Chapter 9:
Getting Ready

Han, getting up early to do some repairs with Chewie, asked Anakin, "Okay, what's the plan?" Anakin looked up and said, "First, we find Leia's ship Tantive IV. It's been a drift in space for about a month now. And I have a surprise for my special friend. Don't tell the droids." Han raised his eyebrows, "A surprise, huh? I hope it's a good one. We'll board the ship and make our way to the Death Star." Leia was eavesdropping below. Pointing a finger at Han, Anakin explained, "We'll spit up into two groups. You pilot the Falcon, I'll pilot the Tantive IV, or Luke will. You can take Chewie, and I'll take everyone else." Han thought a minute about the plan, "Sounds good. What about Rebellion support?" Looking over the edge, Anakin saw his daughter, "That's where Leia comes in." Han looked down, too. "Morning, Your Worship."

A few minutes, the rest of the team filed into the Falcon, "Ok, Captain. Let's launch this thing." Han saluted, "Okay, everyone, buckle in. Punch it, Chewie!" The Falcon lifted off to find Tantive IV. Still seeing the crippled Star Destroyer tilting toward Tatooine's atmosphere, Tantive IV was coming in sight. "Let's see if anyone's still there." Han reached the controls for a communications link: "Millennium Falcon to Tantive IV, do you copy? This is Captain Solo of the Millennium Falcon, can anyone read me?" Han, looking at Anakin, "No luck, sir. No response." Looking at Leia, "Sense anything?" Leia closed her eyes, as did Anakin and Luke, "Nothing at all. I don't think anyone survived, unless everyone's in the prisons on the Star Destroyer". Anakin inserted a thought, "Many of the officers were interrogated by me and or my storm-troopers at the command of Emperor Palpatine, from what I can remember." Then they heard a sound, "Hello, anyone there? This is Tantive IV, to anyone on the frequency, can anyone hear us?" Han quickly took the control. "Yes, we hear you. This is the Millennium Falcon. Is everyone alright?" "Yes, we're fine. We escaped detection from Vader and his troops. We need medical personnel and supplies." "We'll do what we can. We're coming aboard." Han sharply looked at the Wookie, "Open the hatch, Chewie." The Wookie acknowledged with a small growl.

Once everyone is aboard, Leia found her foster father on the floor, cried to her. "It's okay, daughter. He's still alive." Anakin knelt down, and touched Bail's head. Bail slowly opened his eyes and he saw Anakin and Leia standing there. "Master Skywalker? You're supposed to be dead." "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated, Senator." Helping Bail up, he hugged Leia. Bail had returned to Tantive IV, which was attacked by storm-troopers again, after Leia and Anakin had been to Alderaan. "How many people have survived?" "Only a few of us, Master Jedi. Captain Antilles is recovering from Vader's chokehold." "Understood." Bail led them to a conference room. Kenobi and Yoda met Bail at Tantive IV just prior to the Millennium crew's arrival.

"First order of business is to find out where the Death Star. Masters Kenobi and Yoda believe it is near the planet Endor." Yoda spoke up, "Easy it will be, to enter the chamber for us. If together, we work, win we will." Anakin nodded, "I agree with Master Yoda. Which means we need the train Leia in lightsaber techniques." Leia firmly grasping her father's hand, "I'm ready when you are, Father." Kenobi assured his support and guidance to Leia. Anakin looked to Captain Solo and the Wookie: "Han, you and Chewie will go to Hoth and Yavin and find the remaining Rebel soldiers to mount an offensive against the Death Star. When you hear from Luke, and Leia and myself, start the strategy. Get in, fire the core, and get out. Simple as that! Clear?" Han nodded. "We'll get underway, now." Han and Chewbacca got up and started for the Falcon. "See you in a few hours." Yoda nodded toward them, "With you, the Force will be." Han simply bowed and saluted.

"Next order of business is for a special friend. C3PO, come with me." The golden droid followed Anakin. Anakin activated a slot this blue holographic symbols. "Back in the Clone Wars, when the troops turned on the Jedi, Kenobi put out a message for any remaining Jedi to scatter into surrounding to evade Order 66." Kenobi put in, "I remember that. I heard that Senator Organa ordered Captain Antilles to clean up the droids and wipe the memory of C3PO." Anakin put up a finger, "Ah, but what you don't remember is that we kept the original file here, on the ship. As Vader, I was blind to its location, but once I came aboard as myself, I remember where the Senator put it." Looking at '3PO, "You ready to receive your memories?" "Sir, I'm ready to receive anything beneficial and positive to the service of this great company." Anakin smiled. Bail Organa led '3PO to the table, "Come, sit." Anakin sat next to the droid, "I'll need you to shut down for this to work." "Of course, sir." Anakin opened up the droid's head and inserted the memory chip into the lever hole underneath the droid's right ear. "Okay, that should do it." Anakin turned him on and C3PO came to life again. "Oh, hello, sirs. I am C3PO, human/cyborg relations. How may I be of service?" Anakin laughed, "Hello, C3PO. Do you know who I am?" '3PO looked at him and said, "The Maker! Master Ani. You've returned to us. I hope your trip to Mustafar was productive." Anakin laughed, as did everyone else. "C3PO, what's the last thing you remember?" "I remember coming to this ship with all of you." "Then why did you say Mustafar?" Anakin asked. "Oh my, I do apologize, Master Ani, but I seemed to have remembered the last time I actually saw you, which was almost 18 standard years ago. I knew you were with us only minutes ago, but I didn't recognize you as my master. I'm terribly sorry, sir." Anakin snickered, "It's quite alright. Now, for you, my beautiful Princess." Leia smiled. "I have a special present for you." Anakin revealed a lightsaber. "Oh, Father. This is really sweet of you." Anakin smiled down at his daughter. "I always make an extra just in case I lose one." Looking at Kenobi, "Master, should we begin the training?" Kenobi bowed and led the Skywalker trio to an exercise room.

As Tantive IV was nearing Endor, they got a communiqué from Han: "To the valiant crew of the Rebellion ship orbiting Endor, Rebellion forces are awaiting your signal. Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar are on standby and ready to fight when you are. I also got in contact with my old friend on Bespin, Lando Calrissian and he's preparing his forces as well. Rogue Squadron is in hyperspace and will be at Endor at oh eighteen hundred hours tomorrow. Coruscant forces will be relief effort forces after the destruction of the Death Star. Solo out." Kenobi spurted up to the edge of the seat, "That's far more forces of allies that I first thought." Yoda chimed in, "Many lives, taken they will be. Victory, among us; hope that, we can." "We must concentrate on the moment just before victory, Masters," Anakin said. "Forget the past, don't worry of the future. Focus on the present, we must."

Tantive IV reached Endor and the Death Star. TIE fighters were launching out, but only a few. "We come to speak to the Emperor," Anakin said to the lead pilot. "Do you surrender?" Anakin waving a hand to the pilot, "You must take me to your master." "I will take you to His Excellency." Anakin winked to his kids. He gave them a Jedi sign that meant, "Get ready."