A red glow cast the Jedi's faces into shadows. An eerie squeal filled the hall. Even the non-sensitive covered their ears, only to find the scream permeated their souls.

The eerie lights swirled around the room, weaving between the command pods and the Rebels before sucking itself into the center of the Jedi. All sound cut off. No scream. No fans. No motors. Only the breathing of the survivors.

"Finished it is," Yoda wheezed. The tiny Jedi Master doubled-over, clutching a small item in his hands.

Obi-Wan placed his hand on Yoda's back, and Ahsoka grabbed Anakin's arm as they all turned to the crouched form of Padmé holding the spiritless form of Luke. A moan of agony emanated from Anakin's beat-up body. "Luke. No!"

He rushed to his wife's side and took the lifeless form into his arms. "Oh, Luke!" He clutched the boy to his chest. "It should have been me, not you."

Groaning, Master Yoda stretched forth his arm. He collapsed once more.

Bail and Leia joined the group mourning the small boy. Held by her father's arms, Leia reached out her delicate hand to touch her brother's blue face. She jerked it back. "Oww!"

When she screamed, Bail pulled her fingers to his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I felt something. Like a shock."

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart, but Luke's gone. He's dead."

"No!!! He can't be! I felt him just now," Leia cried. "I feel him. He's there. In the Force."

Master Yoda coughed and struggled to sit up. "That is the way of things, Leia. When our spirits leave our bodies, they join the Force. He will always be with us, though."

Leia pushed against Bail and jumped down. She grabbed Luke by the arm and shook it heavily. "Luke Skywalker, you'd better wake up right this instant. I'm done with your little games." She shook him some more. "Please."

Padmé reached up from her seat on the floor and coaxed the little girl into her arms.

"Mommy, I know he's not dead. I know it."

"Shh, Leia, it's time to let him go." She held her there, stroking her back and sharing her sorrow with copious tears of her own.

BAMMMM! BAMMMM! BAMMMM!

The blastdoors sliding back interrupted the group. "Senator, we've breached the Throne Room. Everything's clear. You may proceed."

Captain Rex clicked a button on his helmet and directed his squad of Mandalorians around the room. They secured the secret entrances while Rex joined the group. "General Kenobi, the temple is secure. Senator Mothma is en route now."

"Bring a medic up and a stretcher," Kenobi said. His clouded eyes looked at Padmé and then Luke. "And a body bag."

Rex tilted his head and said, "But, sir—"

Kenobi raised his hand to stop him and turned his head to hide his tears.

Ahsoka stepped to Rex and grabbed his arms. "Let us have a moment."

"But—"

"Rex, please, this is hard—"

Rex turned his back on her and flicked on his comm unit once more. "This is Captain Rex. We need a medical team and two stretchers up here on the double. Rex, out."

Ahsoka pulled his arm to face him. Her hardened as she gritted her teeth. "I can't believe how insens—"

The captain pushed past her and rushed to Anakin. "General Skywalker, help's on the way." His white-armored arms reached out for the boy. "Here, let me take the boy. You don't look so hot yourself." Anakin's stony face did not relax as he gave the boy to his old friend.

Rex laid the boy flat on the cold floor and removed his helmet and gloves. He straightened his back and tilted his head back. He bent his ear to the boy's mouth and pressed on the side of Luke's neck. For many seconds he stayed like that. "Heartbeat! Weak and irregular but it's there." Anakin knelt beside Rex as the soldier pinched Luke's nose and blew a slow puff of air into his mouth.

Rex continued the breathing cycle for fifty exhalations until the medical team raced through the door. The group of men and women dropped two stretchers beside Luke and Padmé. One of the medics swapped places with Rex and applied a ventilator to the boy's mouth. "Good work, Captain."

One of the female medics looked up from her scanner. "Tachycardia and thready pulse. Apnea. No, make that dyspnea. Compression injuries to the spine. Concussion."

"He's alive?" Anakin asked from his spot on the floor. "Luke's alive."

"Barely. What happened?"

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin and waved him off. "Jedi business." The lead medic huffed and then shook her head.

While the medical team transferred Luke to the stretcher, a couple of Mandalorians pushed an imposing Wookiee and tall man with dark hair with their hands raised above their heads from one of the alcoves. "Sir, I found these two in the corridor."

The man dropped his hands and gestured toward Leia. "Hey, look, I can expla—"

Leia ran toward the due and jumped into Han's arms. "Han!" She kissed him on the cheek.

Bail rose from the floor and placed his hands on his hips. "Who are you?"

"Wait, this is a mistake," Han started.

Chewbacca roared.

"Oh, Daddy, this is Han. He saved me." Leia kissed the man again.

Han shoved her at Chewbacca. "All we did was save her from Jabba's slavers. We were only trying to return to her family."

Bail raised his eyebrows at his daughter. "Leia." That one word could not be mistaken for anything but the admonition it was.

Leia dialed her dimple power to full force. "Oh, Daddy, he didn't know what would happen. Honestly, he was just trying to keep us safe."

Bail sighed. "Let them go." He lifted his head toward the Wookiee who now held his daughter. Chewbacca lowered her down.

A contingent of clicking feet entered the Throne Room. Droid cams flew above their heads while news crews jostled toward the leader of the new group. Austere Mon Mothma, the Senator from Chandrila, lead the group past the medical scene and through the soldiers on either side. They passed a forgotten black robe lying on the floor closer to the throne. A bodyguard contingent of Mandalorians in green armor surrounded her. The former Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze, followed slightly behind her.

Mothma motioned for Bail to join her as they mounted the steps of the dais. With grace, the senator rotated in front of the Throne. "Citizens of the Republic. I, Mon Mothma, Senator of Chandrila, with Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and former ruler of Mandalore, Duchess Satine Kryze, bestow glad tidings today. The Imperial government has been banished into outer darkness. The New Republic stands before you today." She motioned to Bail.

He straightened his blue tunic and swapped places with her in the center of the dais. "The Senate will convene in three days to lay foundations for this New Republic. Let us learn from our past and our present to establish a future for our children."

The Duchess of Mandalore stepped forward. "And Mandalore will take its place in this Republic once more. May peace and justice reign forever with our guardians the Jedi guiding us through the light."

Yoda coughed. After pulling his discarded gimer stick to him with the Force, he hobbled to the dais.

The crowd whispered, "Master Yoda."

He pushed through the crowd of soldiers and news crews and joined the group on the impromptu stage. "No. To fight a war instead of to pursue peace our failing. Rise or fall without our interference the Republic will. The Force is our guide."

Without waiting for approval, he pushed his way back to the group of Jedi. One news camera followed him, focusing on the small group with the medics. When they reached the group, the broadcaster yelled, "Vader! Darth Vader is alive!"

Mon Mothma grabbed Bail's hand with was reaching toward his pocket. She shook his head. "Arrest that man." The Mandalorians surrounding Anakin pulled their guns into position and dragged him away.

Padmé groaned from her stretcher.

Tell me what you think  . . .

● Why do you think Mon Mothma ordered Anakin's arrest? What does that say about her character?

● What do you think Bail will do?