Epilogue
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Author's Note: Aaaaand... we're done! :P
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~ Amina Gila
Altered Future Timeline – One year later
Luke has frankly absolutely no idea what Yoda was talking about. He still seems quite alive, thank you very much. It's been a year since Ahsoka went back to the other timeline, and nothing seems to have changed. Either the old Jedi Master was just guessing, or he was talking about something else. Maybe the connection between the two timelines, he'll probably never know.
They're still working on cleaning up the mess of the Empire, so he hasn't even had time to start thinking about re-establishing the Jedi, although he has started training Leia. Slowly the surviving Jedi are starting to turn up again, though, so maybe he'll have some help when he does reach that point.
Then again, maybe it's better than he does wait for a while, anyway. The young Ahsoka may have trained him a lot, but now he's beginning to think he really wasn't ready to be called a Knight yet. His father's Force ghost has been continuing his training, and he has to admit he really didn't know what he was doing before.
And he misses Ahsoka. She was the only people who understood Anakin, and now she's gone, too. And he knows that he'll never see her again. She's gone back to her time to stop the Empire from forming while he's here cleaning up the mess it left. He's only grateful Han, Leia, and Chewie are here, but they can't relate to what happened, and they don't truly understand why he's so upset that Vader is dead.
At least he has Artoo. Sometimes, the droid seems to understand him like no one else.
"Hey Luke," calls Han, stepping into the room. "There's some people outside who you might want to see."
"On my way," he replies, heading outside. He's not sure who he was expecting to see... but just not them. Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren are standing near a shuttle, talking to two other people. After joining the Rebellion, he got to know Hera pretty well, considering that she was a pilot just like him. He eventually met Sabine through her and though they've had a number of interactions, they're still basically just acquaintances.
But what really catches his attention is the other two people. The dark-haired boy, who looks about his age, he's certain must be Ezra Bridger, the boy Hera and Sabine have been looking for. The other one... an adult orange Togruta with very familiar markings. And her Force presence is identical to the young Ahsoka.
This – it's the older her. For a moment, he's hardly even sure how to react. Yes, he already knew there was another Ahsoka out there, but it wasn't the one he got to know so well. At the same time, he never really thought about how he'd feel meeting her either.
"So... you're Luke Skywalker?" Ahsoka asks, approaching him.
He nods in confirmation, still feeling like he's staring a ghost. Of someone he used to know but who doesn't remember him at all. Now he really misses the other Ahsoka, her constant company and cheerfulness... and literally everything. But dwelling on it isn't going to change anything. He can only hope that wherever she is, she'll be successful in helping his father in that timeline.
A slightly awkward silence falls over the pair as they look at each other, neither seemingly entirely sure what to say. "Hey," Sabine peaks up, stepping over to them, "I'm sure you have important Jedi matters to discuss so we'll clear out of here." He's pretty sure they want to continue their reunion in private too, so he and Ahsoka head inside.
"So... how's cleaning up what's left of the Empire going?" Ahsoka queries.
"We might actually be finishing... sometime in the next few years," Luke states dryly.
She chuckles. "Well, at least that's better than nothing."
This feels awkward. He doesn't really know what to say to her. He never has such a hard time talking to people before. Maybe it's because in a way he feels as though he knows her, but he really doesn't.
"You met the... other version of me, didn't you?" asks Ahsoka finally.
He starts slightly. He didn't realize she even knew although he supposes she probably would have sensed an extremely powerful bond with literally another version of herself. It shouldn't surprise him so much. "Yes, I did," he agrees. He pauses for a moment and takes her momentary silence as an invitation to keep talking. She probably wants to know details but feels uncomfortable asking since she hardly knows him, though apparently some other her knew him well.
"She trained me to be a Jedi," Luke says, "And she was there in the final battle against the Emperor on Endor."
"That – that was when... Vader...?" she asks.
Luke nods. This... it's something that she has a right to know too, what happened to her former master. "He turned back at the end," Luke continues quietly, "He saved me and the other Ahsoka and died killing the Emperor."
An unreadable expression flickers across her face for a moment, and an almost heavy silence settles over them for a few moments before Luke finally speaks up again. "Are you going to be staying?"
"Yes, I will," she confirms, "I've been away from the Rebellion for far too long."
"Do you want to help me rebuild?" he asks, "A new Order, I mean."
Ahsoka hesitates for a moment. "I... maybe," she says, "I never really thought about it much, but Ezra I expect will want to help."
"Maybe I'll talk to him later, then. Hey... want to spar?"
"Sure," she agrees, smirking slightly, "I'd like to see how well I trained you."
**w**
Main Timeline – Fourteen years later
"Good job, Master! Good job!" congratulates Galen Marek sarcastically as he and the other padawans attempt to sort themselves out from the smoking wreckage of what was once our ship.
"Why do we always end up in these messes?" Leia asks crossly, struggling to her feet. Yes, despite all of Obi-Wan insistence, he did end up taking her as his padawan. I, of course, got to take Luke as mine. Just as we expected, Anakin wasn't allowed to train the twins, but he agreed to take another padawan instead, Galen.
It's almost hard to believe but it seems my conversation with Yoda that day paid off. Jedi are actually allowed to have families now, as long as it doesn't interfere with their duties. And they're much more like how the Jedi are supposed to be. The Force is finally in balance.
"Because the Force has a strange way of always keeping us on our toes," Luke offers brightly as Galen pulls him to his feet.
"Why are you the only one who always emerges completely unscathed?" I huff at my former master, pulling myself out from beneath a pile of rubble, which may or may not have belonged to the wall of the ship moments ago.
"Skywalkers have crazy luck," offers Galen.
"There's no such thing as luck," insists Obi-Wan.
"Come on," Anakin calls from where he stands a few feet away from the wreckage, "Let's go find another ship so we can get off this dustball." I glance around, the all-too-familiar twin suns of Tatooine beating down on my head. Back here again. I truthfully never thought I'd end up on this planet anymore. I don't really want to be here. It's full of too many memories.
Since our mission is over anyway, all we need to do is find a transport shuttle to get off the planet. Thankfully.
"Follow me," instructs Anakin as he walks off across the sand. We follow close behind with Artoo trailing in the back. I have no idea where Anakin is headed, but since he grew up here, I'm sure he has some idea what he's doing.
It doesn't take long – though it feels like a millennia due to the broiling heat – before we arrive in the outskirts of a town. For a reason I can't quite explain, it feels vaguely familiar. But I know I've never been here before, either now or in the future. Maybe... it was one of the places Luke of the other timeline rambled about? I can't be sure, but it's quite possible. The irony.
We head for the cantina, since Anakin insists that's the best place to find a pilot with a decently working ship.
As we step inside, I scan the crowds of people of literally every species I've ever seen. Some mill about while others sit at the tables, while still others are arguing loudly in various parts of the room. Typical sight.
"I don't like it in here," grumbles Luke under his breath.
"Neither do I, but it's not like we have a better option," Leia replies, shooting a fierce look at a few of the people who stop to stare at us. She fingers the lightsaber at her waist.
"At least be grateful that we're still alive," offers Galen brightly, "Because I'm beginning to wonder how Master Anakin has lasted this long."
I chuckle at the padawans' exchange as we continue to weave our way in between crowds of people. Suddenly, a vaguely familiar presence in the Force hits me, just as my eyes fall on a nearby Wookie. Wait... is that seriously Chewbacca?
I haven't seen him since I came back from the future so many years ago. It could almost have been a lifetime ago now. And if Chewie's here, Han might be around here also. Maybe. Hopefully. Assuming they met up with each other in this life as well. I promised Luke I'd find Han, and I have every intention of doing so. Now may be the opportunity I've been waiting for.
"I think I found someone who will work," I declare, walking over to the Wookie without waiting for the others to respond. Just like in the future, Chewie recognizes me pretty quickly, immediately confirming that he does indeed have a ship for us... along with his copilot.
"I'll bring the rest of the passengers and come over there," I tell him, as my eyes follow the direction he motions with his paw for where I need to go. Around a table sits the very familiar figure of Han Solo, though obviously a lot younger than when I last saw him. This is seriously beginning to give me flashbacks.
I hurry back to the other five. "So, you found someone?" Obi-Wan states more than asks.
I nod. "Yes, someone who I once used you to know, in fact."
"Then let's get going," Anakin advises.
Minutes later, we find ourselves seated around a table where Han and Chewie are. I knew Han would be around here somewhere.
"Han Solo," he introduces himself, "I'm captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're looking for passage to the Coruscant system."
"If it's fast," Anakin replies.
"Fast? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?!" Han demands sounding offended. I suppress a grin. He's too protective over that ship of his. That certainly hasn't changed.
"Should we have?" asks Obi-Wan. Probably. I should have told you the name.
"It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!" Han insists, "She's fast enough for you. What's the cargo?"
"Only passengers," I respond, "Just the six of us and a droid."
"Deal," agrees Han, "Meet us at docking bay 2037."
"Come on," says Anakin, rising to his feet. We move away from the table, quickly heading out of the cantina. Before long, we find ourselves boarding the familiar ship. I can hardly believe this is really happening. I thought it would take a lot of time and effort looking for Han, but the Force led us straight to him. I feel a strange sense of homecoming as we walk inside the ship. I can't stop thinking back to those days I spend here with Chewie and the twins, and even Han. We've built a completely new world for ourselves, though, and I'm more than happy to be this Luke's master.
The padawans take turns playing dejarik with Chewie while Artoo watches, beeping an occasional piece of advice. Obi-Wan sits off to the side meditating, while Han comes to the hold to observe the game as well.
Chewie growls unhappily as he loses yet another round of the game. "Maybe you should let him win next time," Han suggests cheerfully, "It's not wise to upset a Wookie."
"I'm not worried about it," chirps Galen, "It wouldn't look good on you for a copilot to attack their passengers."
"Fair point," the smuggler concedes.
"Want to join us for the next round instead?" offers Luke.
"Nah. I prefer to just watch the show," Han replies, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on the table in front of him, as if to make a point.
"Why's that? Afraid you're gonna lose?" challenges Leia.
"If I played that against you, I would win, Your Highness," Han insists smugly.
"Really." She looks unimpressed. Yes, they're all so much like how I knew them from my time in the future. I really hope that Han and Chewie are going to stick around after this.
Anakin glances at me, clearly having caught sight of how I'm watching the group. "What are you up to, Snips?"
My lips twitch into a smile. "I'm keeping a promise... to an old friend."
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