Title: There is the Force

Author: Jedikma

A/N: Here is the final chapter to this story. Thankyou to everyone who has been following this. Again, enjoy and review. :)

Epilogue: Another Jedi Legend

Obi-Wan and Siri stood before the Jedi Council. The couple had requested a hearing to consider being granted the allowance to make a formal commitment to each other. They had made their arguments to the council and now awaited their decision.

"No," Mace Windu stated flatly. He used the same inflection every time someone asked for an exception to the Code. "The Code forbids it and we will not make this exception."

Both Obi-Wan and Siri felt their hearts sink, but they had prepared themselves for this decision.

"Siri, Obi-Wan," Adi Gallia spoke up. "If it were up to us as your friends we would grant you this request happily. The events of the last year have made it clear to us that you do indeed share a special bond. Furthermore, you have been exemplary in putting the Force first in your lives and your relationship second. You have made valid arguments as to why we should grant you this request, but the bottom line is that we cannot make this exception and open the door for other Knights to come to us with the same request."

"We do not have the time or the resources to even hear such requests, let alone consider granting them," Ki-Adi-Mundi added. "With the rise of the Sith and the growing darkness we must focus all our energies on the growing number of missions we are being given. Now is not the time to start questioning any aspect of the Code and we certainly don't need any internal unrest or dispute."

"Remain unified, we must, to conquer a common enemy," Yoda concluded.

"Yes, Masters. We understand," Obi-Wan answered and they did. Once again they were asked to prove their loyalty to the Jedi and once again they would do so.

"We thank you for hearing our request," Siri said and she bowed.

"We have more to tell you, but we have to say it may not completely answer all your questions in regards to what has happened over the past year," Mace spoke up and Obi-Wan and Siri gave him their attention.

"We cannot prove that the Sith were truly behind anything that happened here. The Knights that were supposed to go to Nohar were eventually found and are now one with the Force. As you know, their ship crashed on a remote moon. Examination of the wreckage indicated no foul play. The examination of your daughter indicated death from natural causes and again there was no foul play. The only indication we have that someone was trying to hurt you was what happened during labor and delivery of your son. Clearly, there was foul play and perhaps the Sith were behind it, but again we have no solid proof of that. Further investigation into Healer Quan's life finally revealed he had huge gambling debts and therefore he could have been under the influence of any number of people that might seek vengeance on either of you or the Jedi."

Obi-wan and Siri listened intently, but were not convinced. "Beyond the proof, what do your instincts tell you, Masters?" Obi-Wan asked.

"A message from the Sith, it most likely was," Yoda said.

"But we believe you have also received a message from the Force as well and we would like for you to tell us about it," Adi said.

Obi-Wan and Siri looked at each other. "You are speaking of the night of the services?" Siri questioned.

Adi went on to explain what the rest of the Jedi had witnessed. They also experienced the darkness close in upon them and then they saw the three little lights dancing over the baby's body. From there the lights entered both Obi-Wan and Siri and two more lights joined them as the two Knights collapsed. Gradually, the light became brighter and brighter until the room was so bright that many Jedi had to cover their eyes. Finally the light broke up and fell in sparkling pieces around the room until the illumination returned to normal.

"Was anything expressed to you?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

"Yes," Siri said, as she looked to Obi-Wan for confirmation. Obi-Wan gave her a short nod, signaling to her that it was right to tell the Council. Siri continued, "Each child spoke. 'We are faith, hope, love.'"

"'Keep us in your hearts and we will always be with you.'" Obi-Wan finished the message.

The Council fell momentarily silent, taking in the thought.

"An important message for us all, it is," Yoda espoused. "Especially in this time of growing darkness."

A terrible darkness fell upon the Jedi, and one by one they were destroyed and their Temple home turned to ruins. The Emperor gained power and reigned with an iron hand. Beings all over the galaxy felt the evil and the injustices of the Empire and eventually they began to rebel against them. They no longer had the Jedi to help them with justice and peace so they had to learn to do it themselves, but they still looked to the Jedi as role models.

Stories began to flourish about the Jedi and they took on great proportions. The knights became examples of heroes, martyrs, and legends. Though it was forbidden to have anything to do with the Jedi in any way, parents all over the galaxy secretly began to tell their children the tales of the knights and their virtuous ways. A new generation of men and women grew up with these stories and were inspired to act against injustice just as the Jedi had once done. Ordinary beings accomplished extraordinary things and finally, the Empire was overthrown and a new light dawned.

While legendary stories abounded about different knights and their heroism, smaller stories also took root about the Temple. One story was a simple little tale about some flowering bushes that still grew long after the Temple had been destroyed.

After the fall of the Empire, Luke Skywalker, the last of the Jedi, visited the Temple ruins, along with his sister Leia Organa, to look for clues that would tell them more about the Jedi society. There was very little to find. Most of the Temple was razed but there were a few rooms that still gave hints as to what they might have been before the destruction of the grand structure. One room was obviously an extensive garden. The grounds that were left consisted mostly of dirt and debris, overgrown weeds and deadwood from felled trees. However, there was a small area in which Luke and Leia found three flowering bushes. The plants were weak and struggling simply to stay alive.

"Leia, look!" Luke exclaimed incredulously, when he stumbled upon the flowers. "There is nothing but death and destruction throughout the entire Temple grounds and yet there are three flowering bushes blooming."

Leia came over to the spot where the flowers were and gave Luke an odd look. "It is very strange, Luke." She bent down to examine the flowers, barely caressing the soft petals with her fingers, and sighed, "Stranger still is the color of these flowers."

"What do you mean?"

"In many cultures the colors of flowers can have special meanings. This white one is symbolic of faith. The warm yellow means hope, and the bold red, of course, is love."

As a Jedi, Luke believed there were no coincidences in the Force and he took the flowers as a sign. He took special care to uproot the flowers, so that he could transplant them to Yavin IV where he was starting the Jedi Academy and where a new generation of Jedi would grow and learn the ways of the Force. On Yavin IV the flowers quickly grew and flourished in abundance. The colors of the petals took on a new vividness and the fragrances blended together pleasantly. The children of the Academy played among them joyously and the older Knights adorned rooms with them.

Soon after the flowers had begun to grow healthy on Yavin IV, Luke took cuttings of all three back to his sister for her to keep in her apartment on Coruscant. Leia cared for the plants meticulously and they grew strong in her home. When she had to be gone on diplomatic missions for weeks at a time she made sure the flowers were properly taken care of. Even her children took notice of her dedication to the flowers.

"Mom, why do you love those three plants so much?" A young teenage Jaina asked her one day.

"These flowers are special and they should be given special care," Leia answered.

"Mom, those flowers grow like weeds at the Academy. If something happened to yours, I'm sure Uncle Luke would be happy to bring you more," Jacen remarked.

"It wouldn't be the same, Jacen. These plants are special just like each of you and they are not replaceable." Then Leia explained to them the story of how she and Luke found the flowers.

"Why do you suppose they lived so long in the ruins, Mom?" Jaina asked charmed by the story.

"I don't know, Jaina, but I can't help but feel there is a very special story behind them and a very special link to our family," Leia replied as she sprayed the blooms with a gentle mist.

Upon hearing this a young Anakin Solo wrinkled his nose and said, "It's probably just a mushy love story."

"Maybe." Leia admitted with a smile. "But I would sure like to know what that story is." Leia turned to her son and touched his cheek with her hand. "And I am certain it abounds with faith, hope and love."

finis

There is no emotion; there is peace.

There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.

There is no passion; there is serenity.

There is no death; there is the Force.