[Alt-Build Contest] 75146 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar - Imperial Scout Swoop, Listening Post and Tool Rack

[Per_SW]

I spy Murphy's black-helmeted dome as I stroll into the garage while putting my bucket on.
"Alright, corporal?".
"Awright Sec- cowpal" he says, correcting himself at the last moment and addressing me by grade.
He's fiddlin' with B00N, the maintenance droid Sarge's cobbled together from what spare parts we had on this godsfrosaken outpost, named and built after some sort of crazy race he saw when just a little kid, when there was still a republic governin' this galaxy.
Weird when you think about it, when I was born there was no Empire, but now here I am, a proud Stormtrooper corporal defending a _vital_ outpost on Rhen Var.
I bite down a sigh, hidden by the bucket, and ask my Navy counterpart:
"You seen Sarge?"
"Took the Swoop out, tae recon, mind?"
Of course, as Sergeant he's the only one entitled to the only cold-gear armour left at the outpost and to take the Swoop-bike on reconnaissance missions.
I move to the listening-post display, checking if the distress-rescue signal is still going from the main antenna and calibrating to the Swoop frequency.
"Come in sergeant Yule - Keezbo, you there?" I ask.
Only static for moments, before I hear the Sergeant voice.
**
The Swoop banks perfectly on a fresh snow mound, as I shift it into gear to cross the next open plain and get to the edge of the cliffs a couple of clicks from our position.
After the rebel offensive destroyed the main base on Rhen Var I've lost hope someone will actually come and rescue us, but the directive were clear: keep the signal on, broadcast the rescue request, and keep scanning for anomalies in the meantime.
And that's what we've been doing, me , Murphy from the navy -who the Force only knows how he ended up here- and McLaughlin, who had a brilliant career ahead of himself in the Stormtrooper Corps but never made ahead of corporal because of too many lost drunken brawls and ended up in my care because of that.
The real dream team, the emperor himself would be proud.
I decelerate as I get to the edge of the cliff and bring up the binocs: it should be the same old snow-swirl, but something's different today.
I hear the radio croak:
"Come in sergeant Yule - Keezbo, you there?".
"Prize, Keez here. You on the post?".
"Aye sir" McLaughlin -2nd Prize- answers.
"Stay there and gimme a moment, -I have an anomaly here"
I focus the binocs through the swirling blizzard and spy something very orange and very out of place threadin' through the snow.
"Prize, still there?" I ask urgently.
"Aye Sarge".
"Shut it down! Shut it ALL down. We got company" I say, turning the Swoop back base-wards and hoping what I saw was only a trick of the eye.
But I know it's not.They found us.

DUN DUN DUUUN!

When I saw the prompt for the contest I realised I already had something qualifying for the small category with the Swoop bike I built for the lone snowtrooper from the parts of the advent calendar, and here it  is, with some of the other characters of the short story you just read.

Then I decided that I could add something more than just a Swoop bike with the pieces from the advent calendar, so were born the listening post, tools rack and B00N the pit droid, unfortunately only in digital form because I was not able to recollect the necessary pieces in time for the deadline.

This is an alt build for the 2016 advent calendar. As you have seen the main focus is the swoop bike, with augmented thrusters and antenna to better communicate with the listening-post.
The  afore-mentioned listening-post comprises a stud-shooter for short-range defence and multiple rectennae to both broadcast and receive signals, along with a clip for the chosen operator's weapon.

And then with the remaining useful pieces we have a simple tool rack and refuelling station and pit droid, named B00N after the Boonta Eve won by Anakin and witnessed by sergeant Yule when he was young. The pit droid willingly reminds of the 1999 ones and itis supposed to have been cobbled together by the sergeant with the parts he found on site and was a late addiction to the model.

Also to note is the color change on one of the studs on the GNK legs, in order to use the LBG stud with hole on the Swoop.

Hope you enjoy this ALT and stay tuned to see if I can manage to finish the very orange and very out of place thing in time :D

(And yes, for those wondering I'm rereading Welsh at the moment and borrowed some names from his stories).

Edited January 26, 2025 by Per_SW
Image uploading, has something changed when I wasn't looking?!