Down in the south passage of the tunnels, I myself was privy to the end of one of their most colorful spats. Something about Leia "rather kissing a Wookiee" than Solo, and him being able to "arrange that." Great stuff, really.

There is little doubt that Solo, in one manner or another, affected the Princess from the start. I believe it must have something to do with his wild, roguish, uncontrolled, possibly even charming behavior. This aspect of Solo's personality must somehow remind Leia of herself. Or at least, it reminds her of a certain part of herself that, because of her life as a Princess of Alderaan, Imperial Senator, and now Rebel leader, has been kept locked away inside of her.

But, even as I write this, Han Solo is being delivered into the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, and the Princess is understandably distraught. But despite all she has been through, even this latest devastating loss, the Princess has simply become more determined than ever. She is determined to right the wrongs committed on the people of the galaxy by the Empire, determined to find Solo no matter where he is, and bring him back.

Princess Leia Organa

Type Young Senatorial
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 7D+1, blaster artillery 3D+2, brawling parry 4D, dodge 7D, grenade 4D, melee combat 5D, melee parry 4D, vehicle blasters 4D
KNOWLEDGE 4D
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 9D+1, cultures 9D, languages 6D+2, planetary systems 9D, streetwise 6D, survival 7D+1, value 6D+1, willpower 6D+1
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 3D+2, beast riding 3D+2, repulsorlift operation 4D+2, starfighter piloting 5D, starship gunnery 4D, starship shields 5D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 6D, command 10D, con 5D+1, gambling 4D, hide 6D, persuasion 7D, persuasion: debate 8D+2, search 5D+2, sneak 6D
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 4D, climbing/jumping 4D, swimming 5D
TECHNICAL 2D
Computer programming/repair 4D+2, droid programming 4D, droid repair 4D, first aid 6D, security 3D
Force-Sensitive Yes
Force Points 6
Character Points 20
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), comlink, breath mask, blaster rifle (5D)

Han Solo

Having a price on your head will eventually catch up to you, no matter how careful you are, and no one is more careful than Han Solo. But ever since his life became intertwined with a certain group of Rebel heroes, "carelessness" has slowly crept into his style of operation.

But after his run-in with a bounty hunter, Solo's attitude shifted. He saw how lax he had become while basking in the false sense of security that traveling with the Alliance held for him. There was still a galaxy full of hunters out there waiting for a chance to collect.

Currently encased in carbonite and in the clutches of the bounty hunter Boba Fett, Han Solo will soon be in Jabba the Hutt's hands. What the crime lord has in store for this man who has caused him such trouble can only be speculated, but the Hutt is known for "creative vengeance."

Han Solo

Type Smuggler
DEXTERITY 3D+1
Blaster 7D, blaster: heavy blaster pistol 10D, blaster: blaster rifle 5D+1, blaster artillery 6D+1, brawling parry 7D+1, dodge 8D, grenade 5D+1, melee combat 6D+1, melee parry 5D+1, missile weapons 4D+2, pickpocket 4D+1, running 3D+2, vehicle blasters 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 6D+2, bureaucracy 5D, business 6D, business: smugglers 7D, cultures 5D+1, intimidation 6D+2, languages 5D+2, law enforcement 5D, planetary systems 7D+2, streetwise 7D+2, streetwise: Jabba the Hutt's organization 9D+2, survival 7D+2, value 5D, willpower 4D+1
MECHANICAL 3D+2
Astrogation 8D, beast riding 5D+2, beast riding: tauntaun 6D, capital ship gunnery 5D+1, capital ship piloting 7D, capital ship shields 4D+1, communications 5D, ground vehicle operations 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+1, sensors 4D+2, space transports 7D, space transports: YT-1300 transports 11D+1, starfighter piloting 6D, starship gunnery 9D, starship shields 6D+2, swoop operation 6D+2
PERCEPTION 3D
Bargain 8D, command 6D, con 8D, forgery 5D, forgery: ship IDs 7D, gambling 8D, hide 8D, persuasion 5D, search 5D+2, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 7D+2, climbing/jumping 6D, lifting 5D+1, stamina 7D, swimming 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D+2
Blaster repair 4D+2, computer programming/repair 7D, demolitions 6D+2, droid programming 5D+1, droid repair 5D+1, repulsorlift repair 7D, security 7D, space transports repair 6D, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 9D, starship weapons repair 4D
Force Points 3
Character Points 30
Move 10
Equipment Modified heavy blaster pistol (5D+1), modified blaster rifle (6D+2), comlink

Luke Skywalker

The name Skywalker means many things to many people. Not too long ago, it had been nearly forgotten, linked only to the memory of an old hero who fought in a forgotten war. But since the fledgling Rebel Alliance achieved its greatest victory at the Battle of Yavin, the name Skywalker is once again on the lips of beings across the galaxy.

Since that miraculous shot which destroyed the Empire's most fearsome war machine, the adventures of Luke Skywalker have taken a more serious and somber turn. This new phase in the life of the former farm boy began, as with all of the Heroes of Yavin, on Hoth. Luke was attacked by a wampa ice creature and dragged back to its lair. To date, Luke has been quiet about how he escaped the lair and his subsequent time exposed to the harsh elements of the ice planet.

It was the timely arrival of his close friend Han Solo that allowed Luke to survive that frigid night. Solo seems to be making a habit out of last-moment rescues where Skywalker is concerned.

The legend of Luke Skywalker grew considerably in response to his exploits during the Battle of Hoth. This is due primarily to the fact that nearly two dozen Rebel troops witnessed Commander Skywalker single-handedly bring down an Imperial All-Terrain Armored Transport. But after his escape from the Hoth battlefield, Luke did not link up with the rest of us at the designated rendezvous. Rather, he took an unscheduled detour to a system called Dagobah. Luke's stay on that planet seems to have changed the young Rebel's life forever.

While on this mysterious side trip, Luke became concerned about the welfare of his friends and companions. He somehow sensed, through the Force, that Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca were in terrible danger. Worse, he felt that the danger was his own fault.

So Luke and Artoo traveled to the place of his dark vision: Cloud City. Here he fell into a trap set by Darth Vader, a trap set specifically to capture young Skywalker. To bait this deadly trap, Vader used Skywalker's friends.

Beneath the polished halls of Cloud City, far down in the bowels of the floating metropolis, Luke Skywalker confronted the Dark Lord. Using every bit of the ever-increasing powers he possessed, Luke escaped the carbon-freeze trap that Vader concocted. In what was an epic clash of flashing lightsabers, Luke was finally, painfully defeated when Vader sliced off Luke's right hand. Skywalker lost both his hand and his lightsaber in that deadly battle.

While he failed to save Han, Luke's actions, and those of Lando Calrissian, enabled the Princess, Chewbacca, and the droids to escape in the Millennium Falcon. It was Leia who received Luke's telepathic call for help and brought the Falcon around to pick him up after he barely escaped from Vader. At the mention of the Dark Lord, Luke's face contorts in pain. Something passed between these two foes, something that seems to have struck even deeper than Vader's lightsaber.

Luke Skywalker

Type Brash pilot
DEXTERITY 3D
Blaster 6D+2, brawling parry 5D+2, dodge 7D+1, lightsaber 7D+2, melee combat 4D, melee parry 9D
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 4D, bureaucracy 5D+1, streetwise 6D, survival 6D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 6D, beast riding 4D+2, beast riding: tauntaun 6D+1, repulsorlift operation 8D, repulsorlift operation: airspeeder 8D, sensors 4D+1, starfighter piloting 7D, starfighter piloting: X-wing 9D+2, starship gunnery 7D+1, starship shields 7D
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Bargain 3D, command 5D, hide 4D+2, search 5D, sneak 4D+2
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 5D+1, climbing/jumping 6D, lifting 4D, stamina 6D
TECHNICAL 3D
Computer programming/repair 5D, droid programming 5D, droid repair 6D, first aid 4D+2, lightsaber repair 7D+1, repulsorlift repair 7D, security 4D+1, starfighter repair 5D+2
Special Abilities
Force Skills Control 9D, sense 7D, alter 6D
Control: Accelerate healing, concentrate, detoxify poison, emptiness, enhance attribute, hibernation trance, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun
Sense: Danger sense, instinctive astrogation, life detection, life sense, receptive telepathy, sense Force
Alter: Telekinesis
Control and Sense: Farseeing, lightsaber combat, projective telepathy
Force-Sensitive Yes
Force Points 12
Character Points 30
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D), lightsaber (5D), comlink

Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio

Since I began following the exploits of the Heroes of Yavin, there has been one constant throughout all the adventures: the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO. They played an integral part in the events leading up to the destruction of the Death Star. Since that time, they have been slightly less central to the overall success of the Alliance, but just as well traveled.

On Hoth, each droid carried significant responsibility, mostly because they were assigned to personally assist Princess Leia at Echo Base. To supplement this, Threepio also had a role in the Alliance communications center, and Artoo helped with cavern drilling. Artoo-Detoo and See-Threepio easily lived up to their reputation as among the most respected mechanicals in the Alliance.

There were mistakes, however, most notably the drenching of Princess Leia's chambers after, at Threepio's indirect suggestion, Artoo turned up the heat and melted the chamber walls. This is a particular problem that I can empathize with, having experienced my own share of "melt-downs" during my tour of duty on Hoth.

As was the case with virtually everyone involved, the Battle of Hoth separated these two companions. Artoo "manned" Commander Skywalker's X-wing during the evacuation, while Threepio accompanied the crew of the Millennium Falcon during its harrowing escape from the ice planet.

Threepio did not do this willingly, however, as he had planned on accompanying the Princess on her transport but was cut off by a cave-in. In fact, the golden protocol droid had no wish to fly in the Millennium Falcon ever again after his rather harrowing past experiences with the smuggling ship and her reckless pilot.

But if Threepio thought his travels aboard the Falcon had been harrowing, he was in for quite a shock. Diving headlong into a deadly asteroid field was not part of Threepio's ideal travel itinerary, nor was nearly being trapped in the maw of a giant space slug, nor single-handedly attacking an Imperial Star Destroyer, nor being blasted to pieces by stormtroopers.

As for Artoo, his trip to the mysterious bog-planet Dagobah was relatively uneventful, at least compared to Threepio's experiences. But there was much happening that Artoo perhaps did not fully understand. His master was undergoing a very rare and ancient ritual, and Artoo was the unknowing witness to it all. I am not sure whether Artoo is truly aware of the gravity and cosmic significance of what he saw, but I do know that he perceived the changes taking place in his master, and perhaps even felt changes taking place in himself.

Once reunited with the others on Cloud City, Artoo immediately jumped in to help them escape stormtrooper patrols. It was also Artoo-Detoo who finished repairing See-Threepio, and who saved the Millennium Falcon. By talking to Cloud City's central computer, Artoo knew that the newly repaired hyperdrive engines were deactivated. He raced to the proper panel and reactivated the circuit, allowing the Falcon to escape to lightspeed.

All in all, the contributions to the cause of the Alliance made by Artoo and Threepio since they left Hoth were significant, because Artoo and Threepio are significant themselves. If a droid can grow and mature just as their human counterparts do, then these two have done so. The experiences they have shared have given them a kind of wisdom seldom seen in droids. Because of this, they are invaluable assets both to their masters and to the Rebellion itself.

Artoo-Detoo

Type Industrial Automaton R2 Astromech Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 4D, electroshock prod 4D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Planetary systems 8D+2, survival 6D+2, value 6D+2
MECHANICAL 4D
Astrogation 10D+2, communications 6D, sensors 7D, starfighter piloting 6D, starfighter piloting: X-wing 8D+1, starship gunnery 4D+1, starship shields 4D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Con 3D+2, gambling 6D, sneak 4D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Lifting 4D
TECHNICAL 4D
Computer programming/repair 8D+2, droid programming 5D+1, droid repair 6D+2, machinery repair 5D+2, repulsorlift repair 4D, security 6D, starfighter repair 6D+1, starfighter repair: X-wing 7D+2, space transports repair 5D+2, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 7D+1
Equipped With Three-wheeled legs (one retractable), retractable heavy grasper arm (+1D to lifting), retractable fine work grasper arm, extendible 0.3 meter video sensor (360-degree rotation), small electric arc welder (3D damage, 0.3 meter range), small circular saw (4D damage, 0.3 meter range), video display screen, holographic projector/recorder (one meter range), fire extinguisher, small internal cargo area (20 cm by 8 cm), high-pitch acoustic signaller, long-range sensing array, broad-band antenna receiver, compressed air launcher (for lightsaber/flaires)
Force Points 1
Character Points 13
Move 5
Size 0.96 meter tall
Cost 1,250 credits (as purchased by Owen Lars)

See-Threepio

Type Cybot Galactica 3PO Human-Cyborg Relations Droid
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 5D+2
Alien species 7D+1, bureaucracy 8D, cultures 8D, languages 12D+1, planetary systems 6D, survival 5D+2, value 5D+2
MECHANICAL 3D
Repulsorlift operation 4D
PERCEPTION 3D+1
Bargain 6D, con 5D
STRENGTH 2D
TECHNICAL 3D
First aid 4D
Equipped With Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head), two visual and two audial sensors, broad-band antenna receiver, VerboBrain, TranLang III communication module with over six million languages, vocabulator speech/sound system capable of an extraordinarily wide range of effects and exact voice impersonation
Force Points 1
Character Points 12
Move 8
Size 1.67 meters tall
Cost Not available for sale

Chewbacca

Like the other Heroes of Yavin, the events surrounding the Battle of Hoth have deeply affected and changed Chewbacca. For all his strength and fighting prowess, he has never felt so powerless.

As per Wookiee custom, Chewbacca has extended his life-debt to all his friends, creating a Wookiee honor family. That family includes Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker. The suffering endured by every member of that family during the Hoth campaign is something Chewbacca does not overlook, even above his own pain.

He has sworn to find Han, and behind those crystal-blue eyes he dreams of wrapping his massive hands around Boba Fett's neck.

Chewie acknowledges the changes in Solo and is wary of them. He respects Leia and holds a special place for her in his heart, but he and Solo have been a team for a long time. Chewbacca has always been wary of Han's affairs of the heart. They often get him into trouble, but when they become serious, that is when Chewbacca starts to worry.

Chewbacca has family of his own. Apart from his honor family, he has a wife and child, whom he managed to visit briefly during the Alliance base relocation. He was powerless to save them from the Imperial blockade around his homeworld of Kashyyyk.

Now Chewbacca is angry: angry at the Empire that enslaved his people, angry at the Empire that captured his best friend, and angry at himself for letting it happen.

And there is nothing more dangerous than an angry Wookiee.

Chewbacca

Type Wookiee
DEXTERITY 2D+2
Blaster 6D, bowcaster 9D, brawling parry 7D+1, dodge 6D+1, grenade 5D+1, melee combat 8D, melee parry 8D, vehicle blasters 6D+1
KNOWLEDGE 2D
Alien species 7D, bureaucracy 4D, business 4D+2, cultures 3D+1, intimidation 8D+2, languages 6D, planetary systems 7D+2, streetwise 7D, survival 7D, value 7D+1
MECHANICAL 3D
Astrogation 8D+1, beast riding 4D, communications 4D+2, repulsorlift operation 7D+1, sensors 6D, space transports 6D+2, space transports: YT-1300 transports 8D, starship gunnery 8D, starship shields 6D+1
PERCEPTION 2D
Bargain 5D, command 4D+2, gambling 5D, hide 3D+2, search 3D, sneak 3D+1
STRENGTH 5D
Brawling 10D, climbing/jumping 7D+2, lifting 10D, stamina 10D, swimming 7D
TECHNICAL 3D+1
Blaster repair 5D+1, bowcaster repair 5D+2, computer programming/repair 8D, demolition 5D+2, droid programming 7D+2, droid repair 7D+2, first aid 5D, repulsorlift repair 6D, security 6D+1, space transports repair 8D, space transports repair: YT-1300 transports 10D+2
Special Abilities Berserker Rage: gains +2D to Strength when brawling in berserker rage. Climbing Claws: +2D to climbing.
Force Points 3
Character Points 21
Move 13
Equipment Bowcaster (4D), ammo bandolier, droid toolkit, starship toolkit, waist pouch

Chapter Nine: Freedom No More

"This deal is getting worse all the time."

The dim lighting of the frigate's command room creates long shadows on General Rieekan's already worried face.

"Still no word?" he says, after a lengthy silence.

"None, sir," replies Major Derlin, staring intently at a glowing tactical map. In it, slowly turning like an impossible aquarium, a holographic representation of the amassed Rebel fleet was delineated in bright green. "The Treasure Trove has missed its rendezvous mark by 36 standard hours."

Rieekan steps around the console, slowly pacing. "And our supply status."

"We barely have enough blaster gas to supply the ships present," says Derlin, "that's not even counting the ships yet to check in."

"All right," says Rieekan, looking Derlin straight in the eye. "We better send out the Out Runner."

The characters start off just beyond the Galactic Rim, at the rendezvous point where the Rebel fleet is slowly amassing. A Rebel transport, the Treasure Trove, has missed its rendezvous. Its fighter escort arrived at the fleet and reported that it may have been lost in the Hoth asteroid belt. The transport carries badly needed supplies for the Rebel fleet, and a team of special agents must go to the belt to find any sign of it. If the characters do not have their own ship, use the Out Runner stats below.

Out Runner

Craft Corellian Engineering Corporation YL-2200
Type Stock Light Freighter
Scale Starfighter
Length 28.2 meters
Skill Space transports: YL-2200
Crew 1 (1 can coordinate), gunners: 1
Passengers 6
Cargo Capacity 100 metric tons
Consumables 2 months
Cost 100,000 (new), 25,000 (used)
Hyperdrive Multiplier x2
Hyperdrive Backup x12
Nav Computer Yes
Space 4
Atmosphere 180; 800 kmh
Hull 4D
Shields 1D
Sensors Passive: 10/0D; Scan: 25/1D; Search: 40/2D; Focus: 2/3D
Weapons 2 laser cannons, fire arc: turret, crew: 1, skill: starship gunnery, fire control: 2D, space range: 1-3/12/25, atmosphere range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km, damage: 4D

Episode One: Rescue!

After filling the characters in on their basic mission objectives, to find and rescue the crew of the Treasure Trove, read the following aloud:

"You pull back on the hyperdrive levers, and the ship plunges back into realspace. Either the coordinates they gave you were off, or the Hoth asteroid belt is more chaotic than you imagined, because right out your viewport, just kilometers away, are massive rocks tumbling in space. You adjust your sensors to receive the specific Alliance transponder code, and carefully begin to chart a preliminary path in the churning rock storm."

At this point, the characters must find the Treasure Trove using their sensors skill, while also avoiding being hit by asteroids. The area of the belt they're in is just on the edge and not extremely dangerous, but don't let the players relax.

Needle in a Haystack

Every round spent in the asteroid belt, the sensor operator must make a sensors roll. On a Difficult roll or greater, they pick up the automated transponder signal, emanating from 12 units away.

Meanwhile, the pilot must make a series of space transports rolls, trying to get a Moderate difficulty each time. If the pilot fails, the ship receives 3D starfighter-scale damage. The objective is to scare the players, so be sure to fudge any rolls that would cripple their ship. For added effect, shake the table with each hit they incur.

Regardless of the sensors total, after the fifth space transports roll, their sensors pick up the transponder code 12 units away. It's up to the pilot to decide how fast the ship goes, but they still must make the Moderate difficulty check. If failed, add 1D to damage for each movement action taken beyond the first.

A Call for Help

As they close in on the signal, the sensor operator must make another sensors roll. On a Difficult total, they detect another faint energy signature moving in an opposite direction to the rest of the belt. It may have just been distortion, however, since the high metal content of the asteroids makes sensor scans unreliable.

The characters eventually locate the crippled transport, lying in the shallow crater of a large, capital ship-sized asteroid. The command pod and upper hull seem intact, but the lower cargo bays are completely dashed, and its drive system is blackened and badly damaged. A Moderate sensors roll determines that there is a single lifeform within the command pod.

Landing on the moving asteroid requires a Moderate space transports roll. Failure results in no major damage, save a bruised ego for the pilot and some minor scrapes on the paint job. Characters need to don space suits to travel to the Treasure Trove, since its airlock looks unreliable. Alliance High Command has equipped their ship with six vacc suits.

Walking through the canted command pod is an eerie experience. There is only the dim light of emergency power, and very faint gravity left on the ship. What little air remains is frozen, leaving condensed water vapor encrusted on bulkhead frames. The characters eventually reach a small hatch, where inside a damaged and docked escape pod, a light spills out into the corridor.

When the characters investigate, read aloud:

"The thin air carries the sound of equipment resettling. Inside the pod, lit by a very weak glow rod, is a broken human form. She is dressed in a vacc suit, but its legging is torn, and you can see that the bloody wound has frozen. In her right hand, she feebly holds a blaster pistol, while her left hand holds a datapad. Through the foggy plastic of her helmet, you see her terror-filled eyes roll back and shut even as you approach."

Her identification states that she is Captain Amm Natejeka, commanding officer of the Treasure Trove. By the time the Rebels get to her, she is dead of her wounds and exposure. A search of the pod reveals a small satchel that holds four credit chip cards, each valued at 3,000 credits standard. The chips are identi-sealed in such a way that they cannot be split apart for change. In other words, it's 3,000 or nothing.

After reading the datapad, inform the characters that this mission must be accomplished in 18 standard hours to be successful. Stress to them the importance of needed gas, and that they are the only hope the Alliance fleet has.

Wolf on the Prowl

As the characters return to their ship, a vid-comm message comes over their transceiver. It is an open hail that requires no decrypting. An uncomfortably close image of a pudgy Rodian fills the screen, and his tapir-like snout snarls the following:

"Attention, acquisitions, welcome to the hunt. Quick formalities: I am Chreeto the Defiant, greatest hunter of all realms. We've heard tell that Rebels roost in these rocks with mynocks and slugs, and now we have proof. Only a Rebel could have found a Rebel wreck. I guess I should offer a chance to surrender, but by all means, do make it interesting."

Chreeto the Defiant

Type Rodian bounty hunter
DEXTERITY 4D
Blaster 5D+2, brawling parry 4D+2, dodge 5D
KNOWLEDGE 2D+2
Alien species 4D+1, intimidation 5D+2, streetwise 3D+2, survival 5D, value 4D
MECHANICAL 2D+2
Astrogation 5D+1, space transports 5D+1, starship gunnery 4D+1, starship shields 3D+1
PERCEPTION 3D
Command 3D+2, con 3D+2, gambling 3D+2
STRENGTH 3D+2
Brawling 4D+2
TECHNICAL 2D
Demolitions 4D+1
Character Points 7
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (6D), binders, Prowling Wolf modified freighter

Chreeto the Defiant Capsule

Capsule Chreeto is a flamboyant Rodian bounty hunter on Imperial retainer. He revels in his work and is regarded as a hero in his native province on Rodia.
Chreeto enjoys talking to his prey, taking at least one target alive so he can prove his excellence to them. He dresses in a light tan jumpsuit with bright green piping and a red sash covered in awards. He commands a crew of human and near-human ruffians.

Chreeto's Crew (6)

Type Bounty hunter crew
Stats All attributes 3D except: blaster 4D, dodge 3D+1, space transports 4D, starship gunnery 4D+1, starship shields 3D+2, brawling 4D
Move 10
Equipment Blaster pistol (4D)

With that, a potshot shakes the asteroid as a laser blast hits nearby. Characters attempting sensor scans determine that there is a ship nearby. It is a heavily modified freighter. The characters are outgunned.

Prowling Wolf

Craft Corellian Engineering Corporation YT-1300
Type Modified light freighter
Scale Starfighter
Length 26.7 meters
Skill Space transports: YT-1300
Crew 1 (1 can coordinate), gunners: 1
Crew Skill See Chreeto the Defiant
Passengers 6
Cargo Capacity 100 metric tons
Consumables 1 month
Cost Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier x1
Hyperdrive Backup x12
Nav Computer Yes
Maneuverability 1D
Space 7
Atmosphere 350; 1,000 kmh
Hull 4D+1
Shields 4D
Sensors Passive: 20/1D+2; Scan: 50/2D+2; Search: 60/3D; Focus: 5/4D
Weapons Heavy laser cannon, fire arc: turret, crew: 1, skill: starship gunnery, fire control: 4D, space range: 1-3/12/25, atmosphere range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km, damage: 6D

Start the bounty hunter's ship 15 units behind the characters' ship. The bounty hunters cut off pursuit if the characters' ship ends a round 25 or more units away from them. Roll 1D each round. A roll of 1-2 means the ship has entered a low-density asteroid area, a roll of 3-5 means the asteroid mix is medium density, and a roll of 6 means space is thick with asteroids.

In addition to any combat maneuvering, each pilot must make a free Moderate space transports roll, modified by any other actions.

Too Much Punishment

The point of the asteroid field encounter is to provide an exciting scene, not to kill the characters in their ship. If it looks like the characters are getting hit too hard, back off and fudge a few rolls. You might also help the characters shake pursuit. Maybe an especially thick asteroid shower cuts off the hunters, or a massive space slug intervenes. Remember, it is not cheating if it makes for a better story.

Failure means the ship sustains damage. Damage from a light asteroid storm is 1D, medium is 3D, and heavy is 5D. Again, increase the damage by +1D for every movement action beyond the first that the ship takes.

Episode Two: Refuge on Bespin

The characters input the coordinates into their navicomputer and, after a three-hour trip through hyperspace, arrive in the Bespin system. Their mining outpost destination is Cloud City.

Rather Touchy, Aren't They?

Read aloud:

"Your ship emerges out of hyperspace and before you hangs a pink disk, flanked by two emerald globes. It is Bespin, with its twin moons. Before long, you dive your ship into the atmosphere. There are a few moments of turbulence before you emerge into Bespin's Life Zone. Here, all around you, you are surrounded by the sheer brilliance of Bespin's dawn. The clouds are streaked pink and purple, creating a dazzling cloudscape as you vector in toward the floating metropolis."

Before long, the characters' ship is intercepted by a pair of twin-pod cloud cars. Like the Falcon in The Empire Strikes Back, the characters are asked if they have a landing permit. When they transmit their permit, they are escorted to land at Platform 1432. Play the cloud car Wing Guards as rude and edgy, much more than anyone would expect from a tourist resort.

After transmitting their permit, the characters receive a message from the Cloud City Message Network (CloudNet). It lists instructions to dock in Port Town and meet the contact at the Royal Casino, one of Cloud City's premier gambling establishments.

After touching down on a flat, round platform below Cloud City's main concourse, the customs crew looks over their landing permits. All is in order, but they demand a 100-credit fee to compensate for their time. The crew seems unusually edgy.

Cloud City Encounters

It's a long trip from Port Town to the Royal Casino, so feel free to include any encounters you want to generate. Below are three encounters that must be played out to advance the story. They can be played in any order, and anywhere along the trip.

Read aloud:

"Port Town is not exactly holocard material, at least compared to the rest of Cloud City. After leaving your landing platform, you emerge in an alleyway, grungy and dim, because many of its light panels are burned out. The normally pristine white corridors have a slight film of gray dust, and the people bustling through the walkways look too shabby and wild to be tourists."

Inkur

Type Ugnaught
DEXTERITY 2D
Dodge 2D+1
KNOWLEDGE 1D
Cultures: Ugnaught tribes 5D, languages 3D+2, streetwise 4D
MECHANICAL 2D+1
Repulsorlift operation 3D+1
PERCEPTION 2D+1
Con 3D+1, investigation: Cloud City 4D+1
STRENGTH 3D
Brawling 3D+2
TECHNICAL 1D+1
Security 2D+2
Move 10
Equipment Datapad

Inkur Capsule

Capsule Inkur is a "dealmaker" for the Irden Ugnaught tribe. He is in his mid-thirties and wears a faded red smock. He has light brown skin with a bright pink snout.
He frequents Port Town, looking for newcomers and business opportunities. A skeptical being, Inkur is a shrewd judge of character. He has been helping the Irden tribe secure large repulsorlift generators for a secret Ugnaught building project.

The characters can easily find a lift up to the Royal Casino, which is located on the concourse. They may stop to ask locals for directions, however, which is the perfect opportunity to play out encounters.

Encounter 1: Let me see your identification.
The characters run into several Wing Guards, who ask to see their IDs. At first, the guards seem ready to give the characters a hard time. Right when tension is highest, the lead guard gets a call on his wrist-comlink. It is confidential. After a short message, the characters are told to go about their business.

Encounter 2: Meeting Inkur.
The characters meet a pair of Ugnaught miners, one of whom identifies himself as Inkur of the Ugnaught tribe Irden. The Ugnaughts strike up a casual conversation ("So, this your first time on Cloud City?"), all while trying to find out what the characters are up to. If the characters get the impression the Ugnaughts are trying to swindle them, that is fine. Their true motivations are far different.

Whether or not the characters tell them anything, the Ugnaughts jovially say farewell and continue on their way. At some point after their initial encounter with Inkur, the characters may notice two or three Ugnaughts following them around at a distance. Inkur is not with them, but they are from the Irden tribe assigned to shadow the characters.

Encounter 3: Look, sir. Droids!
As the characters make their way up to the concourse (have them switch lifts so they can see more of the city), they come across an isolated corridor. Lonely chirping alerts them to a single blue-and-white R2 astromech droid wandering down the corridor. Before the characters can react, however, a blast door closes between them and the droid. Secretly make Perception checks for the characters. On a Difficult check, one of them thinks they smell the ozone tang of recently discharged blasters. As they move on, they quickly rejoin Cloud City's bustling corridors.

Random Encounters

During the trip to concourse level, feel free to include your own encounters, or any of those listed below.

• A used droid dealer tries to sell the characters a silvery protocol droid with a very rude voice box.
• The characters come across another group of Ugnaught workers. They have just come out for an afternoon of celebration after a particularly grueling shift in the carbonite-freezing chamber. They pat each other on the back for a job well done. If the characters ask for details, the lead Ugnaught, Ugloste, hushes his workers, telling them not to talk to "humys."
• The closer the characters get to the casino, the more likely they are to spot a down-on-his-luck gambler. One of these poor souls approaches the characters, saying his ship was impounded and he needs to pay the fine to get his cargo unloaded and delivered. He asks the characters for 100 credits. If asked for assurance that he won't gamble it away, he replies, "Oh, I've got gambling money..."
• The Rebels can come across a pair of snooty Core travelers, commenting about their delightful vacation in this "quaint little outpost."

The Royal Casino

When the Rebels enter the Royal Casino, read:

"You stand on a broad landing of stairs leading down to the casino's first floor. Below, as far as you can see, gamblers are busy risking credits in more ways than you've imagined. Sounds of excitement, suspense, triumph, and anguish fill the lavish halls. New arrivals push past you, full of expectation. Those who have suffered heavy losses walk slowly up the stairs and out the door, making sure to meet no one's gaze."

In the casino's foyer, a droid checks their weapons (there are no weapons of any type allowed inside), and handles the hefty cover charge of 15 credits per person.

As the characters move around the casino, they get a look at one of the most historic, if not opulent, places in Cloud City. The smoke-filled ante room has tables full of all manner of species enjoying beverages of every conceivable color. These drinks are expensive, at least 10 credits per glass. The characters look very out of place in drab, rag-tag clothes compared to the glittering shimmersilks of the patrons.

Characters may want to test their luck or skills at gambling, but be warned: this is a high-stakes casino. Games should have minimum initial antes of 10 credits. There is a fair mix of games of skill (requiring gambling rolls) and games of chance, but the card games on the second level are very exclusive. Players must be invited if they want to participate. A dampening field cuts off the noise and bustle of the other areas from the card hall.

The casino's dance floor features a variable gravity field, where certain areas are at half standard gravity while others are at double. The pounding dance music is supplemented with strobing laser effects.

For more information about the Royal Casino, see pages 58-59 of Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, Second Edition.

Party-crashers

After the characters soak up atmosphere and look for their contact, a sudden commotion draws their attention. Read aloud:

"A shrill scream pierces the hum of conversation and drone of music in the casino. Heads turn to the front, and filling the foyer are a team of eight white-armored Imperial stormtroopers. A general sense of confusion and terror ripples through the casino. Stormtroopers are never seen in Cloud City. As the troopers file in, weapons drawn, a team of four rough-and-tumble bounty hunters files in. At the head of the line is a Rodian, Chreeto the Defiant! He points in your direction and shouts, 'There they are!'"

The Rebels are at a distinct disadvantage since they do not have their weapons. They'll have to improvise. They can use the crowd's confusion to try to sneak out, but that requires a Difficult sneak, and they still have to face the three troopers left behind to block the door.

The remaining troopers move into the crowd, heading toward the Rebels. Chreeto also marches down the middle, blaster drawn, trying to get the Rebels. His other three minions move along the sides of the casino, trying to flank the Rebels.

Characters can try to improvise weapons, such as chairs and bottles. Use the same stats as clubs, except each improvised weapon can only be used once or twice.

Resourceful players, especially those who may have read Han Solo at Star's End, may want to try his Free-flight Dance Dome solution. This involves vaulting behind the bar (a mix of running and climbing/jumping rolls) and altering the dance floor's gravity. A Moderate Technical roll increases the gravity to a level so that anyone on the dance floor is trapped.

8 Imperial Stormtroopers

Type Imperial stormtrooper
Stats All attributes 2D except: Dexterity 3D, blaster 4D, grenade 4D+2
Move 10
Equipment Blaster rifle (5D), stormtrooper armor (+1D energy, +2 physical, -1D Dexterity and related skills)
For complete information on stormtrooper armor, see page 157 of Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition.

Sometime during the battle in the casino, the following message plays over the PA system:

"Attention! This is Lando Calrissian. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more Imperial troops arrive."

Once the characters escape from the casino, move on to Episode Three.

Episode Three: Friends in Strange Places

Cloud City is now in a state of panic, as everyone tries to flee at once. The Rebels have failed to make contact with their supplier. They may now try to head back to their ship, or simply try to shake the stormtroopers and bounty hunters off their trail. If the Rebels managed to kill all the bounty hunters, there are always more troopers to send after them.

Running Battle

Play out the running battle in a series of montage scenes. For instance:

"You turn the corner heading to where the lift should be. You shoulder past several scurrying Cloud City businessmen and women and come face-to-face with four stormtroopers. They are surprised for a moment, but quickly train their blasters on you."

After that combat has been resolved, move the characters along to the next challenge.

Into Port Town

After a few more confrontations, the characters should make their way back to Port Town. This area, filled with more criminals than any other on Cloud City, is especially lively during the evacuation. As the characters stop to catch their breath in a small alcove of an abandoned shop, Inkur the Ugnaught approaches.

Read aloud:

"One of the Ugnaughts who approached you earlier appears again. He looks around, making sure you are alone, and whispers to you, 'There in casino, that was pretty close. I know why you're here, and I can help you. That is, if you can help me.'"

Inkur knows a great deal about the happenings on Cloud City, and if asked about the Imperials, he says it's the Administrator's problem. Inkur offers the Rebels a cargo full of spin-sealed tibanna gas if they agree to transport several families of Ugnaughts to an undisclosed "safe refuge" away from the city. Inkur tells them the refuge is "nearby," but says secrecy is essential.

If the characters agree, do a quick wipe transition to their ship. Inkur is there with about 20 other Ugnaughts from the Irden tribe. They range in age from over 100 to newborn.

After lift-off, Inkur points the characters to the appropriate coordinates. At a certain point, he tells the Rebels to blast down into the heart of Bespin's atmosphere.

Among the Clouds

About three kilometers below the city, Inkur gives the characters a new vector to follow. The ship passes by a large, but harmless, beldon herd. If the characters have had it easy until this point, maybe throw a few velkers at them for a brief but intense attack.

Eventually, the Rebels come across the following:

"Suspended among the clouds is a swamp! As the mist clears and you get a better view, you see a large repulsorlift platform, about a kilometer across. Its upper surface has been terraformed to appear as a giant marsh. Gnarled purple-bark trees twist from the liquefied gas surface, and emerging from the fog is a bumpy barge held aloft by bladders of buoyant gas."

After the Rebel ship sets down, the dirigible barge coasts next to them. The Ugnaughts rush out to meet their kin. There are heartfelt reunions, and Inkur turns to the Rebels, saying, "It's time you met our king."

Into the Palace

A short balloon ride later, the characters are taken to a patchwork maze of stilt-house dwellings, the City of the Ugnaughts. At its heart is a massive central plaza. The characters are taken into a high-ceilinged hall, where in the center, on an ornately carved throne, sits King Ozz, leader of the Irden tribe of Ugnaughts.

"Greetin's, off-worlders. I am glad to see that not all the humys and tall-ilk are of the Ugnaught-butchering lot. Ye be on my land now, and for the time, ye be treatin' us Ugnaughts with the respect we deserve. We thank ye for bringin' our kin to our new home, away from the humys that make us slaves. Finally, a home for Ugnaughts by Ugnaughts. Now, what is it ye want?"

The characters can have an exchange with King Ozz, who explains that after mistreatment by human hands for so long, the Ugnaughts slowly began forming their own colonies. After recent Imperial involvement on Cloud City, the Ugnaughts became very nervous that full-scale slavery might return to their people. Ozz, a former member in a major terraforming company, began building habitable platforms like this one for Ugnaughts to live in. The swamp surface forms a natural refinery for tibanna gas, but not of the spin-sealed variety.

Ozz gives the characters the spin-sealed tibanna gas, which the Ugnaughts have slowly been siphoning from Cloud City. He again thanks them, in his own gruff way, and says good-bye.

As Inkur oversees the loading of the Rebels' ship, he again asks them to keep the platform secret. As soon as all the cargo is loaded, a shadow crosses over the marsh from the clouds above. The bounty hunter ship, Prowling Wolf, emerges. It does a quick flyby, waiting for the Rebels to do battle.

Read aloud:

"Ki-yi!" shouts Inkur. "We've been found! We have no defenses as yet, you must help us, friends! You're the only ones who can stop those slugs from telling the Imps what we've done!"

The characters are the only hope for the Ugnaught tribe.

Episode Four: Escape at Last

The characters should opt to help the Ugnaughts, and their ship then blasts into the skies after the hunters. If Chreeto and his hunters were killed during the casino battle, then the Prowling Wolf is only piloted by the three remaining hunters.

A Very Easy survival roll alerts the characters to the dangers of fighting with a cargo of dangerous, explosive blaster gas. Every time the ship sustains damage, secretly roll dice to make the characters sweat. Ideally, at this point of the story, a lucky hunter shot should not ruin the whole tale. But do not make it easy for the players. Make them spend Force Points or Character Points before fudging any rolls.

Herd Maneuvers

If the characters remember the beldon herd, they may steer toward it. Otherwise, the course of combat may simply bring them to it.

The beldons can be used as a dramatic alien backdrop to this chase. If the characters are trying to lose the hunters, have them roll their space transports skill to simulate their elaborate maneuver. If they fail an Easy total, that means they collide with a beldon, but if they beat the difficulty, their roll becomes the difficulty that the hunters must make to keep up with the maneuvering character ship. If the hunters fail, they collide with beldons.

A ship colliding with a beldon takes 9D walker-scale damage. If the hunters manage to stay in the chase, they will try to fire. If the characters evade successfully, secretly roll 1D. If the total is four or more, the shot has hit and penetrated the beldon's gas bag. This causes an immense explosion that consumes the Wolf.

Hauling Jets

After escaping the hunters, the characters leave Bespin's atmosphere. As they exit the planet's gravity well, an Imperial convoy consisting of a military shuttle, a troop transport, and several TIE fighters flies toward the planet. The characters manage to jump to hyperspace before the Imperials give chase.

The characters arrive at the Rebel fleet in time, delivering the much-needed blaster gas. Rebel officers are grateful for the Rebels having completed Captain Natejeka's mission. The officers allow them to keep one of the credit chips, valued at 3,000 credits, for their troubles.

Cut-away

After the characters are away, read the following aloud:

"At one of Cloud City's upper docking platforms, a group of stormtroopers parts to let Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, emerge from an Imperial shuttle. He walks up to a slimy Imperial officer wearing the rank of captain.

'Treece, you are now Acting Governor of Cloud City. Is the city secure?' rumbles the Dark Lord.

'Yes, my lord. There are reports of some hold-outs in the lower levels, but Imperial order will prevail as always,' says Treece, a sickly smile creeping across his face.

'See to it that it does. I do not want to be disturbed. I am here to retrieve something very important to the Emperor, Treece. Direct me to Smelting Core D,' Vader says, pushing forward.

'Right this way, my lord,' says Treece, bowing as the huge black-cloaked presence sweeps by."

Fade out to stars, and end credits.

Rewards

Give each player five Character Points for the adventure, and award an additional one to three points for good roleplaying and brilliant planning.

Epilogue

It is a Dark Time

To: Arhul Hextrophon From: Voren Na'al Regarding: Yavin Report Continuation As I sit here on the observation deck of the medical frigate, watching the tiny speck that is the Millennium Falcon disappear into the vastness of space, I am overtaken by a newfound clarity of understanding and perspective concerning the events on which this report is based.

This is a result of the somewhat false security provided by the surrounding Rebel fleet. Or perhaps, this is the first time I can actually look back on these events and truly feel that they have run their course. But the image of the Falcon and its crew departing on a quest to rescue their captured, carbon-frozen captain should demonstrate that it is not over yet.

Why, then, do I feel a certain sense of completeness at this moment? Perhaps it is the end, not of the story itself, which continues onward at breakneck pace, but of an important phase of that story. A phase in which the Empire, having suffered its most humiliating defeat, has rebounded to deal the Rebellion a seemingly devastating blow.

This blow is devastating not merely for its effect on the endless quest for a permanent Alliance base, or for the tremendous loss of life and resources in that fateful battle on the icy plains of Hoth. It is most devastating for its effect on the great Rebel heroes, and consequently on the morale of the Alliance itself. For those heroes are the meterstick with which the tide of this bloody galactic conflict is measured.

Somehow, the fates of these brave few seem to mirror the fate of the Rebellion itself. When the heroes are most triumphant, the Alliance shares their triumph. But when they are defeated and distraught, the flame of rebellion in the galaxy threatens to be extinguished forever.

And so, if I were to characterize this most recent phase of our continuing story, I would have to paint a dark picture. We have reached what seems to be our lowest ebb, and what was once a rising tide has faded into the harmless rippling of an almost stagnant pool. I do not know, however, if the Empire perceives recent events in this way. Is it experiencing the triumph of driving us from Hoth and defeating our greatest heroes, or is it frustrated at letting us get away?

More likely, it is the latter that is felt by the Empire.

It is here that we should look for inspiration. The Emperor and his evil servants had us right where they wanted us and yet, we still managed to escape. It is failure that the Empire has experienced, not victory. The destruction of the Death Star must be viewed as an anomaly, carried out only in our self-defense.

At this point in the brief history of the Alliance, our plan should not be aggression, but self-preservation, and therefore we did succeed at Hoth. We managed to slip between the fingers of the Empire's clenching fist, and in so doing, we have been able to keep the hope of freedom in the galaxy alive for a while longer.

What can be said of the Alliance can, as I have mentioned, be said of its greatest heroes. They have not been defeated, but rather they have triumphed, simply by remaining alive when faced with certain death, time and time again. And although I have said these latest adventures are a dark time for the Rebellion, I must also point out that darkness is merely the absence of light. In this case, that light has not been completely extinguished. Therefore, it can only grow brighter once again, to fill the darkest corners of the galaxy with its dazzling brilliance.