"Admiral Ackbar returned a broken man. His amphibian frame wouldn't allow him to die, the antifreeze in his blood coursing through him as he swam interminable miles to the nearest landmass.

"He'd deluded himself for several hours that his terrestrial friends would be able to weather the vagaries of hypothermia. He treaded water for hours, consoling the abject and frightened victims of the shipwreck. He sang them songs and held their hands, he bellowed words of encouragement, but all for naught. Jabba's naturally buoyant frame kept him alive the longest, but eventually he too succumbed to the cold waters. Ackbar cursed the fates who would let his friends die, to let this villainous scum be his last companion.

After the Admiral had acted as steward to all the victims of the wreck and he'd given them what honors he could, he began to swim.

Memories of Chewie joyfully cannonballing into the water filled him with a profound sadness. The Ewoks mewling, pleading "yub yub," as they one by one died. Watching their adorable little paws trying to keep their brethren afloat. Boba Fett's stoic act of heroism, sharing his X-wing with Han and Leia and only twice mentioning the bounty on his head. In a disaster where Ackbar could have seen the worst in everyone, he only saw their best. Even Jabba had allowed Salacious Crumb to float on his massive belly, until a piece of debris struck the Hutt and he rolled over, sending Crumb into the depths.

Ackbar tortured himself with every agile movement through the waves til at least he made landfall. He collapsed and was found a day later. It was weeks before he recounted his story; he only did so once, trusting the holorecorder would be accessed by all concerned parties. He knew posterity demanded that of him, but subsequent to that, he could not be convinced to repeat his tale. His sad, sad tale.

Admiral Ackbar never again commanded a Mon Calamari cruiser. Wracked with guilt, he moved into the town's lighthouse, and never ventured forth except on dark, foggy nights."

Congratulations, Jim. You bastard.

(What the hell is the past tense of "tread" in the phrase "treading water"?)