Naluma pulled herself hand-over-hand up the bulkhead until she reached the balcony railings of the luxury staterooms. With little effort, she swung herself across the vertical spindles to the next mezzanine. When she grabbed the next bar, it teetered away from the ship.

Loud voices in the next stateroom rose above the drone of the Empress' quad engines. Naluma peered through the cracked curtains and observed a pair of armed pirates snatching a young couple. Once the hatch to the room closed, she grabbed the neighboring spindle and heaved herself onto the balcony rail.

Sliding her feet across the narrow beam like a tight rope walker, Naluma leaped around the privacy wall to the next promenade. Her heartbeat raced so that she nearly missed Luke reaching out to her.

Naluma.

Grunting, she sent through mindspeech, Concentrating right now, honey.

Where are you?

Hanging off the bulkhead trying to get to our stateroom. She clenched her teeth together as she swung to the next rail.

Pirates have taken over the ship. 

That's what I figured, but the ones I ran into were a little more organized than traditional pirates. Names I picked up were GT-6399 and GT-6396.

Imps. Explains the E-11 blasters.

You still in the parlor?

Yeah, we're barricaded in.

I'll meet you there after I grab our sabers. Guess our cover is blown.

Bring a medkit if you find one. Be careful. Love you.

Love you more.

Naluma swung to the next rail to her own stateroom. She peeked over the rail as the corridor hatch shifted. Holding on with her fingers and the Force as the "pirates" entered the suite, she dropped quickly.

A male and a female that moved in short, measured steps inspected the suite. After checking the refresher unit, the closet, and even under the bed, they moved out to the balcony. When one checked under the bed and the other in the refresher, she yanked up and reached for the balcony above her. She came up short, but levitated the last two meters with the Force and latched on, dangling by a pair of rusted spindles that threatened to snap like before. The troopers in disguise looked over the rail and to either side, but they did not notice Naluma as she held her breath above them.

She heard the screened door squeak open and dared a look down. The two troopers masquerading as pirates exited onto the patio, checked left, right, and below the rail. Naluma held her breath and almost gasped at the tickle on her leg. A drop of blood squiggled down and dribbled off her shin, but missed the female by inches. The man spoke first.

"All clear. Let's keep moving, we need to round up all the young passengers and have them delivered to our client by nightfall. Unless you want to be the one to report why we didn't meet the deadline for fresh recruits for the First Order?"

"Negative to that, GT-6399. Don't want the pleasure of the Supreme Leader's audience. Let's move along."

When they departed, Naluma jumped onto the balcony. She waved her hand to open the Plas-glass door.

She hurried to the refresher and pulled their sabers out of the drawer. She stripped the spray cans that were used as camouflage off the sabers. Next, she changed into her uniform and boots, which were still packed in her luggage. Then, she threw Luke's uniform and boots into an excursion bag and slung it across her back. Last of all, she fastened his belt and saber on top of hers, both sabers swinging from her hips, before cautiously poking her head around the hatch.

Naluma scuttled along the corridor to the cross corridor and reached it just in time as the pirates exited a stateroom about four rooms down the corridor. These appeared to be the only invaders on this level, moving through the rooms in a methodical pattern.

She felt out through the Force, discovering an elderly couple in the next room. It was the odious pair from their first night's dinner, Bruden and Jono. Of course they survived. If anyone was going to survive, it was going to be them. Sighing, she thought, Better get this over with.

As the pirates entered the next hatch, Naluma jumped out from the cross corridor and ran toward the stateroom, her pack bouncing on her back and the lightsabers in her hands. She dived through the open hatch right behind the invaders, giving a battle cry as she cleared the threshold.

One invader advanced on Jono, who shrank back in fear. The other fired on Naluma. The Jedi Master ignited both sabers, her purple blade and Luke's green blade vibrating with energy. Naluma spun them in a blurring eclipse, blocking blaster fire. She cut down the woman pirate in mid stride.

Her other opponent turned and fired, hoping to catch the Jedi off-guard. She deflected the bolts at the pirate, his own weapon killing him before he fell backward with a thud onto Jono.

The boorish man said, "How dare you let this monster fall on top of me. I'm going to sue you and this cruise line—"

Naluma shushed him, holding up her hand as she listened for any sounds in the corridor. Then she waved her hand to shut the hatch. She took a deep breath and returned to her peaceful state, blocking out her frustration with the couple.

With hard-fought calm, she said, "You do realize that these pirates have already killed most of the people on this ship? Do yourself a favor and thank whatever god you worship that you did not suffer the same fate."

Bruden whined, "You can't talk to my husband that way. We demand to see the captain. If he heard how his security guards were speaking to the passengers—"

"The captain is dead, and I'm not part of the crew," Naluma said as she hung the sabers on her hips and picked up the kit bag she had dropped. "Now, I advise to remain silent in here with the lights out until my husband and I retake the ship."

"Who do you think you are, giving us orders?" the man asked.

This guy has surely heard of Jedi before. He's old enough to have lived in the glory days of the The Grand Republic. Why do I get the imbeciles?  She strained and leveled her black eyes at his, posing with the lightsabers in either hand. "I am Jedi Master Naluma Fau."

The man's mouth dropped as he pointed to her

She rolled her eyes. "Do what you want, but don't expect me to rescue you again. I have other things to do."

As she exited the room, the woman asked, "But what about dinner?"

Naluma ignored her question as she returned to battle mode, striding down the corridor.

Did you know . . .

● This is not what they had in mind when they signed up for this cruise. ;-)

● I based Jono and Bruda on some truly boorish acquaintances of my parents. They were not much of a hyperbole.

Tell me what you think . . .

● What do you think Naluma was thinking during the rescue of the obnoxious couple?

● Why do you think Naluma is so decisive now in using the Force as opposed to when she was beaten down mentally?