Chapter 61- New Allies and Truths Revealed
Everyone sat in the hut while Threepio told the story of the fight against the Empire to the enraptured Ewoks. Threepio had told Lena and Leia the creatures race and even their names. The one who had helped them in the forest was Wicket and the medicine man/slash tribal leader was Logray. Logray was even more fascinated when he realized that it had been Luke, Talon, and Lena who had moved Threepio's chair with the Force. He had stood glued to Lena and Talon's side as if they were long-lost relatives that he hadn't seen in years. Lena was willing to chalk it up to the fact that she, her father, and brother were all Jedi.
Artoo beeped, interrupting Threepio's story as he mentioned a lightsaber and the sounds of the Jedi weapon filled the room. Sometimes it really paid to have a storyteller supply his own sound effects. "Yes, Artoo. I was just coming to that," Threepio said to his counterpart and switched back to Ewok. Lena put her hand on her mouth to suppress a laugh as an Ewok hugged Han's leg. From the look on her sister's face, Leia was unsuccessfully laughing. Threepio stopped the story and the Ewoks started to jabber in their language.
"What's going on?" Lena heard Han ask Leia.
"I don't know," Leia said, looking confused.
Logray raised his staff and an Ewok beat a crude drum. Logray then spoke to Threepio. "Wonderful. We are all part of the tribe," Threepio said with as much glee as a droid can have.
Before Lena could think Ewoks swarmed them all, hugging them. A little Ewok girl came forward and shyly touched Lena's rich brown hair, that she had unbraided. Most Alderaanian women had long hair, especially among the royal family. Lena and Leia were no exceptions. "Just what I always wanted," Lena heard Han grumble as Ewoks hugged him.
Lena looked up to see her brother as he left the hut. "Father, Luke's going," Lena said to Talon.
"All right. Let's go check on him," Talon said. They went out to the bridge and Luke stood there, looking off dejectedly.
"Luke?" Talon asked, touching Luke's shoulder. Luke turned to face Lena and his uncle.
"Uncle, Lena, we have to go. Father's here," Luke said.
"I know. I have been feeling it since we got past the shield," Lena said.
"I have too. I'm gonna go to Logray and try to get our lightsabers back, children," Talon said, gently caressing Lena's cheek and patting Luke's shoulder.
"Papa, you don't have to come. Luke and me are the only ones Father wants," Lena said.
"I know, but I have to be there. I won't let Anakin or the emperor kill either of you," Talon said with a smile as he went back inside and Leia came out.
"Luke? Lena? What's wrong?" Their sister asked as she joined them on the walk. Luke turned to face her.
"Leia, do you remember your mother...your real mother?" Luke asked as he and Lena sat down.
"Just a little bit. She died when I was very young," Leia said as she sat next to them.
"What do you remember?" Lena asked.
"Just images, really. Feelings," Leia said.
"Tell us," Luke said.
"She was...very beautiful. Kind...but sad. Why are you both asking me this?" Leia asked.
"We have no memory of our mother. We never knew her," Lena said, feeling tears come to her eyes.
"Luke, Lena, tell me, what's troubling you?" Leia asked, concern all over her face.
"Vader is here. Now. On this moon," Luke said.
"How do you know?" Leia asked, mystified.
"We felt his presence. He's come for us, like he did when we were on Bespin and he separated me from you. He wanted me and Luke then. He can feel when we're near. That's why me, Luke, and Papa have to go. As long as we stay we're endangering the group and our mission here. We have to face him," Lena said as gently as she could.
"Why?" Leia asked in a hushed whisper.
Luke hesitated slightly before answering. "He's our father," Luke said, having trouble saying the words and a sad look crossing his face.
"Your father?" Leia asked shocked as Talon came out holding three lightsabers.
"There's more. It won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If me, Luke, and Papa don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance," Lena said, squeezing her sister's hand gently.
"Lena, don't talk that way. You and Luke have a power I don't understand, and could never have," Leia said.
"You're wrong, Leia. You have that power too. In time, you'll learn to use it as we have. The Force is strong in our family. Our father has it. Me and Lena have it, And...our sister has it," Luke said. Leia just looked at them.
"Yes. It's you, Leia," Lena said.
Leia looked down. "I know. Somehow, I've always known," Leia said.
"Then you know why we have to face him," Luke said.
"No! Luke, Lena, run away. Far away. If he can feel your presence, then leave this place. I wish I could go with you," Leia said, standing.
"No, you don't, my dear niece. You've always been strong like your mother, Padme. You, Luke, and Lena have a lot of Anakin in you, but you also have a good helping of your mother as well," Talon said, coming into the conversation and stroking Leia's wet cheek gently.
"But why must all of you confront him?" Leia asked, her voice shaking with tears.
"Because our mother believed until the end that there is good in him. Me and Luke both felt it. He won't turn us over to the emperor. We can save him. We can turn him back to the good side. We have to try," Lena said as she, Luke, and Talon kissed her goodbye and went off into the dark fog.
"Here, children. The time to use these are now," Talon said, giving them their lightsabers.
"Thank you, Uncle. You know you don't have to come," Luke said.
"Yes, I do, Luke. I made a promise the day the three of you were born, that I would protect you from the Sith. I am coming to protect you from Anakin. And Palpatine will kill you once he finds that neither of you will turn," Talon said as they marched to the generator.
"Thank you, Papa," Lena said, resting her forehead against his broad chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and gathered Luke into the same embrace, kissing their foreheads tenderly.
"You're welcome. Now let's go. We have a long day ahead for us," Talon said as they started walking again.