Playlist:

❶ "Yoda and the Force"—The Empire Strikes Back OST

⊘ Silence

❷ "Peace and Purpose"—The Last Jedi OST

❸ "The Droids Are Captured"—Return of the Jedi Extended ST

Luke led Naluma up the sloping cliff to the grassy plateau two clicks away from the military base. A stone under her foot dislodged, and she tripped.

"Whoa! I've got you." He grabbed her with the Force before she hit the ground.

Let go. Please, let go. An irrational panic coursed through her body. She shook off the discomfort and trudged through the high fronds. "Why didn't you park on base?" I have to get out of here. Find a safe spot. Her mind raced as it flew into alert mode.

"I value my privacy."

Naluma shuddered. I'm not going in there. I'm not what he thinks I am, no matter what Madine told him. She scanned the area and search for a place to run. The trees are too far. Can I make it back to base before he catches me?

When they reached the shuttle, Luke extended his hand toward the shuttle. "Please, go aboard." He reached his hand up into the air, activating the ramp with the Force.

I mean you no harm.

The words that echoed in her mind were not her own. They weren't only words, though, but emotion ... truth ... commitment.

You can't lie mind-to-mind, Naluma.

Get out of my head.

When he cut off his thoughts, she took a deep breath and stepped onto the lowering ramp. With a wry smile, she attempted small-talk. "Nice shuttle. Where'd you steal it?"

"The Death Star."

"You stole an Imperial shuttle from the Death Star? Details, please." A mischievous grin and raised eyebrows transformed her face.

"Not today. Maybe not ever," he murmured, his eyes clouding with emotion.

"Why? Because you actually stole something?" she asked with a raised brow.

"No, because it's on a need-to-know basis, and right now you don't need to know." He forced a smile and gestured to the main cabin. "Welcome to my home, until the Jedi Order has something more permanent."

The cabin boasted two rows of jump seats on either side for a squad of twelve. Bench seating for another twelve perched above them.

"Behind you is the cockpit. We have command seats for six—pilots, gunners, navigator, and comm."

"What's that?" Naluma pointed to a small closet behind the jump seats.

"The head." Luke moved her hand away from the door control. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you."

"But where—"

He chuckled. "Relax. Full refresher back here." He strutted to the rear of the shuttle and motioned to a chamber in the aft starboard corner.

She sighed at the sight of a tiled shower, new commode, and spacious sink.

"We'll work out a shower schedule."

She had already moved past him to check out the galley. The cooling unit appeared large enough for an entire squad. Plenty of counter space and cabinets, a nanocooker, and a large sink completed the facilities.

"Where do you sleep?"

Luke pointed to a sealed hatch beside the cooling unit. "There."

Her breathing increased before she could ask the next question.

He interrupted her panic. "And that cabin's yours—"

Naluma turned to the door between the two refreshers. She waved her hand over the panel and stepped inside the long room. Two double-bunks to her left stood parallel to each other. A third sat at the other end of the room perpendicular to them. Two small desks by the door and a row of gear lockers across from them completed the furnishings.

A room to myself. Never had that before. A tremor took her as the smell of her old barracks assaulted her memory. She willed down the panic and focused on the hatch controls from inside the barracks. "Does this thing lock?"

"Don't think so."

Her eyes widened. First time I get the chance, I'm putting a lock on it.

"Relax. I promise not to enter uninvited."

Again, she marveled at the truth that transferred in those thoughts. Stay out of my mind.

"Naluma, I spoke those words."

Why did I feel it then?

"Yes, Master Skywalker." She wandered out of her cabin and headed toward the cockpit. The nose tipped downward at a thirty-degree angle, making it difficult to walk. She sat in the comm specialist's seat.

"Do you fly?"

"Nope. Sniper scouts don't get flight training."

"Well, we'll remedy that."

"What do you do for kicks around here?" Hope he's not the type to bed every creature on base.

Luke snorted.

Oh, no, he heard me.

"When I'm not studying, I watch some vids. 2-D in the cabin, 3-D on my Artoo unit."

Naluma peered around the area. "Where is he?"

"Outside working on the hydraulics." Luke raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Fifteen minutes to stow your gear, then meet me in the main cabin."

Naluma's stood. "Yes, Master."

When she joined him, she was shocked to find him sitting on the floor cross-legged in the center aisle.

"Take a seat, apprentice."

Naluma sat in one fluid movement on the deck. This feels like home, like Felucia. All that's missing is Gran's handwoven rug.

When the shuttle ramp closed with a clang, her mind raced, her heart raced, her breathing raced. Calm down. He's not them. He's nowhere close to you. You can trust—

❶ His calm voice smoothed her fears. "First, we're going to teach you how to shield passive thoughts. I need you to start by relaxing. Become at peace."

She took in a deep breath and released it, but her mind raced with thoughts of being blindfolded, tied down, beaten—ravaged. The memories assaulted her until—

His sonorous voice wrapped in the Force penetrated her daymare. "You must control your fear if you're going to be able to do this, Naluma. Try again."

Anxiety overwhelmed her, causing her to project visuals at him.

He glared at her. "Stop. I'm not that guy, Naluma, or that one. Stop. Focus. Wipe this from your mind right now, Padawan. I want to help you, but I can't if you won't let go of your hate and fear."

"I'm sorry. I can't do this." She rose.

"Please, sit down," he soothed. "Let's try something else. I'm going to lower the shield on you."

Naluma tensed as he lowered them. "Okay, I'm ready." She sighed. "It's so quiet in here," she said, her eyes wide in wonder as she scanned the cabin. "I'm right next to you. Why can't I hear you?"

"Because I'm shielding my own thoughts. But, I need you to trust me, so I'm going to lower my shields and let you into my mind."

She clenched her jaw as she assimilated her Master's thoughts. Why doesn't she understand I only want to protect her from herself? If she doesn't control this power, it will control her. Oh, am I messing this all up again? Is Naluma not the one Obi-Wan said to look for? What about Leia? I wonder how she's doing with the pregnancy. Could I train her after the baby arrives?

She sat back, relaxed for once. "Thank you. Please shield again, Master Skywalker." She blushed a warm pink. "I'm sorry I mistook your intentions." Naluma inhaled sharply. "Okay. I'm ready."

"You need to let go of your hate. Please." He extended his hand to her. "Forgive those who have wronged you. It is only making you bitter and full of hatred and anger ... Forgive."

She closed her eyes and thought through all the wrongs that were still so raw in her life—her father, her former master, even some comrades in her barracks. She put them out of her mind.

"Nothing can hurt you here except yourself." A few silent minutes passed between them. "Try closing your eyes this time and concentrating on your breathing. Deep breaths. Inhale through the nose, exhale slowly through the mouth. When you are completely at peace, open your eyes."

When she opened her eyes, she smiled again and giggled.

"Do you feel the Force between you and me?"

"Yes. It feels—"

"You don't need to tell me how it feels." Luke smiled. "Can you see it between us?"

A wide grin spread across her face. "I do. It-it's beautiful."

"Pull on that energy between us. Build a shield with your mind, and power it with the Force. Step-by-step, build it up. Imagine it, and set it in place around your mind."

She struggled but finally got the knack of setting it up.

"All right, I'm going to lower my shield entirely this time. If you did this right, nothing will intrude on you."

⊘ She fell onto the deck when he lowered his shield. As soon as his shield was back in position, she asked, "What happened? I thought I had built a shield."

The Jedi Master smiled in approval. "You did, and a good one, but you powered it on your own strength and not the Force. Try it again, and this time use the Force."

It took three more tries before her master's random surface thoughts would not strike her down.

"Good. You're getting the hang of it now."

"Yeah, but I'm not sure I could hold out against a roomful of people."

"You don't have to ... yet. But, unfortunately, I do. I'm sorry to cut this short, Naluma, but I have a dinner with the High Command tonight. I want you to practice your shielding while I'm gone."

He grimaced. "Also, help yourself to any food. I won't be back until late—these things last forever."

"Copy that."

"Hey, can you bring Artoo inside and plug him in?" Luke asked as he rose.

"Yes, Master Skywalker."

When the Jedi Master had exited the refresher in a set of dress blacks, Naluma gasped. His compact muscular form rippled under the brushed silk with blue and green embroidery flowing in patterns of energy down his tabard.

Naluma's mouth hung open as her eyes roamed his short, dark-blond hair. He sure cleans up well, she thought before she remembered to shield.

Luke caught her reflection and smiled smugly as he glanced in the mirror one last time. "Secure the shuttle. "

"Yes, master." Better secure my thoughts, too. As he exited, she breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. At least he's gone now. She took a deep breath. Where's that Artoo unit?

❷ Naluma practiced the shielding exercises after Master Luke left. After about an hour, the headache hit her with a vengeance. Good thing Master Skywalker isn't here to see this.

With her eyes clenched shut against the light of the cabin, she crawled to the galley. She reached for the packet of powder and forced it down dry with some cold water. After leaning against the galley unit for a few minutes, the stabbing receded.

When she could finally move, she slowly stood to her feet and rummaged in the cooling unit for food. She grabbed a piece of fruit and a ready-pack meal. While she waited for the frozen dinner to heat in the nanocooker, she examined the area.

Master Skywalker had left open the hatch to his quarters that abutted onto the galley. Pricks of discomfort beset her for invading his private space, but she could not resist peeking through the open portal.

His chamber consisted of a single bunk against the forward hull. A bank of gear lockers lined the starboard wall across from a meditation area. The curtain of beads rustled, revealing a large round ottoman and a few candles. A desk separated the meditation area from the bed. Above his pillow, ancient tomes, a geode, and two ornate cubes sprawled on some shelves, contrasting with the glowing control panel on the adjacent wall.

The alarm on the nanocooker summoned her to her dinner. Naluma ate in the main cabin and contemplated the day's events.

While she chewed on a tough piece of meat, she thought, Whatever made me grab his lightsaber like that? I would still be in my squad right now enjoying some R&R—no, I'd be on my way to Aline to kill innocent civilians—instead of trapped here on a shuttle with some mysterious Jedi Master.

She stirred the meat in the sauce, pushing some legumes on top of it before taking another bite. Her eyes roamed the shuttle while she sniffed in the mixed aromas of shuttle fuel, the frozen dinner, and her own sweat. After shoving the last bite into her mouth, she dropped the spoon onto the tray.

Well, you're here now, Naluma. You can either gripe and complain and dig your heels in, making yourself miserable in the long run, or give it your best effort. Come on, he hasn't asked you to do anything worse than the military has in the past. And at least you can depend on him, she thought to herself.

That's it—I can trust him. She had been unable to rely on anyone but herself since her mother had died. It was foreign to trust something other than her own abilities, but maybe that was what this was all about.

After dinner, she cleaned the galley, showered, stretched her stiff muscles, and climbed into her rack. Concerned that the hatch did not lock from her side, she took out her dagger and put it under her pillow unsheathed.

❸ Around midnight, Naluma woke to the sound of the ramp descending. She grabbed her knife and stood in ready position behind her hatch.

Luke projected, It's me. Go back to bed. And you won't need that knife anymore. He grabbed the blade with the Force and slid it across the deck.

With hands on her hips, she confronted him in the main cabin. "Hey, how were you able to put that thought in my head? I was shielding!"

Luke crossed his arms and spread his legs. "You have learned how to shield against passive thoughts, but not against someone forcibly affecting you. That will be our lesson tomorrow. Good night." He passed through the galley to his quarters and closed the hatch.

Naluma returned to her bunk fuming mad. By the time she had reached the bed, she laughed as she realized this training was not going to be boring. This guy is full of surprises.

Did you know ...

● Mindspeech is used occasionally in the original trilogy:

  ► when Luke calls for Leia at the end of The Empire Strikes Back
  ► when Vader reaches out in the Force to call to Luke at the end of The Empire Strikes Back
  ► when Vader realizes Luke has a twin sister at the end of Return of the Jedi
  ► when Kylo Ren breaks through Rey's and Poe's minds in The Force Awakens

● Shipboard terms:  

   ► Aft = the rear
   ► Forward = the front
   ► Port = left as you face the front
   ► Starboard = right as you face the front
   ►Overhead = ceiling
   ► Deck = floor
   ► Refresher/head = bathroom
   ► Galley = kitchen

Tell me what you think ...

● What do you think is in Naluma's past that causes her so much fear and bitterness toward certain individuals and distrust of all strange men?

● What qualities in Naluma's personality did you find in the text that showed she is former military?

● What do you think Luke is feeling as he deals with Naluma's fears?