Back in the clearing, Han and Chewie both sat leaning their backs against a tree. Upon regrouping with the others, Han had been bombarded with questions. Most of these had to do with the whereabouts of Jon, Luke and Leia. Han relayed the story of accidentally alerting the Scout Troopers, the resulting skirmish as how Jon, Luke and Leia had all taken off on a speeder bike in pursuit of more Scout Troopers.
Kes Dameron had told Han not to worry. Jon, Luke and Leia were sure to be fine. Han wanted to believe him, but he still worried. If something were to happen to any of those three-the boy who was his son, the man who was one of his best friends, and the woman who was the love of his life-Han would never be able to forgive himself. Han slumped forward with a sigh, resting his chin in his hand. R2-D2 whistles and beeped from behind him.
"Oh, General Solo, two people are coming!" 3-PO announced. That spurred Han into action. Brandishing his blaster, he stood, spun around and crouched behind the tree. Other members of the strike team did the same.
"Oh!" 3-PO gasped. Luke and Jon came rushing into the clearing at that moment.
"Luke!" Han called, running out to meet him. And that's when he also noticed Jon. "Oh, hello, son."
"Hi, Dad," Jon mumbled.
"What happened to you?" asked Han. "Where did all these bruises come from? And is anything broken?"
"I jumped from a speeder bike," said Jon. "But I didn't break any bones, honest."
"Oh, Gods, Jon!" Han hollered. "What made you jump from a speeder bike?! And why did you even go with Luke and Leia in the first place?! Was it so you could prove how brave you were?! Because being brave doesn't mean you looking for trouble. Besides, what difference would have made if you'd died?!"
"Why are you mad at just me, and not Luke as well?" asked Jon. "And I'm ok, Dad. Trust me."
"I'm not mad at you, Jon," said Han.
"Well, you're sure acting that way!" Jon countered.
"Hey, I'm just glad you're ok," said Han. "Because I was worried about all of you. Now, come here, Jon." He hugged his son.
Luke felt very strange. He could remember having many similar conversations with his Uncle Owen while growing up back on Tattooine. And once again, he wondered what Vader-or perhaps as Luke should now start thinking of him as-Anakin Skywalker, would have been like as a father. Han wasn't perfect, but he worked really hard to raise Jon the right way, much like Owen and Beru had done for Luke himself. Han stopped hugging Jon, looking over his and Luke's shoulders.
"Where's Leia?" he asked.
"What, she didn't come back?" Luke asked, looking behind him.
"Yeah, I really hoped she'd be here by now," said Jon.
"I thought she was with you two," said Han.
"We got separated!" Luke explained.
"And also, Dad, Mom is the reason I jumped from the speeder bike," Jon added. "It was her idea. She told me to, so I could get help."
"We'd better go look for her," Luke suggested.
"Good idea, Luke," said Jon.
"Take the squad ahead," Han told Kes. "We'll meet at the shield generator at 0300." Kes nodded, then headed off with the rest of the strike team.
"Come on, R2," Luke said, beginning to walk away in the opposite direction. "We'll need your scanners." Jon, Han and Chewie walked behind Luke. R2 and 3-PO took up the rear. R2 cheerfully beeped and whistled.
"Don't worry, master Luke!" said 3-PO. "We know what to do! And you said it was pretty here!" he condescendingly added to R2. "Ugh!"
"Where should we start looking?" asked Jon.
"By trying to find the wreckage of the speeder bikes," Luke replied. "That would off us our best lead. And we should all split up, too. I'll go this way, taking R2 and 3-PO with me. Han, Jon and Chewie, you three go that way."
"Hey, I'm the General around here," said Han. "I should be the one to give orders."
"Han, looking for Leia was my idea," said Luke. "I really wanna find her."
"And I do, too," said Han. "Ok, we'll split up. Jon, Chewie, like Luke said, you two are with me." Jon followed behind his father and the Wookiee.
"Hey, Dad," Jon began. "I'm sorry about what happened earlier."
"I am, too," said Han. "I also wanna apologize for yelling at you; both when you and Luke returned, and back at the shuttle. Your mother wouldn't want us to fight."
"Even though we just can't help it sometimes," Jon pointed out. "Um, but in those times where you do get mad at me and we do fight, do you ever feel like I disappointed you or screwed up?"
"Where'd you get an idea like that, Jon?" asked Han.
"Just answer the question, Dad," Jon said quietly.
"Raising you has never been easy," Han replied. "I'm talking about both when it was just you, me and Chewie, and after Luke and Leia came around. You've done things that I've found...questionable."
"Like joining Mom and Luke on that speeder bike chase?" asked Jon.
"Well, yeah, that..for example," answered Han. "Sure, I worry about you. But I've never been disappointed in you. Truth is, I often wonder if I've ever disappointed you or let you down."
"Is this about when you frozen in Carbonite, Dad?" asked Jon. "Or, when you hit me? I mean, in the past year, there were so many times I was scared I'd never see you again. Not to mention, how I thought you'd died."
"Well, there's been a lot I've missed," said Han. "You've grown up so much-mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. It's something I'm trying to get used. But it doesn't mean I love you any less, or that I'm disappointed in you. Really, I couldn't be more proud of you, and the man you're becoming."
"And what kind of man is that?" asked Jon. "It's something I'm trying to figure out for myself."
"You'll be a good man," said Han. "A great man, even. Well, probably much better than me, anyway. Because you're already a really great kid."
"But I don't even know what I wanna do with my life," said Jon.
"If I remember correctly, you told me something very similar last year, when you were thirteen," said Han. "Now, I'm gonna repeat what I told you back then. There's still time for you to figure all that stuff out. But just know that whatever path your life takes, Jon, I will always be very proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad," said Jon. "And I really hope to make you proud. Hey! Look over there!" He pointed to a spot several feet away. Something was lying on the ground. Jon started running towards it.
"Wait for me, Jon!" Han called, rushing after his son. The object Jon had spotted turned out to be the wreckage of a speeder bike. The boy's heart sped up as he looked at it.
"Well, there's one bike," he managed to say. "More have gotta be around here somewhere."
"Does this look like the bike you were on, Jon?" asked Han.
"How am I supposed to know, Dad?" Jon questioned in reply. "All speeder bikes look the same to me."
"Luke!" Han called out. "Luke!" Luke came to join Han, Jon and Chewie. R2 and 3-PO also showed up. The three of them surveyed the damage Han and Jon had to show them.
"There's two more wrecked speeders back there," Luke reported. "And I found this." He tossed something to Han. It was Leia's helmet. Jon gasped. His mind started racing with possible ideas of what could have happened to her. He glanced over at Han. who looked very worried. That's when R2 beeped.
"I'm afraid that R2's sensors can find no trace of Princess Leia," 3-PO translated grimly.
Oh, thanks, you two, Jon thought darkly to himself. That makes me feel so much better.
"I hope she's all right," Han said, his words sounding thick and heavy with emotion.
"Yeah, me, too, Dad," Jon agreed. His own voice trembled with fear. He tried to keep himself from thinking he might never see Leia again, effectively loosing two mothers within the span of fourteen years.
*I smell something!* Chewie roared.
"Well, I don't," said Jon. "Then again, Wookiees are known for having much stronger senses of smell than humans do."
"What, Chewie?" asked Han.
*I said I smelled something!* said Chewie. *Follow me!* He began walking away.
"What, Chewie?" Han repeated, following him. Jon. Luke, R2 and 3-PO did the same.
*Here it is!* Chewie exclaimed. He had led the others to a tree from which an animals carcass was hanging.
"Hey, I don't get it," said Han. "It's just a dead animal, Chewie." Chewie moved in to grab the carcass. Luke, sensing what was about to happen, attempted to stop the Wookiee.
"Chewie, wait! Wait! Don't!" he warned. But it was too late. Chewie pulled on the dead animal. A net sprang up from the ground, ensnaring two fully-grown adult human males, a fourteen-year-old human boy, a Wookiee and two droids.
"AAH!" they all screamed as they lifted off forest floor.
"IT'S A TRAP!" Jon added.
"Nice work," Han huffed.
*I'm sorry, Cub!* Chewie cried. *But I was hungry! And that creature smelled so good!*
"Great, Chewie, Great," Han further grumbled. "Always thinking with your stomach. And Jon, WOULD YOU PLEASE GET YOUR HANDS OUTTA MY FACE?!"
"Oh, that's your face, Dad?" Jon asked with feigned innocence. "I thought it was a deer's ass!"
"Hey, watch it, son!" Han reprimanded.
"Will you three take it easy?!" asked Luke. "Let's just figure out a way to get outta this thing! Han can you reach my lightsaber?!"
"Yeah, sure!" said Han. He wriggled over to Luke, trying to find his lightsaber. This movement made the net spin even more, and Jon fought to keep himself from getting dizzy. Han was possibly about to use Luke's green lightsaber. Last year, back on Hoth, Han had handled Luke's old blue lightsaber in order to slice open the body of a dead Taun-Taun. Then he'd stuffed Luke inside it to keep him warm. Jon hadn't been there to see any of those things happen. But Han had told him about them after he and Luke were rescued and returned to Echo Base. At the time, Jon had had a hard time believing it. Now, though, he might actually get to see his father wield a lightsaber. Off to the side, Jon heard a slight whirring sound. Though he couldn't really see, R2 had extended a small saw-like appendage from his body, using it to cut through the net.
"R2, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," 3-PO warned. "It's a very long DRRROOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" This last word was turned into a scream, because the net broke at that moment, and they all went tumbling to the ground.
"Is everyone all right?" asked Luke.
"Yeah, I'm ok," said Han.
*So am I,* added Chewie.
"And you, Jon?" asked Luke.
"OWWW!!!" Jon moaned. He sat up weakly, clutching his left side. "Dad...I-I think I broke a rib!" The pain he was feeling was so intense that tears formed in his eyes, blurring his vision. He tried to blink them away furiously, but they just kept coming.
"You did?" asked Han. "Well, let me take a look at it."
"This is where it hurts," Jon said, still holding his left side. But he let go to allow Han to examine him. The father ran his hands over his son, who sucked in a breath and gritted his teeth.
"Well, you definitely broke a rib, son," Han diagnosed. This was not a good situation. They were miles away from Shuttle Tyderium. Lando had the Falcon. And Han silently cursed himself for forgetting to bring a med-pack.
"Dad, it hurts!" Jon whimpered. "It hurts when you touch it! It hurts when I touch it! It hurts when I move! And it hurts when I breathe! I want to be free of this pain!"
"Try not to move around too much," said Han offering up the best advice he could give at this very moment. "Because he you keep squirming, that will only make things worse. Like, you could puncture a lung, for example."
"Could I die because of that?" asked Jon.
"Possibly," Han replied, fighting off a rising tide of fear. "Which is why we don't want that to happen. But you're gonna be ok. I promise."
The strangest thing happened just then. There was a rustle through the grass. A group of small furry creatures appeared, surrounding Jon, Han, Luke, Chewie and R2. 3-PO still lay on the ground. Jon had never seen anything like the newcomers before. And neither had the others, judging from their expressions. These were Ewoks, creatures native to Endor.
"Ah!" exclaimed one with black and white striped fur. His name was Teebo, and he wore odd adornments on his head and neck. More Ewoks closed in on Jon and the others. They spoke in a strange language. R2 beeped in fear, a rare emotion from him. Han and Luke looked around in amused confusion. Han chuckled. Despite the pain of his broken rib, Jon had to laugh, too.
*The little fellas look like tiny versions of Wookiees,* Chewie noted.
"That's just what I was thinking, Uncle Chewie," said Jon. "I'm also reminded of some of the stuffed toys I had when I was really little. Except...none of my toys had spears." Several of the Ewoks carried weapons.
"What--" Han breathed. He and Luke started to sit up a bit more. That's when Teebo thrust his spear at Han's face.
"And I really don't ever remember any of my toys coming to life threatening my dad with a spear," Jon added.
"Hey! Point that thing someplace else!" Han huffed. He batted Teebo's spear away from his face. Teebo began conversing-or arguing-Jon was't sure which, with another Ewok. This one had brown fur, and wore a grey hood with feathers in it. Then Teebo pointed his spear at Han again.
"Hey!" Han grunted. He grabbed the spear with one hand, holding his blaster up with the other.
"Han, don't," Luke said, doing his best to keep the situation from too far out of hand. "It'll be all right." Teebo had wrenched his spear away from Han. "Chewie, give them your crossbow," Luke suggested.
*Ok!* Chewie roared as he reluctantly handed his bowcaster to some Ewoks.
"Is this your idea of a peace offering, Luke?" asked Jon.
"Yes, Jon, it is," said Luke.
"And what makes you so sure it's all gonna be ok?" asked Jon. He never got an answer from Luke. But 3-PO finally sat up just then.
"Oh, my head!" he groaned. All the Ewoks gasped, whispered and muttering to each other. "Oh, my goodness!" Two Ewoks said something to each other. Then they all began bowing to 3-PO and chanting. Jon, Han and Luke all got those bewildered expressions on their faces. What was going on? Just when Jon thought he'd seen enough weirdness for one day, 3-PO surprised them all. He began to talk to Teebo and the some of the other Ewoks-in their own language. Teebo and another Ewok had a short conversation with each other.
"Do you understand anything they're saying?" asked Luke, taking the question right out of Jon's mouth.
"Oh, yes, master Luke," 3-PO replied. "Remember that I am fluent in over six million forms of..."
"What are you telling them?" Han butted in to ask.
"Hello, I think," said 3-PO. "I could be mistaken, they're using a very primitive dialect. But I do believe the think I am some sort of god!" Chewie barked out a laugh. R2 beeped in a way that could be interpreted as laughter. Luke tried to hold in his own laughter. Jon actually laughed, until his rib started hurting.
"Well, why don't you use your divine influence, and get us outta this?" Han asked impatiently.
"I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper," said 3-PO.
"Proper?!" Han repeated questioningly.
"It's against my programing to impersonate a deity," 3-PO explained. This prompted Luke to continue his quiet snickering.
Who would program 3-PO like that? Jon thought to himself. It was here where Jon realized that he had never really ever given much thought as to what 3-PO and R2's lives might have been like before he'd met them.
"Why you!" Han threatened. He rushed forward to try and attack 3-PO. After four years, it seemed as if Han had finally snapped. He really was going to rip 3-PO apart with his bare hands. But then the Ewoks swooped in to protect their golden god. Chewie and Luke stood up, the latter helping Jon get to his feet. Jon groaned with the effort, clutching his side tighter than ever. One particular Ewok got especially hostile with Han.
"My mistake," Han apologized. He gestured towards 3-PO. "He's an old friend of mine." In response, one of the Ewoks whooped out a war chant.
End of Chapter 16.
Author's Notes:
1.) Jon is obviously going to miss Admiral Ackbar's iconic declaration of "IT'S A TRAP!" But since that is one of the most (in)famous lines in, not just Return of the Jedi, but the whole Star Wars franchise, I had to put it in here somewhere. And what better way to do so than have Jon say it himself?
2.) Jon saying "I thought it was a deer's ass!" was based on a clip in a blooper reel for the Original Trilogy. It happened during the filming of the net scene in ROTJ. And you wanna know who said it? Harrison Ford!
3.) I have never broken a rib. In fact, it was something I'd never even written about until I decided to have it happen to Jon. Furthermore, Jon proclaiming "I want to be free of this pain!" is indeed a reference to *THAT* scene in The Force Awakens. Of course, here in ROTJ, it's kinda funny. But in TFA, no one will be laughing when Kylo Ren says it.
4.) Han said "Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble" as an homage to The Lion King.