Beth kissed Myrrha goodbye and climbed aboard the Freedom Flyer.
Nice deep breaths. As soon as this is over, I can relax and get on with my life. Beth felt a slight movement through the Force. It was her baby attempting to get her attention. Nice try, little one, but you're lucky I'm connected to the Force. Next time your attempt may not work.
Beth smiled as her child replied to her unbidden desire for comfort. Thank you, little one. Now let's get through this and back to daddy.
c d
"These are the Rebels that surrendered to us, Lord Vader. Even though they deny it, I believe that there may be more of them out there. I hereby ask your permission to continue the search."
"Granted, Commander."
"They were armed only with these."
"Continue your search," Vader said as he took the two lightsabers off the commander. The commander left with his men immediately. Vader turned to the two Jedi who stood before him. "So, Princess Leia, you are a Jedi Knight as well."
"Yes I am, Father."
Beneath his mask, Vader blinked a few times. Had he heard correctly? Luke, standing behind his sister in the position of the Jedi apprentice, looked toward the ground.
Vader shrugged it off and turned his attention to Luke. "You have come at last, Skywalker. The Emperor has been expecting you."
"I know, Father."
"You have learnt the truth."
"I have learnt that you were once Anakin Skywalker—"
"—Our father," Leia cut in, finishing Luke's sentence.
"You're twins?" It was a simple statement, but in itself, it was also a question.
"Nice guess, Vader. Right, little brother?"
Luke nodded. Vader didn't reply to the question and didn't say any more. The three of them were alone.
"There is still good in you, Father," Luke said.
Vader remained quiet. He ignited both Luke and Leia's blades at the same time. "I see you have constructed a new lightsaber, Luke. Impressive."
"Father, let go of your hate. There is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully," Leia told him.
Vader sighed. "Beth thinks the same as you do. Obi-Wan did too."
Leia frowned. Another figure had joined them. This figure was surrounded in a blue aura. Leia didn't know what to make of it, even though she recognised who it was. Luke and Vader turned to see what had taken Leia's attention. They saw the woman too.
"Bethie?" Vader asked.
Many times when I was young, you told me that nothing would take us apart. But then you left, destroying all that you touched and once loved. All because you lost someone dear. And it started with Mom's death on Tatooine.
"You lie!"
No I don't. You turned completely when you lost Padmé. Admit it!
"You were too young to understand, Bethia!"
Was I, Anakin? I know you lost Keri, too.
"Leave Keri out of this!" Vader demanded.
You say that I was too young to know, but I know the pain you caused Padmé. I know the pain you caused me. Keri was my niece, Vader. She didn't deserve to die, but she did. Padmé didn't deserve to die either, but she did die. And what about the Order, Vader? What did they do to deserve what you did to them? You betrayed us to the worst possible source, Vader, and that was to the Sith.
"No," was Vader's quiet answer. "They didn't deserve it."
Did I deserve what you did to me? And your children, Anakin? Things don't change, but some things are unforgivable. But— Beth's figure sighed and looked to the ground. Because of who you are, and what you mean to me, I forgive you, Anakin. She looked up at Vader and her eyes seemed to bore into his mask. She then disappeared.
"I cannot change, Bethie," Vader said.
"Then our father is truly dead," Leia concluded and made her way to the turbolift with Luke. Vader didn't follow them straight away but contemplated the words that Beth had said.
c d
Don't scold me, little one. I know I shouldn't have done that, but I had to, Beth thought to her unborn son. They were just about ready to pull out of hyperspace to attack the Death Star. At least, her comrades were. She had already arrived at Endor. Her ship was a lot quicker than most ships, probably the fastest ship in the galaxy.
She hung back just far enough to be either in Radio contact or on their scopes. She was on her own in her ship. The growing form within her fluttered to remind her that she wasn't utterly alone. Smiling slightly, her hand moved to cherish her still flat stomach. In another eight months, little one.
She checked her scopes once again. Getting a slight reading from the Death Star, she frowned. What are you up to, Palpatine? Do you somehow know that we're coming?
c d
Han crouched with Chewie at his side. Threepio was busy talking to one of the natives. It wasn't going to be that easy to get it, Han assessed, but not that difficult either.
Threepio tapped him on his shoulder and said, "General Solo, there appears to be a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge."
At this information, Han smiled. "Let's go, then. This won't be too difficult."
c d
Luke and Leia were silent as they rode up in the turbolift to the throne room. Vader's harsh breathing filled their ears as he stood behind them. The three of them were silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Vader was still struggling with the ever emerging Anakin as he contemplated on what had just been revealed to him through his children. He had twins, and they had been hidden from him, with a good purpose, but what purpose?
The turbolift stopped and opened. Leia and Luke stepped out as one, followed closely by Vader.
"So we meet again, Princess."
"I am not a princess. My name is Leia Padmé Amidala Skywalker."
"So you and the young commander are twins."
"So we are."
"You, like your father before you, are now, mine."
"I don't think so, Emperor Palpatine," Leia said stubbornly. "I will never turn, and you will be forced to kill me."
"If that is your destiny, Jedi. Guards, leave us."
Vader approached Palpatine, ushering the twins before him. Palpatine stood and walked towards Vader at the same time.
"Their lightsabers, my master," Vader said, handing the two cylinder tubes to Palpatine.
"Ah, yes," Palpatine smirked as he took the two sabers. "A Jedi's weapon." He turned to move back to his throne. "By now, you must realise that your father will never be turned. So will it be with you two."
"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke shot at him.
Turning, Palpatine shot back, "Your faith in your friends is yours. Your friends down on the sanctuary moon are walking into a trap and I'm afraid this battle station will be quite operational when your fleet arrives." He gave off a cackling laugh as he sat down again.
c d
"There's not that many of them. This shouldn't be too difficult."
Only four.
"Yeah. We've gotten into a lot heavier guarded places than this."
Threepio exclaimed, "Oh my!" from behind them. Han turned quickly and covered the droid's mouth before he gave away their position.
It only takes one to sound the alarm, Chewie growled softly.
Removing his hand, Han listened to what Threepio had to say. "It appears that one of our furry companions has gone an done something rather rash."
"Oh no!" Han turned and saw the Ewok climb aboard a speeder and take off, drawing three of the guards after him. "Not bad. There's only one left." Turning back to Threepio, he told the golden droid and Artoo to stay there.
c d
Han had got the remaining stormtrooper in his custody and was moving on to the bunker. He didn't have much time to destroy the shield before the fleet came to destroy the Death Star. Walking into the control centre with ten of the strike team and Chewie, Han set about to disable it. What he didn't realise was that it wasn't going to plan. Troops entered the room. Han realised too late that he was trapped with his fellow Rebels as he recognised them for who they truly are.
More and more of the Emperor's troops came into the control room and had the Rebels at their mercy.
"You Rebel scum!" the Imperial commander said, pointing his blaster at Han. Han knew he had to give this fight up for now. He just hoped somehow he'd be able to get the shield down in time.
c d
Beth knew it was time to move and show her presence. She was sure the shield was still up. Palpatine had jammed her sensory equipment and had something else planned. Someone aboard the Executor hailed her as she approached the Star Destroyers.
"Unidentified ship, we have you on our scopes. Please identify."
"Freedom Flyer," Beth replied, muffling her voice slightly. She closed her eyes tightly and reached out to the crew of the Executor, trying to locate a being. She wanted to know if the mission aboard there had been successful.
A voice she recognised and which made her heard leap came over the comm, said, "Freedom Flyer, please give your clearance code."
" 'Abrasive braggadocio'," Beth replied.
"What is your destination, Flyer?"
Beth had to think quickly. She was sure that the man she loved wouldn't betray her and the rest of the Rebellion to the Empire, but the doubt was still there. How else did Palpatine know of their mission to Endor? She didn't exactly know how to answer and so, she didn't. Instead, she switched off the comm, cutting communication with the Executor.
The fleet would be there any minute now.
c d
"Beth?" Piett asked out over the comm. He knew that the ship in question was hers, but Beth seemed to be unable to answer.
The Freedom Flyer flew over the Executor's bridge and disappeared from the scopes. Piett was sure that Beth had taken her ship into lightspeed. Ashamed of what he had done, he also knew that she would be back with the rest of the Rebel Fleet.
But what had she been doing?