THE LAST LESSON
    P ART III : N IGHT F ALLS
        by Kitalpha

 "So just how are we supposed to get back home?" asked Bail Organa, wandering through the tall grass.
 "They must have a ship or something around here somewhere," answered Talu'leyah. As she spoke, she came upon a giant slab of duracrate, lying where it had fallen in the destruction of the secret base. She scrambled to the top and stood looking out over the grassland. "Wow," she said.
 "What? What do you see?" Bail called from below.
 "It's so pretty!" Tal exclaimed.
 "Well of course it is! I live here you know," he said. "Where are the jedi?"
 "I can't see them. Oh, I hope they weren't in that building! It's totally destroyed! All the evidence..gone. Mon Mothma's not gonna like this."
 "She'll surely believe me," said Bail.
 "Well, yeah, but we need hard evidence for a case in the Senate. If we want to expose Palpatine it'll take something concrete." Tal stopped, then grinned. She patted the slab she was sitting on. "Concrete," she said. Bail sighed.
 "Shouldn't the jedi be back by now?" Bail asked.
 Tal stood up on her slab again and peered over the grass. "Well, I don't-- wait, there they are!" she said, waving vigorously. "I hope they're okay!" she chattered excitedly. "Their clothes are real torn! I wonder if it was a bad fight, or maybe they got stuck in the rubble." Tal continually kept Bail informed on Cali and Obi-Wan's progress while he waited patiently below. When at last the two jedi arrived Tal stopped talking long enough to climb down from the slab.
 "I'm pleased to see you both all in one piece," Bail said graciously. Tal reached the bottom of the slab and stood waiting. "I assume you brought some sort of transport, or did you walk here?" Bail asked.
 Obi-Wan smiled slightly. "We borrowed an airspeeder," he said, glancing doubtfully at the tall grass. "If we can find it."
 After a few minutes of searching, they found the airspeeder and piled in. Cali sat in the back with Tal, and they set off for Aldera.
 When they arrived, they dropped off Bail and Tal and left the airspeeder where they found it. As they walked home, Cali told Obi-Wan what Tal had told her about the hidden base. She suggested that Palpatine was using Anakin and his mysterious master to work for him. It all seemed to make sense. Obi-Wan agreed. They hugged, and Cali went back to her room for a nap.
 Obi-Wan didn't feel tired. He began to walk along the city streets, wandering aimlessly.
 Though it was still early morning, it was sunny and bright. A warm breeze was blowing in from the lake, and the waterfront was already crowded with people. Tourists and natives alike were out shopping and enjoying the good weather.
 Open-air booths lined the street, selling colorful Alderaanian handicrafts and artwork. Obi-Wan's gaze passed over them disinterestedly. He didn't intend to buy anything. But suddenly, something caught his eye. A metalsmith's shop displayed jewelry made from the rare blue quella stone, found only on Alderaan and its sister planet, Delaya. One little ring stood out, drawing his eye like a bright light. Swirls of sliver encircled a radiant oval stone like breakers on the sea. For a moment, Obi-Wan capriciously wondered if the artist had made it with Cali in mind.
 He grinned inwardly. It would be silly to buy it for her. He hadn't known her that long, not long enough for that... He told himself it could be a gift, just between friends, but he knew it wasn't. Cali would know it wasn't.
 Obi-Wan bought the ring. As he paid the maker, the man looked sadly at it. "It was one of my favorites. Promise me it's for someone really special."
 "Oh yes," Obi-Wan assured him. "None better in the galaxy."
 "Then good luck," said the man. Obi-Wan smiled and stuck the ring in his pocket.
 He continued walking down the road. Suddenly, his face paled, and he staggered sideways. Someone was inside his head, screaming. Somewhere, a little child was in danger.
 Padme.
 The name came into his head quietly, a whisper making itself heard over the roaring disturbance. Anakin found her! he thought. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Obi-Wan broke into a run. He dodged between the pedestrians, ignoring their strange looks as he sprinted past.
 Padme's tower loomed ahead, perched majestically on the waterfront, in itself a work of art like all Alderaanian architecture. When he reached it, he threw himself into the turbolift and slapped the button for her floor. His breathing gradually slowed as the lift rose.
 With a cheery ding, the door slid open. Obi-Wan jogged down the corridor, trying to remember which apartment was hers. It turned out he didn't need to. A smoking blaster hole in the wall and an open door told him everything.
 Inside, the place was a mess. The furniture was knocked out of place and things were smashed and broken everywhere. Obi-Wan walked cautiously through the eerie stillness, his boots crunching on bits of broken transparisteel.
 A small, quiet sound behind him made Obi-Wan whirl. It came from the closet. It was probably only the pittin, but he moved cautiously toward it anyway. He slid the closet door open. A little girl's face, not a pittin's, stared up at him from inside.
 Obi-Wan let out a sigh of relief. "Leia!" he said, "Thank the Force you're safe. What happened?"
 "A bad man hurt Mommy. Took Mommy away." Tears ran down her tiny cheeks, and her lip trembled.
 "Did he see you?" Obi-Wan asked.
 "No, I am hiding," she whimpered. "Is Mommy coming back?"
 "I will bring her back, Leia. First I have to find a safe place for you." Obi-Wan lifted her up and was about to leave when he heard running footsteps in the hallway. He sensed Cali's presence.
 Cali ran in the door, her feet crunching as she went. She stopped when she saw Obi-Wan. "Oh, it's you. I sensed a disturbance in the Force, and it brought me here. What happened?"

 "Anakin found Padme," Obi-Wan said.
 "Oh no..." Cali breathed. "Is that Leia? I wonder why he didn't take her."
 "She says she was hiding. I think she must have used to Force to shield herself from detection without meaning to."
 Leia sniffled and wiped her tears with her little fists. "Mommy come back?" she wailed.
 "We had better find somewhere safe for her before we go looking for Padme," Obi-Wan said.
 "Yeah..." Cali thought. "We could leave her with Senator Organa. He owes us one."
 Obi-Wan smiled. "I guess so."
 They jogged as quickly as they could to Bail's apartment, taking turns carrying Leia. It was not too far away, and when they reached the door they pushed the doorbell.
 After a moment, Bail answered the door. "Hello again," he said. He noticed Leia and asked, "Who's this? What happened?"
 "We have a small favor to ask you," Obi-Wan said.
 Cali put Leia down on the floor. The little girl looked cautiously up at Bail over her thumb, which was stuck in her mouth. She wrapped her fist in the edge of Cali's jedi cloak. "This is Leia," Cali said.
 "Anakin's daughter," Obi-Wan added.
 "I see." Bail looked down at her sympathetically.
 "He found Padme. She's been hiding here in Aldera. We need you to keep her safe while we find her mother," explained Obi-Wan. As he spoke, Leia walked uncertainly up to Bail, stretching her hands up to him.
 "Up, up," she begged.
 Bail smiled and picked her up. "Only one problem," he said. "I might not give her back."
 Cali laughed and Obi-Wan smiled. "We'll worry about that later," Cali said. "Thank you."
 Bail watched the two jedi as they ran away down the corridor. The Force guided them as they began to search for Padme and Anakin.

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 Padme wrenched her arm out of Anakin's grasp and ran away with all her strength. She hadn't gotten far when she seemed to hit an invisible wall. Her arms and legs scrambled madly for grip on the duracrete, but it didn't help. It was as if a giant fist had closed around her body.
 "None of that now, Don't you want to stay here with me?" said Anakin coolly.
 "Help!" she cried, still struggling. "Someone please hel--" Her voice choked off as she felt her airway close. Her lips moved silently, gasping for air.
 "Stop making so much noise. You'll ruin it. Isn't this fun? Just us, alone in a dark alley. It's kind of romantic."
 Darkness began to dance before Padme's eyes, and her thoughts became fuzzy. With a wave of his hand, Anakin released her. She collapsed on the pavement, wheezing as she sucked in precious oxygen.
 "I don't want to hurt you. I'll treat you like a queen if you let me. That's right; you'll be a queen again. But not just of Naboo this time. Our empire will be the whole galaxy. Everything is proceeding as our future emperor has foreseen. It won't be long now. You and I will be very powerful."
 "I'll never be your queen," she gasped.
 Anakin sighed. "I was afraid you would be uncooperative. But don't worry, you'll soon change your mind." He approached her and pulled her roughly up from the ground. "You are my wife, and you will be my queen, like it or not."
 "I am not your wife. My husband's name was Anakin. You are not him."
 He smiled. "This time you are right. I am Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. I am the man you knew, only better."
 Padme shook her head angrily and spit in his face.
 "How dare you!" he shouted. He let go of her and slapped her hard on the face. She cried out and fell to the ground.
 Briefly, his face changed from angry to tender, and he knelt down beside her fallen body. "Oh Padme, I'm so sorry..." he began. Then he stood up suddenly as if embarrassed.
 "Get up. We have to leave before Obi-Wan finds us."
 Padme slowly picked herself up off the ground.
 "Hurry!" he shouted.

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 Cali's footsteps echoed Obi-Wan's as they ran down the street, hearing only Obi-Wan's rhythmic breathing. The Force flowed through them, immersing them in its power. They knew, as one, exactly when to turn, where to go, what each other were thinking, as naturally as if they were born doing it. Now left, now right, now straight awhile. Directions came to them as they ran, each of their movements mirroring the other's.
 We're going to the spaceport, she thought. The thought slipped into her head as she realized where they were headed, and the instant she thought it, she knew Obi-Wan had too. Anakin must be trying to leave the planet. The Force was guiding them to where their fighter was docked.
 They rushed into the hangar bay, startling two blue-clad guards who were sitting on crates by the door. The guards stood up suddenly, but the two jedi were already at the fighter. They half-climbed, half-jumped into the cockpit, and Obi-Wan started the engine. They belted themselves in. Cali watched the guards stand helplessly watching as the ship lifted off and flew out of the hangar, unaware that the ship was being 'stolen' by its rightful owners.
 As she turned to look out the front viewport, she saw a small shape dart out of the city and head for the sky.
 "Look!" she said, pointing, "That's him!"
 "I see him," replied Obi-Wan. He turned the fighter in a wide arc to follow Anakin's ship. Soon, he brought the ship in close on Anakin's tail. "He's going to jump to hyperspace," he said.
 "Can you follow him?" Cali asked.
 "Yes," said Obi-Wan, already checking Anakin's trajectory on the computer. "He's going to Coruscant." He quickly put the coordinates into the navicomp and pulled the lever. The stars flared into starlines around the ship and then settled into the luminous mottling of hyperspace.
 A welcome quietness settled over the ship. Obi-Wan sank back into his seat and released the controls. His hand dropped into his lap, and he felt it brush by something hard in his pocket. The ring. He'd almost forgotten about it.
 He glanced over at Cali. She was looking out the viewport. He reached into his pocket and got it out. The ring sparkled in the starlight as he turned it over in his hand. It seemed even more perfect now than it had in the marketplace. He closed his hand around it, hiding it from view. It felt cool and smooth in his palm.
 He stole another glance at Cali. She was peering curiously out of the corner of her eye, wondering what was hidden in his hand. A grin spread across his face in spite of him. "Cali," he said. "I have a crazy idea."
 She looked at him oddly, still curious.
 "Um," he said, suddenly at a loss for words. "Would you-- Here." He took her hand and gently placed the ring in her palm.
 Cali looked at it carefully, turning it over in the light. "Obi-Wan," she whispered in astonishment, "What do you mean? Is this-- what I think it is?"
 Obi-Wan could only nod.
 Cali's voice was small. "I didn't know it was like that, I mean, so soon." She paused. "But will I ever find someone else like you?" She shook her head gently.
Obi-Wan waited.
"I will. Yes-- I will," she said ardently.
 For once, Obi-Wan broke into a broad smile. He took her hand in his and slipped the ring on her finger. Cali gazed at it, turning her hand so that the light danced across it. "It's beautiful," she said. "Like the sea." Then she looked at Obi-Wan and kissed him.

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 A faint beeping noise was sounding somewhere in the darkness. Obi-Wan opened his eyes to the interior of the starfighter and a flashing red indicator light. It was time to exit hyperspace.
 Cali was peacefully asleep. Gently, he tried to wake her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up.
 "We're almost there," said my Obi-Wan. He leaned forward and pulled the lever. Starlines flared, and the round crisscrossed shape of Coruscant appeared ahead of them. For a tense moment, Cali and Obi-Wan searched the viewports and sensors for a ship resembling Anakin's. None appeared. "Well," said Obi-Wan, "The navicomp could have been wrong."
 Suddenly, engines screamed behind them, and the ship shook with an impact. A stray laser bolt flew past the fighter. Anakin's ship filled the dorsal viewport as it rushed past only meters away.
 "Or not," Obi-Wan quipped. He pushed the throttle up and took the controls. The two ships hurtled downward toward the planet at blinding speed. They dodged in and out of civilian traffic until they reached the upper buildings. Anakin sent his small ship into a tight roll and dove deep into the city.
 "Showoff," Obi-Wan muttered. He looked over at Cali. "I hope you're strapped in."
 She checked her restraining harness and gripped the sides of her seat. Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly and followed Anakin's dive.
 Anakin dipped under a covered walkway, sending frightened citizens running in both directions from the two fighters that seemed to threaten their lives. Obi-Wan followed as he twisted around a tall, narrow spire, and matched his sharp climb between two buildings. A sudden danger sense struck Obi-Wan, causing him to dodge to one side as he came out the top. A large transport was flying overhead. He dove under it and went around, but when he came back up, Anakin was far ahead.
 Obi-Wan watched Anakin land on a small landing platform on the roof of a building, leaving little room for another ship. Their fighter would have to land somewhere else.
 "We're going to lose him," said Cali.
 "We can't!" he replied. May be he could climb out and jump over to the roof while Cali...
 Knowing his thoughts, Cali cut in, "I'm no pilot Obi-Wan. I'll go," she said softly.
 Seeing no other course of action, Obi-Wan reluctantly agreed. For a moment, he caught her eyes. "Be careful," he cautioned tenderly.
 "I will," Cali promised. Obi-Wan flew the fighter slowly along the roof and opened the canopy. Cali climbed out, lightsaber in hand, and flipped across the gap.
 She landed lightly on the roof's edge. The exit ramp of Anakin's ship was already down, so she waited at the bottom. The wind blew the corners of her green tunic around her legs, and strands of her tied-back hair worked loose from the rest, drifting around her face.
 After a moment, a tall figure appeared at the top of the ramp. Anakin strode confidently down and looked down at her as if trying to remember who she was.
 "Oh yes," he said. "I remember you. You're Obi-Wan's little girlfriend."
 "So I am," Cali said evenly.
 "This will be easier than I thought," he said.
 "We will see," Cali replied.
 Anakin ignited his lightsaber and swung at her. She quickly activated hers and defended herself. As he swung again, she saw someone sneak down the ship's ramp and start to run away.
 "Don't try to escape, Padme. I can sense you easily from over here," Anakin warned.
 The figure stopped and stood hesitantly. Anakin turned his attention back to Cali. With a vicious grin, he lunged at her. Cali threw her body into a twist, carrying herself safely beside him. She struck out with her lightsaber as she spun behind him, but only hit air. He flipped over her head and struck high at her back. Cali ducked under the blade and blocked the blow that followed it. Anakin's foot shot out at her stomach, but Cali sensed it coming and dodged narrowly out of the way. She took a deep breath, unsettled. Got to be more careful, she thought. He's pulled that trick before.

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 The little fighter skimmed the tops of the skyscrapers as Obi-Wan searched for a spot to land. There. He saw one on top of a skyscraper. It was a little farther away than he would have liked, but it would have to do. He set the ship down gently and shut down the engines. Unstrapping his safety harness, he fairly launched out as the canopy opened. He hit the ground running. There was a turbolift entrance standing alone on the roof. He could use the lift to get to a level with a bridge.
 He ran straight into the open lift, quickly looking over the floors. He spotted one with a bridge symbol and pushed it.

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 Two blue lightsabers crackled angrily as they crossed between the two opponents. Anakin smiled brutally as he used his greater weight and strength to drive Cali backwards. She braced her legs under her body and valiantly tried to hold her ground. They stared at each other, not flinching. Summoning all her strength, Cali managed to push him away. She swung her lightsaber in a wide arc at his waist. Anakin leaped over it and retaliated with a blow of his own. Cali blocked again, bracing herself against him once more. This time, Anakin released after just a moment, then raised his hand, sending a wave of the Force to push her backwards, sliding along the floor. Cali leaped to her feet quickly, looking hastily behind her to check her distance from the roof's edge. What she saw was none too reassuring. Hurry, Obi-Wan, she pleaded. I can't keep this up forever!

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 I'm coming Cali! Obi-Wan thought. Just hang on! He ran at top speed down the covered tunnel that bridged the gap between two monstrous buildings. Startled pedestrians stepped out of his way, looking curiously at the man sprinting through the halls in a civilized place like Coruscant. The bridge ended, and Obi-Wan found himself in a new hallway. There has to be a lift around here somewhere, he thought. He closed his eyes and searched the Force for a lift. Finding one, he ran for the hallway where it was located. He pressed the button and waited for it to arrive.

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 Cali stood alert and ready as Anakin approached. He put his hand casually on his hip and chucked at her.
 "Well, well, well. Now look who's calling for help."
 Cali said nothing, but set her mouth in a straight line and held her saber ready.
 "He'll never make it, you know," Anakin remarked coolly. "The lift is broken." He laughed as the determined look on her face faltered. "Oh, yes. You're in trouble now. And there's nothing he can do to help you."

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 Obi-Wan shifted his weight nervously as he waited. Why isn't it coming? he thought. Finally, he could wait no longer. Igniting his lightsaber, he thrust the blade into the metal, cutting a wide circle for him to fit through. He was careful not to touch the burning edges as he jumped into the shaft. He caught the service rungs on the other side and began climbing up toward daylight.

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 Cali's breath quickened as she ran through her options. Soon, she realized there was no way out, and it was doubtful that she could defeat him. He was bigger and stronger, and she had missed so many years of practice! Accepting her fate, she straightened up and said, "If you must kill me, Anakin, then I will die fighting!"
 His face darkened angrily. "My name," he said, "is Vader!"
 He lunged at her, brandishing his saber. He attacked fiercely, throwing his body into every blow. Cali moved defensively, slowly losing ground. His blows became rhythmic and powerful. Cali's hands were numb from the jarring impacts.
 Suddenly, he turned and jabbed her with his elbow, making her momentarily lose her concentration. Then she was hit by a wave of the Force, sending her flying and knocking her lightsaber out of her hand. She hit the ground hard and tumbled to a stop on the very edge of the roof. Her lightsaber slid over the edge before her eyes and fell an unfathomably long distance to the street below.
 Slowly, two black boots stepped into her view. Slowly, Cali raised her eyes to meet her attacker's.
 "Now," he said dramatically, "You will die."
 "Stop!" called a familiar voice. Obi-Wan stood at the turbolift entrance, lightsaber in hand. He stepped forward. "Your fight is with me."
 Anakin grinned sadistically. "Ah, that's true. But, if I kill her, it will hurt you more, and for longer, than if I killed you now."
 Obi-Wan hesitated, recognizing the truth in those words.  If Cali were gone... He cleared his mind. He had to focus.
 His eyes met Cali's. I'm sorry Obi-Wan, she said. The words came into his head softly. I'm not afraid anymore. Don't be afraid for me.
 "Say goodbye, Obi-Wan," said Anakin.
 Goodbye, said Cali. I love you.
 Anakin raised his lightsaber. Obi-Wan ran forward, but he seemed to be stuck in slow motion. He couldn't get there quickly enough. Someone was yelling "Nooooooooooooo!" The lightsaber swung down.
 When Obi-Wan reached his former apprentice, Anakin was vulnerable with his lightsaber pointed down at his victim. Obi-Wan hit him hard with his shoulder, knocking him away. Surprised, Anakin attempted to defend himself. He clumsily blocked Obi-Wan's lightsaber on its first swing. He backed up toward the center of the building, trying to regain his concentration. Everywhere he went, Obi-Wan was there, blocking him. He was like a whirlwind. Anakin couldn't get a single swing in. He had never seen his master fight like this. The young man was driven quickly back until he felt his heel hit the edge of the open lift shaft. Obi-Wan kept his lightsaber pointed steadily at Anakin's chest.
 "Are you going to kill me now?" he asked.
 "No," Obi-Wan answered. He turned off his lightsaber. "Jedi don't kill for revenge. Now go. Don't come back here."
 Anakin cautiously turned and jumped down the shaft. Obi-Wan heard him catch the service rungs with an echoing clang. A pattern of clangs followed until the sound faded into silence.
 Obi-Wan became aware of the sound of his own breathing as he stood alone looking down the shaft. "Cali..." he whispered to himself. He ran to where she lay on the ground, her arms and head sprawled over the edge of the roof.
 At her side, he dropped to his knees and pulled her limp body away from the edge. Gently, he lifted her head, cradling it in his arms.
 "Cali," he said, brushing her hair away from her face. Slowly, her eyes opened.
 "Cali! You're alive! Oh thank the Force!"
 "No," Cali said weakly. Her voice had lost all of its usual resonance. Disbelieving, Obi-Wan pulled his hand away from her body. It was wet with blood. Her side bore a deep slice from Anakin's lightsaber.
 Obi-Wan 's hands trembled, and his face plainly displayed his helplessness. He tried to speak, but he had no words.
 Cali unsteadily put her hand on his cheek. "Even if I had known..." she murmured. "Even if I knew it would end-- like this, I still wouldn't change a thing. You were worth it. If I had stayed back on Chad it would have been... empty."
 "Oh, Cali," Obi-Wan cried softly.
 "I mean it. I'm not afraid anymore. We'll see each other again, I know it."
 "Cali," Obi-Wan whispered her name. "Cali, I love you."
 "And I you," she breathed.
 Obi-Wan leaned forward and kissed her. With her last breath Cali kissed back, then faded quietly away, leaving Obi-Wan holding an empty set of clothes.
 Fighting back stinging tears, Obi-Wan sat up, still holding her cloak. He buried his face in the rough brown cloth, clenching his fists with grief. He didn't see a small figure come out of the shadows under the ship's landing ramp and walk quietly across the expanse of duracrete roof. It stopped just behind him and bent down. She touched his shoulder gently. He started slightly and looked over at her. Padme said nothing, but looked at him with sympathy.
 Obi-Wan looked back down and began to gather up Cali's clothes. As he did, something fell out. It hit the ground with a bell-like chime and rolled to a stop a few feet away. He picked it up and got to his feet. It was Cali's ring.
 Padme peered over his shoulder, trying to see what it was. Obi-Wan handed it to her and turned his face away so she wouldn't see the shine of new tears gathering in his eyes.
 Instantly, she recognized it as an Alderaanian ring. She knew that he must have bought it for her while the two jedi were on the planet. She looked up at him with deep compassion. She understood.

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 What remained of Cali, her clothes, were burned in a solemn ceremony on Coruscant, a traditional funeral for a Jedi. Obi-Wan was silent, aware of only a dull ache in his chest. His heart went out to the other mourners there. Many of them had lost Cali for the second time. He watched their faces reflect their pain, bathed in orange light from the fire. Still, he thought, none suffered the pain that he did for her, the lament of what might have been, the life they might have had together.
 Slowly, the pyre burned down and went out. Slowly, the mourners dispersed, silently returning to their lives.
 Obi-Wan went outside to the balcony. It was dark out, and the city shimmered with thousands of brilliant lights. He leaned on the balustrade, not seeing the lights and streets of Coruscant. Clasped in his hand was the ring, his last reminder of Cali. As he was absorbed in his thoughts, he was unable to push away the guilt that haunted him: if only he had gotten to her a bit sooner, perhaps she would be still living. He should have run faster, not hesitated to speak to Anakin. Why had he not saved her? Anger at himself flooded him. He clenched the ring and almost threw it down into the streets. Let it be gone, gone with her. Let it go down in the streets with the lightsaber she lost and be found years from now by someone who doesn't care.
 But he stopped himself. He withdrew his hand and gazed at the ring, tiny and beautiful there in the expanse of his palm. It was gentle and blue, sinuous and feminine, and everything that Cali had once been, only gathered into cold, hard metal. He should not lose it, he decided. It was all that was left.
 Obi-Wan returned home and found an extra piece of string. He looped it through the ring and tied it around his neck. The cold metal lay against his heart under his clothes.
 "Now," he whispered to the air, "you are with me forever."

T HE E ND