"We've got another one," Connor said, tapping a command into the console of the ADD that would cut the alarm and the flashing lights as the screen zoomed into the location. "Hey, it's in the Forest of Dean. What is it about that place that attracts rips in space and time?"
"Is it the Permian anomaly?" Cutter asked from over his shoulder.
Connor shook his head. "I don't think so. It's in a different location, on the other side of the forest. It's pretty remote, but we should check it out just in case."
"Yep. Let's go." Cutter clapped a hand on Connor's shoulder and soon the two of them, along with Abby, Stephen, Claudia, and a handful of soldiers were speeding along the highway towards the Forest of Dean. They reached the forest itself fairly fast, but it took a lot of squabbling and reading of upside-down maps once they were out of the car to find the anomaly site itself. Eventually, after much arguing and walking in the wrong direction, they worked out that it was located in a clearing to the west that was ringed by tall trees.
As they approached the clearing, they heard noises from within it that instantly stopped them all in their tracks.
"Something's come through," Cutter whispered.
"Creatures?" Claudia asked. "It almost sounds like... they're talking."
Indeed, curious, high-pitched chittering sounds were emanating from beyond the ring of tall trees. The strange conversation was punctuated by yips and growls. "Well, they're not dinosaurs," Stephen murmured. "Connor, are you all right?"
The young student's mouth was wide open, a frown cutting deep lines into his forehead. "They sound like..." he began, then shook his head. "No. It couldn't be."
"What?" Abby urged him.
But before Connor could respond, one of the creatures had waddled out from within the ring of trees. It stood on two legs at about a metre in height and was covered in brown fur. There was a rough cloth hood covering its head, with two slits cut in it to make room for teddy-bear-like ears. In one two-fingered hand it clutched a primitive wooden spear; the other was pointing towards the onlooking group of humans. There was a look of surprise on its furry face – but that was nothing in comparison to Connor's expression.
"Oh my God," he gasped, dropping the handheld detector in utter shock. "That's an Ewok."
"Goopa," the creature chirped in reply.
Abby glanced from the strange furry creature to Connor's white face and back. "Hang on," she said. "I've heard of those before. Isn't an Ewok one of the monsters out of Star Wars?"
"They're not monsters, exactly," Connor said slowly, frozen in position as the Ewok approached him. "They live on the forest moon of Endor. They helped the Rebel Alliance defeat Imperial forces and destroy the shield generator and the second Death Star. Technically speaking, they're good guys."
"Connor," Abby said, "they're also not real."
"Well, this one is," Connor answered, watching the Ewok drop its spear and pick up the fallen detector instead. "Hey, be gentle with that! It's a serious piece of technology." He started forward and held out his hands, but didn't actually touch the creature. He didn't want it to attack him – or worse, disappear.
"Grenchicit," the Ewok said, turning away from Connor and fiddling with the knobs on the detector. "Yun yum." It turned away suddenly and shouted into the trees that shielded the anomaly from view. "Fruk! Freet! Veek! Tyatee thek."
"Connor," Cutter said seriously, addressing him in a low voice as two more Ewoks stumbled out of the clearing. "Are you saying that these creatures from a movie have somehow stumbled into the real world through an anomaly?"
Connor nodded slowly. "That's what it looks like, Professor."
"How is that possible?" Claudia asked. She was regarding the Ewoks with a mixture of nervousness and disbelief. One of them waddled over to tug at the material of her skirt. "Hey! Stop that!"
"Ileeay," one of the Ewok's friends told it. The curious Ewok turned around to make reply, and Claudia took her chance to move back towards Stephen and the soldiers.
"I think they're cute," Abby said with a giggle. She walked in a slow circle around the Ewoks, who were now arguing amongst themselves. Two of them had wooden spears, while the third was holding a crude stone knife. "Are they dangerous, Connor?"
"They can be," was the answer. Connor was also staring at the Ewoks, though his expression had moved away from shock towards awe. "They could bring down huge AT-STs using primitive forest technology. They're not malevolent, though. They liked Princess Leia, and they venerated Threepio as a god."
"Connor, none of this ever happened," Stephen argued. "Star Warsis a film. The, uh, Ewoks were nothing but a bunch of short guys in suits."
"Well, these ones aren't," Cutter said quietly. "And our first priority is to ship them back home before they create chaos."
It was easier said that done. Ewoks, as Connor patiently informed them, were renowned for their insatiable curiosity. They were desperate to examine absolutely everything, from the handheld anomaly detector to Stephen's pistol to the plastic badges on Connor's jacket. Eventually Connor lured them towards the anomaly with his beeping smartphone, which they followed like moths after a light. He almost lost it to the magnetic field, but managed to keep hold of it as they began to usher the Ewoks home.
"What if they just come back through?" Connor asked. "They did it once; they might do it again. Maybe one of us should go through with them, encourage them to stay home."
Cutter put a hand on his shoulder. "Connor," he said gently, "I know you want to go play on the forest moon of Endor, but this is your world. Whatever's on the other side of the anomaly, it belongs in films and stories. We don't know if it'd be safe, and you might never want to come back. We couldn't have that."
Connor stared at the glimmering anomaly for a long few moments before letting out a sigh. "All right," he said at last, turning away from it to face the group. "But if Ben Kenobi turns up, hands me a lightsaber and says it's my destiny to become a Jedi like my father before me, I'm going with him and I will Force Choke anyone who gets in my way."
Abby came up to him and patted his arm. "Okay, Con. Tell you what. Come back to the flat with me and we can have a marathon. I'll make popcorn and everything."
Connor grinned. "Abby, you're the best."
She smirked at him in return. "I know."