Luke Skywalker, the Last Jedi, faces his toughest challenge yet. After taking his Jedi vows, he assumes the misbelief that love has no place in his life. As a result, he denies the love he craves in order to establish the New Jedi Order and maintain...
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Naluma fidgeted from the long night of prolonged idleness, while Ben flipped pages with eyes clearly focusing elsewhere.
Around 0500 he broke the silence. "I need to take a leak."
Sighing, she closed her book. "Okay, let's go."
She led him down the hall to the men's refresher. Wary of any attempt to overpower her, Naluma entered the room, standing guard outside his stall.
❶ "Can't a guy get some privacy?"
"Not until he cooperates of his own free will. Privacy is a privilege, not a right."
Zeke entered while she stood there.
"Wait until we depart. Sorry."
Zeke pivoted and grimaced. "If it's okay with you, Jedi Fau, I'll use the refresher upstairs."
While the Padawan dashed out of the room and down the corridor, Ben made a dash of his own for the small window in the refresher unit.
Naluma thrust out her hand and grabbed the boy by his collar with the Force as he wiggled through the opening. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Getting out of this nut house." He squirmed against her grip.
"I can do this all day."
After jerking against her Force-grip a few more times, he sunk his shoulders in.
The Jedi wrenched his arm and dragged him out of the refresher and down the hall. "Cut it out, Ben."
"So, I'm your prisoner?"
"If that's what makes you feel better, go ahead and think that." She quickened her pace as a group of Padawan appeared around a corner. "But it's your own choices that are keeping you confined."
Geryl and Pilar backed against the corridor wall as Geryl murmured, "Who's that? Hope he's not a new Padawan."
Pilar elbowed her friend. "Geryl."
Naluma shoved Ben into the study and set the lock to voice recognition. The boy slid one of the desk chairs next to the soaring pane windows and curled up his feet on the fabric clasping his knees to his chest.
The Jedi flicked a few switches on the windows, activating the outer privacy settings so that Ben could stare at the Padawan in the courtyard, but they wouldn't be able to see him.
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