Playlist:

❶ "Destiny of a Jedi"—The Rise of Skywalker OST

⊘ Silence

Naluma found Master Luke lounging on a jump seat in the central cabin as he analyzed the results of her diagnostics. He motioned for her to sit next to him.

He pointed out her scores as he tilted the datapad toward her. "Better than I thought." He smiled at her.

She glowed again with appreciation. Something in the center of her warmed. Lock it down, Naluma. You know this isn't allowed. She stared at her hands, attempting to will that sensation away. No matter her resolve, she could not stop glancing back at him out of the corner of her eye. A shy smile spread across her face.

Luke returned it, catching her eyes and blushing crimson red in return. He snapped his gaze to the datapad. "Hmm, I see we have some work to do in protocol and perhaps programming, and you know nothing about navigation?"

"Not air or space, but I can navigate on surfaces."

"You can take it tomorrow." He slid his fingers across the datapad. "As for flying, well, I'll teach you myself. What about coding?"

"Just rusty, I guess. A refresher course would help."

"Hungry?"

"Yeah." She rose and headed to the galley. "What do you want?"

"I can get my own food. You don't have to serve me."

She turned back and smiled. "Yes, I do. It's part of an apprenticeship."

He rolled his eyes before shutting down the datapad. While Naluma prepared a meal of poultry, grains, and greens in the galley, Luke leaned against the hatchway. "So, tell me about your last apprenticeship."

Her back tensed.

"It was in mechanics, wasn't it?"

"I thought the Jedi didn't read minds without permission." Naluma flailed the paring knife at him. "That information is not in my service record."

"Hey, it was a lucky guess. Your records indicate no training in electronics and mechanics, and yet you scored off the charts." Luke eyed the knife in her hand. "What I don't understand is why someone as gifted as you would not have used these talents in the military."

She glared at him. "That's on a need-to-know basis, and right now ... you don't need to know." The apprentice chopped the greens with fervor while biting her lip to restrain her tears.

Luke examined her for a few long moments. "So, how did you avoid any mention in your military record about it? Didn't they give you a diagnostic?"

"I failed it ... miserably." A lone, bitter tear streaked her face.

"And it just about killed you to lie like that, huh?"

"Yeah." Self-loathing stabbed her heart. She hid her eyes from him and jabbed at her meat with her fork. Wonder if he will even continue training me now. Maybe it's for the best. If he ever finds out what I really did ...

After a moment, she set the knife on the counter and turned to him. "Look, Master Skywalker, when I agreed to this training yesterday, I gave you my all. You will get nothing but my absolute best from me."

"Naluma, I can see above all else you are honorable. It is so refreshing, compared to the senators I've been dealing with the last few weeks." Luke gave a wry grin.

She relaxed, grinning back. How does he calm me so easily? It's like nothing ever ruffles him. She grabbed their plates and tilted her head. "Dine alfresco tonight?"

❶ With a nod, Luke led the way, lowering the ramp. They sat next to each other at the base of the ramp as the temperature dropped and the stars appeared in the velvety sky.

"What's your story? Besides being the last Jedi and all. Where you from? Got any family?" She stabbed her meat and swirled it around the sauce on her plate.

He swallowed his bite and stared at his plate. "Tatooine. No one left there, but I have a sister on Hosnian." His body contorted for a moment.

She laid her hand on his arm. "Hey. I didn't mean to stir up bad memories."

He sighed. "It's okay. Still dealing with it. Haven't really had time to mourn." He stared at the stars in the dusk. "I couldn't save him."

"Who?"

"My father." He shook his head and plowed into his meal. "So, tell me about Felucia—the time before your apprenticeship."

"Not much to tell. Only girl in a family of nine kids. My mom died in childbirth with number nine. I couldn't wait to leave," Naluma said without emotion. She twisted her fork absentmindedly.

"Why? You don't seem like one to shirk responsibility."

"I didn't mind that. I love my brothers. It's just ..." She stared at the remains of her meal on her plate.

"Just what?"

"After Mom died, Dad started drinking. Couldn't think clearly. The alcohol made him ... violent," she said in a monotone, trying to convey as little as possible. Please don't ask any more.

"So, why didn't you stay to protect the younger kids?"

"Don't accuse me. You have no idea what it was like." She fought back the tears that were welling up, but one slipped down her cheek.

He placed his hand on her arm. "I'm trying to understand, Naluma. Please tell me. Otherwise, your past will come back to haunt you. It will be a weakness to draw you to the dark side."

She bit her lip and took a deep breath, staring off into the darkness of the woods that bordered the meadow.

With a lifeless voice, she said, "I had to leave. Cheap synswill made my dad into a monster, and that's all I can tell you." She wept in staggered sobs as the emotion flowed out, her gaze never leaving the darkness.

Luke wrapped his arms around her and drew her to his chest.

Naluma shuddered. The touch ignited a charge through her—warmth ... compassion ... safety. She relaxed her strained torso, luxuriating in the foreign feeling.

"Go ahead, let it all out."

"I shouldn't be crying in front of you, master, and I'm making your uniform a horrible mess."

He pulled her closer to him, holding her as her as her body shook with sobs.

You're safe in his arms. He's not going to try anything with you. You're safe. Her whimpers turned to silent tears before finally dying out.

"Better?"

"Yeah. I didn't realize how much I needed to cry. In the military, crying is a sign of weakness."

"For the Jedi, crying is a sign of compassion."

She wiped the eyes on the sleeves of her jacket.

Without warning, the Jedi hyperventilated, heaving and shaking.

Naluma jumped, startled by the change in him. She watched as he started his meditation ritual.

Luke tensed his muscles and slackened his breathing. "What did you do after you left?"

So, we're going to pretend that didn't happen, huh? Hope you're getting treatment for your PTSD. Naluma kept her shields down and hoped he would pick up the thoughts she dared not utter. She caught Master Skywalker's glare. He heard me.

"I lived on the streets for a month. It wasn't easy, but it taught me how to scrap. One day, a posh man approached me in the city square. Since he differed from the usual street trash I ran into, I listened to him. He offered me a mechanics apprenticeship. Promised me he would get me off the streets, have regular meals."

She gulped a few breaths and then started to hyperventilate. With considerable effort, she slowed her breathing. Maybe I'm the one that needs the treatment. It's been over a year now, and I'm still a mess when I think about it. Will I ever be normal again?

"I was there for a couple of years, completing the apprenticeship with about five others. I learned a great deal, but it was glorified slavery. No pay. Substandard living conditions. Subsistence rations. Long hours. And at the end ... abuse. After my master cornered me one night ... I escaped." She shuddered at the memory.

"At that moment, I knew I had to take control of my own destiny. So I joined the Rebellion."

Luke pushed the greens around on his plate. "None of this appears in your military record."

"Would you put that on your recruiting app? Come on, I wasn't sure my history wouldn't mark me as a target." But it did anyway.

"Naluma's not your real name, is it?"

"It is now. The girl I used to be no longer exists." She crossed her arms and glared at him.

Luke sighed as he set his plate on the ramp. "The girl you used to be has made you the woman you are now. I know it will be difficult, but you must come to terms with your past if you are ever going to succeed in your future. And, I know you won't like this, but you must forgive those who have hurt you in the past—your former master, your father, anyone, and everyone."

"How can I do that?" More tears flowed down her face.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You will find the strength within you. The Force will guide you. Revenge is hollow."

He took a breath. "Naluma, I've had to forgive my own ghosts. I will lead you." He grabbed her hands and stared into her eyes.

Naluma could tell he was fighting against something. If he were any other man, he would have caressed her, even embraced her, but not him. A part of her desired his comfort, yet the other part was glad he restrained himself.

The connection broke once more as Luke dropped her hands. He took her plate from her and started up the ramp toward the galley.

⊘ "I'll clean," she said.

"No, you cooked. I'll clean," he said. "Oh, wow, it's almost 1900. We've got an appointment in the combat sim. Suit up and grab a weapon."

Did you know ...

● I've hinted a lot about Naluma's past life without going into specifics. It wasn't pleasant, and she has no desire to ever return to Felucia. Also, if you look up current issues in the US military for female soldiers, you'll have an idea of what she experienced there.

● Luke never discovers Naluma's birth name.

Tell me what you think ...

● How do you think Naluma's past history of abuse will affect her becoming a Jedi?

● Do you think Luke was right in telling Naluma she has to come to terms with her earlier life and forgive those who had wronged her to go on with the rest of her life?