1. In DE2 Han, discovers a lost race that has been cut off from the outside galaxy for millennia. After flying through an interstellar gas cloud he encounters a Ganathan Battleship. The Ganath are describe in the text as using 'Antique Era' low-tech, slow speed space travel. They even use what appear to be bolt action rifle, with an iron sight. Now the strange part is that the vessel look like and old pre-WWI pre-dreadnaught battleship. Not only that but the vessel is described as being steam-powered! It even has, smoke-stacks, a rudder, riveted armor, and propellers!
Sure we could chalk this alien technology merely looking like archaic earth technology. My answer is that, the Ganathan's manage to salvage what little was left of Brand's or some of the other vessel lost in the cloud. They then mounted repulsorlift systems on their surface naval vessels, which they modified to be space-worthy.
2. About that gas cloud. It must be inside the Nal Hutta system because the Falcon flees Nar Shadda with two fighters in tow straffing it; then moments latter there at the edge of the gas cloud. At which point the Falcon is said to have only 10 minutes of reserve power remaining. Now, we can see the cloud from the debris field in orbit around Nar Shadda, in fact if covers the entire horizon.
My solution is that Solo performed a micro-jump after breaking orbit, but was then forced back into real space near the cloud because of the damage to the Falcon. And the Edge of the cloud borders on the outskirts of the Hut System. As a side not the cloud can extend very far, because Solo say he has 10 minutes of power before entering it, by reaches the other side before running out of power.
3. Han states that interstellar gas clouds can contain high radiation or life forms that can eat through the hull of a starship in minutes.
Hmmm... what kind of live would that be? Perhaps similar to the 'Space Grazers' from Tales of the Jedi.
So what do you guys think?
