Chapter 56- Departure and New Assignments
Talon stood next to Cora as Solo gave Calrissian his ship. Talon knew what a sacrifice it was since Han Solo loved that ship as if it was his baby. "Look, I want you and the kid to take her. I mean it. Take her. You need all the help you can get. She's the fastest ship in the fleet," Solo said, looking at Cora briefly and then his ship. Cora was going to be with Calrissian and Nien Nunb on the Falcon.
"All right, old buddy. You know, I know what she means to you. Me and Princess Cora will take good care of her. She won't get a scratch. All right?" Calrissian asked in a placating gesture.
"Right. I got your promise. Not a scratch," Solo said, turning to leave and then looking back at Calrissian.
Calrissian laughed. "Would you get going, you pirate? Good luck," Calrissian said, giving Solo a salute after Solo saluted him.
"You too. Your Highness, it's time to go," Solo said, turning to look at Talon.
"Of course. May the Force be with you, my daughter," Talon said, stooping down and gathering Cora in his arms.
"May the Force be with you too, Papa," Cora said, kissing his cheek, her thin arms going around his neck. Talon stood, blinking hard to keep the tears from falling. Talon might lose his daughter in this battle or he could die himself, but this needed to happen and he had to let go of his children, even though he had already lost two sons and his wife.
"Got her warmed?" Solo asked as he and Talon went into the ship and too their seats, Talon slipping the camouflage over his Jedi robes.
"She's coming up," Luke said, pressing a button.
Chewbacca growled in a complaining roar to Solo. "Yeah, well, I don't think the Empire had Wookies in mind when they designed her, Chewie," Solo said and he looked out at the Falcon with longing.
"Hey, you awake?" Leia asked, touching Solo's shoulder.
"Yeah. I just got a funny feeling like I'm not gonna see her again," Solo said dismally.
"Come on, General, let's move," Leia said, clapping Solo's shoulder gently.
"Right. Chewie, let's see what this piece of junk can do. Ready, everybody?" Solo asked as they all strapped in.
"All set," Luke said and Artoo whistled.
"Here we go again," Threepio said fretfully.
"All right. Hang on," Solo said as they cleared the hangar and he pulled back on the throttle and they went into hyperspace.
Vader stood in the throne room on the Death Star. Vader still felt a small measure of distaste for this new battle station. Jedi habits died hard and this was no exception as all Jedi frowned at technology that destroyed life. Vader wondered for the zillionth time what Padme would have thought of all this. He already knew what Luke and Lena would have thought as the two of them had destroyed the original Death Star. Vader was also willing to bet that Luke and Lena would come to Endor to put a stop to this station. And secretly Vader wanted his children to destroy it if they could.
"What is thy bidding, my master?" Vader asked like the loyal subservient Palpatine thought he was.
"Send the fleet to the far side of Endor. There it will stay until called for," Palpatine said, walking to Vader and some other lackeys in the throne room.
"What of the reports of the rebel fleet massing near Sullust?" Vader asked.
"It is of no concern. Soon the rebellion will be crushed and the young Skywalkers will be one of us. Your work here is finished, my friend. Go out to the command ship and await my orders," Palpatine said, dismissing Vader.
"Yes, my master," Vader said with a bow, hiding his anger at the little regard Palpatine had just given to Luke and Lena's intelligence. From the few times Vader had any contact with them, both had proven to be like Padme in her misguided ethics. Neither one would just join the dark side because the rebellion had been crushed. Vader wanted his children to do it, because they wanted to, not because he made them or he had destroyed all their friends.
Lena watched with held breath as the stolen shuttle she was in came out of lightspeed at Endor. If it wasn't the Force calming her, she would have lost it at the site of the Imperial ships and what looked like a half-built moon. So that was the new Death Star. Lena hoped that thing wouldn't be finished by the time the fleet got here so they could blow it up. Of course the trick would be getting past all these Imperial ships so they could go and lower the shields.