Chapter 59- New Allies and Feelings
Lena felt herself coming back to consciousness beside her sister at a sharp object poking her back. "Cut it out!" Leia exclaimed and both she and Lena sat up, Lena's hand on the hilt of her lightsaber. The creature was shorter than Artoo, having a bear-like quality to it. It was clothed in a simple cloak and carried a spear, which would account for it poking her and Leia in the back. It backed a few feet, chattering in a guttural voice in a language Lena had never heard before.
It growled, leveling the spear at Lena and Leia. "Leia, are you okay?" Lena asked her sister.
"I think so," Leia said with a grunt as she put her hand on her back and got slowly to her feet. The creature continued to growl at them, pointing the spear.
"We're not going to hurt you," Lena said, fixing her eyes on the creature and infusing the Force into her voice.
"Oh," Leia said with a groan as she sat on a log.
"Are you sure you are okay? You didn't break anything, did you?" Lena asked as she sat next to Leia.
"I'm fine, Cousin. But it looks like we're stuck here. Trouble is, I don't know where here is," Leia said as she looked around.
"Maybe you can help us," Lena said, looking at the creature.
"Yeah. Come on. Sit down," Leia said, indicating an empty spot next to her. The creature growled, pointing his spear at them again.
"I promise, we won't hurt you. Now come here," Lena said, indicating the seat. The creature growled in a savage tone.
"All right. You want something to eat?" Leia asked, taking a ration out of the pack on her belt. She held it out to the creature. He growled and slowly inched forward.
"That's right," Lena said as he came to them, Leia took a bite, and the creature grabbed it reluctantly.
"Come on," Leia said as he sat down next to Leia and started to eat. He gave a slight scream as Leia and Lena removed their hats.
"Look. It's a hat. It's not going to hurt you. Look," Lena said, holding it out to the creature. He came forward slowly.
"You're a jittery little thing, aren't you?" Leia asked as the creature took the hat from Lena. Lena felt a chill in the Force as the creature started and started sniffing the air.
"Leia, something's not right here. I feel a disturbance in the Force," Lena said.
"What is it?" Leia asked.
"I don't know," Lena said, starting to hear someone whistling. A blaster shot hit the log and Leia, Lena, and the creature ducked behind it. Lena pulled out her lightsaber as Leia pulled out her blaster. A blaster bolt hit the tree behind them and they ducked. The creature crawled under a hollow in the ground and Lena and Leia held their weapons at the ready, even though they couldn't see anyone.
"Freeze!" A mechanical voice barked behind them and Lena felt the cold muzzle of a blaster on her head. Leia gasped.
"Trooper, please. You don't want to do this," Lena said, hoping the trooper was weak-minded and would follow the Jedi-mind trick.
"Come on, get up!" The trooper said, apparently not weak-minded.
"I guess the Force had no effect on him," Lena whispered softly in an aside to her sister as he grabbed the blaster and lightsaber.
"Go get your ride. We have to take them back to base," the trooper ordered another trooper that was coming through the bushes.
"Yes Sir," the trooper said with a salute.
"What the-" the trooper started to say as something hit his legs. Leia picked up a branch and clubbed him in the head. Lena picked up her lightsaber and Leia's blaster and aimed it at the trooper on the hover bike.
"So uncivilized," Lena said as the bike exploded and tossed the trooper forward. She handed the blaster to her sister and hooked her lightsaber to her belt.
"Not a bad shot though," Leia said.
"No. Just don't ask me to do it again," Lena said as the creature came out, grunting.
"Come on. let's get out of here," Leia said as she helped the creature down and he took the lead.
"I hope he knows where he's taking up," Lena whispered to Leia.
"Me too, but at least it's away from the storm troopers," Leia said as they followed their guide into the forest. Judging from the Force, their guide wasn't the brightest in the galaxy, but at least he was willing to help. Lena smiled as he took her hand in his paw and they went deeper into the forest.
Vader flew his ship to the Death Star. Since feeling Luke and Lena, Vader had thought that the emperor needed to know they were here. Vader entered the throne room and prostrated himself on one knee before his master, who was turned, looking out the viewport. It didn't look as if he had noticed Vader arriving, but by what he said, before Vader could give his report, he had. "I told you to remain on the command ship," Palpatine said in a slightly accusing voice.
"A small rebel force has penetrated the shield and landed on Endor," Vader said.
Palpatine turned his chair to face him. "Yes, I know," Palpatine said, crisply.
"My son and daughter are with them," Vader said, feeling the rightness of calling Luke and Lena his son and daughter for the millionth time since finding out that Padme had lived long enough to bear them.
"Are you sure?" Palpatine asked.
"I have felt them, my master," Vader said, those six words an accusation of Vader's own. Vader could feel his children and the emperor could not. The part of him that was still Anakin rejoiced at that.
"Strange that I have not," Palpatine said, sounding like a jealous brat that he couldn't feel Luke and Lena. I can because I am their father and you are not, you old troll, Vader thought contemptuously.
"But I did feel them," Vader insisted.
"I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear, Lord Vader," Palpatine said, his words insinuating that Vader was behaving like Anakin Skywalker to his children.
"They are clear, my master," Vader said, keeping his anger at Palpatine under the surface.
"Then you must go to the sanctuary moon and wait for them," Palpatine said with finality.
"They will come to me?" Vader asked with a brief hint at amusement. Surely Luke and Lena would be able to sense that if they came to him, he would have to take them to Palpatine. His children weren't that clueless. Misguided, maybe, but not stupid and clueless.
"I have foreseen it. If they are anything like their mother, their compassion for you will be their undoing. They will come to you and then you will bring them before me," Palpatine said.
"As you wish," Vader said bowing slightly and leaving the throne room. Deep down Vader hoped the emperor was wrong and his boy and girl would come out of sorrow for him. It had destroyed Padme and he had never wanted that to be repeated with the only parts of her that was left; her son and daughter.