Chapter 55- Revelations and Battle Planning
A/N: I know in "Return of the Jedi" Ackbar told everyone about the Death Star. I am giving that to Talon.
Luke looked rather despondent as he and Lena watched the light go out of Yoda's house. Lena touched her brother's shoulder gently. Artoo beeped a query and Luke and Lena looked at him. "I can't do it, Artoo. Me and Lena can't go on alone," Luke said after examining the bottom of his x-wing and standing.
"Yoda will always be with you," a voice said. Lena and Luke looked over to see Obi-Wan coming through the bushes.
"Obi-Wan," Luke and Lena both whispered and went over to Obi-Wan. Lena and Luke had seen Vader cut Obi-Wan down, but through the Force, they could now see him again.
"Why didn't you tell us? You told us Vader betrayed and murdered our father," Luke said, the anger clear in his voice.
"Your father was seduced by the dark side of the Force. He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker and became Darth Vader. When that happened the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you and your sister was true, from a certain point of view," Obi-Wan said. Lena nodded her head in the affirmative.
"A certain point of view?" Luke asked skeptically.
"Luke, you are going to find that many of the truths we cling to as Jedi depend greatly on our own point of view," Lena said as the three of them sat down.
"Uncle Talon tell you that?" Luke asked.
"Yes, he did. I asked him before we went to save Han from Jabba. He basically told me that Vader broke our mother's heart when he turned to the dark side and almost killed us as she was pregnant with you and me. If he wasn't destroyed before, he was then when he turned on the woman he loved," Lena said. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
"Your sister is right. Anakin was a good friend before he fell. When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot, but I was amazed at how strongly the Force was with him. I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong," Obi-Wan said with a look of shame on his face.
"There is still good in him, Obi-Wan," Lena said pointedly.
"Your mother thought that too, Lena, but he's more machine now than man, twisted and evil," Obi-Wan said.
"We can't do it, Ben," Luke said, shaking his head.
"You and Lena cannot escape your destinies. You must face Darth Vader again," Obi-Wan said in the voice of a teacher.
"We can't kill our own father," Luke said.
"Then the emperor has already won. You and Lena were our only hope," Obi-Wan said with resignation.
"Yoda spoke of another, Obi-Wan," Lena said.
"The other he spoke of is yours and Luke's triplet sister," Obi-Wan said. Lena felt a chill in her. Sister?
"But we have no sister," Luke argued.
"To protect all three of you from the emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born. The emperor knew, as well as I, Yoda, Talon, and your sister's adopted father did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the reason why your sister remains safely anonymous," Obi-Wan said.
"Leia!" Luke and Lena both said at once as they both thought the same thing.
"Leia's our sister," Luke said.
"Your insight serves you both well. Bury your feelings deep down, Luke, Lena. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the emperor," Obi-Wan said with a note of finality as he disappeared.
The rebel briefing room was crowded and Talon was next to Han and Leia, Cora sitting beside him. "What a turnout, Your Highness!" Solo exclaimed to Talon as he looked around
"We've had a chance to regroup after the defeat at Hoth. Hopefully the techs have discovered something in the files that was pilfered from the Black Sun cartel," Talon said, running his fingers absently through Cora's dark hair.
Calrissian then came into the room dressed as a general. "Well, look at you; a general, huh?" Solo asked.
"Someone must have told them about my little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab," Calrissian said with a small measure of embarrassment.
"Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to lead this crazy attack," Han said.
"I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it," Calrissian said.
"Well, who says they didn't? But I ain't crazy. You're the respectable one, remember?" Solo teased as he sat down. Calrissian grinned.
"I've got to get up there. The briefing is starting. Cora, sit next to Leia," Talon said as he stood and joined Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, and Crix Madine, people that Talon shared the leadership of the Rebel Alliance.
The room silenced as Mon stepped forward. "The emperor's made a critical error and the time for our attack has come. The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoint the exact location of the emperor's new battle station. We also know that the weapon systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we've learned that the emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star. Many Bothans died to bring us this information. Master Jedi, please," Mon said to Talon, giving him the floor.
"You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest moon of Endor. Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defense mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield which is generated from the nearby forest moon of Endor. The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted. Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor. General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack," Talon said as the visual was destroyed.
"Good luck. You're gonna need it," Solo said to Calrissian, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"General Madine," Talon said to the former general of the Imperial navy.
Madine stepped forward. "We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator," Madine said.
"Sounds dangerous," Talon heard Threepio say amongst all the murmurs.
"I wonder who they found to pull that off," Talon heard Leia mutter through the his Force-enhanced hearing.
"General Solo, is your strike team assembled?" Madine asked and everyone turned to look at Solo.
"Uh, my team's ready. I don't have a command crew for the shuttle," Solo said. Chewbacca then growled and raised his hairy paw. "It's gonna be rough, pal. I didn't wanna speak for you," Solo said. Chewbacca growled again. "That's one," Han said with a grin.
"General, count me in," Leia said, touching Solo's arm.
"We're with you too," Luke's voice echoed and he and Lena came into the room. Leia went to them and hugged them both. she pulled back to look at them.
"What is it?" Leia asked, a concerned look on her face.
"Ask us again sometime," Lena said as Solo, Chewbacca, and Talon joined them.
"Luke, Lena," Solo said in greeting.
"Hi, Han, Chewie," Luke said as he shook Solo's hand.
"Welcome back, Luke, Lena. I'll be joining you as well. Cora will be with the fighters," Talon said as he hugged his nephew and daughter and they made their way to the hangar.