'Whatever it is, it's metal,' the sensor controller observed.

Leia's eyes widened in surprise. 'Then it can't be one of those creatures that attacked Luke.'

'Could it be ours?' Han asked. 'A speeder?'

The sensor controller shook his head. 'No, there's no signal.' Then came a sound from another monitor. 'Wait, something very weak...'

Walking as rapidly as his stiff joints allowed, Threepio approached the console. His auditory sensors tuned in the strange signals. 'I must say, sir, I'm fluent in over sixty million forms of communication, but this is something new. Must be in a code or-'

Just then the voice of a Rebel trooper cut in through the console's comlink speaker. 'This is Echo Station Three-Eight. Unidentified object is in our scope. It's just over the ridge. We should have visual contact in about-' Without warning the voice filled with fear. 'What the-? Oh, no!'

A burst of radio static followed, then the transmission broke off completely.

Han frowned. 'Whatever it is,' he said, 'it isn't friendly. Let's have a look. Come on, Chewie.'

Even before Han and Chewbacca were out of the chamber, General Rieekan had dispatched Rogues Ten and Eleven to Station Three-Eight.

The mammoth Imperial Star Destroyer occupied a position of deadly prominence in the Emperor's fleet. The sleekly elongated ship was larger and even more ominous than the five wedge-shaped Imperial Star Destroyers guarding it. Together these six cruisers were the most dreaded and devastating warships in the galaxy, capable of reducing to cosmic sc.r.a.p anything that strayed too close to their weapons.

Flanking the Star Destroyers were a number of smaller fighter ships and, darting about this great s.p.a.ce armada, were the infamous TIE fighters.

Supreme confidence reigned in the heart of every crew member in this Imperial death squadron, especially among the personnel on the monstrous central Star Destroyer. But something also blazed within their souls. Fear - fear of merely the sound of the familiar heavy footsteps as they echoed through the enormous ship. Crew members dreaded these footfalls and shuddered whenever they were heard approaching, bringing their much feared, but much respected leader.

Towering above them in his black cloak and concealing black headgear, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, entered the main control deck, and the men around him fell silent. In what seemed to be an endless moment, no sounds except those from the ship's control boards and the loud wheezes coming from the ebony figure's metal breath screen were to be heard.

As Darth Vader watched the endless array of stars, Captain Piett rushed across the wide bridge of the ship, carrying a message for the squat, evil-looking Admiral Ozzel, who was stationed on the bridge. 'I think we've found something, Admiral,' he announced nervously, looking from Ozzel to the Dark Lord.

'Yes, Captain?' The admiral was a supremely confident man who felt relaxed in the presence of his cloaked superior.

'The report we have is only a fragment, from a probe droid in the Hoth system. But it's the best lead we've had in-'We have had thousands of probe droids searching the galaxy,' Ozzel broke in angrily. 'I want proof, not leads. I don't intend to continue to chase around from one side of-'

Abruptly the figure in black approached the two and interrupted. 'You found something?' he asked, his voice somewhat distorted by the breath mask.

Captain Piett respectfully gazed at his master, who loomed above him like a black-robed, omnipotent G.o.d. 'Yes, sir,' Piett said slowly, choosing his words with caution. 'We have visuals. The system is supposed to be devoid of human forms ...'

But Vader was no longer listening to the captain. His masked face turned toward an image beamed on one of the viewscreens - an image of a small squadron of Rebel snowspeeders streaking above the white fields.

'That's it,' Darth Vader boomed without further deliberation.

'My lord,' Admiral Ozzel protested, 'there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers-'That is the one!' the former Jedi Knight insisted, clenching a black-gloved fist. 'And Skywalker is with them. Bring in the patrol ships, Admiral, and set your course for the Hoth system.' Vader looked toward an officer wearing a green uniform with matching cap. 'General Veers,' the Dark Lord addressed him, 'prepare your men.'

As soon as Darth Vader had spoken, his men set about to launch his fearful plan.

The Imperial Probe Droid raised a large antenna from its buglike head and sent out a piercing, high-frequency signal. The robot's scanners had reacted to a lifeform hidden behind a great dune of snow and noted the appearance of a brown Wookiee head and the sound of a deep-throated growl. The blasters that had been built into the probe robot took aim at the furry giant. But before the robot had a chance to fire, a red beam from a hand blaster exploded from behind the Imperial Probe Droid and nicked its darkly finished hull. As he ducked behind a large snow dune, Han Solo noticed Chewbacca still hidden, and then watched as the robot spun around in midair to face him. So far the ruse was working and now he was the target. Han had barely moved out of range as the floating machine fired, blasting chunks of snow from the edge of his dune. He fired again, hitting it square on with the beam of his weapon. Then he heard a high-pitched whine coming from the deadly machine, and in an instant the Imperial Probe Droid burst into a billion or more flaming pieces.

'... I'm afraid there's not much left,' Han said over the comlink as he concluded his report to the underground base.

Princess Leia and General Rieekan were still manning the console where they had maintained constant communication with Han. 'What is it?' Leia asked.

'Droid of some kind,' he answered. 'I didn't hit it that hard. It must have had a self-destruct.'

Leia paused as she considered this unwelcome piece of information. 'An Imperial droid,' she said, betraying some trepidation.

'If it was,' Han warned, 'the Empire surely knows we're here.'

General Rieekan shook his head slowly. 'We'd better start to evacuate the planet.'

= IV =.

SIX ominous shapes appeared in the black s.p.a.ce of the Hoth system and loomed like vast demons of destruction, ready to unleash the furies of their Imperial weapons. Inside the largest of the six Imperial Star Destroyers, Darth Vader sat alone in a small spherical room. A single shaft of light gleamed on his black helmet as he sat motionless in his raised meditation chamber.

As General Veers approached, the sphere opened slowly, the upper half lifting like a jagged-toothed mechanical jaw. To Veers, the dark figure seated inside the mouthlike coc.o.o.n hardly seemed alive, though a powerful aura of sheer evil emanated from him, sending a chilling fear through the officer.

Uncertain of his own courage, Veers took a step forward. He had a message to deliver but felt prepared to wait for hours if necessary rather than disturb Vader's meditation.

But Vader spoke immediately. 'What is it, Veers?'

'My lord,' the general replied, choosing each word with care, 'the fleet has moved out of light-speed. Corn-Scan has detected an energy field protecting an area of the sixth planet in the Hoth system. The field is strong enough to deflect any bombardment.'

Vader stood, rising to his full two-meter height, his cloak swaying against the floor. 'So, the Rebel sc.u.m are alerted to our presence.' Furious, he clenched his black-gloved hands into fists. 'Admiral Ozzel came out of light-speed too close to the system.'

'He felt surprise was a wiser-'He's as clumsy as he is stupid,' Vader cut in, breathing heavily. 'A clean bombardment is impossible through their energy field. Prepare your troops for a surface attack.'

With military precision, General Veers turned and marched out of the meditation room, leaving behind an enraged Darth Vader. Alone in the chamber, Vader activated a large viewscreen that showed a brightly lit image of his Star Destroyer's vast bridge.

Admiral Ozzel, responding to Vader's summons, stepped forward, his face almost filling the Dark Lord's monitor screen. There was trepidation in Ozzel's voice when he announced, 'Lord Vader, the fleet has moved out of light-speed-But Vader's reply was addressed to the officer standing slightly behind Ozzel. 'Captain Piett.'

Knowing better than to delay, Captain Piett stepped forward instantly as the admiral staggered back a step, his hand automatically reaching for his throat.

'Yes, my lord,' Piett answered respectfully.

Ozzel began to gag now as his throat, as if in the grip of invisible talons, began to constrict.

'Make ready to land a.s.sault troops beyond the energy field,' Vader ordered. Then deploy the fleet so that nothing can get off that planet. You're in command now, Admiral Piett.'

Piett was simultaneously pleased and unsettled by this news. As he turned to carry out the orders, he saw a figure that might someday be himself. Ozzel's face was hideously contorted as he fought for one final breath of air; then he dropped into a dead heap on the floor.

The Empire had entered the system of Hoth.

Rebel troops rushed to their alert stations as the warning alarms wailed through the ice tunnels. Ground crews and droids of all sizes and makes hurried to perform their a.s.signed duties, responding efficiently to the impending Imperial threat.

The armored snowspeeders were fueled as they waited in attack formation to blast out of the main cavern entranceway. Meanwhile, in the hangar, Princess Leia was addressing a small band of Rebel fighter pilots. 'The large transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Only two fighter escorts per ship. The energy shield can only be opened for a split second, so you'll have to stay very close to the transports.'

Hobbie, a Rebel veteran of many battles, looked at the princess with concern. 'Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?'

'The ion cannon will fire several blasts which should destroy any ships in your flight path,' Leia explained. 'When you clear the energy shield, you will proceed to the rendezvous point. Good luck.'

Somewhat rea.s.sured, Hobbie and the other pilots raced toward their fighter c.o.c.kpits.

Meanwhile, Han was working frantically to complete welding a lifter on the Millennium Falcon. Finishing quickly, he hopped to the hangar floor and switched on his comlink. 'All right, Chewie,' he said to the hairy figure seated at the Falcon's controls, 'give it a try.'

Just then Leia walked past, throwing him an angry look. Han looked at her smugly while the freighter's lifters began to rise off the floor, whereupon the right lifter began to shake erratically, then broke partially loose to swing back down again with an embarra.s.sing crash.

He turned away from Leia, catching only a glimpse of her face as she mockingly raised an eyebrow.

'Hold it, Chewie,' Han grunted into his small transmitter.

The Avenger, one of the Imperial armada's wedgelike Star Destroyers, hovered like a mechanized death angel in the sea of stars outside the Hoth system. As the colossal ship began to move closer to the ice world, the planet became clearly visible through the windows which stretched 100 meters or more across the huge bridge of the warship.

Captain Needa, commander of the Avenger's crew, gazed out a main port, looking at the planet when a controller came up to him. 'Sir, Rebel ship coming into our sector.'

'Good,' Needa replied with a gleam in his eyes. 'Our first catch of the day.'

'Their first target will be the power generators,' General Rieekan told the princess.

'First transport Three Zone approaching shield,' one of the Rebel controllers said, tracking a bright image that could only be an Imperial Star Destroyer.

'Prepare to open shield,' a radarman ordered.

'Stand by, Ion Control,' another controller said.

A giant metal globe on Hoth's icy surface rotated into position and angled its great turret gun upward.

'Fire!' came the order from General Rieekan.

Suddenly two red beams of destructive energy were released into the cold skies. The beams almost immediately overtook the first of the racing Rebel transport craft, and sped on a direct course toward the huge Star Destroyer.

The twin red bolts struck the enormous ship and blasted its conning tower. Explosions set off by the blast began to rock the great flying fortress, spinning it out of control. The Star Destroyer plunged into deep s.p.a.ce as the Rebel transport and its two fighter escorts streaked off to safety.

Luke Skywalker, preparing to depart, pulled on his heavy-weather gear and watched the pilots, gunners, and R2 units hurrying to complete their tasks. He started toward the row of snowspeeders that awaited him. On his way, the young commander paused at the tail section of the Millennium Falcon, where Han Solo and Chewbacca were working frenetically on the right lifter.

'Chewie,' Luke called, 'take care of yourself. And watch over this guy, will ya?'

The Wookiee barked a farewell, gave Luke a big hug, then turned back to his work on the lifters.

The two friends, Luke and Han, stood looking at each other, perhaps for the last time.

'I hope you make your peace with Jabba,' Luke said at last.

'Give 'em h.e.l.l, kid,' the Corellian responded lightly.

The young commander began to walk away as memories of exploits shared with Han rushed to his mind. He stopped and looked back at the Falcon, and saw his friend still staring after him. As they gazed at each other for a brief moment, Chewbacca looked up and knew that each was wishing the other the best, wherever their individual fates might take them.

The public address system broke in on their thoughts. 'First transport is clear,' a Rebel announcer proclaimed the good news.

At the announcement, a cheer burst from those gathered in the hangar. Luke turned and hurried over to his snowspeeder. When he reached it, Dack, his fresh-faced young gunner, was standing outside the ship waiting for him.

'How are you feeling, sir?' Dack asked enthusiastically.

'Like new, Dack. How about you?'

Dack beamed. 'Right now I feel like I could take on the whole Empire myself.'

'Yeah,' Luke said quietly, 'I know what you mean.' Though there were only a few years between them, at that moment Luke felt centuries older.

Princess Leia's voice came over the address system: 'Attention, speeder pilots ... on the withdrawal signal a.s.semble at South Slope. Your fighters are being prepared for takeoff. Code One Five will be transmitted when evacuation is complete.'

Threepio and Artoo stood amid the rapidly moving personnel as the pilots readied for departure. The golden droid tilted slightly as he turned his sensors on the little R2 robot. The shadows playing over Threepio's face gave the illusion that his faceplate had lengthened into a frown. 'Why is it,' he asked, 'when things seem to get settled, everything falls apart?' Leaning forward, he gently patted the other droid's hull. 'Take good care of Master Luke. And take good care of yourself.'

Artoo whistled and tooted a good-bye, then turned to roll down the ice corridor. Waving stiffly, Threepio watched as his stout and faithful friend moved away.

To an observer, it may have seemed that Threepio grew misty-eyed, but then it wasn't the first time he had gotten a drop of oil clogged before his optical sensors.

Finally turning, the human-shaped robot moved off in the opposite direction.

= V =.

NO one on Hoth heard the sound. At first, it was simply too distant to carry above the whining winds. Besides, the Rebel troopers, fighting the cold as they prepared for battle, were too busy to really listen.

In the snow trenches, Rebel officers screamed out their orders to make themselves heard above the gale-force winds. Troopers hurried to carry out their commands, running through the snow with heavy bazookalike weapons on their shoulders, and lodging those death rays along the icy rims of the trenches.

The Rebel power generators near the gun towers began popping, buzzing, and crackling with deafening bursts of electrical power -enough to supply the vast underground complex. But above all this activity and noise a strange sound could be heard, an ominous thumping that was coming nearer and was beginning to shake the frozen ground. When it was close enough to attract the attention of an officer, he strained to see through the storm, looking for the source of the heavy, rhythmic pounding. Other men looked up from their work and saw what looked like a number of moving specks. Through the blizzard, the small dots seemed to be advancing at a slow yet steady pace, churning up clouds of snow as they moved toward the Rebel base.

The officer raised his electrobinoculars and focused on the approaching objects. There must have been a dozen of them resolutely advancing through the snow, looking like creatures out of some uncharted past. But they were machines, each of them stalking like enormous ungulates on four jointed legs.

Walkers!

With a shock of recognition, the officer identified the Empire's All Terrain Armored Transports. Each machine was formidably armed with cannons placed on its foreside like the horns of some prehistoric beast. Moving like mechanized pachyderms, the walkers emitted deadly fire from their turnstile guns and cannons.

The officer grabbed his comlink. 'Rogue Leader ... Incoming! Point Zero Three.'

'Echo Station Five-Seven, we're on our way.'

Even as Luke Skywalker replied, an explosion sprayed ice and snow around the officer and his terror-struck men. The walkers already had them within range. The troopers knew their job was to divert attention while the transport ships were launched, but none of the Rebel soldiers was prepared to die under the feet or weapons of these horrible machines.

Brilliant billows of orange and yellow flames exploded from the walker guns. Nervously the Rebel troopers aimed their weapons at the walkers, each soldier feeling icy, unseen fingers pierce his body.