Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas or J.K. Rowling.

Enter Luke, Han, Mara, Phanan, Face, Qui-Gon, Ganner, Alema, Jonash, and Jaina.

All but Alema wear sweaters. Jaina wears a new hat and a necklace.

Jaina. Phanan and Face gave them to me. Aren't they beautiful?

Face. Well, we find we appreciate you more and more, Mom, now we're washing our own socks.

Mara pulls a gravel maggot out of Luke's hair.

Mara. Luke. You've got a gravel maggot in your hair.

Alema. [shudders] How horrible.

Han. Yes, isn't it? Gravy, Alema?

Han inadvertently knocks over the gravy boat, but using the Force, Ganner manages to save it from spilling.

Alema kisses Ganner.

Alema. [to Han] You are as bad as that Tahl. She is always knocking . . .

Jaina. [looking at Qui-Gon] I invited dear Tahl to come along today. But she wouldn't come. Have you spoken to her lately, Qui-Gon?

Qui-Gon. No, I haven't been in contact with anybody very much. But Tahl has got her own family to go to, hasn't she?

Jaina. Hmm. Maybe. I got the impression she was planning to spend Life Day alone, actually.

Jaina shoots Qui-Gon an annoyed look.

Luke. Tahl's Aura has changed its form. Vader said so, anyway. I didn't know that could happen. Why would your Aura change?

Qui-Gon. [chew his nuna slowly] Sometimes, a great shock, an emotional upheaval . . .

Luke. It looked big, and it had four legs. Hey, it couldn't be . . . ?

Jaina. Jonash. Jonash. It's Jacen.

Jonash. What?

All turn to get a better look.

Enter Jacen Solo and Fey'lya.

Jaina. Jonash. He's . . . he's with the Chief.

Jacen. [stiff] Happy Life Day, Mother.

Jaina. Oh, Jacen.

Jaina hugs Jacen.

Fey'lya. You must forgive this intrusion. Jacen and I were in the vicinity, working, you know. And he couldn't resist dropping in and seeing you all.

Jonash, Phanan, and Face study Jacen, stony-faced.

Jaina. Please come in. Sit down, Chief. Have a little duna, or some nessert. . . . I mean . . .

Fey'lya. No, no, my dear Jaina. I don't want to intrude. I wouldn't be here at all if Jacen hadn't wanted to see you all so badly.

Jaina. Oh, Jacen.

Jaina kisses Jacen.

Fey'lya. We've only looked in for five minutes, so I'll have a stroll around the yard while you catch up with Jacen. No, no, I assure you I don't want to butt in. Well, if anybody cared to show me your charming garden. . . . [sees Luke] Ah, that young man's finished. Why doesn't he take a stroll with me?

Luke. Yeah, all right. [to Qui-Gon] It's fine. [to Jonash] Fine.

Fey'lya. Wonderful. We'll just take a turn around the garden. And Jacen and I will be off. Carry on, everyone.

Luke and Fey'lya deboard the Trader's Luck.

Exit all but Luke and Fey'lya.

Charming. Charming. I've wanted to meet you for a very long time. Did you know that?

Luke. No.

Fey'lya. Oh, yes, for a very long time. But Yoda has been very protective of you. Natural, of course. Natural after what you've been through, especially what happened at the Imperial Palace. I have been hoping for an occasion to talk to you ever since I gained office. But Yoda has, most understandably, prevented this. The rumors that have flown around. Well, of course, we both know how these stories get distorted. All these whispers of a prophecy, of your being the Chosen One. . . . I assume that Yoda has discussed these matters with you?

Luke. Yeah, we discussed it.

Fey'lya. Have you? And what has Yoda told you, Luke?

Luke. I'm sorry. But that's between us.

Fey'lya. Oh, of course. If it's a question of confidences, I wouldn't want to divulge . . . No, no. And in any case, does it really matter whether you are the Chosen One or not?

Luke. I don't know what you mean, Chief Fey'lya.

Fey'lya. [laughs] Well, of course, to you, it will matter enormously. But to the Republic at large, it's all perception, isn't it? It's what beings believe that's important. Beings believe you are the Chosen One, you see. They think you quite the hero, which, of course, you are, Luke, chosen or not. How many times have you faced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named now? Well, anyway, the point is, you are a symbol of hope for many, Luke. The idea that there is somebody out there who might be able, who might even be destined, to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named . . . well, naturally, it gives beings a lift. And I can't help but feel that, once you realize this, you might consider it, well, almost a duty to stand alongside the Republic and give everyone a boost.

Luke. I don't exactly understand what you want. Standing alongside the Republic? What does that mean?

Fey'lya. Oh, well, nothing at all onerous, I assure you. If you were to be seen popping in and out of Coruscant from time to time, for instance, that would give the right impression. And of course, while you were there, you would have ample opportunity to speak to Traest Kre'fey, my successor as Commander of the Stormtrooper Corps. Natasi Daala has told me that you cherish an ambition to become a stormtrooper. Well, that could be arranged very easily.

Luke. [angry] So basically, you'd like to give the impression that I'm working for the Republic?

Fey'lya. It would give everyone a lift to think you were more involved, Luke. The Chosen One, you know. It's all about giving beings hope, the feeling that exciting things are happening. . . .

Luke. But if I keep running in and out of the Imperial Palace, won't that seem as though I approve of what the Republic is up to?

Fey'lya. [frowns] Well, yes. That's partly why . . .

Luke. No, I don't think that will work. You see, I don't like some of the things the Republic is doing. Locking up Nick Rostu, for instance.

Fey'lya. [angry] I would not expect you to understand. These are dangerous times, and certain measures must be taken. You are sixteen years old . . .

Luke. Yoda's a lot older than sixteen, and he doesn't think Nick should be on Kessel, either. You're making Nick a scapegoat, just like you want me to be a mascot.

Fey'lya. I see. You prefer, like your hero Yoda, to disassociate yourself from the Republic?

Luke. I don't want to be used.

Fey'lya. Some would say it's your duty to be used by the Republic.

Luke. [angry] Yeah. And others might say it's your duty to check that beings really are Sith before you throw them in prison. You're doing what Jorus C'Baoth did. You never get it right, you politicians, do you? Either we've goy Omas, pretending everything's lovely while beings get murdered right under his nose. Or we've got you, throwing beings onto a prison world and trying to pretend you've got the Chosen One working for you.

Fey'lya. So you're not the Chosen One?

Luke. [laughs bitterly] I thought you said it didn't matter. Not to you, anyway.

Fey'lya. I shouldn't have said that. It was tactless . . .

Luke. No, it was honest, one of the only honest things you've said to me. You don't care whether I live or die. But you do care that I help you convince everyone you're winning the war against the Sith. I haven't forgotten, Chief Fey'lya.

Luke shows Fey'lya the scars on his right hand, where Daala made him carve into his own skin.

I don't remember your rushing to my defense when I was trying to tell everyone Sidious was back. The Republic wasn't so keen to be allies last season.

Silence.

Fey'lya. What is Yoda up to? Where does he go when he's absent from Tython?

Luke. No idea.

Fey'lya. And you wouldn't tell me if you knew, would you?

Luke. No, I wouldn't.

Fey'lya. Well, then, I shall have to see whether I can't find out by other means.

Luke. [with a cold smile] You can try. But you seem cleverer than Omas, so I thought you'd have learned from his mistakes. He tried interfering at the Jedi Temple. You might have noticed he's not Chief of State anymore. But Yoda's still Grand Master. I'd leave Yoda alone, if I were you.

Fey'lya. Well, it is clear to me that he has done a very good job on you. Yoda's man through and through, aren't you, Skywalker?

Luke. Yes, I am. I'm glad we've straightened that out.

Exit Luke.