The fifth episode of Brian Daley’s radio drama adaptation of the Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back airs on National Public Radio stations in the U.S. Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprise their movie roles. 
Thanks to the valor of Rogue Squadron, most of the Rebel forces are able to escape Hoth. Luke and Wedge are among the last Rebels to evacuate, but instead of following Wedge to the rendezvous point, Luke instead follows Ben Kenobi’s call to the Dagobah system. In the meantime, Leia’s escape is cut off by an Imperial attack, and Han manages to get her out of harm’s way aboard the Falcon, with Threepio in tow. But escape is no easy task: the Imperial forces seem to be paying special attention to the Falcon. Han plunges his ship through an asteroid field to evade Imperial TIE fighters, briefly setting down in a cavern inside one particularly large asteroid to make hasty repairs. As it turns out, the cavern isn’t a cavern at all, but the gaping – and now rapidly closing – maw of a gigantic space slug. And aboard the flagship of the Imperial fleet, Darth Vader orders his men to continue hunting for the Falcon, despite the danger of the asteroid field. Vader is now acting under new orders from the Emperor – capture Luke Skywalker and turn his growing prowess with the Force to the dark side…or kill him.
written by Brian Daley
based on the screenplay Star Wars by George Lucas
directed by John Madden
music by John WilliamsCast: Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Perry King (Han Solo), Ann Sachs (Princess Leia Organa), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Brock Peters (Lord Darth Vader), John Lithgow (Yoda), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Bernard Behrens (Obi-Wan Kenobi), James Eckhouse (Beta), Peter Friedman (Dak), Ron Frazier (Deck Officer), Merwin Goldsmith (General Rieekan), Peter Michael Goetz (Ozzel), Gordon Gould (Veers), Paul Hecht (The Emperor), Russell Horton (2-1B), James Hurdle (Controller), Nicholas Kepros (Needa), David Rasche (Piett), Alan Rosenburg (Boba Fett), Jay Sanders (Imperial Pilot), Don Scarino (Wedge), Ken Hiller (Narrator)
Supporting Cast: David Alan Grier, Sam McMurray, Steven Markle, Stephen D. Newman, John Pielmeier, Geoffrey Pierson, Gary Tacon, Jerry Zaks
LogBook entry by Earl Green