Note: I posted Chapter 25 and the Epilogue at the same time. Please make sure you read 25 first!

Epilogue

It's odd how much company one can find when they are alone.

Sitting beside a lake in one of the forests of Gallinore, Jacen shooed yet another insect away from his face and reflected on the past few days. He had rented a small cottage on a lake in the middle of nowhere after the Mandalorian fleet had been evicted from the system. The cottage was inaccessible by any means other than an old-fashioned wheeled vehicle. It was not that a space ship would be unable to hover by the lake or find a small clearing to visit the area, but doing so was forbidden. The owners of these properties enjoyed the simplicity of life that could only be found in the middle of a forest. Luxuries such as filtered water, shopping centres, and even bug repellents were not to be found in the immediate area.

And that suited Jacen just fine.

Of course, the small cottage he rented had a small power generator as there were various basic concerns such as food storage, cooking, and lighting that needed to be addressed, but the amenities only extended that far. No holonet, no communication system, no computer system…just the sights and sounds of nature to entertain one's mind.

He had arrived late in the night the day before and immediately got some rest. Actual rest, not the Jedi trances or refreshing techniques he had been using for years to stave off fatigue. The next morning he felt refreshed as he had not felt in a long time and started the morning off with a quick meal. He packed a mid-day meal before heading out to explore the area. First he walked to the lake immediately outside the front of his cottage and sat on the ground, listening to the haunting bird cries from within the early morning fog hovering just over the surface of the lake. He continued to sit there after the fog had dissipated, absorbing the morning light of Hapes' primary star as it shone off the glassy-smooth surface of the lake and warmed his face. Occasionally a marine creature would break the surface to catch one of the bugs hovering above the lake, sending circular ripples outwards that reflected the sunlight oddly until slowly disappearing. Once the bugs decided they were better off trying to take bites out of a human rather than being eaten by a fish and migrated towards Jacen, he got up and started walking into the surrounding woods.

Not far along a path did Jacen find a neighbouring cottage as empty as his own now stood. He continued past, and followed the dirt road away from the empty building. As he walked along, several times he would find himself surrounded by a swarm of bugs. He tried various things to escape the bugs, but found a short sprint worked best, although the bugs were soon replaced with new bugs hungry for blood.

He did not just feed the local miniature militia as he walked through the winding path in the forest. Jacen startled several animals that either ran or flew off upon hearing his boots crunch the stones that made up the roadway, and was even followed by a curious wild canine that eventually decided he was too big for a meal. He climbed rocks and trees, stared at the vast blue sky, closed his eyes to listen to the sounds around him, and even freed a bird that had trapped its foot in a section of rough bark.

But most importantly, he had not used the Force once since arriving on Gallinore.

Finally, he had thought to himself. A vacation.

He was not embarrassed by his actions, nor did he feel guilty for using the Force during the past few days. His hiatus was not a protest against using the Force due to philosophical reasoning as he had in the past. He just decided it was time for a break. His constant training and use of the Force for so long made it feel too much like work, and sometimes it was good to just not be a Jedi. Or a Force user. Or whatever he was considered to be these days. He needed a break from himself to be just himself. Vergere had taught him the importance of that.

Eventually he found himself on a beaten foot path that led him to another nearby lake. A soft but steady breeze blew across the lake, which was just enough to keep the majority of the bugs off him while he had his midday meal on a large rock that protruded slightly into the lake from the shoreline. He stared out from his picnic rock at the vivid green trees and the rich blue lake, absorbing the beauty of the landscape, while shooing away the odd bug as the breeze died down.

"You are a difficult person to find, Jedi Solo," A voice came from behind Jacen.

So much for being alone, Jacen sighed to himself. "I was going for difficult."

"Indeed," The intruder stepped forward. "However, even when you do not use the Force, you still shine brightly in it."

"Maybe you just have a knack for finding me," Jacen offered.

"I should hope so, my friend," Tenel Ka said, stepping onto his rock. "May I join you?"

"That depends," Jacen replied. "Did you bring any more food? The fresh air is making me hungry."

A backpack floated towards Jacen, which he plucked from mid air to examine the contents. "Your admission fees have been accepted. Please, sit."

Tenel Ka sat beside him and they ate in silence while staring out over the lake. After a few minutes, Jacen broke the silence.

"How did you find me?"

"It was not difficult," Tenel Ka answered. "Eriana booked passage to Hapes from Gallinore, and you did use the credit chip I gave you."

"Ah," Jacen fell silent for a moment, picking a distant tree to examine. "What brings you out here?"

Tenel Ka squirmed uncomfortably for a moment before launching into a briefing about the capture of the Sith ships that were left behind when the fleet retreated upon seeing the fleet he helped rally from the rest of the Hapes Cluster.

"Woah, wait," Jacen stopped her. "You came all the way from Hapes into the middle of nowhere on Gallinore just to tell me what I pretty much know, when you have a hundred thousand other things you should be doing? I don't buy it."

It was Tenel Ka's turn to be silent and examine a rock. "I wish to ask something of you, Jacen Solo."

Jacen smiled, took her hand, and looked into her eyes. "For you, anything."

Tenel Ka smiled back, squeezing his hand. "Jacen, Hapes needs a king."

"Anything but that!" Jacen exclaimed. Her eyes quickly widened with shock. Jacen quickly put his foot in his mouth. "Tenel Ka, I don't mean it like that. Honestly, I…it…It isn't something I haven't considered. But now is just not a good time."

"When else is a good time?" Tenel Ka demanded. "Jacen, we are not getting younger and Hapes needs strong leadership. You have proven that you can be that leader! There is always some war, something taking you away from me. I love you, Jacen. Do you not love me?"

"Of course I do!" Jacen said, slightly offended. "How can you question that?"

Tenel Ka raised her eyebrow. "How can I know how you have changed in these last five years?"

"Good point," Jacen conceited. "But I did come back to save your life. You can't beat that for a comeback!"

Both of them laughed at the absurdity of his comment. When their laughs subsided, Jacen put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I'll be your king, Tenel Ka," Jacen promised. "But not until after the Sith threat is removed. The Jedi still need me."

"More than Hapes does?" Tenel Ka asked. "More than I do?"

"You already know the answer to that," Jacen said firmly. He would not budge; not when the safety of everyone he cared for was at stake. "Tenel Ka, trust me when I say the Jedi cannot handle these Sith alone. You saw how they fight: few Jedi can keep up with that. And the entire Order is a house of Sabbacc cards waiting for the Sith to blow it down. Not to mention the GA is nothing more than a weak foundation of a government struggling to get its feet under itself. Master Luke will need guidance on reconstructing the Order, and I have put a lot of thought into it. Of course, I don't have all the answers, but I have some."

Tenel Ka stood up, took a few steps away, and leaned against a tree. After a moment of silence she spoke. "Jacen, there is something I did not tell you."

"What's that?" Jacen asked, but a great feeling of dread filled his heart. Suddenly, he knew the awful truth.

"The Jedi Academy on Ossus was attacked," Tenel Ka said sadly. "The attack on Hapes was a diversion to lure Jedi away from there. There has been no contact from Ossus since the ground assault started. The fleet in orbit was lost in a surprise attack, with no survivors. Except for a dozen Jedi who escaped in X-wings, all hands were lost including the younglings, most of the Jedi Council, and both Master Skywalkers."

She turned and looked at him with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Jacen, the Jedi Order has fallen."

To be continued…

Author's Note:

Hi everyone, thanks for reading the first component of this trilogy. The next part, Face of the Enemy will have its first chapter posted on May 2nd. It is largely done, I just need to read it over and finalize any details. I hope you enjoyed this first component and I assure you, this story has only just begun.