Disclamer: The characters and universe they live in are the property

of Lucas, Lucasfilm, or Bantam. No money is being made and no infringement

is intended.

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Snow Wars

By Kay Iscah

Hoth was cold. The moment the thought crossed Luke's mind he

dubbed it as the understatement of the year. Even in the middle and

warmest part of the day, he could see his breath like wisps of fog.

He was helping Wedge Antilles unload some crates in the docking

bay of the Alliance's new secret base. Luke had received his rank of

commander by death of a comrade. Wedge was trying to ease his

feelings about it by making fun of him.

"So Commander Skywalker, do you think you have enough rank to

impress a princess?" Wedge said with mocking grin.

"Who says I want to impress her?" Luke shot back.

"That streak of red running across your cheeks," Wedge countered.

"Look, wingman-," Luke started.

"Hey, kid, this place is cold enough to freeze a space slug," Han Solo

said as he strolled up to them. A lopsided grin on his face.

"I'm asking Luke if he thinks he can impress Leia with his new title,"

Wedge offered.

Luke shot him a nasty look.

"Good idea, Wedge," Han said. "If his cheeks get any brighter, he

could melt the snow."

Luke and Wedge set their crate down, and Wedge rubbed his aching

back. "This has to be strange to you, Luke, after growing up on a

desert world," he commented.

"Actually," Luke said. "Hoth looks like a white, and much colder,

version of Tatooine. There's not much difference."

"Well there's a few things..." Wedge smiled as an idea came to him.

"Hold on a sec." He turned and hurried out the large hanger door.

Luke stuck his hands in his pockets to warm them. "Kid, you really

interested in impressing Leia?" Han asked.

Luke shrugged. "I'm not a commander to impress her. I didn't ask

for this. What do I know about command anyway?" Luke glanced at his

friend. "Would it bother you if I was trying to impress Leia?"

"Why would it bother me?" Han said, his grin returning. "No offense,

Luke, but I would hardly consider you competition. That is, if I was

interested in Leia."

Luke realized he and Han had been walking toward the bay door

which Wedge had gone out. "Where do you think Wedge has gone?"

"Luke!" Leia's voice rang sweetly in his ears. Luke turned to see her

jogging toward them. Her hair was wrapped tightly around her head, and

her snow jacket could not completely hide her figure.

"Hey, Commander!" Wedge's voice shouted from behind him. Luke

swirled around and instinctively ducked. A white mass flew over his

head and collided with Leia's jacket.

Leia came to a halt at the attack, her mouth hanging open. Wedge

looked embarrassed.

"That's no way to treat a lady," Han shouted as he ran out to the

nearest snow bank. He scooped up a handful of snow, packed it, and

while Leia was brushing off her jacket, threw it at Wedge. Wedge

ducked, but it nicked his shoulder. He started packing snow to counter

attack.

Luke and Leia exchanged glances. Luke shrugged. "Us Rogue

Squadron boys have to stick together," he explained and ran to join

the fight.

Leia crossed her arms over her chest. "You're all hopeless," she said

as they hurled snowballs at each other. "When are you going to grow

up?"

"Leia!" Luke shouted with maniacal glee and launched a snowball in

her direction.

Leia ducked. "Oh no, you don't!" She ran to join Han's side in the

fray.

The other members of Rogue Squadron became aware of the fight.

Exchanging grins, they jumped into the battle. The sides soon

dissolved, and it became every man for himself. Han and Leia squatted

behind a snow mound from where they launched their defense, but no

one else bothered to seek cover. The battle had begun to die down,

when the deck officer yelled for them to stop playing around and help

with the crates.

He was answered by a barrage of snowballs. Many of which hit their

mark. Other ground crew rushed to his defense and the battle started

up all over again.

Years later this fight was sometimes referred to as the first battle

of Hoth.