While on a Brachiosaurus, both Marion and Brandon were talking about Sam and Oriana. He said, "I sense you know more about Sam and Oriana than anyone."

"I do and I don't. What I mean... when I first saw Sam, I saw more of Oriana in her, while at the same time, I saw Sam in Oriana." She paused and continued, "Brandon, they are separate individuals, but they are connected more than two sisters." "what mom has told me about those two, and seeing her and Jolinar, in her, I believe every word mom has said. I want to tell you everything... if you have not figured it out already."

"Could it be that they have both Jolinar as a host?"

She smiled, "I see you are figuring it out." "let me say it this way, both Sam and my grandmother have this bond regardless of Jolinar. Just the same, Jolinar might be a bridge between them." "oh my! That is a complex concept I don't know if I understand fully." "the bond they have is something more profound than a blending of the same symbiote. Their bond is so strong that they can be either person though separate individuals."

He was quiet for a time.

She asked him while knowing the answer already because of having a friendly talk with Nomi, "Who was the Jedi Master first, you are Sam?"

He went wide-eyed on that question. "I see your point. Are you saying that she is just as much a wife to Author as she is to Jack and vice versa?"

"If those two were cosmically connected, then I would say yes, but they aren't. To restate your question, Could Sam be just as much in love with Author as Oriana was in love with Jack and vice versa? My answer is yes."

"I can see why your mother told Jolinar that she couldn't fail to have Sam fall in love with another if Jack dies before her."

"Yes! Oriana wouldn't let go of Author, even though her wedding vows were death to you part. Sam shouldn't follow in Oriana's footsteps on this matter." "even though Author is not cosmically connected with those two, there is a lot you don't know about him. I wish I wasn't told about it."

"Do you think Oriana's journals will give us the means of retrieving this Holocron that will allow us to find these Jedi cities?"

"Without realizing it, that is the key question to why all of you are here." "even if you had this device right now in your hands, no Jedi Knight will not be able to go to any of them until Sam reads all the Journals of Oriana's. This map isn't the key to bringing back the Jedi Knights of yesterday to the present. It is Sam and Oriana." "trust me, Brandon; there is so much more to what I just said. If Sam and Oriana don't connect in the way they should... or better yet, reconnect, it could be the end of the Jedi Knights history if not the ones alive today."

It amazed him what she said.

"I read Oriana's journals myself a long time ago. Not one statement ever talked about what you seek. If Palpatine won this war of yours, he could have easily taken this Holocron and destroyed the Jedi Knight of yesterday. I'm not sure if Jolinar made it possible for Sam and Oriana to be connected to protect the history of the Jedi Knights. In how powerful bonds they have, I don't think no one person could create this. When Sam learns all from Oriana's journals, she will be just as responsible for hiding this Holocron cube, and protecting the Jedi Knight as if she was Oriana herself." "Brandon! If only you know what I know of Samantha Carter O'Neill. I believe you could find these ancestors, artifacts, and all the rest of the ancient past of the Jedi Knights without this device you are seeking. All you need is those two."

"What my Padawan has been feeling being with Oriana is because she sees this bond without understanding it."

"From what you have told me of your first encounter with Sam when she was a teenager, then yes." An interesting thought came to her, "I believe I know why you have these memories of this alternate reality. If I am right, you have a crucial role in guiding her to the life she needs to be in. It might be why you should be the Master rather than her over you, but I am believing you were a Padawan. This alternate reality could have made more of a difference to you both. I just don't know."

"As you asked, who is the Master, and who is the apprentice? I have a strong feeling in wanting to call her as such."

"If I understand right, you're her Master, but it wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for the reality you and only you know about. How I see it; this isn't a time paradox, but a cosmic intertwining that only shows how strong the bonds you and Sam have. I can only say... you are both Masters of each other, and neither one of you are Masters of each other."

"It is amazing how you can understand about time with no real deep scientific understanding."

"Maybe understanding time can't be explained by science. Can your science explain who you are in every way? Reality has its constants, but how reality is played out is up to individuals. We make our reality. There is no proof or reason for why this is so, but it exists. Nor does it state that our lives are governed by chaos. Every life in the universe has its disciplines and rules. What made you and Sam bond can't be explained, but it exists. Nothing can separate you two, no matter what you will face. We can never explain the bond that Sam and Oriana have, but those two have a bond so powerful it has protected the Jedi Knights all these years. Can you find anything that powerful?"

Silence hung heavy. He couldn't respond, the weight of her words pressing down. His mind flashed back to their first encounter. Across four millennia, their eyes met, and love ignited. No contrived rendezvous, no awkward set-up. Theirs was a chance meeting, yet somehow preordained. Destined to meet, fall in love, marry — all on a predetermined timeline.

Time had always been his puppeteer, ever since Jedi visitors from a distant future whisked him away from Atlanta. Now, a disquieting question gnawed at him: what purpose did further time travel serve? What burdens came with venturing into the past or future? He himself could have easily fallen into Palpatine's trap, manipulating events with the best intentions only to cause unforeseen disaster. Was he, unknowingly, the reason someone needed to fix his mistakes? He shuddered at the thought. Perhaps influencing the flow of time was far more perilous than outright altering it.

**********

After feeding her family breakfast, Sam dove back into Oriana's journals, the fear that had gripped her the night before replaced by a newfound resolve. Accepting these journals, these fragments of Oriana's life, was accepting a part of herself. Their connection, though inexplicable, felt undeniable. Like pieces of a puzzle, they were meant to fit together, even if the bigger picture remained shrouded.

"It still doesn't make sense," she murmured, flipping a page. "This bond... It's like knowing her from a past life I can't recall. Maybe these entries hold the key." A spark of determination ignited in her eyes. "the Force... I've used it, but it's a slow climb. One step, one journal entry at a time."

She wanted to know more about what was written down in the journals because it was meant for her to read them. There may be more confusion for her, but somehow she believed it will all be explained. "In all, I had to face, in my life, I'm still finding answers to some things I have experienced. I just hope she has all the answers to what I'm going through."

She opened the journal she has been reading. She reread what she read on the January 5th entry and continued what she has not:

~~~~~

What Rosha told me made me feel better. I was still a little nervous. I think it is kissing another female. The only female I had ever kissed on the lips was my mother and family members. It's not like I'm against the same gender kissing or making love with each other, but I have never experienced it.

Rosha saw this in me and said, "I completely understand. Jolinar has been through this very thing."

I asked, "How did she help her new host?"

Rosha answered, "Believe it or not, she allowed the previous host to talk to the new one about it."

"That would make a better understanding, for the new host." I smiled at her and continued, "So previous host, what do you have to share with me on this?"

"Do you still remember all that I have shown you through the Force of my experiences with Jolinar?"

"Yes, I remember, and to my bewilderment, all of it."

Knowing that Rosha wanted me to recall a certain thing, I ran through my memories of what they shared with me. When I found it, I recalled that she, not Jolinar at all, helped make the last few days of a young lady that was dying the best she ever had. The memories told me that this lady had a good many abused her verbally and some nearly physically. She never had anyone to love her. Right before she went into a coma and died from it, Rosha gave her a loving kiss on the lips. For once in her life, this young lady gave a genuine loving smile right before she passed out. After those memories, I gave Rosha that same smile, and we kissed.

~~~~~

Sam was overwhelmed by the depth of Oriana's love for Rosha. The tender kiss, witnessed through Jolinar's memories, resonated with a profound emotion Sam couldn't quite place. Though she'd never kissed another woman, the love Oriana felt for Rosha, the tenderness of the kiss, flowed through her. It was as if she could feel their lips meet, a memory imprinted by Jolinar's essence.

The reason for the kiss, unearthed from Rosha's memories, became clear. Oriana, facing her own mortality, yearned to gift Rosha with a final expression of love, a feeling mirrored in Rosha's reciprocation. Sam, caught between their pasts, felt the echo of their love, a testament to the bond they shared.

The intensity of the emotions was overwhelming, as if she were inhabiting Oriana's very skin. Yet, this time, there was no fear, no urge to flee. Sam understood that these feelings, this love, were integral to Oriana's being. It wasn't about sexual orientation for Sam; it was about experiencing the essence of who Oriana was. In her own right, Sam knew she possessed the capacity for such deep love, the kind Rosha offered the young woman.

The kiss wasn't sexual. Rosha, with a selfless act of compassion, bestowed a gift of love and happiness on this young woman who had never experienced it. Despite societal norms, Rosha made the ultimate sacrifice for someone she barely knew, defying a moral code for the sake of another's inner peace. In this journal entry, Sam grasped a profound truth: love transcends boundaries. It can bloom between any two souls when a powerful connection exists.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Sam, pulling her back to a time when she was a child, safe and loved in her mother's arms. These cherished memories, long buried deep within, surged to the forefront of her mind. Lost in the warmth of the past, she didn't realize how much time had passed. Finally, a gentle nudge, a whisper from her mother through Jolinar's memories, drew her back to the present. It was a silent urging to keep reading, to delve deeper into Oriana's story.

~~~~~

January 6, 1860

I am a Tok'ra now. To my surprise, it was not all that confusing as I thought. I had a feeling Jolinar would have an intelligence far beyond my own experiences. I thought it would lose me in it all, but the blending allowed me to have all these memories as if there were my own. What an inconceivable experience.

As I thought, I learned nothing new about Sam Carter O'Neill. Now that Jolinar has shared her knowledge and abilities, including all that she has learned and done in being a Jedi Knight, I can do more in finding out about her than I would otherwise. My priority is what Rosha was talking about regarding her Jedi duties. At first, I thought it was an object or something important. What Jolinar has been protecting was something a lot more. It is more of why I am a Tok'ra. It has everything to do with it. I wonder how my life would be without Jolinar?

I have meditated on the Force several times on this, and Sam Carter O'Neill always popped up as the answer. On something this important, how can this lady 149 years in the future help protect the ancient Jedi Knights? How can I, through Jolinar, help protect the ancient people? I see how important it is to do this. I want to help in every way I can, as much as I want to get to know this person.

~~~~~

Sam devoured Oriana's journals, each page deepening her understanding of both the woman and herself. The ancient Jedi connection remained a mystery, but the undeniable bond she shared with Oriana, perhaps a reflection of Jolinar's presence, fueled her curiosity. As if echoing her thoughts, a memory surfaced — her mother's voice, a gentle whisper: "Find the light from within yourself and allow it to flow through you." The message resonated, urging Sam to continue her exploration.

Sam yearned to reach out to Oriana through the Force, to bridge the gap between them and seek answers. The weight of her unanswered questions gnawed at her. Brandon's advice about patience echoed in her mind, but a burning need for knowledge pushed against it. "Maybe," she thought, "sometimes you have to ask for the answers you need, not just wait for them."

She went to the bedroom. She sat on the bed and meditated in the Force to get in touch with Oriana. Lucky for Sam, Oriana was meditating at the same time.

Sam realized where Oriana was. She said, "It's your turn at the meadow."

"I was there the last time. The only place I go to relax. Come down here anytime. I know you will enjoy it as much as I do."

She told her what she has read so far in the journals.

"You have read a lot more this time... good."

Sam asked, "What have you learned about me lately?"

"I have learned everything, not enough, or I've never met you at all." Sam got very confused. "what I mean, love, there is more to know about someone than hard facts. In my journals, I share my deep feelings, but I can't share everything, or I would never stop writing."

"That is why I have never written in a journal, nor will I."

"Please try it, Sam." She begged, "you can write about your feelings on all that you are experiencing with us. See yourself reading what you have written after ten years can allow you to see something different about yourself. There is nothing more powerful than writing. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't write. If you ever want to escape from life's problems, then find yourself in writing. There is no better place to go to."

"You're amazing, Oriana, and I think it has nothing to do with you blending with Jolinar."

"Have you changed with your blending? Yes, we both have the experiences that Jolinar has, but we're still the same person as before. If anytime that you need to value who you are, it is during your time with Jolinar. By writing down your personal experiences, you can preserve who you are. It's up to you if you want to share what you write. Just make sure you at least share them with yourself."

"I contacted you to learn more about us."

"My dearest... there's more in learning about someone and yourself than by cold data. Sometimes you have to experience it from within yourself. I can give you that data, but I assure you you won't learn anything. You must find more about us and yourself. How you go about that information is completely up to you."

"Oriana, there is nothing more important to me than learning about you, us, and why we have bonded. What concerns me is how long will it take? I mean if we are to be the key to connecting the ancient Jedi Knights to my present time, then this information needs to be given a lot quicker than the time it will take for me to learn about us."

"It is good for you to do your duty as a Jedi Knight. Neither you nor any other Jedi can protect or preserve the ancient Jedi Knights, or anyone else."

Sam asked in confusion, "You're saying that there is a lot more in going to these Jedi Cities?"

"Yes, I am. We're the key, but it is a lot more than learning about each other and ourselves. It's up to us to learn all we can about each other."

"That is what I mean. We have been fighting Palpatine so we could be able to travel to these cities and allow the ancient past of the Jedi Knights to come back home."

Oriana smiled, "Who said things were ever easy. If it was that easy, then it would be just as easy for the Dark-side to find these cities and destroy them with the history that needs to be preserved."

"So this will be an ongoing learning process?"

"That is how life should be lived. That's how Dinotopians live their lives, by all ten laws of Dinotopia."

Sam stated, "When I and Jolinar blended, I made sure that I would have a life like that. I made a promise to myself when my Master had to leave me. I wanted to have a life that would show him respect for what he had done for me. Don't get me wrong, I had a wonderful life before I knew Jolinar existed. I simply wanted a life that would show my respect and love for my Master." She was quiet for a time, then continued, "after a time, I wasn't sure we would meet again. When we met, it was very hard for me to keep quiet all those years until the right time. If it was not for Jolinar, I believe I would go out of my mind," She paused once more before continuing, "Oriana, I have a love for you beyond anything I can ever love anyone, but I don't want to go through what I did before my Master and I met again. I want to know everything about you. On that same note, I don't want to feel alone like that ever again."

"My dearest, I'll never hurt you ever. Since I first learned your name, I wanted to know all about you. In our first encounter in the Force, I had learned a lot about you, but I didn't learn everything. I don't think any of us can learn everything about each other."

She changed the subject. "Talking about your journal, I felt as if I were kissing Rosha myself."

"Wow! You are strong with the Force."

"Yes, I am, but I don't think it was the Force that allowed me to feel what you have done and experienced. I believe that we have bonded long before either of us realized it. I also don't think the Force is enhancing our bonding. I also... recalled some buried memories of my mother not long after reading that part of your journal."

"What do you think it is then?"

"A very strong cosmic bond."

"That doesn't sound all that scientific."

She smiled, "No it doesn't because it isn't."

Oriana gave her a big smile, "Very good my dear... very good."

"When you were kissing Rosha for the last time, I felt the love you gave her and Rosha's love for you."

"After the memory that Rosha shared with me the day before I blended with Jolinar, I saw Rosha kissing this young lady so she can experience true unconditional love before she died. That is the true meaning of the fifth Law of Dinotopia."

"I know. You wrote that in your journal."

"I know. I wanted you to hear it from me."

She replied with the utmost respect, "I want you to know... I love you just as much. I don't know if I would kiss you as you did for Rosha, but my love for you goes beyond the physical world."

"So does my love for you."

"Can we one day be able to meet face-to-face?"

"In time we can, but not right now."

"Do I have to learn something before we can?"

"Once you realize there's nothing to learn, then you can find all the answers you seek. Learn to think like you... and not just a Jedi Knight."

Sam remembered Jolinar saying that the Jedi today rely on the Force too much." She replied with a little confusion, "You mean, think like an ancient Jedi?"

"Start thinking as a Dinotopian."

"Jolinar said that the Jedi of today have everything to do with what the ancient Jedi has learned from Dinotopia."

"Sounds very interesting. What I know of the Jedi is the Ancient Jedi."

"I have never gotten used to how I'm supposed to communicate in unique time periods."

"You're doing great with me, my dearest."

"What do I do now? How can I learn to be a Dinotopian?"

"You're doing great so far. It appears to me you have learned something about Dinotopia and how to be one already. Just keep learning. You can do it. I have faith in you. Stop reading my journals for the time being and become social with everyone. I'm sure you can have a lot of questions answered by exploring the island and getting to know its people."

She just realized that Oriana may not realize that the Jedi can travel in time. She stated, "I asked you when I can see you because... I thought you knew that Jedi Knights could travel in time through the Stargate."

Oriana said nothing at first. When she did, she said, "I knew that Jolinar could travel in time, but didn't realize everyone on Earth could do so."

She explained how they learned about it all.

"In that case, we can meet each other anytime."

"Stay where you are. I will be right there."

Disappointment tugged at Sam. Reaching out to Oriana through the Force remained elusive. Rising from the bed, she stepped outside, the cool air a welcome change. With renewed focus, she channeled the Force, the familiar warmth tingling through her. Memories flickered — the intricate steps to establish a wormhole, the hum of energy as time and space twisted. Unlike the Stargates of legend, she needed no physical gateway. The wormhole shimmered into existence, a swirling vortex of energy. A grin tugged at her lips as she stepped through, the possibilities swirling with the energy around her. Where would she emerge? In what time would she find Oriana? The answer waited on the other side.

Oriana stood up and smiled back. "That was quick."

"I don't waste any time."

They both hugged each other dearly. After they stopped hugging, Sam said, "It's so great to see you!"

"We look so much alike, except for the color of your hair."

"I have been told that. Do you Dinotopians, in this time period, have a way to change the color of one's hair?"

"No, we don't. If we did, I wouldn't want you to change."

Sam just smiled.

"Why not show me around Dinotopia? No one has given me a tour of Waterfall City in my time."

Oriana smiled, "Let me show you. When you get back to your own time, then you will show your family and friends the wonders of this Island."