Playlist:

❶ "Lunar Dreams"—Apollo 13 OST

⊘ Silence

❷ "Theme from A Summer Place"—A Summer Place OST

❸ "Parade of the Ewoks"—Return of the Jedi OST

❹ "Rose's Theme"—Titanic OST

❺ "Leaving Hogwarts"—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone OST

❶ Luke and Naluma strolled along the five kilometers of urban, concrete sprawl to their hotel after landing the shuttle at the spaceport. They reveled in the new skyline with multiple towers obscuring the view of the distant mountains, often stopping to share a kiss in front of the blinking billboards.

Their destination, the Hosnian Prime Hotel, had opened two months earlier. Its 140 stories dwarfed the surrounding hotels, while its chrome trim and art-deco architecture hearkened back to the glory days of the Galactic Republic. According to the brochure Janna had provided, every suite boasted a sitting room, a luxurious bedroom with an over-sized bed, and even its own terrace with thermal tub.

The contemporary suite décor in chrome and white contrasted with the academy's woodsy lodge. An expansive piece of plas-glass with privacy shielding divided the suite from their terrace that overlooked the congested city, with the mountains rising in the background.

Luke and Naluma spent the next few days in luxury neither of them had ever known. While they curled up on a lounge on the terrace watching the city lights flicker in the twilight, Luke asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost 1800."

He yawned and stretched his arms. "I must have drifted off for a bit."

"Drifted off? You were developing your own wind tunnel out here with your snoring."

"I do not snore." Luke tickled her sides, causing her to jump and scream. He chased after her into the suite, collapsing on the bed next to each other with their legs hanging off the edge.

He turned his head to the left and stroked her face, dragging his fingers down her neck lightly. "What do you want to do tonight? It's our last night."

"After Chinot's?" Naluma smiled and lowered her head in bashfulness, peeking her eyes at him. "I don't know."

"It's your last night in civilization for a while. Pick something."

"Danc—" Naluma sat up and tilted her head. "What do you mean last night in civilization?"

Luke sat up and smiled at her. "We're going camping—"

"What? Really?" Naluma grabbed his neck and pulled it close to her as she met his mouth with her lips.

Luke pulled away. "Don't start that yet. We'll be late for our reservation."

"Oh, Luke, thank you."

"What else was I going to do? You've been so restless since we've arrived." He pulled her head to his chest and kissed the top of it. "You can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the trees out of the girl."

Naluma hopped off the bed. As she pulled a dark-blue, sparkling mini-sheath out of the wardrobe, she said, "We'll have to go shopping tomorrow. Get some supplies." She turned her head back to him. "Wonder if they have—"

Luke wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. He held his finger to her lips and whispered, "Shh."

"Luke, we'll be la—" As he closed her mouth with a probing kiss, she dropped her dress to the floor.

❷  Luke concealed their destination, teasing and tormenting Naluma with her curiosity while the shuttle was in hyperspace. They snuggled in Luke's single bunk as they both examined The Journal of the Whills.

"At least tell me what I should wear. Is it going to be hot or cold?"

"Neither."

"Sand or trees or mountains?"

"Trees and a river." Luke closed the book and chuckled at her curiosity. "I'm not telling you anything else."

Naluma leaned against him and ran her arms down his back. "Then you'd better keep me distracted until we get there."

Luke ran his lips down the back of her neck. "Oh, that was my idea."

As he slid the zipper on her pewter mini dress down the side of her body, Naluma bucked and giggled. "You're tickling."

He hovered his lips over his. "Oh, yeah, how about this." His hands crawled up her inner thigh until she was squirming.

She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and flipped him over on the narrow bunk. When he tried to roll her back over, they smacked the floor with their writhing bodies.

"I think we might want to inflate that air mattr—" She expelled a groan, cutting off all thought. Their bodies moved together as the Force entwined their essences. Every thought, every emotion, every sensation of the other, they each felt. 

❸ A few days later, they approached a small green moon. The shuttle skimmed over the surface above the gigantic evergreens and winding rivers. Luke landed the shuttle on a rocky riverbank.

Pupagi evergreens that reached over one hundred meters in height rimmed the river, with ferns and trillium flowers underneath. A few deciduous and smaller tuolenee evergreens were interspersed throughout the forest.

"You said you wanted a forest. You've got a forest." Luke extended his hand at the greenery as he smiled. "Welcome to Endor."

"Endor is proscribed, Luke."

"Not for tribal members, and I am an official member of the tribe. Trust me."

She shook her head and smiled at him. "This is definitely a side of you I've never seen."

"This is where the fun begins." Luke winked.

"And what do you call what we've been doing?"

Luke caressed her cheek with the edge of his mechanical finger. "Ecstasy." 

They settled in a small clearing within a cathedral of Pupagi evergreens about one hundred meters from the shuttle. The trees screened the shuttle from their view, but they were close enough to use the shuttle's refresher and the cooling unit.

The gentle lapping of the river water against the bank set both Jedi at ease, as did the Force flowing around the flora and fauna that surrounded them. The cathedral of trees opened in the center to allow a spectacular view of the night sky as their campfire sparked and smoked.

During the day with the sun streaming through the trees, the chochzheys chattered noisily to each other. By the second day, the birds started to attack any food left unattended for even a second. After shooing the birds away with the Force, they ate a light lunch of wraps and greens, drinking crystal clear water.

Naluma looked at Luke with a smile as he sat back in his chair relaxing. "Wanna hike?"

The words rolled off his tongue slowly. "Not really."

"Well, what do you want to do?"

He looked at her with a knowing look. "Take a nap."

She sashayed back to the tent, waiting for him to follow her. "Coming?"

Bounding out of the chair, he chased her into the pavilion and lifted her in arms before laying her back onto the air mattress. Deep in their psyches, he sent through mindspeech, From the moment I met you, all those years ago, a day hasn't gone by when I haven't though of you. And now, the thought of being with you once again ... I can't breathe.

She weaved her fingers into his dark-blond locks and twisted them around her fingers. I'm haunted by your kisses, knowing the day we return to reality they will be few and far between. My heart breaks for you already.

I truly ... deeply ... love you. Luke pursed his lips and pressed them to hers tenderly. I promise to treasure our moments together always.

❹ When not savoring their newly discovered Force-driven euphoria, Luke and Naluma passed their time on Endor hiking through the forest and lazing around the campfire, reading The Journal of the Whills together. They both felt drawn to the sections about the First Jedi Temple, an inescapable desire growing.

On their fifth day on Endor, Luke said, "We have another week before we need to head back to Khalkha. How about we try to find this temple?"

Naluma evaluated him, knowing he was deadly serious. "Where would we begin?"

"Well, we know it's not in charted space. Must be out in the Wild Space region. We're on the edge of it right now." Luke paged through the book and moved his finger down to one of the locales they had found. "Aquatic planet except for a few islands. Hmm, and I think there were a few coordinates somewhere in here. We can check those out."

Naluma nodded. "This book's so old, some of those planets are probably part of mapped space now." She snuggled under his arm and read with him.

They could not recognize the planets from their characteristics. But, they came to a description of a planet with a jungle near its equator and tundra near its poles. Moreover, the book indicated that this ninth planet's moon was a gigantic forest with winding rivers.

Luke muttered, "That sounds like Kashyyyk, but it's nowhere near that planet. And besides, it's a moon."

Naluma looked at him. "Luke, I know where this is."

"How do you know? How many moons have you been on?"

"Only one, and we're on it right now." With a beaming smile, she tilted her head and winked. "This is the Forest Moon of Endor."

"So, do we assume we're at the starting coordinates and go from here?"

"What other choices do we have? Kashyyyk is too far out, and I haven't heard of any other forest moons."

"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Luke asked with a small whine.

"Please. I want one more evening here with you." She grabbed Luke by the back of the head and pressed her mouth to his, exploring it with her tongue. 

Luke let out a small groan before responding. "Only for you."

Starting tomorrow, we'll need to take a break ... unless I'm late.

Late?

Pregnant.

Really? He ran his hands over her waist and caressed her flat stomach. 

She shook her head. I haven't sensed a new life yet. You feel anything?

He shook his head before nuzzling her neck. I guess we have to keep trying.

Do or do not. There is no try.

Luke rolled his eyes at her. Could you please stay away from the Master Yoda— His thoughts dissolved when she revealed the sheer black bra under purple blouse.

You were saying? She shimmied out of her shorts and opened her shields to his Force-signature, merging once more with him in a harmony no words could describe.

❺ After striking camp the next morning, Luke and Naluma took one last hike through the forest. Luke was solemn and pensive. 

Naluma strolled beside him, holding onto his arm. "Luke, tell me . . . what's bothering you?"

He stopped to pick lacy white flowers. "Just need to visit a place before we leave." He continued to gather flowers as they forged the overgrown trail.

Naluma felt out through their Force-bond, finding Luke full of sorrow. She bit her lip, wondering what could have caused such a change in him . . . wondering if she were the cause.

Finally, after an hour of hiking on narrow trails, they reached a clearing a few clicks from Bright Tree Village. A mound sat in the middle of it, and Naluma could have sworn it was the remains of a Jedi funeral pyre. "Luke, what is this place?"

"The resting place of my father." He approached the pyre and laid the flowers on top. His father's mechanical legs and arms were still intact, but his respirator breastplate was melted.

He gasped when he saw that his father's helmet was missing. When Luke had visited the pyre eleven years ago, the helmet was melted but present. He knew it had not decomposed.

"What's wrong?"

"His helmet is missing." Luke sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Someone has disturbed his grave."

As Naluma felt the darkness compressing Luke, she grabbed his hand. A shimmering in the Force appeared in front of her as the glowing form of Anakin Skywalker apparated. Naluma whispered, "Luke, look."

He pivoted around to see young Anakin Skywalker shimmering in front of him. "Luke."

"Father."

"Luke, you must find the first Jedi Temple. The survival of the Jedi depends upon it. Lost knowledge is there that will help you find the way forward."

Luke and Naluma nodded.

"Dark times are coming for the Jedi. You both must maintain a firm resolve. Do not let the dark side sway you. A choice awaits you, Luke, but it is the only way to train the next Jedi."

He allowed Luke to absorb that for a moment before he spoke to Naluma. "Naluma, you have delighted my son. Stay strong. The end of the Jedi will not come until you carry his son."

Anakin's blue image fluxed and wavered before dissipating.

Did you know . . .

● The Perfect Weapon Expanded Universe book in the new canon actually hints at when the First Order obtained Darth Vader's helmet. I wrote this book before that one was released.

● I had to kill some darlings during rewrites. Sorry, but you lost a cute scene with the Ewoks. It just didn't propel the plot or add to characterization. Nothing against the Ewoks. I think they're adorable.

Tell me what you think . . .

● With the prophecy from Anakin, do you think Luke and Naluma will be in a rush to have children now?

● Do you think Luke and Naluma's marriage will be a happy one? Why or why not?