Empire 20: A Little Piece of Home, Part 1 is the twentieth issue in the Star Wars: Empire series of comics. It was published on May 26, 2004 by Dark Horse Comics.
Publisher's summary
It's six months after the destruction of the Death Star, and every Rebel in the galaxy has a price on his or her head. Worse, the Rebel Alliance still has not been able to locate a new, secret location for a base. But Princess Leia has an idea: an acquaintance from Alderaan has a hunting preserve on a small, uninhabited moon. It might be the ideal spot—provided she can persuade her friend to allow it, and that the Imperials don't find out, and if the local wildlife doesn't prove to be too dangerous…The perfect spot for the Rebel base may just be the perfect spot for a princess to die!
Plot summary
Leia's mission
While flying his X-wing starfighter, Luke Skywalker notices Princess Leia Organa leaving the Alliance Fleet in a GAT-12 Skipray Blastboat. When Skywalkwer asks where she is going, Han Solo explains that Organa is searching for a new rebel base following the Battle of Yavin. While flying the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca, Solo explains that the location she is visiting is connected to an old boyfriend.
Aboard the Blastboat, C-3PO asks where they are going. Organa explains that they are traveling to a moon in the Ryloth system that is officially listed as uninhabited and inhospitable. She explains that an old Alderaanian family friend Raal Panteer lives there. Panteer has an older brother named Heeth Panteer. While the Panteer brothers were offworld during the destruction of Alderaan, their parents and relatives perished during the disaster. She explains that the Panteers own the entire moon where they have a vacation home. After receiving contact form them, Organa decided to pay the Panteer brothers a visit. C-3PO hopes that Master Panteer will be pleased to see an old friend.
Reunion with the Panteers
Organa lands her Blastboat at a docking ramp outside the Panteer estate. Upon landing, Organa and C-3PO are greeted by the Panteer's butler Nallen, who is acquainted with Organa. Shortly later, Organa has a warm reunion with Raal, who is delighted to reunite with an old friend and praises her beauty. C-3PO introduces himself to Raal, who assumes he is Organa's chaperone. Raal leads his visitors to the main house, which was previously a hunting lodge that had been expanded over generations into an Alderaanian-style home. When Raal asks where Organa has been since the destruction of Alderaan, Organa explains that she is a member of the Rebellion and recounts the events leading to Alderaan's destruction.
Raal introduces Organa to his older brother Heeth, who has been waiting in the living room, which is decorated with the trophies of various animals including an anooba, dragonsnake, Muudabok, tusk cat and Narglatch. Heeth is pleased to see another Alderaanian. Raal explains that Organa has joined the Rebellion. Organa says that it was not by choice and remarks that the Panteers still hunt. Heeth explains that the Panteers maintain their own hunting range, stocked with game from a dozen systems. When Raal invites Organa for a hunt, Organa gets down to business and explains that the Rebellion is searching for a new base to prepare for the next phase of the war. She explains that their moon is in a remote location that the Empire would not notice.
Threepio brings three mugs of T'ill tea brewed by Master Nallen. Raal explains that they have a decent supply of foodstuffs from Alderaan. While drinking hot T'ill tea, Raal expresses support for Organa's base proposal, suggesting that the Rebellion could use the caves on the dark side of the moon. While Raal is sympathetic to the Rebellion, Heeth is unsympathetic and blames Organa's actions for causing the destruction of their homeworld. When Raal disagrees with his older brother, Heeth responds that the Empire destroyed Alderaan in order to punish Organa for her involvement with the Rebellion.
While Raal is eager to fight the Empire, Heeth believes that some fights cannot be won. Organa responds that the Empire always intended to destroy Alderaan but says that they should not be intimidated by the Empire. While Heeth despises the Empire, he describes himself as a realist who is unwilling to destroy this last remnant of Alderaan.
The hunting expedition
A flock of peko-peko flies over Raal and Organa's landspeeder. Raal apologizes for Heeth's hostility, explaining that his older brother has become embittered since Alderaan's destruction. Organa understands what Heeth is going through, saying that he has lost so much that he doesn't want to lose more. As they pass by a pack of hrumphs, Raal introduces Organa to his family's reserve, explaining that they have developed a self-sustaining ecosystem on the moon. Raal then takes Organa to a forest that serves as a feeding ground for airborne thrantas from Alderaan.
While hovering over a river, Raal admits that he has had a crush for Organa since they were teenagers. He asks if they could try again or if she has someone else in her life. Organa responds that there is someone else in her life but says that there is not much space in her life for romance due to her commitment to the Rebellion. When Raal asks if Organa will change her mind, she says that she doesn't know. Just then, their landspeeder is overturned by a dragonsnake, forcing them underwater. Before the creature can devour Organa, Raal shoots it through the head with his blaster.
Raal helps Organa out of the river. When Organa asks if they were able to salvage anything else from the speeder, Raal reveals that he was only able to retrieve the blaster rifle and that their communications equipment went down with the speeder. Raal explains that they are trapped in the middle of the reserve with no food and no way to call for help. Organa reassures Raal that they are still alive and says they should focus on getting back to the house. Raal thinks they should reach the lodge by midday tomorrow but warns that the reserve can be a dangerous place at night. Organa suggests looking for a place to shelter for the night. Raal thinks that their situation cannot get much worst but the pair run into an ape-like veermok.
Cover gallery
Appearances
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
|
Organisms
Droid models
Events
|
Locations
|
Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
Vehicles and vessels
|
Weapons and technology
Miscellanea
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Collections
- Star Wars: Empire: The Heart of the Rebellion
- Star Wars Omnibus: At War with the Empire Volume 1
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Rebellion Vol. 2
- Star Wars Legends: The Rebellion Omnibus Vol. 1
Notes and references
- ↑
Star Wars: Empire (2002) #20 on Marvel Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ The date of this story is established internally in relation to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which The Essential Reader's Companion dates to 0 BBY.
