Night had fallen over Endor's moon, and there was a chill in the air despite the humid heat of the previous day. The party was winding down and Hanna looked around, realizing that she hadn't seen Lucia or Alaric for quite a while. Stepping away from the bonfire, she saw two human size figures standing very close together, talking quietly. Then, they embraced.
Flustered, she stopped, not wanting to listen in on what was clearly a very private conversation. But then, Alaric's voice carried clearly on the night air, fierce and passionate: "You will come back to me."
The shadows didn't allow Hanna to see who it was who leaned in, but her heart dropped when they kissed. She closed her eyes for a few seconds to breathe and, when she opened them again, one of the two figures had gone, melted into the darkened forest.
Squaring her shoulders, Hanna told herself it was fine. Alaric had made his choice, and she had to respect it. She wouldn't let anyone see even if it did bother her. Which it didn't. Sure, he'd said he loved Hanna, but they hadn't made any promises to each other, and she hadn't given him much encouragement that she returned his feelings. She didn't. She wouldn't.
About to return to the fire and find Chewie, Hanna stopped in mid-turn at the sound of a muffled sob. Ah, hell. Alaric and Lucia were her friends, and she couldn't leave one of them crying alone out here. She took a few steps closer. "Hey, what going on?"
Alaric looked up at her, startled, then quickly turned away to hide his tears. "Nothing," he said in an obvious lie.
Hanna rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Right. Sure looks like it. Come on, tell me what's wrong."
Alaric shook his head. "I–I can't. I'm sorry."
"But you could tell Lucia?" Hanna let out an explosive sigh and closed her eyes. That was not at all fair. "I'm sorry." She turned to go.
"Wait." Alaric put a hand on her shoulder, and turned her back toward him, letting her see the tears in his eyes. "Please don't go?"
She was sure she would regret it, but she couldn't deny him. They fell together, arms tight around one another, and she never wanted to let go. But she was going to have to. Frack it all anyway.
Anneke stepped out of her shuttle into the soft darkness of night beneath thick trees. She stood for a moment listening to the Force in the life all around her. It had been so long since Vader had simply listened with no intent but to let the Force guide her. It was like wrapping a familiar blanket around her psyche.
Lucia's bright essence called to her and Vader opened her eyes in surprise. Her daughter was coming to her. Lucia's Force presence reached out to Anneke and something bloomed in her chest, expanding to fill her entire being until it felt like it might tear right through her skin. It was so intense as to be painful, rising up out of a part of her she had long buried. She hadn't felt like this since before she'd lost Padraig. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over to stream down her face. Resisting the impulse to wipe them away—there was no one here to see Vader cry—she held her head high as she went out to meet her daughter.
Lucia stepped out of the trees into a clearing just as Vader stepped out of the trees opposite. Unsurprised as she had felt her approach, Lucia continued without slowing until she stood before Vader, gazing into her mother's depthless blue eyes. Soft chirps and growls of the nighttime forest creatures of Endor filtered through the trees around them.
"The Emperor is looking for you." Vader's voice was tight, but her Force presence was brighter than Lucia had ever seen it. All the way here, Lucia had felt Vader's Force signature flickering in and out of light and dark, but the light was growing stronger.
Lucia smiled. "I know. But I am looking for you." She filled the new delicate Force link between them with as much love and belief as she could. "I am here for my mother, Anneke Skywalker."
Clear blue eyes widened. "That name has not meant anything to me in a very long time."
"It is the name of your true self." Lucia's smile widened as the light in the Force grew even brighter. "There is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn't destroy me. That's why you won't bring me to your Emperor now."
Anneke inclined her head, sadness filling her eyes. "You must leave, my daughter. Take your brother and go somewhere far away where the Emperor can never find you."
Lucia shook her head. "Not without you."
"It is too late for me. But I cannot see you lost as I am. The Emperor will turn or kill you. Please, you must go." Light and dark swirled together in the Force around Anneke.
Focused on her mother as she was, Lucia had only a split second of warning from the Force before a man clothed all in black stepped out of the trees beside them, activating a red lightsaber that lit the night with a grisly glow. "Stand down, traitor," he spat at Anneke, then turning toward Lucia: "Lucia Skywalker, you will come with me. The Emperor is eager to meet you." He lifted a hand and dark tendrils of Force energy wrapped around Lucia, tightening until she couldn't move, could hardly breathe.
"No!" Anneke's red blade burst forth, and she took a step toward him, anger and fear radiating from her.
"Ah ah." He tightened his free hand into a fist, cutting off Lucia's air completely while warding off Anneke with the saber in his other hand. Darkness danced around him, deep shadows that he wrapped around himself like a cloak. "The Emperor would prefer to take her alive, but if you don't cooperate…"
Anger and fear, then despair filled Vader's Force presence. Lucia struggled to resist her own fear as dark spots began to dance before her eyes. Bowing her head in defeat, Vader deactivated her saber, and the stricture about Lucia's throat loosened, allowing sweet oxygen back into her lungs with a gasp of relief.
Hatred glittered in Vader's yellow eyes as she raised her head to stare at him. "If you hurt her, Jaydra, even the Emperor won't be able to save you."
A mocking smile lit by the red light of their sabers twisted his lips. "You are in no position to be making threats, my dear Vader." He jerked his head toward them, and several troopers emerged from the trees, taking their weapons and locking their wrists in binders. "Come now. Our Master awaits."
Lucia raised her head and met Jaydra's eyes without fear. "I will not turn."
He laughed. "You do not know the power of the dark side. You will turn… or you will die."
The massive concrete and steel structure reared out of the surrounding vegetation, as out of place as a Hutt on Naboo. Alaric studied the installation, noting the guards that watched every approach. He pushed away his fear—for them, for Lucia. "The main entrance to the control bunker's on the far side of that landing platform. This isn't going to be easy."
"Don't worry." Hanna tossed him a careless grin that equally annoyed and took his breath away. "Chewie and me have gotten into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this."
The Ewoks Wicket and Paploo chattered excitedly, waving at a nearby ridge. Alaric caught something about "secret" but the rest of their words were lost to him. "Threepio?" he asked. "What are they saying?"
"Paploo says there's a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge," Threepio replied.
Hanna's grin brightened. "Back door, huh? Good idea."
They made their way through the underbrush to find a squat bunker leading into the other side of the ridge. Four scout troopers lounged near the entrance, their speeder bikes parked nearby. Alaric chewed on the inside of his cheek and half listened to Wicket and Paploo discussing something with Threepio. They were talking much too fast for Alaric to catch anything they said this time.
Then, Paploo nodded sharply and ran off into the trees. Threepio managed to look distressed as only he could without facial expressions. "Oh! Oh, prince Alaric."
"Shh." Hanna hissed, glaring at the golden droid.
Sighing, Alaric made his way as quickly as he could to Threepio's side. "Quietly. What happened?"
"I'm afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash." Threepio turned toward the bunker entrance as Paploo emerged from the undergrowth behind the troopers.
"Oh no." Alaric leaned forward, holding his breath as Paploo silently swung onto one of the speeder bikes and began pushing buttons and flipping switches. The engine kicked in with a roar, and the troopers leapt to their feet, spinning toward him. Tossing them a jaunty wave, Paploo managed to throw the bike into gear and took off into the trees.
Hanna groaned. "There goes our surprise attack."
"Stop him!" one of the troopers shouted, racing for the bikes. Two of the others followed him, mounting their bikes to chase after the Ewok, leaving only one behind to guard the bunker. It seemed that Paploo had known what he was doing after all.
"Huh." Hanna shook her head in impressed surprise. "Not bad for a little furball. C'mon, Chewie. You stay here, Your Highness. We'll take care of this."