Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Grimly attentive, General Rieekan watched the console screens. Suddenly hesaw a flashing signal that had not been there a moment before. "Princess," he said,"I think we have a visitor." Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and Threepio gathered around the general and watchedthe beeping monitor screens. "We've picked up something outside the base in Zone Twelve. It's movingeast," said Rieekan. "Whatever it is, it's metal," the sensor controller observed. Leia's eyes widened in surprise. "Then it can't be one of those creatures thatattacked Luke?" "Could it be ours?" Han asked. "A speeder?" The sensor controller shook his head. "No, there's no signal." Then came asound from another monitor. "Wait, something very weak…" Walking as rapidly as his stiff joints allowed, Threepio approached the console.His auditory sensors turned in the strange signals. "I must say, sir, I'm fluent in oversixty million forms of communication, but this is something new. Must be in a codeor—"