CHAPTER 2

On the ice planet of Hoth, the rebel forces gathered and plotted their new attack on the Empire, but with little to no resources with them an offensive was sure hard to create if at all. Han Solo reentered Echo base passing sever rebel soldiers who saluted him as he passed by. Sure enough there was Cheewie right where he said he would be, working on the Falcon. "

"Han old Chap, you wanna give me a hand with this?" Cheewie asked in an angered yet not hateful voice

"Alright already I'll be there in a second, I just got to take care of a little something first." Han stated to Cheewie who was shaking his fist at him.

Han entered the main rebel command center where General Madine was discussing new plans of attack with Commander Wedge Antilles and Mon Mothma. Han was slightly taken back not expecting to interrupt anything, but he quickly regained himself and passed them by in search of Leia. That was when Solo was stopped by General Rieekan one of the Rebel Alliance's best commander. He and Solo had many things in common, the fact that they were both former Imperial Officers made them valuable to the Rebel Cause.

"Solo." Rieekan stopped Han in his tracks to speak to him directly. "I here you maybe leaving the Alliance."

Han shrugged off what Rieekan stated with a sense of non worry. "Don't kid yourself General. I'm not leaving the Rebellion. The way I see it I can't leave now. After saving Princess Leia on Yavin there's no way I can go back to my former life. I'm more safe in the hands of the Alliance than I was fending for myself. I had that Hutt's money in my pocket and was going to deliver it to him personally but something told me I had to go back to Yavin. I even saw the space battle while I passed by, a part of me told me I should go back to help Luke, but then I though about Leia. The kid was alright... Luke I mean, but no way could he blow up that Battle Station, even with my help. I look back on that day and knew I did the right thing by saving Leia. She's the last hope for the Alliance. I ain't leaving General... not with her still here."

"You got a thing for her?" the General asked

"I think we all do General." Han patted the General's shoulder and passed him by still in search of Leia. He found her not too far away looking over a star map of the nearby systems. It appeared that she was looking on against the Empire.

Leia saw Han approach her but didn't take her eyes off the screen, she seemed not to care for his presence. Han saw the look on Leia's face, he knew what to expect, one of her bad mood swings. The poor girl, he thought. She most be in her I miss Luke phases, but it was not to be so for Han. She was always grateful for his saving her life back on Yavin, but secretly she wished Han had gone back for Luke instead of her. Maybe things would be different.

Han came up to Leia and placed his hand on her shoulder rubbing it slowly as to comfort her. Lei for a moment rejected his comfort, but eventually gave in to him and took his hand and brought it closer to her chest stroking it. A small tear came from her eye... Luke... she had barley known him, yet felt such a strong relationship to him, as is an outside bound was shared by them both. The force maybe? She could not say. "I miss him..."

"I know." Han answered "I do too..."

"He's still alive Han... I can feel it."

"If he is... than he's got to be a changed man."

THE CAPITOL PLANET OF CORUSCANT

In the Imperial Temple of the High Emperor a dark figure walked through the corridors to the Imperial Throne Room. His body was covered with the robes of the Sith Order, his eyes a blood red, his body shape oddly familiar and yet strange. His Sith robes were black yet the light saber he welded was that of blue, a trait found more among Jedi than Sith. Darth Malik... the newest member of the Sith order... but his real name given to him at birth was Skywalker.

Malik entered the Imperial Throne room escorted by the red robe wearing Imperial guards. He was often found escorted by them for his own protection he was told, but Malik was no fool. He had made the Death Star Trench run look simple, and he would had the Death Star destroyed had it not been for the only man able to stop him in the galaxy... Darth Vader... his father. Malik knew the Imperial guards escorting him were more spying on my than not. The Emperor had felt a since of betrayal in the works, and rightfully so, for a military cue was in the making. He and Vader were well underway plotting the overthrow of the Emperor with a brilliant plot using all aspects of the Empire including the Rebel Alliance, and the Imperial guards loyal to Vader.

"Ah... my young apprentice... come Darth Malik... come and join your Emperor with a toast to the end of the Rebellion." The Emperor's voice had not changed in many years, his face still barring the scars of Mace Windu.

Malik stood silent for a moment. He slowly removed his hood and revealed himself to be the former Luke Skywalker. "... The end you say?" Malik asked

"...Yes... did you not hear? Your father has discovered the Rebellion's hidden location on the ice planet Hoth. We should be rid of the Rebellion in a matter of moments."

"I'm afraid you underestimate the Rebellion's ability to elude you my master. You thought the Rebellion would surly be destroyed with the destruction of Yavin 4 but you were wrong. And you were also wrong in believing the Death Star would lead to the destruction of the Rebels." Malik smiled giving the to the Emperor a feeling of anger toward the young Skywalker before him.

"Yes.. Indeed young Skywalker. You are correct. But rest assured that the Alliance days and numbered." came the response of the Emperor

Malik turned away from Palpatine and left the Emperor's chamber whispering to himself. "And so are yours my dear Emperor, so are yours."

Not long after Malik stepped into his own private quarters and turned on his holo emmitter. A display of Lord Vader emerged from it's screentelling the young Malik that his father was calling for his bidding. "Father." Malik spoke

"Yes my son."

"The Emperor is beginning to become aware of our actions. It is my advice that we excellorate our plans against him." Malik addressed

"Then it most be done my son. Palpatine has ruled over this galaxy long enough. The Rebellion is nearing their final plans to attack the Death Star. Right now, the Imperial fleet here have no idea that they are walking right into the heart of the Rebellion and their fleet. Soon the Mon Calamari fleet will join the Rebels and with their combined might the Imperial Fleet will be destroyed along with the Death Star."

"But father, should we destroy the Death Star. It is valuble to us. Perhaps we can save it."

"No Luke. We can not. The Death Star most be destroyed in order to display the Emperor's incompetance. My spies have already begun their sabbotage of the Death Star. When the fleet arrives, the Death Star will be non-operational, giving the Rebels the added advantage. Tarkin and those loyal to the Emperor will be destroyed why I lead the ground assult safley on the ground. The time has come Luke, for the Skywalker family to rule this galaxy once and for all!"

"Yes my father."