Chapter 6
Han swore heartily as he extracted himself from the Falcon's shield generator. Just his luck. While he'd been Jabba's wall hanging, somebody – hopefully Vader but most likely Lando – had gone and given his ship a complete overhaul. A year ago he had known all of the Falcon's quirks and bugs, but now he was going to have to familiarize himself with the ship all over again.
Wiping his hands on his pant legs, he headed for the cockpit, pausing by the passenger area to eavesdrop a moment. Vader was speaking at the moment – stang, who would have believed he was Luke and Leia's father! – and he managed to catch part of it.
"…told me that we would be living a lie, one that would destroy us. In a way, she was right. In keeping our union secret, it filled our lives with fear – and fear is an easy path to the dark side. There was a terrible scandal when our marriage was discovered, and she eventually lost her Senatorial position because of it. And I… well, you know the story."
"I remember Mother," Leia said so softly that Han had to strain to hear her. "My real mother… Bail said she died when I was very young. She was beautiful but… always seemed sad." A pause. "Now I know why."
"I have no memory of Mother," Luke said wistfully. "I never knew her."
"You both have inherited my strength in the Force," Vader went on, "but you have her heart. She lives on in you. And she would not want you to mourn her death or dwell on your memories of her – or your lack of them – but to live your lives to the fullest."
Han pulled away and departed to the cockpit, feeling as if a storm cloud had just settled in his chest. The viewport showed a dazzling view of hyperspace, but he'd seen it so many times that he ignored it. Chewie, Forenze, and Lando were taking advantage of the time in hyperspace to play a round of sabaac, but Han made no move to join them. He simply flopped into the pilot's seat and stared blankly into space.
"Han, why don't you at least smile?" Lando remarked. "It won't break your face, you know."
Han glared at him. "Drop dead."
Chewie barked an inquiry.
"Sure, I'm fine," he grumbled. "Two of my best friends and the woman I love all turn out to be related." He shook his head. "You know, I thought I had a chance with her before, but now…"
"What do you mean?" asked Lando.
"C'mon, Lando, she's Darth Vader's daughter! You think she – or he, for that matter – is going to settle for a smuggler for a husband – or a son-in-law? Especially a smuggler who doesn't have a lick of the Force? This changes everything, Lando." With a deep sigh that seemed to rise from his gut, he stared out the viewport. "This changes everything," he repeated quietly.
"Funny," noted Forenze, laying down her cards and sweeping up the jackpot. "You'd think she suddenly grew half a meter and developed a breathing problem."
Chewie roared in laughter.
"You know what I mean, birdbeak," Han retorted.
"She's got a point," Lando replied. "So Vader's her father. That still doesn't change who she is… or at least it shouldn't."
"What if it has, though?" Han said gloomily. "What if she decides that, since she's the kid of a Jedi, I'm not good enough for someone like her and she drops me like a load of spice around an Imperial search party?"
"Then maybe she's not the right woman for you," Lando replied matter-of-factly.
Han closed his eyes. "That's what I'm afraid of."
"If you're that concerned about it, Han, go talk to her," Forenze informed him.
"What, and interrupt her little daddy-daughter talk?" Han demanded. "No thank you."
"Han, Vader's been your friend for years," Forenze retorted. "What are you scared of?"
When he didn't reply right away – as he didn't really have a good answer – she stood, marched over to him, and grabbed his collar. "Honestly, Solo, I have to wonder about you." She hauled him up and shoved him in the direction of the passenger hold. "Get your cocky Corellian derriere in there and talk to your lady!"
Reluctantly – and with Chewie practically shoving him out of the cockpit – he walked to the passenger area and slipped in. Luke, Leia, and Vader were gathered around the holochess table, laughing over some outrageous story from Vader's childhood. Han went to sit at the bench on the other side of the room.
"Hey, Han," Luke greeted.
"Uh… hey," he replied unsurely.
"Come sit by us," Luke offered. "There's plenty of room."
Han refused the invitation. "I'm fine right here."
"You have something to say, Han?" asked Vader.
He shrugged. What could he say? Especially to them? These three had been his only reasons for remaining in the Rebellion. Luke had always been a little brother to him – always needing someone to cover his behind and pull him out of trouble, but always able to make him laugh and smile too. Vader had been an obligation at the start, but he'd evolved into a true friend, a flying companion and someone to talk mechanics and piloting with, not to mention a trusted confidant at times. Leia… the only woman he could ever imagine loving, even after such a rocky start to their relationship…
But that had been a year ago, when Vader was simply an amnesiac mechanic and pilot, Luke a hotshot farmboy who'd made a lucky shot or two, and Leia a princess from a destroyed world. Now… everything had changed. Vader had regained his memory, and in the process he had ceased to be a simple pilot and was a Jedi Knight – and former Dark Lord of the Sith. Luke was no longer just a cocky farm kid and Jedi wannabe – he was a Jedi… and Vader's son. Leia was the daughter of Vader, a possible heir to the Jedi dynasty… in short, even more a princess than ever before. And Han…
Was just Han. Pirate, smuggler, Corellian scoundrel and completely unworthy to be in the presence of the others.
"Han, you can talk to us," Luke encouraged. "We're still your friends."
"Why?" he demanded sullenly. "You're Jedi, you're Skywalkers, you're a lot better than I'll ever be. Why would you want a nobody as a friend?"
"Han!" Leia exclaimed, rising and going to sit by him. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"You're not a nobody!" Luke added, standing.
"I see now," Vader said understandingly. "You're in the same position I was when I first found out Padme was Queen of Naboo. You feel unworthy of our friendship."
"Ain't that the truth," Han grumbled.
Vader stood, the smoky gray Jedi robes he now wore flaring out as he strode over to sit next to his friend. "Han," he said gently, clasping his shoulder, "I owe my life to you. You've guarded my back and protected me from the wrath of those who hated me. You've been my friend and ally, even when no one else would stand by me. You are my friend, and nothing can change that. That alone makes you far more than a nobody."
"You're my friend too," Luke added. "If it wasn't for you, I'd probably be space dust around Yavin right now – or frozen into a glacier on Hoth. We've been friends for too long for something as simple as this to destroy our friendship."
Leia kissed Han's cheek. "I love you, Han. And don't ever think anything will change that."
He smiled, feeling as if a great weight had been removed from him. So nothing had changed after all – at least, not anything important.
"Something else you wanted to say?" asked Luke.
"Well… uh… no," he replied, suddenly feeling uncomfortable all over again, though this time for far different reasons. "Actually, yes… ah… I suppose that… seeing as Darth's Leia's dad… I should be asking…"
"For permission to marry my daughter?" Vader finished.
"Yeah," he said lamely.
"Well, that all depends," Vader said, folding his arms and gazing upon him with mock sternness. "Do you promise to take care of my girl, Solo, and treat her like the princess she is?"
"That all depends," Han retorted. "Can she stand spontaneous jaunts to the Outer Rim, dodging blaster fire, and sharing a bunk with a Wookie?"
Vader flung his head back and laughed. Everyone else joined in.
"Darth," Han said, seriously this time, "you know I'd never do anything to hurt Leia."
"I believe you, Han," Vader replied. "We've been friends for a long time now. I've seen you go beyond the call of duty. I've seen you put your life on the line for those you love. I've seen you prove your loyalty over and over. You've proven to me that you can be a good husband to my daughter. I would consider myself the luckiest father alive to have a son-in-law like you." He reached out and shook Han's hand. "I grand you permission to wed my daughter and bestow my blessing upon you."
Han beamed, blinking. Some dust must have gotten in his eyes. "I'll be good to your girl, Darth. I promise you."
Vader leaned forward, suddenly taking on a menacing air. "You had better, Han. You wouldn't want your father-in-law to snap and have a dark-side episode, now would you?"
"Father, don't scare him," said Luke.
"I know he's joking," Han reassured him. He hesitated. "I hope."
-
The audience chamber of the Home One was packed to bursting with pilots, ground soldiers, tech crews, and members of High Command. Benches groaned under the weight of bodies, and wherever there was a patch of clear floor Rebels stood or sat, packed tightly together to conserve space. A ripple of conversation hung over the room like the drone of an insect colony. Dead center in the mass of men and women, next to a large holographic display, stood Mon Mothma, the dish-eyed Admiral Ackbar, and two men in Imperial military garb – the defector Admiral Piett and a Commander whom most didn't recognize.
"Who're the Imps?" asked Han as their party squeezed into the room, careful to avoid stepping on toes.
"Admiral Piett joined the Alliance on Bespin," Vader replied. "I don't recognize the other, but I suspect he's an Imperial defector as well."
"Wedge, Mela, Rocky, and Piett snuck aboard the Death Star a while ago to gather information," Luke added. "I guess they brought back a friend."
Vader let his gaze sweep the room. Was it like this before the Battle of Yavin – the air of nervous anticipation, dread of the coming battle, hope for victory, bold determination? On that fateful day four years ago, did the Rebellion ever imagine that they would face this awesome titan not once, but twice? Or that in battling the first Death Star, they would gain an ally in the form of Darth Vader?
He smiled beneath his mask. Much had changed since then – both in the Rebellion and in his own life. Four years ago the Rebel Alliance had been little more than a single resistance cell hidden in the ruins of a jungle planet. Now the Rebellion had entire planets pledged to serve its cause, an impressive starfleet, and the backing of the Jedi Order.
And he… he had gone from the Alliance's most hated and feared enemy to a respected member of its forces. He had shed his Sith title and his loyalty to the dark side, gained close friends, and regained his Knighthood. And most importantly, he had rediscovered his family.
Luke stood to his right, clad in brown-and-tan Jedi robes. He flashed his father a smile and touched his mind through the Force.
/Things have changed/ Luke agreed. /For all of us./
/Did you ever think our lives would end up like this/ asked Vader. /That we'd be far more than friends – we'd be a family/
/I'd always thought of you, Leia, and Han as family/ Luke replied. /Just not as blood./
/You don't need to be blood relations to be a family/ cut in a voice that, though familiar, still startled them.
/Leia/ Vader exclaimed.
She arched an eyebrow. /Sorry to spoil your party, but you can't talk secretly like this anymore./
/Aw, Leia…/ whined Luke teasingly. /You've ruined the fun/
/Hey, do I need to separate you two/ Vader said sternly.
Leia's telepathic laughter was so much like Padme's touch/Father, I love you. And I forgive all you've done to me. I pray we can rebuild our family when the war is finally over./
/Thank you, Leia. You truly have your mother's heart./ He reached out and grasped her hand. /Which reminds me… you have an uncle and grandfather on Naboo who would like to see the two of you./
/We'd love that/ Luke replied.
Mothma stepped forward, and the room quieted down to hear her words.
"The Empire has made a critical error, and the time to act is now," she announced. "Our Bothan Spynet has reported the construction of a second Death Star in the Endor system. This station, which is not yet operational, now orbits the Sanctuary Moon of Endor."
A holo appeared of the aforementioned moon, its surface rendered in an unnatural shade of green. A broken red sphere orbited the moon – the Death Star.
"With the Imperial Fleet scattered throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected," she went on. "But most importantly, we have learned that the Emperor are personally overseeing the final stages of construction."
An excited murmur spread like wildfire through the crowd. This was it, the chance of a lifetime – a shot at the Emperor.
"Many Bothans died to bring us this information," she said in a somber tone.
"Oh goodie," grumbled Forenze. "The med center's probably stuffed with whining, bragging, furry windbags right now."
"And if I know Bothans, they'll be crowing over their sacrifice for the next ten years," Leia added.
Admiral Ackbar stepped forward. "Rogue Squadron, acting under the direction of Wedge Antilles, was able to gain entrance to the Death Star. They have brought back Commander Jerjerrod, the former supervisor of the Death Star Project, who has vital information regarding this battle station."
Jerjerrod stepped up, an eager smile on his face. Vader suspected the man had a bone or two to pick with the Empire.
"Mothma is correct in stating that the weapons systems of this battle station are not yet operational," he said. "However, the station is protected by a powerful magnetic shield created by a shield generator on the Sanctuary Moon."
A yellow bubble encased the Death Star holo to represent the shield.
"If you want to destroy the Death Star, you'll have to take out the shield generator first," he finished.
"Thank you, Jerjerrod," Ackbar replied. "Once the shield is down, Lando Calrissian and Wedge Antilles will lead a squadron of ships into the interior of the Death Star and attempt to knock out the main reactor."
"Good luck," Han murmured to his friend. "You're gonna need it."
Piett stepped forward. "We have stolen an Imperial shuttle from the Death Star. This shuttle, acting under the guise of a cargo ship, will transport a small team to the Sanctuary Moon to take out the generator."
"General Solo, is your team ready?" asked Mothma.
Han grinned. "Ready!"
Mothma nodded. "Then to your stations. We begin at 0600."
"You're in charge of the generator mission?" Lando said in disbelief, punching Han's shoulder.
"Hey, if they're crazy enough to put you in charge of the fleet…" retorted Han.
"Luke and Vader."
Vader turned to see Mothma standing behind them.
"I'd like to see you two in my office," she said.
"Are we in trouble?" blurted Luke.
Mothma smiled amusedly. "No, Skywalker. I have a different mission for the two of you."
They followed Mothma into her sparse but comfortable office. A small durasteel box sat on her desk, gleaming softly in the artificial light. Something about it sent a chill down Vader's spine, but he couldn't place the feeling. For the moment, he put it from his mind.
Once the door shut, she turned to face them. "Princess Leia informed me of your… relation."
Vader nodded. "We apologize for not informing you of it earlier."
"No apologies are necessary," she replied. "It was a private matter. I must admit that I was rather surprised at the news, as I'd believed Vader was responsible for your father's murder."
"It was kind of a shock for us to hear that we were father and son too," Luke said. "But now I wouldn't have it any other way."
She smiled. "Had Vader still been an agent of the Empire when this news surfaced, I'm not sure how we would have reacted. But as the Skywalker family has faithfully served the Alliance for some time, all I can say is that we are proud to have you by our side. You have proven to be worthy allies, and if it's the Skywalker blood that makes it so, then so be it."
"We are always honored to serve," Vader said, bowing.
"And we are honored to have your service, Vader." She turned to the desk and removed the box. "But the Skywalker family is not the only reason I called you here. Vader, I want you to look at this."
He took the box from her and opened it. The chill returned, stronger and laced with pain.
"A Sith holocron? Where did you get this?"
"Chewbacca discovered it on Dagobah," she replied. "We suspect Darth Kain dropped it sometime during his battle with your master or in the rush to leave the planet."
"What's a Sith holocron?" asked Luke, taking the item from his father and examining it.
"Holocrons are crystals used by the Jedi and Sith for recording history, information, messages, and images," Vader replied. "Lord Sidious – whom you know as Emperor Palpatine – was fond of them. Doubtless he has recorded orders for Kain on this holocron."
"Do you need the Force to access it?" asked Luke.
"Usually," Vader replied. "Though sometimes a message can be decoded by a non-Force-user, if it's incorrectly encrypted."
"Our technicians found just such a fragment of information," Mothma told him, turning to her desk and activating a holo. "This is all we could find."
Vader felt a jolt of recognition. "Byss. The Sith fortress on Byss. It can be no other."
"The Sith have a fortress?" Luke asked, awed at the sight of the forbidding, looming edifice.
"The Byss fortress was built by the original Sith Order over a thousand years ago, before the Sith Wars," Mothma replied. "It was abandoned after the Wars, but we have suspected that the Emperor continues to visit it and transact some sort of business there."
"You're correct," said Vader. "The Order continued to use the fortress as a training ground and archive while the Sith remained in hiding. The Emperor and I made frequent visits…" He shuddered. "When my memory returned to me, I vowed to never go back."
Mothma deactivated the holo. "We can only conclude from this that the Emperor is sending Kain to Byss. Why we are not certain, but if it's recorded in the holocron…"
Vader probed the crystal with the Force, passing through barriers and seeking its secrets. The deeper levels were locked, impenetrable to his touch, but he was able to call up an image of a chamber – a chamber whose walls were lined with other holocrons.
"The Sith Archives," he realized. "Kain must be furthering his training."
"Are you certain?" Mothma asked.
He shook his head. "There is other information in the holocron, but it can only be accessed by the dark side."
"And I will not ask you to resort to that," she replied, taking the holocron from him. "Vader, I know you have no wish to return to Byss, but can I ask you to go there one more time? If we are to prevent the Sith from becoming stronger, we will need to intercept Kain or destroy the Sith Archives. And I feel this is a mission more appropriate for the Jedi Order than for the Alliance."
He hesitated, then nodded. "I will go."
"I'll go with him," Luke volunteered.
"Thank you," she replied. "The Rebellion is always grateful for the aid of the Jedi. You are dismissed."
Luke headed out. Vader paused a moment to talk to Mothma.
"The Gungans of Naboo wish to serve the Alliance in any way they can," he told her. "They await a Rebel representative."
"We shall send a transport. Any who wish to aid us in the battle against the Death Star are welcome to do so." She shook his hand. "May the Force be with you."
"And may the Force be with you," he replied.
/We're going to need it/ Luke put in. /All of us./