PaulC

L-l-l-l-ook for B-b-bennie? Not with that th-th-thing out there! I'm staying here in this nice cosy galley with all these... d-d-dead lobsters and this psy-psy-psy-psychotic chef. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! *wacko* *runs off into the night, possibly in the direction of the toilet in crew cabin no. 1*

That's ok Brainbox. I thought your micro-transformers were awesome and I was thinking of posting a link to them here anyway. :-D And talking of shameless plugs, I haven't had time to work on Megatron yet because I've been building a Hoth Rebel Base. X-D

Thanks for your comments, all.

Sorry Captain, I just have to interrupt you for moment to clarify something Otto said. Run that past me again: The lobsters are what??!!Two years Old????!!!!!! Let's get this straight, you were going to feed us lobsters which were raw and two years old and filled with lead from your Luger? What kind of chef are you??????!!!!!! I think it's my turn to be ill. :-X Pass the sick bucket. We now return you to the interrogation of Stowaway Stan in progress... we think we have a what???!!!!

Part 2: Interior - Old Skool Style! Extending out from the back of my modified 7666 is the Echo Base hanger space. Before you all point out that the old Falcon and X-Wings will never make it through the door, it can be seen in both the movie and the Trilogy Locations book that there are some much larger back doors for the giant Rebel transports ships etc. :-D Chewie works on the Falcon. This is my heavily modded Falcon which has a belly gun and a proper tunnel to the cockpit all using just the parts in the original set. I should post some more detailed pics sometime. An R2 unit is hoisted aboard an X-Wing. Judging by the wing markings this X-Wing is Gold 2. Luke says goodbye to R2-D2 before boarding his speeder. I've divided the pilots into squadrons based on the colour of their helmet markings. Here you can see some Gold Squadron pilots heading for their X-Wings and some veteran Red Squadron pilots getting ready to board their speeders. "Oh my, we're all doomed!" C-3PO, Han and Leia wait tensely to see if any of the Rebel Transports can break the Imperial blockade. Note K-3PO in his recharging cubby hole. I really need a Hoth Han and Hoth Leia to complete this scene, but I don't really want to pay

You see your socks in public? 8-

This is no time to be thinking of socks Chief! You heard the Captain, we ought to get to the Kitchen!

I have to admit I was sceptical at first, but now I've got 7666 Hoth Rebel Base I've grown to love it. It's not perfect (and it could really do with some Tauntauns) but it has many possibilities. You don't need too many extra bricks to make a really neat diorama. I've taken a LOT of photographs of my mods so I'm going to post up a few at a time. I'd love it if in between my posts other people would post their comments, and any pics of their own Hoth dioramas, especially if they use all or part of 7666. Part 1: Exterior The Rebels man their trenches waiting for the Imperial attack. The door is exactly the same as in the original set, but I used four 1x2 tiles to plug the anoying gaps! I modified the 7666 gun turret to get rid of the useless missiles and built a second one to go with it. The radar dish here is the one from the 4500 Snowspeeder set. Note the commander sitting up in the observation post, giving him the best view of the battlefield. A Snowspeeder getting ready to go out to defend the base.

Heh. Hi guys. Sorry I like ran out on you all. I've calmed down a bit now. I found this ladder. Will that help to get Mr Stowaway Person down from there?

Wow, the fog has cleared a little and I can see that quite close to where I've been cowering here on the deck all night everyone has gathered round a rusty old cargo container. I'm sorry, did I say cowering? I meant resting, yes resting that's right. Captain! Chief! You're both ok! I was so scared last night I thought you were both goners. What are you saying? Stinky is actually dead? Butchered with a fish knife, and I say this for the benefit of our bewildered readers, found to have a mysterious piece of paper on his person with the number 441 written on it? Waaaaaaaa! *runs off again*

Myself and Mr. Doohan are taking shifts working on the engine, but I can't last an entire shift without a ciggie. So even though it's my shift, I've decided to sneak up on deck for a cigarette break. Whup? What's this? I've just tripped over something in the fog! Something big! I'll just light a match to see what it is. It's the Captain, and he's out cold! Eeeek! *Runs headlong into the fog* Uoop? I've tripped over something else. It's Mr. Doohan, and he's out cold too! There are bodies everywhere! It's like the set of a horror movie! Waaaaaaaa! *Runs off and disappears into the fog*

Hmmm, strange. Whenever I smell something fishy, the Chef turns up! :-D

Alright! *Bennie, Stinky and Jack are rooting around in the dining room. Already several chairs have been reduced to matchwood and piled up ready for their campfire. Now they are investigating all the cupboards, closets, nooks and crannies in the room. Who knows what they might find...* *Sniff sniff* Does anyone smell something fishy in here?

It probably still feels summery to you, Mr. North Atlantic Fisherman, but an icy deck means cold to us!I'm still worried about our situation. I'd go and search for the log book myself, but that's not really any of my business on this ship. I'm just a simple mechanic and leave that kind of stuff up to officers like Mr. Doohan and the Captain. I'm a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. Who's going to help me raid the dining room for stuff to burn!!? X-D

Sounds good! That will keep us warm too. We still need something to burn for our campfire though. Two decks? Ok, you play on the cargo deck, and I'll play on the engine deck! :-D Sorry, couldn't resist!

*Sneaks back from his cigarette break just in time to hear the Captain's last comments.* Sorry Cap'n. I was just trying to find something for us to burn in order to keep warm. Do you have any suggestions? X-D

That's a shame Chief as I've just come up with an idea to keep us warm, and I needed a bucket. Ah, this nice red fire bucket will do instead.*Plants the diary in the sand inside the bucket, strikes a match and holds it to the diary. Another small explosion.* Whooops! No worries Chief, I can get along fine without my eyebrows. I'll try and find something else to burn, and you can sneak up and look at that log. I'm starting to get really creeped out around here, and it's not just down to the thought of raw lobster for supper! *Waits till Mr. Doohan has gone on his way, then sneaks up on to the main deck for a cigarette. The wind gently blows between the containers, making the metal vibrate with a low moaning sound. Nothing can be seen through the dense fog. Spooky! Jack decides this is going to be a very quick cigarette.* Ah, it makes much more sense for me to have a cigarette up here, away from any flammable material. *Strikes a match...*

Raw lobster for supper? Gee, has nobody round here heard of a gas burning stove?*Sits down for a break to examine the Captain's 5 year diary that he found. All the pages are oil stained and stuck together. He gently peels apart the first two pages, and can just make out the following:* "August 15th 2001: I've decided to keep a diary of my heroic and dashing exploits. Umm. Can't think of anything today, I'll write some more tomorrow." "September 1st 2006: Well I meant to keep a diary, but I forgot for the last five years. This thing is useless. I think I'll go and throw it in the engine or something. The End." Well that was about as much good a chocolate teapot. Hey Chief, didn't you mention something about checking the Ship's log? Has anybody been to check it yet? Let me know. I'll just be here putting this engine back together. It's smells a little fishy to me, because I can't find anything wrong with it. Or is it just your bucket I can smell Chief? Chief?

*Clanga bang klong klang whack thump thump thump thump ping! Jim and Jack are hard at work (for once!) and engine parts are neatly arrayed over the whole deck as the two of them disassemble the engine in the hope of finding the source of the mysterious breakdown. Both men prefer not to even think of the rumoured "creature", their only thoughts being on repairing the engine as quickly as possible and getting the hell out of here!* I think I've found something. I don't think it's what caused the engine to stop, but it was wedged pretty tight in the tappets. Or are those the grubnuts. Nevermind. *Jack takes a closer look at the object he has found. It's a small leather bound oil stained notebook, on the cover of which he can just make out the letters that spell the words "Captain Maxwell P.J. Shickelgruber MacLeod: 5 year diary"* Oooooooh! X-O

*Small explosion. Jack reappears, slightly singed.*No worries chief, I was just recalibrating the wotsit on the doohickey... or something. Engine not working is it? Try whacking the thinguma-flange casing with your minor adjustment stick - I mean hammer. *notices for the first time the Captain passed out on the floor* Ummm... shouldn't we wake him up or something?

Sure!*Starts forward and then doubles up as if in pain.* Ooooh, ahhhh... I think I may have pulled a muscle there chief. You go on ahead and I'll catch you up. *Waits until Doohan's back is turned and then ducks behind some pipework and lights up a cigarette.* Mmmmmmmmm... man, I needed that.

*still groggy but thinking on his feet, Jack sneakily pulls the hammer from his own tool belt, concealing it behind his back*Waitaminute chief, what's that lump on under your hat? *Grabs Mr. Doohan's hat so that he is momentarily distracted, whilst the hammer falls on the deck at their feet with a clang.* There it is, it was under your hat all along. What would you do without me chief? *Grins. Tries to turn on the charm. Fails miserably.*

*A particularly large wave causes the ship to roll, and a small unobtrusive locker in the corner of the engine room bursts open and out tumbles the ship's mechanic Jack Tupp, looking like he's been sleeping off a very heavy bender* ...uhhh what day is it?

At last, another Brickster Mystery! I'd always wanted to take part, but I missed the previous ones. Can I join this one please?

Wow, thanks that's a lovely sentiment, but you can't fool us Mr. Hinckley. You really voted for me to bump Sinner down to 5th place! ;-) :-DAnd not a moment too soon in my opinion. Overated am I? Take that, you Walrus you! (dammit, there appears to be no smiley to illustrate that I've just fallen of my chair laughing X-D )