IN THE HANDS OF THE FORCE
(Part 17)
by Darth Pipes and ami-padme
[email protected], [email protected]

Luke waited as the turbolift took him to the top of the Death Star.  He had one hand on his head and his other hand clutched his lightsaber.  He had just regained consciousness only a few moments ago.  The Force told him that the battle had resumed above him.  Luke didn't know how that was possible since he believed the throne room was the highest level.  But he trusted the Force and allowed it to guide him.

He could not sense father or the Emperor.  But he knew something had happened.  Something that would change the galaxy forever.  Luke didn't know what he would find.  But he would have to be ready for it.  Whether he liked the result or not.

His thoughts drifted back to his father.  He had managed to save both of them from the darkness.  Surely he must have defeated the Emperor.  But what if he didn't?  What would Luke have to then?  The prospect of losing his father…

Luke shook his head.  He had to focus and be prepared for whatever happened.  No matter what.

The lift stopped at its destination.  Luke ignited his lightsaber and prepared to charge out the doors as soon as they opened.  What he saw stopped him before he even moved.

The doors opened, revealing an endless stream of stars.  For a moment, Luke thought the doors had opened into space itself.  However, he quickly realized that he could still breathe, meaning there was a sustainable atmosphere.  It appeared as if force fields kept him from floating into space.  He looked down to find that there was indeed a floor there.

He took a tentative step forward and entered the room.  He almost felt as if he were among the stars.  They were all around him.  Upon inspection, he quickly was able to assess the situation.

Palpatine wasn't there.  Luke couldn't sense him but he knew that the Emperor was powerful enough to conceal himself from even the most powerful Jedi.  Luke resumed his search and quickly found the person he had been looking for.

"Father."

Anakin lay on the floor.  He was unconscious and his body showed no signs of movement.  Not even breath.  Luke raced over to his fallen body and knelt down.  He placed his hand over his father's head and reached out with the Force.  He sensed nothing.

The color drained from Luke's face.  A terrible realization dawned on him.  Could his father be dead?

A vision flashed through Luke's mind.

Suddenly, the landscape around him changed.  He was still on the Death Star but the stars no longer surrounded him.  Instead, he was in one of the hanger bays.  Frantic Imperials were running towards nearby ships.  They were desperate to get off of the crippled space station.

Luke looked down at the body before him.  His father was there…or what was left of him.  He was still dressed in the armor of Darth Vader and he turned his concealed head towards Luke.  He begged his son to help him take his mask off.  After a few moments of trepidation, Luke helped his father take off the mask.

The mask was removed and the face of Anakin Skywalker emerged.  Or what was left of it.  It was pale white and his skull was devoid on any hair.  Deep scars lined his face all the way to the back of his head.  It bore almost no resemblance to the Jedi Knight that he once was.

A sad smile from a barely formed across his father's lips.  His face was that of a man filled with endless regret.  He was a man who didn't have much of a future ahead of him.  He said something to him in a low, tortured voice.

"It is to late for me, my son."

"NO!" Luke screamed.  The vision quickly disappeared and the stars surrounded him once again.  He looked down at his father once more.  His father still did not move but he was no longer disfigured or dressed in that terrible armor.

What Luke saw wasn't real.  Perhaps it was reality in another timeline but not here.  Anakin Skywalker would survive in this era.  He would continue to prosper and all the Skywalkers would be together.

I will not allow you to die, father!

Luke placed his hands on Anakin's chest.  He again reached out with the Force.  He called for it to provide him with the power he needed to save his father.  He would give Anakin the strength he needed to survive, as he had before.  Father would not die…he could not die.

Luke focused as hard as he could.  He used the Force to penetrate his father's body and provide him with the power he needed.  Father's body still did not move but Luke could sense something.  A flicker of life that still remained inside him.  It was very dim but it was there and Luke could now feel it.

It's working!

Luke continued to call upon the full power of the Force.  He body began to glow brightly as he became more and more powerful.  He channeled that power into his father as he tried to give him the strength he needed to survive.  There was still a flicker of life within his father.  There was indeed light that still remained in Anakin, and together he fought along with his son to try to stay alive.

As Luke used more and more on his power, he could feel the pressure in his head begin to build.  Using this much power was taking a lot out of him.  A terrible pain started to erupt in his mind, threatening to overtake him.  Luke closed his eyes and concentrated more deeply.  He could not allow this to stop him.  He must not give into the pain, no matter what the cost.

Luke tried his hardest to keep his focus on his father.  He knew that his father could pull through.  He only needed a little more time.  He called on more of the Force to help him but he could do no more.  The pain inside his head exploded and Luke cried out.  His hands slipped from Anakin's chest as his entire body jerked backwards.  He hit the ground hard and was rendered unconscious.

He remained this way for several minutes began regaining consciousness.  His head still throbbed in pain but that was of no concern.  He crawled over to his father's body and again placed his hand on his head.  He hoped that he had been successful and that his father had pulled through.

Once again, he sensed absolutely nothing.  The flicker of life that had been inside his father earlier had disappeared.  Anakin Skywalker was gone.

"No…" Luke said, his voice barely a whisper.  This wasn't supposed to happen.  He had given his father all that he possibly could to try to save him.  He was sure that he would pull through.  But it was not to be.

Luke reflected sadly on all that had happened.  In one way or another, he had searched for his father his entire life.  Growing up, he was told that his father had died before he was even born.  It seemed impossible for Luke to ever see him but for some reason, he had never given up hope.  As hopeless as it had seemed, he had never given up searching for his father.

He had been so fortunate when his father had returned from him.  Free from the chains of the dark side of the Force, father and son were finally brought together.  Luke had valued every day spent with him, hoping it would last for an eternity.  But now that was not to be.  His father was finally gone.

The thought was too much for Luke to bear and he finally broke down.  He let out an anguished cry and his eyes welled up with tears.  They then began to roll down his face.  Luke buried his head in his hands, trying desperately to escape the pain and sadness.  This smothered all the tears except one.  This single tear rolled off on his face and landed on Anakin's cheek.

As Luke sunk deeper into despair; a low groan could be heard, shattering the silence.

Luke's face slowly began to emerge from his hands.  He had heard that groan and it had not come from him.  He turned once more to his father.  Anakin's body was still motionless but Luke could feel a stirring in the Force.

Anakin was alive!

Luke raced over to his father.  He leaned down close to his face.

"Father…can you hear me?"

Silence reigned for only a few moments before Anakin's mouth opened.  No words came forth but Luke could hear the breath leave his body.

Slowly, his father's body began to move.  His breathing accelerated.  Soon, he was shaking his head back and forth.  Luke reached down and placed his hand behind his head.  He lifted it off the ground gently, hoping this would bring him back to consciousness.

"Father?"

Anakin's eyes opened.  He saw Luke's face in front of him and smiled.  It was not the sad, regretful smile he had seen in his vision.  Instead, it was a smile of pure joy.

"Luke."

Luke cried out in joy and he quickly helped his father to his feet.  He reached over and grabbed his father in a strong hug.  Anakin could barely stand up and nearly collapsed once more.  Still, he recovered and returned his son's embrace.

"I thought you were gone," Luke said, his voice still choked with emotion.

"I very nearly was," Anakin said.

The two men finally broke the embrace.  Luke was still filled with joy but the smile on his face suddenly disappeared.  He looked at his father with concern in his eyes.

"What about Palpatine?" Luke asked.  "Is he…"

"Dead," Anakin finished.  He nodded his head.  "Palpatine has been destroyed.  His darkness was no match for the light of the Force."

"So the prophecy has come true."

"It has indeed, my son," Anakin said.  "Balance has been restored to the Force."

Anakin felt odd speaking those words.  A times he wondered if he would ever say them.  As he reached out with the Force he could sense a kind of total clarity with it.  One the likes of which he had never felt before.  There was no longer the stain of the dark side hanging over the Force, disrupting the balance.  It was in perfect unison for the first time more than two thousand years.  The prophecy had indeed come true.

Luke realized this as well.  He could sense the Force around him more strongly than at any point in the past.  The quest that both men had set to conquer was finally over.

"Father…I'm sorry I couldn't have helped you out more with the battle."

"Helped me out?" Anakin said, looking at Luke incredulously.  "Luke, if it hadn't been for you this victory would not have been possible.  It was your light and your determination that saved me from Palpatine's darkness.  I would never had been able to destroy him without you.  You saved me again just a few moments ago."

Anakin walked over to his son and place his hands on Luke's shoulders.

"All of you have made this victory possible today.  You, your mother, and your sister…you refused to accept the darkness that guided me for so many years.  Because of your strength and because of your unwavering faith in me, I was able to let go of the dark side.  My family has been my saviors and for that, I am forever grateful."

Luke smiled, truly touched by what Anakin words.

"But I thought it wasn't supposed to be my destiny to help you win this battle, father," Luke said.  "You told me so.  Obi-Wan and Yoda agreed with you.  How could you all have been wrong?"

Anakin looked at Luke curiously.  He seemed to consider the question for a long time.  Finally, he just shrugged his shoulders and grinned at Luke.

"Well, Jedi Masters have been known to make mistakes," Anakin admitted.  "From time to time."

Luke grinned in response.  Soon, those grins turned into laughter.  If they knew for sure that there was one truth in the universe, it certainly was what his father had just told him

Just then, a powerful blast rocked the Death Star.  Luke and Anakin staggered across the floor, just barely managing to stay on their feet.  The force fields around them flickered for just a moment.  They looked into space and saw the Rebel fleet descending on the Death Star.  They were beginning their final attack.

"I think we should have this father and son moment another time," Anakin said.

"Good idea," Luke said.

They raced to the turbolifts.  The doors closed just as another powerful blast shook the Death Star, disabling the force fields that sustained life on the level.  It was time for them to leave the Death Star forever.


"Can you sense them?" Amidala asked.  She stood at the bottom of the shuttlecraft's ramp, blaster in hand.

"No," Leia said quietly.  She stood at her mother's side, lightsaber in hand.  "That doesn't mean that they're still not out there, mother."

Amidala nodded quietly.  She turned her attention back to the doors that led into the hanger deck.  She stood one hundred yards away from them.  She had spent the last half an hour watching them, hoping that Anakin and Luke would emerge from them.  When it finally did open, Amidala and Leia were greeted by several stormtroopers desperately trying to capture their shuttle.  The two women made short work of them, and afterwards, they continued to wait for Anakin and Luke.

Leia had lost contact with both Luke shortly after he went to save Anakin.  This worried Amidala greatly.  She knew at least that Anakin would have tried to send some kind of signal.  Something that would have reassured her that he and Luke were all right.  But she hadn't heard anything from either of them and all she could do was stand around and wait.

She wondered if the two of them had been able to defeat Palpatine.  She had great faith in both Anakin and Luke and their abilities.  But she also knew about the Emperor.  She knew how powerful and crafty he was.  She had seen his deceptions first hand.  She had fallen victim to many of them as well.  The galaxy could never truly be free without his destruction.  Hopefully, together, Anakin and Luke had proven to be his downfall.

There was also the matter of the Death Star.  The battle station had rocked violently several times in the past few minutes.  Debris was everywhere on the hanger deck.  Amidala knew that the Rebels were beginning their final assault.  It was only a matter of time before this dreadful space station was destroyed.  They were all running out of time.

As if sensing her concern, Leia placed a hand on her mother's shoulder.

"They'll be all right, Mother," Leia said, her voice reassuring.  She attempted a smile.  "Those two just like to make everything difficult."

Amidala turned her head to face her daughter and smiled.  She took Leia's hand in her own and squeezed it gently.

"I know, sweetheart," Amidala said.  "I'll just feel a lot better when I actually can see them."

"So will I," Leia said, finally managing to complete her smile.

The Death Star rocked violently, nearly knocking the two of their feet.  More debris began to fall.  They stayed under the shuttle to avoid being hit by it.  Amidala turned around to face Leia.

"Do you know if they've hit the power core yet?"

"Not yet," Leia said.  "But I can sense that Han is very close to doing so."

Amidala was about to respond when suddenly she sensed something.  Something was happening.  Her head snapped up and she looked at Leia.  She could see that her daughter to sensed the same thing.  It was them!

The two women looked turned back to face the hanger bay doors.  They opened and Anakin and Luke entered them.  The two Jedi ran furiously towards them, dodging the debris that was still coming down.  Amidala and Leia ran towards them and they all met halfway.

They all embraced one another with happiness beyond words.  They were all together again once more.  Luke and Leia quickly departed to go to the shuttlecraft, leaving Amidala alone with Anakin.

Seeing that her husband was all right, Amidala reached out and hugged Anakin tightly.  Anakin did the same, practically lifting her off the ground.  When the embrace was finally broke, Amidala looked up at Anakin, teary-eyed.  She put her hand on Anakin's cheek and smiled.

"Are you an angel?" she asked, not knowing what else to say.

Anakin laughed.

"No, Padme," he answered, and Amidala smiled at the use of her birth name.  It was the first name he had known her by.  "That distinction has always been yours alone."  He took Amidala's hand and kissed it.  She laughed back.

Suddenly, the laughter faded and she looked up at Anakin with a questioning look.

"Ani, did you…I mean, were you able to defeat…"

"We're running out of time.  I'll tell you the entire story once we reach Coruscant."

Anakin hadn't answered the question.  But looking in his eyes, Amidala already knew the answer.  He did defeat Palpatine! He was the Chosen One and he had restored balance to the Force.  Deep down, she had known that fact all along.

Amidala simply nodded and together, they both took off for the shuttlecraft.  They entered it and quickly made their way to the bridge.  Luke was already in the co-pilot's seat, firing up the ship.  Anakin quickly took the pilot's seat and Amidala and Leia took the two seats behind the two Jedi.

It took only a matter of moments for the ship to become operational.  Anakin easily worked the controls and the ship began to hover off the floor.  He moved it into position in front of the hanger deck doors.  He prepared the controls, ready to blast out of here once and for all.

Suddenly, a large explosion erupted.  Debris was sent crashing down on the shuttle and on the entire deck.  Anakin and Luke barely managed to get the shields up.  She ship railed backwards, threatening to crash into the wall.  But Anakin was able to steer in clear at the last moment.

"What happened?" Leia asked.

"This level is beginning to crash in on itself," Luke said.  "It's only a matter of time before its completely destroyed."

"Ani, look!" Amidala pointed.

Anakin looked up at the hanger deck doors and found them blocked off by rubble.

"The doors are blocked off," Luke said.  "We might not have enough time to clear it."

More debris continued to crash down around them.  The sensors on the shuttle blared, indicating something major.

"Sensors are picking up a firestorm heading this way," Leia said.  "It'll be here at any moment."

"Hang on!" Anakin said, breaking his silence.  With debris battering the ship from every corner, he flipped a switch on the control deck.  Suddenly, two missiles shot forth and impacted on the debris.  It blew a massive hole in the wall, leaving nothing but space in front of him.

Anakin sent the ship into full throttle.  It took off and exited the Death Star, narrowly missing the firestorm that had engulfed the level.  A whoop of cheers and laughter broke out on the shuttle as if moved far away from the dying space station and headed for Coruscant.


The Millennium Falcon roared through the very heart of the Death Star.  The ship, along with several fighters made the long perilous journey through mazelike channels and weaved its way past protruding girders and half-built towers.  Most of the fighters had perished in the deadly labyrinth, but the Falcon remained.

In the cockpit, Han flew the Falcon through it all with everything he had.  His hands were moist and sweat dripped down his forehead.  The ship had taken a beating.  The shields were gone, the deflector dish had been knocked off and a pair of Imperial fighters was dogging them.  But that did little to deter the Corellian.  He was almost there and a deadly, ever-narrowing trail was not going to stop him.

He smiled to himself confidently.  Nothing would.

Han had homed in on the reactor core shaft.  Along with the remaining Alliance starfighter, the Falcon entered the immense superstructure in the center of the Death Star.  A huge energy core lay in the middle of it, bustling power to the space station.  That was their target.

"Wedge, the main reactor is mine," Han said into the comlink.  "Go for the power regulator on the north tower."

"Copy, General," Wedge said.  "I'm already on my way out."

Han watched as Wedge's X-Wing fighter fired a pair of torpedoes at the power regulator.  He scored with a direct hit and took off.

On the Falcon, Han accelerated towards the power generator and prepared his weapon system.

From the co-pilot's seat behind him, Chewbacca said something in a low, questioning tone.

"Leia and her family?" Han responded.  "Trust me, they got out of there."

Chewie was still unsure and told Han as much.

Han looked over at Chewie and flashed him a half-grin.

"Because I just know, you big furball.  Besides, keep in mind what family we're dealing with.  Do you really think they wouldn't be able to find a way out of here?"

Chewie pondered the question for a moment before nodding his head.  He was convinced that Han was right.

"All right, look sharp," Han said, as the power generator loomed closer.  Once he was in range, he thumbed a switch on the control panel and a pair of concussion missiles sprung forth from the Falcon.  They struck the power generator head-on and exploded.  The generator was instantly destroyed, sending deadly bursts of plasma energy everywhere.  The Falcon managed to avoid it but the two fighters pursuing him weren't so lucky.  They were consumed by it.  Moments later, the collapse of the reactor core spread and the Death Star began to cave in on itself.

"Hang on!" Han shouted as he hit full throttle.  The Falcon exited the superstructure, barely avoiding the falling debris.

Han flew furiously through the twisting outlet, chased by a massive ball of fire.  It descended narrowly on the Falcon, scorching the back of the ship.  The outlet in front of the ship began to close rapidly.  In a few moments, they would be trapped inside.

But Han managed to say one step ahead of it.  He pushed the ship forward, straining the engines beyond capacity.  He maneuvered the ship through moving shafts and closing tunnels.  Past fire and darkness, the exit could now be seen.  The Falcon roared forward and exited the Death Star, just missing the rolling fireball and chain of explosions.

The Death Star exploded, flaring up like a sun gone nova.  It was a brilliance flash that cascaded the entire Alliance fleet.  The Empire's mightiest weapon was no more.

"Yee-hah!!!" Han cried out.  Chewbacca roared in triumph and raised his hands in triumph.  Over the Falcon's speakers, they could hear the cheers of joy from the ships of the Alliance.  They were victorious!

After several moments, Han turned around to face Chewie.

"I told you all along that we'd win."

Chewie gave him an amused grunt.

"I did!" Han insisted and the two broke out laughing.  The fact was that after all this, they had both managed to get out alive.  That made this victory even sweeter.

After it had died down, Han turned his attention back to the viewscreen.  Coruscant lay just ahead of them.  He had heard Lando mention something about the planet's population revolting.  He only hoped he'd have a place to land.

"All right, Chewie.  Get her ready for…"

"General Solo!" Wedge cried out through the comlink.  "Incoming!"

"What the…" Han began to say.  His sensors began to flash bright red, indicating something was coming.  Han looked out the viewscreen.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two flares coming straight at the Falcon.  They were torpedoes!

"Damn!" Han said as he attempted to move the ship out of the way.  Too late.

The torpedoes scored a direct hit on the Falcon.  A large explosion ripped through the ship, smashing nearly everything in its path.  The control panel in front of Han and Chewie erupted in sparks.  This knocked Han back and knocked Chewie straight out of the cockpit.  In a matter of moments, the entire ship went dark.

Whatever emergency lights there were left activated, showering the ship with a weak red light.  This jarred Chewbacca back into consciousness.  The Wookie groaned in pain as he grabbed hold of the holographic chess table and attempted to get back up.  His ribs were injured and some of the fur on his arms had been scorched.  To him, it felt as if the room was spinning, making it even more difficult for him to reach his feet.

When he finally did so, he took a look at the ship around him.  It was a complete mess.  Systems were destroyed and fires were breaking out everywhere.  Parts of the ship were everywhere and a thin layer of smoke began to cover everything.  There wasn't anything left except him and…

Han!

Realizing he wasn't with him, the Wookie ran towards the cockpit.  He easily pushed through the fallen cockpit door and entered.

There he saw Han hunched over the ruined control panel of the Falcon.  Wires were hanging down from the top of the cockpit.  Fire surrounded the rest of the destroyed controls around him and from here, Chewie looked out at the viewscreen.  The ship was descending down towards Coruscant, rapidly gaining speed.  In only a short time, the Falcon would get caught up in the planet's atmosphere and burn up in space.  They had to get out of there.

Chewie walked over to Han and placed a hand on his shoulder.  He didn't know whether the Corellian was conscious or not.

Han's head rose up from the dashboard.  He felt Chewie's hand on his shoulder and pushed it off.

Chewie growled softly at Han, asking him if he was all right.  Han ignored him and kept his attention on the control deck.

Chewie's growling grew more urgent as Han's began to fiddle with some of the levels.  It looked as if he was still trying to pilot the ship.

The Wookie was growing concerned.  There was no way Han was going to be able to save the ship.  It was dead and soon it would be destroyed once it entered Coruscant's atmosphere.  Surely his friend could see that.

Once again, Chewie placed his hand on Han's shoulder.  He shook it vigorously and told him that they had to get out of the ship now.

Han suddenly turned towards Chewie and slapped his hand off of him.  With all his might, he pushed the Wookie away from him.  Chewie hit the nearby wall with considerable force and nearly fell down.  Han was now facing Chewie and the Wookie was surprised by what he saw.

Blood was streaming down Han's face.  He had burn marks on his hands and his clothes were tattered.  He appeared to be in a state of shock as he looked at Chewie with deranged eyes.  It took him several seconds to finally say something.

"I'm not leaving my ship, Chewie!"

The Wookie growled softly at him.  He asked Han how he planned on operating the Falcon.  There was nothing left.

"I'll find a way to do it," Han answered.  "I'm not going to let my ship go down."

Chewie told Han that he had no choice.  The ship was destroyed and there was nothing he could do save it.  If he stayed here then he would die.

"Then I'll die," Han said as he began to turn back to the control deck.  "There's nothing that's going to stop me from leaving his ship.  Nothing."

He turned away from Chewie and returned to the pilot seat, desperately trying to get the ships controls to work.  Chewie looked at his friend in shock.  He never knew Han to be suicidal.  He could think of only one thing that might change his mind.  He let out a signal, pointed growl to his friend.

"Leia!" Han said, looking up from the controls.

The Wookie growled at him once again, hoping to jar his friend back to sanity.

Han looked out at the viewscreen.  Coruscant was beginning to fill the screen as the Falcon plunged down closer and closer.  Han knew that somewhere in that city-maze was Leia and her family.

In his shock and rage in losing the Falcon, he had forgotten about her momentarily.  He loved Leia.  She had risked everything to save him from Jabba the Hutt when others just would have forgotten about him.  She had been willing to leave the Rebellion and risk her future just for him.

He surveyed the cockpit.  All he saw was destruction.  It was painful for him to see.  He loved his ship and it had served him well over the years.  In the past he had been a selfish, greedy smuggler who cared only about himself.  Too many people had left his life for him to care anymore.  He had never wanted to get involved in anything, especially not a foolish Rebellion.  He enjoyed his independence then and didn't want to give it up for anything.  While he was on this ship, the only thing that matter was Chewie and him.

But then Leia came along and his whole life had changed.  He resisted the changes at first and tried to leave them for good before the Battle of Yavin.  But the moment he had returned and helped the Rebels destroy the Death Star, he knew he had changed forever.  Gone were the days of being a loner.  He was apart of something different now, something he hadn't been apart of in a very long time.  A family.

Maybe he didn't want to leave the Falcon at first because he would finally be giving up his old life for good.  It meant that the old Han Solo, the one who used this ship to smuggling.  Perhaps he was just afraid of giving up everything for someone he loved.

At one point, he had been.  But not anymore.  He loved Leia.  She was his future.  That was the only thing that mattered, not the Millennium Falcon.  He knew that all along.

Han took a deep breath and slowly rose from the pilot's seat.  He looked up at Chewie and gave him a small smile.

"Let's get out here, Chewie."

Wasting no time, the two of them took off for the escape pod.  They ran through the burning, debris-filled halls of the ship.  Parts of the hull were beginning to come loose and soon the ship would be exposed to space.  They ran all the way to the back of the ship to a small, white door.  It opened, revealing the only escape pod left on the ship.

Han and Chewie quickly got aboard.  The pod held two small benches.  It would still be a tight fit but it would have to do.

The door shut and the pod sealed.  After strapping themselves in, Han tapped the control panel in the center of the pod and waited for it to eject.  Nothing happened.  Han tapped it in again and still it did not work.

"The ejection circuits must have been damaged," Han said.  "I don't know if…"

Before he could finish, Chewie howled furiously and raised a clenched fist in the air.  He slammed it down on the control panel, smashing it.  The pod then shot out from the Falcon and was sent into space.

The Falcon plunged forward and entered Coruscant's atmosphere.  With landing system disabled and the ship's hull in ruins, the ship quickly began to burn up in the atmosphere.  The front of ship began to glow.  Soon, the entire ship was covered with this glow as it burned in space.  It was actually a beautiful sight, much like a newborn star burning brightly.  The ship glowed brighter and brighter as it sank deeper into Coruscant's atmosphere.  In a spectacular flash of light, the Millennium Falcon burned up completely and was gone.

All Han could do was watch as the escape pod headed towards Coruscant.


It was a cool night on Coruscant.  The stars glittered brightly on the city-planet.  For over a generation, those stars rained down on a world oppressed by the Empire.  Most citizens who lived high enough in the city-maze to see them often made a wish to one of them.  They wished for the day when the Empire was no more.  A day where they could walk the streets of the city as free, sentient beings.  A day where they no longer were forced to humble themselves before the will of Emperor Palpatine.

For a long time, that day seemed to be nothing more than a fantasy.  A dream conjured up by some foolish idealist.  After so many years, many on Coruscant believed that to be true.  No longer.

It had been twenty-four hours since the destruction of the Death Star.  Right before that occurred however, the citizens of Coruscant finally risen up and opposed the Empire.  The arrival of the Death Star had frightened them to the point where they not dared make a move.  Stormtroopers lined nearly every street corner, imposing martial law upon them.  They knew that a single mistake by one could spell doom for all.  Still, there were a few who were willing to oppose the Empire no matter what.  They waited silently in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

It finally occurred when the Death Star had come to light.  For what seemed like an eternity, the citizens of Coruscant watched helplessly as the space station powered up its superlaser.  They thought for sure that the end was near.  The Emperor had decreed that they would suffer the same fate as Aldeeran.  All the life, all the history that Coruscant represented to the galaxy would be lost forever.  For a long, long moment, all hope had been lost.

But then something extraordinary happened.  The Death Star fired…but Coruscant was not destroyed.  Instead, the space station lashed out at one of its own ships.  The citizens quickly realized what had happened.  The Rebel Alliance had taken control of the space station.  Long ago, when the Alliance had formed they promised that they would bring save the galaxy from the tyranny of the Empire.  The galaxy-weary citizens of Coruscant had seriously doubted this was even possible.  How could anyone oppose the Empire and survive?

Not only did they opposed it, but they had defeated it.  The Death Star was in their control and that victory provided the citizens with the opportunity they needed.

They revolted.  It started slowly at first, only a few at a time.  It grew and grew until it was like a giant tidal wave.  The citizens, human and alien alike came out from their homes and took on the Imperial stormtroopers.  They quickly took control of the political and military installations.  The stormtroopers were better armed and had superior equipment but in sheer number and determination, they were no match for the citizens of Coruscant, whose population was believed to be one trillion strong.

The Empire was desperate to stop the rapidly growing insurrection.  They sent out their biggest and most powerful weapons.  AT-AT Walkers were dispatched on the streets of Coruscant.  The metal monstrosities were going to halt the "treason" being committed by the citizens.  They struck hard, and for several minutes it looked as if the resistance might be stopped.

But then, the Death Star exploded over Coruscant.  If any of the citizens thought about surrendering, they quickly put those thoughts aside.  They attacked the AT-AT Walkers with great vigor, determined to knock the mighty giants down.  With the last-minute help of the Rebel X-Wing fighters that had joined the battle, they were able to dispose of them.  The Walkers lay defeated on the city streets.

The resistance fought their way to the Emperor's palace, where the remaining Imperial leadership was located.  Realizing they were overmatched and that they were no longer in control of the planet, they surrendered.  For the first time in nearly twenty-five years, Coruscant was free!

In an amazing sense of historical irony, the Coruscant resistance was lead by Finis Valorum III, grandson of the late Supreme Chancellor.  He helped to cause the downfall on Coruscant of the same regime that had destroyed his family's reputation all those years ago.  It was he who had presented the Emperor's Grand Vizier with the terms of surrender.  For Valorum, everything had come full circle and his family's name had been redeemed.

Several hours later, the free citizens of the planet Coruscant met with Princess Leia and the leaders of the Alliance.  It was a public meeting and it was like a reunion of old family.  People who had not seen each other in years rejoiced and embrace with one another, happy that the Imperial tyranny was finally over.  Coruscant officially joined the Rebel Alliance in a treaty-signing ceremony on the spot.

Together, both the Rebel Alliance and the Coruscant leadership made their way to the Emperor's palace.  The statue of Emperor Palpatine, the brutal dictator who had ruled them from under his boot heal for so long had been torn down by several of the citizens.  His now cracked and ruined statue lay face down on the steps of the palace, just as so many other dictators had before him.

It was in front of the palace where Princess Leia Organa would make a speech.  Planetary communications would carry it on not only the entire planet but on thousands, perhaps millions of worlds throughout the galaxy.  It was this speech that would shape the foundation of the new galaxy that would emerge from this conflict.  Leia made her way to the podium in the court of the Emperor's palace.

All around her were the heroes of the Alliance and of Coruscant.  Anakin and Amidala Skywalker stood next to their son, Luke Skywalker, looking with pride at their dear Leia.  Han Solo was bruised and battered but still smiled when he saw the love of his life take her place at the very center of Coruscant.  As always, Chewbacca was at his side and was howling his approval to the Princess.  Pride ran through the others, including Lando Calrissian, Sylvn Kenobi, Wedge Antillies, and Leia's childhood friend Winter.  C-3PO and R2-D2 were also present.  The two had finally put their bickering aside, realizing the importance of this moment.  They were the dearest people in her life.  Finally, Finis Valorum III rounded out the group and together they all watched Leia as she at last reached the podium.

Leia stood calmly before it, assuming her most regal pose.  She was dressed in a simple, white flowing gown.  Her hair was unbraided and came down all the way down her back.  She wore no make-up, save for the deep crimson split on her lips.  It was the scar of remembrance, a symbol worn by sovereigns of Naboo.  The only other thing that stood out was the lightsaber attached to her belt.  Behind her was the Emperor's palace.  It was the tallest building on Coruscant, exceeding one thousand stories.  But compared to the poise that Leia carried herself with, it was insignificant.

Leia took a long, deep breath.  She looked out into the long, endless crowd of Coruscant's citizenry.  They had gathered in the area just below the palace steps.  It was a diverse group of beings, each with their own hopes and dreams.  They waited with hushed silence, eager to hear what she had to say.  She knew how important this speech was.  It would lay the foundation of the new government that was to come.  It was the speech of the lifetime and Leia was prepared for it.  She had always been prepared for this moment.

"My friends," she began.  "The guns have stopped and all is silent.  Today represented a new day on Coruscant.  A day where all citizens of the capital world awoke to freedom.  It has been a long time coming.

"Coruscant is not the only world to once again taste freedom.  In the past twenty-four hours, more than one hundred worlds have overthrown their Imperial-backed regimes.  Over a thousand new star systems have joined the fight for freedom as we speak.  Soon, freedom will sweep over them and over the rest of the galaxy.  The balance will be restored.  It is only a matter of time."

A loud flurry of applause broke out among the citizens.  Leia stood patiently at the podium, allowing the audience its moment.  The applause finally died out and she continued.

"We have all fought so hard, and suffered so much for this day to occur.  The Emperor is gone and the tyranny he brought to the galaxy is slowly dying.  It is time for us to replace it with peace and freedom.  My friends, it is now our time.

"It is a time for us to all come together.  We will create a new government.  One in which the rights of all sentient beings will be respected.  Discrimination against anyone based on their gender or species will not stand.  It will be a democracy, one where the citizens of the galaxy will choose their own leaders.  No longer will one man be the sole authority.  This government will not allow a dreadful weapon like the Death Star to be constructed.  This government will respect all life and it will retain the very best qualities of the Old Republic.

"But even the best intentions can result in the most terrible of consequences.  While this government will be one of freedom, we must guard against the forces that lead to the destruction of the Old Republic.  There will always be those who will attempt to destroy our freedom.  Their zest for power is so great that they do not care for the lives that are lost by their actions.  Even the most noble of souls can hide the darkest of intentions.  We will face many challenges as we build this government and there will be new enemies to face.  But as we gather here today, I promise you that we will win these battles.  With the Force as our ally, our government will emerge stronger than ever.

"As we celebrate our triumph, we must not forget what we lost.  Too many of our citizens were lost in this conflict.  Too many of our brothers and sisters are gone.  We have seen entire worlds lost to the Empire.  Alderaan, Naboo, Cerea – sadly the list goes on and on.  We mourn their lost and we must never forget what happened to them.  We never will."

Leia paused for a moment of silence before continuing.  She assumed her most commanding presence as she readied herself for the rest of the speech.

"Let us and let the people of the galaxy long remember what has happened here.  Yesterday, we broke free from the shackles of empire.  Today, we, the free citizens of the galaxy declare a new republic!"

With that final statement, the cheers that had been held back in respect for the princess finally broke through.  They erupted like a long dormant volcano.  They all cheered with happiness beyond words, ranging from human to Wookie to Bothan to Cerean to every other species imaginable.  The volume of the cheers was so loud that the buildings of the mighty city-planet shook.

Suddenly, the roar of fighter planes could be heard overhead.  The citizens of Coruscant looked up and saw Rebel X-Wing fighters releasing fireworks from their weapons.  They exploded above the tall buildings of Coruscant in dazzling, spectacular colors of every kind.

The celebration quickly expanded as confetti and paper of every kind flew wildly through the air.  The helmets of Imperial stormtroopers were thrown up as high as they possibly could go.  Music and singing broke out and could be heard throughout the entire planet.  A mighty gong rung, and a voice rose above the rest.

"The gong has rung! Son of the Suns!!!"

The voice was eventually drowned out among the masses.  Nobody knew just whom it was who made that declaration.  But his words became long remembered for generations to come.

Leia stood in the center of the Emperor's court, watching the celebration.  Her family and friends surrounded her, and they all converged to celebrate.  Leia smiled and raised her arms in the air.  The confetti was everywhere and she watched as freedom reigned.


Luke drank in the sounds and sights of the celebration all around him.  But he didn't feel quite ready to jump right in himself.  So he watched and listened, and smiled at seeing his family and so many of his friends so happy.

Leia caught his eye and flashed him a brilliant smile, which he did his best to return.  She waved him over to where she and Han were standing, and Luke hesitated a moment.  That did not go unnoticed by his sister.  She unwrapped herself from Han's arms and began to approach her brother.

He met her halfway, and immediately pulled her into a hug, which she returned fiercely.  Luke held onto her, even as he felt her begin to pull away.  He found himself unable to say anything.

Leia patted him on the back, and said quietly, "It's okay Luke.  It's over.  It's over."

She repeated the words to him several times; seeming to understand what Luke was having trouble articulating, not pressuring him to talk or explain.  He just sighed in response.

He was trying not to let himself become overwhelmed by what had happened.  But now, with the danger finally, completely gone, and his family and friends safe, it was all coming to him in a rush.

The battle with Palpatine, the ghosts he had faced, how close he had come to losing Father, to losing everything…and to have it all turn around so quickly, and to be standing in Coruscant with the Empire suddenly vanquished…

"Luke?" Leia managed to pull back from his embrace enough to look at him.  She looked at him quizzically for a moment, and then gave him a warm, reassuring smile.  "I know it's hard to believe, and it's hard to let go."  She turned to indicate the revelry and festivity.  "But look around you.  This is the time to celebrate.  We've earned it.  You've definitely earned it."

"I know, Leia, I know that," he replied.  "And believe me, I am happy, and relieved.  You don't know how much.  I thought nothing could compare to Yavin, but this is so much more than that ever was.  I do plan to take part in all of this soon enough."

"But…?" Leia's smile faded a little in concern, and she lowered her voice to what passed for a whisper in the midst of all the noise.  "Luke, can you tell me what happened back there, with the Emperor?  It was hard for me to sense what was going on, at least not after we both felt Father in so much pain.  I can't imagine what you found when you got there –"

"It was…as bad as you probably think it was," he interrupted.  "Palpatine was capable of some things I could never have imagined, and father was in terrible shape when I finally got there."

"But you pulled through."

"We did."

"And you should be proud of that, Luke," she said.  "You both should be."

A real smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.  "I am.  Helping him was what I was born to do.  It's just that…well, 3 years ago, my biggest concern on any given day was how I was going to get off Tatooine.  Everything in my life changed so quickly, so much was suddenly on my shoulders…I don't regret the change for one minute, but to see this final result now is more than a little overwhelming.

"You been planning for and ready for this moment your whole life, Leia.  I'm just playing a little catch up.  When we first met on the Death Star, who could have ever thought this is where we'd end up?"

"Not me!" Leia said with a laugh.  "But I'm glad.  I'm glad that you're my brother and my friend.  And that we're here to share this all together."

"So am I," Luke replied.

"Then, come on, let's enjoy this together then," she insisted.  Luke finally let her out of the hug, and gladly let her drag him into the crowd.


Han couldn't remember ever having such a good time in his life.

And there had been plenty of good times – at least that's what he had thought before now.  But even the most ridiculous times he had, the craziest places he had found himself in…nothing compared to this.  To this scene, to this feeling.

Chewie came back over to him and gave him another slap on the back.  The Wookie had been exuberantly hugging everyone in sight (Han wondered if some of them would ever recover from such a bone-crushing experience), telling anyone who would listen about their adventure in the space battle and refusing to accept any condolences for the loss of the Falcon.  After all, according to Chewie, it would be no time before they had a ship that was bigger, better, faster…

Han believed that.  Mostly.  Almost completely.  As the escape pod had pulled away, Han did spare one final look to the debris that was left of his ship.  It hurt, he couldn't deny that.  And the ship was more than special to him.  He knew that some people didn't understand it, but he had put so much into the Falcon, that to lose her that way, to lose her at all, was something he had never really thought about.

But now it was reality, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.  He didn't have any regrets over his decision.  He knew there wasn't another way.  And to be honest, there were plenty of things more important than his ship when he had safely landed on Coruscant.

"Han!" Leia called to him, breaking him from his thoughts.  "Look who I found."

"Hey there, kid!" Han said as Luke came up behind her.  "I've been looking for you.  I hadn't even gotten to talk to you since the battle ended."

"Well, I've just been taking this all in.  I've been hearing some crazy stories about how you saved the day up there," Luke replied with a smile.

"And they're all true," Han said simply, returning the smile.  "No need to exaggerate."

"Oh, give me a break!" Lando's voice cut through the noise, as he moved into their circle.  "This guy thinks he did it all by himself."

"Didn't you, Han?" asked Leia, with a mischievous look on her face.

"Chewie helped."

Lando shook his head with a chuckle.  "Take all the credit you want, you old pirate.  Sylvn and I know how it happened."  Lando placed an arm around General Kenobi's shoulder, and Han cheerfully wondered how close the two had recently become.  "You did an okay job, but we were really the ones out there carrying the load."

Sylvn, in a rare show of flippancy, added, "The Empire trembled before us."

"You're all crazy," Luke said.  Chewie howled an agreement.

"That's why you like us, kid."  Luke's response was to laugh, giving Han a quick slap on the shoulder.

After a moment, Han turned away and slipped his arms around Leia's waist, pulling her close to him and leaning his head down to hers.  "You don't think I'm crazy do you?" he murmured to her.

"Of course I do.  And I love you anyway."

"I know."

Leia just rolled her eyes.  Han's hands framed her face, and he drew her in for a long kiss, as they both forgot the melee around them.


"Mother?" Luke pulled her into a tight embrace.  "Enjoying the celebration?"

"Of course!" she said.  Luke had to admit that she did look radiantly happy.  He wasn't sure that he had ever seen her like this before.  It was wonderful.

"Except that I seem to have lost your Father.  He was standing right here, I don't know where he could have gone."  She shrugged.  "I'm sure he'll turn up again."

"He will, don't worry.  In the meantime, you're stuck with me."

"I can live with that."  Her eyes sparkled brightly.  "Luke, I haven't told you how proud I am of you."

"Thanks," Luke replied.  "Helping Father was –"

"Actually," she interrupted, "that isn't what I meant.  Of course, I'm glad for what you did for your father, but what you did goes beyond even that."  She paused briefly.  "Luke, I saw what happened to your father all those years ago when he first faced Palpatine.  Despite his strength, despite his desire and intent to defeat the Emperor, Anakin was almost completely ruined by what happened.  For all intents, he was ruined for 20 years.

"I know that it couldn't have been any easier for you to go fight Palpatine than it was for your Father.  And yet, you were strong where your father failed the first time.  That is no small feat."

Luke thought about that.  "We were helping each other.  That's an advantage I had over Father…I'd like to think I would have succeeded without it, but that's not a simple thing to say."

She shrugged, not dismissively, but simply with an air of complete confidence.  "I know you would have.  Your father knows you would have too."


Anakin worked his way over to Han and Leia, moved by how happy she seemed, and how happy they seemed together.  Leia sensed him approaching, and beamed at him, beckoning him over, and spreading her arms out to him in a hug.  He immediately accepted the offer.

"I'm glad you're safe, Father," she whispered.  "I wish I could have helped."

"You did, Leia, you did," he insisted.  "Don't ever doubt that."

He looked at Han and sighed.  "I'm sorry about the Falcon, Han."

"She was a great ship, no doubt about it."

"Only because of the work you did on it," Anakin replied.  "I don't think you know how much I can appreciate throwing yourself into a ship.  It's been awhile since I've done it, but I remember what it feels like."

"Well," Han said, "I guess I'll just have to find another to start over with.  I'll probably have a little more help this time though…" he trailed off with a questioning look at Leia.

"You definitely will," she answered.  "You're going to have to get used to letting other people go near your ship though."  All three laughed.

"I should probably find your mother again," Anakin began to say.

"Hey, Anakin," Han said, "wait a second."

"Yes?"

"I never thought I would be standing here – or anywhere – on the same side as you, and I sure as hell never thought I'd be celebrating the death of the Empire with Darth Vader…but, here we are anyway, and I wanted to say that I respect what you did up there.  It was…an honor to fight this one with you."  With that, Han extended his hand.

Anakin was stunned, but recovered quickly and warmly grasped Han's outreached hand.  "Thank you, Han.  I almost don't know what to say."

"Don't worry about it."

Anakin nodded.  He gave his daughter another hug, and then wandered off to find his wife.


Anakin slowly made his way through the cheering crowds, looking for Amidala.  She was here somewhere, he knew, but there were so many people that it was proving difficult to find out where.  All around him people were jumping and screaming and celebrating.  They were nearly on top of one another, making it impossible to move.  Occasionally, a stranger he would bump into would embrace him jubilantly.  Not because they thought he was a hero, but because they were so happy to be free at long last.  Anakin could understand that feeling very well.

A flicker caught Anakin's eye and he turned to see it.  It looked like Amidala, and she was headed towards the back of the plaza that surrounded the Emperor's palace.  Anakin moved to follow her.  He accelerated his pace, making sure that he did not walk over anyone along the way.  He moved quicker and quicker until there was nobody around him.  The path was clear and Anakin walked to the back of the plaza to meet his wife.

When he got there, he found that it was empty.  Nobody was there, and the only thing next to him was the towering palace.  It cast a large shadow over him in the brightly lit night on Coruscant.  He couldn't find Amidala, or his two children.  It appeared that he was totally alone.

Just then, Anakin felt a powerful rippling through the Force.

No, I am not alone, he thought.

There were others there after all.  They weren't his family, but they were very strong in the Force, and very close to him.

He turned his head to the side and there before him were the shimmering images of Obi-Wan and Yoda.  They stood before him, looking at him with great pride.  Their essence shined powerfully in the shadow of the palace.  Another shimmering image materialized beside Obi-Wan.  It was Qui-Gon.  Anakin could feel the same pride in him that he felt in Obi-Wan and Yoda.  Qui-Gon walked over to Obi-Wan and placed a hand on his shoulder.  Obi-Wan looked up at his old master and smiled.  The two shared an unspoken moment.  There was no need for words between them.

They were the two men who had believed in Anakin when no one else had.  They had sacrificed everything, including their own lives, for him.  It was with great satisfaction that they could now see that their belief in Anakin had been well founded.  They had been right all along.  Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One.

The two of them, along with Yoda turned to Anakin and smiled.

Anakin smiled back.  It was a great gift for him to see the three Jedi Masters together again.  It had been so many years, and he had feared that he would never see his friends again.  But they were all here…and Anakin couldn't have been happier to see him.

Something…or someone was missing though.  He had hoped that another one would appear with them.  A person whom Anakin had been even closer with.  The first beloved figure in his life.  Anakin smiled sadly.  He knew that it wasn't possible.  She was not a Jedi, and it was impossible for her to come back.  He would never have a chance to…

I am so proud of you, Anakin.

Anakin's head snapped around and he looked for the direction in which the voice had come from.  He saw nothing.  The plaza was still empty, save for the images of the three Jedi.  But he could sense another presence around him.  It was her!

But that was impossible.  She had never been strong in the Force, despite her connection to him.  There was no way he would be able to see her.

I will appear if you want me to, Ani.  You simply need to concentrate.

Was it really possible?  Could he actually see her?

"Anything is possible, Anakin," Qui-Gon said, breaking the silence.  Anakin turned back to the shimmering images of the three Jedi.

"But only if you have faith, Padawan," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin nodded his head slowly.  At one point, he had doubted that it would be possible to heal himself from the terrible injuries he had sustained.  But he did heal himself and that had convinced him to never doubt the Force again.  It could be done, no matter what it was.  He had to have faith in the Force if he was going to be able to see her.

Anakin closed his eyes, and allowed the Force to surround him.  It flowed through him powerfully, waiting to carry out his command.  Anakin put his trust in the Force, and conjured up the image of the person he wanted to see.  The Force obeyed him.  He could feel its power extended outwards, fulfilling his task.

Anakin opened his eyes and there before him was the shimmering image of Shmi Skywalker, his mother.

Her presence filled Anakin with a happiness that could not be imagined.  He looked at his mother, and was amazed by what he saw.  Gone from her face were the ravages of age that years of slave labor had put on her.  She appeared more youthful than at any point that Anakin could remember.  Her image glowed brightly in the darkness of the Coruscant night.

Anakin did not know what to say.  He was choked with emotion, unable to properly articulate his feelings.  His mother seemed to understand this and she reached out with her hand.  Anakin looked at her hand stretched out towards him.  It was so real, so close to his grasp.  He looked up at his mother and saw her nod her head, willing him on.  Anakin nodded in return and reached out.  He grasped her hand with his own.

The Force flowed powerfully through them.  Anakin could now feel the emotions his mother felt for him.  She was indeed proud of what he had accomplished.  More so, she was so happy for him.  Her son had made all his hopes and dreams come true.  He was now living the life that she had always wished for him to have.  Even in his darkest moments, she had never lost faith in him.  She knew Anakin Skywalker too well, and knew that the good inside of him was strong enough to eradicate any evil.

His mother smiled.  Through the Force, he now knew just how powerful his mother's love for him was

Anakin smiled.  Through the Force, she knew how powerful her son's love for her was.

Shmi's image soon began to fade.  She continued to grasp his hand until her image grew weaker and finally dissolved.  She was gone.

A cool breeze soon swept over Anakin.  Although he could no longer see her, he could still sense his mother's presence.  She would always be with him, and her love and pride would go on.   Everybody that he had ever loved was now with him.

"Thanks, Mom," Anakin said quietly into the wind.

At long last, Anakin Skywalker was once again whole.

"Ani?"

Anakin turned around and saw Amidala standing across from him.  Just how beautiful his wife looked as she watched him closely struck him.  Amidala moved closer to him and took his hand.

"Are you all right?" she asked.  Anakin realized she must have seen that his eyes had become teary-eyed.  He wiped them clean with his free hand and nodded.  He had a very content, very happy look on his face.

"Yes, Ami.  I'm all right."

Amidala looked at him carefully.  After so many years, she could finally tell when Anakin was being honest with her about his feelings.  In the past, that had not always been clear to her especially during the time of Anakin's fall to the dark side.  Anakin knew that his wife worried about any mood swings he had over the last few days.  But looking at him now, Amidala could tell that Anakin was indeed all right.

Amidala smiled.  "I'm glad."

Anakin put his arm around her shoulder and held Amidala close.  The two of them gazed over the railing in the plaza out at the Coruscant landscape.  From there, they could see celebrations of all kinds from the many species that made up the planet's population.  Every street that could be seen was flooded with life.  Men and women were kissing and dancing, children were cheering.  Some were even lighting off fireworks that erupted high into the skies.  The dark cloud that had hung over them for so long was gone and the light had shone upon them once again.

"Can you believe it, Ani?" Amidala asked.  "Freedom has been returned to all these people.  It's sweeping across the galaxy now.  Soon, there won't be a shadow dark enough to smoother that light."

It was so true.  Anakin continued to watch the citizens of Coruscant.  They were all free.  Palpatine had been destroyed, along with his empire.  From the ashes of tyranny, a new republic would emerge.  No longer would one madman have all the power.  It would be the people of the galaxy who would rule now.

Anakin knew this new government would succeed with his daughter Leia at the helm.  She had already proven herself to be one of the greatest leaders the galaxy had ever seen.  Her strength, along with her unwavering faith in the people, would go a long way in rebuilding the galaxy.  She would not allow the mistakes of the Old Republic to cripple this new government.  With the Force as her ally, she would lead the galaxy into a golden age.

The Jedi Order would live on.  The thought of this was particularly satisfying to Anakin.  The flame of the Jedi would not be extinguished.  They would once again serve as guardians and protectors of the galaxy.  Led by his son Luke, the Jedi would not repeat the same mistakes that had lead to their downfall.  No longer would they isolate themselves from the general public and confine themselves to an ivory tower.  No longer would they view family as a distraction from the Force.  Both Anakin and Luke knew the importance of family, and the strength that a Jedi could draw from it.  The Jedi would at last become true servants of the galaxy.

Anakin smiled as he thought of Luke and Leia.  The pride he felt in them was as strong was his mother's was for him.  His love was even greater.  The two of them hadn't even begun to realize their full potential.  Unlike Anakin, the dark side had never tainted either of them.  It was their turn now to shine, and Anakin knew that the two of them were destined for greatness.

There was another feeling that Anakin was feeling.  He first noticed it after the battle with Palpatine.  He hadn't given it much thought until now.  But he knew clearly what it was.  It was relief.

It was finally over.  Balance had been restored to the Force.  Palpatine, along with the Sith Order he had sworn his loyalty to had been destroy.  The galaxy was free.

The prophecy has come to past.  My destiny has been fulfilled.  What does the future hold for me now?

"Whatever you wish it to," Amidala answered, breaking the silence.

Anakin looked at her.  He hadn't expected Amidala to have answer his question but he was not surprised at all.

"You're right," Anakin said with a smile.  "I can choose my own future at last.  I already who it is that I wish to spend it with."

Amidala smiled.  She looked up at Anakin and held onto him more tightly.

"After so many years and several timelines, we are together again at last," Amidala said.  "How I look forward to the years to come."

As did Anakin.  A thrill surged through him as he considered the thought.  There would be no one to stop them this time.  Not the Jedi Council or the Royal Court of Naboo.  Each of them had fulfilled their respective destinies and they would now reap the rewards of it.  A normal life, something the two of them had long since figured impossible.  Anakin pictured the two of them living happily together, watching as their children took their place in the galaxy.  They would grow old and soon Luke and Leia would begin families of their own.  Anakin didn't need the Force to tell him that the future was a bright one for him and Amidala.

"Ami," Anakin began.   "You know, I…I don't think I ever truly said 'thank you' for all you have done…"

"Anakin," Amidala said softly, holding up her hand.  "Don't be silly.  You have said more than enough, and I know how grateful you are.  You don't have to say it again."

"I know," Anakin said.  "But there's so much more to it.  I never thought I would even be here, witnessing this today.  When I had been at my worst as Darth Vader, I had considered myself beyond redemption.  There was so much anger and hatred inside of me that I thought there was no way to conquer it.  I didn't even try after a while.  I had just given up.

"But you never did.  No matter what obstacle the galaxy had thrown your way, you persevered and grew stronger.  You saw to it that Luke and Leia were kept safe from the Empire.  You planted the seeds that one day grew into a rebellion.  But most surprising of all, you believed in me.  Even when it was considered impossible for someone to turn back from the dark side, you never gave up.  You could still see that a part of Anakin Skywalker was still alive in me, even when I could see nothing but an endless darkness.  I came back from the dark side because of you, for you.  Look around."

Anakin waved his hand at the endless sea of celebrating citizens overflowing in Coruscant massive streets.

"This victory today is as much yours as it is mine.  You are the true hero.  I'll never forget what you've done for me, Ami, and for that I will be forever grateful.  Thank you."

Amidala looked at him, not knowing just what say.  She looked very touched and was struggling to hold back tears.  She knew just how strongly Anakin felt when he spoke those words.  He could not have given her a greater gift than by what he had just said.

After several moments, she finally regained her composure.  She looked up into Anakin's eyes and gave him a small, delightful smile.

"Like you said, I always knew that Anakin Skywalker was still alive.  I was very fortunate for that to be true.  But don't underestimate yourself in all of this.  In the end, it was you who found the strength to return from the dark side.  I merely helped guide you to the light."

Anakin returned her smile.  He placed a hand on Amidala's cheek and caressed it.  He looked long and deep into her beautiful eyes.

"I love you, Amidala."

"I love you, Anakin."

He pulled her close to him and gave her a long, passionate kiss.  She returned it with equal vigor.  They stayed like this, locked in a tender embrace for a long, long time.

When the kiss had ended, the two of them could hear a clattering of metal behind them.  They turned and saw both See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo coming towards them.  The droids were covered in confetti and gleamed brightly as they stepped forward towards them"

"Master Anakin! Mistress Amidala!" Threepio exclaimed.  "Oh, I'm so glad we finally found you.  Mistress Leia and Master Luke wanted you to know that they will be attending another celebration inside the halls of the old Senate Building.  They wanted to know if you would both be attending?"

"Of course, Threepio," Amidala said.  "We wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that, Your Majesty," Threepio beamed.  "It should be a most spectacular celebration.  There's talk of a ceremony in which heroes of the Rebellion will be honored.  I certainly hope that I may be included.  I'm not one to boast but after all I've been put through during this war, I should be honored along with the rest…

Threepio was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal from Artoo.  Anakin and Amidala took it to be laughter.  No doubt Artoo was informing Threepio that he had been in the hero business long before Threepio had been constructed.

"I've had just enough of your ego, you self-important rolling troll!" Threepio snapped.  "You may get all the glory but it's really me who has been carrying you for all these years."

Artoo shot back furiously with a barrage of beeps.

"All you have gone through?!" Threepio exclaimed.  "I've been shot, abused, had my parts hauled around by a smelly Wookie and a whole lot more that I do not wish to speak of.  I think that alone entitles me…"

"Threepio!" Anakin said.  The droids stopped their argument instantly and turned to him.  "You two are both heroes and I'm sure there will be enough praise to go around for everyone.  Especially the two droids who led the way."

"Yes, you are quite right, Master Anakin," Threepio said.  He turned to Artoo.  "I'm sorry, Artoo.  The truth is that you are the finest droid I have ever known…and a true hero."

Artoo was quiet for a moment, seemingly stunned to hear that admission from Threepio.  He finally responded with a series of strong beeps and whistles.

"Thank you, Artoo," Threepio said.  "You are the best friend a droid could have."

The two of them walked off, both clattering about how they would be honored at the ceremony.  Anakin looked at Amidala and the two of them laughed.  He was glad that those two droids had never changed.

Once the laughter had died down Amidala looked at Anakin with an amused expression.

"I think we'd better get going, Ani.  This is our moment.  Let's enjoy it before…"

"The idealistic crusade continues?" Anakin added for her.

Amidala laughed once more.  "It never truly ends, does it?"

"No, I suppose not," Anakin said.

But that didn't concern Anakin.  While he seriously doubted the galaxy would leave him and his family alone, he was ready for whatever challenges that were to come.  He was with his beloved Amidala once again and as long as they were together, no threat would be able to stand against him.

Anakin reached out with his hand toward Amidala.  She quickly grasped it and the two began to walk away form the plaza.  Anakin paused for a moment and took one last look back at his past.  He saw the three Jedi Masters standing there, urging him on.  Anakin gave them one final smile.

With that, Anakin Skywalker turned his attention toward the future at long last.

The Empire was dead.

Long live the New Republic…and long live the Skywalkers!










THE END