The Jon Solo Chronicles Book 3: Return of the Jedi

Chapter 22: Bringing Down the Shield

*I know you told me to wait, Han, but I'm coming down anyway,* said Chewie. *I want to see if Leia is all right. And we have lots to talk about.*

"Well, ok, Uncle Chewie," said Jon. "Come on down!" Chewie climbed out of the AT-ST. And he wasn't alone. Two Ewoks whom Jon had never seen before trailed behind him. Chewie introduced his companions as Wunka and Widdle.

*Princess, how are you doing?* asked Chewie. Leia was holding on to her injured arm.

"I'm fine, Chewie," Leia replied. "But thank you for asking."

"I'm sorry you got shot, Mom," said Jon. "And I'm glad you're ok now, but for a second there, I was really scared."

"It's ok, Jon," said Leia. "You don't have to be scared. And actually, it's better that I got shot instead of you or your father."

"I would have taken that shot for you, Mom," said Jon. "And Dad would have, too. I know it. Isn't that right, Dad?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure, Jon," said Han. Without a doubt, Han Solo would put his life on the line to protect Jon, Leia, Luke, Chewie, Lando or anyone else he cared about. He wasn't surprised to learn that Jon would do the same. But the thought was still unsettling nonetheless. Jon was a fourteen-year-old boy. He had his whole life ahead of him. He deserved to live that life to the fullest, without dying before his time, even if he sacrificed himself to save his loved ones.

Han wasn't afraid to die. What did scare him, however, was leaving everyone behind. He'd felt this way while gazing at Jon, Leia and Chewie in those final seconds before he was frozen in Carbonite. When the day where he would eventually die finally did come, Chewie, Luke, Leia and Lando would all mourn and grieve for Han, but eventually heal. Jon, on the other hand, no matter what age he was by then, would have a harder time. The boy had already came close to loosing his father forever countless times throughout his life so far, especially in just this past year alone. There was no telling how he might react when it finally, actually happened. Han was determined not to die for many more years. And until that time, he vowed to make every moment he had with Jon and the rest of his loved ones count.

"Hey, Chewie, how did you meet Wunka and Widdle?" asked Jon. "And what were you all doing in an AT-ST?"

*I'm glad you asked that, Jon,* said Chewie. *It is quite a story. You, your parents and the droids were all busy at the bunker. I guess none of you noticed how I slipped away. I kept a close eye on the Ewoks during the battle. The way they fought was very impressive. But then they started having a tough time of it. After I ran into Wunka and Widdle here, we spotted this AT-ST. It was firing on a group of Ewoks, and we knew it had to be stopped. Climbing up into a tree, Wunka, Widdle and I used a vine to swing over to the AT-ST. While we were swinging, I let out a yell like the jungle-man in those holo-vids you and your father are so fond of, Jon. When we landed on the walker, Wunka leaned over the edge, peering into one of the view-ports. One of the Imperials driving the AT-ST opened the hatch to get at Wunka. I then snatched him up, and hurled him to the ground, where he died. Wunka and Widdle clambered into the cockpit, and beat the other driver to death. Then one of them must have accidentally pulled a control lever, because the walker started moving forward, while I was still on top of it. I came into the cockpit and yelled at them. Then I started moving the walker forward, and shooting at Stormtroopers and Scout Troopers. This excited the Ewoks on the ground, because I could hear them cheering. Wunka and Widdle were constantly clamoring for the controls, and I had to keep shoving them off.*