Certain Points of View
Hangar 101 of the Death Star was a scene of great activity as the battle station's entire complement of staff and Stormtroopers lined smartly in tight formation to greet the shuttle Sidious One; the Emperor's personal shuttle. Vader and Moff Jerjerrod watched as red-robed Royal Guards disembarked from the shuttle and created a lethal perimeter. The assembled troops stood to attention as one and Vader and Jerjerrod bowed respectfully before the hooded black-robed form of Emperor Sheev Palpatine as he made his way down the shuttle's ramp. "Rise my friend." Palpatine said to Vader, who rose to his feet and walked beside his Sith master.
"The Death Star will be completed on schedule." Vader said as he and his master walked along the rows of troops.
"You've done well, Lord Vader." Palpatine acknowledged in his sinister croaky voice. "And now I sense you wish to continue your search for young Skywalker."
Vader was silent for a moment, then answered, "Yes, my master."
"Patience, my friend." Palpatine told him. "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."
"As you wish." Vader acknowledged.
"Everything is proceding as I have foreseen." Palpatine smirked, and he cackled evily as he and his apprentice walked on.
~8~
Luke and Juno had arrived safely on Dagobah and Luke had even managed to make a more dignified landing compared to his previous visit to the swamp planet. The two Jedi left their Astromech droids to guard the ships and made their way to Yoda's hut. Luke was sorry to see that the wise old Jedi Master's health had deteriorated badly over the past year, for Yoda was clearly very ill to the point where even walking across the hut took a great deal of effort. "Waiting for you, I was." he greeted Luke hoarsely, then he turned to Juno. "Young Kosem, a long time it has been."
"Master Yoda." Juno greeted. Although she had been just a youngling when she'd last seen the aged Jedi Master, she had learnt a lot about him from Obi-Wan during her training on Tatooine.
"Trained well you have been." Yoda told Juno, then he turned his attention back to Luke. "That face you make... Look I so old to young eyes?"
"No. Of course not." Luke said politely, though the look on his face had been woeful.
"I do. Yes, I do." Yoda admitted. "Sick have I become. Old and weak. When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not, hmm?" he managed to joke. Both Luke and Juno smiled, glad that Yoda's wit was as sharp as ever, but their smiles faded when Yoda let out a terrible hacking cough as he hobbled over to his bed. "Soon will I rest." he said, sitting down on the bed with great effort. "Yes. Forever sleep. Earned it I have."
Luke realised what Yoda was saying. "Master Yoda, you can't die." he protested.
"Strong am I with the Force, but not that strong." Yoda told him as he gave Luke his gimmer stick and lay down in the bed. "Twilight is upon me, and soon night must fall. That is the way of things. The way of the Force."
Luke helped tuck him into bed. "But I need your help." he said. "I've come back to complete the training."
"No more training do you require." Yoda told him. "Already know that which you need."
"I've been teaching him as best I can." Juno said.
"Then I am a Jedi?" Luke asked.
"Oh!" Yoda chuckled, then let out another terrible cough. "Not yet. One thing remains: Vader. You must confront Vader. Then, only then, a Jedi will you be. And confront him you will."
Luke swallowed, deciding that now was his only chance to get to the bottom of something that had been troubling him for the past year. "Master Yoda... is Darth Vader my father?" he asked.
Yoda's eyes were full of weariness and compassion. An odd, sad smile creased his face as he turned painfully on his side, facing away from Luke. "A rest I need." he said. "Yes, rest."
"Master Yoda, please." Juno pressed as gently as she could. "If we know, we can put the matter to rest once and for all."
Yoda turned back to face Luke. "Your father he is." he confirmed. A cold chill ran down Luke's spine as he processed this revelation. Juno set her jaw grimly. "Told you did he?" Yoda asked.
"Yes." Luke nodded numbly.
A new look of concern crossed Yoda's face. "Unexpected this is. And unfortunate."
"Unfortunate that I know the truth?" Luke frowned.
Yoda studied the young Jedi. "No. Unfortunate that you rushed to face him... that incomplete was your training... that not ready for the burden were you."
"I'm sorry." Luke sighed, realising that rushing off to face Vader on Bespin had been a naïve mistake. Juno wisely decided to say nothing on the matter.
"Remember... a Jedi's strength flows from the Force." Yoda told Luke. "But beware... Anger, fear... aggression... the Dark Side are they. Once you start down the dark path... forever will it dominate your destiny." His voice became increasingly croaky. Yoda knew that his end was imminent, so he decided to try and tell Luke everything he needed to know now while he still had the chance. "Luke... Luke... do not... do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor... or suffer your father's fate you will. Luke, Juno... when gone am I... the last of the Jedi will you both be. The Force runs strong in your family, Luke. Pass on what you have learned. Luke... there is... another... Sk... Sky... walker." Yoda finished weakly, then his eyes fluttered closed and he stopped breathing.
Luke and Juno could both only watch sadly as Yoda's body disappeared into thin air, the Jedi Master becoming one with the Force.
~8~
R2 was just finishing up some touch-ups on Luke's X-wing when Luke and Juno returned. Luke turned to face Yoda's hut and saw the glow from the fire inside go out, meaning that the fire had died; the last sign of Yoda's life going out. "I'm sorry, Luke." Juno consoled her friend.
"I can't do it, Juno." Luke sighed dejectedly. "I can't go on alone."
"Yoda will always be with you." a familiar voice said.
"Obi-Wan." Luke murmured as they saw the Force spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi appear.
"I think someone has some explaining to do." Juno remarked.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Luke questioned as he approached Obi-Wan. "You told me Vader betrayed and murdered my father."
"And that's what you told me whenever I asked about Luke's father." Juno added.
"Your father was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force." Obi-Wan explained to Luke. "He ceased to be Anakin Skywalker, and became Darth Vader. When that happened, the good man who was your father was destroyed. So what I told you was true... from a certain point of view."
"A certain point of view?" Luke frowned.
"Luke, you're gonna find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view." Obi-Wan said gravely. Luke was unresponsive. Obi-Wan studied him for a moment. "I don't blame you for being angry. If I was wrong in what I did, it certainly wouldn't have been for the first time. You see, what happened to your father was my fault." He paused sadly. "Anakin was a good friend and a brother to me. When I first knew him, your father was already a great pilot, but I was amazed how strongly the Force was with him. I took it upon myself to train him as a Jedi. I thought I could instruct him just as well as Yoda. I was wrong." he finished gloomily.
"So what happened, Master?" Juno asked. "How did Luke's father become Darth Vader?"
"He was deceived by a lie." Obi-Wan replied. "We all were. The Emperor played on Anakin's fears and anger to turn him against the Jedi Order. It was my fault. I wasn't a better master to Anakin." he sighed.
"There is still good in him." Luke said.
"I also thought he could be turned back to the light." Obi-Wan said. "It couldn't be done. He's more machine now than man... twisted and evil."
"I can't do it, Ben." Luke told him.
"You cannot escape your destiny."
"Luke did try to stop him once." Juno reminded. "It didn't end well."
"Vader humbled you when you first met him, Luke." Obi-Wan said. "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 Vader then, you could have finished your training here with Yoda. You would have been prepared."
"But I had to help my friends." Luke said indignantly.
"Huh, we ended up helping you." Juno remarked wryly. "Didn't achieve much by rushing back prematurely, did you?"
"I found out Darth Vader was my father." Luke said with sadness.
"To be a Jedi, Luke, you must confront and then go beyond the Dark Side; the side your father couldn't get past." Obi-Wan told him wisely. "Impatience is the easiest door for you, like your father. Only, your father was seduced by what he found on the other side of the door, and you have held firm. You're no longer reckless, Luke. You are strong and patient. And now, you must face Darth Vader again."
Luke shook his head. "I can't kill my own father."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Then the Emperor has already one. You were our only hope."
"Yoda spoke of another." Luke pressed.
"The other he spoke of is your twin sister." Obi-Wan said.
This was news to Luke. "But I have no sister." he said.
"To protect you both from the Emperor, you were hidden from your father when you were born." Obi-Wan explained. "The Emperor knew, as I did, if Anakin were to have any offspring, they would be a threat to him. That is the reason why your sister remains safely anonymous."
Luke had been listening intently to all this and suddenly, the penny dropped for him. "Leia!" he realised. "Leia's my sister."
"Your insight serves you well." Obi-wan commented. "Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit... but they could be made to serve the Emperor."
Juno considered everything she'd just heard. "Does this mean Leia is a Jedi too?" she asked.
"But you can't get her involved now!" Luke objected. "Vader will destroy her!"
"She hasn't been trained in the ways of the Force as you both have, but the Force is strong with her, as it is with all of the Skywalker family." Obi-Wan said. "There is no avoiding the battle, Luke. You must face and destroy Vader!"
~8~
Near the planet Sullust, the entire fleet of the Rebel Alliance gathered ready for their ultimate mission; the assault on the new Death Star. Flagship of the fleet was the Mon Calamari cruiser Home One, where the mission briefing was to be held. Personnel all gathered in Home One's conference room and chatted amongst themselves as they waited for the briefing to start. Han had been checked over by the medical staff and passed as fit for duty. He strode over to where Lando was standing. The former baron administrator was looking very dapper in a general's uniform. "Well, look at you. A general, huh?" Han remarked.
"Someone must've told 'em about my manoeuvre at the Battle of Tanaab." Lando shrugged.
"Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot." Han said, "I didn't know they were lookin' for someone to lead this crazy attack."
"I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it." Lando remarked.
"Who says they didn't? But I ain't crazy." Han replied. "You're the respectable one, remember?" And he and Lando shared a laugh, then Han sat down next to Leia, Kali and Chewbacca as a chime sounded to signify that the briefing was starting.
The lights dimmed and Rebel High Council leader Mon Mothma stepped forward to begin the briefing. "The Emperor's made a critical error and the time for our attack has come." she announced, causing a stir among the congregation. Mothma turned to a holographic model of the Death Star in orbit of Endor. "The data brought to us by the Bothan spies pinpoints the location of the Emperor's new battle station. We also know that the weapons systems of this Death Star are not yet operational. With the Imperial fleet spread throughout the galaxy in a vain effort to engage us, it is relatively unprotected. But most important of all, we've learned that the Emperor himself is personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star." A volley of spirited chatter erupted from the crowd. Leia and Kali exchanged looks as they processed the news that the Emperor had made a rare venture away from Coruscant. "Many Bothans died to bring us this information." Mothma finished gravely. "Admiral Ackbar, please?"
The Mon Calamari Admiral Gial Ackbar stepped forward to take over the next stage of the briefing. "You can see here the Death Star orbiting the forest moon of Endor." he began. "Although the weapon systems on this Death Star are not yet operational, the Death Star does have a strong defence mechanism. It is protected by an energy shield which is generated from the nearby forest moon of Endor." The hologram demonstrated a shield being projected from Endor and around the Death Star. "The shield must be deactivated if any attack is to be attempted." Ackbar enlarged the projection of the Death Star and removed the shield from the projection. "Once the shield is down, our cruisers will create a perimeter while the fighters fly into the superstructure and attempt to knock out the main reactor." he explained as the hologram showed the Death Star's hypermatter reactor. "General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack."
Han turned to Lando with a look of respect. "Good luck. You're gonna need it."
"General Madine?" Ackbar called
The Corellian General Crix Madine stepped forward to deliver the final stage of the briefing. "We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle." he announced. "Disguised as a cargo ship and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator."
Several murmurs from the audience sounded at this news. "Sound dangerous." 3PO remarked to Kali, who nodded her agreement of that assessment.
"I wonder who they found to pull that off." Leia remarked to Han
Han was about to answer her when Madine did it for him. "General Solo, is your strike team assembled?" he asked.
"Uh, my team's ready, but I don't have a command crew for the shuttle." Han replied.
Chewbacca growled and put his hand up immediately.
"It's gonna be rough, pal. I didn't wanna speak for ya." Han told him. "That's one." he told command.
"Make it two." Leia said immediately. "General, count me in."
"And me!" Kali volunteered.
"I'm with you too." Luke announced as he made his grand entrance, Juno right behind him.
Kali moved to Luke and embraced him warmly. Then she noticed that Luke looked like he had something on his mind. "What's wrong?" she asked him
"I'll explain later." Luke told her, and they settled back to listen to the rest of the briefing.
As the briefing finished, R2 beeped an observation to 3PO about their upcoming mission.
"'Exciting' is hardly the word I would choose." 3PO muttered.
~8~
Presently, Luke and Kali were walking through Home One's hanger bay towards where the captured Imperial shuttle was stationed. "You and Juno are back earler than we expected." Kali remarked. "Didn't wanna miss out on all the fun, did ya?"
"Master Yoda died." Luke explained.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Kali said sympathetically. "How will you finish ya training now?"
"Well, apparently, I don't need any more training, but I have to face Vader again before I can call myself a true Jedi." Luke replied. "I don't know what to do, Kali." he sighed. "I can't kill my own father."
"I thought we'd agreed that he's not your father." Kali reminded.
"Master Yoda and Ben both confirmed that he is."
"Right..." Kali said slowly. "Well, it still doesn't change anything between us, Luke."
"There's something else." Luke continued. "I've found out that I have a twin sister."
Kali stared. "What? How? Who?"
"It's a long story, Kali, but let's just say we both know her very well, you more than me."
"Leia?" Kali blinked in amazement. "You and Leia are brother and sister?! You're gonna have to tell her about this, ya know."
"Yes, I know." Luke replied. "But I don't know to even begin. I'm still processing all this myself. But I will tell her."
"Tell ya what, we can tell her together when all of this is over." Kali offered as they walked uo the shuttle's boarding ramp.
Presently, Han and Lando arrived in the hangar. "Look, I want to take her." Han said, gesturing to the nearby Millennium Falcon. "I mean it. Take her. Ya need all the help you can get. She's the fastest ship in the fleet."
"Alright, old buddy." Lando laughed. "I know what she means to you. I'll take good care of her. She-she won't get a scratch. Alright?"
"Right." Han nodded, and made his way towards the shuttle. Halfway up the boarding ramp, he stopped and turned back to Lando. "I got ya promise. Not a scratch."
"Would you get going, you pirate?" Lando laughed, then gave his friend a salute. "Good luck."
"You too." Han nodded, and resumed his walk up the ramp.
~8~
Han walked into the shuttle's cockpit where the rest of his command crew were ready. "Got her warmed?" Han asked as he sat down in the pliot's seat.
"Yeah, she's comin' up." Luke replied as he commenced pre-flight checks.
Chewbacca growled a complaint about the shuttle's seats not being very comfortable.
"Yeah, well, I don't think the Empire had Wookies in mind when they designed her, Chewie." Han told him dryly, then he stared meaningfully out of the window at the nearby Falcon.
"Hey, you awake?" Leia asked, putting a hand on Han's shoulder.
"Yeah, I just got a funny feeling... like I'm not gonna see her again." Han replied gravely.
Leia patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Come on, General. Let's move." she said, going back to her seat.
"Right." Han said, getting back on topic, "Chewie, let's see what this piece of junk can do. Ready everybody?" he asked his crew.
"Ready when you are, Han." Kali replied as everybody fastened their seat restraints.
"Here we go again." 3PO commented as the shuttle's engines powered up.
~8~
Juno was performing a check over of her X-wing when she saw the Imperial shuttle depart from the hangar. "May the Force be with you all." she murmured as she watched the shuttle lower it's wings into flight position. She was to participate in the fighter attack on the Death Star, flying as Red Three.
~8~
The shuttle flew to a safe distance from Home One. "Alright, hang on." Han said as he activated the hyperdrive lever and the shuttle made the jump to lightspeed, destination: Endor.
~8~
Two TIE Fighters flew in patrol formation across the surface of the Death Star and past the Emperor's Tower; a spire on the battle station's uppermost northern hemisphere, which housed the Emperor's throne room. Palpatine had called Vader to the throne room to receive orders. "What is thy bidding, my master?" Vader gave the traditional Sith greeting
"Send the fleet to the far side of Endor." Palpatine ordered him. "There it will stay until called for."
"What of the reports of the Rebel fleet massing near Sullust?" Vader inquired.
"It is of no concern." Palpatine said casually. "Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and young Skywalker will be one of us. Your work here is finished, my friend. Go out to the command ship and await my orders."
"Yes, my Master." Vader bowed and left the throne room.
Palpatine turned and looked out of the huge observation window at space outside. 'Soon, young Skywalker, you will be mine.' he thought to himself.
Author's notes: And here's the third chapter. I'd actually written this chapter yesterday, but FFN's document manager was playing up and wouldn't let me upload the file. The additional dialogue on Dagobah comes from the script I'm using for reference. Our heroes are going their separate ways now, with Lando and Juno participating in the space assault on the Death Star, while the rest of our heroes are heading to Endor to form a strike team. So, hope you like this chapter and I hope to see you next time for the arrival on Endor.