Playlist:

❶ "Preparing for Battle"—The Patriot OST

"Listen up, you nerfherders. Ain't no chow line until ya get this right." Naluma stepped in front of Wei'ahtt, leaning her face centimeters in front of his nose. "And you, Gundark Breath, are now on firewatch."

"But—"

"Do I hear something coming out of that snout, Gundark Breath? Drop and give me twenty."

As Wei'ahtt started the set of push-ups, Naluma turned to the rest of the squad. "Now, again, About! Shift the weight of your body to the left leg without noticeable movement. Face! For the count of one, place the ball of the right foot in a position touching the d—"

"Sergeant Cane," Colonel Keelu said, interrupting her Teach-Back to the squad.

"Squad, Atten-hut!" Corporal Darvan commanded as Naluma saluted the colonel.

Keelu said with his eyes growing wide, "My office, now, Sergeant. Corporal Darvan will take over."

"Sir, yes, sir," Naluma responded with another salute before following the colonel .

Before she had moved too far away, Wei'ahtt sent to her, What's up?

No idea. Not too sure about Darvan.

Do you think he's involved with the missing recruits?

Perhaps, or maybe something else. Keep your eyes open.

Will do. 

When the colonel and Naluma entered his office, he sat at his desk while she remained standing at attention. She jumped when he pulled a holocron out of his file and slammed it on his desk. "Sergeant Cane, can you tell me why a fleet captain would send a priority hologram to one of my sergeants?"

Naluma remained silent as a million thoughts poured through her head. Is this a death notification? Did Wedge get my message? Why didn't Tandolleau or Jannah send it? Are they all right?

"I'm waiting for an answer."

Naluma swallowed as she thought how she could word this without blowing her cover. "Death notification?"

"According to your record, Sergeant Cane, you have no next of kin. Try again."

"I don't know, sir."

The colonel stood, leaning on his desk to threaten her. "Look, Sergeant, are you a spy?"

Naluma prevented her jaw from dropping at that accusation.

"Were you sent her to see if I am coercible by the enemy? Is it because I'm not human?"

"No, sir."

He moved around his desk and sat on the edge of it. "Hah! So you are a spy. Well, I don't know which floozy at HQ sent you here, but you won't be needing this." He took the holocron on which the message was stored and demagnetized it in front of Naluma.

This time her jaw dropped as the message was destroyed.

"Oops. Well, Sergeant, I suggest you get back to your squad, and if I have any more trouble from you, we'll have a training session on interrogation methods with you as the subject. Dismissed!"

Naluma saluted as she bit back the tears that were threatening to spill. Once outside, she leaned against the building and plastered her spine to the wall as she brought herself back under the control of the Force.

Nothing I can do until we finish this mission. Luke, I hope you're all right. Please tell me you're all right. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and straightened her posture.

After lights-out in the barracks, Naluma hopped in the duty hut's refresher for the first moment of privacy she had experienced since she had arrived. As the water streamed down her neck, she allowed the tears to fall. Tears for the stress of the day. Tears for the destroyed hologram. Tears for Luke.

Once she had changed into regulation PT clothing, she heard a knock on the barracks hatch. "Come," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Wei'ahtt entered, standing in front of the hatch.

Naluma looked up at him. "Oh, it's you, Gundark Breath." She asked in sullenness, "What is it?"

"Permission to speak candidly, Sarge."

Naluma nodded. "Shut the hatch."

Wei'ahtt closed the hatch and then motioned with his hand to close the window blinds with the Force. He sat down beside her on the bunk and pulled her into a bear hug.

"What about Recruit Bantu? He's going to notice you're missing."

Wei'ahtt grinned. "Uh, he won't notice anything." I spiked his canteen. What happened with the colonel?

Naluma broke away from his embrace and wiped the tears from her eyes. Captain Antilles sent a priority hologram. The Colonel destroyed it before I could watch it. Thinks I'm a spy for HQ.

Wei'ahtt stood and paced the floor. He stopped when he reached the window. I think you should leave.

And blow the mission?

I'll finish it. The colonel already suspects you. It won't be long until your cover is blown. When that happens, I won't have much longer. If you leave now, I can finish the mission without anyone knowing there's a connection.

No. This is my responsibility.

Wei'ahtt sat down again and grabbed her shoulder. Naluma, you have a greater responsibility to the Jedi Order than to this mission. If something has happened to Master Skywalker, then you have to take over. If the worst has happened, the galaxy will be looking for strong leadership.

Naluma hesitated, mulling over his words. She was not ready to take on that role of leadership, dealing with the press, with the Senate, with Madine when he finds out she abandoned this mission. She did not even know if she could go on without Luke, let alone fill his large shoes.

That does it. Wei'ahtt grabbed her hand.

As he pulled her out of the duty hut through the exterior hatch, Naluma thrust out her hand, grabbing her holster with their lightsabers. Where are we going?

To steal a ship.

You can't go with me, Wei'ahtt, Naluma objected as she handed him his saber. And there's a reason you've never seen me fly.

Can you take off and make a hyperspace jump?

Yes. Landings are rough, though.

Don't worry about that. When you get to Freedom, allow the tractor beam to pull you in.

❶ They hid behind a fueling tanker as they scoped out the locale. Multiple X-wings littered the landing field, some with fueling hoses attached, some with fuselage siding open, and others ready to go.

See that one over there, three over from us?

Yeah.

When I create a diversion, I want you to hop in that ship and launch as soon as she's warmed.

Without an astromech?

It's only six hours to Cato Neimoidia from here. You'll be fine. Trust me.

What are you going to do?

You'll see when it happens. Wei'ahtt pointed to a storage shed not far from the intended target. Hide behind that shed, and as soon as everything breaks loose, get going.

Naluma turned to her protégé and gave him a slight smile as the emotions overtook her. She hugged the young man. 

He pushed her away as he took off in the opposite direction.

Naluma scurried across the field, crouching low to avoid the spotlight from the security tower. As she hunched behind the storage shed, alarms activated on the other side of the field. Security droids with flashing lights on their heads moved toward the parade grounds, chasing Wei'ahtt.

She was unsure what he had done, but she was not going to waste the opportunity. Propelling herself with the Force onto the port-side S-foils, she hauled herself across the ship and hopped over the canopy before popping it. Taking a deep breath, she realized she would be flying an unfamiliar ship without a flight suit, a helmet, or an astromech droid.

She flipped the engine switch and the converter warmer. As the cockpit sprang to life, the engines jumped with power. Naluma already felt the ship rising from the thrust alone. She grabbed the stick and pulled up. The nose tipped at a steep angle, melting the tarmac below.

Naluma eased up on the attitude before accelerating the throttle. I'm sure ATC is trying to contact me. Well, can't do anything about that without a helmet in this bird.

The anti-aircraft guns let loose a barrage. She jinked left and right, avoiding the guns, before buzzing the tower to buy herself some time. If I'm too close to the tower, they won't be able to fire.

Below her, Naluma watched pilots scrambling to their fighters. About to get some company. As the navacomputer calculated the jump to Cato Neimoidia, she thrust open the throttle. Once she was into space, the navacomputer beeped its readiness.

As red laser bolts blasted across her canopy, Naluma tapped the hyperdrive switch. The stars around her turned to long streaks of blue lights until finally settling into the blue geometric planes of hyperspace. She rested her head against the acceleration seat as she drifted off to sleep, dreading what awaited her on the Freedom.

Did you know ...

● Naluma actually likes space travel, as long as she's not the one piloting the ship.

● The fleet and the military have a long-standing rivalry, much like the US Navy and the US Marines. It is not normal for an officer in one branch to be contacting an enlisted man in another branch.

Tell me what you think ...

● What do you think Colonel Keelu is hiding? 

● How did Naluma's attachment to Luke cloud her use of the Force for insight?

● Is Naluma escaping because of her attachment to Luke or because she needs to take leadership of the Order? Why or why not?