The distance from our solar system to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star, is 4 light-years. Without a hyperdrive, 5 years would probably be the absolute minimum travel time to get there. The distance from the sun to the edge of the system is only about 1/1000 of a light-year, so it wouldn't have much effect on inter-system travel where in the system they were . . .

Dang it. Why does Empire have this ginormously gaping plot hole? They never mention backup hyperdrives; it's only because I've read Zahn's books that the idea of a ship having one even occurred to me at all. Oh well.

Actually, now that I think of it, I'm fairly certain Zahn's having Talon Karrde reference a backup hyperdrive in Dark Force Rising was a subtle suggestion (in part) about how the Falcon could have managed to trip to Bespin. Karrde says his damaged ship had to "limp back to civilisation on the backup hyperdrive" and I suppose the Falcon could have done the same.

Wasn't this thread supposed to be about the Emperor scene? lol