Playlist:

❶ "Murron's Burial"—Braveheart OST

❷ "The Return to the City"—Empire of the Sun OST

❸ "Jessica's Theme"—The Man From Snowy River OST

❹ "The Falcon"—The Force Awakens OST

⊘ Silence

"Laundry?"

Naluma poked her head out the hatch of her cabin to see Luke with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "Laundry? You ignored me for the last twelve hours, and all you can say—"

"I had nothing to say."

She eyed him from head to toe. "Liar." she laid her hands on her hips. "You may deny whatever the Force is doing between us—"

❶ "I'm sorry." He bit his lip and lowered his eyes. "Didn't want to say the wrong thing."

She leaned forward, steeling his gaze. "I'm a big girl, master. You can tell me anything."

He raised his head and looked her in the eyes. "Padawan, whatever you're feeling, it's too late for me. My vows forbid attachments."

She snatched his hand. The bond burned wide open, the Force flowing between them like a roaring flame. "You feel this? How can you ignore it?"

"It's the Master/Padawan bond. Happens to every Jedi during training."

"You're telling me your bond with Master Yoda felt like this?"

"No. But you and I spend so much more time together ..."

She huffed.

"Look." He cocked his head. "You haven't taken your vows yet. Meditate about it. See if this is a life you can lead. And, in the meantime, go out. Wedge is a good guy. Let your hair down. Go have your thrills."

Naluma's cheeks burned, the dark side beckoning. "You think that's what I want? You think I just throw myself at any man that crosses my path?"

"No. Stop putting words in my mouth." His face flushed. He stepped closer and softened his tone. "What do you want?"

She breathed heavily for a long moment before whispering. "You. Us."

He shook his head. "I can't give you that."

He grabbed the kit bags stuffed with dirty uniforms and pounded down the entry ramp. "Figure this out, Naluma. I've got Sindain this afternoon, and then I'll swing by the quartermaster." He bit his lip to keep the tears that glistened in his eyes from falling. "If you can't bear this burden, catch a transport to Hosnian. I'll transfer enough credits for you to restart your life."

"Master?" Her heart churned, an intense pressure building inside.

"Goodbye, Naluma." He headed down the ramp without looking back. 

❷ The altercation with Naluma swam through Luke's head as he entered the Med Center. The psychiatric wing was sequestered away from the trauma patients. The military police who stood duty nodded their heads at him, passing him through the dim portal. Their bloodshot eyes struggled to stay open. Luke recognized the big one from the night before. He shuddered at the thought of what he almost did to the man.

It only took a few seconds to find his way to Dr. Sindain's sparse office.

"Welcome, Master Skywalker." The red-eyed, blue-skinned Chiss motioned to a chair.

"During your last appointment I told you I wanted to experiment with a specific treatment to see if we can generate your seizures. If we can duplicate the effect, we may be able to determine the source of your affliction."

The psychiatrist spat on every "S," saliva spraying everywhere.

Luke barely understood what the man was saying. If we can't figure this out ... No, whatever it takes. I can't function anymore. And without Nal—

"As I was saying, this experiment will not be without considerable risk." The man stood and paced behind his desk, clasping his fingers together and resting them on his chin.

"I only have the medical records from a few rotations back." He flicked through datapad on his desk. "Convulsions, nightmares, hallucinations. Primary source, some sort of lightning."

"Doctor, I'll try anything. I need to get my life back."

"Very well. If you are certain, sign here." The psychologist handed him the datapad. "I will not be held accountable."

A cold wave passed over Luke as he leaned over and scrawled his finger over the touchscreen.

"Follow me."

As they meandered down the corridors to the treatment room, patients screamed in the adjacent chambers. The cold bit at his inner core.

Shivering, he followed the doctor into a room with a plastic gurney and a large device with electrodes feeding out of it. Two medical droids waited near the apparatus.

"Please lie down on the table, Master Skywalker."

The droids secured him to the bed with thick straps across his chest. It ripped open Luke's tunic and tore his undershirt to attach half a dozen electrodes over his chest and head.

The cardiac monitor quickened its beeping. His breathing increased, and panic rose in his gullet. "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me." But this time, the mantra brought no peace.

"Quiet, Master Skywalker." Dr. Sindain ensconced himself inside a small booth in the corner of the room while the medical droids attached the electrodes to his head.

"Now, we'll start with a very low charge. Just a slight tingle."

Not bad. Feels weird, but I can deal with it. Luke took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"You're doing just fine, Master Skywalker. We'll increase it just a tiny bit each time until we trigger—"

"What if it doesn't trigger?"

"It will. I'm certain." The doctor observed as the next shock passed through Luke.

The Jedi gasped as the tingling changed to a sharp pain.

The next jolt caused him to shudder, and the one after that to jerk.

"We're generating brain activity. Just hold on a little longer."

The Emperor's hideous wrinkled and scarred face stared at him, only his hood obscuring the darkest shadows.

Charge after charge snaked around him. He tried to push it back, but he couldn't keep up.

"Father! Please! Help me!"

He spasmed again, fighting against the restraints. With one sharp pull, the straps tore. He tumbled to the floor and cracked his head on the wheel assembly of the gurney.

"Father! Father!"

When a medical droid tried to restrain him, he tossed it against the wall.

He contorted again, rolling on the floor. "Father!"

As he scrunched his body into a ball, he let out an excruciating wail. "L-u-u-u-m-a-a!"

❸ Naluma set her pilex driver down and removed the plate covering the hull to the right wing of the shuttle. Her thoughts churned about Master Skywalker's final words. How can I leave now? I've got nowhere to go. Definitely not going back to the military.

"Vrrr-dit-dweet?"

She lifted a scorched set of wires. "Coupler's burned out, Artoo. That might be what was straining. Better put it on the service order." She wiped her hands on the back of her trousers, streaking them with grease.

The astromech droid beeped a response.

Guess I could take my mechanics journeyman quals. I'd have to bone up on everything, though. She grunted. Need to find something in between, keep me fed.

Releasing a stream of dings, Artoo banged an arm on the frame of the wing.

She hopped down from the top of the wing and shook her head. "Just got a strange feeling."

"Blooeep EERWee?"

"That's okay, Artoo. See what you can do with it. I need to check something out."

Inside the shuttle, all was dark except for a light glowing from her cabin. I thought we cut off all power before starting the repairs.

An urgency dragged her inside. A bluish glow radiated from the book Luke had given her the day before. The thin book with a distressed leather cover pulsed with the eerie light.

Half expecting to be shocked, she ran her fingers over the cover. Something clicked in her soul. Some pages were dark, but on others the letters glowed with the mysterious blue light.

Turning the page to the first flaming section, she settled on her meditation stool. She had never used the large leather ottoman for meditation before, preferring to be outside among nature, but now, it felt right.

She expected to find a treatise on Jedi Healing within the gleaming words. Rather, she found herself drifting into meditation as the words echoed in her soul.

The Jedi forbid romantic attachment ...

Tell me something I didn't already know please. She skimmed the words until her eyes focused on another paragraph.

We Jedi firmly believe

that Force-strong beings have a right

to receive the best training available,

and our way requires shunning

emotional commitment,

especially toward one's birth family.

No problem there. But what about the Jedi Order? Aren't we required to be loyal, to serve our fellow brothers, sacrifice ourselves for them? Isn't that the purest form of love?

A red handwritten scrawl appeared in the margins drew her attention.

Correct!

There is much potential for the dark side

in the forgotten.

She couldn't make out the signature, but the chill of the dark side penetrated her bones as she read.

To the side of that doodle, another annotation became clearer, this in her own Master's precise lettering.

I will not do this.

Membership in my Order

is strictly voluntary.—Luke

Voluntary. Well, I find obeying what the Force desires is a compulsion. Nothing voluntary about it.

Tiny bells tinkled in the room, bells that did not exist on the shuttle.

So, what do you want? What is this really all about? She closed the book and closed her eyes, concentrating not on the light in the book but the light within herself. Show me.

Long minutes passed in this state. Stars scrolled across her vision. Images of people she had never met but looked oddly familiar to her, people she should know.

Patience.

That was the first word. Always patience. I should have figured.

An hour passed before a new vision swirled. A petite woman dressed in white arguing with a taller man with dark hair. She could only watch, not hear, but one thing was clear—fear, hubris, and anger interfered with their love. It's wrapped in them, but with each hateful word the light grows dimmer. Why can't they just compromise? Who are these people? Why do I—

❹ "L-u-u-u-m-a-a!"

The piercing wail snatched her from the vision. Her name echoed through her very being, stirring the light within her, binding her and the source with that same light. "Luke! Oh no!"

She bolted out of the shuttle and sprinted down the trail to the base.

Two clicks.

Pain stabbed her heart as each second ticked. Master, breathe. Just breathe. This isn't real.

Agony attacked her again until she shielded the channel between them. His words returned to her from their last saber training. The Force is your ally. Let it speed you, strengthen you.

Pulling in the energy field, she allowed it to consume her. Come on! He doesn't have ten minutes. What use are you, if you can't help me now? Her strides lengthened. Her pace quickened. 

Within four minutes she was sprinting down the terrazzo corridors of the med center's psych ward. She didn't need the Force to find him. His screams would haunt her dreams for rotations to come.

The hatch to the room remained sealed as Luke struggled in the nightmare. Two med droids lay scattered in pieces on the floor, and a blue Chiss lay unconscious beside him.

A pair of military police pounded through the corridors toward her.

"Freeze!"

She spared a glance at the familiar voice. D'Marchetto and Zepol. How'd you get so lucky to pull MP duty today? Madine must have reamed your butts after the show last night.

"Step away, Fau." Zepol approached the Jedi Padawan. "We'll handle this." The compact woman skirted Naluma until she stood to the left of her by the chamber's entrance.

Luke's horrifying screams plunged through the sealed door.

"No, I've got to save him. He's trapped. Trapped in—"

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, trapping her own arms, lifting her feet from the ground. 

Zepol aimed her blaster at Naluma. "Fau, just calm down. We've got an injured doctor in there and a dangerous patient."

Jerking and grunting, Naluma struggled in D'Marchetto's tight grip. He moved his arms, clutching her chest. She lifted her legs and kicked Zepol's blaster out of her hands. With a blast of the Force, she elbowed her captor and broke free. Throwing her hands to either side, she pushed the MPs to the floor.

Naluma thrust out her hand and called the man's blaster. She took a step back and fired at the door panel, laser bolt striking the controls. Fingers on autopilot, she took a set of wires and crossed them. Sparks flew, and the door swooshed open before the guards shook off their daze from the Force-push.

Tossing the gun to the deck, she hurried to Luke's side, pushing the Chiss out of the way. Luke hit her in the cheek and side as he thrashed and kicked, trapped in his vision.

⊘ The Padawan placed her hand on his head and concentrated on the bond between them, the light within them both, the light that connected them with a flashing arc.

With one last tremor, his body bucked before he opened his eyes. "Naluma. You came?"

"You called." Her eyes watered as she brushed her master's hair out of his eyes.

Zepol kneeled beside Sindain. "Doc's out cold. Take the Jedi into custody."

Naluma stood between them both with her hands on her hips. "Try it."

"Fau, get out of the way," the man said.

"Well, I'm not leaving him, D'Marchetto." She pointed at him. "And if you think I'm letting your crack doctors touch him ever again—"

Corporal Zepol looked up. "Call for a medic. We can't arrest without any charges."

"Assault and battery."

"You really want to play that card, D'Marchetto?" Naluma glared at him. "I've got a few charges I could levy against you."

"Just go call for a medic." Zepol rolled her eyes at her partner.

Naluma smiled at the woman that had accompanied him to the concert the night before. "Thank you."

"I'll take care of Sindain. Does Master Skywalker need any medical attention?"

Shaking her head, Naluma said, "Nothing I can't handle." She lifted Luke up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Luke moaned, "Where are we going?"

"Home." She bit her lip to hold back the tears.

Another man appeared in front of her, one from her first vision earlier today—the one with long brown hair and piercing blue eyes. "Patience, Padawan. Live in the light. Love in the light. The light is love."

Did you know ...

● The book Luke gave her is The Jedi Path, an EU Legends reference book.

Tell me what you think ...

● Who were the two couples that appeared in the vision?

● Who do you think wrote the scrawl in the red ink in the margins?