Darth Vader strode down the ramp of the imperial shuttle to the platform on the green moon. All the armaments looked highly out of place in the middle of the lush jungle. He was met at the elevator by a group of imperial stormtroopers and a young woman and young man, both in binders. The commander saluted. "These two rebels surrendered to us. They claim that they are the only ones, but we would like permission to continue the search for others."
"Permission granted." Vader looked at the pair, then turned to the commander, who handed the two sabers. "They were armed only with these, my lord." "Good work, commander. Leave us, conduct your search and bring their companions to me," The commander saluted and led his group away, leaving the three alone on the ramp.
"The Emperor has been expecting you." Vader intoned.
Leia answered calmly, "We know, Father."
"So you both have accepted the truth."
"That you were once Anakin Skywalker, our father, yes." Leia looked his mask in the eyes as she responded.
"That name no longer has any meaning for me."
Luke's voice had a slightly pleading quality, "It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten. We know there is good in you still. The Emperor hasn't yet driven it from you fully. That was why you couldn't destroy me and that is why you won't take us to the Emperor now."
Vader turned the two sabers over in his hands, igniting first Leia's green blade, shutting it down after a few seconds, then carefully inspecting the glowing blue blade of Luke's saber, recently constructed to replace Anakin Skywalker's, lost on Bespin. "I see you have constructed a new lightsaber. Your skills are complete. Indeed you are powerful as the Emperor has foreseen." His mask glanced from the saber to the young prince and back again.
"Come with us." Luke offered Vader shook his head.
"Obi-wan once thought as you do. You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master."
"We will not turn. . . You will be forced to kill us." Leia answered defiantly "
If that is your destiny. . ."
Leia's voice took on the same slightly pleading quality as Luke's had earlier. "Search your feelings, Father. You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate."
"It is too late for me, Daughter." He signaled to some distant stormtroopers. "The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now."
"Then our father is truly dead." Leia's voice was mournful.
Han, Beth, Chewie, the droids, and two Ewoks, Wicket and Paploo, peered over the ridge at the massive imperial shield generator. There was a landing pad at the base of it. Beth studied it for a bit, then looked up at Han. "This is impossible. The main entrance is on the far side of that landing platform. We need another way in."
"Hey, don't worry. Chewie and I got into places much more heavily guarded than this." Han was showing his bravado and trying to formulate a good plan for an impossible entrance at the same time.
"Of course you did, usually by tractor beam, I'll bet." Beth deadpanned. She was using the binocs, scanning the base of the ridge. Directly behind them, the Ewoks were chattering away in their language, then they spoke to Threepio.
"What's he saying," Han asked Threepio.
"He says there's a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge." The small group rejoined the rest of the strike team and followed their small guides around the ridge to the back door. They spread out through the thick undergrowth, where they could see the bunker door and the four imperial scouts that were keeping guard.
"Back door, huh? Good idea." Han commented quietly to Chewbacca, then to Beth. "It's only a few guards. This shouldn't be too much trouble."
She looked at him sideways. "It only takes one to sound the alarm."
Han gave her a self-confident grin. "Then we'll do it real quiet-like."
Paploo disappeared into the underbrush. Wicket chattered at Threepio, who tapped Beth on the arm. "Oh! Oh my, Uh, Mistress Elizabeth!" Beth shushed him. Threepio lowered his voice. "I'm afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash." The company watched in distress as Paploo slipped out of the undergrowth near where the imperial scouts were lounging.
Han sighed. "There goes our surprise attack."
Paploo silently climbed onto one of the speeder bikes and began flipping switches at random. Suddenly the bike's engine fired up with a tremendous roar, eliciting unheard gasps from the rebel contingent. The scouts turned to the bikes and raced toward Paploo just as the speeder bike took off. The Ewok hung on by his paws and shot off into the forest. Three of the scouts hopped onto their bikes and followed Paploo into the forest while the fourth watched them go. The rebels exchanged delighted looks. Han grinned. "Not bad for a little furball. There's only one left." He turned to Wicket. "You stay here, we'll handle this."
Threepio announced to the Ewoks. "I have decided that we will stay here!" Han crept up behind the remaining trooper, tapped him on the shoulder and allowed him the chase him into the arms of the waiting Rebel strike team. The team carefully and silently entered the bunker, taking out several more guards on their way to the control room.
The emperor was seated in a throne-like chair in front of a blister window, his hood shadowing most of his face. He spoke as Vader led Luke and Leia into the room. "Welcome young prince. I have been expecting you." He made a casual gesture at Luke. "You no longer need those" Luke's binders obediently dropped off onto the floor. Then the Emperor dismissed the other guards. "Guards, leave us." He returned his attention to the prince as the trio was walking up the stairs. "I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time, you will call me master."
Luke frowned soberly and declared. "You're gravely mistaken. You won't convert us as you did Anakin Skywalker."
The Emperor smiled, stood and met them at the edge of the slightly raised dias his throne was on. "Oh, no, my young Jedi. It is you who will find that it is you who are mistaken. . . about a great many things."
"Their lightsabers." Vader offered his master the weapons taken from the pair.
The Emperor took both, and inspected Luke's. "Ah yes, a Jedi's weapon. Much like your father's. By now, you must know he can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you"
"You're wrong. Soon we'll be dead. . . And you with us." Luke announced.
The Emperor returned to his throne and sat back down, laying the sabers on his right armrest. "Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel Fleet." Luke's gaze shifted suddenly in reaction. The Emperor smiled. "Yes. . . I assure you we are quite safe from your friends here."
Luke calmed himself quickly. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."
The Emperor snarled. "Your faith in your friends is yours."
Vader intoned. "It is pointless to resist, my son."
The Emperor relaxed into his throne. "Everything that has transpired had done so according to my design. Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon ..." Luke glanced out of the windows in distress as the Emperor continued. "are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel fleet! It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them." Luke's chest tightened as Palpatine dropped the final shoe and laughed. "Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."
The Strike team stormed the Control room, taking all the personnel prisoner and herding them away from their screens. Just as they finished setting the bombs, stormtroopers literally came out of the walls and in from outside. It was a short fight. One of the strike team actually got in a punch at one of the troopers before he was pistolwhipped and dragged outside, but no one else even reached their gun. Three had their legs kicked out from underneath them when they didn't move fast enough.
With their hands on their heads, the team was herded outside and Beth found herself shoved next to Han as the lieutenant slapped him. "Rebel scum." Then he looked down at the small female next to his prisoner. He pulled her left arm down, so he could look at the insignia on her shoulder. "Hmmm." He glanced around the Rebel group, his eyes picking out the other three females. "Bring the females over here."
He shoved her a short way away from the group, as three of his troopers pulled out Leslie, Anita, and Lyn, the twilek, and pushed them up with Beth. Han watched carefully as the imperial in charge circled the four women. The man stopped in front of them again. "Which one of you wants to take one for the team?"
That didn't sound good, but she was the second in command, highest ranking of the females, so it was her job. Beth spoke up. "I will."
The man shook his head. "You're an officer, I can promise you you'll be getting a turn. No." He looked at the other women, it was obvious he had some familiarity with the insignia of the rebellion, and pulled out Lyn, correctly identifying her as being of the lowest rank. He motioned toward four other minor officers. "Enjoy yourselves."
"No!" Beth leaped at the man, but he turned suddenly and his arm caught her in the shoulder and the neck, throwing her hard to the ground. Four of the male rebels moved forward, but were restrained as the troopers who had been watching the 'entertainment' turned their attention back to their prisoners.
The officer looked down at Beth as two troopers held the muzzles of their guns close to her face. "just be happy we don't have time to start your interrogation before the transport gets here." There was a screech from the twilek woman as the officers began to remove her uniform, but they were interrupted by a droid voice.
"Oh dear, are you looking for us." THreepio waved cheerily at the imperials and four troopers went toward him and Artoo. As they reached the droids, the Ewoks came over the ridge and started firing arrows at the Imperials. Amazingly effective ones, really, and things reversed rapidly.
"Come Boy, see for yourself," the emperor invited. Leia followed them up onto the dias, stopping behind Vader. The Emperor sneered at Luke. "From here you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance and the end of your insignificant rebellion." Luke was staring out the window at the fleet in unmitigated horror, his heart rate increasing rapidly. He glanced at the sabers, a move not missed by the dark-cloaked Emperor. "You want this, don't you?" He touched the sabers. "The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi Weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment, you make yourself more my servant."
Leia began edging around Vader as he and the Emperor focussed their attention on her brother. She also released but did not drop her manacles. Luke divided his attention between the fleet and the saber as little flashes of light signaled the beginning of the space battle. "No!" He cried in agony. The Emperor chuckled. "It is unavoidable. It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now mine."