The final story in my rather loose trilogy. Set around the time of Return of the Jedi. Watch out for a little twist at the end!

The full tale of Endor!

Palpatine, The Emperor of all the Galaxy was supervising the final construction of the new Death Star a mighty space station. The Emperor liked construction projects, even ones as big as this to be completed on schedule, and despite red tape, labour problems and sheer bureaucracy, it had managed to be. 'Although in terms of expense we have had to compromise more than I would like. Remind me to have a little chat to the Accounts Manager, I always enjoy those anyway!'

'As you wish, my lord,' replied his apprentice, Lord Vader. 'Shall I add that to your schedule?'

Palpatine responded by cackling 'Really, Vader. You are my chief henchman in the Galaxy. Why sometimes you feel to act like my bureaucratic secretary, I never know. Although of course some say that the secretary of the Emperor is one of the most powerful positions of the Galaxy, I do hope you having been reading some of the more... unofficial press in the media and have been getting ideas?'

'Of course not, my lord. Although I might suggest it is also a precarious position. Your last one was summarily dismissed.'

'Well, I do like my Secretaries to be efficient. And loyal. As I insist on all my servants. But it is odd that despite all of our power, red tape and bureaucracy always seem to manage to be of influence in any regime.'

'Ah, yes, loyalty. Speaking of which, one of your Moffs has been proved less than loyal. A certain Moff Whitesnake. You have heard me mention of him.'

'Oh, Whitesnake a traitor? Well, well, well, just goes to show you can never tell. I thought he was one of my most loyal servants. If only because he knows what I do to those that are disloyal. Well, it's a simple enough matter to arrest him. We have the power.'

'Yes, but not just now. It would be wise to move delicately. With someone in his position, we have to show some of the evidence publicly.'

'As you wish.'

'I have sent you the reports of the Imperial fleet build-up. We need to be prepared for this supposedly surprise attack from the Rebels. Including my son. I'm not so sure why we call it a surprise attack if we're ready for it!'

'Well the surprise is they don't know that,' The Emperor laughed evilly. 'Oh, and once you capture your son make sure you bring him to me, I need to talk to such an ... interesting potential ally!'

'But we shouldn't get too complacent. These Rebels are talented, in some ways more so than we realize, we just can't seem to get rid of them. I hope you are prepared.'

'Really, Vader, I know you have been given a shock or two by these people, but I am surprised by your lack of faith. We know the size of the fleet they sent to us, it is a puny, pathetic band. Oh, and for some reason the rebels seem to think they can knock out the shield generator to the Death Star with a small patrol. What delusion of grandeur. I have a small legion down their, should be sufficient, don't you think!'

'Yes, my lord, but don't foget the local population, Ewoks, I believe,'

'Ah, yes, Ewoks,' Palpatine looked down and pushed a few buttons on a computer screen.

'They look fairly harmless. What are they going to do, tickle us to death? Oh and by the way Vader, will you and no-one else ever mention Ewoks to me again. They look harmless but a little annoying!'

With a wave of his arm, Palpatine dismissed Vader. But Palpatine needed some private time to think. And his apprentice was one of the subjects he needed to think about. One of those things was Vader. The apprentice of a sith lord was in an odd position. The 2nd most powerful one in the Galaxy. But recently, Palpatine was beginning to think that Vader was not up to the job. He had been his apprentice for twenty years or so and had still been unable to quell the Rebellion in the Galaxy.

Fine, so the Rebels where talented, and fine, Palpatine had sometimes manipulated them for his own ends, more so than the wisest of the Rebels had feared, but really, Vader should have destroyed them by now. There was another candidate Vader's son who seemed to be showing more promise than Vader himself. Maybe it was time to let Vader go. Oh, and when one dismissed a Sith Lord apprentice, one didn't just hand him a notice!

Palpatine was well versed in sith lore. In theory the Master should have has an apprentice, someone who could one day slay him and take his place. In such a manner, the dark side flourished. But Palpatine was a little unsure about this idea. He did not like the idea of sacrificing himself, even for the enhancement of Sith power. And as the most powerful Sith lord in history, he felt he had the right to have his own views in this matter! But always, the choice of apprentice seemed to lead to dramatic events. Palpatine needed to be careful.

One thing which he regretted as he normally did was the absence of his most talented General. Tarkin. Of course, Tarkin had died years ago on the first Death Star, but if only he had survived. The Empire felt his loss. Despite having no force powers, Palpatine would have given Tarkin some special privaleges had he defeated the Rebellion. Indeed there where times when Palpatine felt that the death of Tarkin on Yavin 4 was of more hurt than the destruction of the Death Star. Others, in later years would express that same viewpoint!

In the meantime, on one of the frontline Star Destroyers guarding the Death Star was once Lieutenant, once Captain, once Admiral but now Moff Whitesnake. On it's metallic bridge, under the starry Galactic sky he stood, surveying the defences. He turned to his assistant, Baldrick.

'Right, Balders, run me through some of our plans we have for today's attack,' a little informal for Imperials, but Whitesnake been a Moff had licence to do things his way and always had done so, ever since he was the apple of Tarkin's eye.

But his assitant was rather dim-witted, 'Well, for you I have cheese and tomato, a little letuce, Krackenian prawns with Corellian sauce and for me...'

'Baldrick, I said today's attack, not snack! And you can have the Krackenian prawns. But I need to know a little about the nature of this Star Destroyer. As much as you can after only been in it's command in a week. What's that? Some of the defence shields are re-initializing. Sounds bad. Shall I take a look? Ah, sorry, I need to have a talk with the Captain, look into it, will you!'

Unfortunately for Whitesnake the command, 'Look into it,' can be taken in many different ways and Baldrick took it to mean the most quick investigation. A shame for him as it lay a clue into their forthcoming fate.