It's a Forceful Life
Two stars - they might have been planets, appeared to twinkle in the black of Coruscant's night. "What's the problem?" the larger of the two asked, the twinkling occurring in time with his speech.
"Real problem down there tonight. A man, and an important one at that, is thinking of killing himself tonight, Ki-Adi," the other said, it's light also flashing in time with the words.
"Whose turn is it, Qui-Gon?" the first star asked.
"Binks, I think his name is."
"Ah yes. Hasn't gotten his wings yet, has he?"
"No. Keeps bumbling his way through things. I suppose we'd better summon him."
A smaller star sped over, coming to a halt just below the other two. "Yousa called me?"
"Yes, Jar Jar. We have a potentially catastrophic situation down there. A young man is about to throw away his greatest gift…his life."
"Oh no. What can wesa do?"
"You're going to be going down there."
"Might this get meesa my wings?"
"If you succeed, yes, this could lead to your wings. But first, let us show you some of this man's life. His name is Luke."
A small image formed, hazy. In it, a bearded man dressed in brown robes could be seen delivering a small bundle to a roughly dressed couple. One of them still remained youthful, but the other's face showed years of hard work fighting the elements. The bundle wriggled in the robed man's arms.
"That's him? The one giving up the child?" Jar Jar asked.
"No. Your charge is the one in the bundle," Ki-Adi said.
"But meesa thought that this Luke was a grown man," Jar Jar said, now thoroughly confused.
"And indeed he is," Qui-Gon said. But in order to help a man, you must know something about him. Luke never knew his parents. The bearded man is Old Ben, the man entrusted by Luke's mother with his protection."
"Protection from who?" Jar Jar asked eagerly.
"In time, in time," Ki-Adi said.
"These are the Larses. They are moisture farmers, and connected with Luke's family. They never had any children of their own, and, living a simple life, would not have drawn the attention of those who sought Luke," Qui-Gon explained.
"She says he can't be trusted any more. that it's been that way for a long time. He has to be kept secret. I need your help in this," said Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"But this isn't exactly the sort of place to raise a child," Owen Lars said to the Jedi Master.
"His grandmother did fine raising his father, and her circumstances were a lot more difficult."
"I still don't think that this is a good idea."
"Just take care of him. Shmi would want you to."
The image changed after the robed man handed the bundle over, and turned, making his way back to a speeder that had been idling. It now showed a young man, blond, dressed in white, staring off into the sunset.
"Is that?"
"Yes, that's Luke, years ago," Qui-Gon said.
"Luke, you'd better get that vaporator fixed by tomorrow," a gruff voice said in the image. A gruff looking man, perhaps an older version of the man in the previous scene, had entered the picture and now appeared to be scolding Luke.
"That's Owen Lars. He was always very stern with Luke, but cared for him a great deal, enough to keep him hidden from some of the most evil and powerful men in the galaxy," Ki-Adi said.
"But Uncle Owen, I was going to…" Luke never had a chance to finish the sentence.
"And what happened to that hydrospanner?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's somewhere in the house."
"Until you find it, you're not flying anywhere."
"But Uncle Owen…"
"Doesn't he have any friends?" Jar Jar asked.
"He has a few in the nearby town of Anchorhead, a group of young men like himself who love to fly." The scene changed again, and Luke was seen talking to another young man, one who appeared to have more money than Luke, from his garb.
'Someday, I'll be joining you Biggs. Perhaps even next year. Uncle Owen tells me he only needs my help for one more season."
"Luke," the other man said, "if you keep listening to your uncle all the time, you're never going to get off this rock."
"But it wouldn't be right for me to just leave him. And the effect that it would have on Aunt Beru…"
"I know, Luke. Your heart's certainly in the right place. Perhaps someday, your aunt and uncle will get over their overprotectiveness of you, and see that you have grown up."
"You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back."
"You want to wait until I get back? I thought you were leaving after one more season," Biggs teased.
"You're right, I will," Luke replied.
"We're a couple of shooting stars, Luke. They'll never be able to stop us."
"Biggs was Luke's best friend. And when he returned to Tatooine a few years later, Luke was still hearing the same excuse from his aunt and uncle. Little did he know that things in his life would be changing forever," Ki-Adi said.
The scene changed again, this time showing not Luke, but the interior of a starship. A black-cloaked figure strode purposefully down the corridor, finally approaching a man guarded by two armed troopers.
"Who is that?" Jar Jar asked, almost a little afraid to hear the answer.
"That," Qui-Gon said, "is the Lord Darth Vader, one of the men who would have liked very much to find young Luke."
"Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies," Vader was saying as the guarded man, perhaps the ship's master, was lifted into the air as if on invisible strings. "I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you."
"We intercepted no transmissions," the man said, his voice altered. "This is a counselor ship."
"If this is a councilor ship, where is the ambassador?" Vader growled, finally losing his patience. Popping sounds emerged as the bones in the other man's neck snapped, and the dead body dropped to the deck. Vader whirled on the lead trooper. "Commander, I want you to tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers. I want them alive!"
"Is Luke one of those passengers?"
"No. Events on this ship, however, are about to change his life forever. If he had stayed on Tatooine, he probably wouldn't have begun to think about throwing his life away," Ki-Adi said.
"You see, two droids will escape this ship, one of them programmed with the plans that were mentioned. Before too much time passes, they will be in Luke's hands," Qui-Gon added.
The scene changed again, returning to the desert planet of Tatooine. Luke and Owen appeared to be arguing again.
"But I was going to go into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!"
"You can waste time with your idle friends when your chores are done." Owen said, and from Luke's expression, the young man knew he meant it.
"All right, come on," Luke said to the taller of the two droids, a golden protocol droid, though somewhat sandblasted. The other was a squat astromech, an R2 unit. The trio headed for a garage. Luke prepared an oilbath, and got the protocol droid ready to be lowered into it.
"This oil bath is going to feel so good." The protocol droid said something that Jar Jar didn't catch.
"Well, if there's a bright center in the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from. You're on Tatooine"
"I see, sir."
"It's Luke."
"I see, Sir Luke."
Luke laughed. "No, just Luke."
"I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, Artoo Detoo." Artoo beeped a greeting, as Luke continued to work on him.
"Those are the droids yousa spoke of?" Jar Jar asked.
"Yes," Qui-Gon replied. "The information that Luke discovered would lead him to the Jedi that had left him with the Larses. It also resulted in their deaths."
"Their deaths?"
"They were murdered by Imperial stormtroopers seeking the two droids. With nothing connecting him to Tatooine, Luke and Ben sought transport off the planet." The scene changed again, showing Luke, the old Jedi, a Wookiee, and a human man sitting at a table in a smoke-filled cantina.
"But it's going to cost you a little extra. Ten thousand, all in advance," the man, perhaps a freighter captain, said to Luke and Ben.
"Ten thousand! We could almost buy our own ship for that!"
"But who's gonna fly it kid? You?"
"You bet I could. I'm not such a bad pilot myself."
The image froze. "The man that you see Luke and Ben talking to is Han Solo, a smuggler. He and his partner, Chewbacca, were seeking a high-priced contract to pay off a debt to a crime lord. But they got more than they bargained for. Instead of turning out to be a simple contract," Qui-Gon said, "things got hairy. Han's ship, the Millennium Falcon, was pulled aboard a battle station and searched."
"They were able to avoid the security, but found themselves in the fight of their lives when Luke got the hare-brained idea to try and rescue a captive princess," Ki-Adi said.
What appeared now was a computer station. Solo fired a blast into the console, blowing it to bits. "Luke! We're going to have company!" A stormtrooper, or perhaps Luke disguised as one, could be seen down a corridor. It looked as though he were checking for a specific room. He paused, apparently finding what he was looking for. Whoever was inside must have asked a question, for he replied.
"What? Oh, the uniform." He pulled off the helmet, and said, "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you." Another question came from the room. "I'm here to rescue you. I've got your R2 unit. I'm here with Ben Kenobi."
"Ben Kenobi? Where is he?" came the voice from inside. A woman, dressed in white, with brown hair braided on either side of her head, emerged, joining Luke in the corridor. Han arrived moments later, firing a blaster towards the room he had been in, which was now filling with troopers. A few words were exchanged that Jar Jar didn't hear, then the princess queried Solo. "When you came in here, did you have a plan for getting out?"
The image froze. "Though he doesn't know it, that's Luke's sister. They were separated at birth to protect them from their father," Qui-Gon explained.
"They got out, right?" Jar Jar asked.
"Yes, but they went from one peril to another. A homing beacon had been attached to Solo's ship, and the Empire used it to locate the base serving the Alliance to Restore the Republic."
"Luke became a pilot," Ki-Adi said, "and was responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, the station that you just saw them aboard."
"What happened after that?"
"The Empire drove the Alliance from their base, and defeated them at Derra IV. The Alliance then set up a new secret base on the ice world of Hoth, way out on the Rim, in order to regroup," Qui-Gon said.
"Echo three to Echo seven. Han, ol' buddy, you read me?" Luke said.
"That you, kid?"
"I've finished my circuit. I'm not picking up any lifeforms."
"There isn't enough life on this iceball to fill a space cruiser. My sensors are in place; I'm heading back."
"Right, I'll be with you shortly. A meteorite just landed nearby. I'm going to go take a look."
"This doesn't seem too important," Jar Jar said.
"It does when you consider that what Luke thought was a meteorite was really a probe droid sent by the Empire," Ki-Adi admonished.
"And then there was the fact that Luke was attacked by an ice monster. He escaped, and, well see for yourself," Qui-Gon added. Luke could be seen crawling up an icy slope.
"Luke."
"Ben?"
"Luke. You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me."
"How is it that I can see through him?" Jar Jar asked.
"Kenobi is dead. He is appearing to Luke as a ghost," Qui-Gon said.
The figure of Ben Kenobi faded. "Ben!" Luke called. As Ben's image faded, it was replaced by Han Solo on a tauntaun. Luke collapsed, muttering incoherently, into the snow just as the smuggler rode up.
"He's not going to die, is he?" Jar Jar asked.
"No," Qui-Gon said. "But the moment is a crucial one in Luke's life. If he hadn't gone to Dagobah to be trained, he would have had a much different life. He would never have achieved some of the things that made him known throughout the galaxy."
On the screen, the three could see Solo setting up a shelter. The screen then faded into haze. "A battle took place on Hoth after Luke's rescue," said Ki-Adi, "one in which he was separated from Han and Leia. Luke went to Dagobah, found Yoda, and began his training, only to abandon it when he felt his friends were in peril. He rashly followed his emotions, and confronted the one tormenting them: Darth Vader."
"Luke's life changed drastically during that confrontation, as you shall see." The haze faded, revealing Luke, the red blade of Vader's lightsaber at his throat.
"You are beaten," Vader said. "It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-wan did." Luke rolled to one side, and swung the blue blade towards Vader's shoulder, actually cutting through the black body armor. Vader's attack redoubled, and the red blade sliced through Luke's wrist moments later. Luke screamed as the hand, still clutching the lightsaber, went flying through the air. Luke backed away from the Dark Lord. "There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you." Luke continued to back away. "If you only knew the power of the Dark Side..." Vader paused. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father..."
"He told enough," Luke shouted hoarsely. "He told me you killed him."
"No, Luke. I am your father."
"That's not true!" Luke cried. "That's impossible."
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true!"
"NO!" Luke cried as the realization that the enemy had spoken the truth rushed in on him.
"Join me, and together we rule the galaxy as father and son! Some with me. It is the only way."
Luke appeared to ponder the idea, then let go of the pipe that held him above the seemingly endless abyss. He plunged downward.
"Luke caught hold of a weather vane underneath the floating city on Bespin, and held on long enough to call for help through the Force, though he did it subconsciously. Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian, who had appeared to have betrayed them to Vader, arrived to save Luke just before his strength gave out. He had his hand replaced with an artificial hand aboard a Rebel Medical frigate, far out on the Rim," said Qui-Gon
"Lando and Chewbacca left for Tatooine to rescue Han Solo, whom Vader had turned over to the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Along with Leia, the two droids, and Luke, Han was rescued. The group, with the exception of Luke, went to Sullust, where the Alliance fleet was assembling for a final assault on Palpatine's Empire. Luke returned to Dagobah, and found Yoda dying," Ki-Adi added. "Before his death, the ancient Jedi confirmed what Vader had told Luke, and informed the young Jedi hopeful of two things. In order to become a full Jedi, Luke would have to confront Vader. The other thing that Yoda said, as he passed into the Force was that there was another Skywalker."
"Luke would indeed have that final confrontation with his father, aboard the second Death Star constructed by the Empire. It would be a turning point not only in his life, but that of every being in the galaxy."
"Hesa okay?"
"Watch and see," said Qui-Gon
The officer opened the side of the walker, revealing a lighted walkway in the upper portion of the bunker housing the shield generator. Standing there, like some dark mountain, was Vader. "This is the Rebel who surrendered to us. Though he denies it, I believe there may be more of them, and request permission to conduct a further search of the area. He was armed only with this,"
"Leave us," Vader said. "Conduct your search, and bring his companions to me."
"Yes, my Lord." Vader strode away from the walker, Luke following behind him, his hands manacled.
"The Emperor has been expecting you."
"I know, Father."
"So, you have accepted the truth."
"I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father."
"That name no longer has any meaning for me."
"It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten." The two continued the conversation until Vader saw fit to end it.
"The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now." And a pair of stormtroopers led Luke away.
"Then my father is truly dead."
"Dis is bombad!" Jar Jar cried. "Troopers out dere, a Sith Lord in here, and yousa no thinkin' hesa in trouble?!"
"Of course he's in trouble," Qui-Gon said. "But it is up for him to work it out. Observe."
The scene had changed to a dark room, muted blue lights shading Luke's face.
"If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps she will," Vader said, the light ominously reflecting off the mask.
"Never!" Luke shouted, jumping up and igniting his lightsaber. He charged the Dark Lord, driving him back. Vader couldn't attack, he could only defend against Luke's onslaught, which finally ended when the young man sliced off Vader's right hand.
"Good, good," came the voice of the Emperor as he walked slowly down the steps from his throne. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now, take your father's place at my side."
"You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
"So be it, Jedi. If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!" Purplish-blue lightning shot from the Emperor's fingers, searing through Luke. As Luke writhed on the ground, the Emperor gloated. Vader rose up to stand at the Emperor's side. "You will die!" But as the Emperor unleashed another volley, and attack came from where the despot least expected it. Vader rose, and heaved the Emperor into the air. For while he still wore Vader's armor, it was no longer Darth Vader, but the remains of Anakin Skywalker, who could not let his son be destroyed. Ignoring the electricity now overloading the circuits that kept his suit functioning, Vader carried Palpatine to the rail, and threw him down an open power shaft.
"So in his greatest triumph, resurrecting his father, Luke also lost. Vader died before Luke could get him off the Death Star, which was destroyed by Rebel fighters moments after Luke made his escape," Ki-Adi said.
"Luke felt that as heir to the Jedi tradition, he was responsible for rebuilding the Order of Jedi Knights that his father had, on Palpatine's orders, attempted to destroy. His first attempt at training involved a young man who had been captured by a race known as the Ssi-Ruuk, Dev Sibwarra."
Luke knelt beside a bunk aboard the Falcon . "He's strong enough to apprentice. And young enough. We have to save him." The Imperial officer said something to Luke that Jar Jar didn't catch, and then Luke turned his attention to the young man, no more than a boy, really, on the bunk. "Dev, you can start your real training before your body heals. It'll keep you occupied."
"I could never become a Jedi," the young man said. "My mind has been scarred too deeply. Others have controlled me for years. Thank you for letting me finish cleanly," which Jar Jar interpreted as meaning free. A few moments later, the young man was dead.
"It was also during this time that Luke first fell in love," Qui-Gon said. The woman was a Senator from an Imperial controlled world called Bakura. However, both of them realized that it wasn't meant to be."
"I'm sorry," the woman said, speaking to Luke.
"What for," he replied, looking into her eyes, which Jar Jar could see were mismatched, one gray, one green. "This has been a victory for humanity."
"I want to be your ally, Luke. But from a distance."
"From a distance," Luke repeated, and Jar Jar thought he heard a twinge of sadness in Luke's voice. "But just for once from here," he said, and drew her inot an embrace, kissing her.
"Goodbye," she said after he released her.
"Her name was Gaeriel Captison. And she would not be the first person to walk out on Luke," Ki-Adi said.
"The next important moment you should see occurred four years later, when Han Solo abducted Princess Leia in attempt to keep her from marrying a prince from a star cluster of rich, technologically advanced worlds."
"Curiously," Ki-Adi said, "Luke would actually ally himself with the prince. Not that he didn't care for Han, but for other reasons. See for yourself."
A figure that Jar Jar didn't recognize, though he assumed it was the jilted prince, stood talking with Luke, who looked a little older, and perhaps even a little wiser than the last time Jar Jar saw him.
"Because now it's happening again. Once again, someone has taken a person that you love away from you." Jar Jar missed the next few words, but caught the last words of the speech. "If you do not forgive them," Luke said, "the dark side of the Force will forever rule your destiny."
"What does it matter?" the prince asked. "I don't have your power, Skywalker."
"You have power," Luke argued. "You must learn to serve the light inside of you. The Force has brought us together, here. I sense that you are trying to serve the light side now."
"As you see," Qui-Gon said, his voice rising to overcome the dialogue that continued between Luke and Isolder, "Luke would use this opportunity to practice teaching the ways of the Force. Isolder wasn't strong enough to stand a chance of becoming another Vader."
"Luke inspired him to care, which allowed Isolder to make a choice. He stood up to his mother, and defended Teneniel Djo, whom he had chosen to marry after it became clear that Leia wanted to marry Han, not him."
"Luke also gained a greater understanding of the Force during his time on Dathomir," Qui-Gon said. Perhaps not the unifying Force, but certainly the living Force."
The scene had shifted to the interior of the Millennium Falcon. Luke sat at the controls, his tunic damp with sweat, while beads of sweat ran down the sides of his face. There was a scream of joy from one of the gun turrets. "Leia, Isolder, stay put," Luke called from the cockpit. "We're not done yet."
"What are you thinking, Kid," Han said, swallowing.
"We've got to bring down the nightcloak," Luke said. "It's not just people down there, it's trees, and lizards and worms! It's a whole living world!"
Han was shocked for a moment. "Don't flip on me now, Kid! Find a whole in Zsinj's net and punch us out of here!" Chewbacca roared at Luke, probably saying something similar, but Luke ignored him.
"So what was that all about," Han asked Luke days later. "Why were you so concerned about the worms on Dathomir?"
"Just like everything else in the universe that lives, Han, the worms and all the other creatures on Dathomir exist in the Force. The create it. It's just like what Yoda told me once. Life sustains it, makes it grow. That's why I had to destroy Zsinj's nightcloak."
"I guess I understand," Han said, though he really didn't. "Just tell me one thing. Is Leia going to end up pulling something like this? I just want to know, so that I'm ready for it if it happens."
"I can't say for sure, Han. It'll be up to her. My near-death on Dathomir opened my eyes to that realization. If that's what it takes to realize just how widespread the Force is, then I hope Leia never does. But that's speaking as her brother, and wanting to protect her. Speaking as a Jedi, I hope that she does come to that realization."
"Jedi," Han said, shaking his head. "You just can't get a straight answer out of them."
The image faded. "Luke wouldn't have much time to continue his research on the Jedi, due to an attempt by the Empire to reassert its hold over the galaxy," Ki-Adi said.
"It was led by the last of the Empire's Grand Admirals, a Chiss named Thrawn, who had a penchant for discovering his opponents weaknesses by observing their art. He made an alliance with an insane clone of Jedi Master Joruus C'Boath, whom he discovered on the planet Wayland. C'Boath's price was simple. He would aid Thrawn in exchange for the galaxy's remaining Jedi: Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa Solo," Qui-Gon said.
"Luke had escaped from Thrawn on one occasion, and ended up stranded in space," Ki-Adi continued. "He was discovered by a smuggling group, one of whom used to serve the Empire."
"I can imagine that that caused some tension," Jar Jar said.
"It did," Ki-Adi replied. Look."
She was sitting as still as stone facing Luke as he awoke, her red-gold hair shimmering as the sun set on the planet Myrkr. A look of confusion flashed across his features, and she could almost see him for the farmboy he had been, rather than the famous, or, in her mind, infamous Jedi Knight.
"Finally awake, are you?" she snapped. This time, the flash of confusion lasted a little longer. "That's right," she said, bitterness evident in her voice, "welcome back to the land of mere mortals." A mocking smile crept to her lips. "Don't like it, do you? Losing everything that once made you special?" She stood, and pointed the blaster at Luke.
Luke slowly got to his feet, trying to get used to the fact that for the first time since encountering Ben Kenobi on Tatooine, he couldn't use the Force at all. "Don't tell me. You're Mara Jade."
"Don't expect me to be impressed," she said sarcastically. "Karrde already told me he'd mentioned my name to you."
"He told me you're the one who found my X-Wing. Thank you."
"Save the gratitude. As far as I'm concerned, the only question is whether we turn you over to the Imperials or kill you ourselves. On your feet. Karrde wants to see you."
"I can't say I like either option," Luke said after finally getting to his feet.
"There's one other option," Mara Jade said. "You try to escape, and I'll kill you."
"She doesn't seem to like him at all," Jar Jar said.
"They would save each other's lives several times before Thrawn was defeated. In fact, before Luke escaped from Myrkr, he would save Mara's life, and help her to escape from the Empire when the two of them were captured," Qui-Gon commented. "Observe."
The vornskr leapt towards Luke, but the brilliant green of Luke's lightsaber sliced it in half.
"About time," came Mara's voice as she pushed herself up on one elbow. "What was that game you were playing?"
"I didn't think you'd want to lose a hand," Luke replied. He extended a hand to her, but found her on her feet, her blaster pointed at him.
"Drop the lightsaber and move back," she said.
"I don't believe you," Luke said, but complied. "Or didn't you notice that I just saved your life?"
"Thanks. I suppose it's my reward for not shooting you two days ago." She applied salve to the wounds from the vornskr, then turned back to Luke. "I said thanks already. What do you want, a medal?"
"I just want to know what happened to you."
"You happened to me."
"What does she mean, Luke happened to her?"
"She was a Force-trained agent of the Emperor. When Vader killed the Emperor, it deprived her of her position. But somehow, she thought that Luke and Vader had turned on the Emperor together. Because of that, she blames Luke for the death of Palpatine, even though it was Vader that killed her master."
"However, Mara and Luke would find themselves on the same side of the Imperials when Talon Karrde made the decision, with a little...persuasion from Han Solo, to return Luke to the New Republic."
Between the blaster bolt of Karrde's defenders and those of the Imperials, the space surrounding the arch was dangerous enough. With the Chariot Assault Vehicle settling down in the space between, it came time for a decision. Mara's hand snaked out to grip Luke's arm. "If the Chariot gets down, you'll never get the Imperials out from under cover."
"I know," Luke said. "I'm counting on it." A few moments later, the Chariot settled down. "All right, Han" he muttered, "Go."
Han leapt up, drawing the attention of the stormtroopers while Luke moved to the forest side of the arch. There, coming towards them as fast as his wheels would permit, was Artoo. "Artoo, now!" Luke couldn't see the puff from the hidden compartment, but a few seconds later the comforting weight of his lightsaber dropped into his hand. The guards had subdued Han's attack, and had him on his knees. But they couldn't watch him forever, not with shots still ringing out from Karrde's people. "Get behind me," Luke shouted to Han and Mara.
His Force abilities still blocked by the ysalamiri, Luke had to simply judge the best place to strike. A shudder ran through the arch as Luke brought the lightsaber through one of the segments supporting the structure. Making sure his friends were clear, Luke sliced through the other pillar. With a terrific roar, the structure came crashing down on the Imperials, crushing the Chariot.
Once the last of the stormtroopers had been dispatched, Karrde and his people emerged from their hiding places, a couple bearing Lando Calrissian on a stretcher. "One man," Karrde said, looking at the rubble that had once been the arch, "and without the Force too."
"Hesa bombad!" Jar Jar remarked.
"This incident would prove to be a vital one. Not only did Karrde save Luke, but in doing so risked his life. He would find himself on the run from Grand Admiral Thrawn. He had, without realizing it, committed his organization to the Republic's side."
Luke sat in front of computer screen in the Old Senate Library. He had come seeking to find something that would confirm that the Jedi who had contacted him near Lando's Nomad City mining complex on Nkllon really was Jorus C'Boath.
"More Jedi research?" Leia's aide, Winter, said, entering the room.
"Sort of," Luke said, turning to the tall, regal-looking woman who had, on more than one occasion, been mistaken for Princess Leia. "Computer, copy complete record of Jedi Master Jorus C'Boath."
"Jorus C'Boath," Winter echoed. "Wasn't he involved with the big ascendancy flap on Alderaan?"
"That's what the record says. Know anything about it?"
"No more than any other Alderaanian," she said, and Luke could tell that the memory of Alderaan's destruction was still causing pain, as it did, in a receding, aching type of way, with Leia.
"Did you ever see any images of him?"
"There was a group holo of the entire mediation team."
"Do you remember how old he looked?"
"I would say about forty or fifty, but age is hard tell from a picture."
"That would agree with what's here. The only problem is that if this Jedi on Jomark is really C'Boath, he has to over a hundred by now."
"Unfortunately, the Jedi isn't really Jorus C'Boath. It's actually an insane clone of the Jedi Master, probably created from a souvenir that the Emperor kept on Wayland, where Thrawn found the Jedi," Qui-Gon said.
Mara Jade stood at the gate leading to the palace, as Luke emerged from the shadows.
"Aren't you pointing that at the wrong person?" he asked.
"I didn't come here to kill you. Karrde's in trouble with the Empire. I need your help."
"What happened here, Master C'Boath?" Luke asked the old Jedi.
"What does it matter? Despite her words just now, she did indeed come here to destroy you. She is an example of the danger we Jedi face from all the lesser beings of the galaxy.
"But surely the ends don't justify the means," Luke argued.
"A platitude for the simple-minded, Jedi Skywalker. I have moved beyond such things, as you will, but only if you choose to remain. Together, we can heal the galaxy. Without us, there is no hope."
Mara moved a little closer to Luke, stepping away from the side of his X-Wing. Luke's shoulders straightened as the Force-empty bubble generated by Mara's ysalamir touched him.
"Is this how you would heal the galaxy, Master C'Boath? Through lies and deceit?"
Then, in a split second, the insane Jedi struck, a rock shooting up out of nowhere to strike Mara's gun hand. Luke stepped from the ysalamir's bubble, and ignited his lightsaber, intercepting two more rocks. C'Boath, still laughing, unleashed a volley of blue-white lightning that wound its way around Luke's lightsaber blade. Then, the whole scene blew up as Artoo fired the X-Wing's lasers, tearing up the ground and throwing all the participants to the ground.
"It was this encounter with Luke Skywalker that gave C'Boath the chance to practice controlling others, and to refine it. He would later try and take over the mind of an Imperial general," Ki-Adi said.
"And then he would have a final confrontation with Luke, one that would challenge Luke as never before," Qui-Gon added.
"Luke took the time that he, Han, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and Mara spent crossing Wayland's forest to Mount Tantiss to begin training Mara. Or rather," Ki-Adi added, "enhance training already given to her by the Emperor."
Luke stood, looking off into the forest that remained fro them to cross in order to reach the mountain. Mara had come up to join him, and made a comment relating to Luke's Jedi training. "Just," Luke said, "I was thinking about Leia's twins. About how I'm going to have to train them someday."
"You're worried about when to start?"
"I'm worried about being able to start."
"What's to do? You teach them to hear minds and move objects and use lightsabers. You did that with your sister, didn't you?"
"There's more to it than that. They're going to be strong in the Force, and with that power comes responsibility. How do I teach them wisdom, and compassion and not to abuse their power?" How do I keep them from becoming a pair of Darth Vaders? Where did Ben go wrong, and how do I avoid the same mistakes? he thought.
"How does anyone teach those things?" Mara replied. "Mostly through example, I guess."
"How much Force training did the Emperor give you?" Luke asked, changing the direction of the conversation.
"Enough," she snorted. "Why? Are you checking for wisdom and compassion?"
"It might be a good idea to go over it again. You know, sort of a refresher course."
"Why?"
"I just think that it would be a good thing for you to be as strong in the Force as possible." That way, he thought, if C'Boath does manage to eliminate me from the holo, you'll have some Force abilities that might catch him by surprise.
"What do I need to be strong in the Force for?"
"For whatever purpose your destiny calls you."
"This was, aside from Darth Vader, Luke's first attempt to take someone trained by Palpatine and help them escape from the Dark Side, though Luke would later decide that Mara hadn't really been trained in the ways of the Dark Side," Qui-Gon said.
Luke was backing towards what appeared to be a stone wall, driven forward by what appeared to be himself, wielding a blue-white lightsaber. A very familiar blue-white blade, as the mad clone of Jorus C'Boath watched with an almost insane degree of fascination. In fact, C'Boath was so preoccupied with the duel that Mara Jade, up until this point little more than an unwilling spectator in the scene, was able to tear Leia Organa Solo's lightsaber from the Jedi Master's grip, and bring it to land solidly in her hand.
"No!" C'Boath cried, releasing his control over the pair of blasters, belonging to Solo and Karrde, which had been hanging in the air along with the lightsaber that Mara now gripped. Mara charged for the clone, not giving the Jedi long enough to pull the weapon from her hand. The clone Luke (whom C'Boath had named Luuke) couldn't overcome his desire to finish off one opponent, believing that he had Skywalker cornered. He slashed at Luke, who ducked avoiding the blade.
And the wall burst into a shower of sparks, revealing that it was actually one of the throne room's monitor screens. The stream of sparks arced into the clone's face, and he screamed. He spun to slash at the oncoming Mara, but she ducked, and for a moment looked into the face of the clone before stabbing upward with the lightsaber.
The clone crumpled, the blue blade dropping to the ground. Mara turned to Luke. "Brain all clear now?"
"Yes," he said, relieved of the pressure that had been present throughout the entire confrontation with the clone. He wanted to leave at that point, realizing that there was now way to bring the insane Jedi back, when C'Boath attacked, beginning to bring the roof down on Luke and Mara in hail of small stones.
"Luke would ultimately provide the means for C'Boath's death, cutting the leashed of Karrde's two vornskrs and allowing them to take on the Jedi Master," Ki-Adi said.
"The Empire would lose the leadership of Grand Admiral Thrawn when he was murdered by his Noghri bodyguard, in payment for the treachery of the Empire," Qui-Gon said. However, the Empire didn't die, and eventually launched an attack that succeeded in taking Coruscant from the New Republic."
"Luke allowed himself to fall to the dark side, and joined the resurrected Emperor, in hopes of bringing about an end to the Dark Side. But he now begins to doubt that this is possible, and wonders if the galaxy would be better off without him."
"Hesa really in trouble," Jar Jar said, almost unable to believe what his ears told him.
"Yes, my friend," Qui-Gon said, "he is. And now, it is up to you to help him see that despite the fact that everything seems black, the galaxy is better off with him than without him."
Luke Skywalker stood on a balcony overlooking part of Citadel on the planet Byss, which had become his home ever since he had allowed himself to fall under the sway of the Dark Side. The breeze ruffled through his hair, and caused the black cape he wore, so much like his father's, to billow out behind him. Has it really been worth all this devastation, he thought? It had become painfully clear to him that his ends were no longer being served, that he had, instead, become a tool in the Emperor's vast war machine. Maybe I should simply end it here, he thought.
Without me to support him, perhaps Palpatine would fall. Luke was just about to climb to the rail, when a shape went sailing in front of him. Reacting instinctively, Luke reached out with the Force, and grabbed hold of the object, or as he discovered to his surprise, the being that had fallen. It was like nothing Luke had every seen before. Long limbed, its face was somewhat amphibious, a fact which was supported by the creature's long, leathery ears, which hung down behind. Two small, dark eyes perched on the top of the creatures skull.
"Meesa so happy to see you. Yousa save me."
"What are you?"
"Meesa called Jar Jar Binks. Meesa you guardian angel."
"Guardian angel? It seems that I saved you, not the other way around."
"Yousa no die, correct? Then, meesa saved you."
Oh, Force, Luke thought. Just what I need, an alien with a hero complex. "And just what is so important about me that you had to intervene? It's not like I'm that important."
"Oh, but you are. You just don't realize it right now."
"And you're going to show me? Thanks, but maybe you should try somewhere else."
"No, no, meesa stay. I need yousa help, to get my wings."
"You know, you're just the sort of guardian angel I'd expect. You've got no wings, and you can't even speak properly. Sometimes..."
"Sometimes what?"
"Sometimes I think that the galaxy would be better off if I'd never been born."
"No, that's not," Jar Jar began, then paused. "Wait a moment...yes, that should do nicely. All right, you've got your wish. You've never been born."
"I'm here, am I not?"
"You are, but the world has changed. Everything is as if you were never born."
Luke shook his head. "Look, friend, I don't know who you are. But may I suggest that you get some mental help."
"Go ahead, test my words. That right hand of yours is mechanical, right?"
"Yes. But you don't have to be an angel to know that."
"Try opening the cover plate," Jar Jar said. Luke did, but couldn't find the spot that would release the cover plate.
"What sort of trick is this?"
"Like I said, you never existed. You never confronted Darth Vader on Bespin, and he never cut off your hand. Look around you? This was a command center, correct?"
In his confusion, Luke hadn't realized that the Citadel was now as quiet as a grave. "What did you do to all the people that had been here?"
"They never arrived here. Let me show you Imperial Center."
"Excuse me, did you say Imperial Center?"
"Excuse me, that's right. You're used to hearing it referred to as Coruscant, aren't you?"
The angel took Luke's hand, and the Citadel faded around them, resolving itself into a street near the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. Luke could tell that something had changed profoundly. The people all had an air of oppression around them, one that hadn't been seen since the days immediately following the New Republic's capture of Coruscant.
"All right, you've had your fun. If things changed so drastically, where's Leia?"
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but she's dead. She was executed aboard the Death Star, as per orders from Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin."
"That's not possible. She saved the life of everybody on Yavin by making sure that the data in Artoo got to the right people. She became Chief of State of the New Republic."
"The Rebellion died on Yavin. Leia wasn't there to ensure the data download because you weren't there to save her. Look around you. Does this look like the Coruscant you remember?"
Now that he really looked, Luke realized that it didn't. The people seemed disinterested, each trying to avoid contact with others as much as possible. And then he saw them, the squad of stormtroopers marching through the streets.
"What are stormtroopers doing here?"
"Where else would they be?" Jar Jar asked. "This is, after all, the capital of the Empire."
"The Empire was defeated."
"Not in this reality. Orbiting the fourth moon of Yavin, in honor of the death of the Rebel Alliance, sits the Death Star. Of course, Tarkin could easily bring it to any planet that would dare to threaten the Emperor."
"So you're telling me that Palpatine's still alive?"
"I think you can see for yourself. Look to that vidscreen." Sure enough, moving to stand behind a podium was the Emperor, looking as old and decrepit as he had aboard the second Death Star, which, if he understood Jar Jar correctly, was never constructed.
"Eight years ago today," the despot began, "the Rebel Alliance launched a cowardly attack on the Imperial Navy. They were defeated, and the leading traitors brought back to Imperial Center in chains. After all these years, justice will finally be carried out." The screen changed, showing what appeared to be a set of posts. "Bring out the convicted traitors."
A full squadron of stormtroopers marched out on the screen, followed by the "traitors", Luke presumed, for each member of the group that followed was manacled and escorted by two more troopers.
"No," Luke murmured, his voice barely audible as he recognized Mon Mothma, who was the first "traitor" in the procession. She was followed by Commander Narra, who apparently hadn't died in this reality. Luke's knees gave out when he saw the next person. His face looked harder than Luke remembered it, but there was no mistaking Wedge Antilles. At least ten more high-ranking Alliance officers were paraded out, their manacles being used to bind them to the posts. Once they were secured, one more figure entered the video. "Father?" Luke asked, his voice so soft he barely was able to hear it himself. Indeed, the figure who had just entered was none other than Darth Vader.
"Commander, proceed with the ceremony," Vader said.
With that order from the Dark Lord, thirteen troopers took positions before the condemned prisoners. "You have been charged with treason against the Empire," Vader said. "Do any of you have any last words?"
"You won this round, Palpatine," Mon Mothma said, her eyes still blazing with defiance, "but you can't keep the galaxy under your thumb forever. One day, someone will succeed where we failed."
"Ready!" the stormtrooper commander shouted. "Aim! Fire!" With that command, and perfect precision, the troopers fired, the blaster bolts burning through the throat of each "traitor".
"What have I done? Jar Jar, After seeing that, I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to my Jedi masters, but I have to know."
The scene faded around them, as Byss had when Jar Jar had brought Luke to Coruscant. It reformed itself into a scene that Luke recalled quite well, that of the Mos Eisley cantina.
"So the old man finally croaked?" one of the bar patrons said.
"Yup. They say that there wasn't much in that old hut for the Jawas to carry off. Kinda makes one wonder jus' what he did out there, all by himself for all those years."
"Most just thought him insane. But there was definitely something about him, something nobler. As if he had once had a grand vision, but had let it shrink in the heat of this place."
"Sun just fried his brains," a third patron said. "Never was any use to anybody. They say that Owen Lars had to chase that crazy old man off his property more than once."
"So the Jawas took everything?"
"There were a few old books that they couldn't figure out how to get open, so they just left 'em," the second patrol, a Deveronian, said. "Heard somethin' 'bout an auction, but who'd want any of that junk?"
"Never know when somebody may come looking for him," the first patron said. "Y' know, a relative or something."
"Anybody who cared for him is probably long dead, or thought he had died a long time ago. Either way, I don't think anybody's going to come looking for his junk. They might as well make a refuse pile out of it and burn the stuff."
"Just leave it alone, at least for now," Luke said, striding forward. "I'd like a look at it."
"What do you care?"
"He was once a Jedi Knight. They say that some on Coru-, er," Luke said, catching himself in the mistake, "Imperial Center will pay quite a bounty for anything regarding the old Jedi."
"Jedi?" two of the patrons said at once.
"Leave me out of it," the third patron, a somewhat grizzled, squat, rat-faced human said. Last thing I need is some snoop from Imperial Intelligence showing up on my doorstep."
"Wouldn't be Intel," the first speaker said. "Probably would be Darth Vader, or else one of his agents."
"You needn't tell anyone I was here," Luke said, then turned and headed for the exit. He grabbed the Gungan's arm on his way out, pulling Jar Jar out of the cantina. "I'm going to need some time. Ben, dead, and thought of only as a crazy old man? I mean, I knew he had that reputation, but he deserved better."
"Can you think somewhere else? This sun gonna do murder to meesa skin."
"Alright," Luke said, though he realized that he was dangerously close to losing his patience with his "guardian angel". "Where's Han?"
"You're not going to like it if meesa show you."
"I'll like it even less if you don't," Luke said, and edge developing in his voice. "Now where is he?"
"He's in there," Jar Jar said, gesturing back to the cantina. "Probably trying to find somebody desperate enough to ship with him."
"What do you mean?"
"After word got out that he'd dumped a load of spice, people began to wonder if they could trust him with their cargo. After all, what he had done once before to avoid Imperial prosecution, he could easily do again."
"Han wouldn't turn his back on someone who needed his help."
"Perhaps the Han Solo you knew wouldn't. This is a very different Han Solo, as you'll see. He's spent the last five years working to get the Millennium Falcon out of Jabba's hands.
"What?!" Luke said, astonished. The Han he knew wouldn't have let the Falcon go for anything. In fact, Luke could still recall the argument he'd had with Leia after she'd left the Falcon in orbit over Endor while she made contact with the Noghri.
"Han allowed Jabba to take ownership of the Falcon on order to pay off the debt for the lost glitterstim," Jar Jar said. "He's been working for Jabba ever since, trying to get the ship back. And once he got the ship back, he immediately cut his losses and broke his connection to Jabba."
"Now that sounds like Han. So why are people afraid to ship with him?"
"Han became a little, well, ruthless. You'll see, since he's coming out now."
Indeed, the Han that emerged from the cantina looked different. Luke recognized the familiar, craggy features, but a scar now ran down one of Han's cheeks. A salt and pepper beard also helped make Han a little more difficult to recognize, though there was no mistaking him once Chewbacca emerged to follow him.
"Han," Luke called.
Han squinted, then raised a hand to shield his eyes from Tatooine's twin suns.
"Do I know ya, Kid?" the smuggler asked, and Luke felt his heart leap a bit at the old nickname. Some things, it seemed, never did.
"Han, tell me you know me. It's Luke."
"Sorry, kid, but I don't know anybody by that name."
"You married my sister."
"I never married anybody, and I don't plan to," Han said, and Luke could see an anger starting to build in the older man's eyes. "Now get outta my way before I have to tell Chewie here to make you move."
Luke took a look at the Wookiee and realized that this was one time he and Chewbacca wouldn't be on the same side. Luke stepped out of Han's way.
Luke spun to face the Gungan. "You're going to tell me that all of this is my fault? That somehow, my absence caused all of these changes?"
"Yes. Though you think now that your life was worthless, that you were nothing but a burden, it's not true. Your life has been filled by the Force."
"Can you reverse what you've done? Can you make me live again?"
"Only if you truly want to."
"Please, Jar Jar. I want to live again. I want to live again!" The Tatooine desert faded in a flash of rainbow, and Luke felt as though he were falling. He reached out to grab something...
...and took hold of the balcony rail on Byss. He reached out with the Force, and sensed Han's presence aboard the Falcon. And he, more strongly than ever, could sense Leia's presence. She was concerned about him.
"Lord Skywalker," a stormtrooper said, coming up from behind Luke.
"What is it?"
"A guard found this outside your quarters, and we thought to bring it to your attention."
Luke took the object, an old, dog-eared book. The title bore the words The Adventures of Mace Windu. Luke opened the book. Inside was a message.
Dear Luke,
Remember, no man is a failure who had friends.
Thanks for meesa wings!
Jar Jar Binks
"What is it, my Lord?"
"It's a present from an old friend of mine," Luke said. He looked up. A very good friend, too, he thought. Thanks, Jar Jar.
Two stars - they might have been planets, appeared to twinkle in the black of Coruscant's night. "What's the problem?" the larger of the two asked, the twinkling occurring in time with his speech.
"Real problem down there tonight. A man, and an important one at that, is thinking of killing himself tonight, Ki-Adi," the other said, it's light also flashing in time with the words.
"Whose turn is it, Qui-Gon?" the first star asked.
"Binks, I think his name is."
"Ah yes. Hasn't gotten his wings yet, has he?"
"No. Keeps bumbling his way through things. I suppose we'd better summon him."
A smaller star sped over, coming to a halt just below the other two. "Yousa called me?"
"Yes, Jar Jar. We have a potentially catastrophic situation down there. A young man is about to throw away his greatest gift…his life."
"Oh no. What can wesa do?"
"You're going to be going down there."
"Might this get meesa my wings?"
"If you succeed, yes, this could lead to your wings. But first, let us show you some of this man's life. His name is Luke."
A small image formed, hazy. In it, a bearded man dressed in brown robes could be seen delivering a small bundle to a roughly dressed couple. One of them still remained youthful, but the other's face showed years of hard work fighting the elements. The bundle wriggled in the robed man's arms.
"That's him? The one giving up the child?" Jar Jar asked.
"No. Your charge is the one in the bundle," Ki-Adi said.
"But meesa thought that this Luke was a grown man," Jar Jar said, now thoroughly confused.
"And indeed he is," Qui-Gon said. But in order to help a man, you must know something about him. Luke never knew his parents. The bearded man is Old Ben, the man entrusted by Luke's mother with his protection."
"Protection from who?" Jar Jar asked eagerly.
"In time, in time," Ki-Adi said.
"These are the Larses. They are moisture farmers, and connected with Luke's family. They never had any children of their own, and, living a simple life, would not have drawn the attention of those who sought Luke," Qui-Gon explained.
"She says he can't be trusted any more. that it's been that way for a long time. He has to be kept secret. I need your help in this," said Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"But this isn't exactly the sort of place to raise a child," Owen Lars said to the Jedi Master.
"His grandmother did fine raising his father, and her circumstances were a lot more difficult."
"I still don't think that this is a good idea."
"Just take care of him. Shmi would want you to."
The image changed after the robed man handed the bundle over, and turned, making his way back to a speeder that had been idling. It now showed a young man, blond, dressed in white, staring off into the sunset.
"Is that?"
"Yes, that's Luke, years ago," Qui-Gon said.
"Luke, you'd better get that vaporator fixed by tomorrow," a gruff voice said in the image. A gruff looking man, perhaps an older version of the man in the previous scene, had entered the picture and now appeared to be scolding Luke.
"That's Owen Lars. He was always very stern with Luke, but cared for him a great deal, enough to keep him hidden from some of the most evil and powerful men in the galaxy," Ki-Adi said.
"But Uncle Owen, I was going to…" Luke never had a chance to finish the sentence.
"And what happened to that hydrospanner?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's somewhere in the house."
"Until you find it, you're not flying anywhere."
"But Uncle Owen…"
"Doesn't he have any friends?" Jar Jar asked.
"He has a few in the nearby town of Anchorhead, a group of young men like himself who love to fly." The scene changed again, and Luke was seen talking to another young man, one who appeared to have more money than Luke, from his garb.
'Someday, I'll be joining you Biggs. Perhaps even next year. Uncle Owen tells me he only needs my help for one more season."
"Luke," the other man said, "if you keep listening to your uncle all the time, you're never going to get off this rock."
"But it wouldn't be right for me to just leave him. And the effect that it would have on Aunt Beru…"
"I know, Luke. Your heart's certainly in the right place. Perhaps someday, your aunt and uncle will get over their overprotectiveness of you, and see that you have grown up."
"You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back."
"You want to wait until I get back? I thought you were leaving after one more season," Biggs teased.
"You're right, I will," Luke replied.
"We're a couple of shooting stars, Luke. They'll never be able to stop us."
"Biggs was Luke's best friend. And when he returned to Tatooine a few years later, Luke was still hearing the same excuse from his aunt and uncle. Little did he know that things in his life would be changing forever," Ki-Adi said.
The scene changed again, this time showing not Luke, but the interior of a starship. A black-cloaked figure strode purposefully down the corridor, finally approaching a man guarded by two armed troopers.
"Who is that?" Jar Jar asked, almost a little afraid to hear the answer.
"That," Qui-Gon said, "is the Lord Darth Vader, one of the men who would have liked very much to find young Luke."
"Several transmissions were beamed to this ship by Rebel spies," Vader was saying as the guarded man, perhaps the ship's master, was lifted into the air as if on invisible strings. "I want to know what happened to the plans they sent you."
"We intercepted no transmissions," the man said, his voice altered. "This is a counselor ship."
"If this is a councilor ship, where is the ambassador?" Vader growled, finally losing his patience. Popping sounds emerged as the bones in the other man's neck snapped, and the dead body dropped to the deck. Vader whirled on the lead trooper. "Commander, I want you to tear this ship apart until you've found those plans. And bring me the passengers. I want them alive!"
"Is Luke one of those passengers?"
"No. Events on this ship, however, are about to change his life forever. If he had stayed on Tatooine, he probably wouldn't have begun to think about throwing his life away," Ki-Adi said.
"You see, two droids will escape this ship, one of them programmed with the plans that were mentioned. Before too much time passes, they will be in Luke's hands," Qui-Gon added.
The scene changed again, returning to the desert planet of Tatooine. Luke and Owen appeared to be arguing again.
"But I was going to go into Toshi Station to pick up some power converters!"
"You can waste time with your idle friends when your chores are done." Owen said, and from Luke's expression, the young man knew he meant it.
"All right, come on," Luke said to the taller of the two droids, a golden protocol droid, though somewhat sandblasted. The other was a squat astromech, an R2 unit. The trio headed for a garage. Luke prepared an oilbath, and got the protocol droid ready to be lowered into it.
"This oil bath is going to feel so good." The protocol droid said something that Jar Jar didn't catch.
"Well, if there's a bright center in the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from. You're on Tatooine"
"I see, sir."
"It's Luke."
"I see, Sir Luke."
Luke laughed. "No, just Luke."
"I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations, and this is my counterpart, Artoo Detoo." Artoo beeped a greeting, as Luke continued to work on him.
"Those are the droids yousa spoke of?" Jar Jar asked.
"Yes," Qui-Gon replied. "The information that Luke discovered would lead him to the Jedi that had left him with the Larses. It also resulted in their deaths."
"Their deaths?"
"They were murdered by Imperial stormtroopers seeking the two droids. With nothing connecting him to Tatooine, Luke and Ben sought transport off the planet." The scene changed again, showing Luke, the old Jedi, a Wookiee, and a human man sitting at a table in a smoke-filled cantina.
"But it's going to cost you a little extra. Ten thousand, all in advance," the man, perhaps a freighter captain, said to Luke and Ben.
"Ten thousand! We could almost buy our own ship for that!"
"But who's gonna fly it kid? You?"
"You bet I could. I'm not such a bad pilot myself."
The image froze. "The man that you see Luke and Ben talking to is Han Solo, a smuggler. He and his partner, Chewbacca, were seeking a high-priced contract to pay off a debt to a crime lord. But they got more than they bargained for. Instead of turning out to be a simple contract," Qui-Gon said, "things got hairy. Han's ship, the Millennium Falcon, was pulled aboard a battle station and searched."
"They were able to avoid the security, but found themselves in the fight of their lives when Luke got the hare-brained idea to try and rescue a captive princess," Ki-Adi said.
What appeared now was a computer station. Solo fired a blast into the console, blowing it to bits. "Luke! We're going to have company!" A stormtrooper, or perhaps Luke disguised as one, could be seen down a corridor. It looked as though he were checking for a specific room. He paused, apparently finding what he was looking for. Whoever was inside must have asked a question, for he replied.
"What? Oh, the uniform." He pulled off the helmet, and said, "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you." Another question came from the room. "I'm here to rescue you. I've got your R2 unit. I'm here with Ben Kenobi."
"Ben Kenobi? Where is he?" came the voice from inside. A woman, dressed in white, with brown hair braided on either side of her head, emerged, joining Luke in the corridor. Han arrived moments later, firing a blaster towards the room he had been in, which was now filling with troopers. A few words were exchanged that Jar Jar didn't hear, then the princess queried Solo. "When you came in here, did you have a plan for getting out?"
The image froze. "Though he doesn't know it, that's Luke's sister. They were separated at birth to protect them from their father," Qui-Gon explained.
"They got out, right?" Jar Jar asked.
"Yes, but they went from one peril to another. A homing beacon had been attached to Solo's ship, and the Empire used it to locate the base serving the Alliance to Restore the Republic."
"Luke became a pilot," Ki-Adi said, "and was responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, the station that you just saw them aboard."
"What happened after that?"
"The Empire drove the Alliance from their base, and defeated them at Derra IV. The Alliance then set up a new secret base on the ice world of Hoth, way out on the Rim, in order to regroup," Qui-Gon said.
"Echo three to Echo seven. Han, ol' buddy, you read me?" Luke said.
"That you, kid?"
"I've finished my circuit. I'm not picking up any lifeforms."
"There isn't enough life on this iceball to fill a space cruiser. My sensors are in place; I'm heading back."
"Right, I'll be with you shortly. A meteorite just landed nearby. I'm going to go take a look."
"This doesn't seem too important," Jar Jar said.
"It does when you consider that what Luke thought was a meteorite was really a probe droid sent by the Empire," Ki-Adi admonished.
"And then there was the fact that Luke was attacked by an ice monster. He escaped, and, well see for yourself," Qui-Gon added. Luke could be seen crawling up an icy slope.
"Luke."
"Ben?"
"Luke. You will go to the Dagobah system. There you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me."
"How is it that I can see through him?" Jar Jar asked.
"Kenobi is dead. He is appearing to Luke as a ghost," Qui-Gon said.
The figure of Ben Kenobi faded. "Ben!" Luke called. As Ben's image faded, it was replaced by Han Solo on a tauntaun. Luke collapsed, muttering incoherently, into the snow just as the smuggler rode up.
"He's not going to die, is he?" Jar Jar asked.
"No," Qui-Gon said. "But the moment is a crucial one in Luke's life. If he hadn't gone to Dagobah to be trained, he would have had a much different life. He would never have achieved some of the things that made him known throughout the galaxy."
On the screen, the three could see Solo setting up a shelter. The screen then faded into haze. "A battle took place on Hoth after Luke's rescue," said Ki-Adi, "one in which he was separated from Han and Leia. Luke went to Dagobah, found Yoda, and began his training, only to abandon it when he felt his friends were in peril. He rashly followed his emotions, and confronted the one tormenting them: Darth Vader."
"Luke's life changed drastically during that confrontation, as you shall see." The haze faded, revealing Luke, the red blade of Vader's lightsaber at his throat.
"You are beaten," Vader said. "It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-wan did." Luke rolled to one side, and swung the blue blade towards Vader's shoulder, actually cutting through the black body armor. Vader's attack redoubled, and the red blade sliced through Luke's wrist moments later. Luke screamed as the hand, still clutching the lightsaber, went flying through the air. Luke backed away from the Dark Lord. "There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you." Luke continued to back away. "If you only knew the power of the Dark Side..." Vader paused. "Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father..."
"He told enough," Luke shouted hoarsely. "He told me you killed him."
"No, Luke. I am your father."
"That's not true!" Luke cried. "That's impossible."
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true!"
"NO!" Luke cried as the realization that the enemy had spoken the truth rushed in on him.
"Join me, and together we rule the galaxy as father and son! Some with me. It is the only way."
Luke appeared to ponder the idea, then let go of the pipe that held him above the seemingly endless abyss. He plunged downward.
"Luke caught hold of a weather vane underneath the floating city on Bespin, and held on long enough to call for help through the Force, though he did it subconsciously. Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian, who had appeared to have betrayed them to Vader, arrived to save Luke just before his strength gave out. He had his hand replaced with an artificial hand aboard a Rebel Medical frigate, far out on the Rim," said Qui-Gon
"Lando and Chewbacca left for Tatooine to rescue Han Solo, whom Vader had turned over to the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Along with Leia, the two droids, and Luke, Han was rescued. The group, with the exception of Luke, went to Sullust, where the Alliance fleet was assembling for a final assault on Palpatine's Empire. Luke returned to Dagobah, and found Yoda dying," Ki-Adi added. "Before his death, the ancient Jedi confirmed what Vader had told Luke, and informed the young Jedi hopeful of two things. In order to become a full Jedi, Luke would have to confront Vader. The other thing that Yoda said, as he passed into the Force was that there was another Skywalker."
"Luke would indeed have that final confrontation with his father, aboard the second Death Star constructed by the Empire. It would be a turning point not only in his life, but that of every being in the galaxy."
"Hesa okay?"
"Watch and see," said Qui-Gon
The officer opened the side of the walker, revealing a lighted walkway in the upper portion of the bunker housing the shield generator. Standing there, like some dark mountain, was Vader. "This is the Rebel who surrendered to us. Though he denies it, I believe there may be more of them, and request permission to conduct a further search of the area. He was armed only with this,"
"Leave us," Vader said. "Conduct your search, and bring his companions to me."
"Yes, my Lord." Vader strode away from the walker, Luke following behind him, his hands manacled.
"The Emperor has been expecting you."
"I know, Father."
"So, you have accepted the truth."
"I have accepted the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my father."
"That name no longer has any meaning for me."
"It is the name of your true self. You've only forgotten." The two continued the conversation until Vader saw fit to end it.
"The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your Master now." And a pair of stormtroopers led Luke away.
"Then my father is truly dead."
"Dis is bombad!" Jar Jar cried. "Troopers out dere, a Sith Lord in here, and yousa no thinkin' hesa in trouble?!"
"Of course he's in trouble," Qui-Gon said. "But it is up for him to work it out. Observe."
The scene had changed to a dark room, muted blue lights shading Luke's face.
"If you will not turn to the Dark Side, then perhaps she will," Vader said, the light ominously reflecting off the mask.
"Never!" Luke shouted, jumping up and igniting his lightsaber. He charged the Dark Lord, driving him back. Vader couldn't attack, he could only defend against Luke's onslaught, which finally ended when the young man sliced off Vader's right hand.
"Good, good," came the voice of the Emperor as he walked slowly down the steps from his throne. "Your hate has made you powerful. Now, take your father's place at my side."
"You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me."
"So be it, Jedi. If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed!" Purplish-blue lightning shot from the Emperor's fingers, searing through Luke. As Luke writhed on the ground, the Emperor gloated. Vader rose up to stand at the Emperor's side. "You will die!" But as the Emperor unleashed another volley, and attack came from where the despot least expected it. Vader rose, and heaved the Emperor into the air. For while he still wore Vader's armor, it was no longer Darth Vader, but the remains of Anakin Skywalker, who could not let his son be destroyed. Ignoring the electricity now overloading the circuits that kept his suit functioning, Vader carried Palpatine to the rail, and threw him down an open power shaft.
"So in his greatest triumph, resurrecting his father, Luke also lost. Vader died before Luke could get him off the Death Star, which was destroyed by Rebel fighters moments after Luke made his escape," Ki-Adi said.
"Luke felt that as heir to the Jedi tradition, he was responsible for rebuilding the Order of Jedi Knights that his father had, on Palpatine's orders, attempted to destroy. His first attempt at training involved a young man who had been captured by a race known as the Ssi-Ruuk, Dev Sibwarra."
Luke knelt beside a bunk aboard the Falcon . "He's strong enough to apprentice. And young enough. We have to save him." The Imperial officer said something to Luke that Jar Jar didn't catch, and then Luke turned his attention to the young man, no more than a boy, really, on the bunk. "Dev, you can start your real training before your body heals. It'll keep you occupied."
"I could never become a Jedi," the young man said. "My mind has been scarred too deeply. Others have controlled me for years. Thank you for letting me finish cleanly," which Jar Jar interpreted as meaning free. A few moments later, the young man was dead.
"It was also during this time that Luke first fell in love," Qui-Gon said. The woman was a Senator from an Imperial controlled world called Bakura. However, both of them realized that it wasn't meant to be."
"I'm sorry," the woman said, speaking to Luke.
"What for," he replied, looking into her eyes, which Jar Jar could see were mismatched, one gray, one green. "This has been a victory for humanity."
"I want to be your ally, Luke. But from a distance."
"From a distance," Luke repeated, and Jar Jar thought he heard a twinge of sadness in Luke's voice. "But just for once from here," he said, and drew her inot an embrace, kissing her.
"Goodbye," she said after he released her.
"Her name was Gaeriel Captison. And she would not be the first person to walk out on Luke," Ki-Adi said.
"The next important moment you should see occurred four years later, when Han Solo abducted Princess Leia in attempt to keep her from marrying a prince from a star cluster of rich, technologically advanced worlds."
"Curiously," Ki-Adi said, "Luke would actually ally himself with the prince. Not that he didn't care for Han, but for other reasons. See for yourself."
A figure that Jar Jar didn't recognize, though he assumed it was the jilted prince, stood talking with Luke, who looked a little older, and perhaps even a little wiser than the last time Jar Jar saw him.
"Because now it's happening again. Once again, someone has taken a person that you love away from you." Jar Jar missed the next few words, but caught the last words of the speech. "If you do not forgive them," Luke said, "the dark side of the Force will forever rule your destiny."
"What does it matter?" the prince asked. "I don't have your power, Skywalker."
"You have power," Luke argued. "You must learn to serve the light inside of you. The Force has brought us together, here. I sense that you are trying to serve the light side now."
"As you see," Qui-Gon said, his voice rising to overcome the dialogue that continued between Luke and Isolder, "Luke would use this opportunity to practice teaching the ways of the Force. Isolder wasn't strong enough to stand a chance of becoming another Vader."
"Luke inspired him to care, which allowed Isolder to make a choice. He stood up to his mother, and defended Teneniel Djo, whom he had chosen to marry after it became clear that Leia wanted to marry Han, not him."
"Luke also gained a greater understanding of the Force during his time on Dathomir," Qui-Gon said. Perhaps not the unifying Force, but certainly the living Force."
The scene had shifted to the interior of the Millennium Falcon. Luke sat at the controls, his tunic damp with sweat, while beads of sweat ran down the sides of his face. There was a scream of joy from one of the gun turrets. "Leia, Isolder, stay put," Luke called from the cockpit. "We're not done yet."
"What are you thinking, Kid," Han said, swallowing.
"We've got to bring down the nightcloak," Luke said. "It's not just people down there, it's trees, and lizards and worms! It's a whole living world!"
Han was shocked for a moment. "Don't flip on me now, Kid! Find a whole in Zsinj's net and punch us out of here!" Chewbacca roared at Luke, probably saying something similar, but Luke ignored him.
"So what was that all about," Han asked Luke days later. "Why were you so concerned about the worms on Dathomir?"
"Just like everything else in the universe that lives, Han, the worms and all the other creatures on Dathomir exist in the Force. The create it. It's just like what Yoda told me once. Life sustains it, makes it grow. That's why I had to destroy Zsinj's nightcloak."
"I guess I understand," Han said, though he really didn't. "Just tell me one thing. Is Leia going to end up pulling something like this? I just want to know, so that I'm ready for it if it happens."
"I can't say for sure, Han. It'll be up to her. My near-death on Dathomir opened my eyes to that realization. If that's what it takes to realize just how widespread the Force is, then I hope Leia never does. But that's speaking as her brother, and wanting to protect her. Speaking as a Jedi, I hope that she does come to that realization."
"Jedi," Han said, shaking his head. "You just can't get a straight answer out of them."
The image faded. "Luke wouldn't have much time to continue his research on the Jedi, due to an attempt by the Empire to reassert its hold over the galaxy," Ki-Adi said.
"It was led by the last of the Empire's Grand Admirals, a Chiss named Thrawn, who had a penchant for discovering his opponents weaknesses by observing their art. He made an alliance with an insane clone of Jedi Master Joruus C'Boath, whom he discovered on the planet Wayland. C'Boath's price was simple. He would aid Thrawn in exchange for the galaxy's remaining Jedi: Luke Skywalker, and Leia Organa Solo," Qui-Gon said.
"Luke had escaped from Thrawn on one occasion, and ended up stranded in space," Ki-Adi continued. "He was discovered by a smuggling group, one of whom used to serve the Empire."
"I can imagine that that caused some tension," Jar Jar said.
"It did," Ki-Adi replied. Look."
She was sitting as still as stone facing Luke as he awoke, her red-gold hair shimmering as the sun set on the planet Myrkr. A look of confusion flashed across his features, and she could almost see him for the farmboy he had been, rather than the famous, or, in her mind, infamous Jedi Knight.
"Finally awake, are you?" she snapped. This time, the flash of confusion lasted a little longer. "That's right," she said, bitterness evident in her voice, "welcome back to the land of mere mortals." A mocking smile crept to her lips. "Don't like it, do you? Losing everything that once made you special?" She stood, and pointed the blaster at Luke.
Luke slowly got to his feet, trying to get used to the fact that for the first time since encountering Ben Kenobi on Tatooine, he couldn't use the Force at all. "Don't tell me. You're Mara Jade."
"Don't expect me to be impressed," she said sarcastically. "Karrde already told me he'd mentioned my name to you."
"He told me you're the one who found my X-Wing. Thank you."
"Save the gratitude. As far as I'm concerned, the only question is whether we turn you over to the Imperials or kill you ourselves. On your feet. Karrde wants to see you."
"I can't say I like either option," Luke said after finally getting to his feet.
"There's one other option," Mara Jade said. "You try to escape, and I'll kill you."
"She doesn't seem to like him at all," Jar Jar said.
"They would save each other's lives several times before Thrawn was defeated. In fact, before Luke escaped from Myrkr, he would save Mara's life, and help her to escape from the Empire when the two of them were captured," Qui-Gon commented. "Observe."
The vornskr leapt towards Luke, but the brilliant green of Luke's lightsaber sliced it in half.
"About time," came Mara's voice as she pushed herself up on one elbow. "What was that game you were playing?"
"I didn't think you'd want to lose a hand," Luke replied. He extended a hand to her, but found her on her feet, her blaster pointed at him.
"Drop the lightsaber and move back," she said.
"I don't believe you," Luke said, but complied. "Or didn't you notice that I just saved your life?"
"Thanks. I suppose it's my reward for not shooting you two days ago." She applied salve to the wounds from the vornskr, then turned back to Luke. "I said thanks already. What do you want, a medal?"
"I just want to know what happened to you."
"You happened to me."
"What does she mean, Luke happened to her?"
"She was a Force-trained agent of the Emperor. When Vader killed the Emperor, it deprived her of her position. But somehow, she thought that Luke and Vader had turned on the Emperor together. Because of that, she blames Luke for the death of Palpatine, even though it was Vader that killed her master."
"However, Mara and Luke would find themselves on the same side of the Imperials when Talon Karrde made the decision, with a little...persuasion from Han Solo, to return Luke to the New Republic."
Between the blaster bolt of Karrde's defenders and those of the Imperials, the space surrounding the arch was dangerous enough. With the Chariot Assault Vehicle settling down in the space between, it came time for a decision. Mara's hand snaked out to grip Luke's arm. "If the Chariot gets down, you'll never get the Imperials out from under cover."
"I know," Luke said. "I'm counting on it." A few moments later, the Chariot settled down. "All right, Han" he muttered, "Go."
Han leapt up, drawing the attention of the stormtroopers while Luke moved to the forest side of the arch. There, coming towards them as fast as his wheels would permit, was Artoo. "Artoo, now!" Luke couldn't see the puff from the hidden compartment, but a few seconds later the comforting weight of his lightsaber dropped into his hand. The guards had subdued Han's attack, and had him on his knees. But they couldn't watch him forever, not with shots still ringing out from Karrde's people. "Get behind me," Luke shouted to Han and Mara.
His Force abilities still blocked by the ysalamiri, Luke had to simply judge the best place to strike. A shudder ran through the arch as Luke brought the lightsaber through one of the segments supporting the structure. Making sure his friends were clear, Luke sliced through the other pillar. With a terrific roar, the structure came crashing down on the Imperials, crushing the Chariot.
Once the last of the stormtroopers had been dispatched, Karrde and his people emerged from their hiding places, a couple bearing Lando Calrissian on a stretcher. "One man," Karrde said, looking at the rubble that had once been the arch, "and without the Force too."
"Hesa bombad!" Jar Jar remarked.
"This incident would prove to be a vital one. Not only did Karrde save Luke, but in doing so risked his life. He would find himself on the run from Grand Admiral Thrawn. He had, without realizing it, committed his organization to the Republic's side."
Luke sat in front of computer screen in the Old Senate Library. He had come seeking to find something that would confirm that the Jedi who had contacted him near Lando's Nomad City mining complex on Nkllon really was Jorus C'Boath.
"More Jedi research?" Leia's aide, Winter, said, entering the room.
"Sort of," Luke said, turning to the tall, regal-looking woman who had, on more than one occasion, been mistaken for Princess Leia. "Computer, copy complete record of Jedi Master Jorus C'Boath."
"Jorus C'Boath," Winter echoed. "Wasn't he involved with the big ascendancy flap on Alderaan?"
"That's what the record says. Know anything about it?"
"No more than any other Alderaanian," she said, and Luke could tell that the memory of Alderaan's destruction was still causing pain, as it did, in a receding, aching type of way, with Leia.
"Did you ever see any images of him?"
"There was a group holo of the entire mediation team."
"Do you remember how old he looked?"
"I would say about forty or fifty, but age is hard tell from a picture."
"That would agree with what's here. The only problem is that if this Jedi on Jomark is really C'Boath, he has to over a hundred by now."
"Unfortunately, the Jedi isn't really Jorus C'Boath. It's actually an insane clone of the Jedi Master, probably created from a souvenir that the Emperor kept on Wayland, where Thrawn found the Jedi," Qui-Gon said.
Mara Jade stood at the gate leading to the palace, as Luke emerged from the shadows.
"Aren't you pointing that at the wrong person?" he asked.
"I didn't come here to kill you. Karrde's in trouble with the Empire. I need your help."
"What happened here, Master C'Boath?" Luke asked the old Jedi.
"What does it matter? Despite her words just now, she did indeed come here to destroy you. She is an example of the danger we Jedi face from all the lesser beings of the galaxy.
"But surely the ends don't justify the means," Luke argued.
"A platitude for the simple-minded, Jedi Skywalker. I have moved beyond such things, as you will, but only if you choose to remain. Together, we can heal the galaxy. Without us, there is no hope."
Mara moved a little closer to Luke, stepping away from the side of his X-Wing. Luke's shoulders straightened as the Force-empty bubble generated by Mara's ysalamir touched him.
"Is this how you would heal the galaxy, Master C'Boath? Through lies and deceit?"
Then, in a split second, the insane Jedi struck, a rock shooting up out of nowhere to strike Mara's gun hand. Luke stepped from the ysalamir's bubble, and ignited his lightsaber, intercepting two more rocks. C'Boath, still laughing, unleashed a volley of blue-white lightning that wound its way around Luke's lightsaber blade. Then, the whole scene blew up as Artoo fired the X-Wing's lasers, tearing up the ground and throwing all the participants to the ground.
"It was this encounter with Luke Skywalker that gave C'Boath the chance to practice controlling others, and to refine it. He would later try and take over the mind of an Imperial general," Ki-Adi said.
"And then he would have a final confrontation with Luke, one that would challenge Luke as never before," Qui-Gon added.
"Luke took the time that he, Han, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and Mara spent crossing Wayland's forest to Mount Tantiss to begin training Mara. Or rather," Ki-Adi added, "enhance training already given to her by the Emperor."
Luke stood, looking off into the forest that remained fro them to cross in order to reach the mountain. Mara had come up to join him, and made a comment relating to Luke's Jedi training. "Just," Luke said, "I was thinking about Leia's twins. About how I'm going to have to train them someday."
"You're worried about when to start?"
"I'm worried about being able to start."
"What's to do? You teach them to hear minds and move objects and use lightsabers. You did that with your sister, didn't you?"
"There's more to it than that. They're going to be strong in the Force, and with that power comes responsibility. How do I teach them wisdom, and compassion and not to abuse their power?" How do I keep them from becoming a pair of Darth Vaders? Where did Ben go wrong, and how do I avoid the same mistakes? he thought.
"How does anyone teach those things?" Mara replied. "Mostly through example, I guess."
"How much Force training did the Emperor give you?" Luke asked, changing the direction of the conversation.
"Enough," she snorted. "Why? Are you checking for wisdom and compassion?"
"It might be a good idea to go over it again. You know, sort of a refresher course."
"Why?"
"I just think that it would be a good thing for you to be as strong in the Force as possible." That way, he thought, if C'Boath does manage to eliminate me from the holo, you'll have some Force abilities that might catch him by surprise.
"What do I need to be strong in the Force for?"
"For whatever purpose your destiny calls you."
"This was, aside from Darth Vader, Luke's first attempt to take someone trained by Palpatine and help them escape from the Dark Side, though Luke would later decide that Mara hadn't really been trained in the ways of the Dark Side," Qui-Gon said.
Luke was backing towards what appeared to be a stone wall, driven forward by what appeared to be himself, wielding a blue-white lightsaber. A very familiar blue-white blade, as the mad clone of Jorus C'Boath watched with an almost insane degree of fascination. In fact, C'Boath was so preoccupied with the duel that Mara Jade, up until this point little more than an unwilling spectator in the scene, was able to tear Leia Organa Solo's lightsaber from the Jedi Master's grip, and bring it to land solidly in her hand.
"No!" C'Boath cried, releasing his control over the pair of blasters, belonging to Solo and Karrde, which had been hanging in the air along with the lightsaber that Mara now gripped. Mara charged for the clone, not giving the Jedi long enough to pull the weapon from her hand. The clone Luke (whom C'Boath had named Luuke) couldn't overcome his desire to finish off one opponent, believing that he had Skywalker cornered. He slashed at Luke, who ducked avoiding the blade.
And the wall burst into a shower of sparks, revealing that it was actually one of the throne room's monitor screens. The stream of sparks arced into the clone's face, and he screamed. He spun to slash at the oncoming Mara, but she ducked, and for a moment looked into the face of the clone before stabbing upward with the lightsaber.
The clone crumpled, the blue blade dropping to the ground. Mara turned to Luke. "Brain all clear now?"
"Yes," he said, relieved of the pressure that had been present throughout the entire confrontation with the clone. He wanted to leave at that point, realizing that there was now way to bring the insane Jedi back, when C'Boath attacked, beginning to bring the roof down on Luke and Mara in hail of small stones.
"Luke would ultimately provide the means for C'Boath's death, cutting the leashed of Karrde's two vornskrs and allowing them to take on the Jedi Master," Ki-Adi said.
"The Empire would lose the leadership of Grand Admiral Thrawn when he was murdered by his Noghri bodyguard, in payment for the treachery of the Empire," Qui-Gon said. However, the Empire didn't die, and eventually launched an attack that succeeded in taking Coruscant from the New Republic."
"Luke allowed himself to fall to the dark side, and joined the resurrected Emperor, in hopes of bringing about an end to the Dark Side. But he now begins to doubt that this is possible, and wonders if the galaxy would be better off without him."
"Hesa really in trouble," Jar Jar said, almost unable to believe what his ears told him.
"Yes, my friend," Qui-Gon said, "he is. And now, it is up to you to help him see that despite the fact that everything seems black, the galaxy is better off with him than without him."
Luke Skywalker stood on a balcony overlooking part of Citadel on the planet Byss, which had become his home ever since he had allowed himself to fall under the sway of the Dark Side. The breeze ruffled through his hair, and caused the black cape he wore, so much like his father's, to billow out behind him. Has it really been worth all this devastation, he thought? It had become painfully clear to him that his ends were no longer being served, that he had, instead, become a tool in the Emperor's vast war machine. Maybe I should simply end it here, he thought.
Without me to support him, perhaps Palpatine would fall. Luke was just about to climb to the rail, when a shape went sailing in front of him. Reacting instinctively, Luke reached out with the Force, and grabbed hold of the object, or as he discovered to his surprise, the being that had fallen. It was like nothing Luke had every seen before. Long limbed, its face was somewhat amphibious, a fact which was supported by the creature's long, leathery ears, which hung down behind. Two small, dark eyes perched on the top of the creatures skull.
"Meesa so happy to see you. Yousa save me."
"What are you?"
"Meesa called Jar Jar Binks. Meesa you guardian angel."
"Guardian angel? It seems that I saved you, not the other way around."
"Yousa no die, correct? Then, meesa saved you."
Oh, Force, Luke thought. Just what I need, an alien with a hero complex. "And just what is so important about me that you had to intervene? It's not like I'm that important."
"Oh, but you are. You just don't realize it right now."
"And you're going to show me? Thanks, but maybe you should try somewhere else."
"No, no, meesa stay. I need yousa help, to get my wings."
"You know, you're just the sort of guardian angel I'd expect. You've got no wings, and you can't even speak properly. Sometimes..."
"Sometimes what?"
"Sometimes I think that the galaxy would be better off if I'd never been born."
"No, that's not," Jar Jar began, then paused. "Wait a moment...yes, that should do nicely. All right, you've got your wish. You've never been born."
"I'm here, am I not?"
"You are, but the world has changed. Everything is as if you were never born."
Luke shook his head. "Look, friend, I don't know who you are. But may I suggest that you get some mental help."
"Go ahead, test my words. That right hand of yours is mechanical, right?"
"Yes. But you don't have to be an angel to know that."
"Try opening the cover plate," Jar Jar said. Luke did, but couldn't find the spot that would release the cover plate.
"What sort of trick is this?"
"Like I said, you never existed. You never confronted Darth Vader on Bespin, and he never cut off your hand. Look around you? This was a command center, correct?"
In his confusion, Luke hadn't realized that the Citadel was now as quiet as a grave. "What did you do to all the people that had been here?"
"They never arrived here. Let me show you Imperial Center."
"Excuse me, did you say Imperial Center?"
"Excuse me, that's right. You're used to hearing it referred to as Coruscant, aren't you?"
The angel took Luke's hand, and the Citadel faded around them, resolving itself into a street near the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. Luke could tell that something had changed profoundly. The people all had an air of oppression around them, one that hadn't been seen since the days immediately following the New Republic's capture of Coruscant.
"All right, you've had your fun. If things changed so drastically, where's Leia?"
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but she's dead. She was executed aboard the Death Star, as per orders from Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin."
"That's not possible. She saved the life of everybody on Yavin by making sure that the data in Artoo got to the right people. She became Chief of State of the New Republic."
"The Rebellion died on Yavin. Leia wasn't there to ensure the data download because you weren't there to save her. Look around you. Does this look like the Coruscant you remember?"
Now that he really looked, Luke realized that it didn't. The people seemed disinterested, each trying to avoid contact with others as much as possible. And then he saw them, the squad of stormtroopers marching through the streets.
"What are stormtroopers doing here?"
"Where else would they be?" Jar Jar asked. "This is, after all, the capital of the Empire."
"The Empire was defeated."
"Not in this reality. Orbiting the fourth moon of Yavin, in honor of the death of the Rebel Alliance, sits the Death Star. Of course, Tarkin could easily bring it to any planet that would dare to threaten the Emperor."
"So you're telling me that Palpatine's still alive?"
"I think you can see for yourself. Look to that vidscreen." Sure enough, moving to stand behind a podium was the Emperor, looking as old and decrepit as he had aboard the second Death Star, which, if he understood Jar Jar correctly, was never constructed.
"Eight years ago today," the despot began, "the Rebel Alliance launched a cowardly attack on the Imperial Navy. They were defeated, and the leading traitors brought back to Imperial Center in chains. After all these years, justice will finally be carried out." The screen changed, showing what appeared to be a set of posts. "Bring out the convicted traitors."
A full squadron of stormtroopers marched out on the screen, followed by the "traitors", Luke presumed, for each member of the group that followed was manacled and escorted by two more troopers.
"No," Luke murmured, his voice barely audible as he recognized Mon Mothma, who was the first "traitor" in the procession. She was followed by Commander Narra, who apparently hadn't died in this reality. Luke's knees gave out when he saw the next person. His face looked harder than Luke remembered it, but there was no mistaking Wedge Antilles. At least ten more high-ranking Alliance officers were paraded out, their manacles being used to bind them to the posts. Once they were secured, one more figure entered the video. "Father?" Luke asked, his voice so soft he barely was able to hear it himself. Indeed, the figure who had just entered was none other than Darth Vader.
"Commander, proceed with the ceremony," Vader said.
With that order from the Dark Lord, thirteen troopers took positions before the condemned prisoners. "You have been charged with treason against the Empire," Vader said. "Do any of you have any last words?"
"You won this round, Palpatine," Mon Mothma said, her eyes still blazing with defiance, "but you can't keep the galaxy under your thumb forever. One day, someone will succeed where we failed."
"Ready!" the stormtrooper commander shouted. "Aim! Fire!" With that command, and perfect precision, the troopers fired, the blaster bolts burning through the throat of each "traitor".
"What have I done? Jar Jar, After seeing that, I'm almost afraid to ask what happened to my Jedi masters, but I have to know."
The scene faded around them, as Byss had when Jar Jar had brought Luke to Coruscant. It reformed itself into a scene that Luke recalled quite well, that of the Mos Eisley cantina.
"So the old man finally croaked?" one of the bar patrons said.
"Yup. They say that there wasn't much in that old hut for the Jawas to carry off. Kinda makes one wonder jus' what he did out there, all by himself for all those years."
"Most just thought him insane. But there was definitely something about him, something nobler. As if he had once had a grand vision, but had let it shrink in the heat of this place."
"Sun just fried his brains," a third patron said. "Never was any use to anybody. They say that Owen Lars had to chase that crazy old man off his property more than once."
"So the Jawas took everything?"
"There were a few old books that they couldn't figure out how to get open, so they just left 'em," the second patrol, a Deveronian, said. "Heard somethin' 'bout an auction, but who'd want any of that junk?"
"Never know when somebody may come looking for him," the first patron said. "Y' know, a relative or something."
"Anybody who cared for him is probably long dead, or thought he had died a long time ago. Either way, I don't think anybody's going to come looking for his junk. They might as well make a refuse pile out of it and burn the stuff."
"Just leave it alone, at least for now," Luke said, striding forward. "I'd like a look at it."
"What do you care?"
"He was once a Jedi Knight. They say that some on Coru-, er," Luke said, catching himself in the mistake, "Imperial Center will pay quite a bounty for anything regarding the old Jedi."
"Jedi?" two of the patrons said at once.
"Leave me out of it," the third patron, a somewhat grizzled, squat, rat-faced human said. Last thing I need is some snoop from Imperial Intelligence showing up on my doorstep."
"Wouldn't be Intel," the first speaker said. "Probably would be Darth Vader, or else one of his agents."
"You needn't tell anyone I was here," Luke said, then turned and headed for the exit. He grabbed the Gungan's arm on his way out, pulling Jar Jar out of the cantina. "I'm going to need some time. Ben, dead, and thought of only as a crazy old man? I mean, I knew he had that reputation, but he deserved better."
"Can you think somewhere else? This sun gonna do murder to meesa skin."
"Alright," Luke said, though he realized that he was dangerously close to losing his patience with his "guardian angel". "Where's Han?"
"You're not going to like it if meesa show you."
"I'll like it even less if you don't," Luke said, and edge developing in his voice. "Now where is he?"
"He's in there," Jar Jar said, gesturing back to the cantina. "Probably trying to find somebody desperate enough to ship with him."
"What do you mean?"
"After word got out that he'd dumped a load of spice, people began to wonder if they could trust him with their cargo. After all, what he had done once before to avoid Imperial prosecution, he could easily do again."
"Han wouldn't turn his back on someone who needed his help."
"Perhaps the Han Solo you knew wouldn't. This is a very different Han Solo, as you'll see. He's spent the last five years working to get the Millennium Falcon out of Jabba's hands.
"What?!" Luke said, astonished. The Han he knew wouldn't have let the Falcon go for anything. In fact, Luke could still recall the argument he'd had with Leia after she'd left the Falcon in orbit over Endor while she made contact with the Noghri.
"Han allowed Jabba to take ownership of the Falcon on order to pay off the debt for the lost glitterstim," Jar Jar said. "He's been working for Jabba ever since, trying to get the ship back. And once he got the ship back, he immediately cut his losses and broke his connection to Jabba."
"Now that sounds like Han. So why are people afraid to ship with him?"
"Han became a little, well, ruthless. You'll see, since he's coming out now."
Indeed, the Han that emerged from the cantina looked different. Luke recognized the familiar, craggy features, but a scar now ran down one of Han's cheeks. A salt and pepper beard also helped make Han a little more difficult to recognize, though there was no mistaking him once Chewbacca emerged to follow him.
"Han," Luke called.
Han squinted, then raised a hand to shield his eyes from Tatooine's twin suns.
"Do I know ya, Kid?" the smuggler asked, and Luke felt his heart leap a bit at the old nickname. Some things, it seemed, never did.
"Han, tell me you know me. It's Luke."
"Sorry, kid, but I don't know anybody by that name."
"You married my sister."
"I never married anybody, and I don't plan to," Han said, and Luke could see an anger starting to build in the older man's eyes. "Now get outta my way before I have to tell Chewie here to make you move."
Luke took a look at the Wookiee and realized that this was one time he and Chewbacca wouldn't be on the same side. Luke stepped out of Han's way.
Luke spun to face the Gungan. "You're going to tell me that all of this is my fault? That somehow, my absence caused all of these changes?"
"Yes. Though you think now that your life was worthless, that you were nothing but a burden, it's not true. Your life has been filled by the Force."
"Can you reverse what you've done? Can you make me live again?"
"Only if you truly want to."
"Please, Jar Jar. I want to live again. I want to live again!" The Tatooine desert faded in a flash of rainbow, and Luke felt as though he were falling. He reached out to grab something...
...and took hold of the balcony rail on Byss. He reached out with the Force, and sensed Han's presence aboard the Falcon. And he, more strongly than ever, could sense Leia's presence. She was concerned about him.
"Lord Skywalker," a stormtrooper said, coming up from behind Luke.
"What is it?"
"A guard found this outside your quarters, and we thought to bring it to your attention."
Luke took the object, an old, dog-eared book. The title bore the words The Adventures of Mace Windu. Luke opened the book. Inside was a message.
Dear Luke,
Remember, no man is a failure who had friends.
Thanks for meesa wings!
Jar Jar Binks
"What is it, my Lord?"
"It's a present from an old friend of mine," Luke said. He looked up. A very good friend, too, he thought. Thanks, Jar Jar.