Playlist:

❶ "Sons of Scotland"—Braveheart OST

That evening, the remaining four Jedi and Artoo met in the combat arena. Luke carried an alternate lightsaber on his belt, as did Tandolleau and Jannah. Naluma wore the holsters and police batons Luke had given her, with both Wei'ahtt's and her own lightsabers concealed inside the hollow chambers of the batons.

As he bent over with his legs spread apart, Luke said, "Limber up first. Soresu drills next with as many remotes as we can find in here. And I don't want just saber work. We need to practice running through the bolts at top speed, holding them off with the Force if you can. Naluma, can you be Frensu?"

She smirked. "Just as long as you keep those laser blasts to a minimum."

"Trust me," he said with a wicked smile.

Just don't tickle me this time.

He smirked. What a wonderful idea.

Naluma shrieked as Luke threw her over his shoulder and used a Force-touch to tickle her side. "Eeek!"

By the time the group had finished their warm-ups and Soresu drills, they were all huffing with exertion and smarting from laser burns.

Luke panted as he rubbed his arm to bring back the feeling in it after numerous bolts to the same region. A sheen of sweat glistened his brow.

"We probably won't have our sabers in the courtroom. Also, Tandolleau, I want you to stay with the ships the whole time. I doubt The First Order will allow anyone other than Frensu's counselors in the courtroom anyway." Luke winked at Artoo as the little droid rolled into position. "So, let's try this again, without our weapons." 

"How are you going to get Artoo in?" Naluma nodded at the astromech droid.

"He'll have security video to display. All right, everyone ready?" Luke asked. "Court is now in session."

As soon as the Jedi Master nodded to the little droid, two lightsabers shot out of his dome in sweeping parabolas.

Luke reached out his hand, pulling the saber to him with the Force, while Jannah waited for hers to arrive at her hand. The remotes fired. One struck Jannah before the saber reached her, the delay costing her a laser bolt to her midsection.

As the girl shook off the pain from the laser bolt, Luke grabbed Naluma under the arms and dragged her across the floor. His saber shielded them from the remotes as Jannah took up protection from the rear. Tandolleau rushed to protect from the front, the younger Jedi shielding Luke and Naluma during the extraction. They reached the door within seconds this time.

"I can't believe what a difference it makes to hold your own saber," Jannah said as she hefted her hilt. "The weight on the other one is all off, causing my hand to slip."

Naluma said as Luke released her from his grip, "Your saber also knows you. Feel the connection to it through the Force? You created it, and it remembers."

"How about we take a breather on this one while you practice against remotes, Naluma?" Luke asked.

"Anything's better than being tickl—I mean dragged about." Naluma winked at Luke. "Set up the remotes. I have no idea what I'll be dealing with. Tandolleau, come be Wei'ahtt. I'll throw you his saber so you can work together with me. It's been a long time since I've done concert fighting with you guys. The current Padawan aren't ready for that yet."

"Yes, Naluma," Tandolleau said, getting into position.

❶ Luke started up the training remotes. As they whizzed around the room and shot bolts at them, Naluma raised her hands above the batons and pulled the lightsabers with the Force.

Luke, who was watching the technique, did not see them move. One moment they were in the baton cylinders, and the next moment they were in her hands.

She tossed Wei'ahtt's saber to Tandolleau, who grabbed it with the Force.

Soresu was the drill of the day and the operation. Neither party expected to duel anyone with a lightsaber, so Djem So would have been overkill. Their goal was to escape not annihilate.

As they ended the cycle, Naluma wiped the sweat from her brow and joined Luke on the sidelines.

He nodded above them to the observation gallery where Madine and Kiner stood.

Naluma grimaced. After drinking water from a canteen, she asked, "Has anyone ever fought with two sabers at once? I mean, not just for a few moments, but a long battle?"

"I don't know. Probably, but I never found any instruction on that technique." Luke slurped a drink from his canteen.

Artoo rolled over, beeping something.

Naluma cocked her head at the little droid.

Luke asked, "Can you show us?"

Jannah asked, "What's going on?"

"Artoo says a few Jedi during the Clone War used dual blades. He has video of one of the Padawan who specialized in that style."

The distorted holographic image showed its age. Naluma motioned with her hand to the lighting controls, darkening the arena so they could see the image better.

A juvenile Togruta appeared, holding a green saber and a yellow saber as she fought battle droids. Her quick movements blocked every laser bolt and sliced the droids in half with one fluid movement. Her style included gymnastics as much as fencing. The young woman was a master of the Djem So style.

"She's so quick." Luke asked as he analyzed the movements.

Naluma placed her hand on his arm. "Luke, we've met her. On Ty—."

"I remember. Ahso—"

A voice emanated from the dark room. "Ahsoka Tano. My Padawan."

"Father," Luke said in shock as the ghostly form of Anakin Skywalker appeared near Artoo. The rest of the Jedi turned.

Anakin smiled at the little droid. "You still have Artoo? Still saving Skywalker butts, I see." He moved his hand as if to tap the droid's dome, but it passed right through.

The blue figure wavered.

Luke said, "Everyone, pull him here with the Force. Concentrate your energy on his form."

Anakin smiled at his son. "Thanks, Son. Forgot how much energy it takes to hold me here."

The ghost turned to Naluma. "Jedi Fau. We meet again." His merry eyes twinkled as they glanced to Luke and then back to Naluma.

"An honor as always, sir," Naluma said with a formal bow.

Luke squirmed under his father's glare, hoping he was not going to bring up the Jedi Code in front of his subordinates.

"Luke, if you three can hold me here, I'll teach Naluma the basics of dual blade fighting," Anakin said.

Only then did Luke see the blade Obi-Wan had used in Luke's Master Trials swinging from his father's belt. He grinned at his father. "Does Obi-Wan know you have that?"

"He won't mind," Anakin said with his own cocky grin.

Luke shook his head at his father. "You mean he won't mind when he finds out that you took it."

"No, if he finds out."

Luke laughed. "Please, we await your instruction, O Wise Jedi Master."

Grinning, Naluma grabbed the sabers in the reverse-hilt method Padawan Tano had used.

"No, hold your sabers properly and not with that horrible reverse hilt grip." He glared at her.

Did you know ... 

● I only started watching The Clone Wars in 2017. I was so impressed with Ahsoka, I can't leave her out. I love it when she calls Anakin "Skyguy" and he calls her "Snips." I would love to spend a story exploring a reunion between her and Anakin. You might want to check out Empire Day. She may make an appearance in that book.

● In my humble opinion, #AhsokaLives

● I can't have Force-ghosts be all-powerful, or else there would be no reason for living Jedi. Thus, I put a limit on how long they can stay in a location without the help of either multiple Force-ghosts or other Jedi to hold him in the realm of the living.

Tell me what you think ... 

● What do you think Obi-Wan will do when he finds out about Anakin's theft? 

● Do you think Obi-Wan and Yoda approve or disapprove of Luke's decisions with the Order and Naluma?