The next day Luke helped Naluma wash and dress in "real clothes," as she called them. Even though it was only her PT sweats and not her service uniform, it felt much better than a med center gown. He allowed her to sit in a chair instead of the bed, but going outside today was out of the question.

By the time she had eaten breakfast, though, she was exhausted, nodding off between bites. Luke took her fork from her hand and carried her back to bed. He kissed her and headed to the study to deal with the messages that had piled up while they were away.

The Senate had called repeatedly. Luke set their messages off to the side. He had already decided on a course of action for them, and they were not going to like it. The Senate could wait.

Han needed the order for the shipment in two weeks, but Luke had no idea what to order. He set that aside to discuss with Naluma when she was up later.

Leia was just checking in with him, wondering if everything was okay. He decided to return that call. He placed the call through the secure comlink. "Hey, Leia, it's Luke."

"Oh, I'm glad you called me back. I called you a couple of weeks ago. When I didn't hear back, I was worried. Something was troubling in the Force," Leia said. "Is everything okay?"

Luke could sense the tears welling up in him again. He silently told himself, Control yourself. What's done is done. It did not work. "No. Naluma miscarried. She almost died from hemorrhaging."

"I'm sorry, Luke. I wish I could be there for you guys," Leia said, her concern enveloping Luke across their bond. "I know how difficult a miscarriage can be. It's like a piece of you is missing."

"Yeah, it is." He sniffed and wiped a tear.

"How's Naluma doing?"

"Resting right now. Emotionally, it's up-and-down, with more down than up."

"It'll get better, Luke. Just give it time."

"How did you balance your Senate work and your family?"

"I didn't balance it. They pulled us apart." Leia inhaled deeply. "Don't let them tear you apart, too."

The alarm that indicated the secure call was about to end activated. "Thanks. Take care, Leia. I love you."

"Love you, too, Luke. Give my lo—" The connection broke.

The next day started out rough. Naluma sat in a chair, staring out the window as rain poured outside. Luke had brought her  breakfast, but she ignored it and him. 

He pulled the other chair beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Naluma sat stiffly at first, but a few minutes later she rested her head on him, crying.

After an hour of grieving, her appetite returned, and her mood swung to neutral. As she ate her breakfast, the communicator interrupted them.

Kalder's voice came over the speaker. "Master Luke, I have the Senate. They are insisting that they must speak with you."

Luke sighed before answering. "Patch it through, Kalder. Master Skywalker ... Yes, Chancellor, I received your messages ... I'm sorry, Chancellor, I am not available for missions right now ... Yes, I'm sure ... No, the Jedi are all unavailable ... No, they are all on different assignments."

Luke struggled to be polite but firm, but his temper was building. "I said, 'No,' Chancellor. What part did you not understand?" He made faces at Naluma as he listened to the Chancellor drone on. "Well, Your Excellency, perhaps those diplomats you have hanging around Hosnian should leave the Senate Hall for once and do their job negotiating peace treaties in the field."

The Jedi Master's face turned red. "Chancellor, with all due respect, the Senate is not in charge of the Jedi Order—I am. As such, I am the one who will determine which missions we take on and when we will take them on. Inform the Senate that the Jedi Order is involved in official Jedi business for the next two months. After that time, I will determine which missions we will take. And don't call us before then." He ended the call without allowing a response.

Naluma gazed at him with awe.

With a goofy grin, he said, "That felt good."

"About time. But two months?"

"You were right. We need some time off. And if we need it, the kids need it, too. After everyone gets back from their missions, we'll hold a round-table debriefing—try to find some patterns in these missions they've been sending us on. And then I'm going to give them a month of furlough. Everyone, including the Padawan."

"Even Ben?"

He shook his head. "He can have his furlough here, but I'll give him a break from lessons."

She stared at him for a minute. "I love you."

Luke smiled. It was the first time she had said that since the miscarriage, and this time it felt just like the first time he had heard it. He kissed her softly on the lips, another first in a long time.

Remembering the supply order, he asked, "Love me enough to help me with something?"

"What is it?"

"Han needs the supply order for this month, and we can't find it anywhere," he said. "I wouldn't bother you with it, but he's only got a week to hunt it all down."

"It's on my datapad. Seen it anywhere?"

"No. Do you remember where you last saw it?"

"Maybe the study."

He found her datapad under some papers on his desk. When he returned with it, he asked, "What's the password?"

"No spaces. Aurek-herf-cherek-trill-osk resh-esk-nern-dorn-esk-zerek-vev-osk-usk-senth (AHCHTORENDEZVOUS)," Naluma said with a soft smile.

Remembering their honeymoon, Luke grinned back at the thought that she typed that in multiple times a day. And then he thought it might refer to their month of training there. Or maybe both.

He opened the file and reviewed the order.

She said, "Triple the food stuffs, paper goods, and personal products, since the entire Jedi Order is coming in. That won't leave Han room for much else on the Falcon. Remove anything that can wait a bit."

He  made the adjustments to the order and then added the supplies they had used from the medkit. Then he pressed "send" and called Han on the communicator.

"Hey, Han, this is Luke." Luke put him on the external speaker.

"Hey, how are you guys doing? Naluma okay? Ben was really worried about her."

Naluma thought to Luke, I'll bet he was.

"She's getting better. She's right here if you want to talk to her."

"Hi, Han, Chewie," she greeted with a flat tone.

Chewie growled a greeting.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Han asked. "I couldn't get much out of anyone that day."

Luke looked at Naluma for permission. She nodded "yes." "Han, um, Naluma miscarried. There were some complications."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Chewie moaned in sympathy.

"I wonder why Ben thought it was his fault, then."

Naluma looked sharply at Luke, who waved his hand to forget it. "They were practicing saber together when it happened. I'll talk to Ben."

"Thanks. He was pretty shook up that day," Han said. "I just got your order. I might be a few days late with it. The Falcon will be running heavy on this load."

Luke looked at Naluma, slightly worried. He did not know what their supply situation was.

Naluma spoke up. "That's okay. I always make sure we have at least one extra week's worth of supplies in case you're delayed. We'll make it."

"Good. See you in a few weeks then. Falcon out."

Naluma grabbed her datapad from Luke.

"What are you up to now?"

"Padawan duty schedules," she said. "If we're going to have a full house of Jedi around here, we'll need more on KP, sanitation, and grounds duties. The Jedi might be getting some R&R, but the Padawan will be losing theirs."

"You amaze me," he said with a smile. He sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her. "How could I ever replace you?"

"Kalder seems to be doing well."

"Except we'd all starve in a few weeks."

"Who's teaching my classes right now? They probably could use my lesson plans," she said, thinking about how far behind her classes might be.

"Kalder has some. Kallay and Carron have picked up the others. I didn't want Ben with anyone else but Kalder."

"So, you do believe me?"

Hemming and hawing, Luke finally said, "I believe that this is what you believe is true." He sat beside her in the other chair and rested his hand on her arm. "If he did do it, it had to be an accident. He's a child, Naluma."

"He's fourteen, Luke, almost a man."

"I can't believe that someone that young would intentionally kill another being, especially one he's related to—not when I can sense so much good in him still."

Naluma crossed her arms and looked out the window at the rain falling in the forest. "You're afraid."

"Afraid?"

"Admit it. You're afraid that if Ben did it, then you've failed—as a Jedi Master, as an uncle, and as a brother." Tears welled in her eyes. "But you don't even consider that right now by not admitting it, you're failing as a husband and a father, Luke. And you're still failing the Trial of Insight as a Jedi Master."

"You've gone too far, Naluma."

Turning sharply to him, she said, "So, what are you going to do? Lock me in here for insubordination?" She rolled her eyes. "Use the Force, Luke. When's the last time you've meditated about this whole issue?"

He stared at her.

"You haven't even meditated?"

"When's the last time you meditated, Naluma?" he thrust his chin at her. "I don't see any peace emanating from you right now."

"You didn't answer the question, Luke." She closed her eyes. "Just go away."

"What?"

She pointed to the door. "Go away and find your precious nephew. Go counsel him. Find out what's really in that brain of his." 

He crossed toward the door, but she stopped him. "But you'd better watch out. He's really good at telling you what you want to hear. Don't believe a word he says."

"I'll be able to tell if he's lying."

"And what if he is? What then?"

He bit his lip and swallowed. "I'll have to meditate about it." He stepped through the open hatch.

Did you know . . . 

● Is Ben a sociopath?

Tell me what you think . . .

● Do you think Ben will ever reform?

●  If Luke doesn't take Naluma seriously, do you think she'll leave him and the Jedi Order?