(A/N: I know this is a couple weeks late, but I got caught up in the real world. But better late than never. This is the longest one yet, and boy did it take a while. Jedi really is my favorite of the series, so I wanted to do it right. Towards the end, I wrote out the plot a little bit more rather than just the translation scenes. And don't forget, I used the ORIGINAL Return of the Jedi, not the so-called remaster/rereleased version, so it may be a little different from what those of you that only saw the DVD and BluRay versions remember. While I did like the cleaned up look, the original version was a lot better, so that's how I wrote it. Enjoy.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

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JABBA'S PALACE

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They had finally managed to find the location of Jabba the Hutt's palace. The Rebel Alliance had known it was somewhere on Tatoonie, but with the Empire constantly searching for them, they hadn't exactly had the freedom to search. Throw in the fact that the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, hadn't delivered Han Solo to Jabba right away, and it had taken a full year to finally track down Han's location.

They had already attempted to send a team to save Han from the vicious gangster. The first party member had been the Wookiee known as Chewbacca, eager to save his lifelong friend. The other was the former Baron Administrator of Cloud City, Lando Calrissian, seeking to make up for the betrayal he had committed. And while many would question sending the man who turned on Han in the first to save him, the former administrator had more than proven himself in the past year.

Alas, neither had returned. No one knew what became of them, nor did they receive any news of Han before contact with them was lost.

But the past year had been beneficial for the Rebels in many ways. Particularly for a certain Jedi-in-training. Luke Skywalker had used what he learned from Jedi Master Yoda, and continued training on his own, progressing tremendously. But with his new power came a great responsibility. He had learned of the patience and intelligence that came with being a Jedi, and the appreciation for all life.

With that appreciation came a reluctance to kill unless absolutely necessary. This was why he still sought a peaceful means of rescuing Han from Jabba's clutches, and had chosen to send his faithful droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO to bargain for Han's return.

And as the two made their way to Jabba's palace, the blue astromech droid couldn't resist smiling inwardly at the nervousness his golden protocol droid companion exhibited. "Are you worried?"

If 3PO were capable of facial expression, he would have been aghast. "Of course I'm worried, and you should be too."

"How come?"

The smaller droid could practically hear 3PO roll his eyes. "Lando Calrissian and poor Chewbacca never returned from this awful place."

"I'm sure they're fine. Jabba probably just refused them."

"Don't be so sure."

"How come?"

His little friend's lack of concern was somewhat irritating. "If I told you half the things I heard about this Jabba the Hutt fellow, you'd probably short circuit."

"Ooh, scary." R2 muttered sarcastically. "I'm short circuiting already."

They continued on their way, finally reaching the palace that looked nothing like the type of royal establishments that they were used to. A massively large door lay before them. 3PO wondered why such a large door was needed. The creatures on this planet, any planet really, came in all shapes and sizes, but really, why such a large door?

"Well, here we are," said R2, pointing out the obvious. "Wow, this is a big door."

3PO was visibly nervous. "R2, are you sure this is he right place?" he asked, clearly grasping at straws in an attempt to find a way out of this.

"Really?" R2 asked in a bored voice. "You're asking this now? Come on."

The golden droid hesitantly raised his hand. "I better knock, I suppose."

"That would be logical."

Very lightly, 3PO tapped the door, far too softly for anyone on the other side to hear. Less than a second after his pathetic excuse for a knock, he turned to his little friend. "There doesn't seem to be anyone here. Lets go back and tell Master Luke."

R2 was taken aback at his abruptness. "Whoa, hold up a second."

Whether 3PO's fear was making him stupid, or he was not making a real attempt to gain entrance didn't seem to matter as a small slot opened and a TT-8L/Y7 gatekeeper droid popped out. "State your business, intruder."

3PO was startled by the security droid's sudden appearance. "Goodness gracious me!"

"A droid?" the TT-8L/Y7 remarked in Huttesse. "Who else is with you?"

3PO glanced at the astromech droid. "R2-D2."

R2 turned to the security droid. "Hello. You gonna let us inside?"

"Inside?" TT-8L/Y7 snarled, small mechanical limbs dropping down threateningly.

R2 rolled back in surprise. "Whoa, take it easy!"

TT-8L/Y7 turned back to 3PO "And who you are, droid?"

The protocol droid was still feeling nervous. "C-3PO, sir."

"Purpose?"

"A message?"

"For who?"

"Your master, Jabba the Hutt."

"A message for Master?" The little gatekeeper suddenly sounded amused. "But of course."

With that, it pulled back inside, and its little slot closed. 3PO just stared, not sure what to think. Gatekeeper droids were known to be obnoxious, and he had no idea if he and R2 would be allowed in.

The thought wasn't too much of a let down, and the protocol droid was unable to hide how happy he was. "I don't think they're going to let us in, R2."

"He didn't say that," the astromech droid pointed out.

But 3PO pretended he didn't hear and turned to leave. "We better go."

"Just wait." R2 cried. But it was the creaking sound of the massive door beginning to open that halted the protocol droid in his tracks. "See. They're opening the door."

Fearlessly, the astromech droid rolled inside without hesitation. 3PO stared, unwilling to follow. "R2, wait!"

"Come on. Or stay there."

Neither option sounded appealing, but 3PO really didn't want to be left alone. "Oh dear." He hurried inside after his little friend, trying to come up with something to dissuade the astromech droid. "R2, I really don't think we should rush into all this."

"Of course not," R2 grumbled. It was very typical behavior of the cowardly protocol droid, and he inwardly smiled as his golden companion cried out for some reason. "You're such a coward, 3PO."

A moment later, he ate his own words as, not watching where he was going, he ran into a Gamorrean guard, and backed away with a start. "Yikes! Sorry, pal?"

More freaked out than ever, 3PO hurried to catch up with his little friend. "Just deliver Master Luke's message and get us out of here!"

The Gamorrean turned to him, and the protocol droid gave a cry of fright that was repeated with the appearance of a second one.

"Intruder!" another voice cried out, and both droid's turned to find a male Twi'lek approaching them. Being from the planet Ryloth, these humanoid creatures were occasionally referred to as Rylothians, and were mostly recognized by the large tentacles on their heads.

This one in particular was known as named Bib Fortuna, and he was the majordomo of Jabba the Hutt. "Good morning to you."

3PO felt an uneasy shiver run through his circuits. "Oh my." He bowed in greeting. "Good morning to you, sir."

"Good morning," R2 echoed.

It seemed that a greeting was the only type of hospitality Fortuna was willing to give, as he immediately snapped at the protocol droid. "Business?"

3PO was eager to get straight to business so he could leave. "We bring a message to your master, Jabba the Hutt."

"A message for Jabba?" the Twi'lek repeated.

"Yes, and a gift as well," R2 added.

In his eagerness to leave, 3PO wasn't paying attention and quickly translated. "And a gift."

"Yup, a gift."

The protocol droid suddenly realized what he said. "Gift? What gift?"

"Just a gift," R2 replied dismissively. "You know, a gift."

No, 3PO did not know, but that wasn't that unusual. People tended to share things with R2 and leave him in the dark. Was this gift just another thing to add to the list?

Fortuna was quick to dismiss the droids' request to see the crime lord. "Don't bother Jabba."

"But, sir," R2 began.

The Twi'lek bent down to the astromech droid. "Give me the message."

"No way!" R2 immediately protested. "I have specific orders."

"I will give it to him," Fortuna assured him.

R2 shook his head. "I won't do it."

Though the Twi'lek could not understand the droid's beeps and chirps, he understood the turning of the head, and continued to try to coax the message out of him. "I'll see that he gets it."

"For Jabba only," R2 insisted.

"He says that our instructions are to give it only to Jabba himself," 3PO translated carefully.

"That's right. We've got very specific orders."

Fortuna seemed taken aback at R2's refusal. He looked like he was going to argue further, but a grumble from one of the guards drew his attention. "Geez, just take them already."

Fortuna glanced at 3PO again, who gave him as apologetic of a look as he could with the inability to display facial expressions. "I'm terribly sorry. I'm afraid he's ever so stubborn about these sort of things."

Clearly frustrated, the Twi'lek motioned for the two droids to follow him. "This way!"

The Gamorrean who had spoken was quick to be rid of the droids. "Get moving."

With great reluctance, 3PO followed. "R2, I have a bad feeling about this."

"You always have a bad feeling," the astromech droid grumbled. "Just relax. Everything's fine."

They were led through the palace into Jabba's main audience chamber. All around, dozens of creatures interacted. Drinks, drunks, and sexual favors were being openly handed out as the Hutt crime lord watched without a care from what served as his throne. Two others sat beside him. The first was a beautiful Twi'lek female known as Oola, had a chain around her neck, symbolizing her position as Jabba's sex slave. The other was a Kowakian known as Salacious B. Crumb, whose job it was to amuse the Hutt at least once a day in return for free food and drink.

Whispers and mutters spread around the room as Fortuna led the two droids into the room. Despite R2's bravery, even he was disturbed by the acts of debauchery being committed before him. "Ooh, scary," he muttered, almost meaning it this time.

As the two droids came to a stop in front of the Hutt, Fortuna went up to Jabba's side. "Forgive the disturbance, my lord."

3PO politely nodded in greeting. "Good morning."

"Good morning," R2 echoed.

"They have a message for you," the Twi'lek reported.

The protocol droid nudged his friend. "The message, R2. The message."

"Give me a second." R2 grumbled, booting up his recording system.

Jabba motioned towards the droids. "Proceed," he grumbled in Huttese.

"Yes, sir."

A few seconds later, a hologram of Luke Skywalker appeared. He greeted the Hutt, offering the proper respect before making a request to bargain for Han Solo's life. This request was immediately met with laughter from the Hutt and the rest of the room's occupants. But being a mere recording, the hologram of Luke continued as if there had been no interruption. "As a token of my good will, I present to you a gift; these two droids."

3PO, who had been listening intently, started. "What did he say?"

"Keep quiet," R2 hissed as the hologram finished the message.

When the recoding ended, Fortuna leaned in towards Jabba. "Bargain rather than fight? He is no Jedi."

Whether he was or not, Jabba didn't care. His mind was set. "There will be no bargain. I will not give up my favorite decoration. I like Captain Solo where he is."

He motioned across the room. There, hovering in the air, was the slab of carbonite with the form of Han Solo carved into it. The former smuggler was still sealed inside, his arms reaching out helplessly, his face twisted into a mask of despair.

3PO couldn't believe what he was seeing. "R2, look! Captain Solo, and he's still frozen in carbonite."

"He is," R2 noticed, equally as horrified.

This was met with laughter from all in the room. There was no mercy or compassion to be found here, and it seemed that, with Luke making a gift of them, that neither R2 nor 3PO would be finding any for a long time, if ever again. But while R2 seemed somewhat nonchalant about the situation, almost as if he had expected this, 3PO was downright terrified as he tried to figure out why Luke would give them away.

As he pondered this, a Gamorrean led them down a corridor to places unknown. They passed several cells on their way to… wherever, and the protocol droid recoiled in horror at what he saw inside one. "How horrid!"

He backed away from the wretched sight, only to cry out as a tentacle reached out from the cell he had gotten too close to and wrap around his neck.

"Back off!" the Gamorrean growled in Gamorrese, backhanding the tentacle, and the limb's owner recoiled.

R2 had known that something like this would happen, but even he was feeling uneasy as they continued along. They passed another Gamorrean guard, and the astromech droid gave an enthusiastic, "Hello!"

The Gamorrean just menacingly motioned for him to continue along, and a feeling of true genuine fear flowed through him. "Ooh, scary," he muttered, and this time he really meant it as a door slid open.

Inside was a room filled with machinery. It seemed to be a repair ward, but R2 soon realized it was much more than that. It was also a torture chamber for droids, and right now, a gonk droid was being tortured for whatever reason by being turned upside down and having red hot metal pressed against its feet, courtesy of the smelter droid 8D8.

"Ah! No, no!" the gonk droid cried desperately before giving an agonized wail as the hot metal touched its feet.

3PO was too horrified to speak as he and R2 were led over to a female MerenData EV unit droid known as EV-9D9. Impatient and cold-hearted, 9D9 demanded to know 3PO's primary function before she mercilessly tore apart another droid right in front of him.

"Guard, this protocol droid might be useful," she stated. "Fit him with a restraining bolt, and take him back up to his Excellency's main audience chamber."

The Gamorrean roughly grabbed 3PO and began dragging him out of the room. 3PO looked back at his little friend, crying out a desperate plea. "R2, don't leave me!"

"Move!" the Gamorrean snarled, pushing him out of the room.

Despite the smashed droid carcasses all around him at the hands of 9D9, R2 threw the supervisor droid as dirty as a look as he could muster without having a face. "If you hurt my friend, you'll be sorry."

Rather than getting angry, 9D9 was amused as she thought about how R2 would eventually have his spirit broken in time. "You're a feisty little one, but you'll soon learn some respect. I have need for you on the master's sail barge, and I think you'll fill in nicely."

"Bitch," R2 growled.

Behind him, the poor gonk droid screamed as 8D8 lowered the heated metal to his feet once again. "No, no, no!"

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JABBA'S MAIN AUDIENCE CHAMBER

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The Max Rebo Band, named after its leader, Max Rebo, a male Ortolan from planet Orto, was rather popular on Tatoonie, and Jabba was a big fan of their music. Having hired the group to provide entertainment for himself and his subjects. Even Boba Fett seemed to be a fan, and the band members Rystáll Sant and Lyn Me seemed quite taken with him as well.

Consisting of twelve members, the lead singer, Sy Snootles, former lover of Jabba's brother, Ziro, had been the one to get them into the Hutt Clan's good graces. And she was currently singing one of Jabba's favorite songs, Lapti Nek, as Oola danced for the crime lord.

"Feel my body growing. My bones have started glowing. Ooh! Wow! The time has come for showing, that I'll shape you up and work you out. My body feels excitin'. My soul is synthesizin'. My whole frame is jumpin'. I'm workin' out and havin' fun. Work you out!"

Jabba couldn't take it anymore. Watching the beautiful Twi'lek had gotten his blood boiling. He wanted Oola, and he wanted her now. Yanking on her chain, he pulled her towards him. Oola stumbled, but regained her footing. Taking hold of her chain, she pulled back in protest. "You said I could dance."

"Come to me," Jabba demanded.

She knew what his commanded entitled, having had experienced it several times since Fortuna had kidnapped her from her father after having witnessed her dancing and brought her to his master. The lust in the Hutt's eyes was unmistakable, but she couldn't go through that again. "No, please, no more!"

"Come to me!"

She defiantly pulled on her chain harder. "Please, no more!"

Jabba's temper snapped, his lust quickly turning to fury. "You bitch!"

He pressed the button beside his dais, and the trapdoor beneath Oola's feet dropped open. The Twi'lek cried out as she dropped several dozen feet, landing in a pit filled with the skeletal remains of those that had fallen in before her.

Up above, Jabba roared with laughter as his subjects gathered around to get a good look at the unexpected but welcome show they were about to witness as a few of them pulled Jabba's dais closer so he could peer down at the Twi'lek woman.

The creaking sound of a mechanical door was heard, a grumbling roar following soon after, and Oola's cries rang out as she met with the horror that lay within the pit. Crude and amused remarks were made by the onlookers as 3PO, having been forced to remain by Jabba's side should the need for an interpreter arise, turned away in disgust.

But as the audience watched the show, another sound was soon heard, drawing their attention. It was the sound of a squabble, and it was getting closer. Someone was coming, and not by invite. Cries of "Hold it right there! Hold it right there!" were heard as whoever was coming forced their way through.

As the source of the disturbance approached, another member of Jabba's court moved forward. "Stop, intruder!"

Their attempts were futile as they were aggressively tossed back, hitting the wall with a painful grunt. Storming into the room was an unknown being wearing a full-body bounty hunter suit. But it was the one they were dragging with him, at least everyone assumed it was a him, that held the room's attention.

"Let me go!" Chewbacca, more commonly known as Chewie, wailed.

The bounty hunter ignored him as he came to a stop in front of Jabba. "I have come for the bounty on this Wookiee."

From his place behind Jabba, 3PO gasped at what he saw. "Oh, no! Chewbacca!"

But the Wookiee paid the droid no mind as he fixed his furious glare on the Hutt. "Jabba!"

A sadistic glee filled Jabba as he stared at the hairy beast before him. "Finally, we have the mighty Chewbacca." He glanced at the bounty hunter. He didn't understand his words, but he knew what he was, and what he came here for. "Where's my talk droid?"

3PO immediately snapped to attention and hurried to the Hutt's side. "Yes, I am here, your worshipfulness. Um, yes?"

Jabba motioned to the bounty hunter. "Welcome our mercenary friend, and tell him I'll pay the 25 thousand reward for the Wookiee."

As obedient and as formal as always, 3PO relayed the message, but the bounty hunter was dissatisfied with the offer. "I want 50 thousand. No less."

3PO translated for the Hutt, immediately ruining his good mood. Furious, he backhanded the droid, knocking him over. "What?! You expect me to pay 50 thousand instead?"

Flabbergasted and covered in green slime, 3PO quickly shuffled back to Jabba's side. He was terrified for his life. After all, 9D9 had claimed that Jabba had disintegrated his last protocol droid after having gotten angry with it. "W-What did I say?"

"Why must I pay double?!" Jabba demanded.

Hoping the Hutt wouldn't take his misdirected anger out on him anymore, 3PO turned back to the bounty hunter. "The mighty Jabba asks why he must pay 50 thousand."

The bounty hunter slowly reached behind him and pulled out a small round object. "I have this."

3PO felt a surge of fear, barely managing to find his voice. "Because he's holding a thermal detonator!"

In an instant, Boba Fett's gun was pointing at the bounty hunter. Fearful cries echoed throughout the room as its occupants took cover, even though it would be pointless to try and avoid the blast.

Despite the situation he was in, Chewie couldn't help but smile. "Still cocky?"

But Jabba was cocky. Furthermore, he was amused. He openly laughed at the gall the bounty hunter had, resorting to literally any means to get what he wanted. It was the kind of thing he admired, and it was making him feel generous. "This bounty hunter is my kind of scum. Fearless and inventive." He glanced at 3PO. "Tell him I will pay 35 thousand, but no more."

Praying this bounty hunter would be reasonable, 3PO slowly turned back to him. "Jabba offers the sum of 35, and I do suggest you take it."

Chewie looked to his captor. "Well?"

The bounty hunter lowered the hand holding the bomb. "It's a deal."

Sweet relief filled 3PO as he watched the bounty hunter turn off the detonator. "He agrees!"

Two Gamorrean guards moved forward to grab hold of Chewie and lead him out of the room. The Wookiee struggled, but was unable to shake them off. "Let go! Get your hands off!"

Max Rebo began playing again, and the party resumed as if there had been no interruption. 3PO went to extend Jabba's invitation to the bounty hunter to stay awhile while Fortuna came up to him, "Well done," he whispered, never having seen anyone stand up to his master like that.

"Thank you," the bounty hunter replied arrogantly. "Good business."

He glanced at his fellow bounty hunter in the corner. In a rare display of respect, Boba gave him a nod of admiration.

The two Gamorreans continued to drag Chewie away by the chain around his neck. The Wookiee struggled, but for some reason didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight. "Hey! Stop!"

As he was dragged away, another guard lowered his mask, revealing the face of Lando Calrissian. He did nothing to lend a hand, but his expression was one of hostility and disgust as he ran through the plan in his head once again.

Whether Chewie had seen Lando or not, he gave no indication as he continued to struggle weakly. "Let go! Watch it!" He hit his head. "Ouch! Hey!"

Not caring about the bump the Wookiee was sure to develop, the Gamorreans shoved Chewie into a cell. "Get in there, you big hairball," one of them grumbled, shutting the door behind him.

"Jerks," Chewie growled at them

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LATER THAT NIGHT

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Night had fallen upon Tatoonie, but that didn't mean the party was over. Living lives of drugs, drinking, and debauchery, the occupants of Jabba's palace usually just dropped wherever they were, usually passing out from their activities. But at least one was awake, and they were quietly making their way to the main audience chamber.

It was the bounty hunter that had delivered Chewie, who had revealed his name to be Boushh. Having already collected his payment, he was now here for his real prize. And that prize was currently floating in the air, encased in carbonite.

Going up to Han's side, Boushh pressed a few buttons, and the whistling noise of the carbonite disintegrating echoed through the room. Less than a minute later, the outside air hit Han Solo for the first time in a year.

Weak from his hibernation, Han barely had the strength to move on his own. His eyes sightless, but he was soon reassured by Boushh that it would return in time. Strangely enough, he did not speak the language he spoke earlier when delivering Chewie to Jabba. Stranger still, upon removing his mask, the bounty hunter revealed that they were not a 'he' at all, but Princess Leia Organa of the late planet Alderaan, finally reunited with the man she loved.

The moment was ruined by a familiar booming laughter, and a curtain opened to reveal Jabba and several of his cronies. "My, my, what a touching sight."

A feeling of dread gripped Han, and he blindly turned to the crime lord. "Hey, Jabba. Look, Jabba, I was just on my way to pay you back, and I got a little sidetracked. It's not my fault-"

"It's too late for that, Solo," the Hutt scolded coldly. "You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're Bantha fodder."

Han immediately switched to his professional bargainer mode, but Jabba had heard enough of the former smuggler's silver tongued lies to last a lifetime and ordered his former lackey to be taken away. His large red eyes then settled on Leia, and his grin widened as he demanded her to be brought to him.

It seemed he had found someone to replace Oola.

As for Han, he soon found himself exchanging his carbonite prison for a steel one as he was mercilessly thrown into a cell. The room was lit only by the moonlight, for all the good it did to his blind eyes. It seemed though, that wherever he was, he was not alone as a low growl alerted him to his cellmate.

A rather familiar growl.

"Chewie?" he asked to the darkness.

A hairy face stepped into the light. "Han?"

"Chewie, is that you?" the former smuggler cried, almost desperately.

"Han!" the Wookiee exclaimed joyfully, running to his friend. "You're ok! You're ok! Oh, Han!"

Overjoyed, the Chewie shook his friend a little too roughly as Han tried to blink away the darkness. "I can't see, pal."

Chewie barely heard him. "I'm so glad you're back, man."

It suddenly registered to Han that Chewie must be Jabba's prisoner too. Just what had happened since he had been carbonated? "What's going on?"

The Wookiee couldn't contain his excitement. "Luke's coming to rescue us soon."

It took a few seconds for this to register. "Luke? Luke's crazy. He can't even take care of himself, much less rescue anybody."

But Chewie just smiled, as if he knew a juicy secret. "He's a Jedi Knight now?"

Han blinked at his friend's claim. "A-A Jedi Knight?" He shook his head, trying to take in everything that had happened all at once. "I'm out of it for a little while. Everybody gets delusions of grandeur."

But Chewie was done talking. He would fill Han in on everything that was going on later. Right now, he just wanted to be with his friend, and he enveloped him in a tight embrace. "Han! I missed you…"

Han sighed. Chewie really was a big teddy bear, and there were times where he would become affectionate like this. "Alright, pal."

"Han," the Wookiee said happily, patting his head.

The former smuggler sighed as he rubbed his friend's hairy arm, assuring him that he was here. "Alright."

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LUKE'S APPEARS

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The large door opened, and an unknown figure dressed in robes entered. They walked along as if they didn't have a care in the world, like they knew beyond a doubt that everything was going to be ok. Not even the menacing Gamorrean guards seemed to bother this unexpected visitor.

"Halt," one of the guards told him as it and its companion held up their weapons.

The robed visitor calmly raised a hand to the Gamorrean that had spoken, then to the other. The two guards stumbled back as an unseen force clamped down on their throats in an invisible grip. The stranger paid them no further mind as they continued on their way towards Jabba's main audience chamber, guided by the power of the Force.

After having set the trap for Han's would-be rescuers, Jabba was tired from lack of sleep. Others were up and about, but were careful not to wake the crime lord. Beside the Hutt, in Oola's former position, was Leia herself, forced to dress in a skimpy outfit that was most unbecoming for a princess. She tolerated it though as she waited, grateful that Jabba had not yet decided to try out his new 'toy' just yet. They would all be out of here soon. The first few attempts at rescuing Han had failed, but she knew without a doubt that this next one would not.

And that next one was about to enter the room. Fortuna saw him coming and quickly hurried over to intercept him. "You must be the one called Skywalker. His excellency will not see you."

Luke barely even looked at him. "I must speak with Jabba."

Fortuna grabbed Luke's arm, halting him. "Shh. The master's asleep." He glanced back at the Hutt, making sure he hadn't woken up. "Jabba has instructed me to tell you there will be no bargains."

This did not dissuade Luke in the least as he tapped into the Force and waved a finger at the Twi'lek. "You will take me to Jabba now."

Fortuna paused, suddenly looking thoughtful. Suddenly, the boy's demand seemed like a very good idea. "I will take you to Jabba now."

Luke followed as the Twi'lek unnecessarily led the way. "You serve your master well."

"I serve my master well," Fortuna repeated dreamily.

"And you will be rewarded."

"And I will be rewarded."

The other occupants of the room were all up and about now, gathering around their new visitor. 3PO recognized him right away and immediately expressed his joy.

"Master," Fortuna said to Jabba, startling the Hutt awake, "I present Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Angry at both being awaken and having the boy in his home, Jabba snapped at the Twi'lek. "I told you not to admit him."

"I must be allowed to speak," Luke stated, reaching into the Force again.

Jabba felt the will of the Force push on his mind, but immediately pushed away the thoughts that were not his own. He knew who he was and what he wanted, but Fortuna was far more susceptible as he repeated the young Jedi's command. "He must be allowed to speak."

The Hutt turned to him angrily, grabbing hold of his arm. "You weak-minded fool! He's using an od Jedi mind trick."

He pushed his majordomo away from him in disgust as Luke lowered his hood. "You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me."

Jabba found the boy's demand to be quite amusing as he once again pushed away Luke's attempt to force his will on him. This didn't seem to bother Luke in the least as he attempted a peaceful negotiation coupled with a threat should the Hutt refuse.

But Jabba was far more arrogant, and with good reason too. Speaking over 3PO's attempt to warn Luke of the trapdoor he was standing on, Jabba declared that there would be no bargain. "I will enjoy watching you die."

Luke moved quickly. Holding out his hand towards a blaster attached to the hip of one of the room's occupants, he summoned it to him. One of the Gamorrean guards saw the weapon fly into Luke's hand and immediately grabbed at him, pointing it away from Jabba.

The Hutt's eyes widened in shock and outrage at how close he had just come to death. "Bastard!"

He slammed his fist on the button beside him, and the trapdoor opened. Both Luke and the Gamorrean he had been fighting over the weapon with dropped down into the pit. The room's occupants all rushed over to get a good look. And as a few of Jabba's subjects moved to pull his dais into position for him to see the show, Lando approached Leia, giving her a reassuring wink.

"Foolish Jedi," Jabba laughed. "Foolish Jedi!"

The creaking door slowly opened, drawing Luke and his Gamorean companion's attention. Within the darkness, a giant menacing figure turned to them, a low growl escaping the monstrosity as it stared at its prey.

Up above, 3PO recoiled in terror. "Oh no, the rancor!"

Towering in at 25 feet in height, the large carnivores reptile from the planet Dathomir stomped out of the darkness. For the first time upon entering the palace, a sliver of fear ran though Luke.

The Gamorrean was far more terrified than Luke, and it quickly ran to the door. "NOOOO! Help me! Please!"

From the safety way above, everyone, even his fellow Gamorreans laughed at his distress. "Ha! He's finished!"

"Help, please!" the trapped Gamorrean begged, his cries drawing the rancor's attention, and the beast reached for him. "Open the door! Please!" Then he was in its claws, being brought up to the monster's jaws. "Help! Please!"

It was a gruesome sight, seeing the Gamorrean being eaten alive, but Luke had been trained to keep his emotions intact. He would not let the fear in, and he would not let this beast defeat him. He followed his training, listening to the Midi-cholirans as they spoke the will of the Force to him.

Following the mystical power's guidance, he was able to evade the beast, but soon found himself cornered in front of the only other door that lead to the rancor's keeper's area.

"Get away from the door!" one of the keepers snarled, and pushed him away.

Luke turned to the rancor, wondering why the Force had led him here. Then he saw it; the control panel that opened and closed the door the rancor came through, and the monster was walking beneath the door right now.

Reaching down, he picked up a skull and threw it, using the Force to guide its movements. It struck the control panel, and the door fell shut, crushing the rancor beneath it.

All laughter died with the rancor. Stunned silence filled the room that was broken by Jabba's cry of outrage. "My rancor! No!" His furious eyes landed on Leia as she gave a sigh of relief, and he gave her chain a hard yank. "Get him out of there!"

The door behind Luke opened, and the two keepers rushed in. One grabbed Luke and immediately began to shake him furiously. "You little punk! Do you know what you've done?! You killed…"

He tailed off as his fellow keeper pushed past him, looking at the dead rancor. Up above, the furious Hutt screamed for Han and Chewie to be brought to him, and Lando was quick to obey, knowing that should anyone else fetch them that they would most likely be roughed up quite a bit before they even reached Jabba.

As Luke was dragged out of the room, the keeper that had been staring at the rancor began to weep. His companion came over, his own voice choking up at the loss of the creature they had taken care of for so many years. "Come along now. I know, I'm sorry. Come on, come on."

Everyone else was more angry, especially Jabba as he cooked up a horrible fate for the three prisoners. "Talk droid, tell them."

Even with his own safety at risk, 3PO was unable to keep the despair out of his voice as he informed Luke, Han, and Chewie that they were to be taken to the Pit of Carkoon and fed to the sarlaac. It was indeed a horrible fate, for all those that were swallowed by the plant-like creature had nothing to look forward to but a slow and painful death of being slowly digested over a thousand years. To make the fate all the crueler, there was no chance of dying of hunger or thirst, as the sarlaac actually kept its victims alive by providing them nourishment, allowing it to continue feeding on them for those one thousand years.

"Bastard!" Chewie roared at Jabba for his cruel decision.

Luke, however, was once again as calm and collect as ever. "You should have bargained, Jabba."

"Take them away," the Hutt ordered.

Luke just smiled a knowing smile. "That's the last mistake you'll ever make."

Jabba just laughed

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THE PIT OF SARLACC

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Nearly everyone in Jabba's palace had gone to see the execution. Flying in Jabba's sail barge, they flew towards the sarlacc pit where the prisoners would meet their end. Or at least begin it; it would be a very long time before they actually died.

"I think my eyes are getting better," Han remarked as he squinted at the sandy dunes flying by. "Instead of a big dark blur I see a big light blur."

"Good," Chewie muttered beside him.

Still smiling, Luke leaned in to him. "There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know."

Han gave him a sarcastic look. "You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient."

Luke almost laughed. "Just stick close to Chewie and Lando. I've taken care of everything."

Han was certainly skeptical about that. He was already expecting the worst. And he wasn't the only one. 3PO was wandering around the sail barge, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, a rather difficult feat with his golden body.

Not watching where he was going, he collided with a certain astromech droid, knocking off the tray of drinks he was holding.

"Whoa!" R2 cried in surprise. The he noticed who it was. "Hey, 3PO, it's me."

An apology was already escaping 3PO before he realized who it was. "I'm terribly sor… R2, what are you doing here?"

"I'm serving drinks," the little droid stated.

3PO would have rolled his eyes if he could. "Well, I can see you're serving drinks, but this place is dangerous. They're going to execute Master Luke. And if we're not careful, us too."

R2 almost chuckled. "Don't worry, it's all part of the plan."

The protocol droid humphed unbelievably. "I wish I had your confidence."

The sails barge slowly came to a stop above the Pit of Carkoon. Down below, a sand pit led down to a large organic hole about nine feet wide. Aligned with rows of sharp teeth pointing down to prevent anything from possibly getting out, long tentacles slid along the sandy surface, feeling for anything to grab hold of and pull in.

"Get walking," one of Luke's Weequay executioner ordered as the ramp slid out.

Chewie glanced down at the circular mouth. "Yuck."

From the safety of the sails barge, Jabba motioned for 3PO to proceed. "Tell them, droid."

With the utmost reluctance, 3PO addressed those that were to die, asking if any of them whished to beg Jabba for mercy.

"Yeah, right," Chewie muttered.

Slipping by unnoticed, R2 quickly went to get a good position at the top of the barge. "Here I come, Master Luke."

Jabba didn't even notice the little droid as he watched the sarlacc's next intended meal. "Foolish Jedi."

Putting on a brave front, Han shouted his outrage to the droid. "3PO, you tell that slimy piece of worm ridden filth, he'll get no such pleasure from us!"

"Yeah," Chewie growled.

"Right?"

"Right!" the Wookiee said louder.

Getting into position, R2 calculated the exact coordinates for what he needed to do, taking reading of the wind speed and any other factors that needed to be included in his calculations."Perfect."

Luke stepped forward in one last attempt to end things peacefully. "Jabba, this is your last chance. Free us, or die."

Jabba just laughed. At his command, the executioner pressed a blade into Luke's back, moving him out onto the platform. That was it then, it was to be a fight to the death. Luke gave the signal to those around him, including the disguised Lando behind him.

"Ready," R2 said quietly, sending the response signal with a motion of his body. A moment later, the Jedi saluted him, and the droid's compartment opened to reveal the lightsaber he had been carrying inside him the entire time.

"Put him in!" Jabba's voice thundered over the intercom.

It happened so fast. One moment Luke was falling, the next he was flipping in the air over his executioners' heads as the lightsaber R2 had launched went flying in the air.

"Luke!" Chewie exclaimed in surprise, but the young Jedi paid him no mind as he reached for his flying lightsaber. The Force pulled it towards him, and a bright green beam ignited. The Wookiee stared at the beam, mesmerized. "Whoa."

Then Luke was moving, his lightsaber flying at those on board the hovercraft. One of the guards was knocked off and went tumbling down into the sarclacc pit, disappearing into the darkness. Lando also tossed aside his helmet and attacked the guards, keeping them off of Han and Chewie as Luke swung around his glowing weapon.

As Lando quarreled with his guard, and Luke sent the last one falling into the sarlacc's mouth, Chewie turned around, presenting his bound hands to the Jedi. "Uncuff me! Quick!"

Luke's hands went to the Wookiee's wrists. "Easy, Chewie."

Chaos broke out on the sails barge as Jabba furiously began shouting orders to his subjects. A lone gunner ran up to the top and began firing down at Luke and the others. The blast caused Lando to go tumbling down towards the pit with the guard he was fighting, and he just barely managed to grab onto the rope while his opponent fell into the sarlacc's mouth.

A moment later, Boba Fett landed on the hovercraft. He raised his gun at Luke, but a quick swipe of the Jedi's lightsaber cut the blaster in half.

Though Han's vision was indeed returning, he still couldn't see that well, and as another laser blast was fired, his life was only spared by Chewie tackling him. The laser blast, however, grazed the Wookiee's knee, and he cried out in pain

"Chewie, you're hit?" Han cried in alarm. "Where is it? I can't see, pal."

"AH, my leg!" the Wookiee wailed, clutching his knee.

But Boba was far from helpless without his gun, and he fired a cord from his arm that wrapped around Luke. The gunner fired again, and but even with his arms bound, Luke swung his lightsaber in such a way and with such precise timing that he both cut the cord and deflected the laser, and the loss of leverage caused Boba to topple over.

"Han! Chewie!" Lando called desperately as he dangled above the sarlacc's gaping mouth.

Han blinked. "Lando?"

"My leg! My leg!" Chewie continued to wail.

Several more lasers went flying through the air, drawing Luke's attention, and he turned to see the second hovercraft flying towards them as those onboard fired at him. Guided by the Force, he jumped an impossible distance, landed on the hovercraft, and began cutting his way through those onboard. He did not notice as Boba rose to his feet and took aim at him with the miniature blaster on his wrist.

Han had been in the process of finding something he could lower down for Lando to grab, and had taken up the weapon one of the executioners had been holding. He did not see Boba behind him, nor did he know the danger Luke was in.

But Chewie did, and he cried out a warning to Han. "Boba Fett!"

The former smuggler turned to the Wookiee in surprise. "Boba Fett?"

"He's gonna shoot him!"

"Boba Fett is? Where?"

He spun around, searching for the bounty hunter, and the end of his weapon struck Boba's jetpack, igniting it. The bounty hunter took off like a rocket, and crashed into the sail's barge. He dropped down to the sandy ground and went tumbling into the sarlacc's mouth.

Jabba was furious. Nothing was going as planned. Somehow, this one boy was besting him and all his men. He would not have it! "Get down there!"

But Leia had sat by idly long enough. She was through catering to this grotesque creature. It was time for her to take a stand. She struck the control panel, and the blinds fell shut, enveloping them all in darkness.

Jabba blinked and looked around in confusion. "What the?"

A moment later, Leia grabbed the chain Jabba himself had placed around her neck and wrapped it around his, where she proceeded to strangle the life out of the ruthless crime lord.

The numerous laser blasts were beginning to take a toll on the hovercraft. It began to tilt in the air, nearly causing Han to fall off and into the sarlacc pit as he attempted to reach for Lando.

"Grab me, Chewie!" he shouted to his Wookiee friend.

Chewie crawled over and wrapped his arms around Han's feet. "Got you."

Luke realized that if he didn't take out that gunner, then his friends wouldn't make it. Once again using the Force to make an astounding jump, he leapt onto the late Jabba's sail barge, climbed up, and cut down the gunner.

"Hurry!" Chewie hollered down to Han.

The former smuggler was doing his best, and after a close call, managed to get Lando back up onto the hovercraft.

As for Leia, after having finished off Jabba, she still had a little problem of being chained, but R2 was on that. "Hold still," he said, sending out a shock from his electric pike that severed the chain.

Free at last, Leia tossed aside the other end of the chain. "Come on, we gotta get out of here."

"Just a second," the astromech droid replied, glancing around for his golden friend.

He found him thrashing about on the ground as Salacious Crumb attempted to gnaw out the poor protocol droid's eye. "Oh, my eyes! R2, help!"

Once more, R2 extended his electric pike. "Hold on."

A jolt of electricity struck the Kowakian monkey-lizard, and the creature went yelping to the ceiling in a humorous manner. "Ah! What hit me?"

3PO sat up, one of his eyes dangling out of its socket. "You beast!"

Crumb glared down at the pair, shouting insults at them. "That hurt! Rotten droid!"

But there was no time to worry about the little creature. The time had come to make their escape. Following the astromech droid's directions, 3PO soon found himself on the roof. "R2, where are we going?"

"Jump," the little droid replied, running into him from behind.

"I couldn't ju- AHHH!"

R2 immediately went tumbling down after him into the soft sand. "Wa-hoo!"

Following Luke's orders, Leia hurried over to the large cannon on the barge's roof and aimed it at the deck. Luke grabbed a rope and called her over, kicking the lever on the cannon, setting the barge ablaze before he swung onto the intact hovercraft with Leia clinging to him. "Let's go. And don't forget the droids.

Lando gave him a smile. "We're on our way."

Small explosions began spreading across the barge as the hovercraft flew over the sand. R2 helped them by raising his sensor to announce his and 3PO's presence. "Hello! Master Luke, we're over here!" They were soon spotted, and lifted up onto the hovercraft. "Going up!"

With everyone accounted for, the hovercraft sped off into the distance as Jabba's sail barge went up in a fiery explosion.

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LEAVING TATOONIE

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They were finally leaving Tatoonie, hopefully for good this time. R2 certainly wouldn't miss the place, and hoped never to see it again. Right now, he was where he was meant to be, inside the cockpit of Luke's X-Wing with the Jedi in the pilot's seat.

Plugged into the computer system, R2 got a reading of where Luke had programmed the ship to fly to. Knowing that the alliance would be assembling to plan its attack on the Empire's new Death Star, he quickly checked to make sure Luke hadn't made a mistake. "Master Luke, are these coordinates right?"

His words came up on the computer screen for Luke to read, and the young Jedi smiled at them. "That's right, R2, we're going to the Degobah System."

Truth be told, R2 wasn't too thrilled about that. The swamp planet wasn't exactly his cup of tea, even if it was the home of one of the greatest warriors to ever live. "What are we going back Degobah for?"

Taking a glove, Luke used it to cover the laser blast he had gotten on his mechanical hand during the battle on Tatoonie when he wasn't paying attention. "I have a promise to keep… to an old friend."

That promise was to none other than Yoda himself, the 900 year-old Jedi Master. Even though Luke had continued using what the little creature had taught him, he had still promised to come back, and he was going to keep that promise.

And so, R2 found himself, once again, on the swamp planet while Luke sat inside the old Jedi's house. "Well, back here again."

But it seemed that they wouldn't be staying long. And neither would Yoda. Though his species were known to have very long lifespans, the old Jedi Master had long since reached his limit. Having grown sick and weak, he had been holding on by pure willpower to have one last conversation with Luke before his time came.

But of all the things Yoda had or could have told him, there was only one thing Luke wanted, needed, to know. "Master Yoda, is Darth Vader my father?"

The old Jedi tensed. So it was finally here, out in the open. No more deceptions or half-truths, no more prolonging the inevitable or keeping secrets. The time had finally come. "Your father he is."

It was a horrible revelation, but for some reason, Luke wasn't upset. Deep down, he had known the truth, had known it all along. He had tried to convince himself for so long that what the Sith Lord had told him last year in Cloud City had been a lie, but he knew. There was anger though, anger at the deception played by both Obi-Wan and Yoda.

No, not Yoda. Yoda hadn't lied to him, not like Obi-Wan had; he had simply neglected to tell Luke the truth. But the old Jedi quickly stomped out that anger by explaining that Luke hadn't been ready for the burden of the truth, and Luke realized he had been right; he hadn't been ready, not then, maybe not even now.

They were running out of time, but there was still more to be said. And as Yoda lay in bed, struggling with all his might to keep death at bay, he spoke his last words. "Luke… there is… another… S-Sky…walker…"

And just like that, the life left one of the greatest Jedi Masters of all time ended. So at one with the Force, he was claimed by it completely, his body vanishing into thin air.

And then Luke was alone. The last Jedi in the galaxy, possibly the entire universe, unless some life forms in another galaxy discovered the mystic power as well. But for all intents and purposes, he was the last.

As he walked over to his ship, R2 noted his master's distress. "Master Luke, are you ok? I'm sorry about Master Yoda. He was a great man. Master?"

The despairing Jedi looked at the astromech droid. "I can't do it, R2."

"What do you mean, you can't? What do you mean?"

"I can't go on alone."

He did not expect a response he could understand, but he received one all the same. "Yoda will always be with you."

Turning, he saw it. No, not it, him. "Obi-Wan."

Walking towards him was the transparent image of his old friend and mentor in the form of a Force Ghost. Having learned to master death, he was able to manipulate the Midi-chlorians to manifest himself like this from the other side. It was as close to immortality as one could get. And, in an ironic twist of fate, it was forever out of the Sith's ability to achieve, even though eternal life was their ultimate goal. But being far too concerned and hungry for physical and worldly desires, it was an ability no Sith would ever be able to gain.

But right now, Luke was in no mood to discuss the differences between the Jedi and the Sith. He had gotten an answer to his first question from Yoda, now he needed one from Obi-Wan. "Why didn't you tell me? You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."

His tone was accusatory, and a sorrowful look appeared on the deceased Jedi's transparent face. It was true, but it hadn't been a lie, not really. Rather, it was how Obi-Wan chose to remember things. The Anakin Skywalker that he knew, the kind and compassionate man who always thought of others, who dove into danger to save as many lives he could, who was so passionate about his beliefs that he would defy the Jedi Council, who had so much love in his heart that he was never able to cast it aside despite the threat the Dark Side presented, could never and would never do the things Darth Vader had done.

No, not Anakin, never Anakin. It was Vader. The moment he discarded his identity as Anakin Skywalker and chose to become Darth Vader, Obi-Wan had considered his friend dead, with only an evil Sith Lord in his place. Vader was so different from Anakin that the two couldn't possibly be the same person. Having left all the goodness in his heart, he abandoned everything that had made him Anakin Skywalker to become someone else.

Obi-Wan confessed his twisted version of the truth to the boy. He reminisced some of the good times he had with his old friend before he fell prey to the Dark Side. And he had been prey, for that was how the Dark Side worked. It preyed on your weaknesses, your emotions. Under its guidance, Darth Sidious had used Anakin's fear and love against him. All Anakin had wanted to do was save his wife, and the Dark Side tempted him with a way that could be done.

But as Yoda had told Luke time and time again, once you start down the path of the Dark Side, forever will it dominate your destiny. Even though Anakin had good intentions, he had still done something horrible. From there, it had become easier and easier to perform his wicked deeds, until he no longer felt any guilt at all, until he chose to do such acts of cruelty willingly.

And that was why he needed to be stop.

"There is still good in him," Luke told his old mentor.

And it was true. He had sensed it. Somewhere, deep down, a glimmer of the person Vader had once been still remained. Old dreams of doing good, memories of a better life, love he still held for his mother, his wife, his son. These were things that were not part of the Dark Side, and they were there. But Luke had ignored what he had sensed in the past, thinking Vader had been his father's killer, and not wanting to see the Sith Lord as redeemable in any way.

But now that he knew the truth, that a part of his father, his real father, no matter how small, was still inside Vader somewhere, Luke knew he couldn't bring himself to kill him.

Obi-Wan looked away remorsefully. "Then the emperor has already won. You were our only hope."

But was he? Was he really? The more recently deceased Jedi's words played in his memory. "Yoda spoke of another."

Obi-Wan looked back at him. The time for secrets was truly over. "The other he spoke of was your twin sister?"

Luke's face screwed up in confusion. "But I have no sister."

A small smile grazed Obi-Wan's face. "To protect you both from the emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born. The emperor knew, as I did, that if Anikan were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the reason why your sister remains anonymous."

As the ghostly Jedi spoke, pieces of the puzzle began falling into place. "Leia! Leia's my sister!"

This explained it, the instant connection he felt towards her. The bond they had and the love they shared for each other. They had both been confused, thinking that love to be romantic since the truth had never possibly occurred to either of them. It was no secret that Leia was adopted, but they had never once considered this possibility. Their love wasn't romantic; it was family.

A look of pride filled Obi-Wan's face. "Your insight serves you well. Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the emperor."

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PLANNING THE ATTACK

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The first Death Star had been bad enough, but this new one promised to be much worse. Nearly twice the size, and with a lot more firepower, the Empire was not going to make the same mistakes it did the last time. Any exhaust ports the new Death Star had would undoubtedly be heavily guarded. The Empire hadn't even considered the small holes to be a weak spot on their first "ultimate battle station" until the Rebel's attack had already commenced.

No, the Empire would not be making the same mistake twice. Which was why the Rebels knew that they had to destroy this new more powerful Death Star before it was completed. Fortunately, its weapon system was not yet operation, but that would not make the attack any easier.

The real problem, presently, wasn't even the Death Star itself. Orbiting the forest moon of Endor, it was being protected by an energy shield on the moon until it was complete. Should any ships get too close, the shield would see to it that they met a rather explosive end.

So, before they could take out the Death Star, they had to destroy the shield generator on the moon.

"Wonder who they found to pull that off," Leia whispered to Han beside her.

Admiral Gial Ackbar glanced at the former smuggler. "General Solo, is your strike team assembled?"

Han tried very hard not to look at Leia as he replied, "My team's ready. I don't have a command crew for the shuttle."

"Hey!" Chewie raged beside him.

"It's gonna be rough, pal," Han told him, "I didn't want to speak for you."

"Come on, I'm with you."

Smirking, Han turned back to the admiral. "That's one."

"General," Leia addressed him proudly, "count me in."

"I'm with you too!" a new voice declared.

Luke had arrived, having made it back from Degobah in time to catch the end of the meeting. Leia, Han, and Chewie all went to greet him.

"Luke!" the Wookiee cried in greeting.

Leia reached him first and gave him a hug. As they broke the embrace, she noticed something different about him. He was staring at her strangely, like he understood something. "What is it?"

He just smiled. "Ask me again some time."

"Luke."

"Hi, Han." He nodded to the Wookiee. "Chewie."

"Hey."

They were all together again after a year apart, ready and willing to take on the Empire one last time. It was making R2 feel rather giddy. "It's so exciting!"

Beside him, 3PO was feeling something different. "Exciting is hardly the word I would choose."

With no time to waste, the Rebels went about their duties. After reluctantly entrusting the Millennium Falcon to the newly promoted General Lando, Han and the others boarded the stolen Imperial Lambda-class T-4a shuttle, Tydirium. Chewie was in the co-pilot seat, like always, but was unfamiliar with the control system.

"You think I can fly this?" he asked skeptically as he looked at the design.

While Han normally would have had a snarkier response, he was feeling rather down. "No, I don't think the Empire had Wookiees in mind when they designed her, Chewie."

"Great," Chewie grumbled.

But Han barely heard his hairy friend. He was staring intently at the Falcon. That ship had been his livelihood for as long as he could remember. It was more than a ship, it was his home, it was a part of him, and there was a high probability that it wouldn't be coming back.

Leia looked at him in concern and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you awake?"

He gave her a reassuring nod. "Yeah, I just got a funny feeling, like I'm not gonna see here again."

The princess looked at the ship, feeling her own affection for it. That ship had gotten her through quite a bit too. It was almost a second home, and she too didn't want this to be the last time they saw it.

"Ready," Chewie told them, interrupting their reminiscing.

Han didn't seem to hear, so Leia patted his shoulder. "Come on, general, lets move."

Han seemed to snap put of his stupor. "Right. Chewie."

"Yes?"

"Lets see what this piece of junk can do."

Everyone strapped themselves in as the engines fired up.

"Time to end the Empire," R2 declared.

3PO was far less enthusiastic. "Here we go again."

A few moments later, they were flying out of the docking bay and blasting off at light speed. The stars whizzed by in a swirling vortex as they traveled hundreds of thousands of miles in seconds, their destination, Endor.

It seemed to take forever to reach the forest-covered moon, yet it also seemed to happen all too quickly. At a reasonable distance away, the ship came out of light speed, and the massively large Death Star floated before them, 160 kilometers in diameter to the original's 120.

"Approaching," Chewie told them.

Han could see that for himself. He would ever show it, let alone admit it, but he was feeling rather nervous right now. "If they don't go for this, we're going to have to get out of here pretty quick, Chewie."

"Yeah," the Wookiee agreed.

All too soon, a voice spoke out to them from the Empire largest Super Star Destroyer, appropriately named Executor. "Shuttle Tiderian, transmit to the clearance code for shield passing."

Chewie glanced at Han. "Ready?"

The former smuggler didn't bother to answer his friend. "Transmission commencing."

"Now we find out if that code is worth the price we paid," Leia grumbled.

Covering his anxiety with cockiness, Han gave her a cheeky smile. "It'll work. It'll work."

"Hopefully," Chewie muttered.

Luke, however, was suddenly not feeling so sure. He sensed something on that ship, something dark, evil, familiar. Though not as sinister as the pure darkness he sensed on the Death Star itself, he knew there was only one person with a presence like this. "Vader's on that ship."

"Ooh," R2 muttered worriedly.

Though Han had come to believe in the Force, he was still somewhat skeptical about its true power. "Now don't get jittery, Luke; there's a lot of command ships." But just in case. "Keep you distance though, Chewie, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance?"

The Wookiee gave him a bewildered look. "What?"

"I don't know!" Han grumbled, not even sure what he was trying to say. "Fly casual."

"Fine."

But Luke knew that no matter how much they tried to blend in, there was no hiding his presence from the Sith Lord. "I'm endangering the mission, I shouldn't have come."

"It's your imagination, kid. Come on, let's keep a little optimism." Or so Han said, but as the seconds ticked by, and there was no word from the Empire, he began getting more and more nervous until, finally, he couldn't take it anymore. "They're not going for it, Chewie."

"Why?" the Wookiee asked as he wondered what was wrong with the clearance code they had given. But a few seconds later, they were informed that they were clear to land on Endor, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew."

Han's cockiness was back with a vengeance. "Ok. I told you it was gonna work."

Chewie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You were right."

"No problem."

Luke, however, wasn't so sure.

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ON ENDOR

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Hiking through the forest was usually meant to be an enjoyable activity, but not this time. The squad of Rebel soldiers were on a mission, one that required stealth. If they failed to take out the shield generator…

No, that wasn't an option, not if they wanted to hold onto any hope in restoring freedom to the galaxy.

"There," Chewie growled, his sensitive nose detecting something that wasn't part of the forest, nor part of their group. His nose proved to be true as, just up ahead, two Stormtrooper scouts were out patrolling

"Should we try and go around?" Leia suggested.

"It'll take time," Luke pointed out. Fortunately, they still had some time before the attack on the Death Star was set to commence.

"This whole party will be for nothing if they see us," Han reminded them.

"Han?" Chewie inquired.

Han knew what his Wookiee friend was saying, and he agreed. "Chewie and I will take care of this. You stay here."

"Quietly!" Luke warned. "There might be more of them out there."

Cue Han's arrogance. "Hey, it's me."

The rest of the squad remained in hiding as Han and Chewie snuck down to the two scouts. They didn't want to risk using their blasters and possibly have any others in hearing distance realize that they were here. It would safer to silently strike without alerting anyone to their presence.

"Ready," Chewie whispered to Han as he poked his head out from behind a tree.

Han was too. He stepped out of hiding, slowly making his way towards the scout… only to step on a branch. It snapped in half beneath his foot, and the scout turned to him, delivering a quick backhanded blow.

The next thing Han knew, he was engaged in a fierce fistfight with the Stormtrooper. The other one quickly made a run for it, going to his speeder bike and flying off.

"Stop!" Chewie shouted, firing at the retreating scout. He fired after him, striking the bike, and the Stormtrooper went flying as it exploded beneath him.

It seemed though, that the two scouts hadn't been alone. Two others had been close by, and they quickly sped off on their own bikes. Luke and Leia moved quickly, hopping onto the bike of the scout Han was quarreling with, and took off after them.

The rest of the squad eventually moved in to help Han, and the scout was subdued. But with Luke and Leia off to who knew where, all they could do was wait for them to come back.

"I'm detecting movement," R2 suddenly announced a good while later. "I can't read who, but it's human."

Knowing that no one else could understand his friend, 3PO translated for him. "Oh, General Solo, somebody's coming!"

"Who is it?" Chewie asked as he and the rest of the squad pulled out their blasters.

When he saw who it was, Han felt a great weight lift off his chest. "Luke!"

"Finally," the Wookiee grumbled impatiently, eager to get back to the mission.

But it seemed the mission would have to wait as Luke revealed that he and Leia had been separated. Being one of the highest-ranking leaders in the Rebel army, Leia's safety took precedence over many things. But it was more than that for Luke and Han, as they sent the squad ahead while they went to look for her.

"Come on, R2, we'll need your scanners," Luke said to the droid.

"Right, I'm on it now," the astromech droid said as he rolled out of his hiding place in the bushes.

"Don't worry, Master Luke, we know what to do," 3PO told him, as if he were of any use at all at the moment.

"Hurry!" Chewie growled at him.

Turning around, 3PO threw a glare at R2, or would have if his face were capable of it. "And you said it was pretty here. Gah!"

"Well, it is," R2 grumbled as he rolled after them. "You're such a grouch."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

LEIA MEETS WICKET

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The young Ewok hunter known as Wicket Wystri Warrick fancied himself a brave warrior. Brave, but cautious. And there had been a great need to be cautious with the intruders about. Neither Wicket nor anyone else in his village knew where they came from or why, but they were destroying the forest with their evil ways.

The creature before him seemed to be of the same species, similar, but different, and not simply because it was female. It was also lying on the forest floor, either asleep or dead. Wicket gave it a few curious pokes with his spear, and the creature suddenly sat up, startling him. "Cut it out!"

Wicket jumped back in surprise and pointed his spear at her. "Don't move," he warned. He put on his bravest face, but the creature only seemed to relax after seeing him. This only confused Wicket, and he cocked his head to the side, studying her with interest. "What are you?"

Instead of answering, she got up started to walk away. Wicket braced himself for any tricks she might use. "Stay back, or I swear I'll run you through." He kept his spear out in front of him, his threat clear as she walked past him. "Back. Back."

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Leia assured the little creature, even though she was pretty sure he wouldn't understand her language. She sat down, and the two stared at each other.

Feeling more at ease, Wicket cautiously approached. "Who are you?"

But it seemed his own words were as foreign to her as hers were to him. Rather than answer, she began talking to herself. "Well, looks like I'm stuck here. Trouble is, I don't know where 'here' is."

She'd been forced to abandon her bike during the chase, but, fortunately, the Stormtrooper scout she had been chasing had crashed shortly afterwards. She looked to the Ewok. "Maybe you can help me. Come on, sit down."

She patted the spot beside her, but Wicket only growled and pointed his spear at her again, not trusting her. Leia couldn't help but smile in amusement. "I promise, I'm won't hurt you, now come here."

Even though Wicket couldn't understand her, her invitation was clear. "No!" he growled in response.

Still amused, Leia reached into her pocket. "Alright. You want something to eat?"

The scent of whatever it was hit Wicket's nose. "Food?" He never smelled anything like it before, but his nose told him that that's what it was. "Oh, ok then."

Less wary, he approached her, thinking more with his stomach than his head. Not that he was completely without caution. He still kept some distance between himself and her as he reached out and snatched whatever she was offering out of her hand.

"Food," he confirmed. He sniffed it before giving it a nibble. "I like it." Feeling more at ease, he sat down beside her and started eating. "Good." But then a sudden movement out of the corner of his eyes startled him as Leia removed her helmet. With a yelp of surprise, he rolled away from her and quickly raised his spear. "What are you doing?! What is that?"

Bewildered, Leia looked to the helmet in her hands, then held it out to him. "Look, it's a hat. It's not gonna hurt you. Look."

He saw that what she held out didn't seem to be animate. With renewed curiosity, he approached her once more, reaching out to take the helmet. "Let me see."

"You're a jittery little thing," Leia said with a smile.

And with good cause. With much more sensitive ears than what Leia possessed, something caught Wicket's attention, and he dropped the helmet as he pointed his spear towards the forest.

The smile left Leia's face, and she began looking around. "What is it?"

Wicket didn't understand her question, but it was easy enough to guess what she had asked. "The intruders," he whispered to her. He sniffed the air, trying to pick up their scent. He could smell them, and he gestured with his spear. "They're out there."

A moment later, a laser blast struck beside them, and both Wicket and Leia rolled backwards behind the fallen tree for cover. No further gunfire came, and the human and Ewok peeked up from their hiding place, the former with her own blaster in her hand.

"It's them alright," Wicket told her. A moment later, there was another blast fired, and he immediately rolled beneath the tree to hide. "Look out, they're coming! Quick, hide!"

But Leia did not follow. She kept searching for the shooter, not seeing the Imperial scout sneak up behind until his gun was on her. "Freeze! Come on, get up!" With great reluctance, she dropped her weapon and stood up as the shooter, another scout, came out of hiding. "Go get you're ride and take her back to base."

"Yes, sir."

Down below, Wicket glared at the scout that was threatening his new friend. "Take this!" he cried, smacking the scout's leg with his spear.

It drew the scout's attention, allowing Leia to knock him out with a blow to the head, and then quickly fire upon the other scout, causing him and his bike to crash into the other one, resulting in a fiery explosion.

Wicket didn't see what happened, but he realized that the cost was clear when he crawled out of hiding. "They gone?" He waved his spear in triumph. "Victory!"

"Come on, let's get out of here," Leia suggested. Taking him by the hand, she began to lead him away, not really knowing where she was going.

But Wicket knew. He grew up in these woods, and knew them like the back of his hand. "No, wait. That's wrong." He pointed in the other direction; intent on returning the favor of food and protection she had given him. "This way. Come on. Food. Come on."

Leia hesitated for a moment before following. After all, she had no idea where she was. Maybe her new friend could help her.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

SEARCHING FOR LEIA

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Several hours later, the search party eventually ended up where Leia and Wicket met. Luke had wandered a short distance away from the others, and came across Leia's discarded helmet. This was the first real sign they had found of her in hours. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but it was something.

Han's urgent cries for him suddenly had him running back to the group, and he quickly reunited with his friends.

"Oh, Master Luke," said 3PO.

R2 looked at what Han had found; the remains of a destroyed bike. "Look."

"Not good," Chewie whimpered.

Luke didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but his friends deserved the truth, especially Han. "There's two more wrecked speeders back there." He held out Leia's helmet. "And I found this."

Right on cue, 3PO was there to make things worse. "I'm afraid R2's sensors can find no trace of the princess."

"I got nothing," the astromech droid confirmed.

Han tried, but he was unable to mask his concern. "I hope she's alright."

Just then, Chewie caught a scent. "Look! There."

The smuggler turned general and glanced at him "What, Chewie?"

"There."

"What Chewie?"

The Wookiee hurried along through the endless forest until he reached what his nose had detected, a dead animal hanging from a robe. "Here. I knew I smelled something. See. Looks fresh. See."

The others caught up, giving the carcass a strange look. "Hey, I don't get it," Han grumbled impatiently.

The dead animal was very obviously a trap meant to lure bigger game, but Chewie was hungry, and he didn't always think properly when he was hungry. "It's mine."

Han really couldn't have cared less. "Eh, it's just a dead animal, Chewie."

"Mine," the Wookiee repeated, reaching for it.

Luke didn't even need to feel the warning in the Force for him to realize what was about to happen, and he quickly tried to stop his hairy friend. "Chewie, wait, wait, DON'T!"

Too late. One moment they were standing around, the next they were several feet in the air in a net, all piled on top of each other. As if things weren't bad enough. If Han were able to, he'd glare at his Wookiee friend. "Nice work."

"Oops, my bad."

But Han wasn't done raving yet. "Great, Chewie."

"Sorry."

"Great. Always think with you stomach."

"Sorry…"

Even Luke's frustration was beginning to creep through his Jedi training of keeping his emotions intact. "Will you take it easy! Lets just figure out a way to get out of this thing!" He tried to reach his belt, but his arms were caught. "Han, can you reach my lightsaber?"

Han looked and thought he could manage it. "Yeah, sure."

"Get us down," Chewie pleaded, not liking being up in the air like this.

"Wait, I got this," R2 told them. A moment later, one of his compartments opened, and a small buzz saw popped out and began cutting into the net.

Something was telling 3PO that R2 had missed something in his calculation. "R2, I'm not sure that's such a good idea; it's a very long DROOOOOOOP!"

They went from being a pile in the air to a pile on the ground, but at least they were out of the net. But it seemed that this was an 'out of the frying pan and into the fire' situation. As the group recovered from their fall, the Ewok hunting party that had been lying in wait came out of hiding, each one wielding lethal looking spears.

R2 suddenly wished they were back up in the net again. "Ooh, scary."

More and more Ewoks appeared, giving their intended prey curious looks. "Hey, what'd we catch?"

"I don't really care what they are, as long as we can eat them. I'm famished."

"They look edible."

Chewie stared back at the equally furry creature, completely bewildered. "What they? Han?"

Another Ewok looked from the humans, to R2, to the Wookiee. "What are they?"

Han was wondering that himself, but he didn't seem to think that they were a threat until the Ewok known as Teebo, who seemed to be the head of the hunting party, pointed his spear at him when he began to rise. "Stop there!"

The former smuggler seemed taken aback. It soon gave way to irritation, and he pushed it out of his face. "Hey, point that thing someplace else."

Teebo turned to the Ewok beside him. "What did it say?"

"I don't know. You think it's dangerous?"

"Dangerous?" He motioned at Han. "Come on, look at it."

The last few strands of Han's temper were about to snap as he grabbed the spear that was once again in his face. He didn't have time to play these little games. He needed to find Leia, and these little creatures were getting in his way. A few laser blasts shot into the sky would be sure to chase them off.

Luke grabbed his hand. "Han, don't. It'll be alright."

"Let go of my spear!" Teebo demanded, trying to pull his spear back. "Let go."

"Just stab it," another Ewok encouraged.

It seemed that the Ewoks didn't recognize the blaster that Han held, but Chewie's weapon resembled their bows and arrows too much, and they quickly tried to take it from him.

"Hey!" the Wookiee protested.

Luke intervened before there was any bloodshed. "Chewie, give 'em your crossbow."

"It's mine!" Chewie protested, but reluctantly let the Ewoks have it. "Hey!"

That's when 3PO chose to sit up, and the reaction of the Ewoks was quite unexpected. Shocked gasps went all around as they stared at the golden protocol droid in stunned disbelief. There were several cries of "Look!" and "I don't believe it!" from the furry creatures, and they began whispering amongst themselves, several falling to their knees.

3PO stared at the furry creatures in bewilderment. "Oh my goodness."

One Ewok turned to another and gestured at 3PO. "It's the Golden One. The one from legend."

A chanting prayer was soon emitted from the group of Ewoks as they repeatedly bowed to the protocol droid. "Gold One. Gold One. Gold One."

Teebo reached out to him. "Bless us! Bless us!"

Utterly confused, Chewie glanced at the former smuggler. "Han?"

But he was just as lost, and it seemed 3PO was too, even though he could understand what the Ewoks were saying, and responded in kind. "Greetings. You're saying I am the Golden One?"

Now it was the Ewoks' turn to be confused. "He doesn't know?"

"He's testing us," another one replied.

Luke gave the droid a curious look. "Do you understand anything they're saying?"

"Oh, yes, Master Luke," 3PO assured him. "Remember that I am fluent in over six million forms of communi-"

"What are you telling them?" Han interrupted.

3PO ran over what he had said in his mind. "Hello, I think. I could be mistaken, they're using a very primitive dialect, but I do believe they think that I am some sort of god."

R2 openly scoffed at that. "You? Yeah right!"

Luke smiled in amusement, but Chewie saw this as a good opportunity. "Perfect."

Han's thoughts were similar to Chewie's. "Well, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this."

3PO gave him what would have been a sorrowful look. "I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper."

"Proper?"

"It's against my programming to impersonate a deity."

And with that, Han's temper snapped. "Why you!"

He was on his feet without thinking, moving towards the droid. He had no plans of what he was going to do. Shout, pummel, switch off, dismantle, but he didn't get a chance as the Ewoks immediately turned their spears on him.

"Blasphemer!"

"Stay down! How dare you rise to the Golden One!"

Han reeled his temper back in as he realized he had just caused the Ewoks to become hostile again. "My mistake." He motioned towards the droid. "He's an old friend of mine."

He received glares from the Ewoks as one of them gave the order. "Round them up for transport."

But the 'transport' as it was so elegantly put, consisted of binding the arms and legs of the others and carrying them on long sticks. 3PO, however, was placed upon a wooden throne the Ewoks had quickly constructed, and was now being carried like the deity the furry little creatures believed him to be.

Luke could have prevented their captured, but he was listening to the Force, and it was telling him not to act. Besides, these Ewoks were a peaceful people. It just so happened that this was a hunting party. Even those that weren't on the Dark Side needed to eat.

After a long day's travel, the group found themselves in the Ewok village. It was enormous, and very advanced for such a primitive race. Huts and bridges filled the trees all around as countless of the furry critters rushed to catch a glimpse of the Golden One as 3PO was brought to the village chief.

The others were brought to a far less appealing location. Luke and Chewie were tied off to the side as Han was left to dangling over what seemed to be a fire pit, the area beneath them full of ashes and burned bits of wood.

"Stop it," R2 snapped at the Ewoks as they placed him next Luke and Chewie, unable to have him dangle from a stick like the others.

"This isn't good," Chewie grumbled. He couldn't help but think that Han looked very much like pig on a rotisserie.

If Chewie didn't like it, Han hated it a whole lot more. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

A short distance away, the Ewoks cheered as the village chief, Logray, went to greet 3PO. "Welcome to our village, Golden One?"

The droid nodded to him and spoke in his language. "Thank you. I am delighted to be here with you all."

Wielding Luke's lightsaber as a trophy of sort, Logray waved it around, not knowing what power the device possessed. "We are honored, Golden One. We shall now have a feast in honor of your coming."

Han didn't like being left in the dark. "What did he say?"

3PO responded almost shyly. "I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it appears you are to be the main course at the banquet in my honor."

"WHAT?!" Chewie exclaimed.

It seemed 3PO was right as the Ewoks began stacking sticks and logs in the fire pit beneath Han while singing a merry tune. "Stacking up the logs, to honor the Golden One."

Drums began playing, drawing the attention of the village's guest. And as she came out to see, an Ewok waved her over. "Friend of Wicket, hurry, come and see."

Neither Luke nor Han could believe their eyes as they called her name. "Leia!"

For a brief moment, the princess was overjoyed to see her friends, until she noticed the position they were in. Alarm flashed across her face, and she moved to go to them.

Surprisingly, the Ewoks turned their spears on her. "Wait, wait! You must not approach the Golden One!"

"Stay back!"

"Don't go near!"

Leia couldn't understand, but the message was clear. "But these are my fiends," she told them. This got no reaction from the Ewoks as the one beside Han resumed singing and stacking up wood for a fire. Leia then turned her attention to the droid on the throne. "3PO, tell them they must be set free."

Logray gave 3PO a confused look as he tried out the word Leia used. "'Free'?"

"Hurry!" Chewie cried, not liking how the pile of wood beneath Han was growing.

3PO turned to the chief. "These should not be eaten. We must let them go." This brought confused muttering from the Ewoks as the protocol droid continued. "Lets cut them down."

The chief shook his head. "Don't worry, they're fine." He motioned to his people. "Keep going."

Han didn't think there was any need to translate. "Somehow I got the feeling that didn't help us very much."

A knowing look crossed Luke's face as he stared at the golden droid. "3PO, tell them if they won't do as you wish, you'll become angry and use your magic."

3PO was taken aback. "But, Master Luke, what magic? I couldn't possibly-"

"Just tell them."

Still not understanding, 3PO did his best to convey this to the Ewoks. Not used to giving orders, he tried his best to sound authoritative. "Listen here. You'll face my wrath." This got their attention, and he continued. "The Golden One's wrath. My magic is terrible. This whole village will go boom!"

Fearful whispering spread amongst the Ewoks. "What? He'll destroy us?"

"The Golden One does not destroy."

Logray seemed to agree. "Be silent! Continue. The Golden One does not harm."

3PO gave up. "You see, Master Luke, they didn't believe me; just as I said they wouldn't."

As the Ewoks prepared to light the fire beneath Han, Luke shut his eyes. Tapping into the Force, he focused on 3PO's so-called thrown, and commanded it to rise.

Slowly, the protocol droid began to lift up into the air. Fearful cries echoed through the village as they witnessed this marvel. Several Ewoks clung to each other in fright, others ducking for cover while the rest fled.

"Look, look, look! He's rising!"

"He's going to do it!"

"He'll destroy us all!"

"It's his wrath!"

Trying to get control of his people, the chief shouted orders to the Ewoks. "Silence! Silence! Come back! Come back! Quickly, cut them loose! Hurry!"

The Ewoks scrambled to fulfill 3PO's orders, shouting their apologies for doubting him. "Please forgive us."

"We're sorry."

R2 glared as the Ewoks cut the robe wrapped around him. "About time. Whoops!" He toppled over, having been set down off balance. Teebo quickly helped him to his feet, but R2 was far from grateful, and his electric pike popped out. "You creeps. I'll teach you a thing or two."

As he sent a few shocks at his former captor, Han and Leia ran to each other, kissing passionately as the Ewoks looked on. "Oooh, they must be mates."

Other Ewoks had taken up bowing and praying to 3PO as Luke set him down again. "Gold One! Gold One!"

Another Ewok worked up the courage to approach R2 again now that the droid had put away his pike, but the atromech droid just gave him what would have been a glare if he had eyes."Back off. I'm angry. You guys hurt me."

Luke and Chewie joined up with Han and Leia, exchanging a group hug. Their team was complete once again, and Luke gave the protocol droid a cocky smile worthy of Han. "Thanks, 3PO."

The still flabbergasted droid was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened. "Why… I never knew I had it in me."

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THE EWOK VILLAGE AT NIGHT

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Night had fallen upon the village. The group was no longer prisoners of the Ewoks, but honored guests. Yet they had no idea of exactly who had grazed their presence, or what they had been through. Eager to learn about where their strange new friends came from, they turned to 3PO for answers, and the droid spent several hours telling the furry critters about their struggle against the Empire. The chiefs of other villages had come as well to hear the tale.

"The Empire was everywhere," 3PO was saying as the crowd of Ewoks continued to grow. "They brought forth much evil! After Princess Leia gave R2 their secret plans, along came the evil Darth Vader." He made a breathing sound similar to Vader's for emphasis. "And he destroyed her planet with the Death Star. Then Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, challenged Vader with his lightsaber." He made another sound effect, this one of a lightsaber powering on. "But he was killed."

"Don't forget the AT-ATs," R2 reminded him of their time on the ice planet, Hoth.

3PO nodded. "Yes, R2, I was just coming to that. They sent Walkers. Master Luke was shot down by one." More sounded effects were provided that startled several of the Ewoks. "The rest of us took the Millennium Falcon to Cloud City." He fluttered his arms and made another sound effect. "But waiting there was Lord Vader." Another breathing sound. "Han Solo-"

Chewie winced at the memory. "This part."

"Was put in carbonite." He made a hand gesture and another sound effect. "We even faced the sarlacc! Now we have come here to stop them."

At the conclusion of his tale, whispered mutters spread amongst the Ewok. They had known that the intruders, as they had come to call the Stormtroopers, were bad, but 3PO's tale revealed just how horrible they and the entire Empire truly was.

As the different villages' chiefs spoke, the decision was almost unanimous, and it didn't take much to convince those that disagreed that something needed to be done. "We must stop this."

"This Empire is awful! It's evil! It's evil!"

"They'll come for us too eventually."

"All those in favor of helping our new friends to stop this evil, please speak now."

"We all agree, chief."

Logray raised his arms in declaration. "It is decided then. We will fight." Drums began playing as he turned to 3PO. "You are one of us. We shall help."

Thrilled, 3PO translated for those that couldn't understand. "Wonderful! We are now a part of the tribe!"

An Ewok suddenly threw its arms around Han, hugging him tightly. Han was startled at first, but then gave the furry critter a smile. "Just what I always wanted."

R2 wasn't so sure about this. "Oh, great. What did you get us into?"

Chewie was feeling a little unsure as well as an Ewok hugged him too. "Han?"

The former smuggler gave him an 'oh, well' look as he tried to pry off another Ewok that was hugging his leg. "Well, short help is better than no help."

"I love you, friend," the Ewok on his leg told him, refusing to let go.

With all the celebrating going on, no one noticed Luke slip out, nor did they see Leia follow him. They wouldn't hear the shocking conversation between them where Luke revealed Darth Vader's identity as his father and his plan to attempt to turn him back to the Light Side. He also, heedless of Obi-Wan's warning to bury his feelings, revealed to Leia that she was his sister. It would be a stunning revelation to her, and later she would contemplate the fact that this meant that Vader was her father as well.

Han, meanwhile, finally managed to pry the Ewoks off him as 3PO informed him of what Logray told him. "He says the scouts are going to show us the quickest way to the shield generator."

"Good," Han replied. "How far is it?"

"Uh…"

"Ask him."

3PO turned back to the chief. "How far is the-"

"We need some fresh supplies too."

"We need some-"

"Try and get our weapons back."

"May we have our-"

"Hurry up, will you? I haven't got all day."

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THE SHIELD GENERATOR

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The sun was shining brightly the next day, but it was to be a dark one. A day full of death and destruction, with the final battle between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire coming to a close.

It would also be a day of temptation for a father and a son. Luke had done what he said he would do. He had turned himself over to Vader with the intent to bring him back to the Light. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Anakin Skywalker had been buried deep in the darkness of Darth Vader's heart for so long that it would take much to bring him back.

Luke had tried, he'd pleaded with his father to see reason, to see the light in more ways than one, but it was useless. Anakin Skywalker carried too much pain, too much regret, too much guilt. The darkness gave him sanctuary from all that, and the power to crush it whenever it crept up on him. Vader could not turn away from that, not after 24 years of denying that part of him in exchange for something so great.

But as the Stormtroopers led Luke away, is son's words did get him thinking…

The others had their own mission. They had to take out the shield generator before the Rebel fleet arrived, or there would be no chance to stop the Empire. The Ewoks served as their guide, leading them through the forest while easily avoiding any Stormtroopers. Wicket was with them, having been put in charge of the scouts while the rest of his village headed towards others to plead with their fellow Ewoks for help.

Poking his head out from hiding, Chewie waved the others over. "Come on. Be careful."

They looked down the hill just in time to see the shuttle Luke and Vader were on take off and disappear into the sky.

"The main entrance to the control bunker is on the other side of that landing platform," Leia told them. "This isn't going to be easy."

Cocky Han was back. "Hey, don't worry. Chewie and me got into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this."

"Yeah," the Wookiee agreed.

Wicket, meanwhile, was discussing something with one of his brethren. "There's another way."

3PO looked at him curiously. "You mean a secret entrance? Where is it?"

"The other side of the ridge. I've seen it."

His gesturing drew Leia's attention. "What's he saying?"

"He says there's a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge."

It was enough to convince Han and Leia; the Ewoks certainly knew their way around. In any case, they had to hurry before the fleet arrived.

In fact, the fleet was making their final preparations right now. Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Lando led the attack with a Sullestan named Nien Nunb acting as his co-pilot. It was quite an honor, but Nunb was understandably nervous. "Are you positive the others will take out the shield?"

Lando was almost as arrogant as Han in his response. "Don't worry, my friend's down there. He'll have that shield down in time."

"You better be right about that."

Then gaain, maybe not quite that arrogant. "Or this'll be the shortest offensive of all time."

Things were going according to plan though. The Ewoks had led Han, Leia, and the others to the back entrance of the shield generator. Being a secret entrance, it wasn't that heavily guarded, but there were still four Stormtrooper scouts.

An Ewok known as Paploo signaled for Han to come over and pointed at the entrance. "Look, it's over there."

Han nodded in understanding. "Back door, huh? Good idea."

Paploo seemed to understand his meaning. "Be careful."

Turning back to the scouts, Han immediately tried to come up with a plan. He had no way of knowing that Wicket and his fellow Ewok had cooked up one of their own.

"Ready?" Wicket asked.

Paploo nodded. "Yes, I will steal their steed."

"You are certain of this?"

"Yes, I'll draw them towards me."

"You are brave. Good luck." He then went over to report to 3PO. "My lord, the plan's in motion."

3PO started. "The plan? What do you mean?" This was beginning to feel like one of those times R2 would come up with a crazy idea and not tell him about it.

As Han and Leia discussed what they should do about the guards, 3PO listened to what Wicket had to say. He was les than thrilled. "Oh my! Princess Leia!" He lowered his voice when she covered his mouth. "I'm afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash."

"Look!" Chewie gasped.

"Oh no!" Leia grumbled.

Han was equally as displeased. "There goes our surprise attack."

Paploo had made his way over to the Stormtroopers' bike and climbed up on one. He had seen the intruders ride these strange creatures before. It didn't seem like it would be that difficult to ride one.

Mimicking what he had seen the Stormtroopers do, he started up the bike, drawing the attention of the scouts. "Look, over there! Stop him!"

It all happened so fast that everyone simply reacted without thinking. The Ewok spend off on the bike, and three of the four scouts hopped onto theirs and gave chase, leaving only the one behind.

Han's irritation was quickly replaced with admiration. "Not bad for a little fur ball; there's only one left." He pointed at 3PO. "You stay here. We'll take care of this."

Wicket was feeling very excited. "Songs shall be sung of this."

R2 didn't understand what the Ewok said, but he had to give credit where it was due. "Your friend's brave."

3PO shuffled over to them. "I have decided that we shall stay here."

And right about now, Paploo was wishing that he had stayed behind too. This strange flying beast was going so fast he could barely hang on. But once he looked over his shoulder, he saw that it wasn't nearly going fast enough as the scouts gained on him, and he quickly swatted the bike's side. "Faster! Faster!"

Apparently, he didn't understand how machines worked. So far, he had been very lucky to avoid crashing into anything. Things began spinning out of control even further, quite literally, when a laser blast from one of the scouts sent Paploo's bike spinning for a few moments.

"This beast is awful," he grumbled as he straightened himself out.

He'd had enough. He wanted off, and he wanted off now. A dangling vine provided his means of escape, and he grabbed onto it as he passed below. The bike kept going, and the scouts kept following.

Back at the shield generator, the lone scout that had remained behind was quickly captured. It didn't take much to get the security code to the door either.

"Clear!" Chewie told the others as the heavy metal doors slid open. "Move." He and the others stepped into the darkness. They found it a little strange that there was no one else around, but there was no time to question it. "Go."

They made their way down the dark corridor, still not running into any personnel. At least not until they blasted their way into the control room where only a few men were station.

"Alright, up!" Han shouted at them. "Move! Come on! Quickly, quickly. Chewie."

"On it," the Wookiee replied, backing the men into a corner, keeping his crossbow on them.

"Han, hurry," Leia urged. "The fleet will be here any moment."

"Don't move," Chewie growled at his prisoners.

"Charges, come on," Han snapped impatiently. "Come on!"

"Hurry!"

Thinking back on it, they should have realized that things were going too smoothly. It was so obviously a trap. But none of them could have possibly realized how deep the emperor's plan went. As treacherous and as deceptive as he was when he slowly became the ruler of the galaxy, Darth Sidious had carefully laid out everything ever so nicely. It wasn't just the shield generator that was a trap, but the entire battle itself.

To finally crush the Republic once and for all, Darth Sidious had allowed them to obtain all the information they had. He had let them think they were making plans to finish off the Empire, when it was in fact his plan that would finish off them. For lying in wait on Endor was an entire army of Stormtroopers, all armed to the teeth. The same went for the Rebel fleet. If they didn't crash into the barrier surrounding the Death Star, the countless battle ships and Star Destroyers would finish them off.

What more, the Death Star's weapon system was not inoperable as the Rebels had been led to believe. It was all part of Sidious' plan, and he was currently rubbing Luke's face in it. Darth Vader had delivered him to his master, and the emperor immediately began the seduction of the Dark Side.

That first step was all it took to begin the journey down the path Anakin himself had taken. Claiming to been unarmed, he ordered Luke to strike him, an unarmed enemy, down. He egged the young Jedi on, encouraging him to do something that was not the Jedi way, to give in to his anger and hatred. He could sense it, the boy wanted to, badly, but was holding himself back, knowing it was wrong. But was so hard to resist, especially knowing how Sidious had played him and his friends for fools, tricking them into walking into their own deaths.

But there was nothing he could do about it now. The trap and been sprung, and, back on Endor, the Imperial soldiers were now making their move. Watching from a distance, 3PO gasped as he watched several men run into the shield generator. "Oh my! They'll be captured."

Wicket realized that the stealth operation had failed. "Wait here! Time for Plan B!"

R2 turned to him as the Ewok hurried off. "Hey, hold up!"

3PO was taken aback by his sudden departure as well. "W-Wait! Wait, come back!"

Wicket didn't even look back. "You two stay there!"

Almost as if he were afraid the astromech droid would take off as well, 3PO placed his hand on his head, holding him back. "R2, stay with me."

R2 wobbled back a bit as 3PO held him in place. "Ok, fine."

Inside, Han, Leia, and the others suddenly found themselves surrounded by several armed soldiers. One of them glared at Han, sticking his gun in his face. "You rebel scum!"

Chewie realized that the plan had just gone very, very wrong. "Now what?" He received no answer as his crossbow was torn out of his hands. "No! The fleet is coming!"

As a matter of fact, the fleet was already here. They had just come out of hyperspace and were now approaching the incomplete Death Star. It was the moment of truth. The result of this attack would decide the fate of the war, one way or another.

Still feeling nervous, Nunb checked the computer. The Death Star was showing up on the scopes, but there was nothing on the shield one way or the other. "Does a down shield provide a reading?"

Lando gave him a strange look. "We've gotta be able to get some kind of reading on that shield, up or down."

But there was nothing. That could only mean one thing. "Then the Empire's jamming us!"

Confusing crossed Lando's face. "Well, how could they be jamming us if they don't know… if we're coming…?" His stomach dropped as he realized the horrible truth. "Break off the attack, the shield is still up!"

Flying in his X-Wing, Wedge Antillis, one of the few survivors of the first Death Star attack, gave his scope a confused look. "I get no reading. You sure?"

Right now, Lando trusted his instincts far more than his technology. "Pull up! All craft pull up!"

The shield was invisible, so they had no way of knowing how close to death they came as they made a complete U-turn. It seemed though that they were nowhere near out of danger yet. Hundreds, maybe thousands of TIE fighters suddenly came flying in, and behind them were dozens of Star Destroyers, including Vader's command ship, the Executor, the Super Star Destroyer.

Over the telecom, Admiral Ackbar's voice boomed. "IT'S A TRAP!"

Truer words had never been spoken, and back on Endor, the group was seeing the full extent of it.

"Damn," Chewie grumbled, looking around the forest.

Stormtroopers and other imperial soldiers were everywhere. There had to have been hundreds of them, and they even had several All Terrain Scout Transports; like their AT-AT counterparts, they too were commonly referred to as Walkers. It seemed the Empire was taking no chances this time. Everyone, it seemed, had been captured.

"Hello! I say, over there! Were you looking for me?"

Well, not everyone, not yet anyway. But with 3PO revealing his and R2's location for some reason, it seemed that the last of them were about to be caught.

"Run!" Chewie shouted to the protocol droid. But it was too late. Several Stormtroopers were making their way to the two droids' location.

It seemed, though, that this whole thing was part of some scheme that R2 was cooking up, though 3PO wasn't so sure about it. "Well, they're on their way. R2, are you sure this was a good idea?"

As the Stormtroopers surrounded them, several Ewoks jumped down on them from up above. Wicket and Logray arrived with several more Ewok warriors, the latter crying out to his brethren. "All warriors, attack! Sound the call!"

From up in the tress, a horn was blown. Chewie looked around curiously as the sound echoed through the forest. "Listen!"

From all around, Ewoks came out of hiding. Hundreds of them, thousands of them, from numerous tribes, all having gathered to fight against the Empire.

"Fire!" an Ewok declared, and several hundreds arrows were launched. While no match for a good blaster, the arrows still did a decent job of penetrating the Stormtroopers' armor, and was even more affective against those without it.

The sudden appearance of the countless furry critters sent the Stormtroopers into a state of confusion and disarray. While they were busy ducking for cover from the arrows, the Rebel soldiers quickly made their escape.

"Go!" Chewie shouted to them. He picked up one Stormtrooper and threw him into another. "Move!"

Mass chaos. It was the only way to describe the scene. Lasers blast and arrows were flying through the air. Ewoks and Stormtroopers ran around in turmoil. In all the craziness, Han and Leia managed to make it to the shield generator's doors, only to find them locked by the Imperial soldiers that had rushed inside when the Ewoks attacked.

Though the Empire had far greater weapons and technology than the Ewoks, the furry creatures had far superior numbers. It was what the battle came down to for the two armies, quality versus quantity. With their greater numbers, the Ewoks even dared to challenge the Walkers.

"Here it comes," the chief announced as a Walker approached, and the Ewoks attempted to hold the death machine back by wrapping a vine around one of its legs.

Back at the doors, Leia discovered a major problem. "Code's changed! We need R2!"

Having been covering her, Han handed her a comlink. "Here's the terminal."

Leia snatched the device and spoke into it. "R2, where are you?"

"Same spot," the droid replied from his hiding place.

"We need you at the bunker, right away!"

R2 recognized the urgency in her voice, and quickly informed her that he was on his way, taking a moment to inform the protocol droid that he had to go.

3PO was taken aback. "Going? What do you mean you're going?"

"Just what I said."

"Going where, R2?"

But R2 was already leaving. "No time to explain."

3PO hurried after him. "Oh, wait! R2, this is no time for heroics! Come baaaack!"

Against all odds, they somehow made it to Han and Leia intact. The two were still at the sealed doors, firing at any Stormtroopers in sight.

"Here I am!" R2 announced as he hurried over.

3PO was right behind him. "We're coming!"

R2 ignored him as he rolled up to Han. "I'm here. What do you need?"

The former smuggler just gestured. "Come on, come on!"

"The door?" It was a rhetorical question, and R2 extended his mechanical arm to hack into the computer system to open the doors.

"Oh, R2, hurry!" 3PO urged.

But it seemed R2 and his little tricks would not be saving the day this time. Having spotted the little droid and realizing what he was doing, a Stormtrooper fired at him, and R2 was blasted back. "WHOA!"

"My goodness!" 3PO gasped.

R2's systems went into massive overdrive as all his gadgets and gizmos came popping out. "Overload! I'm crashing!"

"R2," 3PO cried, "why did you have to be so brave?"

"Sorry…" the astromech droid managed to get out before his systems shut down.

Han sighed. "Well, I suppose I can hotwire this thing."

As he set to work, the battle continued around them. Though R2 had been fortunate enough to survive the laser blast he received, the Ewoks weren't so lucky, and as two fled from a Walker, a laser blast from the machine knocked them over.

The first Ewok recovered quickly and stood up, reaching out for his friend. "Come on. Come on." He noticed something was wrong when his friend didn't get up. Horrified, he looked down at him, realizing his friend had been hit.

"Don't die…" he pleaded, but received no response, and he began to weep over his fallen comrade.

The Ewoks seemed to realize that the Walkers were the biggest threat. If only they had something like that on their side. And that is when it occurred to them. Why couldn't they hijack one?

The two that came up with the idea quickly recruited Chewie to their cause, using hand gestures to communicate. It didn't take long for the Wookiee to catch on, and he was all for it.

"There," one of the Ewoks cried, pointing at a Walker. "That beast."

"Perfect," said Chewie. "Lets go."

Following the Ewoks' lead, the trio swung onto the top of the Walker. One of them dropped in front of the window and waved mockingly at the men inside. "Hello in there. Peekaboo!"

When one of the men opened the top hatch, instead of seeing an Ewok, he found a Wookiee, who promptly grabbed him and tossed him off the Walker. "Got you! Goodbye!"

The brown furred Ewok jumped into the Walker, his black furred friend right behind, shouting encouragements to his companion as they beat the man inside with their sticks. "Ha, ha! Get him! Get him! Finish him."

When the man was finally knocked out, the first Ewok looked at the controls. "Good. Now how do we make it go?"

Experimenting, he pushed a lever forward, and the Walker took a step, startling Chewie. He stuck his head inside, glaring at the two Ewoks. "Hey, I almost fell off."

"Get inside, hurry," one of them told him.

Chewie rolled his eyes as he closed the hatch. "Geez, crazy Ewoks." He took control of the Walker, steering it towards another one and firing upon it. The enemy Walker went up in flames, and Chewie smiled at his two companions. "That's how it's done." He noticed the brown Ewok curiously reaching for the controls and smacked his hand away. "Don't touch!"

"Stop it!" the black one scolded his friend.

With their new Walker, the tables were beginning to turn as Chewie began firing upon the Stormtroopers. The Ewoks cheered as the machine walked by, and Chewie gave his new friends a proud look. "Nice work."

They eventually made their way back towards the shield generator where a laser blast had grazed Leia's arm. She repaid the Stormtrooper and his companion in full with a laser blast. At the very least, she finally got Han to admit that he loved her.

That's when Chewie in his new Walker came waltzing up to them. With the battle dying down, he couldn't resist playing a little joke by scaring the former smuggler before popping out."Hello."

"Chewie?!" Han exclaimed.

"Fooled you!"

But Han was in no mood for games. "Get down here, she's wounded."

The Wookiee scowled, slightly put off. "Fine!"

Suddenly, inspiration struck. "No, wait!"

"What?"

Cocky Han was back, and he turned to Leia with a smug smile on his face. "I got an idea."

It was a rather brilliant one too. Using the communicator in the Walker, they contacted those inside the shield generator, stating that the battle was over, but they needed reinforcements to round up the fleeing rebels.

Things didn't go exactly according to plan, but as the doors opened for the Imperial soldiers to come out, instead of sneaking in like Han had intended, several dozen Ewoks surrounded them.

Now they were back to where they were before, planting explosives inside the shield generator. Han was busy at work, with Chewie right next to him. "Throw me another charge."

Chewie did. "Hurry!"

But while things were going better on Endor, inside the Death Star, another battle was going on. One inside, and one outside. The outside battle was taking place between Luke and Vader, the two engaged in a fierce lightsaber duel. The second was within Luke himself. For a moment, he had fallen prey to the Dark Side's temptation, and attempted to strike down the unarmed emperor. Vader had intercepted, which had led to the duel they were now engaged in.

But a third battle was taking place. This one within Vader. As Luke fought against the Dark Side, Vader fought against the Light Side. Luke could sense the conflict within him, feel his father struggling against everything he had known for over two decades now. It kept him hopeful that his father could still be redeemed.

But as Luke hid in the shadows, refusing to fight any longer, Vader's taunting words were beginning to get to him. The Sith Lord was using his feelings against him, claiming that turning to the Dark Side was the only way he would be able to save his friends, using his love for them against him.

It was the same thing that had caused Anakin to fall from grace. He was using the love Luke had for his friends, the fear of losing them, as a weapon. Luke shut his eyes, trying to block out Vader's words. This was why having emotional attachment was forbidden for a Jedi. The fear of losing them, the promises the Dark Side made in order to save them, was a powerful tool that tempted them. And, for a moment, Luke found himself actually considering it.

If it was indeed the only way to save his friends, then maybe he should just surrender to the darkness. If the couldn't defeat the Empire, then maybe, on the inside, he could do some good, maybe change the way certain things were done. At the very least he could have his friends' spared. Was that not worth it?

But that was the treachery of the Dark Side. All it took was a few steps down it before it consumed you completely. Luke would not allow it; he couldn't allow it. But his friends… Han, Chewie, Leia. Especially Leia. He'd only just found out she was his sister. Was he really going to lose her now?

"So," Vader's deep electronic voice echoed through the darkness as he sensed his son's thoughts, "you have a twin sister. Your feelings have now betrayed her too."

Luke cursed his foolishness. Obi-Wan had warned him to bury his feelings, but he hadn't. And now they were being turned against him. The Dark Side truly was treacherous. It was within that moment that Luke truly understood how and why his father had been seduced.

"If you will not turn to the Dark Side," Vader continued, "then perhaps she will."

It happened. Luke's control snapped. The thought of Leia, consumed by darkness, becoming just another evil monster, it broke the floodgates, and all the anger and hatred he felt towards the Empire, the emperor, his father, it all came pouring out.

It felt good to let lose, to not have to keep his emotions in check, to simply feel, and to unleash those feelings. He didn't think, he just acted, lashing out at Vader in a mad frenzy. The Sith Lord fought back, but was quickly put on the defense, backing away as Luke's lightsaber met his again and again until, finally, the blade came down across Vader's wrist, severing it from his hand.

The Sith Lord collapsed, the sensors in his robotic limb simulating the pain. Luke pointed his lightsaber at him, breathing heavily, a deranged smile on his face. It felt good, he felt good. This power, this rush, it was exhilarating, all consuming. It was…

The Dark Side.

Sidious' laughter echoed through the room as he approached. "Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny, and take your father's place at my side."

In a strangely ironic way, it was the emperor himself that saved Luke. The Sith Lord's cruel words were what brought Luke back to his senses. What had he been doing? He barely recognized himself. He didn't recognize himself. That person that had just attacked Vader like a mad animal, that wasn't him. He didn't know who it was, but it hadn't been him. What had he been doing?

He looked back to his father, his gaze going to his hand, the one Vader had cut off in Cloud City. Then his eyes were drawn to the severed limb on the Sith Lord. He saw a series of wires poking out of the spot where a hand should have been. This hadn't been the first time his father had lost a limb.

It was in that moment that Luke realized that he and Vader were indeed the same. Like father, like son.

Except for one thing.

"Never," he whispered. He turned to Sidious and through his lightsaber at the Sith Lord's feet. "I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Sidious seemed perplexed for a moment as he stared at the boy, but then a look of cold fury crossed his face. "So be it… Jedi."

When Vader had first brought Luke to the emperor, Luke didn't know what to expect. What would the most evil being in the galaxy, possibly the entire universe, be like? Surely some kind of hideous monster.

At least that's what Luke had expected. Not this decrepit old man. And while Sidious was certainly no pretty face, he was far from a monster. The rancor back on Tatoonie, now that had been a monster. This was just a feeble old man. He looked physically weak, like he could break at any moment. Scarred, paper-thin skin draped over brittle bones, the emperor, while not pleasant to look at, didn't seem like he would be much of a threat. Even his teeth were broken and filled with cavities, and Luke was pretty sure he hadn't seen the man's yellowish-orange eyes blink once.

It was the power of the Dark Side. Luke had learned that it was like a drug, both figuratively and literally. While it granted great power and wisdom, it took a massive toll on the body, deteriorating and misshaping it until it was unrecognizable. This was why the Sith had developed the technique known as Mask, allowing them to make them appear as they would have had they never turned to the Dark Side.

Sidious' disguise had dissolved when his power had been reflected back at him, and he had never felt the need to replace it. He had used it to fool the Senate into thinking that his scarring and deformity were a result of Mace Windu's attempt on his life. His appearance had fooled the Senate, and it had fooled Luke too. While the emperor may have been physically weak, he was very powerful indeed with the Force.

"If you will not be turned," Sidious hissed, slowly raising his hands, "you will be destroyed!"

Bright blue bolts of electricity flew from his fingertips. Luke was blasted off his feet as the emperor's power, fueled by pure hatred, struck him. Another blast came, followed by another. Luke had tried to deflect it, but was unable to.

"Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side," Sidious taunted, sending another blast of electricity at the boy. "You have paid the price for your lack of vision."

The electricity came again, this time in a continuous scream. Luke could do nothing but cry out as he writhed in agony at the emperor's feet. His father stood beside his master, staring at Luke's twitching form, his mask making it impossible to reveal what he was thinking.

"Father… please…" Luke begged. "Help me!"

Vader looked away, at his master, at this display of power the Dark Side provided. It had been that power that he had wanted, to save Padmé. In fact, it had been in a situation very similar to this one when he had made the decision that had changed his life and led him down his path to the Dark Side. He still remembered it like it had happened only yesterday.

Darth Sidious, lying on the floor, begging for help as bolts of electricity were reflected at him from Windu's lightsaber, promising that he could save the one he loved; the one thing he had wanted beyond anything else. And there was Windu, sending the Sith Lord's lightning back at him, revealing Sidious' true face. It was in that moment that Anakin had chosen to abandon everything he knew and stood for to save his wife.

It was happening again. This time it was his son begging to be saved as he was being electrified, the emperor sending the lightning his way. And it was up to him to decide what to do, to turn away from everything he knew and stood for to save his son.

And just like before, it came down to two questions. What would he be willing to do, and what would he be willing to sacrifice for it? And just like before, the answers were the same.

Anything, and everything.

Anakin Skywalker reached out, grabbing Sidious around the waist, and lifting him into the air. The Sith Lord cried out, his bolts of electricity flying all around. They danced across Anakin's suit, frying its systems, malfunctioning it and his robotic limbs.

Yet Anakin took one step, then another, moving his fried robotic legs on pure willpower as he approached a shaft and tossed the emperor into it. Sidious' cries echoed off the walls as he plummeted miles down the shaft into the Death Star's main reactor. The power of his lightning crossed with the power of the reactor, and a massive blast of pure energy erupted outward.

Back up in the emperor's chambers, Luke struggled to his feet and approached his father. Anakin had done what both Yoda and Obi-Wan claimed could not be done, turned from the Dark Side. And in doing so, he had destroyed the last of the Sith, bringing balance to the Force, just as the prophecy had said he would.

And in doing so, he had also destroyed himself.

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INTO THE DEATH STAR

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The emperor had been destroyed, and so had the shield generator back on Endor. Admiral Ackbar confirmed the shield was no longer present around the Death Star, and the fleet finally moved to destroy the massive battle station. Being incomplete, it allowed the ships a space to fly into in order to knock out the main reactor.

"I'm going in," Wedge announced, just a short distance ahead of the Millennium Falcon.

"This is it," said Ninb.

Lando brought the Falcon about. "Here goes nothing."

They flew inside. It would be a long perilous journey to the center of the massive battle station, full of many twists and turns, not to mention tight spaces.

Like the one they were racing towards.

"Look out!" Nunb shouted.

A satellite dish broke off the Falcon as the ship flew through a space that was almost too small to fit through.

"That was too close," Lando muttered, hoping that Han wouldn't be too angry that he had put more than a scratch on his beloved ship.

A few TIE fighters had flown in after them, and they weren't making the flight any easier. Lando suggested that they split up and head back to the surface in an attempt to get some of the enemy ships to follow. Among those that had headed back was an A-wing starfighter, piloted by Arvel Crynyd. While managing to get a few TIE fighters to follow him back to the surface, he ended up flying into a laser blast that sent his ship spinning into space. He managed to gain control just enough to fly it kamikaze style into Vader's personal flagship, the Executor, taking out it and Admiral Firmus Piett.

The 57,000 foot ship shifted from the blast of Crynyd's explosive collision, crashing into the Death Star and going up in flames. Alarms rang out as Imperial personnel ran about. No one paid mind to Luke as he attempted to drag his father to a ship so they could escape. But he was too weak to continue, and his father's broken, limp body was too heavy for him to go on.

"Luke…" Anakin wheezed, "help me take… this mask of."

Luke stared at him. Did his father know what he was asking? The suit had been the only thing keeping him alive for years. If he removed the mask, Anakin would no longer be able to breathe. "But you'll die."

Anakin knew that. He also knew that he was dying anyway. His suit was fried, its functions no longer working. He had known this would happen when he had stepped into Sidious' lightning. But he had done it anyway, for his son. "Nothing… can stop that now… Just for once… let me… look on you with my own eyes…"

It was a last request, Luke knew it was, and he could not deny his father this. And so, he peeled away the mask, the face of Darth Vader, to reveal Anakin Skywalker's true face underneath, the face of his father.

The looked at each other, really looked at each other. Father to son. Behind the mask was not a monster, but the face of a tortured old man. Scarred from his burns in his fight with Obi-Wan, pale from having never seen the sun since the mask was placed on him, decrepit from use of the Dark Side. Tired, weak… and smiling.

Luke smiled back. His father's appearance did not bother him. It was as Yoda had told him over a year ago; they were luminous beings, not this crude matter.

"Now…" Anakin breathed, speaking in his own voice for the first time in nearly 25 years, "go, my son… Leave me…"

Luke refused. "No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you!"

Anakin's eyes were kind, and full of acceptance. Acceptance of many things. His fate, his choices, himself. "You already have, Luke… You were right… You were right about me… Tell your sister… you were right…"

And with that, Anakin Skywalker died with a smile on his face.

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CELEBRATING ON ENDOR

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The exploding Death Star lit up the sky, it's destruction signaling the end of the war. Down on Endor, the Ewoks began cheering as the massive explosion began to fade. Chewie cheered right along with them, his joyful "YESSSSSS!" overpowering their victorious cries.

"We won!" R2 shouted. "We won! We won!"

"They did it!" 3PO unnecessarily declared.

A short distance away, Han and Leia looked up at the fading embers in the sky. Trying to mask his concern, Han glanced at Leia. "I'm sure Luke wasn't on that thing when it blew."

Leia hesitated for a moment, seeming to search for something, and finding her answer. "He wasn't. I can feel it."

Han stared. There was a look on Leia's face that he couldn't identify. She had been acting strangely ever since she had snuck out to speak with Luke in private last night. It was almost as if she…

Then it hit him, and he felt his heart break. "You love him, don't you?"

She gave him a bewildered look. "Well, yes," she said, as if this should have been obvious.

His shattered heart broke again. He tried very hard to keep his voice steady and hide his pain. "Alright, I understand. Fine. When he comes back," he paused, trying to prevent his voice from cracking, "I won't get in the way."

Leia's eyes widened as she realized the misunderstanding, and she chuckled. "Oh, it's not like that at all. He's my brother."

What she would give for a camera. The great Han Solo had been rendered completely speechless. She never thought she'd see the day when he would literally have nothing to say. But she took advantage of his silence by planting a kiss on his face. That seemed to snap him out of his stupor, and he kissed her right back.

Wicket suddenly popped up beside them. "Freedom! We won!" Then he realized what he had just interrupted and gave another joyful cry. "Congratulations, you two! I accept your union! Well done!"

The celebrating didn't just take place on Endor. All across the galaxy, news of the death of the emperor and the fall of the Empire spread. Cries of joy echoed across countless planets, a loud "Wesa free!" coming from the planet Naboo.

It seemed that the only one who wasn't celebrating was Luke. He'd made it off the Death Star in time, with his father's body no less. Now he was giving him a proper Jedi funeral. For that's what Anakin Skywalker was in the end, a Jedi. He would join in on the celebrating soon, but first he had to morn the loss of his father.

Music played loudly in the Ewok village. Almost everyone was singing and dancing. Even R2 was attempting it as the furry creatures moved about beside him. "I am dancing! This is the best I can dance!"

The pilots that had destroyed the Death Star were there as well, and upon seeing the general who had led the attack, Chewie went over to him. "Lando, you!" The two hugged joyfully."You actually did it!"

Back by R2, an Ewok was still trying to get him to dance, swinging its arms back and forth in front of him. "Let's dance!"

"I'm dancing! I'm dancing!" the droid declared, wobbling back and forth. But he quickly grew tired of it. "That's enough for me." He was glad when the Ewok seemed to give up and chose to hug him instead.

Luke had joined in at this point, and amongst the celebrating Rebels, three figures caught his attention, bringing a smile to the young Jedi's face. The first was Obi-Wan in Force Ghost form. The second was Yoda, also a Force Ghost. And the third, the third was his father, Anakin Skywalker, appearing as he would have had he not turned to the Dark Side, the two Jedi Masters beside him having shown their redeemed friend how to manifest himself so that he could come and show Luke in person that all was well.

Luke smiled, glad that his father had found peace. He felt an arm on his shoulder and turned to find Leia standing beside him. It didn't seem like she was able to see any of the Jedi spirits, but maybe that was for the best. They would all be reunited on the other side in due time anyway. For now, it was time to celebrate being alive, and the newfound freedom and peace that came with it.

"It's over." R2 declared. "It's finally over. We're free."

And as they celebrated their freedom, the Ewok's velebration song, Yub Nub, echoed throughout the night.

Freedom, we got freedom.

And now that we can be free,

Come on and celebrate.

Celebrate the freedom.

Celebrate the power.

Celebrate the glory.

Celebrate the love.

Power, we got power.

And now that we can be free,

It's time to celebrate.

Celebrate the light. Freedom!

Celebrate the might. Power!

Celebrate the fight. Glory!

Celebrate the love.

Celebrate the love.

Celebrate the love.

Glory, we found glory.

The power showed us the light,

And now we all live free.

Celebrate the light. Freedom!

Celebrate the might. Power!

Celebrate the fight. Glory!

Celebrate the love.

Celebrate the love.

Celebrate the love.

Celebrate the loooooooove!

(A/N: I was really ticked that they replaced Yub Nub with that other song, same for the one sung in Jabba's palace. And the added "NO!" that Vader cried before he destroyed the emperor, uch! Oh, and don't even get me started on Anakin's Force Ghost appearing as Hayden Christensen. As brilliant as George Lucas is, he needs to learn that 'if it's not broke, don't fix it'. That's why I'm holding onto my VHS copies of the original trilogy. Anyway, that brings the first six to a close. I will be doing The Force Awakens too, and 8 and 9 when they come out, so look forward to more)