Leia was delighted, if a bit incredulous.

'Not bad for a ball of fuzz,' Han admired. He nodded at Chewie, and the two of them slipped down toward the bunker.

Paploo, meanwhile, was sailing through the trees, more lucky than in control. He was going at fairly low velocity for what the bike could do - but in Ewok-time, Paploo was absolutely dizzy with speed and excitement. It was terrifying; but he loved it. He would talk about this ride until the end of his life, and then his children would tell their children, and it would get faster with each generation.

For now, though, the Imperial scouts were already pulling in sight behind him. When, a moment later, they began firing laser bolts at him, he decided he'd finally had enough. As he rounded the next tree, just out of their sight, he grabbed a vine and swung up into the branches. Several seconds later the three scouts tore by underneath him, pressing their pursuit to the limit. He giggled furiously.

Back at the bunker, the last scout was undone. Subdued by Chewbacca, bound, stripped of his suit, he was being carried into the woods now by two other members of the strike team. The rest of the squad silently crouched, forming a perimeter around the entrance.

Han stood at the door, checking the stolen code against the digits on the bunker's control panel. With natural speed he punched a series of b.u.t.tons on the panel. Silently, the door opened.

Leia peeked inside. No sign of life. She motioned the others, and entered the bunker. Han and Chewie followed close on her heels. Soon the entire team was huddled inside the otherwise empty steel corridor, leaving one lookout outside, dressed in the unconscious scout's uniform. Han pushed a series of b.u.t.tons on the inner panel, closing the door behind them.

Leia thought briefly of Luke - she hoped he could detain Vader at least long enough to allow her to destroy this shield generator; she hoped even more dearly he could avoid such a confrontation altogether. For she feared Vader was the stronger of the two.

Furtively she led the way down the dark and low-beamed tunnel.

Vader's shuttle settled onto the docking bay of the Death Star, like a black, wingless carrion-eating bird; like a nightmare insect. Luke and the Dark Lord emerged from the snout of the beast with a small escort of stormtroopers, and walked rapidly across the cavernous main bay to the Emperor's tower elevator.

Royal guards awaited them there, flanking the shaft, bathed in a carmine glow. They opened the elevator door. Luke stepped forward.

His mind was buzzing with what to do. It was the Emperor he was being taken to, now. The Emperor! If Luke could but focus, keep his mind clear to see what must be done - and do it.

A great noise filled his head, though, like an underground wind.

He hoped Leia deactivated the deflector shield quickly, and destroyed the Death Star - now, while all three of them were here. Before anything else happened. For the closer Luke came to the Emperor, the more anythings he feared would happen. A black storm raged inside him. He wanted to kill the Emperor, but then what? Confront Vader? What would his father do? And what if Luke faced his father first, faced him and - destroyed him. The thought was at once repugnant and compelling. Destroy Vader - and then what? For the first time, Luke had a brief murky image of himself, standing on his father's body, holding his father's blazing power, and sitting at the Emperor's right hand.

He squeezed his eyes shut against this thought, but it left a cold sweat on his brow, as if Death's hand had brushed him there and left its shallow imprint.

The elevator door opened. Luke and Vader walked out into the throne room alone, across the unlit ante-chamber, up the grated stairs, to stand before the throne: father and son, side by side, both dressed in black, one masked and one exposed, beneath the gaze of the malignant Emperor.

Vader bowed to his master. The Emperor motioned him to rise, though; the Dark Lord did his master's bidding.

'Welcome, young Skywalker,' the Evil One smiled graciously. 'I have been expecting you.'

Luke stared back brazenly at the bent, hooded figure. Defiantly. The Emperor's smile grew even softer, though; even more fatherly. He looked at Luke's manacles.

'You no longer need these,' he added with n.o.blesse oblige - and made the slightest motion with his finger in the direction of Luke's wrists. At that, Luke's binders simply fell away, clattering noisily to the floor.

Luke looked at his own hands - free, now, to reach out for the Emperor's throat, to crush his windpipe in an instant...

Yet the Emperor seemed gentle. Had he not just let Luke free? But he was devious, too, Luke knew. Do not be fooled by appearances, Ben had told him. The Emperor was unarmed. He could still strike. But wasn't aggression part of the dark side? Mustn't he avoid that at all costs? Or could he use darkness judiciously, and then put it away? He stared at his free hands ... he could have ended it all right there - or could he? He had total freedom to choose what to do now; yet he could not choose. Choice, the double-edge sword. He could kill the Emperor, he could succ.u.mb to the Emperor's arguments. He could kill Vader ... and then he could even become Vader. Again this thought laughed at him like a broken clown, until he pushed it back into a black corner of his brain.

The Emperor sat before him, smiling. The moment was con vulsive with possibilities ...

The moment pa.s.sed. He did nothing.

'Tell me, young Skywalker,' the Emperor said when he saw Luke's first struggle had taken its course. 'Who has been involved in your training until now?' The smile was thin, open-mouthed, hollow.

Luke was silent. He would reveal nothing.

'Oh, I know it was Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi at first,' the wicked ruler continued, rubbing his fingers together as if trying to remember. Then pausing, his lips creased into a sneer. 'Of course, we are familiar with the talent Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi had, when it came to training Jedi.' He nodded politely in Vader's direction, indicating Obi-Wan's previous star pupil. Vader stood without responding, without moving.

Luke tensed with fury at the Emperor's defamation of Ben - though, of course, to the Emperor it was praise. And he bridled even more, knowing the Emperor was so nearly right. He tried to bring his anger under control, though, for it seemed to please the malevolent dictator greatly.

Palpatine noted the emotions on Luke's face and chuckled. 'So, in your early training you have followed your father's path, it would seem. But alas, Obi-Wan is now dead, I believe; his elder student, here, saw to that-' again, he made a hand motion toward Vader. 'So tell me, young Skywalker - who continued your training?'

That smile, again, like a knife. Luke held silent, struggling to regain his composure.

The Emperor tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne, recalling. 'There was one called ... Yoda. An aged Master Jed ... Ah, I see by your countenance I have hit a chord, a resonant chord indeed. Yoda, then.'

Luke flashed with anger at himself, now, to have revealed so much, unwillingly, unwittingly. Anger and self-doubt. He strove to calm himself-to see all, to show nothing; only to be.

'This Yoda,' the Emperor mused. 'Lives he still?'

Luke focused on the emptiness of s.p.a.ce beyond the window behind the Emperor's chair. The deep void, where nothing was.

Nothing. He filled his mind with this black nothing. Opaque, save for the occasional flickering of starlight that filtered through the ether.

'Ah,' cried Emperor Palpatine. 'He lives not. Very good, young Skywalker, you almost hid this from me. But you could not. And you can not. Your deepest flickerings are to me apparent. Your nakedest soul. That is my first lesson to you.' He beamed.

Luke wilted - but a moment. In the very faltering, he found strength. Thus had Ben and Yoda both instructed him: when you are attacked, fall. Let your opponent's power buffet you as a strong wind topples the gra.s.s. In time, he will expend himself, and you will still be upright.

The Emperor watched Luke's face with cunning. 'I'm sure Yoda taught you to use the Force with great skill.'

The taunt had its desired effect - Luke's face flushed, his muscles flexed.

He saw the Emperor actually lick his lips at the sight of Luke's reaction. Lick his lips and laugh from the bottom of his throat, the bottom of his soul.

Luke paused, for he saw something else, as well; something he hadn't seen before in the Emperor. Fear.

Luke saw fear in the Emperor - fear of Luke. Fear of Luke's power, fear that this power could be turned on him - on the Emperor - in the same way Vader had turned it on Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi. Luke saw this fear in the Emperor - and he knew, now, the odds had shifted slightly. He had glimpsed the Emperor's nakedest self.

With sudden absolute calm, Luke stood upright. He stared directly into the malign ruler's hood.

Palpatine said nothing for a few moments, returning the young Jedi's gaze, a.s.sessing his strengths and weaknesses. He sat back at last, pleased with this first confrontation. 'I look forward to completing your training, young Skywalker. In time, you will call me Master.'

For the first time, Luke felt steady enough to speak. 'You're gravely mistaken. You will not convert me as you did my father.'

'No, my young Jedi,' the Emperor leaned forward, gloating, 'you will find that it is you who are mistaken ... about a great many things.'

Palpatine suddenly stood, came down from his throne, walked up very close to Luke, stared venomously into the boy's eyes. At last, Luke saw the entire face within the hood: eyes, sunken like tombs; the flesh decayed beneath skin weathered by virulent storms, lined by holocaust; the grin, a death's-grin; the breath, corrupt.

Vader extended a gloved hand toward the Emperor, holding out Luke's lightsaber. The Emperor took it with a slow sort of glee, then walked with it across the room to the huge circular view-window. The Death Star had been revolving slowly, so the Sanctuary Moon was now visible at the window's curving margin.

Palpatine looked at Endor, then back at the lightsaber in his hand. 'Ah, yes, a Jedi's weapon. Much like your father's.' He faced Luke directly. 'By now you must know your father can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you.'

'Never. Soon I will die, and you with me.' Luke was confident of that now. He allowed himself the luxury of a boast.

The Emperor laughed, a vile laugh. 'Perhaps you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet.' Luke had a thick, reeling moment, then steadied himself. The Emperor went on. 'I a.s.sure you, we are quite safe from your friends here.'

Vader walked toward the Emperor, stood at his side, looking at Luke.

Luke felt increasingly raw. 'Your overconfidence is your weakness,' he challenged them.

'Your faith in your friends is yours.' The Emperor began smiling; but then his mouth turned down, his voice grew angry. 'Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design. Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon - they're walking into a trap. And so is your Rebel fleet!'

Luke's face twitched visibly. The Emperor saw this, and really began to foam. '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 troops awaits them there.'

Luke's eyes darted from the Emperor, to Vader, and finally to the lightsaber in the Emperor's hand. His mind quivered with alternatives; suddenly everything was out of control again. He could count on nothing but himself. And on himself, his hold was tenuous.

The Emperor kept rattling on imperiously. 'I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your fleet arrives.

And that is only the beginning of my surprise - but of course I don't wish to spoil it for you.'

The situation was degenerating fast, from Luke's perspective. Defeat after defeat was being piled on his head. How much could he take? And now another surprise coming? There seemed to be no end to the rank deeds Palpatine could carry out against the galaxy. Slowly, infinitesimally, Luke raised his hand in the direction of the lightsaber.

The Emperor continued. 'From here, young Skywalker, you will witness the final destruction of the Alliance - and the end of your insignificant rebellion.'

Luke was in torment. He raised his hand further. He realized both Palpatine and Vader were watching him. He lowered his hand, lowered his level of anger, tried to restore his previous calm, to find his center to see what it was he needed to do.

The Emperor smiled, a thin dry smile. He offered the lightsaber to Luke. 'You want this, don't you? The hate is swelling in you, now. Very good, take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each pa.s.sing moment you make yourself more my servant.'

His rasping laughter echoed off the walls like desert wind. Vader continued staring at Luke.

Luke tried to hide his agony. 'No, never.' He thought desperately of Ben and Yoda. They were part of the Force, now, part of the energy that shaped it. Was it possible for them to distort the Emperor's vision by their presence? No one was infallible, Ben had told him - surely the Emperor couldn't see everything, couldn't know every future, twist every reality to suit his gluttony. Ben, thought Luke, if ever I needed your guidance, it is now. Where can I take this, that it will not lead me to ruin?

As if in answer, the Emperor leered, and put the lightsaber down on the control chair near Luke's hand. 'It is unavoidable,' the Emperor said quietly. 'It is your destiny. You, like your father, are now... mine.'

Luke had never felt so lost.

Han, Chewie, Leia, and a dozen commandos made their way down the labyrinthine corridors toward the area where the shield generator room was marked on the stolen map. Yellow lights illuminated the low rafters, casting long shadows at each intersection. At the first three turnings, all remained quiet; they saw no guard or worker.

At the fourth cross-corridor, six Imperial stormtroopers stood a wary watch.

There was no way around; the section had to be traversed. Han and Leia looked at each other and shrugged; there was nothing for it but to fight.

With pistols drawn, they barged into the entryway. Almost as if they'd been expecting an attack, the guards instantly crouched and began firing their own weapons. A barrage of laserbolts followed, ricocheting from girder to floor. Two stormtroopers were hit immediately. A third lost his gun; pinned behind a refrigerator console, he was unable to do much but stay low.

Two more stood behind a fire door, though, and blasted each commando who tried to get through. Four went down. The guards were virtually impregnable behind their vulcanized shield - but virtually didn't account for Wookiees.

Chewbacca rushed the door, physically dislodging it on top of the two stormtroopers. They were crushed.

Leia shot the sixth guard as he stood to draw a bead on Chewie. The trooper who'd been crouching beneath the refrigeration unit suddenly bolted, to go for help. Han raced after him a few long strides and brought him down with a flying tackle. He was out cold.

They checked themselves over, accounted for casualties. Not too bad - but it had been noisy. They'd have to hurry now, before a general alarm was set. The power center that controlled the shield generator was very near. And there would be no second chances.

The Rebel fleet broke out of hypers.p.a.ce with an awesome roar. Amid glistening streamers of light, battalion after battalion emerged in formation, to fire off toward the Death Star and its Sanctuary Moon hovering brightly in the close distance. Soon the entire navy was bearing down on its target, the Millennium Falcon in the lead.

Lando was worried from the moment they came out of hyper-s.p.a.ce. He checked his screen, reversed polarities, queried the computer.

The copilot was perplexed, as well. 'Zhng ahzi gngnohzh. Dzhy lyhz!'

'But how could that be?' Lando demanded. 'We've got to be able to get some kind of reading on the shield, up or down.' Who was conning whom on this raid?

Nien Nunb pointed at the control panel, shaking his head. 'Dzhmbd.'

'Jammed? How could they be jamming us if they don't know we're ... coming.'

He grimaced at the onrushing Death Star, as the implications of what he'd just said sank in. This was not a surprise attack, after all. It was a spider web.

He hit the switch on his comlink. 'Break off the attack! The shield's still up!'

Red Leader's voice shouted back over the headphones. 'I get no reading, are you sure?'

'Pull up!' Lando commanded. 'All craft pull up!'

He banked hard to the left, the fighters of the Red Squad veering close on his tail.

Some didn't make it. Three flanking X-wings nicked the invisible deflector shield, spinning out of control, exploding in flames along the shield surface. None of the others paused to look back.

On the Rebel Star Cruiser bridge, alarms were screaming, lights flashing, klaxons blaring, as the mammoth s.p.a.ce cruiser abruptly altered its momentum, trying to change course in time to avoid collision with the shield. Officers were running from battle stations to navigation controls; other ships in the fleet could be seen through the view-screens, careening wildly in a hundred directions, some slowing, some speeding up.

Admiral Ackbar spoke urgently but quietly into the comlink. 'Take evasive action. Green Group steer course for Holding Sector. MG-7 Blue group-A Mon Calamari controller, across the bridge, called out to Ackbar with grave excitement. 'Admiral, we have enemy ships at Sector RT-23 and PB-4.'

The large central view-screen was coming alive. It was no longer just the Death Star and the green moon behind it, floating isolated in s.p.a.ce. Now the ma.s.sive Imperial fleet could be seen flying in perfect, regimental formation, out from behind Endor in two behemoth flanking waves - heading to surround the Rebel fleet from both sides, like the pincers of a deadly scorpion.

And the shield barricaded the Alliance in front. They had nowhere to go.

Ackbar spoke desperately into the comlink. 'It's a trap. Prepare for attack.'

An anonymous fighter pilot's voice came back over the radio. 'Fighters coming in! Here we go!'

The attack began. The battle was joined.

TIE fighters, first - they were much faster than the bulky Imperial Cruisers, so they were the first to make contact with the Rebel invaders. Savage dogfights ensued, and soon the black sky was aglow with ruby explosions.

An aide approached Ackbar. 'We've added power to the forward shield, Admiral.'

'Good. Double power on the main battery, and-Suddenly the Star Cruiser was rocked by thermonuclear fire works outside the observation window.

'Gold Wing is. .h.i.t hard!' another officer shouted, stumbling up to the bridge.

'Give them cover!' Ackbar ordered. 'We must have time!' He spoke again into the comlink, as yet another detonation rumbled the frigate. 'All ships, stand your position. Wait for my command to return!'

It was far too late for Lando and his attack squadrons to heed that order, though. They were already way ahead of the pack, heading straight for the oncoming Imperial fleet.

Wedge Antilles, Luke's old buddy from the first campaign, led the X-wings that accompanied the Falcon. As they drew near the Imperial defenders, his voice came over the comlink, calm and experienced. 'Lock X-foils in attack positions.'