Title:  Revenge of the Jedi

Author:  Jonathan Evans

Author email:  noggins@btinternet.com

Summary: What would have happened if the battle on Bespin had ended 
differently? What if Vader's revelation was not what everyone knew? 
What if Luke's life ended on Cloud City?

Disclaimer:  George Lucas owns everything and I'm not making any
money off of thi nor do I intend to (I'd like to but that's not the 
point).  You can distribute this freely provided that it's complete with this disclaimer.

		EPILOGUE
		THE EMPIRE STRIKES

Luke moved along the railing and up towards the control room.  Vader 
lunged against him but Luke blocked it with his lightsaber.  Sparks
flew all around them as Vader forced Luke backwards toward the 
gantry. The Dark Lord spoke with his mechanical voice.
"You are beaten.  It is useless to resist.  Don't let yourself be
destroyed as Obi-Wan did."

Luke answered by rolling sideways and thrusting his sword at Vader so
viciously that he struck the Sith on the shoulder.  The black armour
sparked and smoked and despite seeming injured, Vader recovered from
this assult.

By this time Luke had backed along the narrow edge of the gantry as
Vader came closer to him, slashing at the young Jedi with his sword.
Luke quickly span around the instrument complex attached to the 
gantry but soon a slash of Vader's saber caused it to come in two and 
fall.

Luke felt a sudden pain as the saber that had just so easily cut
through durasteel now rendered him without his hand.  He pushed
his stump under his left armpit and moved along the gantry to the
extreme end.  Vader moved closer until Luke could no longer excape
any further.

"There is no escape," the Sith stated.  "Don't make me destroy you
Luke. You do not yet realise your importance. Join me and I will
complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this
destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."

Luke screamed back at him.  "I will never join you!"
Vader stood emtionless, lightsaber still in hand.
"If only you knew the power of the dark side.  Obi-Wan never
told you what happened to your father."
Luke tried to block the words from his head but could not. He
felt great anger aimed at the Dark Lord.
"He told me enough! He told me you killed him!"

Vader turned his lightsaber off.  He would have smiled if not
for the mask covering his mouth tightly.
"But he did not tell you *how* I killed him.  Surprising since
he was there watching at all happen."

Luke felt the tears in his eyes.  This was too much.  He would 
have rathered it if Vader had revealed that he was his father.  
But things  were not that simple.

Vader continued.  "I duelled with Kenobi on Aeten II as Skywalker
came down on his pathetic ship.  I almost had my old master into 
the molten material.  It would have destroyed him.  He was so 
weak.  But your pathetic father stopped me.  Our lightsabers 
clashed with great ferocity. I almost admired his anger."

Luke noticed the pain in his hand disappearing as his own anger 
increased with Vader's tale.  He looked down the massive, almost 
bottomless pit and wished he could end it all by dropping down 
it.  The sound of the Dark Lord's voice brought him back to his 
senses.

"The admiration soon disappeared as he began to calm.  He used the 
Force to propell me closer to the edge which I had almost pushed
Kenobi down.  The dark side, however, is so much stronger.  I
lifted him in the air and soon he was dangling on the cliff face
calling to Obi-Wan for help."

Surely Ben would have helped him!  Luke's grip weakened on the 
gantry as if to test himself.  Would he intentionaly drop to
his ineviatable death?

"But Kenobi was afraid.  I sensed the fear on him.  He could not
help your father.  He was frozen. It was his weakness.  He had not
been trained well enough.  He could never teach anyone like the
Emperor... my Emperor," Vader stopped and ignited his saber as
if for effect.  "He watched as I crushed your father's throat.  He
tried to stop but soon his hands were weakening.  My weapon quickly
cut through one hand..." he swished the weapon in his hand. "Then 
the other.  I saw him fall into the pit and as his skin melted away
his skull screamed in pain before it too disappeared into nothing."

Luke's eyes opened wide. "No. No. That's not true! That's impossible."
Vader held his arm out. "Search your feelings. You know it to be
true."
Luke lurched out at Vader.  Without his weapon he was sure the Force
would guide him to victory. As the Sith Lord's lightsaber skewered
him he was still sure that this wasn't true. The lights went out
and Vader looked down on the pathetic body of the boy.

"One Skywalker, or two, I will destroy your lineage."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Many parsecs away on Dagobah a concerned Obi-Wan Kenobi turned
to Yoda. "He is lost to us," he frowned.
"But there is another..." Yoda said without confidence.

		CHAPTER ONE
		INFILTRATION

The massive durasteel doorway that covered the entrance to the 
Tatooine palace of Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure was designed 
to keep unwanted visitors out and those who were working for him 
locked in where they could not betray him. It had been a long time 
since anyone had dared break into his almost sacred chamber but, it 
seemed, today was a good day to try.

A blast rendered the robotic eye guarding the entrance off and the 
door slid open. A figure decked on armour and carrying a long range 
hunting blaster entered. At its side was a smaller pistol, still 
smoking from the shot that had just rendered the most advanced 
security system useless.

Before the figure could step any further two Gamorreans quickly 
blocked its entrance. They snorted loudly and snot dribbled from 
their green snouts. The creature had no time for the unintelligent 
banter and tried to walk on. They pointed vibro-blades at its chest 
and called out even louder.

Without a warning the first Gamorrean received a blow to the head 
from the and of the rifle. The second realised what was happening
and tried to call out for help but ended up with its head smashed 
against the stone wall by a large furry hand. Once both were out 
cold, the armoured creature and its Wookie companion continued to 
walk towards the throneroom, the heart of Jabba's Palace.

The room was ablaze with action. Exotic alien dancers were moving 
their bodies to the rhythm of the music that the in-house band was 
playing while Jabba and his minions watched and ogled their bodies of 
varying shapes and sizes. No one noticed the two new creatures enter. 
The one in armour called out and the music stopped. Jabba eyed the 
two up while the golden protocol droid standing next to him stood 
nervously.

Bib Fortuna, Jabba's Twi'Lek aide took his place next to his 
disgusting master, and whispered into his ear, pointing at the bounty 
hunter and the Wookie, now wearing binders. Jabba listened intently, 
then the bounty hunter bowed before the gangster and finally spoke a 
greeting in a strange, electronically processed tongue Jabba 
recognised as  Ubese.

"Zeebus, Zorbo" it said.
Jabba smiled, a smile that appeared as a large crack covering his 
mucus covered face. At last he had the mighty Chewbacca to add to his 
collection of insubordinate smugglers. The droid next to him 
translated all that he said as he offered twenty five thousand 
credits for this ultimate prize.

The events that happened next occured so fast no one barely 
remembered what was going on. The bounty hunter pulled out a thermal 
detonator and everyone dived for cover. Finally, after some coaxing, 
Jabba the Hutt agreed to the much higher bounty that was being 
offered on the Wookie, the infamous Chewbacca and welcomed the hunter 
into his midst.

Chewbacca growled as he was taken away by a series of Weequay guards. 
The hunter looked at him as he was dragged away from sight, down a 
long corridor hidden by grimy curtains that probably hadn't been 
cleaned in over a hundred years.

The raucous crowd of monsters erupted in a symphony of cheers and 
applause as the party returns to its full noisy pitch. The band   
started up again and dancing girls took the center of the floor, to 
the hoots of the loudly appreciative creatures.

The bounty hunter leaned against a column with gunfighter cool and 
surveyed the scene, its gaze stopping only when it connects with a 
glare from across the room. Boba Fett, the most famous hunter in the 
galaxy, watched the new arrival carefully, suspisciously. The 
armoured figure shifted slightly, cradling its weapon closer. Boba 
Fett shifted with equally ominous arrogance.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Soon the party was over. Only several comatose aliens lay around the 
throne room, snoring loudly from the effects of the alcohol they had 
taken in during the night and probably most of the day too. They were 
true drink warlords.

A shadowy figure moved stealthily among the columns at the perimeter 
of the room. It picked its way carefully through the creatures and 
debris to finally reach its destination - a large slab of frozen 
carbonite, carefully balanced against the wall. A human face showing 
extreme pain seemed to pop out of it but it too was trapped in the 
ice cold block.

The bounty hunter activated a series of switches and, after one last, 
hesitant look at the human inside, slid the decarbonization lever. 
The case began to emit a sound as the hard shell covering the 
contours of the human's face began to melt away. The bounty hunter
watched as the body was freed of its metallic coat and his forearms 
and hands, previously raised in reflexive protest, dropped slackly to 
his side. His face muscles relax from their mask of horror.

He fell to the floor but the bounty hunter caught him. He seemed dead 
but after a close inspection it appeared he was breathing if only 
lightly. He suddenly fell into a fit of coughing but was comforted by 
his new found companion.
"Just relax," he was told. "You're free of the carbonite."
Han Solo, infamous smuggler and all round scoundrel was almost in a 
newborn state. His face was filled with fear of a world he didn't 
seem to recognise.

"Shhh... You have hibernation sickness. You may not be able to see 
but your eyesight will return in time."
Han touched his face then waved his hands in front of his eyes but to 
no avail. He frowned. A smell wafted into his nostrils. Damp and 
stale yet oddly familiar. He recognised this place.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"Jabba's Palace."
Han couldn't believe his luck. When he had been frozen he honestly 
believed he'd see the galaxy again but here it was, even if it was a 
big dark blur. Who would have risked coming here to rescue him?
"Who are you?"

The bounty hunter reached up and lifted the helmet from its head, 
revealing the beautiful face of Princess Leia Organa.
"Someone who loves you," she replied.
"Leia!"
She helped Han to his feet carefully.
"We've gotta get you outta here!"

As Leia helped her weakened lover to stand up, the relative quiet was 
pierced by an obscene Huttese cackle from the other side of the 
alcove. It was a cackle that Han remembered all too well and wished 
he didn't. The curtain on the far side of the alcove opened, 
revealing Jabba the Hutt, surrounded by Bib Fortuna and other aliens. 
He laughed again, and his gross cronies joined in a cacophony of 
alien glee.

Han tried desperately to make his escuses to the old crime lord but 
nothing seemed to work.
"It's too late for that, Solo." Jabba laughed. "You may have been a 
good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder."
He was dragged away by a series of alien guards while Leia was shoved 
before Jabba. She cringed as he mocked her defiance and soon she too 
was dragged away. While she was been manhandled away she looked at 
the bounty hunter who would have been her adopted persona's rival. 
Boba Fett just stared back but Leia saw something in his eyes that 
seemed strangely familiar but she couldn't work out how.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The two Weequay pushed Leia into a small, filth-ridden cell and 
forcebly ripped the armour she was wearing from her body, leaving her 
naked and alone standing in the middle of the room. They threw a 
skimpy dancers outfit made from cheap metals to the ground. As she 
scrambled to pick them up one of the aliens zapped her with an 
electropole. She fell to the floor with the shock and it took her 
several seconds to recover.

The leathery skinned duo laughed as Leia struggled to fit the far to 
small bikini on, discussing in a strange language what they thought 
of human females. Once the dressing was complete they walked out and 
locked the cell door.

The beautiful princess fell to her hands and knees and began to week 
tears of both anger and sorrow. Things would have been so different 
if Luke had been alive. If he hadn't been so foolish and tried to 
take on Vader. It was an impossible task. The Sith Lord was pure evil 
and there was no way a mere Jedi apprentice could have beaten him. 
She cursed Luke under her breath but quickly retracted her words as 
she realised he had done all he could to help her.

Leia pulled herself to her feet and punched the wall with all her 
might but it only resulted in several broken knuckles. She rested her 
head on the cold stone and cringed due to the physical and emotional 
pain.

Suddenly, there was a loud blast followed by another. The princess 
turned to see the cell door being opened and the helmeted face of 
Boba Fett standing in the way to freedom.
"Come with me..." he said.
"Why?"
"Because you're needed to save the galaxy."
"What...?"
"Just follow me!" he continued, this time more agitated.

Leia obeyed. This was the only way out and she had to take it. Once 
they were in the cell hallway, Fett pulled at her arm to get her to 
come with him towards the throneroom.
"Han! We have to rescue Han!"
"There's no time for that," Fett replied.
"There has to be. Why rescue me and not him?"
"His irrelevant to our cause. He's served his purpose."
"Not in my life he hasn't" Leia retorted. "He's coming or I'm not."

The bounty hunter admitted defeat. He nodded silently and they made 
their way down to another cell where a pitiful growling was coming 
from. Leia pointed to the door and Fett blasted it open. Chewbacca 
emerged, helping Han, still weak from his time in carbonite, to walk.
There was a sad, disbelieving expression on his face.
"Luke..." he said. "Is it - is it true about Luke?"
Leia nodded but realised Han could not see this in his blindness. She 
realised she'd have to say the words for the first time.
"Yes," she replied, her voice croaky from the difficulty to get the 
words out. "Vader killed him on Bespin."
Both Leia and Fett noticed a tear emerging from Han's eye but he 
wiped it away in the hopes that no one had seen it.
"Let's go," he said with a slight sniff.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

As the group got to the throneroom they noticed not much had changed 
since the aftermath of the party. Many aliens who had missed the 
capture of Leia were still asleep on the floor and even Jabba himself 
was now unable to wake up from his position on his throne.

As Fett sneaked past the Hutt's tail carefully, he heard a voice that 
appeared to come from nowhere.
"Oh, excuse me sir," See-Threepio said apologetically as he came from 
the shadows. "But where are you going? Master Jabba insisted that no 
one left the palace until the morning." His eyes soon caught Han, L
Leia and  Chewie and his tone suddenly changed. "Oh! Mistress Leia! I 
did hope it was you. Although it is not in my right to say this since 
I am still the property of his Exhaltedness Jabba the Hutt but I do 
hope you will take me with you..."

Leia smiled. "Of course, Threepio. Now quiet."
"Oh!"
With another member of their entourage, the escapees stepped closer 
to the exit. Han accidentally staggered over the snoozing body of a 
drunk Jawa but it didn't seem to notice. The smuggler breathed a sigh 
of relief and continued, this time with a little more help from 
Chewbacca.

They finally made their way to the doorway out into the entrance 
passage when a short stubby droid stopped them.
"Artoo Detoo," Threepio exclaimed. "You're joining us too thank the 
Maker!"
Artoo gave several quiet chirps.
"What do you mean, 'go back into the palace'. Are your logic circuits
damaged?"
The little droid bleeped again and his counterpart translated.
"No, I do not belong to Jabba the Hutt. I am the property of Princess 
Leia Organa. I don't know what gibberish you are spouting but it is 
most definately not true."

"His memory has been erased," Fett informed the others. For the first 
time Han recognised the voice of their new 'friend' but said nothing. 
They seemed to be in enough trouble as it was. And he was right. An 
arm came from Artoo's inner workings, holding a blaster.
"I refuse to believe any of this rubbish. Now just come with us 
and..."
A laser blast suddenly shot out, hitting Threepio in the head, 
destroying his memory and personality unit. The lifeless droid body
fell to the floor with a loud clang as Artoo began to give out a loud 
alarm-like sound. The group looked around worriedly as a creature 
covered in armour similar to that of Jabba's guards appeared behind

them with a blaster rifle in hand.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Han frowned.

		CHAPTER TWO
		ESCAPE

Han he turned to face their captor. He went to grab his blaster 
pistol but found it was missing. His memory was still slowly coming 
back but he vaguely remembered it being conviscated by Darth Vader 
back on Bespin when that scum Calrissian betrayed them. He cringed at 
the thought.

Leia looked down at Threepio's body, damaged beyond repair from the 
blast he received from Artoo Detoo's new arsenal. She slowly turned 
around to see who was behind them, her hand ready, willing and able 
to draw the weapon at her side. Before she could Fett aimed his rifle 
at their captor's head.
"You didn't see us."
"Y'see, I was kinda hoping I did," was the reply as the visor of the 
helmet was pulled up to reveal the face of Lando Calrissian. "I was 
beginnin' to worry that you were gonna leave without me."
"Lando!" Leia exclaimed and ran to hug their friend who had spent the 
last month in the Palace trying to earn the respect of Jabba and his 
minion's under the guise of a newly recruited guard.

Before the princess could grab hold of him a blast came out. She 
jumped away in shock only to notice it hit Artoo through his chrome 
top rendering him as lifeless as his counterpart. Chewie growled at 
Lando.
"He was about to fire on Leia..." Lando informed them. "It was the 
only thing I could do."
They all turned to each other and nodded in agreement. So much had 
happened since Cloud City. They had all changed, affected by the loss 
of loved ones, some without any hope of bringing back. Drastic times 
called for drastic measures no matter how traumatic they were.

Before anyone could say anything, an alarm called out. Many of the 
drunken aliens stirred, while Jabba opened his eyes instantly. He 
noticed the small group located near the entrance.
"Guards! Guards!" he called out in Huttese. Before anyone could 
respond to his pleas, Boba Fett fired his rifle at a large 
outcropping of rock located above Jabba. At first nothing seemed to 
happen. The old Hutt saw who had taken the shot and called out to 
him. "Fett! You betray me!"
"I don't betray, Jabba," he smirked. "I respond to my treatment. 
That's for not paying me..."

Just as Jabba was about to reply, a massive rock cracked and fell 
from the wall, plummeting the short distance before crushing the 
crime lord under its weight, sending his slimy brown and green 
innards in all directions. There was silence. Lando turned to Leia.
"I think its time we made an exit..."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

A ferocious sandstorm blocked their view as they made their way to 
the docking area on the edge of the Dune Sea. Leia, Fett, Han, Lando 
and Chewie emerged slowly from the veil of sand, pressing on against 
the wind.

"I don't know," frowned Han. "All I can see is a lot of blowing 
sand!"
"That's all any of us can see," Leia replied.
"Then I guess I'm getting better."
As soon as the group huddled under the bulk of the Falcon, the wind 
died down to something more describable as a severe weather 
condition. Chewbacca hit a switch, and the gang-plank lowered with a 
hum. Before they entered Han turned to Leia.
"I can't believe what happened to Luke. I'm out of it for a while and 
everything seems to go wrong."
"I'm sure he's in a better place... No. I know he is. Anywhere can be 
better than this."
"I'm inclined to believe you," Han responded.

Han turned to Fett and Lando, looking at them somewhat dubiously, 
obviously remembering his friend's betrayal and his enemies rivalry 
but also their subsequent aide.
"Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando," he said with a slight 
smile. After a pause. "You too, I guess, Fett. But that don't mean I 
trust you"
"I don't intend you to."
Lando grimaced as he noticed another serious storm heading towards 
them. "Come on, let's get off this miserable dust ball."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Many parsecs away a Super Star Destroyer and several ships of the 
Imperial Fleet rested in space above the half-completed Death Star 
and its green neighbor, Endor. Four squads of TIE fighters escorted 
an Imperial shuttle toward the Death Star.

Inside the massive structure, thousands of Imperial troops in tight 
formation filled the mammoth docking bay. Darth Vader and an officer 
walked to the landing platform, where the shuttle came to rest. The 
shuttle's ramp lowered and the Emperor's Royal Guards come out and 
create a lethal perimeter. The assembled troops moved to rigid 
attention with a momentous snap.

Emperor Palpatine, a rather small, shriveled old man emerged from the 
shuttle. His bent frame slowly made its way down the ramp with the 
aid of a gnarled cane. His face was shrouded and difficult to see, 
except for his piercing yellow eyes. Commander Jerjerrod and Darth 
Vader kneeled before him, the Supreme Ruler of the galaxy.

"I am disappointed in you, my apprentice," he spoke through a cracked 
voice. "Skywalker would have been of much use to us yet you defied my 
orders and destroyed him."
"I am sorry, my master," the Sith Lord pleaded. "You could not be 
turned. He was..."
"He was weak! He had not been trained. You cut him down knowing he 
could not fight back." Palpatine signalled for Vader to stand and he 
obeyed. The old man continued. "Again you let your past haunt you. 
Anakin Skywalker is dead. You saw to that. Surely it would have been 
the greatest victory of all to corrupt his only son to the ways of 
the Dark Side."

They began towards the metal doors and out of the docking bay.
"I am sorry, my master."
"Anakin was a threat to us but his son was not."
"There is one more hope," Vader interrupted as politely as he could. 
He knew the emperor was more powerful than him and did not want to 
incur his wrath. Palpatine turned with a smile on his face.
"And what is that, my apprentice?"
"The sister. She still does not have the knowledge of her true 
inhetitence."
"Yes, yes. You spoke of her many years ago but I thought it 
irrelevant since she did not have the power," the elder dark lord
grinned. "But now we have a use for her. Your knowledge of the ways 
of the Jedi has helped you."
"I thought I knew all I could but Kenobi made me understand so much 
more. If only he know that his knowledge would result in so much 
turmoil..."
"Yes..." Palpatine hissed. "How little he knew..."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The vast Rebel Fleet stretched as far as the eye could see. Overhead 
a dozen small Corellian battleships flew in formation while fighters 
and battlecruisers surrounded the largest of the Rebel Star Cruisers, 
the Headquarters Frigate where the future of the galaxy was being 
discussed.

Hundreds of Rebel commanders of all races and forms were assembled in 
the war room. In the center of the room was a holographic model 
depicting the half-completed Imperial Death Star, the nearby Moon of 
Endor, and the protecting deflector shield. The projector flickered a 
few times as it increased in size so all could see it clearly.

Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, entered the room followed by 
the human General Madine and Mon Calamari Admiral Ackbar. Lando moved 
through the crowd until he finds Han and Chewie, standing next to 
Leia and Boba Fett. Han looked at the insignia on Lando's chest and 
smirked.
"Well, look at you, a general, huh?"
"Someone must have told them about my maneaveour at the Battle of 
Tanaab," he replied. "And from the way things look we're going to 
need as many leaders as possible..."
"...To make up for the loss of one..." Leia finished his sentence.
"Yeah," Lando frowned. "That's the reason exactly."

Mothma coughed and hush filled the room. "The Emperor has made a 
critical error and the time for our attack has come," she said in a 
stern voice. Many of the ihabitants talked among themselves, some 
refusing to believe what had been said. Ignoring them, the woman 
turned to the image of the Death Star in the centre of the room.

"The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the exact 
location of the Emperor's new battle station," she began. "We also 
know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet 
operational. With the Imperial Fleet spread throughout the galaxy in 
a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most 
important of all, we've learned that the Emperor himself is 
personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this 
Death Star."

"It doesn't seem like you've considered the most important thing of 
all," Boba Fett interrupted. This caused a stir in the room as 
everyone turned their attention to this bounty hunter interloper,
some eager to hear what he had to say, others distrustful of his 
words. He turned to Mothma for approval to continue. She nodded.

"Both the Emperor and Vader are powerful users of the Dark Side. 
Whatever technology you have, they no match compared to such evil 
powers."
Several Sullustans near the front began to shout out at him. He was 
unsure what they were saying but it was obvious from the expressions 
on their faces it wasn't in agreement with him. He should have 
guessed that no one would have any time for what he had to say.

"What do bounty hunters know of the Force?" asked a voice near the 
front of the room. Fett turned to see a pilot looking at him with a 
complete lack of trust. He seemed one of those hotshots who think 
that everything is in black and white - good and evil, as if there 
was no mid-point. Fett turned to him with a voice full of calm.
"I know what I have experienced. I have faced both the light and the 
dark. I have faced Vader and barely survived the experience. Believe 
me, I know of the Force and all of its facets. Something you will 
never do..."

The pilot seemed to be squirming in his seat. Fett smiled under his 
mask, something he hadn't done in a long time. He turned back to the 
commanders of the operation. "Continue... if you will."

Admiral Ackbar stood forward holding a stick to point at the 
hologram. "You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest Moon 
of Endor. Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet 
operational, the Death Star does have a strong defense mechanism. It 
is protected by an energy shield, which is generated from the nearby 
forest Moon of Endor. The shield must be deactivated if any attack is 
to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a 
perimeter, while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt 
to knock out the main reactor."

A concerned murmur began around the room. Leia gave Fett an intruiged 
glance. She was slowly beginning warm towards him even after years of 
being enemies. There was something new about him that had been lying 
dormant for as long as she'd known, perhaps as long as she'd been 
around. When she turned her attention back to the Mon Calamari 
admiral she realised that he had sent Lando on the suicide run 
against the Death Star.

General Madine took Ackbar's place by the projector. "We only have 
one chance to take it down. We have a stolen Imperial Shuttle however 
our spies were killed before we could get access to any security 
codes so I guess it may all be a matter of luck."
An enraged shouting began. Han quickly calmed them down.
"Hey! Hey!" he called out. "It's not like you have to go on this. 
Personally I haven't got anything against a last-ditch attempt at 
bringing the Empire down, even if it means I die in the process. The 
Maker only knows that we're losing this war and maybe if there's a 
New Republic we won't have any Jedi to protect it but right now I 
don't care about that. We've lost too much to give up without a 
fight.All I care about is freedom from this oppression, freedom from 
the Emperor and most of all freedom from that nerf herding son of a 
Deveronian Vader!"

The room erupted in shouts once again but this time all that could be 
heard was, "Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" echoing out into the darkness 
of space in the hopes that somewhere the evil would hear and quake 
with fear.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The Millennium Falcon rested beyond the stolen Imperial Shuttle, 
which looked anomalous among all the Rebel ships in the vast docking 
bay. Chewie barked a final farewell to Lando and lead Boba Fett and 
Leia to the shuttle, crowded now with the Rebel strike team loading 
weapons and supplies. Lando turned to face Han.
"Well, I guess this is it, huh?" he said.
"I guess so," Han replied, knowing there was very little else to say. 
He had a feeling he would never see his friend again after such a 
short space of time together again after all these years. He glanced 
over to the Falcon.
"I'll take good care of her you know," Lando reassured him.
"You better or I'll be back with a vengeance," Han responded trying 
to make a joke where he knew there couldn't be one.
"I'll see you around, you old pirate."
"You bet you will."

The two shared salutes and Han entered the Shuttle. The door closed 
behind him. Once he got to the cockpit he noticed Chewie was growling
uncomfortably.
"No. I don't think they had Wookies in mind when they build her." He 
looked out to see Lando preparing to enter the Falcon. "I've got a 
funny feeling I'll never see him again."
Leia smiled sadly, noticing how all that had happened had changed 
Han's priorities so much.

The stolen Imperial shuttle left the main docking bay of the 
Headquarters Frigate, lowered its wings into flight position, and 
zoomed off into space.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Far away in another part of the galaxy, Vader entered the Emperor's 
throneroom. He bowed before his master with humility, knowing full 
well his place in the grand scheme of things but accepting it
completely.
"What is thy bidding, my master?"
Palpatine looked up from his silent meditation. "Send the fleet to 
the far side of Endor. There it will stay until called for."
Vader seemed unsure with this. "What of the reports of the Rebel 
fleet massing near Sullust?" he asked carefully.
"It is of no concern," his master hissed. "Soon the Rebellion will be 
crushed and the daughter of Skywalker will be one of us! Your work 
here is finished, my friend. Go"

The Dark Lord of the Sith, seemingly all powerful, bowed once again 
before the frail old man and turned away. His fear was clear. Even
his robotic hands shook irrationally.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The stolen shuttle emerged from hyperspace near the Imperial fleet. 
Inside, Han and Leia looked at each other carefully as they entered 
sensor range.
"We'll never get passed," the smuggler muttered. "They're far too 
security conscious after Luke finished off their last 
'indestructable' war machine."
"Luke would want us to do this for him," Leia said. "We WILL do 
this."

Suddenly the communications panel shone with hundreds of colours and 
the voice of an Imperial lieutenant was heard. "We have you on our  
screen now. Please identify."
Han gulped. "Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the 
deflector shield."
"Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage."

"I knew it!" Han growled. "We're dead."
"Just try something random," Fett offered. "Blind luck may help."
"I don't believe in luck, Fett," Han retorted. "There's nothing you 
can say that'll make me change that."
"It's better than nothing," Leia offered.
"No way. We're making a run for it. Chewie, lock on front deflectors 
and charge up the engines."
Chewie snarled aggressivly at the Super Star Destroyer in front of 
them as he did as Han ordered.

The Imperial Leiutenant's voice was heard again. "Repeat, transmit 
the clearance code for shield passage. Do you copy Shuttle Tydirium?"
"Yeah, we copy," Han shouted. "Do it!"
Chewie pressed some keys at the front of the shuttle and it burst 
forward towards the forest moon of Endor.

Inside the Star Destroyer the lieutenant noticed Vader watching him 
intently. "Lord Vader, the shuttle is trying to break through the 
deflector shield..."
"Drop it," The Sith ordered.
"But..."
"Drop it," he repeated. "But don't make it seem too easy. Fire a few 
shots. Ensure they miss."
"Yuh - yes sir!"

Three shots blasted out of the Super Star Destroyer which the shuttle 
easily avoided. Suddenly without any warning, the others followed the 
lead of the command ship without receiving any orders. The engine of 
the shuttle burst into flames and one of the air locks opened, 
sucking some of the commando team out into the suffocating region of 
space.

In the cockpit the crew was desperately trying to maintain control.
"Active force fields at the back!" Leia called. "They're dying in 
there!"
"I'm trying!" Han shouted back. "Chewie, can you get us to the 
moon?" Chewie growled a negative response. "Well try!" Han hissed.
The old Wookie messed with the controls as much as he could. He spoke 
to his companion in his own gutteral language. Han repeated it to 
Leia and Fett who didn't understand. "He's got us on auto-pilot. 
Expect a bumpy landing but as long as we're not hit again we're home 
free."

Just as he spoke his last word an explosion exngulfed the control 
panel in front of Chewiw. After several seconds which seemed to 
happen in slow motion, the Wookie's head fell limp onto the computer. 
Han quickly checked his pulse. He hit the arm of his seat in anger. 
He was too late. As he looked up again he saw they were on a 
collision course for a massive forest with trees big enough to pierce 
the window in front of them. He covered his face but it seemed too 
late once more.
"Get down!!!!!" He shouted out before everything blacked out.

		CHAPTER THREE
		REVELATION

Darth Vader entered the Emperor's throne room on the Death Star. He 
bowed in reverence before waiting for his master to finally speak.
"What have you to say, Lord Vader?"
"A small Rebel force has penetrated the shield and landed on Endor,"
informed the armoured Sith. "Skywalker's daughter is with them."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes my master."

Palpatine grinned evily and rubbed his hands together in delight. 
Things were going according to his plan. Soon everything would be in 
his control. Suddenly he sensed something in Vader. His smile became 
a grimace.
"I sense fear in you."
"There is no fear, my master. Just some grave news," he paused. If he 
had been less than the most feared Sith in the galaxy he would have 
gulped. "Several Star Destroyers fired upon the stolen Shuttle as it 
tried to break through to the moon. I am... unsure if there are any 
survivors."

The Emperor nodded silently, contemplating what his apprentice had 
just told him. He looked up with a more neutral expression covering 
his features. "The Rebels are more intelligent than many believe. 
They survived."
"Yes my lord."
"You may go..."
Vader nodded and turned to leave, the red armoured Royal Guards 
moving away as he stormed past them.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Han groaned quietly as he began to stir. He didn't open his eyes at 
first. "Chewie? What the hell is wrong with you? It was a simple 
landing." Then it dawned on him. He turned to see the blood soaked 
body of Chewbacca next to him. His fur matted with the viscous fluid 
that came from the wound caused after death when a tree smashed 
through the viewscreen, piercing him. Han shook the body but it was 
beyond obvious that it was too late. "Leia!"

He turned around but saw that the back half of the shuttle had been 
ripped off, the metal hull, torn to shreds by the descent through the 
atmosphere and the collision with the forest. Han stood up but 
everything began to shake. He looked down through the broken floor to 
see that his section was well and truly lodged in the trees while 
down below he could see the aft part of the shuttle. Pulling a set of 
macrobinoculars from the compartment at the front panel he viewed the 
wreckage more carefully. Some of the commandos had not survived the 
fall and laid crushed to death under the mass of metal.

Solo put the binoculars on his belt and took one last look at his old 
friend before making his way down through the braches, quietly 
cursing himself for his actions.

At the bottom he noticed that some must have escaped the crash. 
Several blasters and explosive charges had been taken. He looked at 
the ground and noticed around ten sets of footprints heading what 
appeared to be north, but Han knew he was never any good at 
directions.

As he reached an opening he heard some voices. Carefully peering 
through the bushes he saw something he wished he hadn't. A group of 
Imperial Stormtroopers in specialist biking armour were crowded 
around the body of what appeared to be a small animal. One of them 
prodded it with a stick. Whatever it was, it was well and truly dead. 
He pulled out his blaster and let of a shot at one of the trooper, 
hitting him in the chest. The other two turned, not sure where it 
came from. The first got a blast to the head while the other got one 
in the ground. It bent over in agony as Han rushed out with a large 
stone. The thud must have echoed for miles around.
"That's for Chewie, you scum!"

Once the trooper fell to the floor, Han looked at the creature. It 
wore a leather tunic and at its side lay a primitive looking spear. 
It dawned on the smuggler that there were more than just dumb animals 
on this moon. These creatures, almost miniture Wookies, were 
intelligent even if they were primitive. There was a hope that Leia 
and the others may have found a village where they would be safe from
the harsh forest. Who knows what could have been lurking here at 
night?

Han touched the animal and suddenly the trees around him erupted in a 
sea of chattering. Around thirty creatures, similar to the dead one 
burst out of the bushes, weapons held high. They pointed them at Han 
who looked amazed. Their faces showed anger. They must have thought 
Han had been the one who killed they little friend.
"This don't look too good," Han muttered to himself as three of them 
dived onto him, knocking him on his back.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

When Han came to he discovered he was upside down, attached to a 
massive log which some of the creatures were carrying him on. Others 
carried firey torches which he didn't think were for light but 
something much more sinister.

The procession moved along a shaky, narrow, wooden walkway, high in 
the giant trees. It stopped at the end of the walkway, which dropped 
off into nothingness. On the other side of the abyss stood a village 
of mud huts and rickety walkways, attached to the giant trees. The 
lead Ewok took hold of a long vine and swang across to the village 
square while the other Ewoks followed suit.

Suddenly all activity stops as Logray, the tribal Medicine Man, came 
out of the big hut. He examined the captive carefully, sniffing him 
and prodding him with a staff. A larger, gray-haired Ewok, Chief 
Chirpa, joined him in his investigations before the two had a 
conversation about what they had caught.

Han was placed on a spit above what looked like a barbecue pit. The 
drums started beating, and all the furry heads turned to the large 
hut. Leia emerged, wearing an animal-skin dress. Boba Fett followed 
with a crown made of leaves. They saw what was happening at the same 
moment as Han noticed them.
"Leia!" he called out. "What's going on?"
"It looks like you're about to be cooked," Fett interjected. Leia 
shot him an angry glance and he fell silent.
"Let me off this thing, will ya? It's hardly gonna be good for my 
reputation if  I'm eaten by a bunch of... things that barely come up 
to my knee!"
"They're called Ewoks," Fett pointed out, almost enjoying what was 
happening. Leia realised that despite joining their group for reasons 
as yet unknown to her, the bounty hunter still held some rivalry 
against Han for their less than enjoyable past.
"I don't give a damn what they're called!" Han called out, getting
angrier as he became more agitated. "Just get me off this thing."

Leia looked the cheif Ewok in the eyes. He seemed to be intriuged by 
her reaction to what they were doing. He spoke to Logray in a 
sympathetic tone but the medicine man just shook his head and uttered 
something incomprehensible. He was inisistent on continuing the 
ritual. Leia looked at Han and shrugged.
"I guess they refuse to listen."
"Make them listen! I wish I could get to my blaster... then I'd show 
'em."
"They're quite harmless really," Fett informed Solo. "You may have 
offended them slightly."
"And since when do you know what they're saying?"
"It's similar to the language of the Uwotti of Werron. I had a job 
once capturing a group that had infiltrated an Imperial research 
facility. While I did it I learnt the language. It makes it easier to 
understand your prey."
"Oh, wonderful. Now how about using that skill of your to get me off 
this thing?"

Two of the Ewoks began to light the wooden blocks under Han. He tried 
to blow out the torch but to no avail. He looked at Fett who just 
stood by watching. Suddenly something changed in the bounty hunter's 
attitude and he spoke aloud in the language the Ewoks understood. 
After what seemed like an eternity they all nodded and doused the 
fire with water, untying the old smuggler upon completing the first 
task.

Han gave Fett a lopsided smile. "I guess I owe some thanks for your 
help even if it took a while arriving. What did ya tell them?"
"Just that you would not make much of a meal, too much gristle," Fett 
replied almost joyously.
"Thanks a lot..." After a slight pause, Han slapped Fett on the back, 
the first physical sign that there was a hope that the bounter hunter 
could be forgiven even if it would take a long time. As he did, Han 
noticed the Wookie scalps hanging from Fett's shoulder. He pulled 
away quickly, rubbing his hand on his trousers as if to clean off 
dirt. He made his excuses and went into a hut where the other 
survivors of the crash were planning the plans for the following day.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Night came over the forest and the Ewoks had made their ways to their 
huts having finally bonded with the Rebel Forces, if still not 
willing to trust them. The walkway was deserted now, the windows of 
the little huts glowed and flickered from the fires inside. The 
sounds of the forest filled the soft night air. Leia had wandered 
away from the Chief's hut and stood staring up at the Death Star.

Boba Fett walked up to her. After several minutes silence, he spoke.
"What's troubling you?"
"For a start I don't know what we'll be facing tomorrow, what the 
whole galaxy will be facing for that matter," the princess began.
"We've been fighting this war for so long, we've lost so much, I 
don't know if its worth carrying on."
"You're not the only one who has lost a lot your highness."

Leia glanced at her companion momentarily. "What have YOU lost?" she 
asked with more anger than she should have. "If anything you've 
profited from the it all."
"It may seem like that," he replied. "But that's far from the truth. 
I'm no longer the person I once was. I was youthful, I looked to the 
future and it seemed so good. That was before the corruption started. 
While many people fought back I hardened, I became more harsh." Fett 
stopped and sighed. He looked out over the forest before continuing. 
"I moved into the shadows and soon I forgot which side I was on. If, 
of course, I was ever really on any side."
"I never thought of it like that. I'm far from the person my father 
tried to make me..."

Fett looked at Leia. She believed that if his helmet was not covering 
his face there would have been compassion in his eyes, something she 
never expected from the ruthless killer Boba Fett was meant to be.
"That was the second thing, wasn't it?" he said with intuition. Leia 
nodded. "Yes. My life has been so confusing. When my mother died I 
was brought up by my father, but no matter how much he cared for me 
or how much I loved him, something was missing. The bond a father and 
daughter should have just wasn't there. I wanted it to be, I really 
did, but it just didn't feel right."
She expected the bounty hunter to say something but he didn't. He 
knew she had so much more to say, to get out into the open.

She breathed out and a cloud of mist emerged from her mouth.
"Isn't it beautiful here?" he said, moving slightly off the topic. "I 
think this is what we should be fighting to preserve if we only had 
the chance. Paradise is hard to find but even harder to hold onto. I 
realised that when Alderaan was destroyed and I don't want any other 
planet to suffer the same fate."
"That's understandable."
"Luke saved us the first time, if only he were here to do it again."
"You miss him?"
"More than anything. More than I'd ever imagined. He was like a 
friend to me... maybe it was the Force... but he seemed more in tune 
with me than Han ever was. It was like we had the bond that I lost 
when my mother died. Like he was a part of me..."

"Your mother must have been an amazing person."
"I barely knew her but from what I saw in her before she died I knew 
she had once been strong, beautiful, powerful..."
"She was..." Fett said as if in a trance.
Leia turned to him. "What?"
"Leia..."

The princess realised Fett was talking off his helmet. With it off it 
was as if a metamorphasis had taken place. He had a kind face, 
perhaps aged beyond its years. He smiled lovingly.
"...I am your father..."

		CHAPTER FOUR
		EXPLANATION

"I really think you should see this, admiral," Lando said as he lead 
the Mon Calamari Ackbar through the cargo hold of the Rebel frigate. 
"I honestly don't know what to make of it myself."
"Is this really necessary, General?" Ackbar replied. "We may be late 
for the battle."
"This is probably the most important thing you'll ever see..."

The set of automatic doors in front of them opened and they entered 
the hold.
"Lights!" Lando called and suddenly the room was awash with a 
brightness so that everything could be seen. Stacked up against
all of the walls were almost twenty blocks of carbonite, each
containing what appeared to be living beings. Ackbar tuned to Lando. "Are they alive?"
"As far as I can tell," he replied. "But I thought Han was the first 
human to be frozen in Carbonite. Looks like these have been in this 
state for almost twenty years."
"But what are they doing here?"
Lando looked at a datapad resting on a metal crate. He activated it 
and read the information carefully. He looked up.
"It's from Fett. He says they were rescued by him before... Oh my..."
"What is it?"
"...before the Jedi Purge."

The two Rebel officers looked at each other. Ackbar looked nervous 
while a lopsided smile covered Calrissian's face. He tapped the 
datapad with his index finger as he thought over his plan for the 
second time. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Leia turned to Fett with a look of surprise on her face. She blinked 
a few times and repeated her question.
"You're my what?"
"Your father."
"How's that possible?"
"It began a long time ago," he began his eyes glazing over as 
memories of the past slowly began to flood back. "I was discovered on 
Tatooine, a slave to a Toydarian junk dealer. The Jedi Master Qui-Gon 
Jinn thought I was something called the Chosen One, a Jedi who would 
bring Balance to the Force. It took me many years before I discovered 
this..."

Leia looked out to the forest. She sighed. The lights of the Ewok 
village signalled to others far in the distance. Her arms rested 
quietly on the wooden barrier. "You didn't do a very good job," she 
said sadly.
"I know, but I'm going too far ahead," Fett continued. "I met Obi-Wan 
Kenobi and, after Qui-Gon's death I was taught by him. Time went by 
and I grew in power yet there was fear among the other Jedi who felt 
I would be corrupted by the Dark Side. I had known your mother many 
years and we fell in love but things started to change. The Sith were 
returning."

"When Palpatine created a genetic virus to target Jedi we had no 
defence. It attached to the midichlorians in our blood and destroyed 
them slowly. Many Jedi were killed as they became weaker. I was hit 
hard, my abilities weakened. Thankfully Obi-Wan was nowhere near 
Coruscant when it struck. As I'm sure you've noticed, my abilities 
have not fully returned. They may not for a long time."

He looked at Leia and touched her cheek, stroking a stray hair from 
her face. "I never knew your mother was pregnant when I discovered 
Obi-Wan had travelled to a volcanic planet in the outer rim. I 
followed but discovered he was fighting Darth Vader, the most 
powerful Sith who had yet to discover the true evil of his power but 
the Dark Side had begun affecting him."

Leia nodded, finding this easier to take in than she thought it would 
be. The Death Star was visible in the sky, she glanced at it before 
turning back to her 'father'. He took a deep breath himself before 
continuing.

"Kenobi was almost dead when I came down in my fighter I'd been 
forced to steal from Alderaan. I fought Vader but the Dark Side was 
too strong, it overwhelmed me, his ferosity caught me off guard, his 
lightsaber sliced through my wrists with ease as I was pushed down to 
the molten pit. I hit a rock at the bottom but knew I was too weak to 
fight again. I used the Force to create an illusion in Vader's mind. 
He thought he saw me die."

"Then why didn't you return when you were stronger?"
"My ship was destroyed. It took me weeks to get off the planet, 
surviving only on my wits. As I said, I became hard, harsh, rugged.
When a young, inexperience bounty hunter known as Boba  Fett came to 
prove himself by trying to find me I killed him and took the armour 
that was once worn by his father. By the time I got off the planet it 
was too late. The Empire had taken control and I could not find your 
mother. I eventually heard she had married Bail Organa and they had 
daughter. I never realised your were mine until Bespin when I sensed 
the strength in you."

Leia turned to him for the first time, with love in her eyes. She 
took his hands in hers and held tight. "Then tell me one thing?"
He nodded. "Anything."
"What's your name?"
"Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

At that point the princess had to hold herself up. This was not what 
she expected but it explained everying. She looked into Anakin's eyes 
and saw something she had seen before in Luke. "That means that... 
Luke..."
"...is your brother. I can only guess this but to protect you both 
from the Emperor, you were hidden from him when you were born. The 
Emperor knew if I was to have any children, they would be as much of 
a threat to him as I was."

Leia began to wonder whether her whole life was a lie. How could 
everyone have treated her like this? Didn't they know that she would 
have wanted a life with her brother. They could have grown up 
together. Things could have been so perfect. A tear began to appear 
in her eye but she wiped it away defiantly.
"Why didn't anyone say? Why didn't I know before he died."
"No doubt one of you would have found out. At least you had time with 
him, my daughter. The Force was strong with him, I only noticed as he 
went to face Vader on Bespin."
"That's why you missed him when you fired?"
Anakin nodded. "When Vader told me he was after a person named 
Skywalker my heart started racing. I had worked my way into his lower 
circles by tracking down various enemies of the Empire for him, he 
had what could be considered a trust for me, little knowing my true 
identity. I saw Luke for the first time and I felt so proud, knowing 
he was going to do as I did. I didn't think he would fail. He had 
been trained well but not well enough, it seems. I lost him before I 
even knew him but I know he is with the Force"

A Rebel commando came running up to the two warriors with a look of 
fear on his face. Anakin quickly put his helmet back on. "Princess! 
General Solo has run off with several charges and a detonator. I 
don't know what he's planning to do!"
Leia pushed herself away from the bridge and became the Leia that all 
of the Rebels looked up to, issuing orders seemingly without any 
feeling for herself.
"I do. He's gone to find the shield generator."
"On his own? What was he thinking?"
"I don't know princess..." the soldier shrugged.
"We have to find him. Mobilise the troops and prepare for a sweeping 
search of the forest. Avoid any Imperial entanglements and meet back 
here in three hours."
"Yes ma'am!"
The soldier saluted and ran off. Anakin caught up with Leia and put 
his hand on her shoulder.
"You haven't been trained in the ways of the Jedi the way Luke, but 
the Force is strong with you, as it is with all of your family. There 
is no avoiding the battle. You must come with me and face Vader."
"I can't. I have to do this."
"You're the last hope for the Rebellion."
"No I'm not. I'm a senator, a military commander at the most, I'm no 
Jedi. You're the most powerful Jedi I know. You can do it alone."

Anakin shook his head. "No. I'm weak. If I had been stronger things 
would be differet. The Force should come natural to you, my daughter. 
You will understand in time."
"No. You don't understand. I hardly know you. You may be my father 
but I love Han. I must find him before he does something stupid!"

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

On the Super Star Destroyer, everything was going according to the 
Emperor's plan. He summoned Vader into his throne room. He looked the 
Dark Lord up and down with a grimace.
"You may be weak in your old age, Vader but you serve your purpose. 
Go to down Endor where you will capture the princess. Bring her to me 
and we will begin her training in the ways of the Dark Side. She has 
so much anger and frustration in her, the task will be so easy. 
Easier than it would have been for her brother."
"But you would have succeeded given the chance, my master."
"Of course. Your training was hard but I did it, did I not?"
"Indeed, my master."

Palpatine smiled. The fear Darth Vader gave out was false. Those who 
knew his true identity would have know the fear within him. He 
motioned his hand to tell Vader to exit.
"You may leave."
The Sith nodded and walked out of the chamber.
"You have nearly surved your purpose, my apprentice," he laughed to 
himself. "It won't be long and you will have a replacement. The one 
who should have been at my side all this time..."

He burst into laughter while seemed to echo out of the Death Star 
into the reaches of space. Far below on Endor a chill went down 
Leia's spine as she searched the forests for the missing Han Solo. 
Everything the Emperor had planned was working perfectly...

		CHAPTER FIVE
		ENLIGHTENMENT

Han walked through the dense forest, his eyes filled with sheer 
anger, trying desperately ro think over all that had happened. 
Perhaps if he hadn't been frozen in carbonite he may have been able 
to help Luke and he'd still be alive. If he's listened to Fett about 
trying random numbers he may have got the clearance code to get to 
Endor and Chewie would be with him now. Fett! That bounty hunter had 
been one of the biggest threats to his life and now Leia was getting 
kinda friendly with him.

The weight of the pack full of charges he had on his back slowed him 
down but he wanted to find the shield generator before sunrise and 
more importantly before he could be found. This was his battle now. 
His absence had caused all this so now it was his job to finish it 
off.

"Nub nub!"
Han turned around to see one of the Ewoks standing behind him. It 
appeared to want to come with him. He kneeled down in an attempt to 
look it in the eyes but he was still too tall.
"You wanna come too, do ya?" he smiled.
"Yub yub."
"I'll take that as a 'yes', but I can't see that you'd be any help 
against what I'm about to fight."

The little Ewok seemed insistent and held its staff out as if to show 
how fierce it could be. It growled aggressively yet it appeared to be 
a humorous sight. Han grinned.
"Sure, why not. Come on before the others catch up with us."
The Ewok nodded and ran ahead, obviousl leading Han to his 
destination. He adjusted the backpack with a grunt and continued
through the forest with the aid of his new companion. He glanced back 
over his shoulder. He sensed someone was coming behind him. He sighed 
heavily and picked up his pace before some of the Rebel commandos 
caught up with them.

"Hey! Slow down will ya?" he shouted after his new-found friend when 
a blast came shooting passed his ear. A humming sound behind him 
became louder and louder until it was almost deafening. He dived to 
the floor as an Imperial Speeder Bike flew overhead. If he'd been a 
milli-second later his head would have been moving around 400 mph 
further away from his body.

He looked up to see the bike turning and coming back for him. He 
whipped out his blaster and fired it at the pursuer causing the 
speeder to explode in a bright flash. Han brushed himself down before 
picking up his pack and catching up with the Ewok who was pointing 
irratically at  something just ahead of them, beyond a set of bushes.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"Welcome to the future my good friends," the sauve gambler greeted 
the newly awokened Jedi as he entered the medi-bay. "Allow me to 
introduce myself. My name is General Lando Calrissian, of the Rebel 
Alliance."

The first Jedi spoke. Her dark features and mysterious eyes intrigued 
Lando as he stepped forward and kissed the back of her hand. She 
smiled.
"I thank you, general. I am Adi Gallia of the Jedi High Council. Or 
at least, what was once the Council. No doubt much has changed in our 
absence."
"Indeed. I will take you to Admiral Ackbar and he will explain the 
current situation." Lando beckoned for the rag-tag group of Jedi to 
follow him down a corridor to the admiral's private quarters. They 
passed members of various alien races. Gallia seemed more than happy 
with this.

"I am glad the Empire didn't affect these like they did my people. 
Before I agreed to be frozen I had heard my race was close to 
extinction. The Neimodians and the Gungans were already gone before 
the New Order was even put in place."
"I have heard of them. It is a pity," Lando frowned.
"Indeed," the Jedi replied, looking at Calrissian carefully.

They continued along the corridor until they walked passed a window 
out into space. One of the Jedi, a male human, stopped to look out at 
the fleet preparinf for battle. He placed his hand on the glass with 
a thoughtful expression on his face.
"There is much fear in these people," he said, speaking aloud for the 
first time. Lando stopped walking and turned around.

"It's understandable. We are about to fight the Empire for what could 
be the last time. If our troops don't take the shield generator of 
they battle station down we're doomed."
"Some believe they will die," the worryingly young Jedi exclaimed. 
"They fear they won't live to see freedom."
Lando shook his head. The Force worried him and he wasn't afraid to 
admit it. Unlike those who refused to believe in it, Lando knew what 
it could do in the wrong hands. He only needed to quote Vader and his 
Emperor as example.

"They signed up to the Rebellion knowing they may have to sacrifice 
themselves for the cause of freedom. They all knew it could 
happen..."
"But few of them wanted it. Maybe we have come out of 'hiding' at the 
right time."

Lando grimaced. This young upstart had already mocked his ability to 
rally the troops and now claimed there would be a rebellion within 
the Rebellion. "Maybe you did," he replied.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"Han!" Leia called out into the distance. "Han!" She ran a little 
further ahead and shouted again. "Get back here you scruffy looking 
nerf herder before I have to go get you myself!"

She continued along the forest trail until she was panting heavily 
then running again until it hurt to breath and her heart felt as if 
it would almost beat through her chest. "HAN!" she yelled again but 
to no avail. She had met someone today who meant so much to her but 
lost another who she knew and love. Not lost! Not yet. And she would 
find him even if it killed her.

She stopped running for a moment and looked back to see that there 
was no one in sight. She had lost conact with the commandos over 
thirty minutes earlier and the trees were blocking any signals to the 
communication device she was carrying. Keeping her hand near her 
blaster, she slowed her pace slightly and looked around. There were 
footsteps coming from nearby, perhaps to her left. That was the 
problm with Endor, you couldn't be sure where things were coming
from.

Leia turned around warily as a tall, thin creature with almost yellow 
coloured fur jumped out of the wilderness at her. She fell back 
trapping herself in some fallen vines. Her blaster dropped to the 
ground as the creature extended its claws to investigate her closely. 
It cut into her cheek and sniffed the blood that trickled from the 
fresh wound. It smiled as it openedits mouth to reveal the fangs that 
were about to bite open the princess' neck.

Suddenly it fell forward as a laser blast ripped through its flesh 
and came out the other side leaving a clear hole in its chest. Leia 
looked up to see Boba Fett, her father, holding a smoking rifle in 
the air. "Looks like you needed my help after all..."
"What - what was that?"
"A Dulok," Anakin replied. "Distant relatives of the Ewoks and much 
less sociable. I'd be wary of them."
"I guess so..." the princess nodded as she untangled herself and 
reholstered her pistol.
"Now do you give up your foolish quest and join me in my journey to 
the Death Star?"
"But I have to find Han..." Leia pleaded.
"He can take care of himself. I'm sure you know that by now. You 
don't need to protect him," her father said trying to convince her to 
come with him.
"I don't know what he could do."
Anakin placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "He will do what 
is necessary" he told her.

"I'm sure he will..." a voice behind them said and an electronic buzz 
was heard. Anakin saw a light in the corner of his eye and span 
around to see the black image of Darth Vader standing with his 
lightsaber ignited and ready for battle. He saw the old Jedi Knight 
but only recognised him as his adopted persona. "Boba Fett, what are 
you doing here? The last time we met you were headed towards Tatooine 
for the bounty on the man you are now trying to rescue."
'Boba Fett' remained still. "What do you want?"
"I want what you want. The princess on the Death Star. Only my plan 
didn't involve you there as well."

Vader dived at the bounty hunter but he anticipated the attack and 
jumped out of the way in time. He pulled out his blaster and let off 
two shots that were easily deflected by the Dark Lord's hand. He 
pulled the weapon into his grasp and threw it aside.

"We have fought before Fett," Vader hissed. "You only escaped with 
your life because of your sheer cunning. I will not let you get the 
better of me this time."

The red lightsaber streaked towards Fett's head but he ducked, 
allowing the blade to slice through a tree trunk. Taking this 
opportunity, Leia jumped at the severed tree and kicked it down 
creating a barrier between the two warriors as it fell to the ground, 
taking another along with it.

"We finish it NOW!" she called out, picking up her father's blaster 
rifle and throwing it back to him. He looked at Vader seeing his 
reflection in the Sith's dark mask.
"Yes. Right now."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"This is it, huh?" Han said as he looked at the bunker that contained 
the shield generator. The Ewok beside him nodded and held its spear 
high, pushing the bushes aside to charge into battle. Han quickly 
held him back.
"Not yet little fella, we need to check out their security 
precautions."

The Ewok looked confused, obviously not understanding what Solo 
meant. "Okay... uh... we need..." he pointed at himself and the Ewok 
to show who he was talking about. "... to check out...", Han put his 
hand above his eyes and looked over to the bunker. "... their...", he 
pointed at two Stormtroopers guarding the durasteel door then took 
out his blaster and pointed at a target. "...security precautions." 
The Ewok looked even more confused. Han sighed in frustration. "Just 
go! I'm gonna do this myself."

Han began to crawl carefully down the banking, trying to ensure he 
was not seen. Just as he reached the bottom he realised exactly what 
was towering above him. He looked up to see an Imperial AT-ST.

"I have a very bad feeling about this..." he muttered as he ran back 
up into the trees, clambering up to where his Ewok friend was still 
waiting. He brushed his hair back with his hand but it fell back into 
place.
"Okay, as you can see... that's why your plan wasn't going to 
work..."

The smuggler sat back as the sun came up over Endor within minutes 
and the guards changed places with four more who came from the bunker 
ready with blaster pistols in their hands. Han hit the ground in 
frustration. He let himself get annoyed much too easily. Fett's 
Wookie scalps reminded him too much of Chewie and the death he 
suffered because of Han's own stupidity.  For the first time he 
realised how alone his reckless behavior left him. Chewie was the 
only one who kept him sane, gave him the friendship he needed. He'd 
put his relationship with Leia on the line with this stunt but now he 
could gave put the future of the entire Rebellion at stake.

"What have I done?" he muttered to himself. If Chewie'd been here 
he'd have given him a real ear bashing. If Luke had been with him 
he'd feel more confident. Suddenly, Han felt a presence all around 
him. He closed his eyes. "What am I supposed to do now, huh kid?" he 
whispered.

"I'm not sure general but I know what we're gonna do!" Solo turned to 
see seven Rebel soldiers ready and waiting for orders. A smile 
covered his face.
"About time you guys turned up."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Admiral Ackbar looked over the group of Jedi. He rested his hand on 
his chin and, after several moments silence, laughed out loud.
"Things are looking up for the Rebel Alliance this day," he said. 
"General Solo stated that we would win this war without the Jedi but 
now I believe we could do more than win."
Adi Gallia, having been nominated leader of the Jedi group, nodded 
carefully. "The battle is to begin soon?"
Ackbar looked towards the Calamari officer who was preparing for the 
order to take the fleet into hyperspace.
"Yes."
"We are still weak from the freezing process. I for one am sure that 
the Force is not as strong with me as it once was."
"Of course. But could you explain how you came to be frozen in the 
first place..."

Gallia thought back to the events that led her to this place. The 
words flowed easily as she recounted the moment that the Empire 
emerged from the ashes of the Republic and Vader and the Emperor 
started hunting down and murdering the Jedi along with the help of 
many mercenaries and hired killers. One, however, offered them hope 
using the carbonite from the mines in the Empress Teta System to 
preserve the Jedi for the future.
"I was the only member of the Council chosen to take part," she 
continued. "Master Yoda felt the others should be prepared for 
battle. I can only guess they are all dead now. Vader knew the Jedi 
well."
Suddenly Lando realised something. "Because he was one of them!"
The Jedi master nodded. "Yes. And I know who Darth Vader is."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Leia looked carefully at the Dark Lord of the Sith standing before 
her. Her eyes were filled with rage.
"You destroyed my planet, you killed the man I called my father, you 
forced the man I love into carbonite but then you did the one thing 
that hurt me most."
"And what was that, princess?" Vader said through his mask.
"You killed my brother before I even knew him as that."
"Your brother? He was a weak fool."
"Luke Skywalker," Leia growled as she pulled out a blaster, "was the 
most commpassionate and strong willed person I ever knew. The Force 
was a part of him as it was our father."
She fired, hitting the Dark Lord in the shoulder.
"How..." he stuttered.

"Guided by the Force," Boba Fett answered, knowing that his daughter 
was finally learning how to use her natural abilities as she was 
meant to from birth if the Jedi had still been around.
"How is this possible?" Vader continued, trying to work out the power 
she was able to wield without training. Neithe her brother nor her 
father were able to do this, but her father was powerful and no doubt 
it was passed down."

"She's a Skywalker," Fett said. "She has powers you could never 
understand, never comprehend..."
"What do you know, bounty hunter?" the Sith hissed.
"I know more than you think.... Mace Windu..."

		CHAPTER SIX
		SACRIFICES

The shuttle docked with the Death Star and the landing ramp slowly 
opened. Darth Vader was the first to walk off, followed by Leia 
Organa then Boba Fett. Vader stormed straight passed the troops that 
had been ordered to stand to attention in preporation for the Dark 
Lord's arrival. Using the Force he opened the door and walked 
straight out.

Two Stormtroopers mobilised, forcing binders onto the captives. Fett 
turned to his daughter. "I'm proud of you Leia. You showed me that 
you really can be a Jedi given the training."
"Something it doesn't look like I'm going to get," the young princess 
muttered under her breath.
"We can defeat the Emperor. It is the way of the Force," Fett said, 
still full of confidence in her ability.
"I hope so... I really do..."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"Prepare for the jump to lightspeed," Ackbar ordered the navigation 
officer on the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser and within moments the co-
ordinates were set. Outside in space the entire Rebel fleet 
disappeared into the starscape with a flash of light.

Adi Gallia walked onto the bridge along with Evajo Siinit, a young 
Jedi knight ready to aid the Republic and now the Rebel Alliance. 
Gallia went straight to Ackbar, seated high above the rest of the 
crew in his movable war seat. With a press of a button he moved it 
down to their level.
"Jedi friends, are you prepared for your mission?"
"Of course," she replied. After a slight pause she got to the reason 
she was here. "But I wish to know more about General Calrissian."
"Oh. He is currently on board the Millennium Falcon but I'd be only 
happy to tell you anything I know. From what General Solo told me he 
was a gambler and card player like none other and even once owned the 
starship he is currently commanding..."
"He's a clone," Gallia interrupted
The words hit Ackbar like a blast to the chest. "What???"
"He was created during the Clone Wars by Palpatine's Empire. His type 
were prototypes of what would later become Stormtroopers. Most were 
destroyed after the original tests showed they were unstable mentally 
and even killed some of their creators. Many were destroyed and, as 
far as I know, he's the only one left."

Ackbar began to ponder this carefully. Had he put his trust in an 
artificial life form created by the Empire to, in some cases, 
eliminate his race? The Mon Calamari admiral pressed a button on his 
arm rest and the seat moved up so he could see everything going on 
around him. It seemed as if no one cared about the news they were 
just given and neither did he.
"I trust the General. The people who know him trust him. He will lead 
us to victory, provided Solo and his team are able to take down the 
Death Star's shield generator."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Han looked through the binoculars that Captain Blabe had handed him. 
"Four Imperial scouts," Han pondered. "Their speeder bikes are parked 
nearby. That could mean trouble if we don't do this quickly."
"Yes sir."
"We'd have to distract them. If we do that just right we may be able 
to get in no trouble."

The Ewok watched eagerly next to them suddenly jumped up and 
scampered into the underbrush. Blabe noticed and turned to his 
commanding officer "I'm afraid your furry companion has gone and done 
something rash, sir," he frowned.
"Oh no..." Han said as his jaw opened.

The Ewok had slipped out of the undergrowth near where the Imperial 
scouts were lounging. He silently swang his furry ball of a body onto 
one of the scout's speeder bikes and began flipping switches at 
random. Suddenly, the bike's engine fired up with a tremendous roar. 
The little creature grinned and continued flipping switches. The 
scouts leaped up in surprise.
"There goes our surprise attack," Blabe sighed.
"I'm not too sure about that," Han smiled having gained trust in the 
little Ewok since he had encountered him. He laughed at himself. Leia 
would be proud of his new attitude.

Meanwhile the Imperial scouts raced toward the Ewok just as his 
speeder zoomed into motion. He hung on by his paws and shot away into 
the forest.
"Look! Over there! Stop him!" one of the troops shouted out loudly. 
His three companions jumped on their rocket bikes and sped away in 
pursuit. The fourth watched them go from his post at the door.

From the undergrowth Han grinned. "See? Now there's only one left."
"Not bad for a little furball," the Captain replied.
The group ran down to where the Scout trooper was stationed, looking 
worried about the fact he'd just lost any back up. Han held his 
blaster to the trooper. "Open the door!" He turned to the troops, 
"take the Scout Walker before they can mobilise it!"
"Yes sir!"

Three commandos ran to the feet of the walker and used rope to climb 
to the command module. A pilot lifted the top hatch to look out at 
the events taking place but was soon falling to the ground at a high 
velocity. Captain Blabe saluted to Solo who just smiled back.

"This is going well," he muttered. "Too well."
"We haven't got time to worry about that sir" the trooper next to him 
replied. "The fleet should be arriving in this system soon."
"Okay." Han turned to the Stormtrooper. "So, you gonna open that door 
before I blow your head off?"
"I - I don't have the codes," he stuttered. "It has to be authorised 
from inside..."
Solo pushed the armoured warrior against the communications port 
aggressively. "Then you know what to tell the,." he told him, pushing 
the blaster into his neck. "Don't you?"
"Yuh - yeah..." the Trooper activated the communications channel.
"We have Rebels here sir! Send the troops out!"

Han pulled the trigger and the Stormtrooper fell to the floor, a hole 
in his neck smoking slowly. The door slid open and twenty other 
Imperial Soliders emerged. Han turned to see three AT-STs coming up 
behind him and his small group. He turned to Lieutenant Hollma, a 
battle-hardened Rebl solider. "Any ideas?"
"None whatsoever, sir..."

Suddenly a blast came from the captured Scout Walker blowing the head 
from one of the enemy ones. It exploded in an array of lights, 
sending firey shrapnel in all directions, hitting a Stormtrooper in 
the chest. Han looked all around to see the Imperials running away 
from the fallout. He shouted to the soldiers under his command, 
"Let's go! Get into the trees! It'll be more difficult for them to 
get to us there!"

As he ran, Han took out three Stormtroopers with his blaster pistol.  
The Rebel AT-ST shot another of its Imperial counterparts while 
everyone dived for cover.

"What a rush!" one of the Rebels shouted out.
"You got a thermal detonator?" Han called out.
"Coming right up, general" was the reply.
A silver ball was thrown to the smuggler who activated and threw it 
towards the Imperial troops trying to pinpoint the position of the 
enemy. It exploded taking five Stormtroopers with it. Solo looked up 
to the sky to just see the Death Star through the many layers of 
trees.
"We haven't got much time."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The Rebel fleet emerged from hyperspace in a flash. Lando activated 
the communcations array on the Millennium Falcon. "All wings report 
in," he ordered the fighter squadren leaders.
"Red Leader standing by," Wedge Antilles said.
"Gray Leader standing by."
"Green Leader standing by."
"Lock S-foils in attack positions," Wedge told the pilots of the X-
wings and B-wings.

From the bridge of the Rebel Headquarters Frigate, Admiral Ackbar 
watched the fighters massing outside his viewscreen.
"May the Force be with us," he said quietly.

Lando looked worriedly at his alien copilot, Nien Nunb, who pointed 
to the control panel and spoke to Lando in his own language.
"We've got to be able to get some kind of a reading on that shield, 
up or down," Calrissian pondered. "Well, how could they be jamming us 
if they don't know if we're coming."

Lando shot a concerned look out at the approaching Death Star as the 
implications of what he's had said sank in. He hit a switch on his 
comlink.
"Break off the attack! The shield is still up."
"I get no reading," Wedge replied. "Are you sure?"
"Pull up! All craft pull up!"
The Falcon turned hard to the left. Out the window he could see the 
stars and the Death Star move off right as the Falcon and the 
fighters of Red Squad veered off desperately to avoid the unseen 
wall.

On the Rebel Star Cruiser Alarms were screaming and lights flashing 
as the huge ship changed course abruptly. Other ships in the fleet 
shot by outside as the armada tried to halt its forward momentum.

"Take evasive action! Green Group, stick close to holding sector MV-
7!" Ackbar called out. A Mon Calamari controller turned away from his 
screen and called out to Ackbar, quite excited. The Admiral rushed 
over to the controller. "Admiral, we have enemy ships in sector 47."
Ackbar moved to the comlink.
"It's a trap!" he creid
"Fighters coming in..." Lando replied, his voice cracking over the 
speakers.

The Millennium Falcon and several squads of Rebel fighters headed 
into an armada of TIE fighters. The sky exploded as a fierce dogfight 
ensued in and around the giant Rebel cruisers.
"There's too many of them!" a pilot exclaimed.
Lando quickly began issuing orders to the group. "Accelerate to 
attack speed! Draw their fire away from the cruisers."
"Copy, Gold Leader," Wedge replied.

The battle continued around the giant cruisers. Ackbar looked to the 
special ops officer, another Mon Calamari. "I hope the shield is down 
soon or the Imps will miss out on the surprise gift we have for 
them."
"They'll get it down," the officer said, with his fingers firmly 
crossed.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Vader, Leia and Boba Fett entered the Emperor's throneroom. Palpatine 
saw them and ordered his Royal Guards to leave him with them. He 
looked with disgust at his Sith apprentice. "Why did you bring... 
this here?" He motioned to Fett with his thin, scrawny hand. "I only 
wanted Skywalker's daughter."
"My Lord," Vader apologised. "He knows who I once was. That knowledge 
could be used against us."
"You're an old fool. It is as if you still cling onto the past." The 
Emperor turned to the bounty hunter. "How do you know this? I have 
eliminated all with the knowledge of who Vader once was."

Boba Fett took off his helmet to reveal the face of Anakin Skywalker. 
"Not quite all, 'my Emperor'".
Palpatine looked shocked. This is not what he had expected. Anakin 
stood between the two Sith and Leia.
"Skywalker... how did you survive the purge? I ensured that your 
pathetic kind were extinct."
"Not quite. That was the problem with trusting 'Boba Fett' to hunt 
down some of the Jedi for you. Right now there are a group with the 
Rebel Fleet who are about to attack this worthless space station..."

"It is of no consequence. The Death Star is fully armed and 
operational. The Rebellion will be crushed the moment it comes out of 
hyperspace."
He motioned with his hand and Anakin flew across the room. The evil 
old man got down from his throne and walked up very close to Leia. 
The Emperor looked into her eyes and, for the first time, she could 
perceive the evil visage within the hood that her father had warned 
her about.
"I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will 
call me Master... and perhaps more..." a smile cracked across his 
face as he touched Leia's cheek she pulled away from him.
"You think I'm going to turn to you when my father is there to help 
me through this?"
"You are mistaken. Anakin Skywalker is a weak fool. The years of 
hiding his Force abilities has no doubt weakened him. He will not be 
able to aid you."

Palpatine opened a compartment on the side of his chair. A lightsaber 
emerged. Anakin got up from the floor to recognise it as his own, 
given to Luke by Obi-Wan but obviously lost when he fought Vader.
"A Jedi's weapon. It was once your father's and your brother's," the 
galactic ruler said as he stroked the chrome plating with his hand. 
"It could not save either of them from the different fates they 
suffered. Perhaps you will change that..."
He threw it to Leia who caught it clumsily. She pressed a button and 
the blade extended. She pressed it again and it went back into the 
hilt.

Through the round window behind the Emperor's throne could be seen 
the distant flashes of the space battle in progress. "Come, my dear. 
See for yourself."
The Emperor motioned for Leia to stand beside him at the window. 
Vader stood near the throne, watching Anakin carefully who seemed to 
be intrigued by the events going on but not doing anything. Leia 
moved to look through a small section of the window.

"From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance, 
and the end of your insignificant Rebellion." Palpatine looked over 
to Skywalker. "Your return is insignificant. My plan will go ahead."

Leia was in torment. She glanced at the lightsaber in her hand. She 
didn't know how to use it but she wanted to cut the Emperor to pieces 
with it. Palaptine watched her and smiled. "Use the weapon. You need 
nothing more than pure anger to be able to. I am unarmed. Strike me 
down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment, you 
make yourself more my servant."

Leia turned the saber on. The blue blade came from it as he hit down 
on the old man. Vader moved his own weapon to intercept the blow and 
pushed her away. Leia stumbled back and fell down a set of steps. She 
landed on his back and watched in horror as the armour-clad Sith 
jumped down and help his weapon to her throat.
"You are nothing princess. I will destroy you now to save you the 
embarrasment..."

A metal crate mying nearby flew through the air, hitting Vader in the 
back of the head. The lightsaber flew from Leia's hands into those of 
Anakin Skywalker. He ignited it and somersaulted over to Vader where 
he hit his saber blade creating a series of sparks.

Anakin and Vader engaged in a man-to-man duel of lightsabers even 
more vicious then the battle on Aeten II. But the old Jedi had 
suddenly grown stronger, and now the advantage shifted to him. Vader 
was forced back, losing his balance, and was knocked down some more 
stairs. Anakin stood at the top, ready to attack.

The Sith attacked first, forcing Skywalker on the defensive. The Jedi 
leaped in an amazing reverse flip up to the safety of the catwalk 
overhead. Vader stood below him.
"You have regained your strength Anakin Skywalker," the black clad 
Dark Jedi praised him. "You would have made a perfect Dark Side 
adept. But you chose the option that rendered you in your current 
situation..."
"And what is that, Windu?" Anakin asked.
"Doomed to die while your daughter is trained by my master. Once you 
are dead she will not be able to resist her anger. She will be one of 
us..."

Vader threw his laser sword and it cut through the supports holding 
the catwalk, it then returned to Vader's hand. Anakin tumbled to the 
ground in a shower of sparks and rolled out of sight under the 
Emperor's platform. Vader moved to find him.
"Now, my old friend, you will die..."

"No!" Leia shouted. She ran at Vader, and held out her hand. Her 
father's weapon flew into her hand as he stabbed forward. The blade 
went into Vader's back and came out through his chest. He turned to 
the princess and pushed her away with the Force before moving closer 
towards her.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The Falcon and other Rebel fighters were engaged in a ferocious 
combat with Imperial TIE fighters, the battle raging around the 
cruisers of the Rebel armada. Lando was in radio communication with 
the pilots of the other Rebel squads and he quickly issued orders to 
them.
"Watch yourself, Wedge! Three from above!"
"Red Three, Red Two, pull in!"
"Got it!"
"Three of them coming in, twenty degrees!"
"Cut to the left! I'll take the leader! They're heading for the 
medical frigate."

Lando steered the Falcon through a complete flip, as his crew fired 
at the TIEs from the belly guns. The giant Imperial Star Destroyer 
waited silently some distance from the battle. The Emperor's huge 
Super Star Destroyer rested in the middle of the fleet.

The giant laser dish on the completed half of the Death Star began to 
glow; Then a powerful beams shot out toward the aerial battle. An 
enormous Rebel cruiser was hit by the Death Star beam and was blown 
to dust.

The Millennium Falcon was buffeted by the tremendous explosion of the 
Rebel cruiser. Lando and his copilot were stunned by the sight of the 
Death Star firepower.
"That blast came from the Death Star!" Lando exclaimed. "That thing's 
operational!"

The Rebel fleet continued to be picked off, from one side by the 
Death Star's deadly beam, from the other by the rampaging Imperial 
Star Destroyers. Lando steered the Falcon wildly through an obstacle 
course of floating giants.
"Han'd better get that shield down or we're dead!"

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Down on Endor, Han noticed the Imperials were still reeling from the 
thermal detonator blast. He called to the troops. "Come on! We're 
going in!" He pulled out his communicator and called to Captain 
Blabe. "I want that bunker door open and I want it done now!"
"Yes sir!" Blabe replied. Seconds later the AT-ST's guns turned to 
the reinforced durasteel door and let rip. The laser fire blasted 
through the various layers as if they were paper.

Han and the four other commandos ran through the mess and debris 
shooting down the Stormtroopers as they went. One Rebel got hit in 
the back and fell to the floor. Han turned back but the soldier 
motioned for him to continue before his head went limp and all the 
life drained out of him.

Han ran into the bunker, his blaster ready. An Imperial officer 
looked stunned at this forced entry and pulled out his own weapon. 
"You cannot win, you Rebel scum."
"I'm not to sure about that," Han smiled as he passed the charges to 
his troops. "I want a good clear spread, guys. Then get outta here!"
The officer smirked. "They won't get far. You cannot escape with your 
life. The Death Star is operational and your fleet will be crushed."

Han grinned as he lifted up his hand with the detonator in it. "Maybe 
so, but at least we'll go out with a bang." He pointed to the door 
and the Rebel commandos ran. "Move as fast as you can!" he shouted 
out. "I'll deal with this."

Seconds later the commandos were out. Han pointed his blaster at the 
Imperials in the room. "How fast do you think it'll take before we 
can get char-grilled Imp?" he smiled. "Maybe you wanna test that 
theory."

He closed his eyes and whispered to himself. "This is for you Leia. 
I'll always love you..." He opened them again and smiled.

"Bang..."

		CHAPTER SEVEN
		CONCLUSIONS

Ackbar sat in his seat on the bridge of the Calamari Star Cruiser. 
Outside the Rebel fighters were fighting a losing a battle against 
the TIEs and Star Destroyers. An A-wing plummeted through the cockpit 
of a Super Star Destroyer, forcing it down into the Death Star.

A reading came to the computers. The bridge officer turned to Ackbar 
and gave a positive nod. The Admiral smiled and activated the com-l
link.
"The shield is down! Commence attack on the Death Star's main 
reactor," he ordered.
"We're on our way," Lando replied. "Red Group, Gold Group, all 
fighters follow me."
Ackbar turned to another Mon Calamari nearby. "Send them the gift..."
"Yes sir!"

As the Falcon, followed by several smaller Rebel fighters, headed 
toward the unfinished superstructure of the Death Star, ten escape 
pods flew from the lead Cruiser, straight towards a docking bay of 
the massive space station.

As they fell in place the doors opened and two Jedi emerged from each 
one, their lightsabers ignited. The Stormtroopers guarding the bay 
were quickly hacked down, their bodies falling to the ground in 
several pieces.
"Get to the throneroom!" Adi Gallia called. "It's time we destroyed 
the Empire at its core!"

One of the younger Jedi hacked through the reinforced door into the 
heart of the Death Star. The group came to a junction. "Which way?" 
one asked.
"The Force will guide us," Gallia replied and closed her eyes. A 
legion of Stormtroopers came running up the corridor towards them, 
their blasters blazing towards the Jedi Knights. An array of 
lightsabers moved into place, deflecting the lasers back at their 
owners. Seven Imperial soldiers fell to the ground while others 
continued their pursuit. A blue skinned female Twi-Lek jumped forward 
and with a quick stroke decapitated two of the troops.

"Master Gallia!" she called. "Where are we being guided?"
"This way!" the dark skinned Jedi jumped up and cut through the 
ceiling with her red bladed laser sword. She quickly arrived at the 
next level, followed by her companions.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

"You are weak, princess. You are not a Jedi. You never will be," 
Vader mocked Leia. He edged closer, his saber outstretched. Leia 
extended her arm to reach for the weapon she had just dropped in her 
fall. The red blade came down on her but she managed to roll away, 
activating her own lightsaber and striking down on Vader, an attack 
he easily blocked.

Anakin crawled from under the rubble of the collapsed bridge to see 
his daughter struggling desperatly to defend herself against the Dark 
Lord. He pulled himself out only to discover a numbness in his leg. 
As he touched it he discovered that it was filled with sheer pain. It 
was broken, but he had to do something to help Leia. He staggered 
closer towards the two battling.

"Do not forget me, Skywalker," a voice behind him hissed. Anakin 
turned to see Palpatine standing there, his arms outstretched. The 
old Jedi jumped out of the way of the first barrage of Force 
lightening but his injury left his reflexes slow as the second hit 
him, the blue streaks covering his whole body.

Leia looked towards her father to see him suffering. She tried to ran 
to his aid but Vader's non-stop attacks prevented her. The screams of 
Anakin built up the anger in the princess and she struck again, 
rushing at Vader with an angered frenzy she never knew she had. 
Sparks flew as she and the Sith fought in the cramped area. Leia's 
hatred forced Vader to retreat out of the low area and across a 
bridge overlooking a vast elevator shaft. Each stroke of Leia's saber 
drove her enemy further toward defeat.

Anakin looked at the way his daughter was fighting. "No!" He called. 
"That is not the way!" Palpatine increased the power of the blasts 
leaving Skywalker unable to speak other than in a scream. "It is how 
she was meant to fight you pathetic fool."

The Dark Lord was knocked to his knees, and as he raised his sword to 
block another onslaught, Leia slashed Vader's right hand off at the 
wrist, causing metal and electronic parts to fly from the mechanical 
stump. Vader's sword clattered uselessly away, towards the edge of 
the platform and into the bottomless shaft below. Leia moved over 
Vader and held the blade of her own sword to the Dark Lord's throat.

The Emperor watched with uncontrollable, pleased agitation. He looked 
down on Anakin. "See? She understands what you do not. Anger is the 
way forward. It grants you more control over your abilities..."
"No..." the old Jedi moaned. "It controls you... but makes you 
believe you are the one with the... power..."
Palpatine stopped the onslaught of electricity and Anakin fell to the 
ground, the shock waves still moving through his body, rendering him 
almost paralysed. The Sith Master walked towards Leia who was still 
looking in shock at Vader who was on the ground. She turned to face 
the Emperor with defiance in her eye.
"You try to show me that the Dark Side is better yet you torture my 
father forcing me away from your teachings. I can't become evil like 
you... no one can and I don't understand enough about the Force to 
appreciate how the Dark can benifate me. You can't win."
"But I can," the old man replied. "You do not need to understand the 
Force. All you need is anger and a thirst for vengeance. You have 
both of those... and the ability to learn. My princess, your planet 
is destroyed, your brother dead. You want to kill me and my 
apprentice. I want it too. Strike me down and you will know all you
need to...."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Rebel fighters followed the Falcon across the surface of the Death 
Star to the unfinished portion, where they dived into the super-
structure of the giant battle station, followed by many TIE fighters.
"I'm going in," sighed Wedge Antilles out loud.
"Here goes nothing," Lando replied. "Lock onto the strongest power 
source. It should be the power generator."

Three X-wings led the chase through the ever-narrowing shaft, 
followed by the Falcon and four other fighters, plus TIE fighters who 
continually fired at the Rebels. The fighters and the Falcon raced 
through the tunnel, still pursued by the TIE fighters. One of the X-
wings was hit from behind and exploded.

Lando tried tp think the situation over. The more of them in here, 
the more enemy fighters would be following them but if there were 
less Rebels in here the chances of succeeding would be greatly 
diminished. He looked over to Nien Nunb who was obviously thinking 
the same thing. The alien nodded, more than enough confirmation for 
Calrissian to go along with his plan.

"Split up and head back to the surface. See if you can get a few of 
those TIE fighters to follow you."

The pilots forwarded their agreements and Rebel ships peeled off 
pursued by three of the TIE's, while Lando and Wedge continued 
through the main tunnel. It narrowed, and the Falcon was forced to 
scrape the side dangerously. Two other TIE fighters blasted away at 
them, hitting the back of Wedge's fighter.
"You okay, Wedge?" Lando asked.
"Just a little fried. I've taken worse," the seasoned pilot replied.
"Anyway, we've got more to worry about than my tail... Our fleet's 
dying back there."
"I know. The whole thing rests on us now..."

The battle between the Rebel and Imperial fleet raged on. Several 
cruisers fire at the giant Super Star Destroyer while X-wings fought
desperately with the incoming Imperial TIEs. One was hit from two of 
the slightly weaker fighters and exploded in a massive flash. A Y-
wing launched a carefully locked proton torpedo towards a Star 
Destroyer's shield generators causing it to blow up, sending the 
massive cruiser on a collision course with one just below it. The 
first's front end piled through the main structure of the second and 
soon they were just floating space debris.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Leia looked into Palpatine's eyes and saw only evil. Perhaps in his 
younger days he had been a good man but had been corrupted by greed, 
envy and power. She didn't feel angry any more, just pity. He 
honestly believed that his way was the true way. He was deluded yet 
didn't realise.
"I can only feel sorry for you, your Highness," she said and put the 
lightsaber she was holding away.

Anakin looked up but it seemed to be too late as Darth Vader had got 
to his feet and was about to hack down on his daughter. Suddenly Leia 
felt the air blowing passed her ear and realised she had a 
sensitivity that she never realised. With an extrordinary leap, she 
flew through the air and landed behind Vader, but standing 
dangerously near the edge of the bridge leading down to the core of 
the Death Star.

He re-ignited her lightsaber and deflected more of the Dark Lord's 
attacks but was forced closer and closer to the edge. "The Emperor 
had so much hope for you," he said. "You failed him, you failed 
me..."
"I know nothing of you, Darth Vader," she replied. "You are a Jedi 
too weak to resist the easy way out of a problem. That's something 
that could never have happened to my father or my brother and will 
never happen to me. You thought you destroyed everything that 
belonged to me but you did the opposite of what you expected. You 
gave me hope. Without realising it, Vader, you gave me a future I 
never thought I could have..."

Leia's defiance angered the Sith. He slashed at Leia but was stopped 
when a crashing ringed through his entire body. He turned around to 
see twenty Jedi knights, all armed with lightsabers, flooding into 
the throneroom. He recognised the leader and walked to her, ignoring 
Leia who ran to her father.

Adi Gallia looked at Vader and frowned. "I thought more of you, Mace. 
You betrayed the Jedi and now look at you. I believe this is 
punishment enough for you. But you are not the reason I am here... he 
is."
She looked at Palpatine who who was reeling from the shock of there 
being so many Jedi still alive after all that he had done to prevent 
it. Gallia stalked towards him.
"Emperor Palpatine," she began. "Your reign of terror is over. The 
Republic will be restored."
"I will not die, Jedi. I will go on forever as long as your kind 
exist to be tempted to the Dark Side... Strike me down. Kill me with 
your lack of emotion. You will never understand what it is like to be 
truly free."

Gallia extended her saber and sliced through the Emperor. His body 
fell into two pieces. Vader watched in terror as everything he had 
known was falling apart around him but without warning he felt 
stronger, more powerful. His master had left him one last gift - his 
pure essence.
"Come, my old friend," he hissed at the member of what had once been 
the Jedi Council. "We will finish this now..."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The Millennium Falcon led a swerving bomb run through the immense 
superstructure of the half-built Death Star while the Rebel Star 
Cruisers outside continually bombarded the huge station. And each 
direct hit was answered by resonating, chain-reaction explosions 
within the station itself.

Lando's crew fired away at the pursuing TIE fighters as the dashing 
Baron of Bespin and his alien copilot homed in on the main reactor 
shaft.

"There it is!" Wedge called out over the com-link as he gazed in awe 
at what was the power source to not only the entire battle station 
but also to the heart of the Empire itself. "All right, Wedge," Lando 
replied. "Go for the power regulator on the north tower."
Wedge nodded to himself. "Copy, Gold Leader. I'm already on my way 
out."

The X-wing headed for the top of the huge reactor and fired several 
proton torpedoes at the power regulator, causing a series of small 
explosions.

The Falcon took a run towards the main reactor, and when it was 
dangerously close, Lando fired the missiles, which shot out of the 
Falcon with a powerful roar, and hit directly at the center of the 
main reactor.
"We did it!" a Rebel situated at the back of the cockpit exclaimed. 
Nien Nunb cheered happily but Lando stayed calm. "We're not out of it 
yet!"

He maneuvered the Falcon out of the winding superstructure just ahead 
of the continuing chain of explosions.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The two red lightsabers clashed fiercly as Vader and Adi Gallia 
fought. The aggression of Dark Lord was matched by the Jedi's calm, 
trance-like state as she hit back against his attacks. Palpatine's 
power was keeping him going but it was fading slowly. The initial 
burst of enery was lowered by the light energies flowing around the 
room.

Two of the Jedi ran to help Anakin and Leia to their feet. "I think 
its time to go now," Skywalker said. "We have fought well but now it 
is time to think things over."
"Indeed, Master Skywalker," Evajo Siinit replied.
Anakin looked at the young boy. "Master?"
"It was decided before you left us. You and Master Kenobi were to be 
offered places on the Council... you are a Jedi Master."
Skywalker smiled. But this wasn't the time or the place. He staggered 
towards the door and looked back at Adi Gallia who fought well 
against the weakening Sith Lord.

"Darth Vader..." she frowned. "You were one us once but you could not 
resist the Dark Side. It was your fear and jealousy that forced you 
over the edge and I am so sorry I was there to witness it. Good bye 
Mace Windu..."
She sliced skillfully down, cutting the Dark Lord in half, his armour 
providing no defence against the lightsaber. As he died his life flew 
passed his eyes. He remembered growing up on Nar Shaddar, life was 
hard but he managed to be discovered by a Jedi who took him in, 
taught him the ways of the Force and eventually led to him being 
placed on the Council. It was when the boy came along that things 
began to change. Eventually even Yoda began to trust him but he 
himself had remained suspicious. Anakin Skywalker was liked by 
everyone but Mace Windu was still edging further away. Only the 
Chancellor understood his argument. The two developed a close 
relationship as he told the galactic leader all that was happening 
within the Council. He realised what a mistake he'd made as an attack 
in the Clone Wars caused the deaths of over a hundred Jedi. He 
realised only one person could have planned it that well. Upon 
meeting with Palaptine he realised that he was a Sith and told him 
that he should not hold back his anger and guilt, to let his emotions 
flow. It seemed like such a good philosophy. Soon Mace forgot all 
that he had stood for, all that his master had taught him, all that 
he learnt from his own experience. The Sith were new to him and he 
needed to know more. That was his mistake...

The two parts of Vader's body fell to the floor with a thump. Gallia 
looked at the remains and shed a tear for her old friend. His way was 
wrong and he became someone he wasn't but to her he was always Mace 
Windu, a man she looked up to all her life. Adi picked up the fallen 
lightsaber and attached it to her belt before joining the other Jedi. 
The ground below her shook as the chain reactions through the Death 
Star were taking place.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The Falcon flew at top speed, with a single X-wing as escort, over 
the endless surface of the Death Star. A series of explosions within
the superstructure followed, then swiftly overtake the small craft as 
it raced for an exit.
"Come on baby!" he shouted to the Falcon. "You know you can do it!" 
The heat in the cockpit began to rise. He turned to Nien Nunb and 
shook his head. He spoke into the radio.
"Wedge, I don't think we're going to make it."
"You'll make it," Wedge reassured him. "Just follow me Gold Leader."
"I promised to return his ship without a scratch..." he sighed. "I 
sure hope that old pirate forgives me."

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

An Imperial shuttle, with Leia and Anakin in the cockpit, rocketed 
out of the main docking bay as that entire section of the Death Star 
was blown away. Anakin looked back at the group of Jedi, looking 
relaxed and serene despite all that was happening and realised how 
much he had changed. The panic was rising in him. If Obi-Wan was here 
he would have given him a real earfull about controlling his 
emotions.

Leia's thoughts were elsewhere as she looked towards Endor just below 
them. She hoped Han was down there, she felt as if he should be, but 
something inside her was telling her otherwise. She controlled the 
shuttle carefully through tear-filled eyes.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

The X-wing, piloted by Wedge Antilles, raced out of the exploding 
superstructure and whizzed toward the Sanctuary Moon. But the 
Millennium Falcon was not fast enough as it exploded with the Death 
Star in a supernova of glory...

		EPILOGUE
		A NEW BEGINNING

The victory celebrations commenced on the lead Rebel Cruiser. Within 
seconds of the Death Star's explosion all of the surviving Imperial 
Star Destroyers had entered hyperspace. It was decided that they 
could be captured later. For now it was time to wallow in the fact 
that the Alliance had come out on top.

The escape pods from the Millennium Falcon were brought into the 
docking bay. Lando and Nien Nunb staggered out looking worse for wear 
but happy that they had survived the experience.
"I'm not looking forward to facing Han," Calrissian smiled a little. 
"When he finds out what I've done to his ship he'll never speak to me 
again."

Mon Mothma and the rest of the greetings party did not respond. 
Suddenly it struck Lando. He realised what had happened.
"How... how did he die?"
"He destroyed the shield generator from the inside," Mothma replied. 
"He sacrificed himself for the Rebellion."
"But WHY???" Lando shouted out. "Why did he have to be the one to go? 
It should have been me! I owed him so much yet I was the one to 
survive!"

"The ways of the Force can never be understood..."
Calrissian looked around to see Adi Gallia. She walked closer to him 
and he smiled a little. "At least your battle went well," he said.
"We have to talk, General," the Jedi Master told him.
"Not yet. I have to see Leia..."
"It is important that you come with me," Adi continued in an 
annoyingly persistant manner. "I have something important to tell you 
- about your past."
"My past?" Lando asked, his face filled with confusion.

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Leia stood alone in her quarters. The lights were turned down to 
match her sad, solemn state of mind. Tears ran freely down her cheeks 
for the first time and she fell to her knees.
"What am I supposed to do now?" she pleaded to no one in particular. 
"Where is my life supposed to go?"

Her eyes were lifted by a blue glow that filled the entire room. 
Standing before her were General Kenobi, a short green alien with 
wise, caring eyes and Luke. Her brother smiled at her and held out 
his hand. Leia went to touch it but it moved through him.

"The Force will guide you, my sister," he said. "I will always be 
there for you whenever you need me. I am to be your guide in the ways 
of the Force as Ben and Master Yoda were for me." Kenobi and the 
alien nodded. Luke continued. "The journey will be hard but you will 
take us in a time of peace and prosperity. You have the future in 
your hands and it is a good future. May the Force be with you, my 
dearest Leia..."

The ghosts faded away. Leia felt empty and filled with power at the 
same time. She got to her feet and looked at the spot where Luke had 
stood. She knew she had not seen the last of him.

A pair of hands rested on her shoulders. She turned to see her father 
standing behind her. "Did you see...?" she said smiling through the 
tears. He nodded. The princess hugged her father tightly. Tomorrow 
would be another day but right now she wanted to be as close to her 
only living family member as she could...

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*

Many Parsecs away on the Imperial planet of Coruscant, Mara Jade 
opened her eyes after the pain had left her. The loss filled her 
entire body. She got slowly to her feet, not remembering how she 
ended up on the floor in the first place.

Her master's words echoed in her mind. "You will kill Leia Organa..."
"Yes, my Emperor," she hissed quietly.

		THE END???????