Echo Base

[Nick Cousland]

Echo Base was the Rebel Alliance facility established on Hoth after the Battle of Yavin.

After their success against the Galactic Empire at Yavin 4, Rebel Alliance High Command sent many expedition teams across the galaxy to scout locations for a new base, realizing that Imperial retribution would come swiftly against their base on Yavin 4. While fleeing from an Imperial pursuit squadron in 0 ABY, Luke Skywalker eventually discovered the icy world of Hoth. Its remote location, protective asteroid belt and low likelihood of Imperial presence made it an ideal location for the new Alliance headquarters. Skywalker recommended the world to Alliance High Command, and the leaders agreed to his proposal. Later escaping simultaneous attacks by the bounty hunter Raskar and the smuggler Salmakk, Major Kem Monnon, head of the Alliance Corps of Engineers, was sold the location of a series of caves by an old smuggler. Monnon was then dispatched to Hoth to plan and oversee the construction of what would become Echo Base. Geothermal analysis indicated that the best location for the base was on the northern edge on the only livable temperate band near the equator. Monnon's engineers built the base under the mountains of the Clabburn Range south of the Nev Ice Flow and reinforced the natural ice caverns beneath the surface of Hoth to serve as pathways.

After two standard years, Echo Base was completed. Two large bay doors provided main entrances at the north and south ends of the mountain range. The hangar was one of the first segments built to allow for the steady inflow of resources. The facility included perimeter defense trenches, static anti-infantry and -vehicle emplacements, v-150 Planet Defender ion cannon, OrC-19 planetary com-scan unit, theater shield, medical facility and command center. At its height, the base housed 7,500 combat and command personnel, 350 medical personnel and 120 droids. The hangar was large enough to simultaneously house at least thirty GR-75 Medium Transports, sixty Rebel starfighters, twelve snowspeeders, the Millennium Falcon and Outrider.

The Alliance patrolled the terrain surrounding Echo Base with mounted tauntaun riders and snowspeeders, and regularly warded off wampa attacks. The perimeter of the base was dotted with scout posts labeled "Echo Stations", such as Echo Station 3-8, Echo Station 3-T-8 and Echo Station 5-7.

Echo Base was the site of the Battle of Hoth fought between the Empire and the Alliance in 3 ABY. The Empire sent powerful assault units to Hoth to crush the Alliance base. The Rebels fought a delaying action to allow time for Code 1-5—the evacuation of the base. Assisting them in this operation was Dash Rendar, a mercenary who was stuck at the base, and was exceptional at fighting on the ground and in a snowspeeder. But the Imperial Blizzard Force eventually destroyed the base's shield generator and deployed 501st snowtroopers into the base. In the brutal room-to-room fighting that ensued, many remaining personnel were killed. As the last Alliance transports lifted off, the ion cannon was set to self-destruct to collapse Echo Base. While for reasons as yet unknown, the cannon failed to self destruct, the rest of the base was destroyed by Rebel SpecForce Renegade Squadron, who set explosive charges around the base. Eleven years later, the ion cannon was found to be still intact and capable of firing by the Jedi Jaden Korr during his encounter with the Disciples of Ragnos and the Imperial Remnant in the frozen ruins of Echo Base.

When Skywalker and Callista Ming returned to Hoth in 12 ABY they encountered a band of desperate wampa-pelt hunters holed up in the deserted base while their hungry quarry waited outside. Though the two Jedi tried to rescue the group, the wampas demonstrated their uncanny ability to work together as a killing team. Luke and Callista barely escaped from Hoth with their lives.

In 14 ABY, an Imperial Remnant force reoccupied the ruins of Echo Base. Hoping to discover the location of Dagobah in the working segments of the Alliance computer core, the Sith devotees of the cult of Ragnos and their Imperial subordinates dug underneath the hulk of a fallen AT-AT. Their activities were discovered by Jaden Korr. The young Jedi destroyed the force of snowtroopers and AT-ST walkers, and chased off the Sith acolytes. He dueled Dark Jedi Alora and defeated her, but she fled, promising to encounter him again in the future. It was during Jaden's exploration of the frozen ruins of Echo base that he discovered the firing control room of the ion cannon from which the still intact cannon itself could be seen. Although no longer capable of tracking a target the cannon itself still drew power from its reactors and was capable of firing.

[Grainne Fett]

*Landing "the Wail" outside the former Rebel base, she raises the wings and lowers the ramp. Using tapas, she wraps herself into her robe and looks at the bright land covered with snow. Walking to the large doors of the base, she uses the palm lock she uncovers from the snow. Nothing happens* Wishful thinking Kenobi. *She mutters to her self, and pulls her saber out. Lighting it, she cuts a small hole in the door and crawls in.

Getting up she looks around and charges her saber again. Holding up her Holo she sends word to the "old folks home"* I am Hoth, Echo Base checking in! *She sends the holo to Yavin IV and wanders about*

[Ikrit]

Ikrit's E-wing flies down and makes it's way into the hanger, it sets down and the cockpit opens. Ikrit jumps out looking around, he was wearing a combat vest with his light saber hanging off the side
"This place is creepily empty, witch reminds me. I'm hungry"

[Grainne Fett]

*Leaving one of her sabers on the floor, she crawls out of the hole and sees Ikrit* Hello Ikrit, helping to get this place habitable again??? *Standing up she walks over over to him and bows her head to him. Two droids walk hover sleds to her* Wait here please. *Turning she crawls through the hole again, and lifts up her saber. Finding the control panel, she over rides the system and the large doors open and a few lights come on* Ikrit care to get slightly warmer?

*Watching the droids with the hover sleds she smiles* I think this would make a great spot for when the padawans come to get their saber crystals!

[Ikrit]

"Hey." He glues his eye on the door with an obvious hole in it.
"I wouldn't mind a it being a little hotter... even though i'm used to a tropical climate." he looks at the droids with the hover sleds, his fur turning a crimson color as he raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't know there were crystals on Hoth."

[Grainne Fett]

*Wraping Ikrit in her robe she looks down at him* There is where I got my crystals when I was a padawan.

*Pointing to a door way she sends the droids to drop off the supplies and to get more. Fiddling with the control panel she elevates the heat for Ikrit* Give it a few it should warm up. *Rubbing her hands together, she wanders around and finds a tanned wompa hide and hands it to Ikrit* We can do something with this to make you a little warmer.

[Ikrit]

His fur turns white again and he shakes his head.
"keep your robe, i'm not gonna need it in a few seconds."
The air around him was getting warmer and growing, touching it feel like a sun beam on a sunny day of spring. He looks at the Wompa hide and takes it
"I could make something out of it, but i never worked with hide before. Thanks." he looks around. "So what exactly have you been doing?"

[Grainne Fett]

*Chuckling* I came up with an idea. I get them once in a while, that we could start bringing the padawans here when they are ready to get their crystals for their sabers. This base has been used so much, and well, I think council would agree with me. We needs to clean this place inside and out. The Sith devotees of the cult of Ragnos used it for sometime, and Force knows what they left behind, and there are the Wampas....*Exhaling she watches Ikrit's pelt change to white again*

[Ikrit]

He nods. "Well i'd like to fix something to eat first and then i can help you with what ever it is you need else with, and please don't tell me the only thing to eat here is blubber." He shivers at the thought.

[Grainne Fett]

*Guiding Ikrit through the door way she sees the droids have set up the kitchen* Well Ikrit, help your self. *Heading to the cupboards, she pulls out the coffee and starts the maker up. The smell of coffee is intoxicating, as the smell mingles in the air, she pulls out a few cups and a little something for her to eat* Ikrit, what do you think? Good idea to come back up here?

[Ikrit]

Ikrit grabs himself a salad and a hot chocolate and sits down, before he takes a bite he looks at Grainne.
"It's a hard choice for me, Hoth is a frozen desert wasteland. it not exactly the most enjoyable place in the galaxy, it's a challenging place to live. On the other hand such facts force padawans to learn how to survive in harsh climates."
He takes a bite of his salad and drinks some hot chocolate.

[Grainne Fett]

Correct you are Ikrit! *Sitting across from him she sips her coffee* Training should be done on many levels!

[Ikrit]

He finish his salad and drinks the rest of his hot chocolate. "Why not? it's a perfectly fine idea to me."

[Grainne Fett]

*Hearing the droids bring in more equipment she smiles* OHHHH the sounds of progress. *The lights flicker off* OHHHH o'sik! *Runs to the generator and starts it back up. heading back to the kitchen she sees the lights dim then come on strong. sitting back down, she smiles* Good thing Dad taught me more then Jedi Skills. *Chuckling she sips more coffee*

[Ikrit]

He raise an eyebrow. "Well is there anything you need me to do?"