Chapter Eight

Han and Chewbacca sat leaning up against a tree waiting for Luke and Leia's return. Then, they would have to find Emily, unless she had already found the others. Han rubbed the bruise that Emily had left upon his cheek. Now he would have to explain to Luke an Leia how the bruise got there. Han was hoping Emily hadn't told Leia of what he did, nor Luke. Han really didn't want to fight or hurt his friend. As he grew weary of their return R2 whistled a warning.

"General Solo, somebody's coming." 3PO said as Han jumped to his feet to be prepared. All the Rebels turned around pointing their guns in the opposite direction. "Oh!" the golden droid exclaimed as two familiar figures came running towards them. The Rebels lowered their guns as Luke and Emily rejoined the group. Both looking confused and in search of someone.

"Luke!" Han yelled seeing his friend approach him. He looked behind him and quickly saw Emily, her left cheek was smeared with blood, and her hair was a mess without her helmet. Chewbacca let out a gleeful roar.

"Where's Leia?" Han questioned.

"She didn't come back?" Luke said worried then looked at Han's bruised cheek. "What happened to you?" he questioned wondering if Han would tell the truth.

"I thought she was with you. And that's not important right now." Han signed now knowing they'd have to search for Leia.

"We got separated. We better go look for her." Luke said turning to look around the forest.

"Take the squad ahead. We'll met at the shield generator at 0300." Han said to the troops.

"Come on, R2, we'll need your scanners." Luke said nodding at the little droid.

"Don't worry, Master Luke. We know what to do. And you said it was pretty here." 3PO said a he hurried behind the others then stopped to look at R2.

"Why don't you get your girlfriend to use those vision powers--or whatever the hell it is she does to help us locate Leia. It would be a lot easier than using a droid since they can only scan to a certain extent." Han said to Luke. Emily didn't turn to face Han.

"It doesn't work that way--" Luke began before Emily interrupted him.

"Do you want me to add another bruise to your face Solo?" She said sharply, Luke and Chewie both laughed quietly. Emily stopped to let the group catch up with her. "He already knows." Emily said reading his thoughts. Han quickly turned to Luke.

"Don't ever let it happen again." Luke said warning Han, who raised his hands up.

"Don't worry it won't." Han said showing the bruise to Luke. "I've always know she could punch like hell. Didn't really think of it whenI kissed her." Han said, by now Emily had frozen in front of them.

"We need to find Leia, I just got a vision. I can't exactly make it out, it's too blurry. I just have a bad feeling about this." Emily said, her facial expression turned to a real concerned look.

They continued to search the forest in search of the princess. Luke walked a few feet when something caught his eye. He picked up the object, it was a helmet.

"Luke! Luke!" Han yelled out in a panicked voice. Luke and Emily quickly ran to him. Han frowned a bit. There lying on the ground was a crashed Speeder Bike.

As Luke and Emily met up with the others, C-3PO spoke up. "Oh, Master Luke." the droid said in a saddened tone. Chewbacca let out a low growl.

"There's two more wrecked back there. And I found this." Luke said showing the helmet to Han.

"I'm afraid that R2's sensors can find no trace of Princess Leia." 3PO said.

"I hope she's alright." Han said worried. Emily took the helmet into her hands, she closed her eyes to focus hoping she would at least get a glimpse of what happened to Leia.

"She's fine." Emily said still holding the helmet. Everyone turned to look at her. "I picked up something while holding her helmet. The princess is safe, now we just need to find out where she is exactly."

"Arrrrr!" Chewbacca growled quickly running.

"What, Chewie?" Han questioned.

"Arrrrr!" the Wookie roared once more wanting the others to follow him.

"What, Chewie?" Han questioned again.

"Arrrrrrrr!" He roared running towards something. The others followed him, hoping he had found the princess. "Arrrr. Arrr." He roared stopping at a dead animal carcass. He stared to circle around it as the others approached it.

"I don't get it. It's just a dead animal, Chewie." Han said.

As the Wookie reached out to grab the meat Luke spoke up. "Chewie, wait! Don't!" Luke yelled rushing to Chewbacca. Before Luke could stop Chewie from activating the trap, a net scooped them up.

"Nice work. Great, Chewie! Great. Always thinking with your stomach. " Han said.

"You take it easy. Let's just figure a way to get out of this this. Han, can you reach my lightsaber?--Where's Emily?" Luke questioned Han.

"Yeah. Sure. Haven't seen her. Great now we're searching for two." Solo yelled as he tried to reach the lightsaber.

R2-D2 whistled and opened up one of his compartments. A tiny saw came out as the droid began to saw through the net.

"R2, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. It's a very long drop!" 3PO said.

The group soon fell onto the forest floor. As they managed to sit up they looked around them to see small, fluffy, mammal creatures around them. Luke looked around for Emily, she was nowhere to be found.

"What--" Han said smiling, Luke was also smiling.Han and Luke attempted to get onto their feet when one of the creatures put a sphere in front of them.

"Hey! Point that thing someplace else." Han said moving the spear away from him. The creatures argued then pointed the spear back at them. "Hey!" Han yelled pushing it away once more pulling out his blaster.

Luke grabbed his wrist. "Han, don't. It'll be alright." Luke said still gripping Han's wrist as he handed them his lightsaber. They then took Han's blaster. "Chewie, give them your crossbow." Luke said. The Wookie fought with them for a few minutes then finally let the crossbow go.

"Oh, my head!" 3PO exclaimed as he rose up from the fall. The small creatures began to stare at him in awe. "Oh, my goodness." the golden droid said as they began to bow down and chant at the droid. The others stared in disbelief as 3PO began to speak in Ewokese.

"Do you understand anything they're saying?" Luke asked the droid.

"Oh, yes, Master Luke. Remember that I am fluent in over six million forms--" the golden droid began before Han cut him off.

"What are you telling them?" Han questioned.

"Hello, I think. I could be mistaken. They're using a very primitive dialect. But I do believe they think I am some sort of god." 3PO said looking from the Ewoks to Han.

"Haaaar!" Chewbacca roared to the droid.

"Well why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?" Han said in his usual smuggler smart-mouthed tone.

"I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper." The droid said shaking his head.

"Proper?" Han said almost outraged. Luke held in a laugh and turned his head away.

"It's against my programming to impersonate a deity." 3PO explained. Luke was now fully smiling, Chewbacca also chuckled a bit.

"Why, you---" Han said jumping up to grab 3PO causing Luke to jump up as well. The Ewoks pointed their spheres to defend 3PO. "My mistake. He's an old friend of mine." Han said quickly.

The Ewoks tied Han, Luke, Chewie and R2 to logs while they carried 3PO in a log throne. Once at the Ewok village a signal was sounded. The Ewoks came out of their huts to see what all the commotion was. They sat Luke, R2, and Chewie up against a hut while they placed Han above a small fire pit. C-3PO was say in the middle of it all.

"Hey!" Han exclaimed as he was placed above the fire pit. "I really have a bad feeling about this." Han said shaking his head. Chief Chirpa began speaking to 3PO while holding Luke's lightsaber.

"What did he say?" Han asked.

"I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo but it appears you are to be the main course at a banquet in my honor." 3PO said.

Chewie roared as the Ewoks began placing wood in the pit below Han. Two human females then stepped out of a hut dressed in skins with their hair down.

"Leia! Emily!" Luke said with a sigh of relief.

"Leia!" Han said turning his attention to her. The women attempted to help their friends when Ewoks surrounded them with spheres.

"Your Royal Highness." 3PO exclaimed.

"But these are our friends." Leia said to the Ewoks. "3PO, tell them they must be set free." Leia ordered. The droid began telling the tribe what the princess ordered. The Ewoks continued to place wood in the pit below Han.

"Somehow I got the feeling that didn't help us very much." Han said.

"3PO, tell them if they don't do as you wish, you'll become angry and use your magic." Luke said.

"But, Master Luke, what magic? I couldn't possibly." C-3PO said.

"Just tell them." Luke ordered. The droid turned to the chief and began to tell him Luke's orders. The Ewoks froze and stared at him in disbelief.

They then proceeded to bring a torch to the pit.

"You see, Master Luke? They didn't believe me just as I said they wouldn't." 3PO yelled.

"Wait, wait." Han said as they started to bring the torch closer to him. He tried to blow out the flame but it was no use. Luke closed his eyes and began to focus. Using the Force he picked up 3PO's chair levitating him in the air. The Ewoks let out whoos of fear. They began to move back causing Emily and Leia to go back with them.

"Put me down! Help! Somebody! Somebody, help! Master Luke! R2, R2, quickly! Oh! Oh!" 3PO yelled as he was still levitating. Chief Chirpa ordered the captives to be released immediately. As they were untied Leia ran into Han's arms kissing him. Once Luke sat 3PO back down Emily went to him.

"I thought I lost you." Luke said holding Emily close to him. Emily said nothing at all, she just held him closer.

"I'm sorry I scared you." She whispered sensing his emotions. Luke and Emily were then joined with Han and Leia.

"Thanks, 3PO." Luke said smiling.

"I never knew I had it in me." the droid said.

I decided to finally give more of a visual of EMily, yes I know it's actually Danni Quee but it's how I've always imagined Emily.