One Step Ahead

One Step Ahead is a short story written by Michael Stern, originally published in the second edition of Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back. It was later archived on Hyperspace.

Plot summary

Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa and the droid C-3PO attempt to escape Echo Base during the Imperial attack. Stormtroopers are chasing the group and C-3PO begins lagging behind. After turning a corner, C-3PO comes across a sealed blast door with a yellow and orange hazard label pasted on it. Feeling a brief moment of boldness, C-3PO tears off the label and continues his run. The pursuing stormtroopers, led by a headstrong veteran of the Akuria II garrison, reach the sealed door and head in. Sometime later Darth Vader observes the chamber behind the door whose rear wall has now been caved in. Under the piles of blood-stained snow are some of his most well trained troops. Vader asks his lieutenant whether they are Rebel troops, to which the lieutenant responds "I don't think so, sir."