
Certainly if they could be recognized as shield generators, it would seem likely that the occupants of the base were more than mere smugglers. These may well have been of the sort suitable only for a military installation, as opposed to a smuggler based unused to combat. The monitor displayed the transmitted image of a snow-base power Also, the picture from the probe droid shows the power/shield generators quite clearly. In that vein, the size of the base might be a clue as well that there is something more than smuggling going on. Alternately, the fact that a full squadron of speeders is present might tend to rule out smugglers, who might tend to have fewer members. It's unclear whether the snowspeeders have any markings or design elements indicating their Rebel affiliation, but they may. Rebel speeders can be seen approaching the base in

Vader moves to a large screen showing an image of the Rebel Small squadron of Rebel snowspeeders streaking above the white fields. Turned toward an image beamed on one of the viewscreens-an image of a The system is supposed to be devoid of human forms.”īut Vader was no longer listening to the captain. Yes, sir,” Piett said slowly, choosing his words with caution. As Piett later says, it could be smugglers, but Darth Vader is pretty confident that it is Luke. This serves as a strong sign that something untoward is going on.

The Empire Strikes Back (Junior Novelization) “But sir,” Piett interrupted, “the Hoth system is supposed to be

Mean anything,” Ozzel said, growing impatient with Piett. He added, “The visuals indicate life readings.”

I want proof, not leads!” But Piett wasn’tįinished. Unimpressed, Ozzel snapped, “We have thousands of probe droids Only a fragment from a probe droid in the Hoth system, but it’s the “I think we’ve got something, sir,” Piett informed him.
