DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN STAR WARS OR ANY ASSOCIATED CHARACTERS
Chapter 21
The air was crisp and clean, smelling of fresh pine needles and damp soil when Luke stepped out of the shuttle. Han led the way, his trusty DL-44 drawn and at the ready, the safety still on. Their column of camouflage would be hard to detect in these woods, especially since the Empire didn't utilize camouflage. Their white armor would act as targets and beacons among the green foliage.
Obi-Wan walked next to Rex and Doom, occasionally brushing aside branches that threatened to mess up his hair. Rex wore a camouflage jacket over his armor, the same as Han's, and Doom wore only his armor, as his color scheme made it unnecessary.
"So tell me, Rex. Is Cody with you?" Obi-Wan asked, attempting to make conversation.
It was a good thing that Rex had on a helmet, because he couldn't bear to look the General in the eye. "No, sir. He carried out the Order, and is still in the Empire's employ as far as I know."
Obi-Wan nodded with a sigh. "I suppose he was simply too loyal in the end."
"Yes, though if I ever met him again, I swore that I'd kill him. We thought he'd carried out the Order on you, sir."
"From what Luke tells me, I survived, though I don't know if Cody was who I escaped from," Obi-Wan said.
Rex shrugged. "Doesn't matter now, does it?"
"No, no it doesn't."
As Obi-Wan glanced down the line, he noticed that the two droids would be the only ones in their party who would be easy to spot. He quickened his pace to catch up with Luke. "Not to worry, I doubt any of us will be the ones spotted," he said, motioning with his head to the back of the column.
Luke smirked. "They're useful. I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for R2."
"Nor I, my friend," Obi-Wan smiled. "This is a dangerous place, though. We are blind, and do not know our enemy's military strength."
"Don't worry, improvisation is kind of our specialty," Luke said, motioning to himself, along with his three friends.
"Your father's son indeed."
The conversation ceased when Han, at the head of the column, held up a hand. He motioned towards the ground, and everyone sank as low as they could, disguising themselves in the brush. Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke, and Obi-Wan crept forward to investigate. Hiding behind a fallen tree, they spotted two scout troopers, each with a speeder bike, no doubt on their patrol.
"Should we try to go around?" Leia asked.
Han tilted his head, as if weighing the options. "This whole party will be for nothing if they see us."
"Sometimes, violence isn't the best option. If this patrol misses their check-in, there will no doubt be additional ones sent out."
"That's better than the entire garrison knowing we're here, right?" Han asked, glaring daggers at the older Jedi.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right. I shall handle this."
The Jedi Master stood and made his way down the small hill towards the scout troopers. He stepped out from behind a tree, into their sight line, his hands held up. They both drew their pistols in unison. "Freeze!"
"Relax, I mean you no harm."
"I said freeze!"
"You do not want me to freeze," Obi-Wan said forcefully, waving a hand in front of his face, palm outwards.
The two troopers lowered their blasters. "We do not want you to freeze."
"You want to get back on your speeders and drive away," Obi-Wan said, waving his hand again.
"We want to get back on our speeders and drive away."
"You never saw me."
"We never saw you."
As the two troopers sped off into the forest, Obi-Wan crossed his arms and awaited his companions. Han had a shocked expression, while Luke was just smirking un amusement.
"What was that?" the smuggler demanded.
"A mind trick for the weak-minded," Obi-Wan stated.
"Those don't work on me, do they?"
Obi-Wan shrugged, the light in his eyes portraying his humor. "I haven't tried one on you, would you like me to-"
The Jedi stopped when they heard two speeders start up near them. Whirling around, the five saw another pair of troopers on speeders turn around and head back into the wilderness. Chewie's bowcaster came up instantly, unseating one of the troopers. The other evaded the next shot and sped away.
Leia rushed forward towards the now empty speeder bike, hopping on. "Wait, Leia!" Luke cried, following her. The pair took off in pursuit of the lone trooper, leaving Han and Chewie with Obi-Wan. The smuggler placed his hands on his hips and looked at Obi-Wan.
"You missed a couple," he said, pointing into the woods.
Obi-Wan held up his hands. "It appears I did. The only thing left for us now is to wait for their return."
Han nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
Holstering his blaster, he started back up the hill, towards the rest of the squad. Chewie gurgled at Obi-Wan, in a tone that didn't sound like anger. Sighing, he followed the pair.
Vader kneeled in front of the holoprojector for the latest transmission from his master. He awaited orders aboard the Executor, but he could sense the presence of his son and his former Master on the surface of the moon. It ate away at him, his anger building like a maelstrom at Obi-Wan being allowed to exist again in this reality.
"Yes, Lord Vader?" the Emperor rasped when he came into view.
"Master, I have felt the Jedi on the surface of the moon. I ask permission to destroy them."
"Patience, my friend. Your time to destroy them will come. For now, we must learn from our past mistakes and protect this station. We have underestimated the Rebel Alliance too many times. Let the legion on the surface deal with the Jedi. They are but two against five thousand."
Vader bowed his head even lower, angered at his master's answer, yet understanding. The Emperor was a cold, calculating strategist with the patience of the greatest of Sith. It was how he destroyed the Jedi in the first place. A decade and a half of perfect planning, adaptation, and evolution had Palpatine emerge victorious over the Sith's ancient enemy.
"Yes, my master."
"What I once foresaw for young Skywalker has changed. With the presence of Anakin Skywalker, he will no longer come to you. He believes he has a father already. Turning him will be difficult while Anakin lives. When this station is complete, finding Anakin Skywalker will be your chief and only task. Until then, patience."
The transmission ended, and Vader rose to his feet. As he made his way back to his hyperbaric chamber, he thought the same thoughts that he did every time he spoke to his master. If this infernal suit wasn't designed to cripple him, he would have killed his master long ago. But alas, as long as his master lived, he was bound to his will, a servant of darkness doomed to die when he outlived his usefulness.
It had been several hours since Luke and Leia's disappearance, and the men were getting restless. Obi-Wan's knees cramped from his crouching position, as did Rex and Doom's. The snap of a twig nearby put them all on alert, though. Weapons were drawn, for naught as it turned out, as Luke rounded the corner.
"Luke!" Han exclaimed, putting away his blaster. He looked behind the Jedi, then back to him. "Where's Leia?"
Alarm flashed across Luke's face. "She didn't come back?"
"I thought she was with you," Han said, his tone turning heavy. It was then that Obi-Wan realized the smuggler's feelings for the Princess.
"We got separated. We better go look for her," Luke said.
Obi-Wan stepped forward. "We'll find her. If she were dead, we would have felt it in the Force."
"Still. We'd better go find her," Luke said.
Han nodded. He turned to Doom. "Take the squad ahead. We'll meet at the shield generator at 0300."
Doom nodded. "Aye, General." The clone turned and started barking orders as Rex stepped up behind Obi-Wan.
Luke waved for the droids. "Come on, R2, we'll need your scanners."
"This is not going as planned," Obi-Wan muttered.
Rex chuckled. "When do our plans ever go like they're supposed to, General?"
"Oh, very well. I had hoped that we might have greater success with this one seeing how it wasn't Anakin's plan, but nevermind."
Anakin ran his hands through his mane of shaggy hair for the fifth time in the last hour. The impending attack was setting his nerves on edge. He hated waiting around. He would rather be on the ground with Luke and Obi-Wan. Alpha snorted in amusement next to him, and the usually stoic Wolffe even let out a grin on the other side of the holotable.
"Something wrong, General?" Alpha asked.
Anakin straightened himself. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just hate being stuck in a command center. I need this battle to start so I can enjoy myself. I'm about to pull all of my hair out."
"I know what you mean," Wolffe nodded. "General Plo used to advise patience, but it drove me and the Wolfpack mad."
"Are there any of you left?" Anakin pried.
Wolffe raised an eyebrow. "What? The Wolfpack? Yeah, there's a few dozen of us here. Lowest numbers of any legion, though, save for the 21st."
"I remember saving you, Boost, Sinker, and Master Plo from the Abregado system. Did that happen here as well?" Anakin asked.
Wolffe nodded. "It did. Likely, all of your memories are actual events, General. At least until Umbara."
Their conversation was interrupted when the beeping holotable in front of them revealed Admiral Ackbar. "General Skywalker, are you prepared?"
"We are, Admiral. All fighters are fueled, and the Pride's systems are fully operational," Anakin announced.
Ackbar smiled, or at least Anakin thought that's what he did. The Mon Calamari facial expressions weren't exactly identical to those of humans. "The attack will commence shortly. Prepare yourselves."
When the transmission ended, Anakin looked over to Wolffe. "You'd better get back over to the Vengeance. I'll have Alpha command the Pride while I lead the fighters."
Wolffe saluted. "Aye, General."
As the gray and white-clad clone made his exit, Anakin glanced to Alpha. "And so it begins."
Standing next to the smoking wreckage of a speeder bike, Han's mood was beginning to turn sour. No trace of Leia other than this burning piece of metal. Luke emerged from the bushes to their right, a solemn look on his face.
Threepio, ever the bearer of bad news, said, "It appears that R2's sensors can find no trace of Princess Leia."
"There's two more wrecked speeders back there," Luke motioned with his head. "And I found this," he said, tossing a helmet to Han.
The smuggler caught it and held it for a few seconds before discarding it. "She couldn't have gone far. These things are still hot."
"I agree," Obi-Wan nodded.
"Generals!" Rex called. "Chewie seems to have found something."
Chewie nodded emphatically, growling loudly. He jogged into the woods, seemingly wanting them to follow. "What, Chewie?"
The wookiee paused to roar at Han before turning back to the path. "What, Chewie?" Han demanded, louder this time.
The wookiee didn't turn around, though, stopping only when he was in front of what looked to be the carcass of a dead animal. Obi-Wan placed a few fingers on his chin. "This does not look right."
Han shrugged, waving a hand at the older Jedi. "Eh, it's just a dead animal."
Chewie roared happily as he stepped forward to free the piece of meat, but Luke dashed forward to try and stop him, grabbing the wookiee's hairy arm. But it was too late. The next thing they knew, their entire group was suspended ten feet in the air, all crammed into a strong net.
"Nice work, great, Chewie. Always thinking with your stomach," Han sighed.
"Will you take it easy? Let's just figure out a way to get out of this thing!" Luke yelled. "Han, can you reach my lightsaber?"
The net shifted as the smuggler turned general tried to make his way to Luke. Before he could reach the young Jedi, the bottom of the net broke, and they were sent tumbling to the ground. Luke groaned in pain, for someone's boot was pressing into the small of his back. When Han removed his leg and rose to his knees, the sharp end of a spear was in his face.
A few dozen small, furry creatures emerged from the bushes. In their hands was an assortment of spears, bows, and slings, all trained on the group of prone rebels. Han grinned, for they had found cute locals. He made to stand, but the spear point drew nearer to his face. Growing angry, he grabbed the end and shoved it away from him.
"Point that thing someplace else."
The gray and black-striped one holding the spear turned and conversed quickly with another of his race, a thick, brown one. At the end, the spear was pointed back at Han. "Hey!" the smuggler growled, moving to draw his blaster.
Rex already had his drawn, but Obi-Wan steadied him, as Luke did Han. "Han, don't. It'll be alright."
The two Jedi tried to mediate between the strange race of midgets and their own group as a thicket of spears descended around them, confiscating their weapons. The group of furry creatures quickly grew silent, however, when Threepio sat up. They all fell to their knees and began to bow, chanting in unison.
The others looked around in confusion at the strange act. Obi-Wan smirked in amusement. "It appears our golden friend may come in useful after all."
"What do you mean?" Han asked.
"Do you understand anything they're saying?" Luke asked Threepio.
"Oh, yes, Master Luke. I could be mistaken, it is a very primitive dialect, but it appears that they think I am some sort of god," the golden droid relayed.
Han grinned. "Great! Why don't you use your divine influence, and get us out of this?"
"I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper."
"Proper?" Han said in outrage while Luke and Obi-Wan shook their heads at the droid. Rex glanced at Chewie, and the wookiee shrugged back, prompting Rex to shake his head as well.
Han jumped to his feet to try and physically force Threepio to obey, but the furry creatures stopped his advance with a dozen spears pointed at his chest. Han's hands flew out to his side. "My mistake. He's an old friend of mine."
Unfortunately, their relationship with Threepio did not prevent them from being tied to tree branches and ferried into the trees, where the furry creatures had built their homes. A large wooden platform seemed to be their destination, as they put Threepio down in a hair on a raised dais.
While the others were placed upright a few feet away, Han was suspended over a bed of coals, looking to the others in alarm when he realized they were to be the main course for Threepio's divine feast. "I have a really bad feeling about this."
"Not to worry, I have faith that our golden friend will see reason before all of us are cooked," Obi-Wan teased.
Han looked up at him. "Easy for you to say, you're not the appetizer!"
Threepio conversed with who looked to be the leader of the Ewoks, as they learned they were called, but looked back to the rebels in defeat. "I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo, but it seems you're to be the main course at a banquet in my honor."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out, and the Ewoks all turned to an opening in one of their huts. Stepping out, her hair braided, and wearing a beautifully sewn dress, was Leia. Taking stock of the situation, she saw her friends lined up and waiting to be seasoned, so she attempted to rush forward and free them, but she was also stopped with spears.
"But these are my friends!" she protested. "Threepio, tell them they must be set free!"
Threepio set about clicking and communicating in the Ewok language, but was getting nowhere. He turned back to the others, and a sad expression would have been on his face if his features could shift. The Ewoks only piled more wood on the bed underneath Han.
"Somehow, I get the feeling that didn't help us very much," the smuggler said.
Luke sighed. "Threepio, tell them if they don't do as you wish, you'll become angry and use your magic."
"But Master Luke, what magic? I couldn't possibly."
Obi-Wan nodded to Luke in understanding, and the two closed their eyes in unison. Concentrating on the chair, it rose high into the air, spinning a few times when Obi-Wan adjusted his pressure. Threepio was yelling protests up until the moment they set him back down. The Ewoks, who'd been frantic during Threepio's flight, immediately set about freeing their captives.
Obi-Wan stood upright, rubbing his wrists. "Now that that's settled, ask them if they have any food."