Ellie

"Hold on!"

A modified Incom starfighter streaked through the night like a meteor, its retro-boosters screeching in desperation. Finally, the ship came to an inelegant crash landing amid the trees of a rain soaked forest.

All was silent except for the hiss of rain and gas off the ruined fighter. A silver droid in the co-pilot's seat sat up. Ellie, designated LE-914, surveyed the situation. "Master Tay, are you all right?"

Tay Vanis was slumped over the pilot's controls and did not stir until Ellie touched his shoulder.

He sat back and groaned. "Not one of my better landings, eh?"

"No, sir," Ellie agreed.

Vanis activated the manual release of the ship's canopy and crawled out of the cockpit. "Damn, why is it I'm always leaving the Bothan system in a hurry? Those TIE sentries must've hit us harder than I thought. At least we made the jump to light speed and got out of there. Are you okay?"

"All my systems are nominal," Ellie reported.

Tay smiled as he pulled off his helmet. "You always were tougher than me."

Ellie followed the Rebel pilot out and examined the damaged starfighter. "I do not believe we have the means to effect repairs."

Vanis nodded in agreement. "She's a write-off, that's for sure. Madine's gonna owe me big time for this." With his fingers, Tay combed back his rain slicked hair and looked around the dark forest. "Now what?"

"According to my databanks, this is an Imperially interdicted system. The local population was purged and a small garrison was left behind," Ellie said.

"I suppose things could be worse. But we can't stay here. The Empire will have tracked our landing. We just need to hold out a couple days until Argo gets back to the fleet and they can send an extraction team."

"In the meantime you must avoid trouble."

"Heh. I'll see what I can do. I'll hide out in the forest, but I think you should try to infiltrate the Imperial garrison. They'll never notice one more droid, and the inside information could help."

Ellie was not convinced. "Are you sure that's wise, Master Tay?"

"I'm sure, Ellie." Vanis removed several small data-tapes from a courier pouch. "We've got to get this information to the Alliance. The Bothans paid a heavy price to pass it on, but if the Empire completes another Death Star, it will all have been for nothing. Lord Vader is coming to get these tapes back, and we've got to stop him. Everything depends on us, Ellie."

"I will not let you down."

"I know. That's why I want you to keep them. Open your data-port. If you don't hear from me after two days, I want you to destroy the tapes." A panel over Ellie's breastplate opened, and Vanis inserted the disks into Ellie's drives. Vanis gently closed the panel. "Now, go. I'll leave a message for the Rebels in case they find the ship first."

Ellie hesitated, but Vanis grinned. "Don't worry, you'll be back at the fleet and beating the flight suit off of ol' Yom Argo at Sabacc before you know it!"

"Yes, sir," Ellie answered.

While Tay Vanis retrieved a portable holorecorder from his ship, Ellie vanished into the mists of the forest. As rain washed over her chrome finish, Ellie wondered if she'd ever see him again. She hoped so.

• Ellie / LE-914

Type: Customized Accutronics Personal Assistant Droid

Height: 1.67 meters

Equipped with:

Humanoid body (two arms, two legs, head)

Two visual and two audio sensors

Broad-band antenna receiver

Body armor and reinforced frame (+3D energy, physical)

Internal scomplink

Sensor shielded storage compartment (1 kilogram)

Self-destruct mechanism

Move: 10

Description: Ellie is a graceful droid with a somewhat worn chrome finish which covers her body, leaving none of the exposed wiring typical of protocol droids.

Cost: Not available for sale

A Quote: "I knew that help would come. He believed it would... and he was always right about such things. Thank you for... making him right one last time."

Ellie was created by Jo Duffy, Ron Frenz and Tom Palmer.

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