Playlist:

❶ "March of the Resistance"—The Force Awakens OST  

❷ "Holmes and Elizabeth"—Young Sherlock Holmes OST

❶ Wearing one of Luke's spare uniforms, Naluma joined Jannah and Tandolleau while they pre-tripped the Y-wings. Naluma tugged at the tunic, pulling the shoulders back into position. Short in the cut, the length barely touched her waist. However, the broader shoulders in the tunic collapsed on her smaller frame.

The secondary lightsaber he had acquired for the mission swung at her right hip. At least I was able to hem these trousers, she thought as she approached the dilapidated Y-wing Jannah inspected. I'd be tripping every time I took a step. "Is this the one Luke came in on?"

Not turning her head back, Jannah answered, "Yeah. Nothing else available. Deck crew tells me it's a hundred percent."

Naluma lifted a fuselage siding and shined her glow lamp into the deep recesses of the engine compartment. "I'm not climbing in that until I've verified its readiness."

Tandolleau laughed from the other side. "Jannah, you owe me. Fork it over."

Naluma glanced between the two as Jannah pulled a slim card out of her pocket. "What's that?"

"Jannah won this music chip from Silver Three during Sabacc last night." Tandolleau held up the chip to Naluma. "But now, she won't even get a chance to listen to it. It's all mine. Say good-bye to the Takodana Twisters, Jannah." He lifted the card to his lips and kissed it.

Artoo beeped from his socket behind the cockpit.

"You said it, Artoo." Naluma winked at the droid. "Glad to see you back in action."

The droid whirred and beeped a friendly reply.

Naluma laughed as she ducked her head inside the power converter compartment, shining her glow lamp toward the back. "Hey, Chief!"

A short Sullustan with black, oval eyes, two dewflaps on their cheeks, and two big ears resembling the shashini's ears, hurried to Naluma.

She focused her glow lamp behind the power converter. "You replace these converters?"

"Yes, Jedi, yes," Master Chief Grao Vup answered while bowing with respect.

"What about these cables?"

"No. Perfect condition," he said as he pointed to the terminal post.

"Maybe there, but not back here where it connects to life support." Naluma shifted her body so the mechanic could see for himself. "Go get me some new cables—in the packages. Don't bring me any recycled junk."

"Yes, Jedi, yes." The Sullustan trundled away with his awkward walk.

Naluma grabbed a hydrospanner from the tool cart a few meters away. When the master chief returned with the requested cables, she had already removed the new power converter and was stripping the cable from the life-support system.

With his eyes large in worry, the Sullustan said, "If you'll just move out of the way, I will install the new cables."

"That's all right. I'd rather do it myself," Naluma said. She added to Jannah, And make sure it's done right. Catch anything else over there?

Looks clear to me.

When Naluma finished with the power converter, she said, "Hop in and fire her up. Then start up life support."

"Yes, Jedi Fau." Jannah scurried up the ladder. She grinned as she climbed into the cockpit and lowered the canopy.

"Go ahead." Naluma, Tandolleau, and the rest of the crew stepped back from the thrusters as the Jedi fired up the fighter.

After Jannah checked all gauges, she ran the life-support for ten minutes. When the spill from the afterburners started scorching the deck, she shut down the engines. The blonde popped the canopy and said, "Functioning at norm."

"All right," Naluma said with hands on her hips. "Let me finish checking it out, and then I'm checking yours, Tandolleau. Go play Sith's-advocate to Jannah. Grill her on the case."

Tandolleau grinned. "This will be fun. Coming, Jannah?"

While Naluma secured the fuselage siding on Tandolleau's fighter, she thought to Jannah, Party's over. Time to blow this place.

Coming.

When Naluma ducked her head under the Y-wing to cross over to the other ship, she caught a familiar Force-signature heading across the massive primary flight bay. As Jannah and Tandolleau grabbed their helmets and climbed into their cockpits, Naluma headed to Luke. He  staggered across the hangar in his ecru robe and pajama bottoms.

❷ They met in the middle of the bay, far enough from everyone else to ensure privacy. However, all eyes focused on the pair. "How'd you break out?"

With a cocky grin and a tilt of his head, Luke said, "You know, put them all in Force-trances and destroyed the meddroids."

Naluma smiled and shook her head. "You goofball." As he took a labored breath, she said, "You should have stayed in bed."

"Nonsense." Luke held out his legacy lightsaber, the one he had built in Obi-Wan's hut on Tatooine. "Take this."

"Luke, you'll need this."

"Not in medbay, I won't—unless you really want me to slice through all those meddroids." He bit his lip and sighed. Had a vision. Take it.

She clipped the saber to belt. When she touched it, memories from her early saber lessons flooded her mind. The saber resonated in familiarity with her. "Good luck with Madine."

Luke grinned and raised his eyebrows. "Oh, he won't know what hit him. Between trying to subvert you from the Jedi Order to providing faulty Y-wings, he won't have a leg to stand on if he brings up your aborted mission." He pulled her to his shoulder as he whispered, "Be one with the Force. It will be your ally throughout this mission."

"What have you seen?"

"Just images," Luke said in deliberate vagueness. "I'll be waiting for you. Bring home our pilot."

"Will do."

I love you. Luke kissed her on the top of her head before releasing his embrace.

Naluma grabbed his head and brushed her lips across his before locking onto his mouth. Love you more. She turned toward the fighters, leaving Luke standing in the middle of the launch bay.

Did  you know ...

● Luke kisses Naluma on her forehead or top of her head when he wants to demonstrate his loving care for her. He reserves the lips for moments of passion.

● They will always fight over who loves the other one more. When they stop saying this is when you need to worry.

Tell me what you think ...

● What do you think is going to happen next based on the foreshadowing?

● Do you think Jannah will ever learn discretion? Why or why not?