Playlist:

❶ "The Hologram/Binary Sunset"—A New Hope OST

❷ "The Last Battle"—Saving Private Ryan OST

❶ Naluma awoke with a start. She shook her head to reorient herself. Oh, yeah, military transport. Ruusan. At least my ankle's stopped throbbing. She took a deep breath before sending some healing tendrils of the Force at the damaged tissue. Warmth wove around the tendons and ligaments for a few moments until it no longer hurt to touch it.

As she peered through the darkness at her three bunkmates, sharp pain struck her heart. She toppled to the floor as the agony consumed her.

Then there was nothing. She could not feel Luke anymore. A chasm of darkness enveloped her.

Naluma staggered to the cockpit, her mind reeling. When she reached it, she found the hatch sealed. She punched in a code on the intercom panel. "Captain, this is Sergeant Qatu Cane. I need to send an emergency communication."

When the hatch slid open, the lieutenant co-pilot said, "I'm sorry, Sergeant, but we're still in hyperspace. What's wrong?"

Naluma looked at him, holding back the tears. If she blew her cover, she could insist they drop out of hyperspace at their next transit point. But it would mean canceling the mission and leaving Wei'ahtt on his own wondering what happened to her.

"Never mind." She took a cleansing breath before asking, "When do we arrive on Ruusan?"

"Another hour."

"Thanks."

Controlling her racing heart with deep breaths, Naluma freshened up before the rest of the passengers awoke and needed the facilities. Then she packed her gear and grabbed a jumpseat in the main cabin. Meditation was her only hope until they reached Ruusan. Yet it proved futile to combat her claustrophobia and her fear.

Naluma hurried off the transport before the ramp had fully extended.

As she rushed to the nearest comm station in the hangar, a corporal chased her. "Sergeant Cane."

She ignored him as she pulled up the instructions for connecting to a fleet ship.

While she punched in the codes for her account, the corporal said, "But Sergeant, they're waiting. Your transport was late, and Colonel Keelu wanted you on base hours ago."

"It will have to wait, Corporal," Naluma said as she waited for the call to connect with the ship. "Go wait at the speeder, and take my kit bag with you. This cannot wait."

"But—"

"That is an order, Corporal." As he left, the ship's communication officer appeared on the holo. "Captain Antilles, please. This is Sergeant Qatu Cane inquiring about Master Skywalker."

"I'm sorry, Sergeant, but the captain is unavailable right now."

"I don't care if he's in the refresher. Get him now, Lieutenant. This is an emergency."

"Sergeant, I think you forget yourself. Captain Antilles does not want to be disturbed, especially by a sergeant who has forgotten she is speaking to a superior officer." The hologram ended with a click.

Naluma groaned and closed her eyes. She wiped her tears and headed out to find the corporal and his speeder.

❷ When she arrived at the training base, she grabbed her kit bag and reported at headquarters. Desks and terminals jammed the concrete building bungalow.

Colonel Keelu intercepted her before she made it to the first station. A Kel Dor by species, Keelu towered above her. A gaping hole served as both mouth and nose. Two black tusks descended on either side of his orange, shriveled skin.

Naluma dropped her kit bag and saluted with sharp movements. "Sergeant Qatu Cane reporting for duty, Colonel."

"At ease, Cane," the Colonel said, a breathing apparatus distorting his voice. "Glad you finally made it. Follow me." As Naluma bent to pick up her bag, the Colonel said, "Leave it. Darvan, take Sergeant Cane's kit bag to the duty hut." Keelu strode with a swift pace to the parade ground.

When they arrived, recruits were disembarking from three hover transports. Two sergeants stood near two of the transports.

The colonel said, "There's your squad, Sergeant. Go whip 'em into shape."

"Sir, yes, sir." Naluma saluted before jogging to the third bus.

As the troops stumbled out of the transport, Naluma yelled, "Get your rears moving, you numbskulls. Form up in three lines. Hurry, hurry, hurry."

As one of the recruits moved at a slow pace, she grabbed him by the arm. Moving within five centimeters of his face, she asked, "What's your problem, Gundark Breath? Are you deaf?"

Wei'ahtt stuttered, "N-n-no, ma'am."

"I can't hear you."

"Ma'am, no, ma'am."

"Don't call me 'ma'am.' I work for a living. And my parents were not related."

"Yes, Sergeant," Wei'ahtt said as he looked forward.

As Naluma circled Wei'ahtt, he spoke through mindspeech, What's going on, Naluma? Did you feel it?

Yeah.

What does it mean? Is he dead?

I don't know. I wasn't able to reach the ship earlier. If I call from here, I'll blow my cover. Naluma stopped beside him and said, "Gundark Breath, straighten up that uniform and pull in that rear of yours. That's it. If you can't tuck it in, you'll be running it off on twenty-click fartleks every day. Am I making myself clear, Gundark Breath?"

"Yes, Sergeant."

"Fall in line with the squad."

Hang in there, Naluma. Jannah and Tandolleau know where we are. I'm sure they'll contact one of us soon.

Just don't mention it right now. If I can focus on this mission, I can ignore the pain. "All right, you lollygaggers, first thing we're gonna do is head down to the barber shop and give you all new hairdos. That long, pretty hair is going bye-bye. Squad, fall in. Right face. Forward march."

Did you know ...

● One of my favorite characters from The Clone Wars is Jedi Master Plo Koon. He was a Kel Dor.

● I researched nasty epithets that drill sergeants call their recruits and then cleaned them up and adapted them to the Star Wars universe. A gundark is a hideous creature that looks somewhat like a rancor. 

Tell me what you think ...

● How would you have handled the situation if you could not contact Luke and you thought he was dead? Continued your mission? Blown your cover?

● How has Wei'ahtt matured over the years?