As they came out of hyperspace, Luke spoke into the communicator. "Koda Station, this is Jedi Order Shuttle Elenium, requiring med center attention, Code Red."

"Shuttle Elenium, the pattern is clear. Proceed to Docking Bay 24. A med team will meet you there. Please transmit vitals."

"Vitals transmitting." Luke punched a few buttons and guided the shuttle to Docking Bay 24.

Luke and Naluma waited many hours for Ben to come out of surgery. The sterile, white walls and the hard-backed seats of the waiting room only added to their unease. After drinking water and eating a few bites of a ration bar, Naluma's nausea returned with a vengeance.

"Hey, is this normal?" Luke asked as she spewed into a rubbish receptacle.

Naluma stared at him blankly. I don't think so. I haven't been able to hold down anything for weeks.

He scrutinized her. Weeks? Is Anakin okay?

As far as I can tell.

Noticing her uniform hanging on her, he asked, How much weight have you lost? He reached out and grabbed her arm and then ran his hand down her side. When she did not answer, he chided. Naluma?

Twenty kilos in the last two months. She sighed. But I had ten kilos to spare.

Twenty?

She nodded her head and bit back the tears.

Luke held her, comforting her through the emotional roller coaster. After a few minutes, he pulled away. "I'm going to check on something. Take it easy." He lifted her chin and stroked her face, like he used to do before they were married.

Naluma smiled at him.

Luke headed to the nearest staffing station about half a click down the hall, where med techs bustled from one device to another, updating patient information. "Excuse me."

A female human med tech, petite with dark brown hair and golden skin, said, "Yes?"

"Med Tech Kohlni, is it?" he asked, looking at her badge. "Do we have any idea how much longer Padawan Solo will be in surgery?"

The med tech looked up the surgery data. "At least another hour. Probably more."

"Okay. I'm Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Page me if anything changes. I'm going to take care of some business in another wing."

"Which?"

"Birthing." He beamed a proud smile.

Luke returned to Naluma and escorted her to the birthing wing. Only a year ago, Naluma had stayed in this wing for two weeks when she had miscarried. It had not changed a bit.

Luke felt Naluma tense as she entered this wing. Relax. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It will be okay.

When they reached the med tech station, Luke said, "I'm Master Luke Skywal—"

The med tech looked up from his terminal. "Of course you are. Great to see you again, Master Skywalker. Oh, and, Master Fau, you, too. I hope this visit is a good one?" Med Tech Budi asked.

Naluma smiled softly and nodded, but she did not trust her stomach this point to even attempt speaking.

Luke said, "She's pregnant. Needs a pre-natal exam." His teeth shone through his wide smile.

Med Tech Budi pulled up the schedules. "Hmm, I can get you in with Dr. Messayer in an hour, if that works for you."

"That will be—"

"Nonsense, Budi, you will schedule them with me, no one else," Dr. Joloah said as he approached the med tech station. "Master Skywalker, Master Fau, good to see you both again," he spoke with his thick accent.

"A pleasure, too, Dr. Joloah," Luke said while shaking his hand.

Naluma merely nodded her greeting.

Med Tech Budi said, "Dr. Joloah, you are all booked up for the next three days."

"Put them on the books for first thing tomorrow morning, an hour before my first call. I'll squeeze them in. Master Fau and I go way back. No one else is going to handle this one," Dr. Joloah said with a wink.

"0700 then," Budi said as he input the information into the dataport.

"I'm ordering a full panel of labs for you, Master Fau. Fast for fourteen hours. Report to the lab at 0600 tomorrow and then come here. Budi, schedule the image tech for 0730."

"Doctor, Naluma's hasn't been feeling too hot recently. Anything we should be concerned about?"

"Morning sickness got you down?"

Naluma nodded.

"Nothing to worry about. Try sucking ice cubes and eating some bread. Avoid grease," Dr. Joloah said. "Should do the trick. But ice cubes only today. You're fasting for labs until tomorrow morning."

"Thank you," Luke said.

Naluma nodded.

When they returned to the emergency wing, Ben was still in surgery. Luke and Naluma waited for three more hours, Naluma sleeping on Luke's shoulder as fatigue overtook her.

He spent the time meditating with the Force, enjoying the additional burst of energy he received with Naluma so close to him. However, the future kept moving, the answer coming right to his fingertips and then quickly slipping away.

Finally, nine hours after bringing Ben in, the lead doctor exited the surgery and approached the Jedi Masters. Luke woke up Naluma as Dr. Locdo advanced. "Masters Skywalker and Fau," the doctor said.

"Doctor," Luke said as he and Naluma stood. "How is he?"

"The surgery concluded satisfactorily. We'll have to see how his body responds, though. His bones have been set and cartilage matrix inserted between each vertebrae to reverse the spinal compression. Can't do Bacta until the back and the concussion heals, though, and he cracked a few of those vertebrae on ejection. Bone-knitter therapy begins tomorrow."

"Will he survive?" Naluma asked.

"Probably. He had a punctured lung and a few broken ribs that were the most life-threatening. I don't know how soon he'll be able to return to duty, though, Master Skywalker, if ever. We're not sure if his legs will ever work properly again—he sustained nerve damage during the spinal compression," Dr. Locdo informed.

"Are prosthetics an option?" Luke clenched his right hand without thinking.

The doctor shook his head. "The problem is not the legs but the nerve damage in the spine."

Luke asked, "Can we visit him?"

"Not right now. Maybe tomorrow," the doctor said, raising his hand to stop Luke from pushing through.

"Thanks. We'll be back tomorrow." Luke led Naluma to the shuttle.

After they reached the shuttle, Naluma insisted Luke wash in the refresher. Her overactive olfactory senses were adding to her nausea.

Luke found Naluma lying in bed already, bucket on the deck, when he exited. He crawled into bed, thankful that they had replaced the narrow military cot with a real bed a few years back.

Naluma took a deep breath and said, "Definitely better ... much better." She kissed him softly as she ran her fingers through his wet hair.

Luke returned the kiss, running his fingers down her arm. "You have no idea how much I've missed you. Some of those nights on Apathaska, when I didn't know if I would see you again ... Were you worried?"

"Not this time. The Force gave me peace that you would be back, and I felt you this time. I knew you were alive." She caressed his chest and intertwined her fingers in his.

"You sure you're up for this?" He caressed her with his other hand.

Naluma nodded with a shy smile.

While Luke ate a ration bar for breakfast, Naluma said, "Luke, you should call Ben's parents before we leave. They need to know."

He sought guidance from the Force, but he received no warnings—the dark side was clouding the future again. "I'll call Han right now."

"And Leia." Naluma bore into his eyes. "She needs to know, too."

"I don't want to put any pressure on her. Would her knowing this make it any better if she can't come anyway?"

"I think she deserves the option. If she feels she needs to be here, she'll figure out a way. She's resourceful."

"It's three in the morning on Naboo."

"Just do it."

Luke activated the comm channel. "Han, this is Luke."

Han's voice crackled over the intercom. "Yeah, what's up? Shipment change?"

"No, um, Ben's had an accident."

"Yeah?" Concern colored Han's voice.

"He had to punch out on a mission and then was captured by the First Order for two weeks. He suffered more injuries while in their custody."

"And?"

"He might not walk again—nerve damage to the spine."

"Where are you?"

Chewie roared in the background, his keen hearing picking up the conversation.

"Koda Station, emergency wing."

"I'll be there in two days. And, Luke, tell him to hang in there ... and that I'm proud of him."

"I will, Han." Luke ended the call and turned to exit the shuttle.

Naluma blocked his way. "Now for Leia."

"We're going to be late for your lab work. It's almost 0600."

"Lab work won't take an hour, Luke. We have time." Naluma pushed him back. "Look, if you don't call her, I will. But I think she would rather hear this news from you."

Luke took a deep breath before putting through the call to his sister.

When Leia answered, she immediately asked, "Luke, what's wrong with Ben? And don't you dare tell me nothing."

"He was injured on a mission, Leia. Might not walk again. We're on Koda Station."

"How long did the First Order have him, Luke?" Leia asked. "What did they do to him?"

"Two weeks. Not sure of the specifics, but they tortured him."

The secure call alarm alerted. Fifteen seconds left in the call.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," she murmured with a gasp as the secure connection call ended.

Did you know . . .

● My original first few drafts of this story did not have this chapter arc in it, but I thought it was very important for Han and Leia to try to connect with Ben one more time. Maybe they can turn him.

Tell me what you think . . .

● How do you think the family reunion will turn out?

● Will seeing Leia be enough to turn Ben back to the light?