Mastermind

Part Four

With everyone up bright and early, the strike team - excluding Luke who was at the time accompanying Darth Vader to go to the Emperor's room where the Rebel Fleet were bound to jump out of hyperspace to begin the assault - prepared to journey to the bunker projecting the shield around the second Death Star. Having a broken leg would be a disadvantage when hiking through the forest to arrive at the bunker. Erda self-volunteered to walk ahead very early that morning to scout the bunker ahead, despite it being very risky, which is why Leia went with him while the others made a small gamble in their absence. 

"... you didn't need to go out of your way for me, you know," said Erda as he let out faint grunts when he applied pressure on his wounded leg. 

"Of course I do. I love you, Erda. I care too deeply about you to see you going on your own like this. I cannot wait to end up hearing that you got lost and killed or shot by stormtroopers." Leia replied grimly. 

"You're too polite. But I must inform you that I have been through worse." 

"Oh, surviving weeks in a blizzard and on a junkyard planet is enough for you to say that you're a big man? But a broken leg makes you think you can survive these conditions too? Baby, your leg is broken. What if you had a gunshot wound and you were bleeding out? How long could you say you'd survive? A week? Four days - if you were lucky to find suitable food and water to drink?" 

Erda scoffed and muttered under his breath, "And Luke wonders how I can tolerate you..." 

"What?" Leia questioned, falsely offended by what he said inaudibly. 

"N-Nothin', nothing at all, sweetheart. Oh, darling Leia, the sweet angel of my dreams." 

"Quit sucking up to me, Erda. It doesn't suit you. Just stick to the normal ass-kissing and we'll might just survive this mission." 

 "Okay," he chuckled. 

With the native who escorted Leia to its tribe, it did the same leading Han, Chewbacca, Threepio, Artoo and the strike team to the bunker (Threepio was told of the location but still had one of the native's escort them just in case; also to set traps for the Imperials once the action began) while Luke stood beside Vader in the presence of Sheev Palpatine, the Emperor. Never before did Luke imagine that he would be standing in the presence of the most powerful, influential, twisted person in the entire galaxy. From being a mere farm boy to a Jedi Knight and General in the Rebel Alliance, it was surely one's dreams, but a fateful reality. 

The strike team were fast and silent to dispose of the bunker's outer defence and those inside the bunker when they were quickly ambushed. With the Rebel Fleet outside Endor making their approach to the Death Star, it was then that the Fleet realised that the battle station was fully operational despite being two-third built and that the generator was still up. With the ground assault captured, all hope seemed lost until Erda appeared from behind the trees, drawing the Imperials' attention onto him as he stood erect, holding onto his lightsaber tightly as all eyes were now on him. There, everyone watched curiously as Erda faced off the Imperials by himself. 

"I'm one with the Force, the Force is with me," Erda whispered to himself as he kept the lightsaber pointing at the ground but with his arm raised out a bit before igniting his blade. 

"Open fire on the Jedi!" An Imperial officer commanded. 

Every Imperial trooper opened fire at Erda as well as an AT-ST when he shot his other arm up, using the Force to stop every bullet being fired at him as the blaster bolts sizzled and crackled in front of him as his concentration dwindled. 

"Get down!" Erda barked at his allies. 

Leia, Han, Chewbacca and the Rebels ducked when Erda harnessed a Force Push, blasting the red bolts back in the direction which they came, striking down a good portion of the Imperials when the natives of Endor sprung their surprise attack. 

"EWOKS, NOW!!" 

The three-foot natives sprung up from bushes and from behind logs and trees, firing a barrage of arrows at the stormtroopers and officers as the remainder ran for cover as Erda's allies retrieved their weapons and fought strongly when four AT-ST's began to cause trouble. Two of the transports chased after the Ewoks while one remained stationary as the other fired at the Rebels. Erda threw his lightsaber at the AT-ST's legs, disabling it as it toppled over in front of the entrance to the bunker as Erda hopped on one leg as quickly as he could to Han and Leia as they tried unlocking the bunker's doors which were sealed shut from the inside. 

It was there that Erda used his lightsaber to puncture the blast doors with his saber and pulled as hard as he could to create a circle that would open up the door to the bunker. Once that was done, Han ran inside to activate the bombs he'd brought with them and came running out a minute later, shouting at everyone to take cover. With the shield generator destroyed, the ground forces took care of the remaining stormtroopers who were rounded up after being knocked unconscious by the natives they'd aggravated. With their jobs done, it was up to the Fleet to destroy the second Star Destroyer as everyone stood by and waited patiently for a grand explosion to take place. By the time the Death Star was blown up - particles of its remains created a lovely display as Leia and Erda rested against a log. 

"I'm sure Luke wasn't on there when it blew." Erda said in assurance to the other Jedi's twin sister. 

"He wasn't." She answered confidently without making eye contact. "I can feel it." 

"You know... I think this calls for celebration." 

Erda raised his eyebrows twice with a huge smirk on his lips. Leia rolled her eyes and raised one hand around the back of his neck and pressed her lips against his. As the two drove into the kiss, an Imperial shuttle landed over the bodies of stormtroopers and officers as everyone became alerted when the shuttle door opened, revealing Luke carrying Vader's body. All Luke told his fellow allies was that Vader had been redeemed, and that was enough to allow him to hold a funeral pyre for the corrupted cyborg whose redemption meant nothing to anyone but Luke. Later that evening, a celebration was held by the Ewok tribe as they sang and danced and jingled joyously as certain members of the Alliance were welcomed to the festivities. 

During this time, Erda chose the time to propose to her by offering his hand in marriage, to which she was deeply excited about as her love for Erda blossomed long ago on the day he arrived on Alderaan after escaping the royal guards who planned on arresting him for boarding a private vessel. When the moon shone in the sky, the celebrations were just getting started. Everyone was happy and relieved that the war was over and peace was brought to the galaxy, whereas there were some that harbored revenge as the remaining followers of the Empire were scattered and went into hiding as soon, they would truly fall once they were defeated for good. 

The wedding was private to only those whom Erda, Leia, Luke, Han, Lando, Chewbacca, Threepio and Artoo were invited. Twenty days after the Battle of Endor, it was Leia's intention to restore the Senate and found the New Republic while remnants of the Empire launched an invasion on Naboo before Leia planned on temporarily becoming a Senator to support the New Republic and gather pieces of the Death Star to create a space station in the Alderaan system to house survivors of Alderaan's destruction and persecution during the Empire's powerful reign.