Star Wars: Remix version
Chapter Forty-Five: Return to Dagobah
A Super Star Destroyer and several ships of the Imperial Fleet rested in space above the half-completed Death Star and its green neighbor, Endor. Four squads of TIE fighters escorted an Imperial shuttle toward the Death Star.
Lord Sky strode down the hallway, accompanied by a very nervous Death Star commander.
Thousands of Imperial troops in tight formation filled the mammoth docking bay. Sky and the officer walked to the landing platform, where the shuttle was coming to rest.
The shuttle's ramp lowered and the Emperor's Royal Guards came out and created a lethal perimeter. The assembled troops moved to rigid attention with a momentous snap.
Then, in the huge silence which followed, the Emperor appeared. He wore a hooded cloak similar to the one Ben wore, except that it was black. The Emperor's face was shrouded and difficult to see, except for his piercing yellow eyes. Commander Jerjerrod and Darth Sky knelt to him. The Supreme Ruler of the galaxy beckoned to the Dark Lord.
"Rise, my friend" He said. Sky rose and fell in next to the Emperor as he slowly made his way along the rows of troops. Jerjerrod and the other commanders stayed kneeling until the Supreme Ruler and Sky, followed by several Imperial dignitaries, passed by; only then did they join in the procession.
"The Death Star will be completed on schedule" Sky informed the Emperor.
"You have done well, Lord Sky. And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker" The Emperor said.
"Yes, my Master" Sky said, darkly.
"Patience, my friend. In time he will seek you out. And when he does, you must bring him before me. He has grown strong. Only together can we turn him to the dark side of the Force" Palpatine stated.
"As you wish" Sky acknowledged.
"Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen" The Emperor laughed to himself as they passed along the vast line of Imperial troops.
Once again, Artoo found himself waiting around in the damp environs of the swamp planet, and he was nor too happy about it. He beeped disconsolately to himself and turned to look at Yoda's cottage. Warm yellow light escaped the oddly shaped windows to fight the gloom.
The tip of a walking stick tapped hesitantly across the earthen floor of the cottage. Yoda's manner was frail, and his voice, though cheerful, seemed weaker.
"Hmm. That face you make. Look I so old to young eyes?" Yoda asked. Luke was sitting in a corner of the cramped space and, indeed, his look had been woeful. Caught, he tried to hide it.
"No... of course not" He said quickly. Yoda chuckled.
"I do, yes, I do! Sick have I become. Old and weak" He pointed a finger at Luke. "When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not. Hmm?" He chuckled again, coughed, and hobbled over toward his bed. "Soon will I rest. Yes, forever sleep. Earned it, I have" Yoda sat himself on his bed, with great effort.
"Master Yoda, you can't die" Luke said, staring at the small alien mournfully.
"Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong! Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall. That is the way of things... the way of the Force" Yoda replied.
"But I need your help. I've come back to complete the training" Luke replied. "Just as I promised"
"No more training do you require. Already know you that which you need" Yoda informed him. Luke though about this as Yoda laid back in bed.
"Then I am a Jedi?" He questioned. Yoda shook his head.
"Ohhh. Not yet. One thing remains: Sky. You must confront Sky. Then, only then, a Jedi will you be. And confront him you will" Yoda replied. Luke sighed.
"How?" He asked. Yoda's eyes were full of weariness and compassion. An odd, sad smile creased his face. He turned painfully on his side, away from Luke.
"Mmm... rest I need. Yes... rest" He said. Luke watched him for a moment.
"I don't think I can kill him" He said quietly. "Maybe I am not ready to be a Jedi"
"You are! Yes you are!" Yoda replied. "soldiers, Jedi are not. worried I'd be, if, wish Sky's death, you did" Luke looked down at my hands. "Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny" He beckoned the young Jedi closer to him.
"Luke...Luke...Do not...Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor, or suffer your Sky's fate, you will. Luke, when gone am I..." Here he coughed volently. "the last of the Jedi will you be. Luke, the Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned, Luke..., Leia" He caught his breath. A shiver ran through the ancient green creature, and he died. Luke stared at his dead master as he disappeared in front of his eyes.
Luke wandered back to where his ship was sitting. Artoo beeped a greeting, but was ignored by his depressed master. Luke knelt down, and began to help Artoo with the ship, then stopped and shook his head dejectedly.
"I can't do it, Artoo. I can't go on alone" He said sadly.
"Yoda will always be with you" Luke looked up to see the shimmering image of Ben Kenobi.
"Obi-Wan" Luke exclaimed. "How can I bring Leia into this?" The ghost of Ben Kenobi approached him through the swamp.
"Anakin wanted his children to be Jedi, even if he couldn't" Ben said. "You're sister knows the dangers. It is time Anna and Leia were trained in the ways of the force"
"Anna?" Luke asked turning away. "How can I put them in danger? How can you ask that of me?" He looked away, upset. He turned back around.
"Tell me about my father" Ben sighed.
"Anakin was a good friend" Ben replied. "When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot. But my master was amazed how strongly the Force was with him. Qui- Gon wanted to train Anakin as a jedi, but was killed before he got that chance. I was young, foolish, and I followed the orders of the council, rather than that of Qui-Gon's. If I had trained Anakin instead of Ray, none of this would have happened" Luke felt compassion for the older man.
" You don't know that" He pointed out. "Perhaps there's still good in Sky" Ben shook his head.
"I also thought he could be turned back to the good side" He explained. "It couldn't be done. He is more machine now than man. Twisted and evil" Luke sighed and looked down.
"I can't do it, Ben" He said slowly.
"You cannot escape your destiny" Ben reminded him. Luke raised the hand that had been cut off.
"I tried to stop him once. I couldn't do it" He reminded his mentor.
"Sky humbled you when first you met him, Luke... but that experience was part of your training. It taught you, among other things, the value of patience. Had you not been so impatient to defeat Sky then, you could have finished your training here with Yoda. You would have been prepared" Ben said. He wasn't accusing, just matter of fact.
"But I had to help my friends" Luke protested. Ben shook his head.
"And did you help them?" He asked. "If I recall correctly, It was they who had to save you. You achieved little by rushing back prematurely, I fear" Luke sighed.
"I know" He said. "I may have put them in more danger"
"To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the dark side-the side Sky couldn't get past. Impatience was the easiest door - for you, like Sky. Only, Sky was seduced by what he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You're no longer so reckless now, Luke. You are strong and patient. And now, you must face Darth Sky again" Ben said fervantly. Luke sighed.
"Can I risk putting the girls in danger?" He asked.
"There is something that you must know Luke" Ben said. "Sky doesn't know that you have a sister. No one knew that Padme birthed twins. We kept it quiet, so that one of you would be safe. You are a lot like Anakin, Luke, and Sky picked up on that even before he heard your last name. He spotted you as Anakin's son the moment he saw you when you freed Anna. You must control your mind. Do not let him find out that Leia is your sister. Not until she is well trained"
"But I can't let her get involved now, Ben. Sky will destroy her" Luke protested.
"She hasn't been trained in the ways of the Jedi the way you have, Luke... but the Force is strong with her, as it is with all of your family, including Padme. She must be trained, or the Emperor will turn her to the dark side if he is unsuccessful with you" Ben vanished, leaving Luke to contemplate everything. Leia meant the world to him and to Han to. He made up his mind not to make a decision until he talked to Han.