~Epilogue One~

Twenty-three years later

First Captain Victor Jade, commander of the Imperial Knights, sat alone in his office staring at his datapad as he went over the details of youngest grandchild's knighting ceremony. He wanted everything to be perfect for Hanna Skywalker.

Twelve years after the birth of Anakin Victor Skywalker and nine years after the birth Luke and Mara's second son, Owen Skywalker, the royal couple was blessed with an unexpected pregnancy. Unexpected, but a very welcomed surprise. Due to Mara's age, it was considered a geriatric pregnancy and it was not without its problems to include preeclampsia and labor complications that resulted in an emergency surgical delivery five weeks prior to the due date. Hanna Skywalker weighed less than three kilograms at birth, but Victor knew she would be fine. She had a strength in the Force that he hadn't seen since...well probably since he was born.

She grew fast and strong until she was the spitting image of her mother with long red gold hair and a fiery spirit. Because of the large age gap, she apprenticed under her cousin Jaina who was eleven years her senior.

All of Victor's grandchildren were highly decorated Imperial Knights—or in Hanna's case...an apprentice—with multiple campaign medals earned during the Imperial-Grysk war. A conflict that just recently ended with an impressive Imperial victory at the battle of Mon Salinas on the planet Oviedoi in the Unknown Region.

The last four years of war were grim, but now that the Grysk had been routed from the galaxy, it was time to celebrate, and he knew no better way than to give an apprentice their knighthood.

There was a soft knock on his office door. He pressed a button on his desk allowing the door to slide open. In walked Lieutenant Jaina Solo in full Imperial Knight black and red armor and cape. She gave Victor a lopsided smile that made her look so much like her father. "Hanna is ready for the knighting ceremony, but I can tell she is nervous." She laughed. "I think this is the first time I have seen her anxious."

Victor shook his head. "I've seen her nervous before. When we went to talk with the Daimyo of Mos Espa on Tatooine the old warlord arrived at our meeting place riding a Rancor. I felt a slight tremble in the Force from Hanna when that beast drew near."

Jaina chuckled. "I don't blame her." She walked up to the chair in front of his desk but didn't sit down. Instead, she rested the palms of her hands on the backrest of the sturdy wooden seat. "Now that the war is over, are we going to slow down in recruitment?"

Victor thought about it. For the last four years the Order of Imperial Knights had brought in Initiate volunteers at a much higher rate. So much so that there were more apprentices than skilled Knights to train them. "Yes. We need to concentrate on finalizing the training of the younglings that we currently have. The mission of the Imperial Knights is to mainly defend the emperor and the capital, not to act like the Jedi Generals in the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, because of the Grysk pseudo-Force abilities allowing them to enslave minds, we got pulled into this war far more than I would have liked. Apprentices should not have been thrown into battles at such a young age."

"They did exceedingly well," Jaina pointed out. "We had very few casualties."

Victor glanced away guiltily. "I don't like the idea of younglings dying." A shiver went down his spine as he remembered the horrific acts he performed as Darth Vader.

Jaina obviously felt his distress and quickly came to his defense. "You had no choice to use some of the teenage apprentices. Only Force-users could block out the Grysk psychic influences."

He gave a nod, knowing she didn't understand his pain and deep regret for his past evils. "You are right. Only a Force-user could resist their mental manipulations." He took in a deep cleansing breath and changed the subject. "You did an excellent job training Hanna."

A wide smile blossomed across Jaina's face. "Thank you. When will I be assigned a new apprentice?"

He shook his head. "We like to give a break between apprentice assignments. You need some you time...to recharge. Get out and socialize. I am sure your parents look forward to becoming grandparents one day. That won't happen if I don't allow you a personal life."

Jaina rolled her eyes and made a sound of disgust. "Mom has been trying to play matchmaker for the last ten years. I'm thirty. I have plenty of time to give her a grandchild. Anyway, she may have a bunch of grandchildren she doesn't know about. It's not like Jacen and Ben haven't been dating. Also, those two have went on two 'recruitment' missions to Dathomir with Captain Durron." She threw up her hands in disgust. "Half the kids there are probably fathered by our exalted Captain of the Imperial Knights over the last twenty years. The other half, probably belong to my brothers."

Victor covered his mouth with his hand to suppress his laughter. Kyp Durron was one of Victor's first students. He also was a very popular visitor to Dathomir where male witches aka 'Force-users' are greatly prized as breeding males. Years ago, Victor brought a twenty-year-old Kyp Durron with him to search for willing apprentices among the Force-strong witches. The women of the Singing Mountain Clan agreed to allow volunteers to accompany Victor and Kyp back to Coruscant if the two men provided them with Force-strong babies. Victor immediately rejected the notion, but Kyp was more than willing to assist the Imperial Knights in any way possible.

Victor regained his composure and gave Jaina a curious look. "Do you really think your brothers..." He bumped his fists together in front of his chest armor. "Do they...ummm." He stopped himself. He was not going to discuss his grandsons' love lives with his granddaughter. He waved his hands as to dispel the notion. "I'm sure your siblings are very professional in their dealings with the Dathomir citizens...especially since the planet has joined the Hapan Consortium."

Jaina made a show of considering the possibility—looking up to the ceiling while rubbing her chin in thought. Finally, she returned her gaze to Victor and smirked. "Maybe Jacen. I think he has a crush on one of the Hapan royals, but Ben...he is a lady's man."

Victor chuckled. "Perhaps, but I believe you are using your brothers to change the subject. Getting back to the original topic, I want to wait at least a few months before assigning you a new apprentice. Go on vacation. Or if you can't stomach relaxing on a beach...go train on the Empire's new TIE Silencers. Admiral Fel's son Jagged is commander of the flight school on Kuat. I'll get you a slot."

Her eyes brightened when he mentioned the TIE Silencer...or perhaps she reacted to the name Fel. Victor had heard rumors that Jaina was on friendly terms with one of Admiral Soontir Fel's sons, but he hadn't investigated further.

"I wouldn't mind getting some flight time with the new Silencer."

"Good, I will make the arrangements." He stood tossing his datapad onto his desk before adjusting his red armor and cape. He admired the look of the Imperial Knight uniform, but his chest place would ride up uncomfortably while seated, forcing him to pull it back into place when he rose from his seat. "Are your brothers and cousins in the Grand Hall?" he asked as the office door slid open and he strode into the corridor.

"Yes, including Anakin's wife and son." Jaina said as she fell in step with Victor. "Of course, my parents are in attendance along with Luke and your daughter. I also saw the Karrde family among the spectators."

Victor gave Jaina a surprised expression. "Really?"

She gave a slight shrug of her shoulder. "I know about Karrde capturing my parents, but my dad admitted he was trying to kidnap Talon at the time...so there are no hard feelings." She smirked. "It didn't hurt that Karrde gave a very generous donation to the Alderaan Relief Fund."

Victor nodded as he walked through the opened double doors leading to the palace assembly hall. Inside there were over a dozen round tables with cabaret seating facing the stage. The massive room was filled with friends and family along with a group of young apprentices that Victor assumed were Hanna's friends. The Emperor and Empress were already on the stage and chatting with their daughter while the remaining guests milled around talking with each other.

Victor was halfway to the stage when he was intercepted by Han who grinned happily at his daughter. "I'm proud of you, kid."

She returned the smile as she wrapped her arms around her father. "Thanks, Dad, but it's Hanna getting knighted."

Han pulled back and gazed at his daughter proudly. "But you trained her and when she's knighted you will be given the status of Master Instructor. Jacen is still a year off on getting his apprentice knighted. You are the first in the family to reach that level."

"Anakin became Master two years ago," she pointed out.

Han waved a hand dismissively. "I mean our immediate family." He turned to Victor and smiled broadly as he gave a playful slap on the man's shoulders. "I hear you are thinking of retiring, old man. Getting a little past one's prime to fight?"

Victor's eyes narrowed wondering where Han gets his information. He had mentioned the possibility to Luke just yesterday. His body was probably approaching seventy years in age and four years of combat only accelerated the aging process. His blondish brown hair and beard were now streaked with gray, and he was looking at getting a knee replacement due to a shrapnel injury that bacta couldn't fully heal. "Who are you calling old?" Victor shot back. "We're around the same age. And I am positive I could take you on any day, old man."

Han rolled his eyes. "Your trust in that hokey religion makes you way overconfident."

Victor gestured to Jaina. "Your children are Force-users. How can you still not believe in the Force?"

Jaina groaned and shook her head in frustration. "Not this again." She put a hand on Victor's shoulder. "My dad believes in the Force. He just says he doesn't to irritate you and Uncle Luke."

Victor glared at Han while giving the man a gentle Force shove.

"Whoa!" Han chuckled as he took a step back to regain his balance. "There is no using non-existent energy fields to do your dirty work."

Victor shook his head before continuing toward the stage. He approached Leia who stood next to her Wookiee friend and her gold protocol droid. She smiled at him...or perhaps she was simply smiling at her daughter. Over the years his relationship with his daughter had improved. She never officially granted him forgiveness, but he could sense she no longer held any animosity toward him. Victor stopped, looked around, and then asked, "Where are your sons?"

Leia rolled her eyes and pointed to the group of young apprentices, most of which were young women in their late teens or early twenties. Talking to a small group of young ladies was Jacen and Ben. Victor couldn't hear what was being said but by the way Jacen was gesturing and the look of awe on the faces of his audience, Victor assumed it was a war story depicting Jacen or Ben's adventures.

Jaina looked at her brothers and then turned to Victor. "Believe me now?"

"Yes," Victor said slowly before returning his gaze to Leia. "Congratulations of your promotion to First Senator."

She chuckled darkly with a dismissive gesture. "I was chosen to keep the peace between three overly ambitious senators vying for the position. My appointment was pushed through on the bases of seniority. I am the only person who served prior to Grand Moff Tarkin dissolving the Imperial Senate. I am seen as a political moderate and more likely to maintain order."

Victor's brow rose. "I fear for our political system when a former Rebel's political views are seen as mainstream."

She gave a tired nod. "Honestly, I'm glad Luke retained much of his power. The bickering within the senate creates gridlock that only the emperor can unsnarl."

Her confession shocked him. Leia always talked about creating a full democracy and had advocated for Luke to step down. The senate must be truly stalled for Leia to appreciate having an emperor to streamline bureaucracy.

She obviously noticed the look on his face because she frowned before saying, "Don't gloat. During time of war people can die while a senatorial committee is in deadlock. Luke's leadership saved billions, possibly trillions, of people throughout the galaxy. I am not too stubborn to admit that."

"And now that the war is over?" he asked.

She looked down at the floor and sighed before shaking her head. "I don't know." She gestured to the stage. "This is not the time or place for political discussion. Hanna is waiting for her First Captain to promote her." She waved her hands to shoo him off.

"A discussion for later then," he said as he walked away. At the table closest to the stage, he found his other grandchildren, Anakin and Owen.

Anakin Victor Skywalker was tall like his grandfather, just shy of two meters. He inherited the Skywalker blue eyes and cleft chin, but his mother's red hair which the kept closely clipped to his scalp.

"Hello, Grandfather," the young man said while extending a gloved hand in greeting.

"Anakin." Victor quickly shook his hand before leaning down and picking up his first great grandchild, eighteen-month-old Rowan, an adorable redheaded, green-eyed boy. "Gran Gran," the boy cooed as he snuggled up into Victor's arms. He smiled warmly at the child before looking back up to Anakin. "He's getting big."

Anakin blew out a frustrated breath. "Big and strong in the Force. He's already levitating things into the playpen...including sharp objects and sometimes the poor pittin. Baby-proofing our quarters is getting impossible."

Victor laughed as he handed the boy back to his father. "You'll survive. Your parents did."

He turned to Anakin's wife, Kaylee who was a physician associate at the local hospital. "I'm glad you could make it to the ceremony."

She laughed softly. "I am married to the emperor's son...I doubt my manager even considered not giving me the time off."

"That's probably true," Victor turned and greeted his grandson Owen who was standing a few feet away. "How are you feeling, Owen? I heard you got food poisoning after eating at a Wookiee restaurant."

Owen closed his eyes and sighed. "I was hoping that story wouldn't get around." The young man grinned sheepishly before moving forward to give Victor a quick hug; one that was made awkward due to their body armor. "Don't worry, grandfather, I learned my lesson."

Victor chuckled as he gazed at the boy. Twenty-nine-year-old Owen Skywalker was of average height, much like his father, but with burly muscular frame, dark brown hair and facial stubble, and ice blue eyes. Owen was named after Luke's step-uncle Owen Lars and although the two men shared no blood relationship, the younger Owen reminded Victor of his namesake. He was disciplined, pragmatic and a hard worker...much like Owen Lars. If you had a difficult mission to accomplish, Owen was the man to get it done.

"It's time," Victor heard Jaina's voice coming from the stage. He gave his grandsons a quick wave and climbed the stairs to where the ceremony would take place.

A hush came over the room as the guests moved to their seats in preparation for the ceremony.

Emperor Skywalker walked to the podium to say a few words. Normally Victor, as the First Captain, ran the ceremony, but this was a special occasion. Not only was Luke and Mara's youngest getting knighted, but they had finally achieved victory over the Grysk invaders. For the first time in four years, they were at peace.

Luke paused at the podium long enough to straighten his black and gray uniform with gold- trimmed black cape. He looked at his daughter and wife standing at the side of the stage, smiled and then returned his attention back to the audience.

"This is a very special occasion for me," he started out. "My youngest child is to be knighted today...and that alone makes this a very momentous event. But what makes this day truly special is she will be knighted during peacetime." He looked up at the people in attendance and smiled warmly. "This glorious day was made possible because of the actions of almost everybody in this room today."

He gestured to the young apprentices. "I am forever grateful to the young men and women, apprentices, initiates and Knights-errant that volunteered to fight our enemies." He looked to the fully fledged knights. "I give thanks to our Knight Lieutenants and Seated Knights that led our forces to victory." He looked to Captain Kyp Durron and to Victor. "I commend the excellent leadership of our Knight Captain and First Captain." He paused as his gaze glided across the people in the Great Hall. "Not all heroes wore Imperial Knight Armor."

He looked directly toward Leia. "People like First Senator Leia Organa Solo helped organize relief efforts and evacuations of war-torn planets. Philanthropists like Talon and Karrina Karrde made generous contributions to refugee assistance programs." He turned his attention to Han. "Members of the Smuggler's guild were able to slip behind enemy lines to provide food and medicine to civilians trapped in war zones." His eyes fell upon his toddler grandson sitting on his mother's lap. "And on the home front the families of our servicemen and women endured long, anxious, separations while continuing to work and raise families. Everybody was affected by this war, and everybody did their part without complaint and for that you have my undying gratitude." He gestured to Victor. "I will turn this ceremony over to First Captain Jade."

The two men exchanged places at the podium. "Will Apprentice Hanna Skywalker and her parents please come to the front of the podium. Victor waited as the three lined up in front of the stage, facing out to the audience. All were wearing a full ensemble of Imperial Knight armor with the exception of Hanna who was missing the black cape.

Knight Captain Kyp Durron walked out from behind the side stage curtain carrying a folded black cape and handed the garment to Victor before exiting the stage. Victor unfolded the cape and draped it over an arm before addressing the audience. "The Imperial Knight cape is the last part of the uniform to be earned by an apprentice. Today we will knight Apprentice Hanna Skywalker who was trained by Knight Lieutenant Jaina Solo. Hanna Skywalker completed her trials during combat at the Battle of Gijon on the planet Santander. Using the Force, Apprentice Skywalker successfully disrupted the psychic hold the Grysk commander had on a division of enslaved client species throwing their defense into disarray and allowing our military to overrun their positions. During this assault Hanna Skywalker was wounded by a barrage of indirect fire but recovered fully after the battle." He turned and gestured for Jaina to come forward. "Knight Lieutenant Solo I give you the honor of presenting the cape to your apprentice."

Jaina Solo smiled at Victor as she took the cape from him. She walked around the podium to were Hanna and her parents stood. "Apprentice Skywalker. Please take one step forward." She looked to Luke and Mara. "Would the parents like the honor of clipping on the cape?"

Luke and Mara smiled broadly. "We would," Luke said, his voice taunt with emotion.

Jaina held up the cape allowing the Skywalkers to take the clasps and hook them on to their daughter's shoulder pauldrons. Once the final component of the uniform was attached Jaina moved back to stand next to Victor.

"Will all members of the Imperial Knights stand," Victor boomed out. When all knights and apprentices had risen to their feet he said, "The Knights Creed sums up the ideals of the Order of the Imperial Knights which are: loyalty, honor, moderation, and duty. Of these ideals the most important is moderation because only through self-discipline can we avoid the darkside of the Force. If one is seduced by the darkside...values like loyalty, honor and duty are simply dangerous vows of fealty to evil. Please recite with me the lessons of Moderation." He paused for a second and then began to recite the creed with the knights in the room joining in. "As Imperial Knights we will protect and defend the citizens of the Empire and obey the emperor as he serves the light side of the Force, but to do this we must first conquer arrogance, overconfidence, stubbornness, recklessness, aggression, and materialism. And conquer them we will." He turned to his granddaughter. "Hanna Skywalker throughout your training you have exhibited great courage in combat, selfless devotion to duty, unwavering integrity, and a resourcefulness usually not seen in one so young. Your dedication and commitment to excellence reflect great credit upon yourself and the Order of Imperial Knights."

He paused and all stood in silent anticipation for Victor's next words. He looked out at the audience before saying, "It is my great honor and privilege to present to you Imperial Knight Hanna Skywalker."

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Chapter End Notes:

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Author Notes: When I was doing research on the Legends Imperial Knights I thought I was on Wookieepedia but ended up on a Fandom wedsite. Some of the information in this story is from the Legends canon but some is from that Star Wars Fandom wiki. That site gives permission for writers to use their information if they post the following:

This story uses information from the Order of the Imperial Knights article on the Star Wars wiki at Fandom and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.