Gemmer
- "Code red! Activate flood lights. Secure the area."
- ―Gemmer reacting upon a Hoojib attack
Gemmer was a Human male who served the Rebel Alliance as a pilot. He was stationed at the temporary Rebel base on Golrath, where he acquired a stone paperweight as a souvenir. The Rebels, however, needed a more temperate setting for their facilities, and Gemmer helped the Alliance scout the planet Arbra in the Outer Rim Territories, as a possible location for a new base of operations. This ultimately led to the establishment of Haven Base and an alliance with the native Hoojibs.
Shortly afterwards, Gemmer took part in one of the most fruitful missions launched from Haven Base. Along with Commander Skywalker and two other pilots, he was tasked with flying a refitted TIE/LN starfighter into battle on planet Spindrift in order to take control of that planet's Imperial outpost. Sometime later, the stone Gemmer had picked on Golrath began to pulsate with strange lights and kept him from sleeping properly. It was discovered that the stone projected holoimagery that could warn the Imperials of the current Rebel base's location. Because of that, Princess Leia Organa ordered an immediate raid on Golrath to destroy their former base, and a battle ensued.
Biography
From Golrath to Arbra
- "[Whistles softly] "This is perfect. The Empire would never find us here.""
- ―Gemmer, upon entering the Hoojibs' cavern
Following the harried retreat from Hoth, the Rebels settled in a magma smelting plant on the volcanic world Golrath,[3] and Gemmer was assigned there for a time.[4] When the cooling of the magma supply became problematic, the Rebels decided to abandon the Golrath Station in favor of a more temperate location.[3] Before leaving Golrath for good, Gemmer acquired a piece of stone from the bedrock that composed the station's foundations, which he planned on using as a paperweight. Unbeknownst to him, Gemmer's innocent souvenir-picking would later lead to unfortunate consequences.[4] Following the Alliance's departure from Golrath, Gemmer joined the survey team under Leia Organa that was assigned to scouting out the Outer Rim planet Arbra, in the hopes of finally establishing a permanent base.[1]
While camping in the forests of Arbra, the survey team was attacked during the night by a group of Hoojibs, a species of sapient lagomorphs native to Arbra, who fed on the energy from their equipment. Awakened in the middle of the night, Gemmer was swift to react, immediately ordering to secure the area. Plif, who introduced himself as the Hoojibs' "spokesmind", then communicated with Princess Leia through telepathy, explaining that the slivilith, a green, winged monster, had driven his people from the underground cavern that provided them with the energy they needed. Suddenly, the creature attacked the Rebel camp. Gemmer and several others assisted Princess Leia in corralling the creature into the crystals cavern. Since they Rebels had been deprived of the energy with which to power their blasters, Gemmer and the others were forced to rely on melee weapons to fight the monster. By availing themselves of various spears and lances, they were able to keep the Slivilith hemmed in the corner of the cave. It was Chewbacca the Wookiee however, that dealt the final blow ending the Slivilith's life. Following the slivilith's demise, the Rebels entered the cave and discovered the immense, energy-absorbing crystalline formations—known as power rods—it contained. Those rods captured Arbra's geothermal energy, and the Rebels realized they could tap into that energy to power their new base.[1] At the sight of the grotto, Gemmer himself whistled in admiration, commenting that the cave would be the perfect location for the new Alliance headquarters.[2] The Hoojibs, although initially reluctant, agreed to let their new allies occupy their home, and "Haven Base" was born.[1]
Later assignments
Shortly afterwards, the Rebels found out the enemy had come into possession of a Teezl, a powerful and dangerous creature that could be used as a natural hyperspace communications amplifier. It became obvious that the creature would become too big of an advantage to the Empire and had to be eliminated, which prompted the creation of Operation Earplug. Since the Teezl was transported within Admiral Mils Giel's secret armada, the first part of the operation concerned the acquisition of that fleet's route coordinates. For the sake of Operation Earplug, four TIE Fighters were acquired on the black market so that Rebel pilots could infiltrate the Imperial fleet. Along with Commander Skywalker, Captain Hanc Thorben, and Shira Brie, Gemmer attacked the Imperial outpost on planet Spindrift, using surprise to take control of the base. The Rebels successfully strafed the munitions station and communication towers, forcing the commanders of the meager Imperial garrison to surrender.[5] In spite of his participation in the successful Spindrift mission, Gemmer did not fly one of the refitted TIE Fighters of the Flying Bantha Squadron when they battled Giel's armada and destroyed the Teezl, as he was replaced Alph.[6]
Golrath Never Forgets
- "That stone paperweight I brought from the Golrath medlabs started flashin' weird lights, an' kept me awake through my whole snooze shift."
- ―Gemmer to Thorben
In the wake of the triumph of Operation Earplug, Gemmer witnessed a trial of paramount importance in the veru walls of Haven Base. During the battle against Giel's armada, Commander Skywalker had fired on a friendly vessel. When it was found that the pilot was none other than Shira Brie, one of his squadron mates, Skywalker was stripped of command and put on trial. However, the ostracized former commander investigated the matter and discovered that Brie was actually an Imperial spy undercover. As all Rebels stationed on Arbra, Gemmer attended the last hearing of Skywalker's trial, where the three judges cleared his name and was reinstated him. He and Hanc Thorben briefly discussed their relief at the news. It was later discovered that the souvenir piece of volcanic bedrock kept in his bunk was a type of photoreceptive mineral that could project images from the time he spent stationed at the base. The light show spectacle prevented him from getting adequate amounts of sleep, and he complained about it to Thorben. Upon learning this, Thorben immediately contacted his superiors, and told them that the holographic imagery projected by the walls of the old base may tip off the Imperials as to their present location.[4]
Personality and traits
Gemmer was a tall, fair-skinned man with dark hair and blue eyes.[4]
Equipment
While on piloting duty, Gemmer wore the standard-issue orange flight suit of a Rebel pilot, complete with the flak vest and flight helmet, and carried a BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle. When working as part of the ground crew at the Arbra base, Gemmer wore traditional utility fatigues, either grey or purple in color, with a matching cap.
Behind the scenes
The character of Gemmer was created in 1981 by David Michelinie and Walter Simonson for Star Wars (1977) 55, the fifty-fifth issue in the Marvel Star Wars series of comics.[1] He made two other appearances in the series' sixtieth[5] and sixty-fifth issues.[4] In The Further Adventures: Planet of the Hoojibs, Gemmer was depicted wearing a mustache.[2]
Appearances
- Star Wars (1977) 55 (First appearance)
- The Further Adventures: Planet of the Hoojibs
- Star Wars (1977) 60
- Star Wars (1977) 65
Sources
- Star Wars: Behind the Magic (Picture only) [source?]
"The Hard, Cold Facts About Hoth" – Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 4 (Picture only) [source?]