After finishing breakfast, Ahsoka and Sarah made sure they had everything packed for their return trip to Earth. Sarah found herself disappointed to leave, but she was eager to return home at the same time.

As Sarah and Ahsoka left the guest hut, Da'Meon and his family joined them.

"Ahsoka, it was a pleasure to meet you. You understand we didn't expect it so soon," Da'Meon told her.

"I know, but I'm glad we did. I learned a lot during the past few days. And I think Sarah did, too. We both deserved the chance to better embrace our heritage," Ahsoka replied.

"Sarah, I have a gift for you," Cayanna said. She then handed Sarah a small dagger in a leather sheath. "Our warriors always stay prepared. This will help you be ready for anything should you come back and serve us as a warrior."

Sarah smiled. Although she reasoned she'd have a lightsaber with which to defend herself next year, she appreciated the gesture.

"Thank you," she replied as she bowed respectfully.

Sarah then turned to Amarti. "I know we didn't see much of each other this week, but I hope I get to see you again and maybe talk to you more then. I hope great things are in your future."

"Thanks, Sarah. It was cool to learn I have another cousin," he replied. The pair exchanged a quick handshake.

Sarah then stopped to face Shalene and told her, "I'm going to miss you the most. We may be cousins, but you felt more like a mentor—and a big sister—to me, instead."

Sarah's words seem to surprise Shalene. "I'm flattered, I really am," she answered. "I hope to see you again." The two then shared a good-bye hug.

"I'll pray that the war, or whatever is going on, ends quickly so mom and I can come visit more often."

Sarah then realized something else she had to do before she left. She opened up her travel bag and gave Shalene the top she lent Sarah. "This is yours."

As the group continued to walk, Sarah heard comments from others they passed.

«Remain strong, dear warriors,» one of them said.

Another told them, «Until we meet again, sisters.»

Sarah smiled when she heard another person say, «Do not forget us, Mighty Princess.»

As the group reached the junction between the canopy forest and the scrub lands, Da'Meon, his family, and tribal sentinels stayed there. Ahsoka and Sarah stopped to wave to their fellow tribe members before they walked to where Ahsoka had cloaked her ship.

Ahsoka looked around before she removed her fob from her waist pouch. She then pressed the button that uncloaked the ship. Once the gangway dropped down, both Ahsoka and Sarah boarded. Sarah, who still went barefoot, noticed a difference immediately.

Maybe there is some sort of connection. I wonder if I'd feel it at home, she thought.

As Ahsoka powered the ship up, she told Sarah, "Move your chair so you can watch me and learn how to pilot the ship. Once you're a padawan and old enough, it might come in handy for you to know how to do it."

Sarah nodded and watched as her mother initiated the take-off sequence. Before long, they had left Shili and began their trip back home.

As the ship continued to cruise in lightspeed, Ahsoka and Sarah discussed their trip.

"I really liked it, mom. Do you think we can ever go back again?" Sarah asked.

Ahsoka sighed. "I don't know. I hope we do. It wouldn't seem right not being able to go back... not after everyone was so good to us."

"I know. Shalene really was like an older sister to me. I just wish I got to talk to Amarti more."

"Let's hope you get the chance. But, I tell you what, I'm glad we're going home."

"Me, too," Sarah replied.

"Did you get what you needed for your presentation?"

"I think so, I was able to write every night and still have 50% charge left."

"I guess you must have uninstalled Mad Moose," Ahsoka replied.

Sarah giggled. "I outgrew that a while ago."

"I bet your father will be glad to see us again."

Sarah nodded. "I'm sure he'll ask us how it went."

Now that she could use the Force safely again, Ahsoka slowly sensed Sarah's thoughts. "You missed him a lot?" she asked.

"Well, I did a bit during our first day away. But I was so busy doing different things I almost didn't have a chance to miss him the rest of the week. I'm still looking forward to showing him what I'm wearing now."

"Are you sure?" Ahsoka asked, noticing Sarah wore the same tank top she wore on the way to Shili.

"I meant my headdress, silly! I wonder if he'll notice the difference."

"I'd be surprised if he didn't. I ended up missing him a lot the whole time," Ahsoka replied. "Given how eager he was to have us learn about our culture, I think he'd have found the trip informative had he joined us. Besides, I missed having him next to me each night."

"Umm, that's a bit TMI, mom."

"Anyways, why don't we check out the pictures from our trip." As Ahsoka scrolled back through the gallery, both Sarah and she recalled the moments behind them. Sarah, however, wasn't too pleased to see the first picture of herself wearing her headdress.

"Mom! Father will freak out when he sees me dressed that way!" Sarah protested.

"Sarah, we already talked about this. You were dressed appropriately for the location and temperature. He even said you could. Take your own advice and stop freaking out."

Sarah gave her mother a shocked look. She wasn't expecting to be told to stop freaking out. However, she had an idea.

"I'll be right back," she told her mother.

In the back of the ship, Sarah opened up her travel bag. Getting the earlier hint about her current outfit, she opted to change into something she thought would be better. As she was ready to put her new dress on, though, Ahsoka had come to check on her.

"Sarah, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Hey! I'm not finished changing yet," Sarah replied before quickly turning her back to her mother.

After a loud sigh, Sarah finished changing and she chose to wear her sandals again. She then walked back to the front of the ship.

"Very impressive. You really want to wear that home?" Ahsoka asked.

"I'm saving it for special occasions, but I want father to see it and know what it means," Sarah replied proudly.

"Is it OK to take a picture of you in this before we arrive home?"

Sarah smiled big enough to show the tips of her canine teeth. "Of course," she answered.

Tim waited at the Jedi Hangar for his wife and daughter. Having received word of their reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, he was eager to reunite with his family. He smiled upon seeing Ahsoka's ship touch down and taxi into the hangar where she kept it. Sarah disembarked first.

"Sarah, how are you?" he asked the pair shared a hug.

"I'm fine, and glad to be back," she replied.

Tim examined her carefully. Immediately spotting her headdress, he said, "You did it, didn't you?"

Sarah nodded. "I got to go on a hunt while I was there, and I made one of the kills. It was so awesome. That's how I got the dress, too."

"You look just like your mother with your headdress now, and the stone in the middle is a nice touch. I like your new dress, too."

Sarah smiled.

You know, with your birthstone in the middle of your forehead, I'll have to kiss you off to side, or I'll be kissing your sapphire instead of you, he shared through their telepathic bond.

"Aww, dad," Sarah replied out loud.

As he sniffed the air, though, his mood changed. "Sarah, is that you smelling gamy?"

Sarah reluctantly nodded. "They bathe in the river—with no privacy. I couldn't do that," she confessed.

"Well, don't worry about that. But promise me you'll take a shower as soon as we get home," he told her.

Tim then turned to Ahsoka and kissed her. "I'm glad to see you again. Did you enjoy the trip?"

Ahsoka nodded. "I'm very glad I got to go... that you encouraged us. I learned quite a bit, but I'm glad to be back."

"I missed you too," he told her as he caressed her head-tails.

On the short ride home, Ahsoka and Sarah shared more about their trip.

"It sounds like you both had a great time," Tim said.

"Almost," Ahsoka replied. "Sarah tried to hunt thimiars, but when she caught and killed one, she threw up."

Sarah looked away and her head-tail stripes turned a deep shade of navy blue.

"Well, not everything can be a good experience, but I think I know just the thing to make you feel better, Sarah."

A moment later, he pulled into the drive-through for the local Arch Burgers. Sarah smiled. She was happy to sink her teeth into familiar food again, and not something that would writhe in her mouth.

After dinner, Sarah showered and changed clothes for the night. Noticing her father busy at his computer, she did her best to stealthily sneak up on him.

"Sarah? What are you doing?" he asked. He appeared somewhat surprised to see her there.

"I learned that when we learned how to hunt. Going barefoot seems to help."

Tim chuckled. "I'm impressed to see you embraced that part of your culture, unlike your mother. I'm not too surprised, given your spiritual upbringing."

Sarah nodded.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Father, how do you feel about how I dressed when I was there?"

"I have to be honest with you, princess. If you tried dressing like that here, I'd have a hard time with it. But if that's how girls dress on your other home world, that's fine. As they say, 'When in Rome, do what the Romans do.'"

"Thanks," Sarah replied as she hugged him from behind.

"I really like your headdress, Sarah. It looks like you mom's, but I like how you added your birthstone to make yours more unique."

Sarah nodded and sighed. "The only thing is that once I made my kill, they gave me the nickname 'Mighty Princess.' It was kind of weird having someone other than you call me that," she admitted.

Tim stood up and placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Sarah, you'll always be my princess. I don't mind if they regard you just as affectionately."

"Really?"

Tim nodded.

Sarah hugged her father. "Thanks," she replied.

That evening, Ahsoka and her husband quietly talked in their room as Sarah slept across the hall.

"Thanks so much for encouraging us to go. This meant so much to me. The last time I was there, I was Sarah's age," Ahsoka said as she snuggled up against her husband.

"It seems as if it really made a difference for Sarah, too. She seems to act more Togruta-like—at least I've noticed it since she came home," he replied.

"Having our people accept her really seemed to boost her self-confidence. I was scared they might not like the fact she's half-Human. I'm glad I was wrong."

"You and me both. I've done my best to try to teach her to never be ashamed of herself. Now that she's growing up, it might not hurt to remind her again."

"I know. She seems a bit self-conscious about her body. I never went through that—not as much as she's been, anyways."

"Well, given she's started to look more grown up in recent months, it's not surprising. We just have to try to be more supportive."

Ahsoka grinned before replying, "And that means not freaking out so much about what she wears."

"I just don't want Sarah wearing something that's the exact same color as her skin."

"I guess you have a point. Even her cousin told her that, so maybe she'll realize that now since someone else she looks up to told her that as well."

"I will say this much: I thought she looked very lovely in that dress she wore home."

Ahsoka smiled. "I think she wants to wear it again on Monday. I'm not sure how that will work with her sparring sessions, but I'm glad she's eager to do her presentation."

"That's good."

"And I'm glad she has a headdress like I do, now. She can wear my beads on it once she's a padawan next fall."

"She still has to pass her Initiate Trials, but given how smart she is, I don't think that will be a problem."

Tim then kissed Ahsoka's cheek one last time for the night.

The next morning, Sarah and her father talked on the way home from Mass.

"You sure did a lot of praying this morning, Sarah."

"I wanted to say a prayer for my grandparents—my other grandparents—since they died years ago. I know we lit candles for them, but they deserved something more," Sarah replied.

"That was thoughtful of you. I know your mother isn't religious, but I'm sure she'd appreciate it as well."

"Why couldn't we go to 9:00 Mass today? I was hoping to see my grandparents."

"After the long week you had, you deserved to sleep in today. Besides, when I came to your room, you were still sound asleep."

"Oh, OK."

"What are you going to do today?"

"I want to get my presentation done. I don't know how long it's going to take to finish," Sarah stated.

"That makes sense. I'm sure whatever you do, you'll do a good job with it. I look forward to seeing it tomorrow."

"Wait, you're gonna see it with my classmates?"

"Why not, Sarah? I'm just as interested in what you share with everyone."

Sarah nodded.

Later that day, Sarah finally finished her presentation. Although it was almost time for dinner, she realized one last thing she forgot to do. She grabbed her datapad and activated the text messaging module.

She then selected Molly from her contact list and sent her, Hey, I got home yesterday. Just finished my presentation.

A moment later, she received a reply. Cool? How was it?

Sarah tapped away at her keys to answer, Very well. Expect some surprises when you see me.

Oh? Like what?

If I say, it's not a surprise.

SMH. OK, Sarah. C U Tomorrow.

"Sarah, dinner's ready!" Ahsoka called from downstairs.

"Coming," Sarah replied. She shut off her datapad and made sure to save her presentation notes before she went downstairs.