Playlist:

❶ "The Hologram/Binary Sunset"—A New Hope OST

❷ "Cantina Band #2"—A New Hope Extended ST

❶ As they exited the base headquarters, Luke frowned at his new Padawan's discordant attitude. Naluma Fau, kit bag and rifle slung across her back, strutted ahead of the Jedi Master on the packed clay.

Halfway down the road bisecting the base headquarters, Luke yelled, "Stop."

Naluma increased her gait and adjusted the rifle slung across her back. She glanced back and huffed.

Luke waved his hands and flicked his wrists. A white-blue energy field surged from the ground, encompassing her. The birds in the nearby trees stopped chirping.

She pushed forward, only to be tossed backward, held in place by the Force-wall. She couldn't breach it's defenses.

"I said 'Stop,' Padawan."

Naluma whipped around and shot laser bolts at him with her eyes, her fists clenched.

Skywalker put his hands on his hips and planted his legs apart.

Fau dropped her kit bag. "My rank is specialist."

"And mine is master," Luke said in a hushed tone.

"Which means you have no authority over me," she said through clenched teeth, her voice rising an octave. Grabbing her rifle off her back, she held it not-so-nonchalantly with the butt on the ground.

Luke grinned at her and shook his head. His eyes softened, contradicting his words. "I do. In the Fleet, I'm also known as 'Commander Skywalker.'" He raised his eyebrows at her. "Commanders outrank specialists, last I checked."

Naluma snapped to attention, bringing her rifle in front of her and holding perpendicular to the ground with her left hand while saluting with her right. "Sir. Commander Skywalker, sir. I'm sorry ... I ... uh ... didn't know." She straightened even further. "Sir, Specialist Fau reporting for duty, sir."

The wall dissipated, the energy zooming into the ground once more in a roaring torrent like a waterfall and then—silence.

Luke halved the distance between them. "As you were, Padawan."

She slumped but maintained her distance. "Where are we headed?"

"To my shuttle for the time being."

"I'm not leaving the planet with you." With feigned nonchalance, she pulled her rifle from her back and rested the butt on the ground.

You think you're fooling me with that move? Luke sighed and then soothed, "I didn't say we were, at least not for a while."

"Well," she drawled while squinting at him. "What do you want with me?"

He exhaled and pursed his lips. "You really don't know?"

"I can jump to a lot of conclusions, Commander." Naluma narrowed her eyes as she tightened her grip on the barrel of her rifle.

With an harrumph, Luke took another step closer. "The Senate sent me to advise the military on Jedi and Sith tactics." He gestured with his right hand in the air and the other on his hip. "Then I run into you—already having full command of levitation skills. I knew at once that you were to be my first Padawan."

"Your first what?"

"Padawan ... apprentice."

She fingered the metal casing of her rifle barrel and studied the grooves and scratches. "Well, I know all about apprenticeships ... what if I respectfully decline—" She glared in his eyes. "Sir?"

"Well, I could order you. But I'd rather not." Luke surveilled the area. "Hey, is there a place around here we can talk?"

"Base watering hole is a click over there." She pointed with her rifle, tilting her head.

Luke gestured with his head toward the direction she pointed. "Come on."

The bar was nothing more than a recycled command tent discernable by its tattered flaps and the rips in the olive-green corners of the canvas. Mud, blood, and several unnamable stains splotched the outside like the Ebenn Q3 Baobab painting hanging in Dr. Sindain's office.

Luke's eyes watered from the reek of the sooty death-sticks as they wandered in under a flap. The stench of stale Trandoshian ale brought memories of celebrating with his friends—memories he'd rather forget. His stomach churned like a three-gee turn in the Falcon.

No, not now. He took a few deep breaths while steadying himself against the bar. He closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply, counting slowly as he exhaled.

When Naluma snagged a table near the flapping back entrance, Luke thanked the Force and hoped some fresh air would waft their way.

A Nautolan wearing olive-drab trousers and a grimy tan apron approached their table. Burk, the proprietor of the base bar, checked them over with his black bulbous eyes. His rubbery skin with green-gold scales glistened in the sunlight. Even the protracted tentacles draping from his head and spilling down his shoulder shimmered as if wet. It was certainly humid enough.

"Welcome to Burk's." The alien pulled a tentacle over his chest, which twitched and jiggled. He held his arms out in a welcome. "You both look like you could use a drink. Ale or whiskey?"

"Water, please." Luke shuddered at the thought of what he did to Wedge the last time he drank.

Naluma yelled back at the owner, "Make mine a water, too, Burk."

Luke grimaced. Man, she's loud. Definitely not a princess. Need to add etiquette and protocol to her lessons. Wonder if Leia would loan me Threepio for a few weeks.

Burk grimaced. "I'm charging you for the glasses."

❷ Luke handed some credits to the host, clinking them into his enormous hand. "Make it your freshest water in clean glasses, Burk."

The proprietor smiled at the generous payment.

As the Nautolan returned to the bar, Luke asked, "Now where were we?"

"You were going to tell me how you as a commander could pull rank on a general and have me transferred to your unit to become a Pad—an apprentice, or whatever you call it." Naluma scrunched her brows together, wrinkling her forehead.

"You weren't transferred. You were discharged."

"Discharged?"

"The Jedi Order is not an official part of the military, even if I am." Luke scrutinized his new Padawan during the intervening silence.

She stared at a distant table for a moment before returning her attention to him. "So what does being your Pada—apprentice entail?" She crossed her arms again, her eyes as unyielding as amaralite. "I've been an apprentice before, and I didn't enjoy it."

When Burk brought their glasses of water, Luke took his and leaned back on the camp chair. He eyed the bartender until he left. "Well, your military record shows you have already completed much of the physical training. As a Padawan, you will develop your skills to a greater extent than even you can imagine." He grinned at her. "And, you'll be using your skills to protect the weak, to make a difference in the galaxy."

She rubbed her forehead and squinted.

"See that glass on the empty table over there? You have figured out how to grab it in the heat of battle, but you don't have the control to grab it when you are calm yet." He wiggled his fingers toward the opposite corner, causing a crate to crash to the floor to distract the other patrons. Then he drew the glass toward their table with the Force.

She tried to grab it, but it floated straight to Luke.

"The Force is around us and is ready to use when we are at peace and calm. It is our ally in bringing peace to the galaxy."

Crossing her arms and leaning back in her seat, Naluma glowered at him. "Ha! You'll never bring peace to the galaxy. It's a lofty goal, but I'll believe it when I see it."

She flicked her hand toward the rest of the patrons. "Life-forms are all selfish—it's part of our survival instinct. We will do whatever we can to get whatever we want—including kill."

"You're wrong." He paused for a moment. "You're a natural. You have courage and strength and a strong mind. Without these, you will never succeed. But you also need the Force."

Naluma dropped her hands to the table and drummed a fork on the rigid surface. They sat there for a long minute, maybe two, neither speaking, just the drumming of the fork to the rhythm of the song streaming from the jukebox.

She finally dropped the fork and sneered at him, her face hardening. "So that's it? You waltz in, get me fired from the job I love, and make me your indentured servant? I thought slavery ended with the Empire." She turned her head away and stared out the tent door.

Luke closed his eyes and breathed slowly as images assaulted his mind. After a tense silence, he spoke. "Your last mission?"

"What about it?" She didn't turn her head.

"You hesitated. You couldn't take your shot."

Her head snapped back as her jaw stiffened. She quickly glanced around before leaning in and whispering, "How do you know that? Was it in my file?"

Luke shook his head. "Why? Why couldn't you take the shot."

"None of your business." She crossed her arms and leaned back in the seat.

How can I get her to admit it to herself? I don't want to violate her thoughts, but she's got to realize this could have been way worse. "I did you a favor."

"Yeah, right."

"Do you know where you were shipping out tonight? Aline."

"So, just more Imps."

"No. The Alinans are withdrawing from the New Republic."

Naluma leaned forward. "What? Why are they sending us then?"

"You tell me." Luke didn't have to ask. The Force had shown him. Her unshielded memories assaulted him.

"I didn't sign up for that. None of us did. Imps? Yes. Slavers? Yes. Even the Black Hand or the Rising Sun or the Hutts, but not the civvies." She leaned on the table, almost standing, both palms flat on the surface. "They have a right to self-determination. If the Republic goes in shooting them up and forcing them to stay in the league, how is that any different from the Empire or the Hutts?" Her cheeks flushed and sweat beaded on her brow.

"That's why I had to get you out of there." He reached his fingers toward her hand, but she snatched her arm back like it had touched fire.

She crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair again. "All right, what if I do this? What's the cost?" She sneered. "There's always a cost."

"Well, just like in the military, you'll have to obey orders." He raised his eyebrows and shot her a grin. "But unlike the military, I will more often ask you to do things than order you to." He leaned forward and straightened his lips becoming deadly serious. "We will defend the weak, preserve justice, and maintain peace—and, I promise you that you'll never have to violate your morals to serve the Force."

She rubbed her forehead with one hand and blocked an ear with her other hand.

"Neutrality is our calling, and attachment is forbidden. Hey, you okay?"

"Not sure. So noisy in here, I'm getting a headache."

Luke scanned the tent. Guests occupied five tables, all holding muted conversations. "It's pretty quiet in here. Do you have hearing sensitivity?"

"No, in fact I have some tinnitus from explosives. Can't you hear those voices?" She pulled her lips back. "I can't believe what Burk just said about me."

"He didn't say anything."

"He just told me what he wanted to do with me. Not a great pickup line."

Luke peered at her. "When did this start?"

"When we walked in."

"Never happened before?"

She shook her head.

"Naluma, when you grabbed the lightsaber today, was that the first time you had ever done that?"

"I think so. Maybe one other time a few years ago ... but what does that have to do with this? "

"Everything. The Force is strong with you. After you used it today, seems like you unlocked more than levitation. You're not hearing conversations—you're hearing thoughts."

"Can you make it stop?" She tossed her head from side to side. "I don't want this."

"I can't take it away from you, but I can teach you how to control it."

She squinted her eyes. "Just make it stop."

Luke reached out and grabbed her hands from her head. A tingle passed through their fingertips. He almost pulled back. I can't deal with this now. Please, not now.

"Is this ..." Naluma motioned to his holding her hands. "Really necessary?"

Luke nodded, closing his eyes in response.

She smiled in relief.

"What did you do?"

"Placed a temporary shield on you. It'll hold as long as we are near each other. I need to teach you how to do this yourself, but it would be easier if we were sequestered."

He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "So, what do you say? Are you ready to fulfill your destiny to become a Jedi Knight, or will you turn your back on it and suffer from these side-effects the rest of your life?"

"When you put it like that, I don't have a choice, do I?"

"There is always a choice, and it is yours to make—not mine. You have been honorably discharged from the military. You could exile yourself, and this wouldn't bother you much."

"Still need to eat." She gnawed her lip. "Guess I could turn merc or hunter."

"And always be checking over your shoulder." Luke waited for what seemed an eternity for her response. "You must do what you think is best, of course."

She shook her head. "You're right. I couldn't do that. One step up from Imps."

Luke's lips slowly upturned as he gave a slight nod. "Well, then, you have a far greater talent that just needs training."

Naluma stared at her lap, contemplating her decision. "I guess I would be a fool to have a talent and not develop it." With hesitation, she extended her hand to him.

"I will be your Padawan, Master Skywalker."

As she clutched his hand and spoke those seven words, a jolt passed through them. Luke perceived the ethereal threads of the Force clicking into place and joining them together.

Did you know ...

● When I first wrote Naluma's part, she did not have a name. She appeared in only one chapter and was a poorly developed character. When I had to send Ben to the Academy, then I had to create an Academy and a Jedi Order. It all started with these two chapters. I originally based the character on Native Americans, but I changed her to Asian as her character developed. When choosing an actress to portray her, I found the one who I thought could pull off the part—Grace Park.

● I chose a female Padawan for two reasons: too many males in the series already, and a female foil would create a natural tension between the characters.

● I did not write this story sequentially. Luke's plot had two chapters—the Purge [in the next book] and Ben's arrival at the academy. The story was primarily about Han and Leia. Almost all of their scenes are original to the first draft. Luke's plot took over. JJ Abrams was right. Luke is an epic character who will naturally take over a movie or book.

Tell me what you think ...

● What does Naluma's aversion to holding Luke's hands for the shielding indicate?

● What can you guess about Naluma's past apprenticeship from her attitude?

● Why do you think Naluma is reluctant to follow Luke?

● What do you think Luke is thinking at the end of this scene?