Star Wars 6.5
Return of the Jedi
Mara Jade: Shannon Baksa
Luke Skywalker: Matt Damon
Leia Skywalker: Keria Knightly
Han Solo: Nathan Fillion
4 ABY
Mara Jade spied on those who went in and out of Jabba's Palace with powerful elctrobinoculars. She also possessed small probe droids to search out the nearby cities. Finding nothing of interest she approached her speeder. She had been sent alone to infiltrate the crime organizations on Tatooine, for some reason the emperor himself refused to set foot on the planet.
Thus it was up to her and the emperor's agents or "hands" as they were affectionately called to prosecute crime bosses and rebels suspected of aiding the Alliance. Mara was such an agent. With Luke missing, presumed dead and Leia defected to the Alliance Mara's original three man team had split up indefinitely.
Mara had been sympathetic to some of Leia's ideals of democracy and freedom, but her joining the Alliance disgusted her. At least Luke had the intelligence to obey his father's commands. Mara looked at her communicator computer. She read another objective that was to be added to her long list of tasks.
Apparently the emperor wanted Han Solo alive, probably for interrogation. Mara knew very little of the defected Imperial captain other than he was a maverick and actively used his ships for suspicious cargo shipments.
Mara waived her red hair getting the sand out of it. She hated Tatooine and would be delighted if she had the opportunity to kill something rather than just spy. Mara got on her speeder and went into town. Mara parked the speeder and locked it. At twenty two years old Mara was still single, a fact that depressed her. Many Imperial officers had of course tried to flirt with her, but she didn't care for their arrogant attitudes. She had sensed something from Luke but he was dead now. Mara needed a drink.
Mara took a sip of her ale and watched the television monitors. "Not all reports are in but from all accounts the Imperial fleet has achieved a victory over the rebel alliance in the Endor system," a male news caster announced.
"Turn that up," Mara said taking another sip. "Unfortunately the Endor moon was destroyed in the battle, Imperial casualties are unknown, we will keep you posted on further information," a female news caster continued. "With the rebel alliance thoroughly defeated this will mean only more stability and prosperity in the empire," the male news caster finished the report.
Mara smiled at the propaganda being sent through the television. She noticed that her last order was one day before the battle. Finishing her drink she was stopped by an obviously drunk alien who wanted her to buy him another drink.
"Let go," Mara ordered.
"I just need one more drink," the alien gurgled pulling her closer. Mara took out a pistol and blasted his forehead. The alien slumped to the ground. Mara gave a disgusted look and left.
Anakin was placed on a medical table by Luke. Medical droids approached the emperor with delicate hands. "Electrical shock wounds," the medical droids concurred as they took off Anakin's armor and suit. Luke, was exhausted with cracked ribs but in better condition than his father.
"What are your injuries?" the medical droid asked Luke.
"I'll be fine," Luke coughed.
"That is not acceptable," the medical droid lectured sending Luke onto a medical table. "I'm really quite fine," Luke said coughing up blood.
With Piett distracted with his ships complications Leia left the bridge. "What kind of damage are we looking at?" Piett asked.
"Ten percent of the Executor has been damaged and we have lost half of our fighters," his commander reported. "The rebels may counter attack, get those shields back online," Piett ordered.
Leia sneaked around the Executor finding an elevator. Two chatting Imperial officers were about to step out when Leia Force pushed them into the walls knocking them out. Leia went inside the elevator and went toward the hanger.
The elevator doors opened, Leia considered the Executor's massive hanger. It was damaged in multiple areas by rebel fire. Imperials were busy cleaning up the mess and repairing the hanger's equipment. "All right, we're going to release the force fields to vacuum out all this junk," an Imperial officer said walking towards the exit.
Leia stared at him wondering what to do; she had to get to a ship. A cloaked figure walked towards her. "The Force is strong with you, may I ask your name," the Jedi demanded.
"My name is Leia Skywalker, I need a ship," Leia said hoping the female Jedi would assist her.
The Jedi looked at her sympathetically. "There is a damaged Tie interceptor over there, it should get you far enough to where you're going," the Jedi told her.
"Thank you," Leia said grateful.
"You will need this," the Jedi smiled handing her a light saber. "It's blue like yours," she said in admiration.
Leia accepted the light saber. "I will remember this," she said running towards the ship.
A Tie Interceptor clumsily floated above the platform and sped out into space. Setting coordinates for Tatooine the Tie Interceptor sped almost as fast as light speed.
The medical droids opened Luke's hand repairing the short circuited wires that operated the joints and senses. "Drink this, it will reduce the static shocks," the medical droid said giving him a bitter liquid.
Anakin's lungs and heart were given injections to help heal the damage tissue. Other medical droids worked to repair Anakin's hand. Anakin stood up slowly flexing his hand. "My glove," Anakin muttered.
Commander Jerjerrod entered the room. "Lord Vader," Jerjerrod addressed. "I will speak with you outside the medical wing," Anakin said walking steadily out the door. The doors closed Anakin turned to the commander.
"Why was I not notified that my son was alive?" Anakin demanded.
"Your son and Prophet Kadann forbid it. They said it would endanger success," Jerjerrod said fearfully.
Anakin gave him a tired look. "From now on, I know everything," Anakin said. "Yes my Lord," Jerjerrod confirmed.
"What is the status of the station?" Anakin asked.
"Minimal damage, the back up shields prevented most of the planetary shockwaves. We have contained isolated fires, leakages, breaches…." Jerjerrod listed off.
"Shockwaves?" Anakin asked.
"Yes my Lord, the Endor moon has been completely destroyed," Jerjerrod reported. "It was Kadann's order in the event the shields went down," Jerjerrod said nervously.
Anakin wondered if the Executor had survived such a blast. "In the future, if the order is unreasonable and most likely illegal don't do it," Anakin said angrily.
"Yes, my Lord," Jerjerrod said shaken.
"An inquiry will be set up to decide your actions, you are to be sent to Courscant where you will remain until called upon by the council of moffs," Anakin said. "I am personally taking over this station's operations," Anakin said.
"As you wish my Lord," Jerjerrod said sadly but grateful he hadn't been killed outright.
Anakin went back to Kadann's throne room. Entering the room he looked through the window. Asteroids were everywhere and in the distance the Imperial fleet. Anakin looked hard and saw the triangular shaped Executor. Pleased he found his sliced off hand. He took the glove off the robotic hand. It was in perfect condition. He put the glove on his new robotic hand covering the metallic bones and joints he used for a hand.
Anakin and Luke took a seat and activated a television monitor. Admiral Piett turned to see Anakin and Luke sitting in Anakin's private chambers on the Death Star. "Damage report," Anakin ordered.
"The Executor has lost primary shields and ten percent damage and we have lost half of our fighters," Piett said grimly. "And the rest of the fleet?" Anakin asked.
"Ten Star Destroyers have been destroyed by either rebel fire or by Endor's destruction, another five are out of commission. We're trying to reach them but our communication's ship has received heavy damage," Peitt reported.
"And our fighters?" Anakin continued.
"We have counted 200 still flying," Piett said.
"What do you know of the rebel casualties," Anakin asked.
"Reports that have come in say that 60 percent of the rebel fleet has been destroyed including the Home One. We believe that all major rebel officers have been killed. We have not yet ascertained whether Mon Mothma is still alive," Piett said.
Anakin considered the figures. If the estimates were true, it would be a major victory for the empire. "I want Leia to be escorted to the Death Star," Anakin ordered.
"Yes my Lord," Piett said and then looked around the bridge. Piett walked away from the screen and talked with his commander. "What do you mean she's not here?" Piett said annoyed.
Anakin frowned as Piett came back into view. "We have a lock down, she has to be still on board," Piett said.
"She better be," Anakin said angrily. He signed off. "She is probably headed to Tatooine to rescue Captain Han Solo," Anakin said to Luke. "Jabba the Hutt has many bounty hunters and hired soldiers, it will be difficult to rescue her and leave," Luke said.
"I promised her Captain Solo alive, I made a transaction with the Hutt. He will honor it and give Solo over to me. With Solo I can bring her back to me," Anakin said.
"That shouldn't be too difficult then," Luke reasoned.
"Go to the Executor and find out if she is still on board. If so bring her to me," Anakin told his son. An Imperial Shuttle departed from the Death Star and went through the asteroids towards the Executor. After careful maneuvering the Imperial Shuttle flew around the Executor.
"The main hanger has been shut down, a secondary hanger can be used for your use," Piett informed Luke. Luke's shuttle descended toward the city like structures of the Executor landing in one of the skyscrapers.
Luke approached the bridge and was greeted by Piett. "I heard reports that you were dead, I'm glad the rumors were not true," Piett said respectfully.
"Give me Leia's belongings," Luke ordered.
"Fetch the two droids and her confiscated items," Piett ordered. The two droids had followed Leia into the shield generator and were captured by Imperial personal. They were deactivated and sent to the Executor.
An activated C3PO and R2D2 walked and rolled onto the bridge. "Master Skywalker, it's so good to see you alive and well," C3PO said.
"Do you know where Leia went?" Luke asked.
"I have been deactivated since our arrival here, I don't where she is," C3PO answered.
"Is it probable that she went to Tatooine?" Luke asked.
"I would seem she would go there, Han Solo being there," C3PO considered.
"What happened to Han Solo?" Luke questioned.
"Why, he was encased in carbonite and sent to Jabba the Hutt as part of an agreement between the emperor and a bounty hunter," C3PO told him.
Unless Anakin knew this bounty hunter very well Luke doubted he would have given Solo over to him. "You two are coming with me to Tatooine to negotiate Solo's return for the empire," Luke informed them.
"Oh dear," C3PO muttered.
"Master Skywalker, her light saber," an Imperial officer said giving him the weapon. Luke inspected the Jedi weapon. "Without a light saber she won't get far," Luke reasoned.
The next day Mara went out for another spying mission. Using her binoculars she inspected two distant objects walking toward the palace. Upon a closer look she saw a tall golden colored droid and a smaller domed droid moving toward the palace. She however did not see the bounty hunter on a speeder headed toward her. The bounty hunter jumped off a speeder and flipped toward Mara. Mara dropped her binoculars and ignited her light saber. The bounty hunter took out a pistol, which Mara quickly sliced in half.
The bounty hunter featured armor and a mask covering the entire face. The mask included a visor and an air filter where its mouth would be. The bounty hunter punched her to chest pushing her back several feet, sand flowing around her. The sand swayed as the bounty hunter walked towards her. As the sand flew into the air decreasing visibility the bounty hunter switched to heat vision. The light saber clearly visible compared to the rest of the air the bounty hunter continued to walk toward Mara.
"I don't know who paid you kill me, but when I find out I am going to kill him," Mara threatened.
Whirling her purple light saber she ran through the sand towards the bounty hunter. Glaring at the bounty hunter, her hair swaying in the wind she leaped off the ground to swing down on the bounty hunter. Just as she was about to sliced into the bounty hunter's armored shoulder a blue blade stopped her. Mara stared at the bounty hunter with surprise as their two sabers created a powerful white glow. The bounty hunter withdrew from Mara and went for another swing.
Author's Note: There may be some concerns about spelling and grammar, and I will deal with those issues but I am on a roll and do not have the time to go back to chapter one and expand the already existing chapters as of yet. There may also be some confusion concerning Kadann's role, but his deception begins at the beginning of The Rebellion. The Tatooine and Dagobah scene have been placed after the Battle of Endor with the assumption that Han would never have been rescued without Luke's involvement. Without Han at Endor, he wouldn't have unintentionally warned the storm trooper and thus there wouldn't have been a speed biker battle, Chewie wouldn't have been trapped inside the shield generator instead of inside a AT-ST walker and the Ewoks couldn't provide assistance to the rebels because Kadann had ordered their utter destruction.