Entry 246

I searched the numerous shuttle bays on the ship and finally found an unattended Xi-Class Light Shuttle. I used my slicing skills to override the locks and boarded the ship. The shuttle is mainly a troop/supply ship, but this model has two laser cannons and minimal shields. I would need it because if the First Order figures out that I stole the ship they will shoot me out of the sky. Also, if I can't convince the Resistance I'm a friendly they might also fire on me. Once I leave this docking bay, I am on my own.

Entry 247

I heard chatter on the First Order frequencies that Kylo Ren and General Hux followed the Resistance to a planet called Crait. I guess my shuttle hasn't been reported stolen yet because I can still access the computer and all the First Order communications and outgoing orders. Ren and Hux traveled to the planet in an Upsilon-class command shuttle. In addition, a battle group of All Terrain Megacaliber Six walkers and a superlaser siege cannon was transported down to the planet's surface. The First Order has discovered where the Resistance is hiding and is intent on breaching their defenses.

Entry 248

I wasn't sleeping this time when Luke appeared in my shuttle. I almost jumped out of the pilot's seat when he showed up only feet from where I was sitting.

He looked ragged and anxious. "There you are! I've been searching for you in the Force."

"I figured as much," I replied apologetically. "I had to Force cloak. I used the Force to rescue your sister and I wasn't sure if I was detected by Snoke or your nephew."

Luke frowned deeply. "Is Leia alright?"

I nodded. "I think so. You probably can sense her better than I can."

Luke closed his eyes and I knew he was reaching out with the Force for his sibling. His eyes popped open as he gasped. "She's in trouble."

"Yeah, she's in trouble. The First Order has them trapped on the planet Crait."

"Crait," Luke whispered. "That used to be a Rebel outpost. Long ago it..."

I hated interrupting Luke, but I didn't have time for a history lesson. "Luke, Rey is here…probably with Chewie on the Falcon. Snoke is dead…killed by Kylo Ren. And now your nephew has the Resistance trapped on Crait. I need your help figuring out what to do. The Resistance needs a kriff'n miracle. I know you have some trepidation about tapping into the Cosmic Force, but the Resistance needs you. We literally can use a Luke Skywalker swinging a laser sword and taking on the First Order!"

He stared at me stone faced for a long moment before sighing deeply. "I will try to recon the situation." He abruptly turned and spoke to somebody out of my line of sight. "Yeah, yeah…I'll do it, not try!"

When he returned his attention back to me and I asked, "Who are you talking to?"

He shook his head in frustration. "Yoda. He decided to make an appearance after Rey left the island. He set my sacred tree on fire, burned my ancient Jedi tomes, and whacked me in the face with his glimmer stick."

"Okay," I said slowly. "You can explain that to me later. Get to reconnoitering and see if there's any hope."

He lowered his head and closed his eyes. After a few long moments he looked up to me. "I may be able to stall the First Order's attack. There is a back entrance to the base that the Resistance members might be able to escape through. How many people can your shuttle carry?"

I looked back to the shuttle bay. "It's made for a crew of two and six passengers. I may be able to take fifteen people if they squeeze in tight."

"There is at least twenty-five people still alive on Crait. We'll need a bigger ship."

"Rey and Chewie might still be around." I closed my eyes and reached out for my daughter and was alarmed by what I felt. "Kriff! A couple Tie-Fighters spotted the Millennium Falcon. I'll go help the Falcon. Do whatever you are going to do to stall the attack."

He nodded in acknowledgement and disappeared. I powered up my laser cannons and plotted a course to the Falcon.

Entry 249

This may be my last journal entry. I found the Falcon just in time to destroy a Tie-Fighter bearing down on them. A second First Order ship hit my shuttle with laser fire before Rey, who was manning the Falcon's quad blasters, took him out.

While Rey was still in the gunner's station I talked to Chewie and told him he needed to get to Crait to pick up the surviving Resistance members. The next words that came out of my mouth were a lie, "I'll be alright. I have a couple repairs to my ship, and I will rendezvous with you when you leave Crait."

The truth is I sustained a hit to the hyperdrive that damaged the fuel core. My shuttle can explode at any moment. Because of that, I wanted the Falcon as far away from me as possible. Also, my life support was heavily damaged. I don't know how much longer the oxygen will last. I am taking these last few minutes to finish this journal and transmit it to the Millennium Falcon. I also asked Chewie to keep the communication line open and record what I say. I wanted to transmit a message to my daughter. I asked him to record only; do not live view the feed. It was a private message to my daughter for her to see after she's safe.

That was a partial lie. It was a message for my daughter, but I didn't have privacy concerns when it came to Chewie. I just worried that if she discovered my shuttle was doomed, she would come back and risk death. I can't have that. She is my daughter. She's a part of me and Luke—born out of love. I can't risk losing her. I only wish Luke and I could have raised her together. But she is alive…that is most important thing. I can only hope she will read this journal and realize how much her parents loved each other and the sacrifices that were made for her safety.

Rey, if you are reading this, I hope you don't hate me for my deception. I can understand if you do, but don't blame your father. He had no idea. He holds no blame. He would have made a wonderful father if I let him. I'm sorry things turned out the way they did. I love you very much and I know your father loves you.

Goodbye.

Close Journal: 34.2 ABY

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34.3 ABY

Continuation of Journal by Rey Jade Skywalker

Entry 250

Chewie gave me my mother's journal to read last week. It took me five long days to get through it. At times I laughed and other times I cried. I find it ironic that all that time I was on Jakku wondering about the identity of my parents…my mother was with me, albeit not all the time, but enough to forge me into the person I have become today.

My mother transmitted the journal to the Falcon but kept the transmission line open for video and audio. Chewie kept his word and didn't show me the holovid until after we made our escape from Crait with the surviving members of the Resistance.

Leia watched it with me. She wasn't surprised to find out I was Luke's daughter. She said she suspected…I felt like him through the Force. She then hugged me and said she was glad she had a niece. She had experienced so much loss; it was nice to gain a family member. It slightly cushioned the blow of losing her husband and brother.

Which brings me to the video recorded after my mother transmitted the journal. I will try to write out what happened, but I doubt I have my mother's writing skills to do it justice.

...

Holovid Footage from the Xi-Class Light Shuttle piloted by Mara Jade, aka Colonel Litassa Colay.

[Mara Jade looks up to the camera and gives what looks like a forced smile]

"Hello Rey. I hope you get this message. I suspect you will view this holovid before reading my 400 page journal, so I will give you a synopsis of what you will find in the diary."

[She paused and took a deep breath]

"I am your mother, your biological mother, and Luke Skywalker is your father. I was telling you the truth when we were on Snoke's ship. You were hidden on Jakku to keep Supreme Leader Snoke from finding you. Luke didn't know about you. He was told of your existence only days before you found him on the island of Ahch-To. He kept your parentage a secret because he was afraid that you would do something stupid like face Snoke alone if you discovered you were a Skywalker. He didn't want to lose you, so he actively discouraged you from becoming a Jedi. He was right in his belief…because you ended up in Snoke's throne room. I don't know how that came about, but I'm glad you and your cousin Ben were able to defeat the Supreme Leader. Maybe there is some good left in Ben Solo. I hope you are right about that.

"I lied to Chewie when I told him I'd rendezvous with the Falcon. I sustained heavy damage. My life support is slowly failing, but most importantly, one of the fuel rods were ruptured and this shuttle can explode at any second. I tried to use the escape pod, but that is damaged also. I didn't want to endanger the Falcon in an attempt to save me. I didn't…."

[Mara stops talking and looks behind her to the rear of the shuttle]

"Luke?"

[My mother stood up and I can see my father inside the ship. Leia told me that Luke had projected his image across the galaxy to trick Ben into fighting him. It was a tactic to stall the First Order and give Chewie time to get to the planet. I assume my father projected his image into Mara's shuttle, but I am not sure. He seemed very solid in the video, especially when my mother ran to him and almost crushed him in a fierce hug]

"Luke, did you succeed? Is the Resistance safe? Is Rey safe?"

[My father looked exhausted. He was breathing hard and had trouble talking]

"I stalled them long enough to escape."

[He coughed and pulled in a harsh breath]

"I had to tap into the cosmic Force. I think I'm dying."

[My mother shook her head adamantly]

"Oh no, no, no. You can't die on me, Farmboy! You have to take care of your daughter."

[He leaned into my mother's arms]

"Sorry, I'll have to leave that to you."

[I couldn't see my mom's face, but I knew she was crying]

"Oh gods. Luke, my ship is severely damaged. I suspect it will go up in a ball of flames any minute now. I won't be around for Rey."

[Luke coughed as he hugged my mother]

"I guess we'll die together."

[She pulled back far enough to look into his eyes]

"Do you remember the sea spray that hit me when you communicated with me through the Force? We talked about the possibilities. I want to be with you. The real you. Now, before it is too late."

[He shook his head]

"That could kill us both."

[My mother laughed]

"We're both dying anyway. I'm getting low on oxygen. It is getting harder to breath. In ten minutes, I'll be dead. You can do this. Tap into the Cosmic Force one last time and bring us together. You can do it."

[My father nodded and lowered himself to the deck and moved into a cross-legged meditation position. My mother did the same, facing him. He held his arms out to her and they clasped hands. A sad smile crossed his bearded face before he said his last words]

"Where would you like to go?"

[I couldn't see my mother's face, but I could tell by her voice she was smiling]

"Anywhere with you would be wonderful."

[It was then that they both disappeared. All that was left on the deck of the ship was my mother's clothing]

End Holovid Recording

...

We believe the ship exploded soon after my mother's disappearance. My Aunt Leia explained to me that a Jedi will disappear when they die and become one with the Force, leaving behind only the clothing they wore. She believes my parents are dead.

I am not so sure. My mother was not on death's door when she faded into oblivion. I wasn't certain what she was talking about when she mentioned the sea spray, but she might be referring to teleportation. Could my father have folded space and brought himself and my mother to some other location?

I believe it is possible.

I have been reading the ancient Jedi tomes that I stole from the first Jedi Temple. What caught my eye was the term skywalker. In the old texts, it wasn't a surname, but a title. Over ten millennia ago, prior to the establishment of hyperspace lanes, intra-galactic travel was only possible with the use of a skywalker navigator—a Force sensitive that can use their prescience skills to avoid dangers. What really got my attention was a puzzling paragraph that claimed the most powerful skywalkers could move through space without a starship. I interpreted that as teleportation. It has to be teleportation because I doubt the author was suggesting skywalker navigators moved across the galaxy in a hovertrain.

There is just one problem with my teleportation theory. Why were my mother's clothes left behind?

I asked Chewie that question, and he laughed and answered jokingly, 'Maybe where they were going, they didn't need clothing.'

I didn't understand exactly what he meant until I read the journal. I can't believe the Luke Skywalker I met on Ahch-To could be so…amorous in his youth. I am extremely glad my mother didn't go into any provocative details in her journal. Still, there were times I read her words with a hot blush on my face.

My parents loved each other. I want to believe they teleported themselves to some clothing-optional tropical island where they are happily living out their remaining days. They sacrificed so much for this galaxy. They deserve to be together.

I wanted to become a Jedi, but now I am unsure. I have read that my mother was against the Jedi continuing. My father also voiced that opinion on the island. He talked about the hubris of the Jedi and bemoaned the fact that they were deified by the public.

He was right about the deification of the Jedi Order. The tales of the Jedi that I heard in my youth described them as almost godlike. I am embarrassed to admit, but I was deeply disappointed when I found the legendary Luke Skywalker. I saw him as a broken man wallowing in remorse and defeat and unwilling to help the Resistance. After reading my mother's journal I have a better understanding of my father and I deeply regret the fight I had with him prior to departing the island.

He was protecting a powerful Force nexus. He wanted to be with my mother and she with him, but they put their desires aside to do what was best for the people of this galaxy. The Resistance lives because of the actions of my parents.

I often wonder if my father actually wanted the Jedi to end. Perhaps he simply wanted to destroy the misconception that the Jedi were omnipotent protectors of the galaxy. One Jedi cannot take on the First Order, neither can a thousand. The belief that they can might make people complacent with their lot in life. They expect somebody to come save them, when they actually need to save themselves.

The martyrdom of Luke Skywalker, the last known Jedi Knight, has sparked outrage among the populace of the galaxy…and action. People are rising up in open rebellion on a few worlds. General Leia is hoping to regroup and rebuild the Resistance by recruiting these disheartened and disaffected citizens of the galaxy. After I told her about the background of the Skywalker name, she, in true political fashion, has found a way to use the Skywalker name to not only whip up the public's outrage into an almost religious fervor, but she is using it as a recruiting tool by calling her resistance members 'skywalkers'.

"Skywalkers of long ago safely led travelers though an unexplored and perilous galaxy," Leia once told me before going off to recruit more resistance members. "They connected isolated planets, brought people together and helped form the Old Republic. My skywalkers will do the same. They will inspire people to rise up and break the shackles of oppression and servitude thrust upon them by the First Order."

I am amazed at how my Aunt Leia can make any casual conversation sound like an inspirational quote that should be blazoned across political propaganda posters.

I didn't know my father long enough to determine if he would approve of his sister's use of the Skywalker name. From what I read, my father was a shy and unpretentious man, but he was willing to do anything to support his sister, the Rebellion and later the Resistance. For this reason I believe he would sanction his sister's repurposing of the Skywalker name...even if it is a shrewd and opportunistic political ploy to recruit Resistance members.

I want to believe my parents have survived, but even if they have passed on to the flow of the Force...I truly hope they are able to witness the rise of skywalkers.

I can't think of a better way to honor the Skywalker legacy.

End Journal 34.3 ABY

~Fin~

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Author Notes:

And that is the end of my story. I know the last chapter is a bit ambiguous when it comes to the fate of Luke and Mara. I thought telling the reader they ended up teleporting themselves into bed where they make love all night would be seen as a Deus ex Machina trope.

I figure if the reader wants to believe Luke and Mara died together and are now together within the flow of the Force...that is okay. If you want to believe they transported themselves to a nice place so they can live out there lives...or at least recuperate until they return...then that is fine also.

Just don't contemplate the dangers of untried teleportation. We don't want to have a problem like in the movie "The Fly". Ugh.

I hope you enjoyed this very long story. For my readers that stuck by me the last 3.5 years...thank you. It is much appreciated.