Hope sat cross-legged in the center of the Main Hall, with Anakin at her side. Her eyes were closed shut, as she listened to the Force's instructions on how to reopen to portal.
Tell me what to do, her mind said quietly, as she began to concentrate.
The Force resides in all living things, the being explained, its voice calming down Hope's storm of emotions. Any who shares a special connection to it can do anything with it. A person who has mastered the Force can even open a vortex leading into other worlds, if they so choose.
But I'm not experienced, Hope thought-spoke desperately, feeling her concentration falter. I'm just three years old.
But you are the Calthazar, Hope. You were brought into this world for a special purpose. When you were only a few days old, you were able to save your mother and father from death on Dathomir.
Hope nodded, and smiled as that memory came back to her. She, with the help of Anakin, had managed to bring Mommy and Daddy back from the afterlife, just when they were about to cross over to the Other Side. It had seemed impossible, but they had succeeded. And she would succeed again. Okay, Hope thought, feeling her despair give away to determination. I'm ready. Tell me what to do.

Callista staggered unsteadily to her feet, watching as Arak came closer to her, almost floating in the air. She was still hiding behind the face of her mother, her eyes blazing with evil intent. Callista froze as she stood up. The moment she had been fearing had now arrived. Arak was no longer going to pull any more punches. She could have killed Callista right then and there if she wanted to, but she was going to take her time.
How was a Jedi Knight going to defeat a god?
"What's the matter, Callista?" Arak snarled in her terrifying voice. "Is that fear I smell? Trust me, my dear, you don't know the meaning of that word until now."
Her hands hooked out into savage claws, her teeth shaping into razor-sharp fangs, yellowish spittle drooling from her mouth.
"I'm ready for you, Jedi."
Callista swallowed her fear, and charged at full speed toward the goddess. She never even saw Arak move. One minute, she was standing directly in front of her, getting closer by the second as Callista closed in on her, beckoning with her hands. Then suddenly, she was standing off to Callista's right. Her mouth suddenly erupted in pain, blood flying from her broken lips, and she realized that Arak had just thrown a roundkick at her face. She had never even seen it coming.
Arak moved again, an unearthly fast blur. Callista felt the god's arm smack into the back of her legs, causing her feet to leave the ground. Callista cried out as the world spun out of control, and her back hit the sand. Focus! her mind shouted angrily at her. You can't let her get the best of you!
Callista obeyed, and her eyes bore onto a palm tree standing crooked behind Arak. With a mere thought, Callista tore the tree free from its roots, and sent it flying in Arak's direction. The god must have sensed it coming, and she performed an amazing somersault that made her fly over the propelling tree and land right behind it. The palm tree crashed into the Nogati home, tearing easily through the old brick. Callista was on her feet within seconds, feeling the Force flow through her veins, stronger than ever, and she strode over to Arak, who was just beginning to turn around to attack. Without a moment of hesitation, Callista threw a massive double-punch across Arak's face, first hitting her with a left, followed quickly by a right.
The blow seemed to hurt the god, but just barely. Within the realm of Raximidaj, Arak was susceptible to injury. Keep fighting! Callista thought fiercely as she hit Arak's jaw with a right, then another left, spun, and backhanded her, knocking her to one side. With her opponent now taken off the offensive, Callista moved forth and did a backflip into the air, shoving both feet hard into Arak's gut, staggering her against the ruined wall of the house. Callista landed safely on her feet, a gap separating the two women.
Arak was starting to get up again, the numerous blows starting to take its toll on her. Her face was unblemished; not a single bruise of a trace of blood showed.
Apparently, gods didn't bleed.
Callista grinned. Then I'll just have to keep pummeling her.
As Arak strode over to her, rage palpable on her mutated face, Callista slammed the palm of her right hand into the center of the god's chest, causing a gasp of pain to leave her mouth. She struck again, this time aiming a little higher, toward the breastbone. Again, her aim was true, and Arak was sent stumbling back. Arak seemed to be in pain, but she was also furious. As Callista threw another punch, Arak's hand shot up and effortlessly blocked it. Callista grunted as she threw out her other fist, but again it was blocked. With Arak now holding the Jedi by her arms, she sent her foot into Callista's knee, almost breaking the bone. Callista cried out as pain surged through her leg, and she felt Arak kick her full in the face. Her nose split open, and she almost fell. Arak swung Callista around, in an attempt to throw her down to the ground, but Callista managed to steady herself, now standing directly in front of the house.
The god smiled, and threw out one hand, palm outward. Callista was knocked off her feet by an invisible blow, and she sailed through the hole made through the house, and crashed into the kitchen wall, her back smashing into one of the cabinets, spilling plates and glasses upon her. She hit the floor seconds later, covered in tiny pieces of glass. As she weakly stood up, dozens of tiny cuts on her skin from where the glass had cut her, she could hear Arak's laughter ringing in the air. She watched with horror as the god entered the house through the open hole, a sneer spreading across her face.
"Is that the best you can do, Jedi?" she roared. "Let me show you how it's done." As she spoke, Callista saw something move from the corner of her eye. She turned and saw a flying plate coming in her direction. She tried to move away, but she was too late. The plate smashed her squarely in the face. Callista screamed as the plate shattered upon impact, driving large pieces of glass into her face, drawing blood. None of it made it into her eyes, but the rest of her face was ruined, little more than a large mass of blood. Callista screamed as she wrenched several of the glass pieces free from her flesh, and turned to see Arak standing directly in front of her now. She had never even seen her move. With one, quick move, the god threw a backhand that hit Callista right in the jaw. The blow was so strong that it nearly knocked Callista out. Callista had not even begun to recover from that when she received a kick straight into the stomach, lurching her forward and causing her to vomit blood. It splattered onto the floor, on the broken glasses and plates. An intense wave of pain burned in her gut, and Callista realized that Arak had kicked her so hard that she had ruptured her liver. When she looked up, blood flecking from the corners of her mouth, Arak drew back and flipped back through the air.
Callista felt the god's feet sail into her feet as they flew up in the air, knocking several teeth loose from her mouth, and she was knocked back against the wall, falling helplessly to her knees. Seconds later, Arak was standing over her, the victor.
"You fought well," Arak said softly, almost sympathetically as she towered over the downed Jedi. "I'll give you that much. A lesser person would have been dead a long time ago. But now, I'm getting bored." As she spoke, she reached down and pulled free one of the legs of the ruined table, and held it in one hand, her eyes focused on Callista's head. "Tell Shemra I'll be coming by soon, and that she's going to pay for what she did to me."
Luke began to scream.
Emperor Palpatine stood before him, in all his aged, ravaged glory. Dark power
rippled through his, from his fingers as he fired blue-white lightning at the
Jedi, burning through his clothes and touching his flesh. Pain surged through
his entire body, and he nearly fell to his knees.
Where am I? The question seemed odd to him at a time like this. First I'm on
Bespin, now I'm suddenly on the Death Star? What's going on?
 Young fool, Palpatine said, his eyes burning into Luke. Beside him, Vader
stood weakly, smoke rising from his arm where his hand had once been. Only now,
at the end, do you understand. He sneered as he fired another volley into Luke.
The pain intensified a hundred-fold. Luke couldn't even fight back. He tried to
draw on the Force, to give him strength, or at least stop the pain, but it did
no good. He was too weak. His fight with Vader had already sapped him of his
strength. And the Emperor was too strong–far too strong.
The old man sauntered forth, taking his time. Your feeble skills are no match
for the power of the dark side. More fire streamed from his fingertips, causing
Luke to let go of the canister he had been holding onto and onto his hands and
knees. You have paid the price for your lack of vision.
The lightning began increasing in power and heat, and this time, Palpatine did
not stop. It burned through Luke, burning his clothes, his skin, his hair. His
entire body writhed with pain, his limbs jerking out of control, as if he were
having a seizure. Vader watched on, his eyes on Luke the whole time, never once
moving.
Father, please! Luke cried weakly, but was soon drowned out by the lightning.
And even through the pain, that question still lingered curiously in his mind,
as if none of this were happening.
Why am I here? Is this really happening?
Or is it a dream?
 The outpour of lightning finally stopped. Luke remained on the floor, gasping
for air, unable to move. He tensed, awaiting for Palpatine to continue, knowing
what was going to come next...
Because this has already happened before. Over ten years ago–
Finally realized it, did you? a voice said. Not Palpatine's. Not Vader's.
This was the same voice Luke had heard on Bespin, just before it had changed–
He looked up, wincing in pain as he did so. The Emperor was gone. So was his
father.
Before him stood Beru. His aunt, who had died all those years ago...
Luke coughed, trying to get up, and only half-succeeding. Where am I? he
gasped, his eyes remaining on Beru.
She smiled. A horrible, evil smile. Welcome to Raximidaj.
At once, memories returned to him. Anasazi, the Kerash, the portal, him leaping
into the blue vortex–
Callista. And Hope.
What had happened to them?
Immediately, Luke understood. And as he looked into the eyes of the creature
that stood before him, nothing like the kind, caring woman who had been his
aunt, he knew that this wasn't Beru. Or Vader. Or the Emperor.
This was Arak, the goddess of the Kerash.
Very good, the goddess said, reading his thoughts.
Luke finally stood, the pain now gone. He looked around the Emperor's inner
sanctum. This isn't real, is it, Arak? he said. This is a dreamscape. An
illusion.
Yes...and no, Arak said, gesturing with both arms. This is the hell I was
banished to eons ago by Sheherhera. Raximidaj, once the kingdom of the Pantheon,
has become a world of dreams. More specifically, nightmares.
Luke shuddered, as the last piece of the puzzle connected. So, that's what
Raximidaj is. It's a dimension with no reality. A world where a person relives
their worst nightmares, over and over again.
It's an endless cycle, Arak explained, the smile still on her face. She
looked even more terrifying wearing Beru's face than Vader's. This world draws
images from your mind. It draws on every day of your life, every experience,
every tragedy, every death, every moment of pain you've ever had...and magnifies
them a thousand-fold. She laughed. And yours, Jedi Master, is more...rich than
others. You've very well acquainted with pain and tragedy, aren't you?
Luke nodded, the memories still fresh in his mind.
There are thousands of memories this dimension can draw upon, Arak continued.
But it chooses the most powerful memories...the most frightening, the most
interesting. She came up to Luke, bringing one withered hand up to caress his
cheek. Oh, yes...your nightmares, Skywalker, are very interesting.
Luke angrily slapped her hand away. Don't touch me.
Arak cackled. Ooooh, getting feisty, aren't we?
What if I die? Luke suddenly asked; out of the corner of his eye, his
lightsaber–which he had cast away when confronting the illusionary
Palpatine–began to twitch. What happens if I somehow die in my nightmares.
Oh, that won't be a problem, Arak said. For in Raximidaj, you can never
truly die. You just keep experiencing your nightmares, over and over and over
again. It's the true meaning of torture, don't you think?
Luke reached out with his mind, and the lightsaber slowly levitated in the air.
Where's Callista? he demanded.
That caused the goddess to laugh again. Oh, don't worry about your precious
woman. She's here...with us. Reliving her own nightmares. It's quite amusing,
really. Her memories are almost as interesting as yours...
You're sick, Luke said in disgust. The lightsaber was slowly making its way
toward him. You thrive on the pain of others. That's what makes you weak;
that's why the Force was able to defeat you and the other gods.
You know NOTHING of weakness, Jedi! Arak snapped, one hand clutching Luke by the neck. He hadn't even seen her move. Now, it is time for you and your woman
to die. And once you two are out of the way, I can leaved this damned place
forever, and conquer the universe! The Order of Kerash will triumph!
But I thought you said we couldn't die, Luke said with a confident grin.
Oh, that is very true. Your bodies will not permanently die. But you can die,
believe me, over and over...and each one will be more painful than the rest.
The lightsaber was now hovering behind the goddess, ready to be activated.
You won't win, this Arak, Luke said. You've already lost. Your followers are
all dead. And even if you kill me and Callista, Sheherhera will stop you once and for all.
That bitch has no power! Arak seethed. If she truly had power, she would
have killed me a long time ago. But she did...and now she, and the rest of the
universe, will pay for their folly. Starting with you. Her eyes glowed with inner fire.
Luke focused on the lightsaber's switch–and turned it on.
The blade stabbed through the air, toward Arak's back–
But Arak was no longer there.
Instead, she was off to Luke's right, as if she had been there all along.
You fool! she hissed. Did you honestly think I wouldn't notice your
stalling? That's the oldest trick in the book!
Knew I couldn't fool a god, Luke muttered, as he beckoned the lightsaber back
to his hand. Looks like I'll have to do it the hard way.
He came at Arak and slashed–
At air.
She had disappeared again–now she was standing to his left, cackling.
Luke moved fast, the Force guiding his every move. He brought his lightsaber in
an upward sweep, cleaving Arak into two uneven pieces.
But, much to his shock, the pieces pulled right back together, as if pulled
back together by a giant magnet. Arak's laughter reverberated through the
Emperor's inner sanctum, as if she was everyone at once.
You cannot defeat me, Skywalker! the goddess roared, now a blur of speed,
charging for right him.
Luke's reflexes kicked it, and he flipped backwards into the air. At the same
time, he brought his feet directly into Arak's chest, pitching her back and
shattering her into several thousand pieces.
Luke landed gently on his feet. Slowly, Arak's pieces began to reassemble,
congealing into a dark substance that crackled with fire. She began to change
shape, from Beru into a giant black spider. Its millions of eyes glared at Luke,
each one illuminating blue light.
Impressive, isn't it? Arak said in that same guttural, demonic voice. The
giant spider-creature charged toward Luke, brandishing a deadly stinger that
dripped with poison. I can take on billions of shapes, Skywalker. This is
nothing compared to what I can do!

Both Luke and Arak turned to the source of the new voice. A figure stood on the
platform above them, holding a sun-yellow lightsaber.
It was Callista.


******
"Callista!"
Luke's voice filled Callista's ears, and for a moment, she thought she was just hearing things. But she soon heard the sound of footsteps, and she looked up to see Luke standing just outside the enormous hole in the wall, armed with his lightsaber.
"Get away from my wife!" he shouted at Arak as he thumbed the switch. Arak moved fast, leaping through the hole to meet the Jedi Master. Callista tried to get back up to help her husband fight this demon, but she fell back down, too weak to even stand. She could only watch as Luke engaged the Kerash god.
He swung the green- white blade toward Arak's god, but she easily ducked beneath the arc. As Luke brought the blade back and prepared for another blow, Arak grabbed the lightsaber by the handle, and seemed to focus her eyes on it. A second later, the hilt of the weapon began to glow a bright white-red, as it overloaded from within. Luke saw what was happening, and cursed as he tossed the Jedi weapon down to the ground, where it shattered into several tiny pieces, rendering the weapon useless. Unarmed, Luke tried swinging a blow for Arak's head. The god used her arm to knock aside his fist, and used her other hand to hold the table leg, and smacked the Jedi Master in the back of the head.
As Luke reeled, Arak tossed the table leg into her other hand, and smashed one end of it into his jaw. Callista cringed as she heard the crack of Luke's jaw ring in her ears, quickly accompanied by a long wail of pain. She wished so much that she could help him, and strained to get back up again. Her stomach was still burning with agony, as was her entire face.
Arak spun, now holding the table leg with both hands, and struck Luke firmly in the gut. He bent over in pain, and he cried out as Arak grabbed a hold of his sandy-blond hair and yanked back, and flipped him to the ground. Luke's back struck the sand, and he remained there, the fight nearly out of him. By now, Callista had managed to steady herself on one foot.
Hang on, Luke. I'm coming...
Arak smiled with sadistic pleasure as she grabbed Luke by the hair, and lifted him up to his knees, ignoring his pained cries.
"So, you're the mighty Jedi Master I have heard so much about. The man who defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, the man who recreated the Jedi Order, the man who single-handedly destroyed the Death Star." She placed the claws of both index fingers on the corners of Luke's eyes, her smile growing wider, exposing her animal fangs. "Tell me, Jedi Master, when this starts to hurt." She shoved her nails deep into Luke's eyes, ripping them open.
Luke's wails, which had started out as low moans, now immediately changed into pure agonizied screams as the god gouged his eyes out. Blood and a clear, sticky fluid leaked past Arak's nails as she dug deeper and deeper, until she reached his brain. Callista froze, the horror and fury she felt indescribable, as she watched this demon mutilate her husband. She began to scream, screams of terror and anger, her voice carrying across the beach and into the ocean.
"NO! ARAK, YOU BITCH, LET HIM GO!!!"
Arak's eyes turned to face Callista, and she merely offered her a smile. Her nails remained embedded into Luke's eyes, as he continued screaming, and she focused intently on Callista, as if looking through her. Callista growled as she started to head over to the god. Anyone who dared to hurt her husband in such a manner was going to--
The bones in her legs suddenly snapped in half, cutting open through her flesh. Callista stopped dead in her tracks, at first not knowing what had just happened, then fell back down, having just stepped out of the house as the bones her legs suddenly and inexplicably shattered into tiny pieces, several of them sticking out of her skin.
She screamed as she hit the sand, pain shooting through both her legs, and into her chest. Arak's eyes remained on her, as all the bones in her legs continued to break apart, until she was completely crippled, no longer able to walk. Arak smiled as she reveled in Callista's agonized shrieks, mixing in with Luke's, and she looked down at the Jedi Master, her nails still digging through his ruined eyes.
"Ah, yes, I forgot about you for a minute there. Let's say we try something else now?" Blue lightning sizzled through her arms, passing through her hands, and into Luke's eyes. The Jedi Master shrieked as the electricity coursed through his body, his limbs jerking uncontrollably. Arak's nails remained in his eyes, as she dug into his brain, at the same time electrocuting him. Smoke began to rise through his skin, through his nostrils, ears, and mouth. Callista finally stopped screaming, although the pain remained. She looked over at Arak and Luke, could feel her husband's life slowly draining away.
Callista...I'm sorry...
No! I've already lost too many people. I can't lose you now!
Callista looked around, looking for something, anything, she could fight Arak with. With her legs broken beyond repair, she could no longer get up--
--and her eyes rested upon a large piece of transparisteel, from when she had shattered the window earlier. An idea came to mind. It was crazy, and probably wouldn't work...but she had to do something. She couldn't just watch as Arak slowly took Luke's life away from him. Callista reached out with the Force, and the transparisteel shard slowly lifted up into the air. Luke's screams began to grow weaker as the lightning sizzled through his body, and blood began flowing from his nose and ears. Arak's laughter rose above his screams, seething with triumph.
With a final shove in the Force, Callista sent the shard flying in the god's direction. Arak must have somehow sensed it coming, for she turned around, and deflected the shard back with her power--right back at Callista. Callista cursed as she began to focus on the shard, determined to send it in another direction. At the same time, a coconut from the fallen palm tree broke free, and sailed toward Callista, propelled by Arak's powers. It smashed Callista right in the side of the head, causing her to lose focus. The shard move forth, unstoppable in Arak's invisible grip--
--and plunged directly into Callista's throat. The world seemed to slow around her, as the tip of the shard entered her flesh. She coughed, once, twice, and tried to breath--but the shard had severed her windpipe, and all her breath escaped in a sickening wistle through the hole in her throat. Callista was not even able to scream, as she fell back, feeling an entire river of blood stream from the torn hole in her throat. The back of her head hit the wall of her childhood home, as Callista felt her life slip away with each passing second. The pain was tremendous, both in her throat and her legs. Arak laughed as she finally released Luke, letting the Jedi Master topple to the ground, on the borderline of life and death. Callista herself was following the same path, as Raximidaj slowly began to be enveloped by a bright flash of light. She looked over at Luke for one last time, and sent a single, final thought out to him.
I'm sorry, Luke. I couldn't stop her...


Callista, get back! Luke commanded, readying to battle this creature.
Luke, we have to do this together, Callista said, her eyes remaining on the
spider-creature. Just as it was foretold. The only way to destroy Arak is
through the Trinity.
Ah, yes, Arak said. The blessed Trinity. But, correct me if I'm wrong, isn't
a trinity supposed to be three participants?
Ice froze in Luke's stomach. Hope...where was Hope? Was she in Raximidaj,
experiencing her own torment–
Luke shouted, sprinting for the spider-creature. But Arak was no
longer interested in him.
For its eyes were now on Callista.
Callista smiled, beckoned the creature. Come on. Show me how strong you really
are, she challenged, leaping off the platform.
Arak took the bait, clambering after Callista in its new, hellish form. Its
giant stinger came up to intercept her–
Luke saw what was going to happen, knew he couldn't stop it in time.

Callista's eyes widened, and a gurgled moan escaped her mouth as Arak's stinger
plowed through her gut, coming out through her back. The acidic poison began its
work, eating through her entire body. Steam rose from the mortal wound.
Time seemed to slow for Luke. He began running toward them, his steps becoming
slower, more labored.
Callista began to fall, slowly, every so slowly–
The room was punctuated by Arak's victorious cackle–
You BITCH!!!! As Luke screamed, he leaped through the air, his foot smashing
into Arak's torso. He used the Force to increase the intensity of the blow, and
Arak was sent flying back–
Only to stop completely in the air.
Luke glared up at the spider beast as it floated in the middle of the chamber,
still cackling.
You can't kill me, Skywalker, she said. You can't even hurt me. I am the
master of this realm. I control everything.
Then come on down and finish me, Luke said, waving her forward with one hand.
The spider began flying towards the Jedi Master. But not until I've
had my fine.
Then she began to change form again. As Luke watched, the spider-creature began
twisting, its mass growing smaller. Bones broke, ligaments tore; it sounded
painful, and yet Arak never uttered a sound as she transformed.
Now, she remained in the air, in the form of a horrific, reptilian creature
with giant horns. Give it up, Jedi, she snarled. There's no way you can beat
me.
No harm in trying, is there? Luke quipped.
You will regret those words dearly, Arak said, as she threw one large,
slime-covered fist that connected with Luke's jaw.
The pain was enormous; Luke didn't even feel himself fall. He landed right
beside Callista, who still desperately clung to life. He looked into her eyes,
which were wide with agony and terror. A single thought shot from her mind into
his:
Luke, we need help. We need...Hope...
It's okay, Callista, Luke assured her. Everything will be fine...
He suddenly the air ripple as someone manipulated the Force. He cried out as he
was thrown off his feet, through the air, and into the platform above, causing
the entire structure to collapse.
Luke fell, dozens of feet, his back impacting the hard floor. Bones in his body
snapped; the pain was tremendous. He began to scream.
Luke, we need to finish the Trinity. It's the only way...
 Arak was now looming over him. As Luke weakly rose to one knee, she knocked him down with another blow to the face, ripping deep, fresh gashes from the top of
his head down to his neck. Blood spurted freely onto the floor, the wall, the
wreckage. One of Arak's claws had torn an artery–
Are we having fun yet? the goddess said, grabbing Luke by the hair and
pulling him to his knees. He uttered a gurgled scream as several strands were yanked out.
Callista called, weakly, one hand outstretched.
It's too late for you both! Arak snapped, bringing her foot into Luke's back.
Luke felt himself fly again, the top of his head colliding with the wall on the
other end of the chamber.
Slowly, he began to fall, knowing now that Arak was right. The situation was
hopeless. Without Hope, there was no way they could win this fight.
He and Callista were doing to die...over and over again.
As Arak advanced toward him, beginning to transform again, Luke felt Callista
send one last thought out to him, before she died.
I'm sorry, Luke...I couldn't stop her...

"Leave my Mommy and Daddy alone." Callista looked up at her daughter's voice entered her ears. It sliced through Arak's laughter like a sharp knife, causing the Kerash goddess to look around in surprise.
"Who dares to say that to the great Arak?" she bellowed, her voice causing the ground to shudder.
"Over here."
Both Callista and Arak looked to see Hope emerge from the water, like an ocean goddess, her brown hair waving around her like a cape. The ocean water did not drench her as she rose above it, and began walking across the water, her eyes blazing with white fire. "Hope?" Callista tried to gasp out, but the shard lodged in her throat prevented her from talking, and all that came out was an incomprehensible gurgle.
Arak seemed amused by the appearance of the little girl. "Well, if it isn't the weak link of the chain," she said, as she went over to Hope. "You shouldn't have come here, little girl." "You've hurt my Mommy and Daddy," Hope said, her eyes glowing as they glowered up at the Kerash god. She glided gracefully through the air, and landed when she stood directly in front of Arak. "The Force lady showed me how to reopen the portal. You're a bad person, Arak, and you have to go away."
Arak scoffed at the little child. "Perhaps you have not been paying attention, young Hope," she said, and gestured to Luke and Callista, who writhed in pain on the sandy ground. "Look what I have done to your precious parents. That's nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you in a few seconds if you don't turn around and leave."
Hope shook her head defiantly. "You don't scare me, Arak. You're just a big, stupid, smelly piece of bantha fodder."
That seemed to set Arak off, and she reached forth and grabbed Hope by the throat with one clawed hand. "Foolish little girl!" she growled. "You have no respect for your superiors! And I'm going to make you pay."
Suddenly, the two froze in place, as if an electrical current had just passed through both of them. Arak began to spasm and shake, while Hope remained still, her eyes bearing deep into the god's. Arak's lips curved back into a frustrated snarl, as she tried to snap the little girl's neck, but Hope resisted. The god's body continued to shudder, as if a small earthquake was raging inside her--
--and was thrown back. Hope used a powerful Force blow to smash into Arak's chest, knocking the god off her feet, and back through the air. She landed painfully on the ground, just in front of Luke and Callista. Hope stepped in front of the downed goddess, completing the triangle.

Luke had watched the entire exchange between Hope and Arak, amazed. As he faded in and out of consciousness, still bleeding from all open wounds, he watched as
Hope–a little girl only three years old–beat back a centuries-old goddess, as if
it was no harder than swiping at an annoying insect.
It was the most incredible thing he had ever seen.
As Hope closed the triangle formed around Arak–consisting of herself, Callista,
and Luke–Luke felt fresh, new power was over him. It stopped his wounds, closed
them, healed them. His energy was restored, better than before. Far off,
Callista stood as well, having hovered somewhere between life and death only
seconds before, her wounds gone as well. Her eyes glowed with white fire.
It was Sheherhera, Luke realized. She had returned to them, returned to
Raximidaj...to finish what had been started eons ago.
Arak had to be destroyed.

It was then that Callista felt that same surge through the Force flow into her body again. It spread across her body, easing the pain in her legs and throat. She found herself able to stand up, despite her broken bones. She looked over at Arak, her eyes suddenly glowing with the same white fire as Hope's. Off to one side, Luke began to stand as well, able to see again, even without his eyes. He glared at the Kerash god, white burst of fire glowing from within his hands.
Arak began to stand up, realization dawning on her face, fear glimmering within her eyes. "What..." she gasped, as she looked from one Jedi to another. "No...No, it can't be!" "Your days of being bad are over, Arak," Hope exclaimed, as she pointed her hands toward the trapped god. "It's time for us to teach you a lesson you'll never forget." "No!" Arak screamed, as she tried to get away, but she was trapped within the triangle. White lightning burst from Hope's hands, striking the god squarely in the chest. Arak shrieked in pain as the fire burned into her body, her hands going up to her chest. But she was still alive, and didn't go down. Her burning blue eyes stared up into the morning sky, her scream penetrating the calm air. Luke raised his hands as well, and he fired a volley into Arak, penetrating the darkness with light. The Kerash god fell to her knees, her cries increasing. She begged for mercy, calling out to Shemra, but the Force paid no heed to her words. Arak's time had finally come, and she had to pay for the crimes she had committed against the gods.
It was Callista's turn.
"Callista, don't!" Arak said, as she looked over at her, her voice different, now sounding more like her mother's. Her eyes changed color, into that familiar emerald-green. "Please, don't do this, Callista! I'm your mother! Please, don't kill your own mother!" Callista paused as she gazed into Arak's face, at the face that looked so much like her mother's. She remembered how Arak had taunted her in the house, filling her head with lies, making her believe that she had wanted her mother dead. Callista expected to feel rage at what Arak had done...but instead felt a strange sense of peace. The light within her burned strongly, extinguishing her dark feelings.
Hope and Luke continued to bombard Arak, and the god was slowly dying. But she would never die unless Callista fired the last flames into her. The Trinity had to be completed. Callista extended one hand out, focusing on the weakened god. A single, prodigious sizzle of fire awakened from her fingers, heading in Arak's direction. The last thing she saw of Arak was her false emerald eyes, silently pleading. Arak screamed as the final bolt hit her, and her body became engulfed in a wash of blinding white light. Callista had to shield her eyes from the explosion, Arak's scream ringing in her ears. As the Kerash god was sent into oblivion, Callista could feel the influence of Shemra leave her body, and once again, the pain in her legs began to return. Callista let out a scream as she began to fall back down. The light coming from Arak came forth, toward her like a wave of fire, and Callista felt the flames envelop her as it took her away from Raximidaj...

Why do I keep coming here?
That's for you to decide.
Callista stood over the largest cliff on Chad, overlooking the vast, endless blue ocean. The sun, Icari, was starting to set over the horizon, and it would soon be nightfall. "Wh...Where am I?" Callista found herself asking aloud, her eyes looking around. Hope and Luke were nowhere to be seen. "What is this place? Am I still on Raximidaj?" "No, Lissy," a voice said from behind. "Not anymore."
Callista spun around and saw her mother--her real mother, she could sense, not Arak--standing behind her, with a beautiful young woman by her side. A woman with long brown hair and gray eyes, like Callista's... Callista almost gasped when she recognized her. "Kara?"
Her firstborn daughter, now cleansed of her evil, and looking more beautiful than Callista had ever seen her since her birth, nodded.
"Hello, Mother," she said softly.
Callista looked from her mother to Kara. "Is...Is this the Other Side?" she asked.
Her mother nodded. "What you're seeing now is merely an illusion, something you created. Like how you created your version of Raximidaj." Her voice grew softer, as she looked around the familiar world. "Why do you keep coming back here, Callista?"
That's for you to decide.
As Djinn's words echoed in Callista's mind, it suddenly became clear to her. As she looked around the cliff, and then at her mother and Kara, a flood of memories came back to her. She remembered her dream of seeing her mother standing over the same cliff--just after Callista had regained her Force powers--and it had turned out to be Kara instead, furious that her mother had abandoned her, and longing for revenge. More images returned: of her mother's suicide, of the funeral afterwards, of how her family blamed her for what had happened, forever altering her life for the worst...
"I know why now," Callista suddenly said, looking over at her mother. "I blamed myself for what happened. These dreams I keep having of Chad, and of...I can't let go of the past. I still blame myself for your death, Mama." Her eyes began to brim with tears, as she was suddenly seven years old again, and holding her mother's lifeless body in her hands. "Mama, I'm so sorry..."
"Don't be," her mother cut in gently, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "What happened to me...it was not your fault. It never was. It was mine, for being weak and taking the easy way out. I chose my own path, and I paid the consequences." Callista could see tears in her mother's eyes as well. "I'm just sorry that you had to carry the burden on your shoulders for so long. If anyone should apologize, it should be me, for ruining your life..."
"Mama, I'll never agree with the decision you made," Callista said sternly. "What you did was wrong...and the lives of everyone who was close to you were shattered. Not just me, but Papa, too, and Josef, and Maya and Arkna. Our lives were changed forever because of what you did."
Her mother nodded and looked away from her, her cheeks burning red with shame. Callista's tone softened, and she reached forth and gathered her mother in a hug. Something she had not done ever since that one, fateful night.
"But I do love you, Mama," she said softly. "I will always love you."
Her mother nodded, as she returned the hug, her body shaking as she wept on her shoulder. "I love you, too, Lissy," she whispered. "And that is why you must let go of the past once and for all. Or else, it will always come back to haunt you. Don't blame yourself for what happened to me. Go out and live your life in happiness with your family. You can't do so if you keep holding on to the past. Conquer it...before it conquers you."
"I will, Mama," Callista said, echoing the same words she had said decades ago, when her mother was in her death throes. "I promise. I promise..."
They remained together for a long time, then Callista let go. She looked over at Kara, her firstborn daughter, who had remained silent throughout the conversation. She seemed afraid to approach Callista, as if frightened to incur her mother's wrath.
Callista smiled sadly as she gazed at her daughter. "And my dear, beautiful Kara," she said. "I'm sorry for abandoning you. If there was any way I could change that, I would..." Kara shook her head. "I think we both have to share the blame, Mother," she said. "I chose the wrong path. I allowed anger and bitterness to blind me. The dark side was never the right answer, Mother." She sighed, as she looked into her mother's gray eyes. "I did so many terrible things to you and your family. And for that, I'm sorry. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself..."
"It's all in the past, Kara," Callista said, as she hugged her daughter, fighting to keep from crying. "Focus on the here and now. I want you to be happy now." She kissed Kara on the cheek and smiled. "I wish you and Geith the best, Kara. I love you so much. You'll always be my daughter."
Kara nodded. "I know. And you'll always be my mother. And I love you for that." Callista smiled as she looked from Kara to her mother, knowing that this would be the last time she would ever see them again until the day she died. She could feel the tears threatening to spill down, but she held it back.
"I have to go now," she said. "Luke and Hope need me."
"Not yet," her mother suddenly said. "We haven't event told you why you were brought here."
Callista hesitated, as it dawned on her that she had never even bothered to ask. She turned back to her mother and daughter. "What do you mean? Why was I brought here?"
"The Force is grateful that you defeated Arak in Raximidaj," her mother explained. "And she wants to reward you...by this..." As she spoke, she stepped off to one side, exposing a little boy around the age of two or three who had hiding behind her, who smiled up when he saw Callista. Callista's heart almost stopped when she recognized the sandy- blond hair, the light brown eyes.
The same boy in her dream.
"Ben?" she gasped, her hand going up to cover her mouth. She could feel the tears start to flow. "Ben...?"
Ben looked over at Callista's mother. "Who is she, Nana?" he asked curiously. Callista's mother smiled down at the little boy. "Ben, say hello to your mother," she said. "She's come to visit you."
Ben nodded as he walked up to Callista, curious brown eyes looking up at her. "Hello, Mommy," he said in a sweet, polite voice. For a moment, Callista couldn't even respond, as she looked down at her beautiful son. The son she would never have, taken away from her by Xizor's treachery...
"Hello, Ben," she finally answered, and bent down to hug him. Callista began to sob as she felt the little boy's chubby arms wrap around the back of her neck.
The pain in her womb returned, reminding her of what had happened... "Oh, Ben," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks and onto her son's shoulders. She was speechless as she held onto her son, who probably no idea of what had happened to him. Callista could already see the knife plunging again into her stomach--
Ben pulled away from her, and he looked into her eyes. "You're very pretty," he said politely.
Callista smiled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you," she said. "And you are beautiful."
"Why are you crying?" the little boy asked, touching the trickling tears on her face. Callista shook her head as she continued wiping the tears away.
"It's okay...I'm just...happy." She smiled as she stroked her fingers through her little boy's hair, who felt so smooth and soft, just like his father's. "Oh, Ben, you're such a little angel. I'm just happy to have finally seen you."
Ben giggled as he looked up at his grandmother. "She's a nice lady, Nana." He looked back at Callista. "Will you come back to visit us again?"
Callista felt the tears begin to return, as she looked at her son, her mother, and her daughter. Three of the most important people in her life, now one with the Force. She began to feel overwhelmed, unknowing of what to say. She looked up at her mother, who nodded in encouragement.
"Yes," Callista finally said, kissing Ben on the forehead, almost choking as she wept. "I'll come back soon, little one. I promise."
She stood up, and looked around her. At her family, at Chad, at the sun setting over the ocean. I have to let go of the past once and for all, she thought, as she said a silent goodbye to her childhood home. Or else it will just keep coming back to haunt me. It will be an endless cycle... She turned back to her family, and she nodded.
"I'm ready." Her mother nodded, and the world around Callista became a white flash of light, as Chad and her family disappeared forever...

"Mommy! Wake up!" Callista gasped as her eyes opened, and she looked up to see Hope standing over her, frantically shaking her mother. She immediately sat up, and found herself back in the Main Hall of the temple. The portal was gone, having vanished into oblivion. The eclipse was gone, replaced by the black canopy of sky, with the stars winking down at them. As she regained her awareness, she saw Luke extend his hand out to help her up.
Smiling, she took it, and stood up, and saw the Kerash rebels surrounding them, all heaving sighs of relief as they saw Callista finally awake. Leanna was also there, with Llia in her arms, along with Emna, who had assisted the rebels in the battle, and was helping support Anakin.
As Callista stood, she realized that she felt no pain at all in her legs. She looked down and saw that her legs had completely healed, as had the wounds on her throat and face. She looked over at Luke, and saw that no trace of the injuries he had received in Raximidaj remained. His eyes had returned, and they looked more beautiful to Callista than ever.
"What's happened?" Callista asked. "Did we win?"
"Yes," Kieran said triumphantly. "We have won! The Kerash are no longer a threat to the universe!" He raised his mace high in the air. "Hail the Fyorga!"
The rebels raised their own weapons and joined their leader. "HAIL THE FYORGA! HAIL THE FYORGA!"
As the rebels cheered, Callista went over and hugged her husband and daughter. She was with her true family now. "I love you both so much," she said over the cheers. Luke replied with a passionate kiss. "Callista, you did it! You defeated Arak."
Callista shook her head. "No...we did it." She smiled as she wrapped one arm around Hope. "Oh, Hope, I'm so proud of you. You were very brave back there."
Hope flashed her mother a bright grin. "Thanks, Mommy." As she hugged her husband and daughter, celebrating their victory over the Kerash, Callista felt a new sense of peace as she finally let go of the past that had been haunting her for so long. Her focus was now on her new family, her new life.
She was finally home.

As the sun began rising over the horizon of Anasazi, signifying the beginning of another morning, and the beginning of a new life for the Anasazi people, Callista prepared Cray's funeral pyre. She stood alone in the jungle, having built Cray's pyre by breaking branches off from gnarltrees, and fastening them together with greenish- brown vines. The HRD's lifeless body was now placed upon the pyre, her empty optical sensors--with half of her face gone, exposing the machinery underneath the synthflesh--starting up into the early morning sky. As Callista looked up, she could see smoke rising slowly into the sky from a distance as the rebels began burning their dead. Luke and Hope were with them, mourning the rebels who died in the battle, as well as the innocents slaughtered at Semaj. Their victory had been costly, leaving dozens dead, twice as many wounded, and many more emotionally scarred.
While Callista's heart went out to the dead, she felt far more sympathetic for the survivors, who had lost their friends and family due to the Kerash. Those emotional wounds hurt far worse than any physical wound, and would take years--even liftetimes--to heal from.
And now, as she prepared to incinerate Cray's body, she was saying good-bye to another fallen friend. As she looked down at Cray, a flood of memories came back to her. Memories of meeting the real Cray on the Eye of Palpatine, of Cray offering Callista- -who had been a mere spirit trapped in the battle station's computer--her body so that she could be with Nichos on the Other Side. Although Callista would always be grateful to Cray for that, she couldn't help but feel...guilty. Her encounters with the Cray droid further deepened the wounds. True, Cray had willingly surrendered her body to Callista, but every now and then, Callista would sometimes feel dirty for inhabiting a body that didn't even belong to her.
Although, she was happy to have received a second chance of life, and now was blessed with a wonderful husband and child, there was still that nagging feeling in the back of her head that told her that what had transpired on the Eye wasn't right. And as she looked into Cray's lifeless eyes, she felt those feelings return, stronger than ever. This Cray was not even real; she was merely a machine who looked like Cray.
But every time Callista looked into her face, her eyes, that same dirty feeling came back to haunt her, in the same way that her mother's suicide came back. The words of her mother echoed in her mind. You must let go of the past once and for all. Or else, it will always come back to haunt you. Conquer it...before it conquers you...
As those words repeated over and over in her head, Callista began to nod to herself. Just as she had to let go of her tragic childhood on Chad, she had to let go of what had happened between her and Cray on the Eye of Palpatine.
The decision had already been made, and there was no turning back. She had to accept that, and move on with her life. Callista now held a torch in one hand, ready to ignite the pyre.
"Cray," she began, not sure of what to say. "I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, I want you to know something. Something that I have been keeping to myself for over four years."
She closed her eyes, and reopened them, as if expecting to see Cray standing before her, as a spirit. But no one came, so she continued. "You gave me another chance to live. By offering me your body, you made the largest, most noble sacrifice anyone could ever give. Perhaps I didn't deserve your kindness, and maybe what we did was the wrong thing to do...but I want you to know that I will forever be grateful that you did it.
"I hope that you and Nichos are happy now, wherever you are. Because I'm happy where I am right now. Thanks to you, I now have a new life, with a wonderful husband whom I love with my life, and a beautiful daughter who represents everything that is good in this life."
She paused, feeling a knot tightening in her chest. "And I just want to thank you, Cray, for everything you've done for me. Without you, I still would have been trapped in that cursed computer for all eternity. I owe you everything, my friend."
She placed the torch upon the dried leaves of the branches, and the flames immediately came to life. They touched Cray's body, melting away the synthflesh and burning the circuits and wires. An acrid smell of burnt synthflesh and battery acid rose into the air as the fire engulfed the Human Replica Droid's body, smoke trailing into the morning sky.
"May the Force be with you, Cray," Callista whispered. She stood there for a long time, not moving until the funeral pyre was nothing more than a mound of ashes.

Hours later, Callista returned to rejoin her family and the Kerash rebels. As she stepped out of the jungle, and into the clearing, Hope ran toward her and hugged her at the legs. Callista smiled as she picked her daughter up, and tossed her playfully into the air. Hope giggled as her mother grabbed her in a loving hug, and they went over to Luke, who awaited them near the Silver Wings.
Luke smiled as he kissed his wife, and asked, "How are you doing, lovely?" There was a slight layer of concern under his voice.
"Fine, actually," said Callista honestly, wrapping her arm around Luke's, as she held Hope by the other. "I feel very good. I haven't felt this good since...I can't even remember."
And she did; for the first time in decades, she felt free, as if a gigantic burden she had been carrying around all her life had finally been lifted from her shoulders. "So, are you guys ready to leave?"
Luke nodded. "Ready when you are."
Kieran, who had conversing with Leanna, went over and offered Callista a bow. "Thank you very much, Callista," the rebel leader said, as he took her by the hand and kissed it. "You did what no one has ever been able to do, not even the gods themselves. You defeated the Kerash, and destroyed Arak for all time. We are forever in your debt." Callista smiled, and hugged the young man. "You don't owe me anything, Kieran," she said softly. "For it wasn't just me who did it. It was you, and everyone who helped fight the Kerash. Everyone here contributed to the battle, not just me."
"Yeah!" Jacen exclaimed, as he stood up from the ground. "Even me, Jaina, and Tenel Ka!"
Luke chuckled. "Yes, while you were in the jungle, Callista, Jacen and Jaina were telling us everything about the Force storm they created during the battle."
Callista's eyes widened as she looked down at the three children. "That was you guys?" she said, both shocked and proud at the same time. Tenel Ka nodded. "This is a fact, Lady Skywalker."
"And it was my idea," beamed Jacen proudly.
"His best idea ever so far," Jaina added, then grumbled under her breath, "His only good idea ever."
"Hey!" Jacen said, playfully hitting his sister in the arm. "I heard that, rancor-breath!" Callista smiled and shook her head as the twins began arguing back and forth, then turned back to Kieran. "So...now that the Kerash is gone, what are you and your people planning on doing now?"
"What else?" Kieran said. "Start over. Return to our homes, live out the rest of our lives in peace. Believe me, I'm looking forward to it." He bowed again. "Again, thank you very much for your assistance, Fyorga. The people of Anasazi will never forget you." Callista nodded and smiled in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Kieran," she said. As they spoke, Emna came up to the group, and she grinned at Callista.
"Hey," she said. "Well, that battle certainly was a hectic experience I hope never to see again."
"Thank you for your help," Callista said gratefully, as she shook the former Nightsister's hand.
"No, thank you," Emna replied. "You made me see the light on how evil the Kerash truly are. I should've realized it sooner, considering that I was..." She trailed off, ashamed to finish her sentence.
Callista could sense her turmoil, and asked, "So, what do you plan to do? Go back to Dathomir and start over?" Emna shook her head. "Actually, no. I spoke with Kieran, and I decided to remain here on Anasazi. These people could use someone who's skilled in the Force. Kieran said that he would love to have me be the village shamaness. I could restart my life, and help people in need. That way, maybe I can begin my healing..."
Callista nodded as she hugged the young woman. "I pray that you'll succeed," she whispered. "I wish you the best, Emna."
"And I the same to you," Emna said, as she went over to stand by Kieran's side. "So, what are we just standing around here for?" Leanna asked, holding Llia in both arms. "Let's go home!"
"Gladly," Callista said. "I sure could use a long vacation after this." The entire group laughed and nodded in agreement. Moments later, after having said their goodbyes to the Kerash rebels, Callista, Luke, Hope, Jacen, Jaina, Anakin, Tenel Ka, Leanna, and Llia boarded the Silver Wings and lifted off from the clearing. The rebels waved their hands in good-bye, wishing their Fyorga and her friends well.
"Coruscant, here we come!" Leanna said from the pilot's seat with an exhilerated yell, as she pulled the hyperspace lever. The Silver Wings departed into lightspeed, heading home.

As the ship streaked away from Anasazi forever, the exhausted passengers took up bunks, chairs and the floor to catch up for the sleep they'd missed in the last few days. Everyone save two people. Callista sat in the Silver's galley, sipping a mug of jeru tea. Her mind wouldn't calm down...there were too many thoughts spinning in her mind, that she couldn't convince it to settle down long enough for a sane semblance of sleeping.
She stared out the viewport at the vastness of space, lost deep in her thoughts, so she didn't notice Luke enter until he put a hand on her shoulder and kissed the crown of her head. She turned around a smiled at him, then sat up so he could join her. Luke sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She settled back against his chest, and sighed deeply.
"Thank the Force we all got out alive."
"Yes," Luke said quietly. He tightened his grip on her, as if even speaking of the past days would make her slip away from him.
Callista bit her lip. Luke knew everything, there was no way of hiding it anymore...she hated to think about it, but she knew that if she didn't say something it would hover between them forever like some threatening dark cloud ready to explode with killing lightning without any notice. Setting her mug down and taking a deep breath, she said, "Luke, about...Xizor...I feel terrible about all of it. If there was any way of erasing the past, you know I'd do it in a heartbeat. Xizor...he has a power over women that makes them...Leia knows about it, too. We--we lose ourselves and become extensions of his mind. Sleeping with him...it was like being trapped in the Eye all over again. Like I wasn't even in my body anymore." She turned around and looked at him. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I love you more than anything, and I would never intentionally hurt you."
Luke touched her face, then kissed her. "Everything is right between us. I love you, and I forgive you. I say we never speak of it again."
Callista rested her head on his shoulder. "I have to agree with you, my love."
Luke stroked her hair. "And...Ben..."
"He's safe, and happy." Callista murmured, knowing it to be the truth, as she knew the truth of her love for Luke. "Mama and--and Kara--"
"Kara?" Luke said with alarm. Callista raised her head and looked at him.
"She was redeemed, Luke. Like your father. Just before she crossed over. They're watching him, on the Other Side. I saw them...just after we left Raximidaj, I had a vision. Mama, Kara, Ben and I were all there...He's so beautiful, Luke. And he's happy, and safe...he doesn't know what happened to him here--"
Callista unconsciously touched the scar on her stomach, where Xizor's guards had stabbed her and killed Ben.
"--but he's okay. We don't need to worry about him."
Luke looked out the viewport, and sighed. "I'm glad, Callie. I wish I could have seen him--"
Callista touched his cheek, and sent him an image, a memory: A five year old boy, standing on a windblown cliff beside a black-haired woman, his brown eyes wide and innocent and staring up at a face he'd never seen before, but how familiar it was...smiling, when Nana told him who the face belonged to, and reaching out to hug them.
Callista opened her eyes, and saw tears of joy trickling down Luke's face. She hugged him tightly.
"Ben..." Luke whispered. "He would have been a wonderful son."
"We'll see him again," Callista said. "Nothing ends, after death, Luke. I promise you that."
Luke squeezed his wife tightly. "I love you, Callista." Callista smiled as Luke leaned back against the wall. "I love you too," she whispered. They sat there in each other's arms until they drifted off to sleep, to shared dreams of a son that watched and waited for them.

Two days later, the Silver Wings touched down on Coruscant, landing on the landing pad of the Imperial Palace. Callista had seen the enormous field of wreckage from New Republic ships as the Silver Wings entered the Coruscant System. Luke had somberly explained that the battle with Xizor and Black Sun had cost them so many lives, mostly civilians. It reminded Callista of the Kerash battle. Victory had been achieved by the good guys...but the cost had been high.
Callista and Luke were the first to step down the ship's ramp, followed by Jacen and Jaina, then Anakin, who was now in a hoverchair due to his broken leg. Hope remained behind to say good-bye to Llia.
"Thank you for everything, Llia," Hope said as she hugged the older girl. "Thank you for trying to help me and Anakin on Anasazi. I don't know what would've happened to us without you."
Llia smiled, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. "It was nothing, munchkin," she said jokingly. "I'm sorry for having dragged you two into that whole mess in the first place. I owed you guys big time."
Hope giggled, and she looked up at Leanna. "So, where do you two plan to go?" she asked.
"Home," Leanna said. "Not Anasazi...our real home. I'm going to take Llia to see our brother. He's probably bored out of his mind without us to keep him company." She smiled, and ruffled her sister's hair, smiling lovingly down at her. "I've waited for this moment for such a long time. Our family is finally together again."
Hope smiled, as she shook Leanna's hand. "I understand how you feel," she said, flashing a grin at her mother and father, who were patiently waiting for her, their hands held together.
"You promise to visit us a lot, right?"
Llia nodded. "Definitely. I'd love to come see you on Yavin. I want to see what the Jedi Academy is like." "Maybe you become a student there when you're older," Hope suggested.
Llia shook her head doubtfully. "I don't think so. I'm not Force-sensitive or anything." "Hey," said Hope, giving her a little wink. "Anything's possible."
Llia laughed, as she reconsidered. "We'll see," she finally said, as she hugged Hope again.
"That reminds me," Leanna suddenly said, looking down at the little girl. "Hope, your father told me that you're now three years old, is that correct?"
"Oh, yeah, I am!" Hope gasped. She had completely forgotten about her third lifeday, especially after everything that had happened to her in the past two or three weeks. "I didn't even remember that!"
"Since Llia and I can't make it to celebrate your life day," Leanna said, reaching into her pocket as she spoke, "I'm going to give you your present right now."
She pulled out a small necklace from her pocket, with a gold rose dangling at the center, and handed it to Hope. She took the gift, and gazed at the beautiful necklace in awe, the golden shine of the rose reflecting off her eyes. "It's beautiful," she said, and smiled up at Leanna gratefully. "Thank you very much."
Leanna nodded. "It belonged to me when I was a child. My mother gave it to me. I wasn't really into jewelry and stuff like that. I'm glad you like it." She smiled down at her sister, taking her by the hand. "Are you ready, Llia?"
Llia nodded in excitement, and turned to Hope. "Good-bye, Hope," she said softly. "May the Force be with you," Hope said, as she stepped off the ship's ramp.
"And with you," Llia said. She followed her older sister back into the ship. The group, with Hope resting in her father's arms, waved good-bye to Leanna and Llia as the Silver Wings lifted off and streaked back into space, another family at last reunited.

Moments after the Silver Wings had departed, the welcoming party arrived. Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and See-Threepio happily greeted the group, as Jacen and Jaina ran to hug their father's legs, trailed closely by Anakin. Luke went over with Hope and hugged his sister, while Callista hung back in silence, afraid to approach the group. Memories of their fight in the MedCenter returned to her, along with her slapping Leia in a fit of rage.
How am I going to tell them that I'm sorry? she thought to herself. What if they never forgive me? I don't even know if I can forgive myself, after everything that happened--
You must let go of the past once and for all. Conquer it, before it conquers you... "Callista," Leia suddenly said, forcing Callista out of her thoughts. She froze as the other woman came over to her. She looked into Leia's eyes, and saw that she was nervous as well. For a long moment, neither woman spoke. The rest of the group looked on with uneasiness, afraid of what would happen next, the old tension from their fight in the MedCenter quickly returning. Callista's voice caught in her throat, and she couldn't speak. Conquer it, before it conquers you...
"Leia," Callista finally said, making eye contact with her sister-in-law. "I...I'm sorry...for what happened earlier. I didn't mean to hurt you and Han..."
Leia nodded, not a trace of anger in her eyes. Only love, understanding, and concern for Callista. She reached out and hugged her. Callista returned it with weak strength, unable to stop from crying.
"I'm so sorry..." she said again, feeling ready to collapse.
"Shhhhh," Leia said, as she continued to hold her. "It's okay, Callista. It's okay. I forgive you. We all do..."
After a minute had passed, and Callista had asked Han for--and received-- his forgiveness, and hugged him as well, the Skywalker and Solo family returned home to exchange stories of their previous adventures.

Almost three hours had passed, and Callista was beginning to feel more at home than she had in a long time. For the first time, the family seemed truly happy, with nothing to worry about, now that they had once again saved the galaxy from Black Sun and the Kerash.
That all may change the next day, but for now, the group was content to just sit around and talk, something they hadn't been able to do for weeks.
Callista listened as Luke, Leia, and Han told her about the massive battle in the Imperial Palace control room, and of destroying Xizor's cloning chamber in the Menarai Mountains. Jacen and Jaina proudly told their parents about the Force storm they used to help Luke and Callista fight the Kerash--and how they had used the light side to do it, which aroused everyone's interest, particularly Luke's.
Callista decided not to bring up Ben, or Kara, or Arak, or Raximidaj into the conversation. Those would be saved for a later time, when she was able to first deal with those issues herself.
As they began preparing for Hope's life day party, which would be held in the Skydome Botantical Gardens, Callista noticed Hope sitting by herself in Anakin's room, looking out through the window toward the skyscrapers of Imperial Palace. Her maternal instincts kicking in almost immediately, Callista decided to go see what was wrong.
"Hope?" she said, lightly knocking on the open door. "Can I come in?"
Hope turned to her and smiled. "Sure, Mommy."
Callista entered Anakin's room, marveling at all the little gadgets and gizmos Anakin kept in here, and sat down on the bed next to her daughter.
"Are you excited for your life day party tonight?" she asked her daughter in an attempt to start a conversation.
Hope nodded, almost absently. "Sure. Can't wait."
That confirmed Callista's suspicions that something was bothering her little girl. "What's wrong, Hope?" she asked gently, putting her arm over Hope's shoulder. "Are you feeling all right?"
"Not really," Hope replied honestly, and looked up at her. "Mommy, when I was in the temple...Kara...my sister...she said some mean stuff to me."
Callista nodded in understanding. "I'm sure she did." "And one of the things she said was..." Hope hesitated before continuing, as if afraid to finish. "...about something about a brother I would never have." She looked up at Callista with a mixture of confusion and apprehension. "Mommy, what did she mean by that?"
Callista sighed, as she stroked her daughter's hair. She had feared that Kara would have told Hope about Ben. Rather than lie about it, or try to change the subject, Callista told her the truth. She told her everything, about Xizor's guards stabbing her with the knife, about how she had tried to bring the baby back, and how she had told Luke about it, and how she had seen him after having vanquished Arak in Raximidaj.
Hope just sat there, listening attentively to Callista's story, and finally leaned her head against her mother, letting out a sad sigh. "I'm sorry about Ben," she finally said, after a long period of silence. She didn't cry, just resigned to what had happened. "I would have liked to have had a brother."
Callista felt her heart break at her daughter's sad words. She was still so young; no child ever should have had to deal with the death of a loved one...
"It's okay, honey. These things just...happen. There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent it."
"Thank you for telling me, Mommy," Hope said as she looked up at Callista, love shining in her eyes. "It really means a lot to me."
Callista nodded, as she pulled something out from her pocket. "I have something to give you, Hope," she said softly. "Consider it an early birthday present." She pulled out a small lock of brown hair, and handed it to her daughter. "That's my hair. So that no matter what happens to me or where you go in the future...a part of me will always be with you." Hope looked down at the lock of her mother's hair, the color the same as her own, and smiled at Callista, offering her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Mommy," she said. "This is the best present you ever could have given me." Callista smiled, and watched as Hope continued leaning against her shoulder, as she softly stroked her daughter's hair.
"Mommy?" she suddenly asked.
"What?"
"Can I have a brother someday?" Hope asked. Callista sighed as she nodded, wishing the same thing herself. She could see herself hugging Ben again before leaving the Other Side...
"Sure, my little angel," she said, feeling her fingers stroke through her daughter's hair. "Someday, you'll have a brother, Hope. Someday..."
Together, mother and daughter sat there, watching as the sun began to slowly set over the Menarai Mountains, signifying the end of another day...
And the beginning of a new life.