A Valentine Story was a one-shot published by Dark Horse Comics in February 2003 and later collected in Star Wars: Empire: Volume Four: The Heart of the Rebellion under the title Breaking the Ice. It is also included in Star Wars Omnibus: At War with the Empire Volume 2.
Publisher's summary[]
She's a Princess with a fiery spirit and a hot temper to match. He's a scoundrel with a mercenary's sensibility and the heart of a hero. Together they help topple an Empire and restore order to the galaxy…And if they stop fighting long enough, they just might realize that they're in love! Set during the days leading up to The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo and Princess Leia find themselves trapped together on a downed starship, lost in the frozen wastelands of Hoth as a storm rages around them. And while the snow flies outside the ship, the sparks fly inside. No matter how hard they fight it, there's more going on between them than just friendship!
Plot summary[]
A lovers' quarrel[]
The narrator gives a brief recap of the Heroes of Yavin and their role during the Battle of Yavin. As the Rebel Alliance works to establish a base on the planet Hoth, sparks fly between Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo. The two argue about each other's choice of fashion and resort to name calling. When Organa accuses Solo of being arrogant and overbearing, he responds that he is not a "sniveling rich boy." When Solo questions Organa's remark that she no problem "getting dirty," she punches him in the stomach.
When Luke Skywalker checks on Solo, he remarks that she hits like a "spoiled rich girl" and suggests she is not used to people talking back to her. When Skywalker asks why Organa is upset with him, Solo explains that she took offense when he told her that they were going to dispatch the last ten supply vessels to Hoth a day early. He explains that the storm has cleared and that a Rebel Alliance general suggested Solo fly down to the base to bring much-needed supplies to the workers. When Skywalker asks why they argued, Solo explains that he and Chewbacca were planning to leave the rebel base within a week.
Organa accused him of running away from his responsibilities. Solo took offense, saying that his only responsibility is to keep himself alive. He thinks that Organa is trying to justify her wealth by "playing soldiers with grownups." Solo explains that Organa hit him after he said something about her hair. When Chewie laughs, Solo responds that he should be the last person to laugh about having anything to do with hair. Skywalker advises Solo to stay away from Organa until things calm down. Solo expresses agreement with Skywalker.
A snowy flight[]
A rebel officer tells Solo and Chewbacca that the carriers are offline. Since the Falcon is undergoing repairs, the officer lends them two M-class fighters. He warns that one of them has a busted navicomputer and that its hydroboosters are not on autopilot, meaning it needs a co-pilot. Since the officer cannot spare pilots, Solo and Chewbacca volunteer. They are joined by Organa, who volunteers to fly with Solo. Much to Han's chagrin, Leia is permitted to join in as well.
While flying their M-class fighters, Chewie grumbles in Shyriiwook, prompting Solo to tell him that he had no choice in the matter via comlink. When Solo questions Organa's for accompanying him on a supply run, Organa responds that he has a big ego. Getting down to business, Organa tells Solo that she respects his pilot skills, bravery and appreciates his assistance to the Alliance. However, she states that she is not interested in Solo romantically. She believes he is a mercenary who has fallen in love with the Rebellion.
The crashlanding[]
When Solo asks if she looks down on him because of his class, she responds that it has nothing to do with class. When Solo makes remarks about dating women, the two start to argue again. Over the intercom, Chewbacca roars. As the two transports descend into Hoth's surface, a massive blizzard hits. The blizzard affects the ships' controls and communications. During the descent, Solo tells Chewbacca to turn on his directional beacon but Organa realizes that his comlink is down. She thinks they should head for Echo Base first and come back for Chewbacca. Just then, their M-wing's second engine explodes, causing their ship to lose control and crash.
Organa falls out of her seat but is unhurt. Following the crashlanding, Solo exits the starship to search for Chewbacca despite Organa's concerns. Solo tries valiantly at first to rescue Chewie on foot, but is knocked out by the powerful winds after running 300 metres. Organa brings Solo back into their M-wing to chastise him for his reckless actions. Solo is worried about Chewbacca's wellbeing since his beacon is inactive and they cannot track his ship. Solo blames Organa for the situation and says it would not have happened if he and Chewbacca were flying together. Solo's fierce loyalty to his co-pilot makes Organa sympathize with the rogue smuggler.
When Organa apologizes, Solo says that it is his own fault. The blizzard worsens, forcing the two to huddle together for body heat in the night. Solo is unable to sleep since he is worried about Chewbacca and attempts to contact him via comlink. Admiring the close friendship between Solo and Chewie, Organa asks Solo about his adventures with Chewbacca. As the night passes, Han shares stories of his exploits to Leia, which allows the two to bond.
This includes a story about him and Chewie fighting off Natalon Core Bandits while smuggling Barcarian claw salt. Solo explains that Chewbacca took out three of the bandits before they were captured and left for dead in a starship. He explains that Chewbacca broke his own wrist to free them from their manacle. Chewbacca then repaired the relay so that they could reach a space station. When Organa asks about a scar on his chin, Solo tells her that he got a knife wound. This amuses Organa, who says he plays the part of the pirate. The two develop feelings for each other.
Rescue and aftermath[]
Just when they are about to kiss, a Rebel scout party led by Beta Omega locates them. They are accompanied by Chewie, who is alive and well. Solo hugs Chewbacca and is relieved that the Wookiee made it to Echo Base safely. Solo tries to defend his piloting skills before hugging Chewbacca.
At Echo Base, Solo convinces Chewie they should install the hyperdrive first and attend to other repairs later. Organa joins them and finds that the repairs to the Falcon are almost complete. When she asks if he is still planning to leave nextweek, Solo volunteers to help the rebels carry out work at Echo Base. He also volunteers to help explore a trade route near Ord Mantell. Organa thanks Solo for his generosity and assistance. While she still regards him as a mercenary, she expresses gratitude that he is deciding to stay longer with the Rebellion. She also commends Solo for being a better man than she originally thought.
Media[]
Cover gallery[]
Collected in[]
- Star Wars: Empire Volume 4: The Heart of the Rebellion
- Star Wars Omnibus: At War with the Empire Volume 2
- Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Rebellion Vol. 5
- Star Wars Legends: The Rebellion Omnibus Vol. 3
Appearances[]
| Characters | Organisms | Droid models | Events | Locations |
| Organizations and titles | Sentient species | Vehicles and vessels | Weapons and technology | Miscellanea |
Characters
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Droid models
Events
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Locations
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Organizations and titles
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Sentient species
Vehicles and vessels
Weapons and technology
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Miscellanea
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Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑
Star Wars: A Valentine Story on Dark Horse Comics' official website (backup link)
- ↑ The date of this story is established internally in relation to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which The Essential Reader's Companion dates to 0 BBY.