Star Wars Newspaper Strip Spotlight – ‘The Constancia Affair,’ Part 2
In the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, a woman named Gyla, who looks like a cross between a 60s waitress and a slave from Jabba’s Palace, complains about the stop to pick up the droids…
The panels in this week’s article were published each Sunday from April 1 to April 22, 1979.
Previously in The Constancia Affair…
After being deactivated and jettisoned just before the destruction of Luke Skywalker’s Y-Wing, protocol droid C-3PO and astromech R2-D2 hold little hope of survival. But suddenly, who should appear but Han Solo, legendary smuggler, and pilot of the famous freighter the Millennium Falcon.
Now, back to our story!
In the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, a woman named Gyla, who looks like a cross between a 60s waitress and a slave from Jabba’s Palace, complains about the stop to pick up the droids, “Isn’t this walking throw-rug company enough?” Han replies in his classic fashion “Gyla… that tongue of yours is starting to outweigh all of your nice qualities!”
Chewie dons a space-suit and quickly returns carrying the pair of droids. Threepio explains that when the Star Destroyers showed up, Luke deactivated the droids, which Han figures out was so that he could dump the droids and they wouldn’t be detected and destroyed along with the Y-Wing. The droids were left attached to a signal beacon, so that Han would find and rescue them. Despite Gyla’s doubts, Han is sure that Luke is alive, as he “dumped his droids where I would find them!” But wait, just as Han wonders aloud about Luke’s location, Threepio points out, “And his passenger, sir! Don’t forget his passenger!”
Han immediately questions Threepio about the “passenger” and Luke’s destination. Threepio explains that the passenger was a mostly-human female called Gamine, and that Luke’s destination was Constancia, which happens to be the planet that the Falcon is approaching at that very moment. Threepio then begins to wonder aloud why Gamine was so important and explains that Luke’s mission to Constancia was top secret, and hints at the danger that may come if the Empire knew about the trip. Han then quiets Threepio telling him to get some rest.
Gyla demands information, but just as Han assures her not to worry since she’s not involved, Chewie calls from the cockpit: Imperial Destroyers on approach!
Gyla continues to berate Han and tells him not to run away from the Imperial forces. Han, being Han, brags that there’s no Imperial ship in the universe that can outrun the Falcon! He then climbs into Gunport 2, where he blasts one of the trailing TIE Bombers into oblivion. Chewie pilots the Falcon into the ring surrounding Constancia, which is made up of big chunks of ice.
Han returns to the cockpit of the Falcon, and turns the meteorite shields to full power. Chewie maneuvers the Falcon throughout the meteorite ring. Another two TIE Bombers bite the dust, unable to keep up with the speed of the Falcon.
COMING UP
What was Luke’s mission to Constancia? Will the Imperial forces following the Millennium Falcon give up the chase, or send more fighters after Han’s legendary ship? Find out what happens in Part 3 of The Constancia Affair!
Author Biography
Hi, my name is Jonathan Marroquin. My first memory of Star Wars is seeing a dusty VHS tape in the corner, which my grandpa explained was a sci-fi movie. I fell in love with it immediately. In the next few days, I watched Star Wars: A New Hope more times than I could count. I like to say Star Wars was my first love, and it’s stayed true to me ever since. A LEGO enthusiast and stop-motion animator, I enjoy writing fan fiction in the Star Wars and Harry Potter universes. I also design LEGO starships both Canonical and Star Wars-inspired in my spare time. May The Force Be With You, Always!
