A Glimmer of Hope

A Glimmer of Hope is a short story written by Charlene Newcomb with illustrations by Mike Vilardi, originally published in Star Wars Adventure Journal 1 by West End Games in Feburary 1994. It was reprinted in The Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4 and since released online at Star Wars Hyperspace.

It features the story of Alexandra Winger, member of the Rebel underground on Garos IV and adopted daughter of the Imperial Governor. It takes place in 7 ABY.

Plot summary
Alex Winger and Doro, members of the underground resistance on Garos IV, secretly monitor an Imperial mining center complex. The number of Imperial personnel has tripled recently and Alex feels there is something critical being done with the ore shipments in the area. Another underground team on the mission is discovered, so Alex and Doro attempt to run. Doro is killed during their escape, but Alex safely returns home to her life in the governor's mansion. Alex is the stepdaughter of the governor, Tork Winger.

Alex has recurring dreams that she feels somehow will come true. In one dream, a man with sandy brown hair and blue eyes is with her as she scales the Tahika Cliffs.

At breakfast the following morning, Tork asks Alex to help him host a dinner that evening for Captain Brandei of the Imperial Star Destroyer Judicator. Alex agrees and heads off to her classes at the university.

After her classes, Alex meets with Dr. Carl Barzon and Magir Paca, two leaders of the resistance movement on Garos IV. She debriefs them on the mission that ended Doro's life and discovers that a cell member, Scat, was captured. Dr. Barzon reveals that he has isolated a component in the local ore that creates natural cloaking abilities. It is imperative that the underground keep this out of the hands of the Empire. Alex promises to get as much information as she can at the dinner and insists on participating in a daring daylight raid on an Imperial ore shipment.

Alex successfully fulfilled her part of resistance mission during the attack, but on her way back home she is discovered by a university classmate, Lej Carner and taken hostage. On the way to take her to his landspeeder, another resistance member, Chance, kills Lej and allows Alex to make it to the dinner at the governor's mansion. While at the dinner, Alex has another vision. This time she is in the landing bay of a starship, sitting in the cockpit of an X-wing seeing man from her dreams.

After the dinner, Alex participated in a successful rescue of Scat from the Imperial Headquarters. During the rescue, Alex was able to warn other resistance members of sense of danger, when she felt a tingling sensation crawl up her spine not knowing she was Force-sensitive.

Behind the scenes
In a later short story, reader discovers that Alexandra Winger is Force-sensitive and that the sandy brown haired man in her visions is Luke Skywalker.

According to Charlene Newcomb's blog, A Glimmer of Hope takes place in 8 ABY. However, the text clearly states that three years have passed since the Battle of Endor, meaning tha story takes place in 7 ABY.