Without the efforts of the astromech droid known as R2-D2, Princess Leia's efforts to stop the Empire would have ended in failure over the desert world of Tatooine. However, Atroo, following direct orders from the Princess, commandeered and escape pod and blasted away from the captured Tantive IV, taking with him C-3PO and the plans to the Death Star. Imperial gunners assumed that the launch was due to a system malfuntion and decided not to destroy the pod.
    Only Leia's orders allowed Artoo access to the pod, since Imperial law reguires giving organics first priority access to escape equipment in the event of a deep-space disaster, while droids are usually left aboard ship.
    Escape pods are standard aboard all deep-space starships. The Tantive IV carried eight six-being escape pods, all very simple in construction. Explosive separator charges eject such pods away from the ship, and the escape pod's distress beacon is automatically upon launch, although Artoo deactivated the distress beacon just before touchdown on Tatooine in order to throw off Imperial pursuit.
    While there are probably as many different types of escape pods as there are starships, they all share a few characteristics. The interior of an escape pod is spartan: passengers are expected to use the pod only for a few hours. Some pods seat as few as two people, while larger pods can carry over a dozen beings. Padded gee-couches protect occupants from injury. A simple piloting station provides access to the sensor, communication, and flight control systems, although the shipboard systems are heavily automated so the escape pod can land without a pilot at the controls. Sensors provide atmosphere as well as radiation and gravitational information about nearby planets, and a limited comm transceiver scans for activity on standard communication frequencys.
    The interior compartments carry up to two weeks of rations, including food, water, survival shelters, medpacs, breath masks, glow rods, and comlinks. Sometimes an escape pod's emergency supplies include a civilian hunting blaster. In emergencies, survivors can use the escape pod as a shelter while seeking more adequate protection.
    Escape pods have simple drive systems with just enough fuel to orient the pod toward the nearest habitable planet and assist in emergency braking during landing. In some pods, parachutes, maneuvering jets, flotation devices, or repulsorlift drive units slow planetary descent and cushion landing.