The New Jedi Knights

Chapter 15: What the Past Has in Store for the Future

For four years, the Jedi Knights and Dr. Daniel Jackson immersed themselves in relentless study and discipline within the heart of the Jedi City. The grand halls of the Jedi Library, filled with ancient scrolls and luminous holocrons, became their sanctuary. Every waking moment was spent deciphering forgotten texts, debating philosophies, and sharpening their connection to the Force. Yet, their greatest revelation did not come from the wisdom etched in parchment or recorded in holographic memory — it came from the silent, eternal watch of the stars above.

One particularly crisp and cloudless night, Jack found himself drawn to the celestial canvas stretching overhead. Guided by an instinct deeper than conscious thought, he reached out — not just with his eyes, but with the Force. A realization stirred within him, a truth so profound it sent a shiver down his spine. The stars themselves were not merely distant pinpricks of light; they were markers, a cosmic map not just through space but through time itself.

Jack knew the common wisdom: constellations, as viewed from Earth, had remained unchanged since the 21st century. Yet he also understood the subtle truth that few considered — the universe was in constant motion, and the stars within those constellations drifted, their positions shifting imperceptibly over thousands, even millions, of years. He likened it to a vast loaf of bread ever expanding, each celestial body stretching further apart as time marched forward.

If the ancient Jedi had indeed mastered time travel, then the stars themselves must have been their guideposts, their celestial clockwork. Perhaps, through a precise alignment of stellar coordinates and a finely tuned connection to the Force, one could navigate the river of time as effortlessly as a starship slicing through hyperspace.

With renewed purpose, Jack meticulously pieced together his observations, cross-referencing ancient Jedi star charts with modern astronomical data embedded in the holocrons. He traced the movement of key celestial bodies, identifying shifts so minute that only someone with an exceptional understanding of both astrophysics and the Force could perceive them. The deeper he delved, the more the puzzle began to take shape.

And then — clarity.

The final piece clicked into place like the last cog in an ancient mechanism. He could see it now, as clear as the constellations above. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he slowly opened his eyes, his mind ablaze with the knowledge that he had unlocked the secret — a way to return home, back to 21st-century Earth.

The stars had shown him the way.

**********

On the other side of the city, Brandon was talking to Emily and Ben.
"I am very proud of your growth in your training to become Jedi Knights.
You both have learned a great deal these past four years. One day it
will honor me to call you full Jedi Knights."

"We both can't wait. For now, I'm thrilled for Jack. It has been two years
now, he has gotten over the ordeal of what has happened to his son so long ago,"
Emily replied.

"If that is the only reward we'll ever receive in becoming full Jedi Knights, then we
will accept it,"
Ben said.

Nomi smiled,
"It has blessed us to see him have that part of his life put in the history books. I don't
think he could have done it without you two. Your love and support have done more
than the Force could ever do alone. Love is a powerful ally."

They did not have to use the Force to understand they wanted to be alone. They gave each of them a hug and left them to spend time with each other.

For a short time, they held hands and walked.
"I can see you are a little depressed about something. What are you thinking?"