Although it was mid-day, the Nuldarra sky was unusually dark over the mountainside landing pads. Lara and Finn stared out from the plateau's edge, both of them surveying the desolate valley below. Where the beautiful twin cities of Mandor One and Mandor Two once thrived was now a charred black landscape with two enormous craters and dozens of smaller ones. The ground was no longer red-hot and molten but they could see that the temperature was still high as wisps of steam covered the cracked plain in everchanging patterns, looking like wraiths chasing each other in a deadly dance for dominance. The giant plume of smoke that had risen and persisted for days was now gone also, grabbed by the winds in the atmosphere and spread throughout the visible sky from horizon to horizon. Many planetary weather experts predicted that the skies overhead could be darkened for months.

Ash had been falling consistently since the destruction of the cities as if like snow, causing maintenance crews to keep the landing areas clean in a round the clock effort. Large flakes were currently getting caught in Lara's hair as she gazed down the mountain face. She shook her head to lodge some loose and ran her fingers through it to try cleaning the rest. Finn used his hands to brush some off her shoulders then did the same for his own. Satisfied that they had at least temporarily cleaned themselves, they turned away from the edge and walked towards the gathering at the middle of the landing area.

Every resident of the mountainside complex was present and wore their finest dress uniforms. In addition to the entire remaining staff, dignitaries from around the New Republic and old friends of her family all made the trip to Nuldarra for an informal ceremony to honor the memory of all who had lost their lives including one of the greatest heroes of the galaxy, Han Solo. In the center of the gathering was a large holographic projector that was cycling through hundreds of images from the life of The Admiral. Around that main hologram were dozens of smaller ones showing images honoring many of the others that had lost their lives recently.

As Lara and Finn approached the crowd, she watched the continually changing scenes. Many of the images of her father she recognized as being present at the time, but there were also quite a few that she had never seen before. He certainly had lived a charmed life.

They're flashing by so quickly, Lara thought, just as our life together did.

"I'm going to make you proud.", she accidentally blurted out loud

A surprised Finn turned his head to look at her. When Lara met his gaze, though, he simply smiled at her. The smile of the young man comforted her. She wanted to say how grateful she was for all he had gone through for her, but before she could speak, a loud sonic rumble came from the air above causing everyone gathered to look up simultaneously.

Inexplicably, the dark cloud cover had broken open in a small hole, letting rays of bright sunshine burst through. A small starship looked as if it was riding the rays down from where they poked through. The hole quickly closed, plunging them back into a dusky darkness but the ship stayed on its course. As it got closer, Lara recognized the craft as a very old Rebellion Era X-Wing, much older that the upgraded models that Poe Dameron and his squadron flew. It was an off-white color with red markings on the wings and the engines were fully circular as opposed to a half-circle.

The craft swooped with a roar over the heads of all of the people looking up it and landed deftly at a space a short distance away from the ceremony area. Leia came running out of the crowd towards Lara and when she reached her, there was a look of recognition on her face. Lara realized that her mother had also sensed what she had as soon as the ship appeared in the sky.

A cylindrical astromech droid with multiple blue geometric panels popped out of the top of the fighter and fired rockets in its legs to slow its descent to the ground. As the droid settled, the canopy of the fighter opened with a hiss. A man in a simple brown robe rose from his seat to slowly descend the ladder from the fighter. When he reached the smooth metal of the landing platform, he began jogging towards them. Leia and Lara wasted no time in doing the same.

When they met he lowered the hood and hugged his sister tightly.

"Luke", she said with tears in her eyes. "You're here."

"We're together now.", came the reply from Luke Skywalker.

They then bowed their heads towards each other to gently touch foreheads. They made a silent familial connection, an emotional moment of shared grief for the loss of their loved one that even Lara could feel.

When the moment was over, The Jedi Master turned to Lara. She met his gaze with a confusing mixture of sadness and joy but before she could speak he stepped to her and embraced her.

"I've missed you so much.", he said to his niece.

"I've missed you too.", Lara replied. "I'm so sorry I left you."

"The choices we make are all lessons to learn from.", said her master.

Luke noticed a small item that was currently hanging on a necklace that his niece was wearing. Tentatively, he reached out to touch it. Lara nodded her approval and the Jedi Master carefully placed the shiny piece of metal between his fingers. He hadn't seen the image Jedi Starfighter in almost thirty years and wondered where she came across this tiny replica.

"Where did you get this", he inquired

"From a friend", Lara replied with sadness in her voice. "A very good friend who will be missed"

Luke sensed the pain in her response. He didn't feel the need to press her any further, simply giving her an understanding nod.

"Your grandfather piloted one of these in the Clone Wars. A good friend once told me that he was the best star pilot in the galaxy"

Lara simply smiled warmly at her uncle.

"I have something for you.", Luke continued.

From inside his robe he produced a lightsaber, one that he had kept safe for years, one that young wide-eyed girl had once constructed on her path to becoming a Jedi Knight. He held it out to her and waited for her to take it.

Lara stared at the silver hilt that was once almost a part of her being, the same silver hilt that she held while she watched her friends' brutal murders. The mixed feelings about this moment were paralyzing her. She felt pressure pushing in on her from all sides, felt like she was going to scream and then run away to start her cycle of misery all over again.

She did none of those things. She simply reached out her hand and accepted the lightsaber.

"Master", Lara said. "I want to come back to train. I want to be family again."

A grin appeared for the first time on the face of the Jedi Master as he spoke.

"So do I."