Playlist:

❶ "Krennic's Aspirations"—Rogue One OST

After the Naluma,Jannah, and Tandolleau launched from the Freedom, Luke crawled back intobed for a few hours in his recovery room. When he awoke, he found Captain Wedge Antilles monitoring the ship functions via a datapad while sitting in a chair beside his bed.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes and smoothing his hair down the best he could, Luke said, "Wedge. What's up?" His voice cracked with dryness and exhaustion.

The captain looked up from his datapad with a frown. "Madine."

"Yeah," Luke said with a heavy sigh.

"He's demanding to talk to Naluma."

"He can demand all he wants." Luke yawned as he pushed the button to bring his bed upright. "I'll contact him after I've cleaned up. Meet you in the comm shack in a half hour."

Wedge grabbed his arm. "Hey, I can stall him if you want. Tell him no one is available to take his call."

Luke thought about the suggestion for a minute and then winced. "No. I need to deal with him—sooner rather than later. It'll have to be on the secure uplink in the comm shack, though. Just give me a chance to get dressed first. I'm not making this call in my pajamas."

Wedge stood and headed to the door. "I'll send a medtech to help you."

"No, I can manage."

"You sure?"

"Will you get going? I don't need a nursemaid watching over my every movement," Luke said with a scowl.

"Oh, yes, Jedi Master." Wedge cocked his head and shot him a wry smile. "Just don't overdo it. You'll need your energy for this call."

When the hover chair reached the comm shack, Luke stepped out of it and took a few steps to the security chamber. The hexagonal room featured two-way glass, allowing him to see outside the chamber but preventing others from looking in. Not only soundproofed, the chamber was surveillance protected as well.

❶ Bracing himself on the sides of the unit as the hatch sealed, the Jedi Master punched in the security and transmission codes to reach Zaxyn HQ.

"General Madine's office. This is Corporal Greapou speaking." A petite human female with her blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun appeared in the hologram before him.

"Jedi Master Luke Skywalker on a secure link for General Crix Madine returning his call."

"One moment, please."

Luke leaned against the security hatch as he waited for the connection. After a few moments, a holographic image of Madine sitting behind his desk appeared in the small chamber.

"Master Skywalker, glad you found the time to call me back."

While Luke could not feel anything through the Force, he recognized the passive-aggressiveness in his voice. With a sigh and a tight smile, Luke said, "My pleasure, General."

Madine leaned forward into the camera. "I'm having a problem with Jedi Fau. I want to report her actions to you."

Luke crossed his arms and glared at the man. He nodded. "Go ahead."

"Do you realize she abandoned her mission on Ruusan, stole an X-wing fighter, and damaged the air tower? She blew her cover—"

Luke waved his hand to stop the general's tirade. "I am fully aware of every action Jedi Fau took and her reasoning behind those actions. She acted to fulfill her responsibilities to the Jedi Order, which takes precedence over any mission."

The general opened his mouth, but Luke continued. "What I don't appreciate is your nearly killing one of my knights in a so-called examination and then trying to subvert her loyalties with an oath to the Republic and the military." Luke stepped forward as his passion burned. "I find it highly unethical that you chose to perform these actions after I was incommunicado."

"That doesn't excuse her abandoning the mission."

"General, I am sure you are aware by now that Jedi manipulate the Force. What you may not know is that the Force links the Jedi together. When my Y-wing lost power and life support, she felt it through our link."

"What? I know those ships are old, but I had my crews check them out."

Luke shook his head. "We'll discuss the condition of those ships later. The fact remains that Naluma acted in accordance with Jedi protocol. If I had died, then she would have assumed leadership of the Order."

"Where is she now?"

"Headed to Castell to finish my mission."

Madine huffed as he scowled at Luke. "Why didn't you go? You look perfectly healthy to me."

"I almost died, General. And if Naluma hadn't come, I would have. I'm not even at fifty percent right now. Trust me, she's our best choice in this situation."

"But she doesn't know the mission specifics nor the legalities of the situation."

"She's not going in as legal counsel. If anyone can get our pilot out, she can." Luke rubbed his hand over his feverish forehead, wishing he could hop back in that hover chair. "Now, let's talk about those Y-wings you gave us."

Madine spluttered. "They were all we had."

"Yes, but we found a frayed power converter cable. Your ground crew either did a lousy job at maintenance, or you have a saboteur. I'll leave it in your capable hands to figure out which one." Luke wavered in exhaustion as he finished the sentence.

Madine's face shifted from red with embarrassment to purple with anger as his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. "Master Skywalker, we do not have saboteurs on Zaxyn Base."

"Ignore my warnings at your own risk, General. That's just my gut feeling, but I would not ignore a Jedi's instincts if I were you." Luke staggered again before saying, "Jedi Ahhzteen is still on Ruusan. Jedi Fau reported suspicions about the commanding officer. I'd check him out."

"Very well, Master Skywalker," Madine said in resignation to the situation.

"One last thing, Madine. Next time you put any of the Jedi in a ship, it had better be in tip-top condition. If you need two-seaters, you'd better get some new ones built. Also, if you ever attempt to subvert one of my Jedi again, you will answer to me in the combat arena. Is that understood?" Luke hoped the general remembered the arena demonstrations from ten years ago.

Madine nodded his head and said, "Yes, Master Skywalker. Thank you."

As the call disconnected, Luke leaned against a wall and opened the hatch. "Hover chair, please," he groaned to one of the comm techs in the shack. When it arrived, the Jedi Master collapsed into it before it sped him back to sickbay. Luke was not sure what annoyed him more, the fact that Madine had admitted his duplicity or that he had not apologized for any of his actions.

Did you know ...

● This is the first chapter to indicate a definite division of purposes between the Jedi and the Republic.

● I wanted Luke to be awesome, even though he should be in bed. His backbone is one of his compelling features that makes me swoon.

Tell me what you think ...

● What lasting impact will this discussion have with the Jedi and the Republic?

● When Luke address Madine about Naluma, was he doing it as a Jedi Master or as her significant other? Why do you think so?