The Force in Balance

Aayla Farstrayer listened as the Master droned about an obscure ancient prophecy. According to the prophecy, "A chosen one would bring balance to the Force," the Master said. "It was thought that a young Jedi student, Anakin Skywalker, might be that chosen one. Instead, young Anakin was seduced by the Dark Side, became Sith Apprentice Darth Vader, and helped Sith Master Darth Sidious destroy the Jedi Order."

Another student raised his hand. "Master, what happened with the prophecy? Did it fail then?"

"We have never figured it out," replied the Master. "Prophecies do not fail. But sometimes, we misunderstand them. We don't know whether the prophecy is still to come in the future, whether it came true under the radar so-to-speak, or whether Anakin did in fact fulfill the prophecy. We still don't know."

Aayla's interest was sparked. After classes ended that afternoon, she visited the Academy Library to search out information on the prophecy. She found a few references to the prophecy, but nothing informative before she had to report for dinner. She returned to the library after dinner, and found an obscure reference to an ancient Jedi sacred text, apparently dating back to the origin of the Jedi Order.

Crouching at the bottom of a shelf, and reading the book, Aayla jumped at the touch on her left shoulder. "Scattered throughout the Galaxy these texts and translations thereof have been," said the small green librarian with the large green ears. "It is said that the late great Luke Skywalker a complete collection of the texts did assemble in the Great Tree on the water planet of Ahch-To."

"Gesundheit," said Aayla automatically.

"Ahch-To." The librarian glared at Aayla. "Where formed the original Jedi Order. For thousands of years a sacred locale. Until recently, lost from all of our star charts for hundreds of years, their system was."

Aayla's original plans were to spend summer vacation at home playing and relaxing. Instead, obsessed with the ancient prophecy and finding what it was all about, she took public spaceflight to the spaceport nearest Ahch-To's system. There, she hired a small private transport to Ahch-To. She had to provide the coordinates, as most official star charts still didn't have it.

"I really doubt it's there, young miss," said the skeptical and jaded pilot. "But you have the coordinates and the money, and I'll transport you anywhere."

Indeed, the planet was found when they arrived at the star. "Well, I'll be darned," said the pilot. "I will help you search for your particular island." Aayla had provided latitude and longitude coordinates for the island, so the pilot made short work of locating the island. As they approached, Aayla sensed a strong presence of the Force.

They landed, and Aayla, accompanied by the pilot, exited the spacecraft. "This is apparently the island of the tree, but no tree." Instead, two ghosts confronted them at the base of the stairs, one human and one apparently the same species as the librarian. Aayla resisted going for her light saber, and could sense the pilot resisting his blaster.

"Our greetings, Apprentice Aayla and Admiral Digblender," said the green ghost. "I am Yoda, and this young man is Luke Skywalker."

`Wait, what?!' thought Aayla. `The two famous ones?'

"The documents you seek, young Aayla--" began Luke, only to be interrupted by Yoda. "... are safely aboard the Millennium Falcon, currently piloted by Lando Calrissian and Rey Skywalker."

"Wait, what?!" Luke turned to Yoda. "You destroyed them all when you destroyed the tree!"

"Destroy them did I not," replied Yoda. "Safely aboard with Rey they were, before I destroyed the Tree."

"Let's go," said the pilot, and he and Aayla reentered their spacecraft, leaving the two ghosts to argue behind. "The Millennium Falcon is the most famous hunk-a-junk in the Galaxy."

It took them several more trips, both before and after meeting Rey and checking the books, but eventually they found the source of the Prophecy of the chosen one who would bring balance to the Force:

Forseth and Jedith, Secondary School Physics , 3829 ^th Ed., p. 174.

Problem 35: "Dotty wants to lift a 600-pound piano 90 feet. She chooses a five-pulley block and tackle system. What force must she exert to balance gravity? Is she able to exert the necessary force? If not, whom might she choose from her coworkers to balance the force and lift the piano for her?" A list of the workers and their weights was provided with the problem, along with an artist's drawing of the situation.