Secrets of Endor - DISCONTINUED

Prologue

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Star Wars : SECRETS OF ENDOR

(Italics excerpt from 'Return of the Jedi', by James Kahn and George Lucas. Print. 1983 Lucasfilm Ltd. Del Rey, Ballantine Books, New York. No credit taken.)

The sandstorm obscured everything – sight, breath, thought, motion. The roar of it alone was disorienting, sounding like it came from everywhere at once, as if the universe were composed of noise, and this was its chaotic center.

The seven heroes walked step by step through the murky gale, holding on to one another so as not to get lost. Artoo was first, following the signal of the homing device which sang to him in a language not garbled by the wind. Threepio came next, then Leia guiding Han, and finally Luke and Lando, supporting the hobbling Wookie.

Artoo beeped loudly, and they all looked up: vague, dark shapes could be seen through the typhoon.

"I don't know," shouted Han. "All I can see is a lot of blowing sand."

"That's all any of us can see," Leia shouted back.

"Then I guess I'm getting better."

For a few steps, the dark shapes grew darker; and then out of the darkness, the Millennium Falcon appeared, flanked by Luke's X-wing and a two seater Y-wing. As soon as the group huddled under the bulk of the Falcon, the wind died down to something more describable, as a severe weather condition. Threepio hit a switch, and the gangplank lowered with a hum.

Solo turned to Skywalker. "I've got to hand it to you, kid, you were pretty good out there."

Luke shrugged it off. "I had a lot of help." He started toward his X-wing.

Han stopped him, his manner suddenly quieter, even serious. "Thanks for coming after me, Luke."

Luke felt embarrassed for some reason. He didn't know how to respond to anything other than a wisecrack from the old pirate. "Think nothing of it," he finally said.

"No, I'm thinkin' a lot about it. That carbon freeze was the closest thing to dead there is. And it wasn't just sleepin', it was a big, wide awake Nothin'."

A Nothing from which Luke and the others had saved him – put their own lives in the great peril at his expense, for no other reason than that...he was their friend. This was a new idea for the cocky Solo – t once terrible and wonderful. It made him feel somehow blinder than before, but visionary as well. It was confusing. Once, he was alone; now he was a part.

That realization made him feel indebted, a feeling he'd always abhorred; only now the debt was somehow a new kind of bond, a bond of brotherhood. It was even freeing, in a strange way.

He was no longer so alone.

No longer alone.

Luke saw a difference had come over his friend, like a sea change. It was a gentle moment; he didn't want to disturb it. So he only nodded.

Chewie growled affectionately at the young Jedi warrior, mussing his hair like a proud uncle. And Leia warmly hugged him.

They all had great love for Solo, but somehow it was easier to show it by being demonstrative to Luke.

"I'll see you back at the fleet," Luke called, moving toward his ship.

"Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?" Solo nudged.

"I have a promise I have to keep first...to an old friend." A very old friend, he smiled to himself in afterthought.

"Well, hurry back," Leia urged. "The entire Alliance should be assembled by now." She saw something in Luke's face; she couldn't put a name to it, but it scared her, and simultaneously made her feel closer to him. "Hurry back," she repeated.

"I will," he promised. "Come on, Artoo."

Artoo rolled toward the X-wing, beeping a farewell to Threepio.

"Good-bye, Artoo," Threepio called out fondly. "May the maker bless you. You will watch out for him, won't you, Master Luke?"

But Luke and the little droid were already gone, on the far side of the flyer.

The others stood without moving for a moment, trying to see their futures in the swirling sand.

Lando jarred them awake. "Come on, let's get out of this miserable dirt ball." His luck here had been abominable; he hoped to fare better in the next game. It would be house rules for a while, he knew; but he might be able to load a few dice along the way.

Solo clapped him on the back. "Guess I owe you some thanks, too, Lando."

"Figured if I left you frozen like that you'd just give me bad luck the rest of my life, so I might as well get you unfrozen sooner, as later."

"He means 'you're welcome'." Leia smiled. "We all mean you're welcome." She kissed Han on the cheek to say it personally one more time.

They all headed up the ramp of the Falcon. Solo paused just before going inside and gave the ship a little pat. "You're lookin' good, old girl. I never thought I'd live to see you again."

He entered at last, closing the hatch behind him.