Han looked back over his shoulder. How long had it been since Luke and Leia had left them? Artoo whistled at Threepio who translated it as "General Solo, somebody's coming."

Han hoisted his blaster up and got ready to shoot whoever was coming. Leia came into view.

"Leia!" he called, standing and moving from his hiding place. "Where's Luke?"

"He's found a local. We'll have to go and find him."

Han turned to one of the other leading rebels with him. "We'll meet you at the shield generator at 0400. Take the team ahead, we're going after Luke."

c d

Luke sighed and looked around him. There was now a group of natives surrounding him. They looked rather cute, but that didn't take away from the fact he was stuck. They were his captors and they knew what it meant to be in a war by the weapons they now held and were pointing at him. He was stuck until Han and the others came for him.

c d

Leia couldn't quite get a fix on her brother's location. She was finding it difficult to catch up to the others while stopping every so often to try and find Luke. She had worked on this for ages under the careful eye of Beth, but now when she needed it, she failed at it a few times.

Then she hit on something close. Luke, also, had been trying to get to her to tell her of his location. She acted too late as Chewie reached for a dead animal.

"No, wait!" she called out. But Chewie had already grabbed the animal. Her feet went out from underneath her and she found herself a few metres up from the moon's surface.

"Great Chewie," Han's gruff voice came to her ears. "Always thinking of your stomach."

"Han, can you reach my lightsaber?" Leia asked.

"Sure!" Han stuck his arms through the net and started to pull himself around to reach Leia's lightsaber.

Artoo, having the same idea as Leia, extended one of his tools to cut through the rope net.

"Artoo, do you think that that is a wise idea? It's a very long way down!"

All of them landed in a heap on the ground. Leia recovered first and stood, then looked around before reaching down to help Han to his feet. What she saw stopped her and her eyes opened wide.

Han, Chewie and Artoo also looked around them. Natives surrounded them. Leia clicked that these natives were the same natives that had captured Luke, or of the same tribe. And their weapons they held were pointed at the chests of the small band of rebels.

Han looked around the group of Ewoks and tried to get up. One of the warriors thrust his spear into Han's face.

"Got any ideas, princess?"

"Yeah, I do. Threepio, do you recognise their dialect?"

"Well, yes I do. Why do you ask, Mistress Leia?"

"I want you to tell them we're looking for someone."

Threepio complied immediately. "They wish to know who."

"His name is Luke," Leia said through her translator. "He's about this tall." She indicated Luke's height with her hands. "He has light hair… blue eyes and a weapon like this," she finished, taking her lightsaber from her belt as she did so. Nodding her thanks to the natives, she allowed them to take her lightsaber.

Han and Chewie were haled to their feet. Leia looked at them apologetically and suggested, "Don't make any sudden moves and do what they tell us."

"Sure, when we're twice their height."

c d

Leia couldn't believe what she saw when they came to the native's tribe. She, too, felt Luke's presence coming closer. Han and Chewie had now been tied to logs and were being carried by the natives. Threepio was being carried in a chair and Artoo was tied to some planks and they, too, were being carried. Leia was the only one who was able to walk freely.

None of them knew exactly what was going on and as they neared the main platform, Leia was stopped and directed to the meeting hut. Luke came out of that hut and smiled at Leia, who returned his smile. "What do we do?" she asked him quietly as she drew near to him.

"Just be patient. Maybe Threepio can help us and our friends out of this. He is the translator, anyway. Don't worry, sis. We have the Force."

"I don't know what worries me more. Losing Han to these natives or facing Father."

Luke swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded. "Me too. I don't know if I can face Father, but we have to."

"I know." Leia looked to the protocol droid who the natives had sat in a high place.

Luke was looking around the platform at the natives, who had by now, started to prepare Han, Chewie and Artoo for dinner. Leia began to see what the little wookiees—to her—were doing as well. "Threepio, what are they doing?"

Threepio's reply to that question came after a few seconds waiting. "I'm afraid Mistress Leia that General Solo, Chewbacca and Artoo are going to be the celebration feast in my honour. They think I'm some sort of god."

"Threepio, tell them to release us," Han demanded.

After another few seconds of Threepio translating, he turned back to Han. "I'm sorry, General Solo, but they won't listen."

"Tell them that if they don't do what you say," Luke interjected before Han could retaliate, "You will get angry and use your magic."

"But Master Luke, what magic?"

"Just tell them, Threepio," Luke exchanged glances with Leia. His eyes converted his message of 'Trust me'.

She nodded. She figured that Luke knew of her love for Han.

"Master Luke, I told you that they wouldn't believe me."

"No you didn't," Leia hissed under her breath as Threepio and his chair rose up into the air.

Han and Chewie had seen this done before, but the Ewoks had not. They made their way away from Threepio. Threepio, too, was scared. "Artoo! Artoo, help! Master Luke! Help!" The chair lowered back into its position as the Ewoks released Artoo, Han and Chewie.

"Thanks, Threepio," Luke smiled and hugged his sister.

"I never knew I had it in me," Threepio said dejectedly.

c d

Piett stood tall and straight on the bridge as the men worked around him. His worry for his wife was growing inside of him and there was nothing he could do to suppress it.

"Admiral?" he heard a voice call from behind him. He turned as Slinté did to see a redhead walking towards him.

"Mara Jade. A pleasure to have you aboard with us."

"Cut the small talk, Admiral Piett. Tell me the truth about Lord Vader and Master Palpatine."

"The truth about what? That they're up to no good? I think you would have already worked that out, handmaiden."

"Don't call me that," Mara growled. "I came here because I trust the Jedi Knight that was held by Palpatine."

"Her name is Bethia Piett. My wife, Mara," Piett said, softly as he was musing over the events of the past month. "I haven't really talked to her in the past month."

"She went to Naboo," Mara told him. "I was sent there by Vader to corner her. Also Palpatine sent me to assassinate her."

Piett froze slightly. "Palpatine wants her dead?" he asked quietly.

"I'm afraid so. Palpatine knows that she is a threat to him and he knows that she will not turn to the Darkside. I've realised why she won't."

"Why?"

"She has love – she holds onto it strongly and will not let it go. She's stubborn but kind. She showed me that and she told me the truth about Palpatine." Mara stopped to inhale deeply. "And because of that, I want to help you and the Rebellion."

Piett smiled slightly. "The crew of this ship needs to be sorted out. I don't know who is loyal to the Rebellion or the Empire."

"I was wondering why you are aboard the Executor. Does Lord Vader know of your presence here?"

"I'm not sure. I hope not."

c d

Luke ducked out of the room as Leia received her lightsaber back from the Ewok Chief. Hooking it to her belt, she followed Luke outside.

"Luke," she called quietly. "Are you alright?"

Luke turned to look at her. "Not really, but I'll be fine. Father's here."

"I know. I've sensed his presence too."

"What do you remember of Mother?" he asked, changing the subject. He felt her flinch. "I can't remember her."

"I can remember images. Feelings, really. She died when we were very young. She was very beautiful, but sad. I guess that's because of Father."

"I guess that's true." Luke smiled a sad smiled. "We have to go. At least, I have to go."

"I know. I'm coming with you."

They both started to move away from the celebrations when Han came out. "Where are you going?"

"Han, we have to face Vader. If we stay, we'll be endangering the group and our mission here. At least, Luke will. Vader knows that Luke is his son."

"Why do you both have to go?"

"Because we both need to face him," Luke said. "You heard what Beth said. This is our last test."

"To see whether or not you have the courage and strength of a dead man? You must be crazy!"

"Crazy enough to realise that we can get you killed at the hand of Darth Vader if we stay, and we don't want that to happen," Leia shot back. "We have to go, Han, whether you like it or not."

"Well go then. But return, won't you?"

Leia smiled. "We'll try."