LUKE SKYWALKER

Luke ran a hand through his golden brown hair, embarrassed by his sister’s stare. “Um, I thought that you could help me. You’re the one who was raised at a royal court, and you probably heard about stuff like this all the time. I mean, I don’t really know what to do.”

A smile that he had never seen before crossed her face. “Well, then. You think you’re in love with her. How did it start?”

“I’m not sure. Remember how I told you that I felt a strange disturbance in the Force when we were still in orbit?” he asked.

She nodded, deep in thought. “Yes. Do you think it was her? I do feel something out of place here, and she could be the reason. Is she Force-sensitive?”

“Yes,” Luke said. “And I think she’s had training from a Jedi Master. A living Master. But she told me that it was cut off. And somehow, I think she likes me, too. But we’re both holding back.”

“Maybe it’s from her past experiences, in her case?”

“I don’t think so. Well, partly, maybe, but her training and her feelings are keeping her detached. Like she’s trapped between the Dark Side and the Light Side, and unable channel only one at a time.”

“Then she’s caught between two sides of her personality. I’ve seen it happen to girls before, Luke, when they are at war with themselves. I’ll try to put in a way that you would understand. Think of it this way: it’s like she’s trapped between Sith and Jedi.”

He was silent for a moment, then sighed. “I just wish there was a way to get across to her. She could fall to the Dark Side at any time. I want to save her.”

“Frankly, I’m out of my depth. I don’t know as much as you do about the Force and its ways,” Leia said.

“That’s okay. I think that more will be revealed when I get to Cialone. More will make sense.”

“Cialone? But Luke, Mara Jade might still be out there. We can’t risk it, we have to get back to the base and give our report.”

“But I have to find out more. From what I’ve heard, Kaylira’s Master knows a lot about our father.”

“Then we have to go. Luke, I know that it means a lot to you to know more about our family’s history. I’ll tell Han.”

“Thank you,” he said, giving her a peck on the cheek. “I want to learn the truth about Anakin Skywalker.”

KAYLIRA TRAMINO

Kaylira arrived in the clearing just in time to see Luke kiss Leia on the cheek just as he had her a few minutes before. Her breath caught in her throat, and she could feel tears coming on. Her thoughts warred with each other in her head.

How could he! Thought one side of her. How could he play with me like that! It’s not fair, and it’s not right!

He’s clearly taken, sobbed another. Why does everything have to end this way with me? Whenever I try for someone’s affections I always find out that they’re taken or that they don’t share the feeling. If only I was Leia’s worth in his eyes.

“But that’s immeasurable,” she reminded the second voice. “I could never get to that standard.”

At least now I’m free of this distraction. I can forget all about him, now that I know that he’s with another woman, added a third part of her.

“What standard?” asked Leia, who had somehow managed to walk over without her noticing it. These long reflections on boys were compromising her senses, and that was a very bad thing.

“N-nothing. I was just thinking out loud.” She tried to walk away, but tears started to slip down her face. Leia reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Why are you holding back?” she asked.

She tried to wipe away the tears, but it wasn’t working. “What?”

“Why are you holding back, Kaylira? You clearly feel for him, and I think that he feels for you, too.”

“But he loves you!” She felt angry, like she was one with the storm outside that had been building for days and was finally about to come pouring down. “No. He was playing me! I saw him kiss you! I won’t let this happen, not to me!”

“No, you don’t understand!” Leia called, but Kaylira had just run off into the woods.

Then it started to rain.