Playlist:

❶ "Rebellions Are Built on Hope"—Rogue One OST

❷ "Susan Speaks"—The Patriot OST

❸ "Holmes and Elizabeth"—Young Sherlock Holmes OST

⊘ Silence

❶ As they entered sub-light space at Koda Station, Luke traded his position with Tandolleau. Two hours earlier, right after lift-off, Kalder had applied a tourniquet on Naluma's leg.

Luke hoped the doctors could save her leg. While his cybernetic hand gave him few problems, his stump still transmitted phantom twinges on occasion. He did not want Naluma to deal with that the rest of her life ... if she lived. Get it together, Skywalker. Don't lose hope.

Once in the pilot's seat, he grabbed a headset. After taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he transmitted, "Koda Station, this is Shuttle Elenium requesting emergency landing with a Code Red Medical Emergency aboard."

"Shuttle Elenium, the landing pattern has been cleared for you. Docking Bay Three."

Luke brought the shuttle in as fast as he dared, landing with a smoothness only another Jedi could duplicate.

A medteam came aboard with a hover stretcher. They pushed everyone out of the way and hooked up two IVs—one of saline and another of blood. Naluma's military wrist tattoo indicated her blood type. They slipped on anti-shock compression trousers and inflated them. The gash above her eye had stopped bleeding soon after take-off, but a thick stack of gauze still covered it. They transferred her to the hover stretcher in one quick movement.

"Kalder, you're in charge. Clean up this mess and stay on the ship. No one leaves, understand?" Luke's eyes squinted as tears threatened to spill.

They all replied in unison, "Yes, Master Skywalker."

Luke pursued the med team, catching up to them before they moved Naluma into the emergency room.

A meddroid intercepted him. "Visitors must wait out here, sir," it said in its mechanical voice.

❷ As a half dozen doctors attended to he, Luke waited, forcing himself to be at peace. Holding his head in his hands, he murmured to himself, "I can't do this on my own."

When Naluma's own fear spiked through the Force-bond, he derided himself for letting his panic affect her. He slowed his breathing. After a few minutes of relaxation, he sent every bit of strength to her through the bond.

'Luma, I don't know if you can hear me, but ... don't leave me. Please ... I love you—more than a Jedi is ever supposed to love. I'll change the rules—whatever—but please don't leave me.

A wispy thought came back to him, Luke, coupled with her love for him. That was all he needed.

A few hours later the doctors departed from the operating theater, while two orderlies whisked Naluma's gurney to a recovery room.

A female med tech with red blood splattered on her blue scrubs approached Luke. "Master Skywalker?"

"How is she?" he asked with trepidation as his voice warbled.

The med tech led Luke to the recovery room as she spoke, "She'll recover, Master Skywalker. She's resting right now, but she's been asking for you. You may go in for a few minutes."

❸ Luke rushed into the room, finding gauze covering the stitches over her eye and her leg hanging in traction, metal pins holding it together.

When Naluma saw him, her smile shot electric bolts straight through him. 

He held her head with gentleness, caressing her face. "I thought I'd lost you."

Holding her face and gazing into her eyes, he hesitated before pressing his lips to hers. Her lips parted, accepting him, his love, his being. But the need for oxygen pulled them apart too soon.

She reached up her arm to touch his face, lifting the IV tubing with it and tracing the outline of his jaw.

He lowered her hand, massaging it as he kissed her again. He stroked her hair and whispered, "Oh, why did I wait—"

"Master Skywalker, the patient needs her rest," the med tech said from the doorway.

Luke turned back to Naluma. "Rest up." He kissed her on the forehead, avoiding her injury. "I love you, 'Luma."

Naluma murmured with a cracking voice, "Me, too."

⊘ As Luke and the med tech left the room, the med tech said, "The doctors set her leg today. Bacta treatments will begin in three days and last for a week. You're lucky you got her here when you did. If she'd lost much more blood, you'd be planning a funeral."

"Just take care of her," he said as his voice cracked and he sniffed back a tear.

"That's what we do here. And, how will you be paying for our services?"

"Bill it to the Republic Senate." Luke's tone was laced with a feigned nonchalance.

The med tech laughed. "Koda Station is not part of the New Republic, Master Skywalker. Besides, they are notoriously slow payers. We prefer hard credits. Here is the estimated bill for our services, but it may change if there are complications. Also, there is a daily fee to stay docked on station."

Luke calculated the bill and his money in savings. He might have enough with his stipend. He also had not touched his reward from Yavin six years ago. He could push the receipts through for reimbursement when they returned to Zaxyn. Even if it takes every credit I have, I won't let them cut her leg off.

While he was still in range, Luke sent a thought tendril to Naluma. Love you, 'Luma. Heal quickly.

Love ... you ... more.

Did you know ...

● Stories, plays, and movies are scripted about the important moments in a character's life, not the every-day activities. Therefore, I will be skipping weeks, months, and years at times.

● I played around with having Naluma lose her leg and getting a cybernetic one. I just didn't want to go the bionic woman route nor parallel her with Anakin.

● It's taken a life-threatening emergency for Luke to come to terms with his feelings for Naluma.

Tell me what you think ...

● What problems do you think will develop now that Luke is open about his feelings for Naluma?

● Do you think Naluma will be able to control herself around Luke?

● How do you think Luke is restraining himself? Just a few chapters ago we saw him lusting after Naluma on Paqwepor Major.