The decking below Lucia's knees heaved, throwing her against her mother's weakened form. Catching herself and wrapping her arms around Anneke, Lucia looked up and out the window to see the Rebels' shots were now getting through. Hanna and Alaric had done it. The shields were down.

Stumbling to her feet, she grabbed Anneke's arm. "We have to get out of here."

Anneke looked up, and her hood fell back to uncover her head completely. Golden hair fell in tangled waves over her shoulders and sky-blue eyes smiled at Lucia. "This time, you must leave me."

"No. I can't leave you here." Lucia's voice broke. The battlestation shuddered around them, coming apart at the seams. "I have to save you."

Anneke's smile lit up her face, and her presence in the Force was nearly blinding. "You already have."

Alaric stepped out of the bunker and looked up at the sky just in time to see the Death Star morph into a tiny sun. He felt a stab of fear, but the sense of Lucia's presence continued, steady and sure, and he closed his eyes in relief. Hanna stepped up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure Lucia wasn't in it when it blew."

Alaric opened his eyes smiled. "She wasn't. I can feel it."

Hanna nodded, her fingers tightening just a bit on his shoulder. "You love her, don't you?"

Love? It was such a small word for what Alaric felt for the sister he had only just discovered. The sense of her was like a small sun within him at all times, warming and comforting. "Yes."

"All right. I understand." Hanna took her hand away, her face closing off, her voice tight. "When she comes back, I won't get in the way."

"Oh. Oh." Alaric shook his head in dismay, realizing what she meant—what she thought. "It's not like that. At all." He reached out to touch her arm. "She's my sister."

Bewilderment, astonishment, then wonder chased each other across Hanna's face. Then they were in each other's arms and, when their lips met, it was fire and joy and love and everything good and right.

The sun was rising, ribbons of gold stretching up into the sky and wending their way among the trees. Lucia stood silent and alone, staring unseeing into the flames that licked up the sides of the pyre, consuming the mortal shell that was all that remained of Anneke Skywalker, her mother.

Lucia let the tears fall. Was it finally over? Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, Biggs, Ben… and now her mother. The Emperor was dead, the Empire scattering… but the price had been steep.

"Lucia." She lifted her head to find Ben standing before her, a wide proud smile on his ghostly bearded face. "You did it, Lucia."

"Ben," she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

Lifting his ghostly hands, Ben rested them on her shoulders. "I know it doesn't feel like a victory, but you have achieved something thousands of Jedi for thousands of years thought was impossible."

"Never tried did anyone." Lucia turned her head to find Yoda standing beside Ben, his hands folded atop his stick. "Apologise to you I must," he said. "Impossible I too thought it was. Underestimated you I did."

Lucia shook her head. "I just—I had to try."

Yoda nodded. "And told you not to I did. I am sorry. Wrong I was."

Turning toward him, Lucia crouched to meet his eyes. "Ben just said that thousands of Jedi for thousands of years believed as you did. How could you have known any different?"

Lifting one ghostly hand, Yoda touched her cheek. "So kind you are. So very kind. Despite all you have been through, despite all the reasons you have to be angry, to hate. Still so bright your light shines."

"Yes, it does." A gasp escaped Lucia at that voice, and she looked up into her mother's ghostly eyes. Anneke smiled down at her daughter. "Thank you, Lucia."

Tears filled Lucia's eyes again. "It wasn't enough. I wanted to save you."

"Oh, Lucia." Anneke took Lucia's hands in hers. "You gave me the strength and the opportunity to choose what was right. That is everything."

Somehow, despite their ghostly makeup, Anneke's hands were warm and comforting. Lucia swallowed hard. "I just wish—I wish I could have had more time with you."

"I know." Anneke lifted one hand to wipe away the tears that streamed down Lucia's face. "But that is not your fault. It was my actions that led to our separation."

"I was the one who separated you," Ben said, his voice heavy with sadness.

Anneke turned toward Ben. "You are not to blame, Master. I left you with little choice."

"If blame we are placing," Yoda put in, "then enough there is to go around."

"Yes." Ben put a hand on each of Lucia's and Anneke's shoulders. "But there is also enough love. And it was love that saved us all."

Anneke put a hand over Ben's. "I do love you, Master. I always have. Even when I hated you. I'm so sorry—for everything."

"Yes, hmmm." Yoda tapped his stick against the ground. "Emotion, yet peace. Death… yet the Force."

The sun had risen above the treetops, and fingers of brilliant light found their way down through the branches to where a huge bonfire blazed in the centre of the Ewok village. As Lucia emerged from the forest, Alaric put down a drink and ran to meet her, followed by Hanna, Chewie, and Lando. Lucia was engulfed in hugs, wrapped completely in love and light.

Emotion, yet peace.
Ignorance, yet knowledge.
Passion, yet serenity.
Chaos, yet harmony.
Death, yet the Force.