Lando pulled out of hyperspace near the forest moon of Endor to find a communiqué waiting for him. It was from Beth telling him that the shield was still up and the Emperor had set a trap.
Lando flicked a switch and began broadcasting to the fleet. "The shield is still up. The Emperor's set a trap."
"This can still work," a voice said over the comm.
"Admiral Piett?"
"Yes. Can you do me a favour?"
"What?"
"Find out what Beth's up to."
"You haven't heard from her yet?"
"Not really."
"Last I heard she'd already arrived."
"She did arrive," Piett shot back. "But for some reason, she doesn't want to talk to me."
Wedge mumbled, "I wonder why." He didn't realise that it went out over the comm.
"What do you mean by that?"
Wedge blushed slightly. "It was rumoured that she failed the pre-flight medical check."
Piett paled slightly as Lando said, "Fighters coming in."
c d
Han and the strike team with him were on a very bad start. They were trapped and there was no escaping, until they heard a metallic voice calling down to them. "Hey! I say, over there! Were you looking for us?" A golden droid appeared and was shouting down at the storm troopers from a hill.
Han and the others turned to see Threepio take the attention of their captors. And then trumpets blew. Everyone looked around him or herself. Ewoks stood up from their hiding places around the troopers in the under-bush and fired arrows upon the stormtroopers, giving Han and his companions time to get out of the mess they were in.
c d
Piett knew that now was the crunch time. There was no sign of Beth though. The newly named Life Quest was in full attack mode, firing against the Imperial TIEs. What was worrying to Piett was that the bridge was unprotected.
Piett could see that one of the TIE's on fire was on a collision course for the bridge. And there was nothing he could do about it. Laser fire came from nowhere to destroy the TIE completely.
"Who was that?" Piett asked over the comm.
"We're busy, Admiral," Lando shot back.
A ship came into view. It was one that Piett recognised instantly. "Bethia!" he hissed.
He called her on the comm, but all she said was "You know my private comm channel." She knew that Piett had used the main fleet's channel. She was quite sure that he was going to growl at her for what he had heard.
Piett left the bridge in the command of Slinté and went somewhere where he could have a private conversation with Beth.
"Bethia, I want you to land the Flyer on this ship right now!" he started.
"And why would I do that? You realise who's ship that is, right?"
"There is nothing to worry about, sweetheart. This ship belongs to the Rebellion now."
"Not while Vader lives."
"Beth, sweetheart, please? I'm worried about you."
Beth didn't reply for a few minutes as she was occupied with defending herself. Finally able to reply, she said, "You don't need to worry, Firmus. I can look after myself."
"Is that why you're flying solo? Or is it some other reason?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Beth shot back. "I'm fine."
"Then you can tell me that you didn't fail the pre-flight medical checks."
"Those are rumours, Firmus. Not everything you hear is the truth."
"But sometimes, it's not wholly a lie, either. Which is it, Bethia?" Beth never replied. Piett could only hear static. "Bethie!"
c d
"As you can see, young apprentices, your pitiful Rebel friends are lost. There is nothing left for you but to join me at my side." Luke turned from looking out on the battle to Palpatine and the lightsabers at Palpatine's side. In particular, his one. "You want this, don't you? Your hate is swelling in you now. Take up your Jedi weapon and strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey to the Darkside will be complete."
Luke, don't do it. You're better than him and you know it.
I know sis, Luke mentally sent as he let the Force wash through him and take away the darkness attempting to take him. Once the darkness was gone from him, Luke joined with his sister. Their lightsabers flew to their hands and they ignited them in unison.
c d
Han had some difficulty in getting back to the control centre with Artoo. One of the many Rebels, Ben, was with him.
"Code's changed," Ben told Han.
Indicating with his hand, Han told Artoo to plug in. Artoo did, and worked the fastest he could to open the door again, but was stopped when a blaster bolt hit him and short-circuited his inner workings.
"I don't suppose you can hot wire this thing?" Han asked Ben
"Don't ask me. I'm not a mechanic."
"I'll do it then."
c d
Chewie was busy keeping the Imps in line in the surrounding forest area. He and two Ewoks had managed to take an Imp walker and were now taking out stormtroopers.
He roared in acknowledgement when the two Ewoks congratulated him.
c d
Lando didn't know what exactly was happening. He manoeuvred the Falcon around and shot some of his attackers down. There was noting much he could do against the Death Star until Han had got the shield down.
Something unforeseen happened, though. Something nobody expected.
c d
"As you can see, your fleet is lost. Witness the power of this fully functional and operational Battle Station," Palpatine spat as Luke and Leia's blades locked with Vader's.
Leia let up her defences to protest. "What?" She rushed to the window to see.
"Fire at will, commander," Palpatine said over the comm. Leia's eyes widened in horror. Her jaw dropped in her shock.
c d
"What was that?" Wedge asked.
"The Death Star," Piett's surprised reply came. "That thing's operational!"
"We don't have any choice but to retreat!" Admiral Ackbar said.
"We won't get another chance at this, Admiral. Han will have that shield down. We've just got to give him more time."
"We won't last long against those Star Destroyers."
"We'll last a lot longer against them than we will against that Death Star," Lando shot back. "And we just might take a few of them with us."
c d
Piett couldn't get over the fact that he had lost his wife. He knew he shouldn't think about it in the middle of a battle.
Tears formed in his eyes. He mustn't think of her. Not now. Wiping the tears away, he moved back to the bridge. How much longer will this last?
"Admiral Piett, are you alright?"
Piett nodded slowly. "Was the Freedom Flyer destroyed?"
Traneu swallowed. "I'm sorry, sir. That ship is no longer on any of our scopes. I didn't see it destroyed, but that is most likely."
"Thank you, Lieutenant."
Those on the bridge could see that the news came heavily on Piett's shoulders. Madine, knowing who's ship the Freedom Flyer was, wanted to comfort Piett.
"Orders, sir?"
Piett didn't answer for a while. His eyes hardened. "Destroy them. Destroy them all."
He froze. There wasn't anything he could do to stop the Death Star's main weapon starting up again to fire once more. The centre beam shot forward and fired at the Life Quest itself.
Piett knew the end had come.
c d
"I've got it!" Han shouted in excitement. "I've got it!" Ben looked round at him. Han looked at the doors and the second lot of blast doors closed. "Oh no I haven't." Han said, cussing.
"General!" Ben exclaimed. "Try and see if you can open it this time!"
"Sure. What do you think I'm going to do?"
Han turned back to his job, but stopped when Ben was wounded. Concern filled Han's face. But then, there was nothing he could do when a stormtrooper commanded him to put his hands in the air. Ben was hidden from view by Han's kneeling form.
"Stand up!"
As Han did, Ben fired his blaster and shot the stormtrooper. Han smiled. His face fell again when a walker came and stopped just before the bunker. Han stood up, still with his arms in the air.
"Stay back," he warned Ben.
c d
Luke and Leia were fighting against Vader, blow for blow. None of them could get an advantage over their opponent. The twins stopped fighting and backed away from Vader.
Something is wrong, Vader thought to himself, or else they'd still be fighting. No sooner had he thought this than he felt what was wrong. His sister was injured. She'd also had gone EV.
He reached out to her. She returned his touch. Anakin, come back.
Without realising it, he answered, I already have. He felt her touch again, this time it was a little hesitant, as if she was unsure of him. Hold on, Beth. For now, I need to concentrate. But I'll find you.
As Beth withdrew, Anakin felt her presence being replaced by his children's. He turned and faced Palpatine. Luke and Leia smiled at each other and moved to stand behind their father.
"You've failed, your highness," Anakin said. "These are Jedi Knights like the Knights before them. Those same Knights that were killed under your orders."
"You are mine!" Palpatine yelled. "You are my apprentice."
"No longer, Palpatine," Anakin hissed. "Because of my children, I am no longer yours." He advanced on Palpatine but Palpatine stopped him with Force lightning.
"Father!" Leia screamed, rushing to her father's side. Luke raised his lightsaber to block the flow of the Force lightning.
"As Father said, Palpatine," Luke growled. "You have failed. You will never harm my family again."
"You are wrong, little Jedi. You are mistaken about a great many things."
"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke softly spoke these words as Palpatine stopped his onslaught.
"Your faith in your friends is yours."
Luke hooked his blade onto his belt. "I'm a Jedi Knight, your highness. You will never have my soul."
"So be it. Jedi."
Luke was thrown back with the force of Palpatine's attacks. Leia knew that everything was now up to her. She frowned as she stood. Palpatine smiled at her with a sinister grin.
"Well, princess, if your brother will not turn, maybe you will."
"You underestimate me, your highness. Your reign has ended, and you will die, with us as well."
Palpatine's face twisted into an unusual pose and Leia shrank back from it.
Leia, you can do this. You have the strength to fight him.
I can't do this alone, she told her brother. I can't.
You can. You are much stronger that this. I know you can do it. Do it for me. Leia was afraid. She doubted herself and her ability. Luke seemed to understand this and said over their link, Leia, remember what you told me? You, too, are so much better than he is. Don't let your fear control you.
Palpatine advanced on Luke, seeing that Leia wasn't going to do anything to stop him. He raised his hands and struck Luke with all his strength using Force Lightning.