Title:

Title: Revenge of the Jedi, Chapter Five

Author: Jonathan Evans

Author email: noggins@ic24.net

Summary: Continued from Chapter Four. Darth Vader's identity is finally revealed as Anakin and Leia go head to head with the Dark Lord of the Sith himself...

Special Thanks: to everyone who's commented on all of my fan fiction so far. It's great to know I've got an audience! Special thanks to those who commented on the original story to which this is a sequel including Candie K and Kittenmommy who proposed the question as to who Vader was - something which will be explained by the end of the story...
Plus, thanks to Bill Hays who's 1980 article for Fantastic Films, "Speculation Concerning The Future History of the Continuing Star Wars Saga" played an important part in the writing of this story - recommended reading for the unique view of what could have been the events of ROTJ.

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns everything and I'm not making anymoney off of thi nor do I intend to (I'd like to but that's not the point). You can distribute this freely provided that it's complete with this disclaimer.

REVENGE OF THE JEDI
CHAPTER FIVE
By Jonathan Evans

Hna walked through the dense forest, his eyes filled with sheer
anger, trying desperately ro think over all that had happened.
Perhaps if he hadn't been frozen in carbonite he may have been
able to help Luke and he'd still be alive. If he's listened to
Fett about trying random numbers he may have got the clearance
code to get to Endor and Chewie would be with him now. Fett! That
bount yhunter had been one of the biggest threats to his life and
now Leia was getting kinda friendly with him.

The weight of the pack full of charges he had on his back slowed
him down but he wanted to find the shield generator before sunrise
and more importantly before he could be found. This was his battle
now. His absence had caused all this so now it was his job to
finish it off.

"Nub nub!"
Han turned around to see one of the Ewoks standing behind him. It
appeared to want to come with him. He kneeled down in an attempt
to look it in the eyes but he was still too tall.
"You wanna come too, do ya?" he smiled.
"Yub yub."
"I'll take that as a 'yes', but I can't see that you'd be any
help against what I'm about to fight."

The little Ewok seemed insistent and held its staff out as if
to show how fierce it could be. It growled aggressively yet it
appeared to be a humorous sight. Han grinned.
"Sure, why not. Come on before the others catch up with us."
The Ewok nodded and ran ahead, obviousl leading Han to his
destination. He adjusted the backpack with a grunt and continued
through the forest with the aid of his new companion. He glanced
back over his shoulder. He sensed someone was coming behind him.
He sighed heavily and picked up his pace before some of the Rebel
commandos caught up with them.

"Hey! Slow down will ya?" he shouted after his new-found friend
when a blast came shooting passed his ear. A humming sound behind
him became louder and louder until it was almost deafening. He
dived to the floor as an Imperial Speeder Bike flew overhead. If
he'd been a milli-second later his head would have been moving
around 400 mph further away from his body.

He looked up to see the bike turning and coming back for him.
He whipped out his blaster and fired it at the pursuer causing
the speeder to explode in a bright flash. Han brushed himself
down before picking up his pack and catching up with the Ewok
who was pointing irratically at something just ahead of them,
beyond a set of bushes.

* * * * * * * *

"Welcome to the future my good friends," the sauve gambler
greeted the newly awokened Jedi as he entered the medi-bay.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is General Lando
Calrissian, of the Rebel Alliance."

The first Jedi spoke. Her dark features and mysterious eyes
intrigued Lando as he stepped forward and kissed the back of
her hand. She smiled.
"I thank you, general. I am Adi Gallia of the Jedi High Council.
Or at least, what was once the Council. No doubt much has changed
in our absence."
"Indeed. I will take you to Admiral Ackbar and he will explain
the current situation." Lando beckoned for the rag-tag group of
Jedi to follow him down a corridor to the admiral's private
quarters. They passed members of various alien races. Gallia
seemed more than happy with this.

"I am glad the Empire didn't affect these like they did my
people. Before I agreed to be frozen I had heard my race was
close to extinction. The Neimodians and the Gungans were already
gone before the New Order was even put in place."
"I have heard of them. It is a pity," Lando frowned.
"Indeed," the Jedi replied, looking at Calrissian carefully.

They continued along the corridor until they walked passed a
window out into space. One of the Jedi, a male human, stopped
to look out at the fleet preparinf for battle. He placed his
hand on the glass with a thoughtful expression on his face.
"There is much fear in these people," he said, speaking aloud
for the first time. Lando stopped walking and turned around.

"It's understandable. We are about to fight the Empire for what
could be the last time. If our troops don't take the shield
generator of they battle station down we're doomed."
"Sme believe they will die," the worryingly young Jedi
exclaimed. "They fear they won't live to see freedom."
Lando shook his head. The Force worried him and he wasn't
afraid to admit it. Unlike those who refused to believe in
it, Lando knew what it could do in the wrong hands. He only
needed to quote Vader and his Emperor as example.

"They signed up to the Rebellion knowing they may have to
sacrifice themselves for the cause of freedom. They all
knew it could happen..."
"But few of them wanted it. Maybe we have come out of
'hiding' at the right time."

Lando grimaced. This young upstart had already mocked his
ability to rally the troops and now claimed there would be
a rebellion within the Rebellion. "Maybe you did," he
replied.

* * * * * * * *

"Han!" Leia called out into the distance. "Han!" She ran
a little further ahead and shouted again. "Get back here you
scruffy looking nerf herder before I have to go get you
myself!"

She continued along the forest trail until she was panting
heavily then running again until it hurt to breath and her
heart felt as if it would almost beat through her chest.
"HAN!" she yelled again but to no avail. She had met someone
today who meant so much to her but lost another who she
knew and love. Not lost! Not yet. And she would find him
even if it killed her.

She stopped running for a moment and looked back to see that
there was no one in sight. She had lost conact with the
commandos over thirty minutes earlier and the trees were
blocking any signals to the communication device she was
carrying. Keeping her hand near her blaster, she slowed her
pace slightly and looked around. There were footsteps
coming from nearby, perhaps to her left. That was the problm
with Endor, you couldn't be sure where things were coming
from.

Leia turned around warily as a tall, thin creature with almost
yellow coloured fur jumped out of the wilderness at her. She
fell back trapping herself in some fallen vines. Her blaster
dropped to the ground as the creature extended its claws to
investigate her closely. It cut into her cheek and sniffed
the blood that trickled from the fresh wound. It smiled as
it openedits mouth to reveal the fangs that were about to bite
open the princess' neck.

Suddenly it fell forward as a laser blast ripped through its
flesh and came out the other side leaving a clear hole in
its chest. Leia looked up to see Boba Fett, her father, holding
a smoking rifle in the air. "Looks like you needed my help
after all..."
"What - what was that?"
"A Dulok," Anakin replied. "Distant relatives of the Ewoks and
much less sociable. I'd be wary of them."
"I guess so..." the princess nodded as she untangled herself
and reholstered her pistol.
"Now do you give up your foolish quest and join me in my
journey to the Death Star?"
"But I have to find Han..." Leia pleaded.
"He can take care of himself. I'm sure you know that by now.
You don't need to protect him," her father said trying to
convince her to come with him.
"Ii don't know what he could do."
Anakin placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "He will
do what is necessary" he told her.

"I'm sure he will..." a voice behind them said and an electronic
buzz was heard. Anakin saw a light in the corner of his eye
and span around to see the black image of Darth Vader standing
with his lightsaber ignited and ready for battle. He saw the
old Jedi Knight but only recognised him as his adopted persona.
"Boba Fett, what are you doing here? The last time we met you
were headed towards Tatooine for the bounty on the man you are
now trying to rescue."
'Boba Fett' remained still. "What do you want?"
"I want what you want. The princess on the Death Star. Only my
plan didn't involve you there as well."

Vader dived at the bounty hunter but he anticipated the attack
and jumped out of the way in time. He pulled out his blaster
and let off two shots that were easily deflected by the Dark
Lord's hand. He pulled the weapon into his grasp and threw it
aside.

"We have fought before Fett," Vader hissed. "You only escaped
with your life because of your sheer cunning. I will not let
you get the better of me this time."

The red lightsaber streaked towards Fett's head but he ducked,
allowing the blade to slice through a tree trunk. Taking this
opportunity, Leia jumped at the severed tree and kicked it
down creating a barrier between the two warriors as it fell
to the ground, taking another along with it.

"We finish it NOW!" she called out, picking up her father's
blaster rifle and throwing it back to him. He looked at Vader
seeing his reflection in the Sith's dark mask.
"Yes. Right now."

* * * * * * * *

"This is it, huh?" Han said as he looked at the bunker that
contained the shield generator. The Ewok beside him nodded and
held its spear high, pushing the bushes aside to charge into
battle. Han quickly held him back.
"Not yet little fella, we need to check out their security
precautions."

The Ewok looked confused, obviously not understanding what
Solo meant. "Okay... uh... we need..." he pointed at himself
and the Ewok to show who he was talking about. "... to check
out...", Han put his hand above his eyes and looked over to
the bunker. "... their...", he pointed at two Stormtroopers
guarding the durasteel door then took out his blaster and
pointed at a target. "...security precautions." The Ewok
looked even more confused. Han sighed in frustration. "Just
go! I'm gonna do this myself."

Han began to crawl carefully down the banking, trying to
ensure he was not seen. Just as he reached the bottom
he realised exactly what was towering above him. He looked up
to see an Imperial AT-ST.

"I have a very bad feeling about this..." he muttered as he
ran back up into the trees, clambering up to where his Ewok
friend was still waiting. He brushed his hair back with his
hand but it fell back into place.
"Okay, as you can see... that's why your plan wasn't going to
work..."

The smuggler sat back as the sun came up over Endor within
minutes and the guards changed places with four more who came
from the bunker ready with blaster pistols in their hands.
Han hit the ground in frustration. He let himself get
annoyed much too easily. Fett's Wookie scalps reminded him
too much of Chewie and the death he suffered because of Han's
own stupidity. For the first time he realised how alone his
reckless behavior left him. Chewie was the only one who kept
him sane, gave him the friendship he needed. He'd put his
relationship with Leia on the line with this stunt but now he
could gave put the future of the entire Rebellion at stake.

"What have I done?" he muttered to himself. If Chewie'd
been here he'd have given him a real ear bashing. If Luke had
been with him he'd feel more confident. Suddenly, Han felt a
presence all around him. He closed his eyes. "What am I
supposed to do now, huh kid?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure general but Iknow what we're gonna do!"
Solo turned to see seven Rebel soldiers ready and waiting
for orders. A smile covered his face.
"About time you guys turned up."

* * * * * * * *

Admiral Ackbar looked over the group of Jedi. He rested his
hand on his chin and, after several moments silence, laughed
out loud.
"Things are looking up for the Rebel Alliance this day," he
said. "General Ssolo stated that we would win this war without
the Jedi but now I believe we could do more than win."
Adi Gallia, having been nominated leader of the Jedi group,
nodded carefully. "The battle is to begin soon?"
Ackbar looked towards the Calamari officer who was preparing
for the order to take the fleet into hyperspace.
"Yes."
"We are still weak from the freezing process. I for one am sure
that the Force is not as strong with me as it once was."
"Of course. But could you explain how you came to be frozen
in the first place..."

Gallia thought back to the events that led her to this place.
The words flowed easily as she recounted the moment that the
Empire emerged from the ashes of the Republic and Vader and
the Emperor started hunting down and murdering the Jedi along
with the help of many mercenaries and hired killers. One,
however, offered them hope using the carbonite from the mines
in the Empress Teta System to preserve the Jedi for the
future.
"I was the only member of the Council chosen to take part,"
she continued. "Master Yoda felt the others should be
prepared for battle. I can only guess they are all dead now.
Vader knew the Jedi well."
Suddenly Lando realised something. "Because he was one of
them!"
The Jedi master nodded. "Yes. And I know who Darth Vader is."

* * * * * * * *

Leia looked carefully at the Dark Lord of the Sith standing
before her. Her eyes were filled with rage.
"You destroyed my planet, you killed the man I called my father,
you forced the man I love into carbonite but then you did the
one thing that hurt me most."
"And what was that, princess?" Vader said through his mask.
"You killed my brother before I even knew him as that."
"Your brother? He was a weak fool."
"Luke Skywalker," Leia growled as she pulled out a blaster,
"was the most commpassionate and strong willed person I ever
knew. The Force was a part of him as it was our father."
She fired, hitting the Dark Lord in the shoulder.
"How..." he stuttered.

"Guided by the Force," Boba Fett answered, knowing that his
daughter was finally learning how to use her natural abilities
as she was meant to from birth if the Jedi had still been
around.
"How is this possible?" Vader continued, trying to work out
the power she was able to wield without training. Neither
her brother nor her father were able to do this, but her
father was powerful and no doubt it was passed down."

"She's a Skywalker," Fett said. "She has powers you could never
understand, never comprehend..."
"What do you know, bounty hunter?" the Sith hissed.
"I know more than you think.... Mace Windu..."

TO BE CONTINUED....