Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.

Let's get to it.

MrBogus: Well, if Vader had lived, he still would've faced prosecution for his crimes. Plus, this is always the best end to Vader's storyline.

8Ball3: Well, Palpatine was still known to use his lightsaber at this point if it came to it. Plus, I kind of think his pride wouldn't have let him turn down Kelly's challenge.

Guest221: Involving the Yuuzhan Vong at some point is something I'm still trying to decide on.

Guest: Yes, the Resurgent class will still be the same as in canon.

Guest: Yes, Thrawn's old Star Destroyer Chimaera was part of one of the Terran task forces sent to Endor, even though I may not have mentioned it by name.

Chapter 69- Burying a Hero

(Endor)

On the surface of Endor, the fighting has finally come to an end. After the Terran reinforcements from Task Force 36 and Task Force 38 had driven off the Imperial fleet, both task forces had dispatched ground forces and close air support fighters and gunships to assist in the ground battle. It hadn't taken long before the final Imperial troops surrendered to the Terran forces. At the same time, they had received word that while Terran forces and their supporting Mandalorians reinforcements are cleaning up the last pockets of Imperial resistance, but otherwise Mandalore is fully under Terran control.

Now, as the ships of Task Force 36 and Task Force 38 have set up defensive positions over Endor, the victory celebrations had begun on the planet. The Ewoks that had fought with the Rebels and Terrans had begun holding a victory celebration and feast. The Rebel forces, as well as the Terran troops that had fought on the moon, were celebrating with the Ewoks.

In the same Ewok village that they had first been brought, the strike team is finally reuniting with their friends. Han laughs as he sees Lando approaching, and the two embrace with a laugh. Lando then embraces Lando as well. As she pulls away from Lando, Calvin approaches Leia. Leia beams at him, recognizing that they're technically related since their siblings are married, and embraces him happily.

Leia then turns around and sees Luke and Kelly walking towards them. She beams at them and hurries over to them, throwing her arms around both of them. "I'm so glad you're both okay," she says.

Kelly laughs a bit as she says, "It'd take more than the Emperor to kill us." All three of them laugh.

Luke quickly goes over to hug Han and Wedge. As he does, Kelly spots her brother and makes a beeline right for him. Calvin grins at the sight of his little sister and brings her in for a hug. "Oh, so glad to see you're okay, sis," he says.

"I'm fine, Calvin," she says.

After a moment, she lets go of her brother and heads back over to Luke. Taking his hand, she and Luke slowly walk a few steps away from the rest of the party. As they do, both of them look off into the distance, and both of them see something that makes them pause. In the distance, resting next to a railing, are the visible spirits of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, both smiling at them. Then, as they watch, another spirit comes into view. An older man, with a slight beard, and Jedi robes, with a bright smile and soft eyes. Both of them know what they're seeing. The spirit of Anakin Skywalker.

The two of them smile at their three observors. Then, Leia comes over to them, beaming at them, and pulls them back into the party.

As they rejoin the party, Kelly walks over to Calvin again. Kelly smiles at her brother and says, "Can you believe it? The Emperor is finally dead. The Empire is gonna crumble. The war isn't gonna last much longer."

Calvin smiles as he says, "Don't give up that fighting spirit too fast. The war isn't over yet."

"I know. It's just…I can't wait for the war to be over. For the fighting to be done," Kelly says.

Calvin smiles. "And what will you do once this war is over?" he asks.

Kelly pauses for a moment, then says, "I don't know. Me and Luke haven't really talked about it. I guess…at some point we're both going to work on training a new Jedi Order. But, before that…I really don't know. Maybe just take some time to be a relatively normal couple."

Calvin smiles, as if he knows a big secret, then says, "How about being a good aunt?"

"Well, I guess-" Kelly starts to say, then stutters to a stop. She looks at Calvin in shock before she cries, "Wait?! Riley's pregnant?!"

Calvin grins like a madman. "In December," he says.

"OMG! OMG!" Kelly all but screams as she throws her arms around her brother. Calvin laughs a bit as he hugs his sister back.

"I can't believe it! Oh, I'm gonna be an aunt!" Kelly cries

Calvin laughs. "And until you become a mom, I'm sure it will consume all of your free time," he says teasingly. Kelly just playfully hits him on the shoulder in response. The two siblings then look into the bonfire closest to them, happy that for a moment, they can put the horrors of war aside for a while.

(July 4, 2017)

Kelly and Luke hold hands tightly as they make their way across the paved streets of Theed. It's been an eventful week. Following the end of the Battle of Endor, they had attended the wedding of Leia and Han. It had been a very small ceremony, attended by only a few people that the two knew well, and held in the hangar bay of the TAS Salt Lake City. It had been a nice, small, but sweet affair, and Kelly had been so happy to see them so happy.

Task Force 36 had remained in the Endor system with most of the Rebel fleet just in case Imperial forces. However, Task Force 38 had left, along with the Salt Lake City and Ramree Island, and had headed for Naboo. They were not just headed there to regroup for the Terran Alliance's next operation. They were also returning to Naboo for a special event.

After his death, Anakin's body had placed in a cryo chamber to preserve it. Hall had sent the news back to Earth. In response, all of the other members of the original ASAT team, as well as Plo Koon and Kit Fisto, had decided to make their way to Naboo to be there for Anakin's funeral.

It had been decided, after some debate, that Anakin deserved to be laid to rest near his wife. Although much of the front line soldiers and sailors of the Terran Alliance believed that Darth Vader didn't deserve to be honored, those veterans of the Clone Wars who had served alongside Anakin believed that after trying to redeem himself, he deserved at least this.

A Star Destroyer bringing the rest of the original ASAT team, along with Plo and Kit, had arrived at Naboo just hours ago. Now, Kelly and Luke are making their way to a small grave site next to Padme's mausoleum where Anakin will be laid to rest.

"Are you ready for this?" Kelly asks.

"Yes. It's time he be laid to rest," Luke responds.

As they reach the grave site, they find the rest of the original ASAT team, Plo, Kit, Ahsoka, several clones that served alongside Anakin, and several Terran veterans of the Clone Wars who fought alongside Anakin, including Sergeant Nantz.

Ahsoka walks over to the two of them. "Are you ready?" she asks.

"Yes," Luke says.

"Alright. Let's get ready," Ahsoka says. She then leads the two of them over to the rest of the attendees before heading off to join the pallbearers.

The attendees soon fall silent as Plo stands up and calls for everyone to quiet down.

Everyone looks down the aisle that has been laid to the grave, and see the pallbearers bringing up the casket containing Anakin's body. The pallbearers are six of the people who were closest to Anakin in life; Fives, Echo, Rex, Ahsoka, Adams, and Hall. The coffin is a plain one, but is draped in the flag of the fallen Republic.

The six of them carry the coffin forward, carefully laying it down on the covering stretched over the dug grave. After they set the coffin down, they each take a step back, and Ahsoka turns to face the other attendees.

"When I first met Anakin Skywalker, it was when I was assigned as his Padawan during the Battle of Christophsis. At first, we clashed heavily. We were so similar that we didn't get along very well," she starts with. Everyone else chuckles a little bit.

"But, it wasn't long before I realized why I'd been assigned to him. I'd been assigned to him so he could help me learn control, and so I could teach him the same. As we trained and fought and served alongside each other, we developed a bond unlike any other. We were as close as could be. I think I probably understood him better than anyone else. He was one of the best men I ever knew. So many people knew him as the hero of the Republic. But to me, he was always so much more."

Ahsoka pauses, then continues, "When I heard that he had fallen for Palpatine's lies and given himself over to the dark side…I was more heartbroken than I've ever been. I wanted so desperately to believe it wasn't true, but eventually I came to accept it. However, deep down, a part of me always held onto the belief that there was still good in him. That somewhere, Anakin Skywalker was still alive somewhere inside Darth Vader. A part of me never lost hope. And I'm glad that I didn't."

Ahsoka pauses, then says, "Anakin was one of the best men I've ever known. And in his final hour, he retook control of his life from the darkness that had overtaken it. He saved us all. And without him, the galaxy would languished under eternal darkness. Many people will only remember him for Darth Vader. But I'm proud to say that I know him for Anakin Skywalker. And it's Anakin Skywalker…who will be sorely missed."

Ahsoka stops, looking as if she wants to say more, but can't bring herself to do so, and retakes her position next to the coffin. Hall then steps forward to speak.

"I first met Anakin Skywalker when I was recruited for the Anti-Sith Assault Team. During my training under him and Mace Windu, I thought Anakin was one cocky SOB. As we served together, I grew to appreciate him for the man that he was. Many within the Jedi and even Republic military officers thought he was too aggressive at times, or was a loose cannon, but to me he was brilliant man…who was exactly who the Republic needed, whether anyone in the Republic realized it or not. As time went on and we fought beside each other time after time, I grew to see him as a brother."

Hall pauses, then says, "When Anakin fell to the dark side, I went with Obi-Wan Kenobi to kill him. I have never felt so much anguish as I did that day. I held out some hope that the man I knew was still alive amidst that darkness, until I saw him on Mustafar. Ever since the events on that day, I gave up virtually all hope that Anakin was still alive somewhere in there. But now, I realize it was to spare me the pain of knowing that my brother could do something like this."

"Anakin Skywalker was one of the strongest men I've ever known. I thought he had forever surrendered to the darkness. But words can't describe how happy I am that I was wrong. I could not be more proud of my brother in all but blood for shaking off the chains that bound him and finally freeing himself from the Emperor. His sacrifice saved us all, and has brought us so much closer to finally ending this destructive war. I hope that in whatever awaits all of us after death, Anakin is finally reunited with Padme, and that he is finally at peace," Hall says. Hall then turns back to the coffin and says, "Rest easy, brother."

The pallbearers retake their position and slowly lift the flag off the coffin. As they do, a seven man rifle team, including Jesse and Sergeant Nantz, raise their rifles, aim at the sky, and fire off their rifles. They quickly reload, raise their rifles, and fire again. They reload a third time, and fire once more, completing the 21 gun salute. Then, another Clone Wars veteran of the 101st Airborne raises his bugle to his lips and begins to play Taps. Everyone stands solemnly as the final customary tribute song to the fallen is played.

As the final note rings out, the six pallbearers fold the flag, resting it at the head of the coffin. They then step back, and all of the attendees make their way up to the coffin to pay their final respects.

As Luke and Kelly walk up to the coffin, Luke lays his hand on the wood of the coffin and whispers, "Goodbye, father." He then steps back.

Kelly steps forward and lays her hand on the coffin. "Goodbye, Anakin. I wish I could've had more time with the father in law you became in your final minutes. I promise…I'll do the best I can to take care of Luke," she says. She then steps back, and she and Luke step away.

Finally, after everyone else has bid their goodbyes, the last attendees step forward. Together, Adams, Hall, Wilson, Stasevich, Ivankov, Rommel, White, Paton, Peretz, Mofaz, Han, and Yamazaki all step ahead and gather around the coffin.

After a moment, Adams begins to speak, "23 years ago, we swore an oath together to see the Sith destroyed. For the last 23 years, we have done everything we could to fulfill that oath. None of us could have ever expected that you would end up fulfilling our oath for us, Anakin. You drove Darth Vader out of you, and finally ended Darth Sidious. Most of us had given up all hope you would ever return to us, Anakin. I'm glad that we were wrong."

Adams straightens up and salutes the coffin, and the rest of the original ASAT team follows his example, rendering their last honors to Anakin Skywalker. "Rest well, General Skywalker. You've earned it," Adams says.

They then all step back a bit, and then they raise the coffin so that the grave cover can be removed. Once the covering is removed, they slowly lower the coffin into the grave. Stepping back, Plo and Kit use the Force to lift a nearby pile of dirt into the air, move it through the air, and set it down in the grave over the coffin. Everyone gathered stands there for a few more moments before slowly turning and walking away, leaving behind the grave of a hero.

And, I'll end there. I hope this chapter was okay. I mainly wanted to show the ending scene of Return of the Jedi, and Anakin's funeral.

So, next chapter is going to resume the action with Operation Cinder. It'll be heavily modified from canon, but follow the same general concept.

Next chapter probably won't be up until next week, as I have a lot of homework to do this week. Until it's up, please leave a review and stay tuned.