Many years passed. An Empire arose over the ashes of the old Republic. The Jedi became all but extinct, hiding out in the outer rim territories in remote locations. Tatooine. Dagobah. Fuu. They hid away from the clutches of the Emperor Sidisous and his new, vast armies of Storm Troopers. They hid away from his apprentice, the malevolent and powerful Darth Vader. They hid, they waited, they watched. Like the Sith had for millennia, they worked in secret to bring about the downfall of the Empire and the Return of the Jedi.

And in the end, after many long years, they were successful.

Emperor Sidious was dead, Darth Vader was defeated, the Rebel Alliance had blown up their Death star and the Empire had collapsed. Throughout the known universe, people were cheering as they heard the news. People were celebrating in the streets, in their homes. The greatest celebration was on Endor, where the Rebels were celebrating on into the night with their newfound allies the Ewoks. But it was echoed throughout all of known space.

Faraway in the Fuu system, there was another, quieter sort of celebration being shared on one of the remote islands of the third planet. The third planet was a tropical paradise, virtually unspoiled. A few resorts had been set up but they were most expensive, and located primarily on the larger islands. Some of the smaller ones barely even could be picked up on the radar. And this was where we found our quiet little celebration.

Terke Riith looked much the same as she had when she'd been battling Clone Troopers, nearly three decades earlier. Her skin was still scaley, drawn tight over strong and agile muscles, and her eyes were bright and piercing. Her hair didn't have so much as a hint of gray. Then again, her species could live up to and including a millennia, so it was hardly surprising a few measly decades hadn't changed her. By contrast, Marra Henis was showing a slight slowing of limbs, and her bright purple skin was faded. It was just starting to develop faint wrinkles, mostly around the corners of her eyes and mouth, evidence of past smiles. Still, any who mistook this appearance of middle-aged twi'lek as a sign of weakness would quickly come to regret it. She was still as strong and fast as women half her age. The two former Jedi (and still Jedi, in a sense) had long ago discarded their heavy robes (which would have marked them as Jedi to some) (and were also impractical on a Tropical planet) and were dressed in clothes more commonly found on the third planet of the Fuu system. Terke was wearing a rather loose tunic and trousers, her clawed toes and feet bare. Marra was arrayed in a much more revealing pair of leather strips that were somewhat common amongst the twi'lek people, displaying that she still had the body of a young woman despite her advancing years. Her long tendrils were drawn back and bound by strips of cloth.

The two of them had set up a shelter on one of the outlying islands, keeping their use of modern technology to a minimum. Power packs were hard to come by these days anyway, unless they were stolen. They lived as hermits, having built their shelter out of fallen tree branches and palm tree leaves. It was only big enough for both of them, really, so they spent most of their time outside. Honing their skills and Jedi powers.

"Good news there is," came Terke, bounding up and over the rocks surrounding their makeshift shelter. Marra smiled as she drew closer, resting underneath the overhanging branches they'd set up as a rooftop. "What is it, Terke?" she asked quietly.

"Fallen, the Empire has!" she all but squealed in joy, waving her short arms animatedly. "I saw the news on the holonet earlier! Fallen, it has! Won, we have!"

A broad smile spread across Marra's features. "That is wonderful news."

Terke stopped, pausing in mid-sentence, blinking her large yellow eyes up at her former master. She'd long since become something of a master herself. "Marra? Sound very happy, you do not."

"I would be far happier had I done something to contribute to the Empire's downfall," she stated quietly, unfolding herself from her meditative stance and swinging her legs over the side of their shelter.

"Unwise it is, to oppose a flowing heat storm," quoted Terke with a smile. "Taught me that, my Jedi Master did."

Marra laughed at that, a deep-throated chuckle that had not been heard in many years. Not since before the days before the Clone Wars had begun, really. She'd been so much more quieter these days. They both had. Having their lives turned upside down, forced into exile, only able to rely upon one another for comfort. Well, it was no surprise it had put a strain on their happy smiles. But now they were back.

"But we've much to do now," said Marra. "Tell me everything you've learned."

And she did.

Master Marra nodded thoughtfully, digesting all of this information. Not all of it came entirely as a surprise. Both of them had been keeping up-to-date on the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion for some time now. Both over the holonet (Terke would sneak into the resorts, posing as a tourist), and through the mystic vibrations of the Force. They'd sensed the end of first Obi-Wan Kenobi, and then Yoda. Terke had been particularly devastated, the elderly Jedi had been like a father to her. The re-emergence of a Skywalker Jedi (Vader's son, no less), the on-going war effort, the destruction of the first death star and now the second. They'd kept in tune with the universe, even if it had been content to ignore them.

"Now it is time," came a voice. A new voice.

Marra and Terke's heads snapped up. Long years of hiding from Storm Troopers, despite living on a peaceful outer rim planet, had given them both lightning reflexes. Their hands slapped to their sides instantly, three and five-fingered hands coiling around lightsabers that had long gone unused (unless they needed to clear a path through the jungle).

However, they instantly relaxed. They were in the presence of an ally, not an enemy.

Jedi Knight Ryuin had also changed much over the past few years. Physically, he resembled the dark-haired, bearded young human he had been during his last days on Ilum. Now, his image was slightly distorted, faded, and just past him (through him, even) the background was clearly visible. A glowing aura of blue surrounded his frame as he made his way down the hillside to join the two of them, smiling.

"Marra... Terke... you're looking well," he said, any bitterness or anger gone from his voice. Now he was far calmer. Becoming one with the Force had remarkably improved him.

"Ryuin..." breathed Terke, as always in awe whenever she witnessed the return of their comrade. He had been keeping an eye on them, so to speak, for some time. Guiding them. Cautioning them that now was not the right time to attack the Empire. That they should wait.

"The Sith are vanquished," he said. "Love has prevailed over hatred. Light has prevailed over darkness."

"Praise the Force," intoned Marra, breathing a grateful sigh.

"But this is only a new beginning," said Ryuin, folding his arms within the sleeves of his Jedi robes. "The Rebels are rebuilding, restoring the old Republic... calling it, appropriately enough, the NEW Republic," he added with a playful smirk. "And Luke is attempting to rebuild the Jedi. He will need your assistance in this matter. You may find much has changed in the past few years."

"Doesn't matter," replied Marra without hesitation. "We've sat on the sidelines long enough. Now it is high time we did something with our gifts."

"Agree, I do," said Terke, bobbing her head up and down.

Ryuin smiled, his image fading. "The Force be with you, my old friends..." he intoned, his image vanishing in the ocean breeze as the two Jedi watched.

Little more needed to be said. The two of them quickly dismantled their home, taking down that which had shared for the past decade or two, which they had lovingly crafted as a place they could find comfort and solace. They took it all down, tore it down and returned it to nature, where it belonged. They gathered their things. Their robes and, more importantly, their lightsabers, which still functioned. Bright emerald and amethyst beams lit up as they lightly clanged them together in a silent vow. To restore the Jedi to their former glory.

They had a long road ahead of them...

... but the Force would always be with them.

>

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Author's Notes:

And after so many years (must have been at least 30, considering how old Luke is at the end of Return of the Jedi) Marra and Terke are back for so more fun. And Ryuin as well, though he gets the Anakin/Obi-Wan/Yoda-merged-with-the-Force deal. I hadn't originally planned to write this epilogue, but I figured what the heck. I hate ending on sad endings. Now we get a happy ending! Well, for everyone but Attca Namon, that is. The holonet, though seemingly made up, was referenced often in the "Revenge of the Sith" book, and seems to fit a mixture of cable television and the internet in the Star Wars universe. The comment about twi'leks and heat storms is actually a common saying amongst the people, their planet is apparently often swept by them.

Trecebo: I hadn't originally planned on it, but as I said, I hate sad endings. Now we see them all again, reunited. Isn't it sweet?

Ray1: Apparently it's not yet over. The fans have spoken.

DarkKnight92: Not sure yet.

JLA2Snoopy: Their inspiration insisted upon being twi'lek and female Yoda, respectively. I was reluctant, since I don't know the name of Yoda's species, but it seems to have worked out. And no, unlikely to do sequels, but here's an epilogue for you.

Ultimate R-Man: That is the best compliment I could possibly get, since I'm a film major. Noble sacrifices rule indeed.