Return of the Jedi (Junior Novelization)

by Ryder Windham

  “Then you know why I have to face him.”

  “No! Luke, run away, far away. If he can feel your presence, then leave this place. I wish I could go with you.”

  “No, you don’t,” Luke said. “You’ve always been strong.”

  “But why must you confront him?”

  “Because…there is good in him. I’ve felt it. He won’t turn me over to the Emperor. I can save him. I can turn him back to the good side. I have to try.”

  Leia was overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. Part of her wanted to believe Luke could save their father, and that their father was truly worth saving. Yet she also knew that Vader was responsible for countless atrocities. He’d even supervised her torture on the first Death Star, and cut off Luke’s hand, and yet…And yet he’s our father. And Luke believes there’s good in him.

  Luke and Leia held each other close. He kissed her cheek, then slowly let her go and moved off along the walkway. Han stepped out of the hut just in time to see Luke vanish into the darkness.

  Han walked up toward Leia, then realized she was trembling. He stopped short and said, “Hey, what’s goin’ on?”

  “Nothing,” Leia replied. “I—just want to be alone for a little while.”

  “Nothing?” Han said, not buying it. “Come on, tell me. What’s goin’ on?”

  Leia looked at him, struggling to control herself. “I…I can’t tell you.”

  “Could you tell Luke?” Han fumed. “Is that who you could tell?”

  “I—” Leia choked on her words.

  Exasperated, Han said, “Ahhh…” He turned, storming off toward the hut. Then he stopped, suddenly realizing things were not what he’d thought they were. He turned to walk slowly back to Leia. He kept a short distance from her, and said, “I’m sorry.”

  Leia looked to Han and said, “Hold me.”

  And he did.

  High in the pre-dawn sky of Endor’s forest moon, the unfinished Death Star was clearly visible against the fading stars. Darth Vader’s shuttle left the massive satellite and traveled down to the Imperial outpost that had been constructed on the moon. The outpost’s largest structure was an energy shield generator: rising nearly 150 meters into the sky, it was a four-sided pyramid-shaped tower that supported a wide focus dish; the dish’s central emitter antenna was directed to project a powerful deflector shield around the Death Star.

  Near the shield generator, an elevated landing platform rested on two columnar turbolift housings and rose above an area that had been cleared of trees. As Vader’s shuttle touched down on the floodlight-illuminated platform, a four-legged All Terrain Armored Transport walker lurched toward a gantry that extended below the platform and between the support columns.

  Vader disembarked, proceeding to the platform’s turbolift. Two stormtroopers accompanied him on his descent to the gantry level, where he emerged from the lift to find the AT-AT had docked with the platform. The AT-AT’s hatch slid up to reveal an Imperial commander, three stormtroopers—and Luke Skywalker.

  Luke’s wrists were secured by binders. He gazed at Vader with complete calm.

  The gray-uniformed commander stepped toward Vader and said, “This is a Rebel that surrendered to us. Although he denies it, I believe there may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area. He was armed only with this.”

  The commander handed Luke’s lightsaber over to Vader. Vader said, “Good work, Commander. Leave us. Conduct your search and bring his companions to me.”

  “Yes, my lord.” The commander signaled to the three stormtroopers, and he returned with them to the AT-AT.

  Vader and Luke walked slowly toward the turbolift. Vader said, “The Emperor has been expecting you.”

  “I know, father.”

  Vader glanced at Luke and said, “So you have accepted the truth.”

  “I’ve accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father.”

  Vader stopped to face Luke and said menacingly, “That name no longer has any meaning for me.”

  “It is the name of your true self,” Luke replied. “You’ve only forgotten. I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn’t driven it from you fully.” Looking away from Vader, Luke rested his arms on the gantry’s railing and gazed at the surrounding forest. “That was why you couldn’t destroy me,” he continued. “That’s why you won’t bring me to your Emperor now.”

  Vader seemed to ponder Luke’s words, then said, “I see you have constructed a new lightsaber.” He ignited the brilliant green blade of Luke’s weapon, and Luke—still facing away—stiffened as he heard its deadly hum.

  Vader examined the lightsaber, admiring its craftsmanship. “Your skills are complete,” he said. Turning his back to look away from Luke, he added, “Indeed, you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen.”

  Taking a cautious step forward, Luke pleaded. “Come with me.”

  “Obi-Wan once thought as you do,” said the black-armored Sith Lord. He turned to face Luke. “You don’t know the power of the dark side. I must obey my Master.”

  Luke shook his head. “I will not turn,” he said boldly, “and you’ll be forced to kill me.”

  Less certain of the future, Vader said, “If that is your destiny—”

  “Search your feelings, father,” Luke interrupted. “You can’t do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate.”

  If only I could, Vader thought. If only I could.

  He said, “It is too late for me, son.” Then he signaled to the two stormtroopers who’d been waiting by the turbolift. The troopers stepped up behind Luke as Vader said, “The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now.”

  Vader and Luke stared at each other, until Luke broke the silence and said, “Then my father is truly dead.”

  The younger Skywalker walked directly into the turbolift, with the two stormtroopers sticking close beside him. Inside the lift, he turned to face his father, who remained on the gantry, looking at him. Then the lift door slid shut, leaving Vader alone on the gantry.

  Vader stepped to the railing and tried to collect his thoughts. I must obey my Master. I must deliver Luke to him. But if Luke can kill the Emperor, perhaps…perhaps then I will be free.

  Vader saw the sun was beginning to rise. He turned away from the railing and returned to the turbolift.

  At the predesignated time of 0300, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, the droids, and their two Ewok guides—Wicket and a scout named Paploo—met up with Major Derlin and the other eleven SpecForces Rebel commandos. Shortly after dawn, the group arrived at a ridge that overlooked the Imperial shield generator and landing platform. On the landing platform, an Imperial Lambda-class shuttle lifted off, extended its lower wings, and flew skyward, on course for the Death Star.

  Leia had changed back into her Rebel uniform and camouflage poncho. Surveying the Imperial outpost, she said, “The main entrance to the control bunker’s on the far side of that landing platform. This isn’t going to be easy.”

  “Hey, don’t worry,” Han said. “Chewie and me got into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this.”

  Wicket and Paploo chattered to each other, then spoke to C-3PO. Leia turned to the golden droid and asked, “What’s he saying?”

  C-3PO translated, “He says there’s a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge.”

  Paploo knew a shortcut. The Rebels followed him.

  In the Sullust system, the Rebel fleet prepared for their flight to the Death Star. Lando Calrissian was in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. His copilot was the Sullustan Nien Nunb. Behind them, two Rebel soldiers checked and adjusted the Falcon’s navigational and shield controls.

  Lando guided the Falcon past the larger battle cruisers. He was followed by a group of single-pilot starfighters that included X-wings, A-wings, B-wings, and Y-wings.

  “Admiral, we’re in position,” Lando reported into
his comlink. “All fighters accounted for.”

  “Proceed with the countdown,” Admiral Ackbar’s voice answered from the comm. “All groups assume attack coordinates.”

  Nien Nunb checked his controls and muttered something in his native tongue. He sounded nervous.

  “Don’t worry,” Lando said, “my friend’s down there. He’ll have that shield down on time.” As Nien Nunb flipped some switches, Lando continued to himself, “Or this’ll be the shortest offensive of all time.”

  From the Mon Cal cruiser, Admiral Ackbar said, “All craft, prepare to jump into hyperspace on my mark.”

  “All right,” Lando replied. “Stand by.” At Ackbar’s signal, he pulled a lever and the stars suddenly appeared to streak past the cockpit window as the Falcon roared into hyperspace. The Falcon was quickly followed by the single-pilot starfighters. Then Ackbar’s cruiser and the other larger vessels vanished in the same direction, until the entire Rebel armada was en route to the Endor system at faster-than-light speed.

  On Endor, Paploo arrived beside some bushes along a ridge, then turned and whistled to Wicket and the Rebels. Leia, Han, and the others spread through the thick undergrowth along the ridge, looking down from their position to see the control bunker that led into the base of the energy shield generator. Outside the bunker entrance was a clearing where four Imperial scout troopers stood, with their speeder bikes parked nearby.

  Chewbacca growled an observation, and Paploo chattered in Ewokese to Han.

  Han said, “Back door, huh? Good idea.”

  Wicket and Paploo asked C-3PO to explain what the Rebels hoped to accomplish. When C-3PO finished, the two Ewoks had a quick exchange, then Paploo jumped up and scampered into the bushes.

  Leia moved close beside Han. Looking at the Imperial scouts, Han observed, “It’s only a few guards. This shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

  Remembering Han’s last encounter with a group of scout troopers, Leia said, “Well, it only takes one to sound the alarm.”

  Ever confident, Han grinned and said, “Then we’ll do it real quiet-like.”

  C-3PO asked Wicket where Paploo had gone. Wicket told him. Startled, C-3PO exclaimed, “Oh! Oh, my. Uh, Princess Leia!”

  Leia turned around and clamped her hand over C-3PO’s vocabulator. When he settled down, she removed her hand. C-3PO lowered his voice and said, “I’m afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash.”

  Chewbacca barked. Leia, Han, and the others watched in distress as Paploo emerged from the bushes below them. He was only a short distance away from the scout troopers.

  “Oh, no,” Leia said.

  Han sighed. “There goes our surprise attack.”

  Paploo silently pulled his furry body up onto one of the parked speeder bikes, then began flipping switches at random. Suddenly the bike’s engine fired up with a tremendous roar.

  “Look!” shouted one of the scout troopers. “Over there! Stop him!” The scouts raced toward Paploo just as his speeder bike launched into the forest at incredible speed. The little Ewok clung tight to the handgrip controls and shrieked.

  Three of the Imperial scouts jumped onto the remaining speeder bikes and sped away to pursue the bike thief. All the fourth scout could do was stand at his post and watch them go.

  Up on the ridge, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca exchanged delighted looks. Han said, “Not bad for a little furball. There’s only one left.” Turning to C-3PO, he added, “You stay here. We’ll take care of this.”

  As Han and Chewbacca moved off toward the bunker, C-3PO stepped over beside Wicket and R2-D2. The golden droid declared, “I have decided that we shall stay here.”

  R2-D2 beeped his concern for Paploo, but the little Ewok was actually enjoying his swift ride through the forest. At the moment, Paploo’s only physical contact with the speeder bike was his paws wrapped around the controls; the rest of his body was airborne, suspended over the bike’s saddle. He felt like he was flying.

  Maintaining his grip on the controls, Paploo maneuvered his body so he was partially perched on the saddle. The three Imperial scouts came up fast behind him. When one of the scouts had the Ewok in his sights, he fired his bike’s blaster cannon. The laserbolt struck the back of Paploo’s bike. Paploo was unharmed, but his bike went into a dizzying roll.

  The Ewok somehow reoriented his spinning bike, then steered into a sharp curve around a tree. Another laserbolt whizzed past him, and he decided it was time to get off.

  He sighted a long vine dangling in his path. He released his bike’s controls, grabbed a dangling vine, and swung up high into the trees. A moment later, the three scouts tore under him in pursuit of his still-flying, rider-less bike.

  Back at the bunker, Han snuck up behind the remaining Imperial scout. Han tapped him on the shoulder, then turned and ran around the bunker, letting the scout chase him. When the scout came around the bunker’s corner, he was confronted by the waiting and armed Rebel strike team. Demonstrating some wisdom, the scout surrendered immediately.

  Han pressed a control switch in the bunker’s doorway and the door slid open. With their weapons drawn, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and four Rebel commandos entered the bunker’s dark interior. The door slid closed behind them.

  On the Death Star, in the tower high above the space station’s north pole, Darth Vader and Luke—his wrists still secured by binders—arrived at the Emperor’s throne room. As before, two Royal Guards stood silently on either side of the turbolift door. Exiting the turbolift, Vader and Luke crossed the bridge over the elevator shaft, then ascended the stairway to stand before the Emperor.

  “Welcome, young Skywalker,” the Emperor said from his throne. “I have been expecting you.”

  Luke had never seen the Emperor before. The Emperor’s hooded visage was disfigured: flesh sagged from his bulging forehead and around his piercing yellow eyes—even his voice sounded ravaged by the evil that flowed through his veins. Luke gazed at him defiantly and thought, He looks like a corpse.

  The Emperor smiled, displaying rotten teeth as he glanced at the binders on Luke’s wrists. He said, “You no longer need those,” then made a slight gesture with his finger. The binders fell away and clattered noisily against the floor.

  Luke looked down at his hands, then back at the Emperor. He thought, It’s as if he’s inviting me to try and kill him with my bare hands. And he looks so weak. But Luke had learned from Ben and Yoda that looks could be deceiving, so he remained standing where he was, at Vader’s side.

  The Emperor glanced at his red acolytes and commanded, “Guards, leave us.” The two red-armored sentries turned and disappeared behind the turbolift. Then the Emperor returned his gaze to Luke and said, “I’m looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me Master.”

  “You’re gravely mistaken,” Luke replied. “You won’t convert me as you did my father.”

  “Oh, no, my young Jedi,” said the Emperor, rising from his throne threateningly to step closer to Luke. “You will find that it is you who are mistaken…about a great many things.”

  Vader said, “His lightsaber,” and presented Luke’s weapon to the Emperor.

  Taking the lightsaber, the Emperor said, “Ah, yes, a Jedi’s weapon. Much like your father’s. By now you must know your father can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you.”

  “You’re wrong,” Luke said. “Soon I’ll be dead…and you with me.”

  The Emperor laughed. “Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet.”

  Luke looked up sharply. He knows.

  “Yes,” hissed the Emperor, “I assure you we are quite safe from your friends here.” He turned to walk back to his throne.

  “Your overconfidence is your weakness,” Luke stated.

  The Emperor stopped and glanced back at Luke. With a sneer, he replied, “Your faith in your friends is yours.”

  He’s wrong, Luke hoped. He’s so wrong.r />
  Vader said, “It is pointless to resist, my son.”

  The Emperor eased back into his throne and faced Luke. “Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design,” he said. “Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon are walking into a trap. As is your Rebel fleet!”

  Oh, no, Luke thought. No!

  The Emperor continued, “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 looked from the Emperor to Vader, then to his lightsaber, which remained in the Emperor’s clutches.

  The Emperor leaned forward in his throne. In a tone that reeked of mock sympathy, he said, “Oh…I’m afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive.”

  On Endor, inside the Imperial bunker, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and the Rebel strike team stormed through a door and entered the main control room. There they found an Imperial officer standing beside three black-uniformed generator controllers; the startled men turned away from their computer consoles to see the armed Rebels.

  “All right!” Han shouted at the controllers. “Up! Move! Come on! Quickly! Quickly! Chewie!”

  Chewbacca growled and leveled his bowcaster at the controllers. Behind him, an open doorway offered a view of the turbine generator chamber that powered the energy shield that was projected at the Death Star. A blaster-wielding Imperial officer came running in from the generator chamber, but an alert Rebel commando knocked him out.

  As the controllers were herded away from their consoles, Leia glanced at a viewscreen that displayed a two-dimensional graphic of the shield-protected Death Star. Checking a chronometer, she said, “Han! Hurry! The fleet will be here any moment.”

  Han turned to one of the Rebel commandos and said, “Charges! Come on, come on!” The commando tossed a bag of proton grenades to Han.

  Outside the bunker, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Wicket were still watching from the bushes when they saw several stormtroopers and controllers suddenly emerge from the surrounding forest. The Imperial soldiers rushed to the bunker’s doorway and entered.