The elevator door in the Emperor's Tower opened. Darth Vader stepped out and crossed the short bridge over the central shaft. The Sith crossed the throne room and ascended the steps.

Emperor Palpatine sat in his throne, staring out his large window. He did not turn to face Vader. "...I told you to remain on the Executor," the Emperor said bitterly.

"A small Rebel force has penetrated the perimeter and landed in Endor."

"Yes. I know."

"My son is with them."

Emperor Palpatine rotated his chair to face his apprentice. "Are you sure?"

"I have felt him, my Master."

"Strange that I have not... I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear, Lord Vader."

"They are clear, my Master."

"Then you must go to the forest and wait for him."

"He will come to me?"

"I have foreseen it. His compassion for you will be his undoing. He will come to you and then you will bring him to me."

"As you wish." Darth Vader bowed.

Han, Luke, Chewbacca, and the automata followed the wheel tracks left by Leia's steamhorse for a considerable distance. Luke broke off of the group to investigate a discarded pile of bloodstained scout trooper armor. Laying on the ground nearby was a Rebel's helmet. It was dirty and had a shallow dent, but Luke recognized it as being Leia's.

Han called out Luke's name. "Get over here!"

Luke sprinted through the brush to where Han and Chewbacca were standing. Han had a grim expression.

"Oh, Master Luke," Threepio said with worry.

Luke looked down at what they had found. It was a steamhorse, mangled by a crash.

Chewbacca whined.

"I saw two more wrecked steamhorses back there," said Luke. He held up the helmet. "And I found this."

Threepio's shoulders sagged. "I'm afraid than neither Artu's active nor passive scryers can find any trace of Princess Leia."

Han fretted. "I hope she's all right."

A gentle breeze blew past. Chewbacca suddenly perked up and took off, with a happy roar.

Han ran after him. "What, Chewie? What is it?"

Luke, Artu, and Threepio followed after Chewbacca and Han hopefully. Upon seeing that what had so motivated Chewbacca though, the hopefulness turned to bewilderment. The Wookiee had followed his nose to the front half of the fresh carcass of a juvenile pulga, the cloven-hoofed forest horses of Endor. It hung from a forked dead tree limb sticking out of the ground.

Han and the others gathered around this macabre sight. "I don't get it. It's just a dead animal, Chewie."

It was obvious that something about it was suspicious, though perhaps not to the hungry Wookiee.

"No, Chewie," Luke cried as Chewbacca started to lift the carcass off its post. "Wait! Don't!"

There was a click and a swish and the large net of woven hemp that the five of them had been unwittingly standing on hoisted them off the ground. They groaned in a combination of discomfort and alarm as their limbs tangled.

Han's face was perfectly framed by a square of hemp. He glared in Chewbacca's direction as well as he could. "Nice work."

Chewbacca roared apologetically.

"Great, Chewie," Han grunted, trying to free his hand. "Great. Always thinking with your stomach."

"Take it easy," said Luke. "Let's just figure a way to get out of this thing. Han, can you reach my Lightblade?"

"Yeah. Sure." Han stretched his free arm towards the silver hilt.

Artu whistled and beeped as he extended a cutting wheel from his chassis door. He set to work on one of the net's knots.

Threepio recognized the whirring sound of the wheel immediately. "Artu, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. It's a long-" The bottom of the net unraveled and dumped everyone to the ground below. "...drop..."

Luke rolled over to a sitting position. "Are you all right Han?"

"Ow." Han wiggled his fingers and toes to make sure landing on his back hadn't caused any harm to his spine.

The bushes around them started to rustle. Ewoks in many different colors and patterns of fur and decorated in hides, bones, and teeth emerged from the undergrowth. Each brandished crude but vicious looking weapons.

Artu wailed nervously as the Ewoks circled around. They spoke to one another, though the meaning of the words was lost on their captives. Han was frankly bemused by how ridiculous the situation seemed to him.

The Ewok chieftain, in his headdress of feather and bone, jabbed his forked spear towards Han. Han looked at it and frowned. "Hey! Point that thing somewhere else." He shoved the spear points away.

The chieftain said something in Ewok then pointed his spear back at Han. Han grabbed it and drew his pistol.

Luke put his hand on Han's forearm. "Han, don't. It'll be all right."

Han scowled and released the spear. The other Ewoks around them had their weapons trained on them anyway. A couple of them were trying to pry Chewbacca's crossbow from his hands.

Luke sighed. "Chewie, let them have your crossbow."

The Wookiee roared and let go.

Threepio sat up. "Oh, my head!"

Gasps of awe erupted from the Ewoks. Several dropped their weapons and fell to their knees.

Threepio looked around. "Oh... my goodness?"

Waves of muttering spread through the ursine mob, then they started chanting. While doing so, they repeatedly bowed then straightened back out, extending their arms so that their bodies made Y shapes.

Han chuckled nervously. "What's going on?"

Threepio spoke to the Ewoks in their native tongue. Several of them nodded.

Luke looked to the gold automaton with surprise. "Do you understand anything they're saying?"

"Oh, yes, Master Luke. Remember that I am fluent in six hundred thousand forms-"

Han rolled his eyes. "What did you tell them?"

"...Hello. I think. I could be mistaken. They're using a primitive dialect similar to Yuzzum but with the inflections reversed. They seem to think I am some kind of god called the 'Golden One.'"

Chewbacca laughed.

Han scoffed. "Well, your Holiness, why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?"

"I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper."

"Wouldn't be proper?!"

"As a diplomat, it's forbidden for me to impersonate a deity."

Luke covered his mouth, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous this all was.

Han was less amused. He lunged at Threepio. "Why, you-"

The Ewoks yelled and grabbed their weapons to protect their god. They formed a circle around Threepio.

Han looked down at the line of sharp flint. "My mistake. He's an old friend of mine."

The chieftain hit the ground with the base of his spear and spoke. Some of the other Ewoks unwrapped lengths of rope from around their chests.

The Golden One, according to the Ewoks' oral traditions, was a Tall One whose flesh was the color of gold. He came to the land of Endor with a glowing sapling and banished the constant storms and groundquakes. Once the sun shone on Endor once more, the Golden One left, promising to return should Endor's balance of Light and Dark ever be upset again. As a show of thanks, the first thing every Ewok does upon waking is praise the sun.

The Ewok village was situated high up, built around the thick trunks of a score of arch trees. The village's wide platforms, supported by both ropes from above and struts from below, sprawled with innumerable huts. Threepio, carried by the Ewoks on a quickly but carefully assembled palanquin marvelled at the engineering on display. Horns announced the hunting party's arrival and a mighty drawbridge lowered.

The view presented to Han, Luke, and Chewbacca was less impressive. They had had their hands and feet bound before each being lashed to their own carrying poles. From the time they had been restrained to when they had reached the Ewok village, their visions had been filled with the furry backsides of their captors.

The hunting party stopped in what appeared to be some kind of central plaza in front of the largest and most elaborate hut, which was built around a gigantic tree. Artu beeped with worry at the sight of what looked like a large cooking pit and wiggled against his ropes. Han's, Luke's, and Chewbacca's poles were placed onto supports. Threepio was placed onto what was almost certainly the chieftain's throne.

All around, the Ewoks seemed to be starting some kind of celebration. An Ewok shaman with a headdress made from the skull of a large bird strode out of the large hut, chanting and shaking a staff with rattling bones around the head. In his other hand he held a small burlwood bowl with aromatic blue smoke rising from it.

Han looked to Luke. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

The shaman approached the enthroned Threepio and set the incense bowl in front of him. The gold automaton spoke to the shaman and the other Ewoks that had gathered in front of the throne. The shaman threw up his arms and made a proclamation to the Ewoks.

Han craned his neck towards Threepio. "What did he say?"

"I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo. It appears that you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor."

Chewbacca howled and struggled against his bindings.

A line of Ewoks formed and began passing cords of wood down to stack in the cooking pit, all the while singing some manner of tune. Elsewhere in the plaza, an Ewok with a braided and beaded headdress struck up a beat on a large drum. Princess Leia, whose hair had had flowers braided into it at some point, came out of the large hut and pushed through the crowd of Ewoks to see what the commotion was.

Luke lit up upon seeing her. "Leia!"

Han smiled with relief. "Leia!"

Leia tried to rush towards her friends but was discouraged by a line of Ewoks wielding spears. She backed away, surprised by the sudden hostility.

Threepio waved to her. "Your Royal Highness."

"But these are my friends," Leia pleaded to the spear bearers. "Threepio, they seem to respect you. Tell them they must be set free."

The singing and wood passing continued all the while. Han was beginning to think that the pile was larger than necessary, but he wasn't going to tell them that, lest they begin the roasting early.

Threepio spoke to the shaman and the rest of the Ewoks in the plaza. They paused to listen to him, but resumed their tasks after the automaton had finished.

"Somehow I got the feeling that didn't help us very much," Han said.

Luke smirked. "Threepio, Tell them if they don't do as you wish, you'll become angry and use your magic."

"But Master Luke, what magic besides my dynamo core? I couldn't possibly."

"Just tell them."

Threepio addressed the Ewoks energetically. They murmured to one another, wondering how to react. The shaman shook his staff and instructed the Ewoks to continue their tasks. One appeared with a lit torch.

"You see, Master Luke? They didn't believe me, just as I said they wouldn't."

Han laughed nervously as the torch bearer came closer. "Wait. Wait." He tried blowing at the fire in the wild hope that it would help him.

Luke closed his eyes and concentrated. Whoops and hollers of fear spread across the plaza as Threepio and his throne lifted off the platform. Threepio wailed and yelled in alarm of his own as he slowly flew around.

The gold automaton spun. "Put me down! Somebody, help! Master Luke! Artu! Oh!"

The shaman pointed to the captives and yelled in Ewok. Little hands with flint knives began to cut at the restraints. Artu was accidentally knocked over after being freed and a pair of Ewoks swiftly righted him. Annoyed at how he had been treated, he produced his cutting torch and chased his captor with the flame.

Leia rushed to Han and hugged onto him tightly. He picked her up and spun her as the two of them kissed.

Threepio and his throne gently came back to rest where they had been before. "Oh, thank goodness."

Wicket waddled over to Artu, fascinated by his colors. After Han and Leia released each other, Leia hugged Luke. After a moment, Luke looked to the gold automaton that had "saved" them. "Thanks, Threepio."

"I... never knew I had it in me."

As the sun began to lower, Han contacted Rex on his comm crystal using a secure resonance. "Commander, this is General Solo."

"Good to hear your voice, sir. We were starting to get worried. Is everything all right?"

"We found Princess Leia and I'm happy to say she's safe."

"That's a relief. What happened?"

"We ran into some locals and got delayed. We don't have enough daylight left to launch the assault. Return to the airship and wait for my signal in the morning. Tell High Command about the schedule change."

"Will do, General."

Han ended the communication and walked back over to Leia who stood at the back of the throng of Ewoks that had gathered to listen to Threepio. "I let Rex know what's going on."

Leia moved a little closer to Han. "Is he going to let High Command know?"

"I told him to once he gets the detachment back to the airship."

"I just hope we won't be too late."

Threepio gathered everyone's attention and began to tell the story of how he and his friends had come to be in Endor, from the Battle of Scarif, to Tattooine and Yavin. He told the Ewoks of the Death Star and of Darth Vader.

The gold automaton recounted the Battle of Hoth, the dangers of the reef, the nine weeks at sea, and the chaos of Bespin. He continued with what had happened at Jabba's palace and on his sail barge and concluded his tale with the events in Endor thus far.

Following the end of Threepio's tale, the Ewok Chieftain Chirpa and Shaman Logray conversed first with one another, then with the rest of the present Ewoks.

Han furrowed his brow. "What's going on?"

Leia shook her head. "I don't know."

Chirpa and Logray conversed again before seeming to come to a decision of some kind. A drum rhythm sounded and Logray shook his staff, rattling the bones. Chieftain Chirpa raised a hand and made a declaration.

"Wonderful," said Threepio, turning to his friends. "We are now a part of the tribe."

The Ewoks started to cheer and dance. One of them jumped up and hugged onto Han. "Just what I always wanted," he muttered.

Some of the Ewok children were climbing on Chewbacca and playing with his long fur. They reminded him of his son, Lumpawaroo, and Chewbacca started to feel homesick. It had been a few years since the Life Day when he had seen his family last, but with the end of the war on the horizon, there wasn't much longer to wait for their reunion.

Luke used the celebration as a distraction to slip away from the group. Leia noticed and followed, worried that something was wrong.

Han walked over to Threepio. "Do you think being part of the tribe, we could get some help against the Empire? Short help's better than no help."

Threepio asked Chieftain Chirpa if he'd be able to help. He thumped the base of his spear against the floor and stood proudly. Chirpa spoke to Threepio in a serious tone.

Threepio looked back to Han. "He will give us all the help we need. Tomorrow, the scouts will show us the quickest way to the bunker."

"How far is it? Ask him."

Threepio turned to Chirpa and started to talk. Han turned him back around.

"We need some more supplies, too."

Threepio again addressed the chieftain and again Han turned him around.

"Try and get our weapons back."

The automaton hadn't even gotten two words out before yet again Han turned him around.

"Hurry up, will you? I haven't got all night."

Threepio balked at Han's audacity and turned back to Chieftain Chirpa, half expecting Han to say something else.

Leia found Luke leaning against the railing of one of the footbridges connecting two platforms. He stared up through the gap in the canopy at the moons and the stars.

"Luke, what's wrong?"

He looked at her with wistful eyes. "Leia, do you remember your mother?"

"The... queen of Alderaan?"

"Your real mother."

Leia pouted. She wasn't sure how Luke knew that she was adopted, but there were still many things about him that surprised her. "Only what my father- adoptive father told me. She died in childbirth."

"What did he tell you?"

"Stories about how brave she was."

"Tell me."

Leia looked up at the moons. "She was a senator during the Great War and worked hard to try to find a diplomatic solution. She wasn't afraid to stand up to anyone, no matter how much power they had. From the wood print I had of her, she was also very beautiful. Her eyes were kind... but sad." She looked back to Luke. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I never knew anything about my mother. I never heard any stories..."

"Luke, tell me, what's troubling you?"

"Vader is here. Now. In the forest."

"How do you know?"

"I felt his presence. He's come for me. He can feel when I'm near. That's why I have to go. As long as I stay, I'm in danger the group and our mission here. I have to face him."

Leia furrowed her brow. "Why?"

Luke took a deep breath, held it, then released it. "He's my father."

Leia's jaw dropped. "Your father?"

"There's more. It won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

"Luke, don't talk that way! You have a power that I don't understand and could never have."

Luke smiled knowingly. "You're wrong, Leia. You have that power, too. In time, you'll learn to use it as I have." His smile widened. "The Force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. And... my sister has it." Luke looked straight into Leia's eyes.

Leia stared at Luke as his words sunk in. A million emotions swirled within her. There was confusion, joy, sorrow, and understanding. But there was also disgust. She was the daughter of a man the world saw as a monster.

Luke nodded. "Yes, Leia. It's you."

Leia sighed. "I know. Somehow... I've always known. Since we first met there's been something about us I haven't been able to put my finger on. It's obvious to me now."

"Then you know why I have to face him."

Leia stood suddenly. "No! Luke, run away! Far away! If he can feel your presence, then leave this place. I wish I could go with you."

Luke stood and put his hands on Leia's shoulders. "No, you don't. You've always been strong. Like our mother."

"But why must you confront him?"

"Because... there is good in him. I've felt it. It tears at him." Luke smiled, trying to reassure her. "He won't turn me over to the Emperor. I can save him. I can turn him back to the Light. I have to try."

Leia hugged Luke and gave him a kiss on his cheek. She sniffled. "For luck," she croaked.

Luke walked away into the night, leaving Leia standing on the moonlit bridge. After a few seconds, Han emerged from the shadows. "Hey, what's going on?"

Leia wiped her eyes. "Nothing. I... just need to be alone for a little while."

Han frowned. "Nothing? Come on, tell me. What's going on?" He moved closer to Leia and leaned back against the railing.

Leia looked to her love and the face of genuine concern he wore made the dam of her emotions break. "...I... I can't tell you..." She started to quietly sob.

Han shook his head, hurt. "Could you tell Luke? Is that who you could tell?"

"N-no... It..."

Han made a dismissive gesture and started to walk away. He stopped and sighed before turning around. "I'm sorry," he said, walking back to Leia.

Tears streamed down her cheeks and her lower lip quivered as she looked at him. "...Hold me."

Han put his arms around Leia and pulled her close. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew Leia would tell him in time.