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...
❶ "Yoda and the Younglings"—Attack of the Clones OST
⊘ Silence
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Four years had elapsed since Dashka's death on the mountain.
Four years of transition as the Jedi Order grew from two dozen to almost three dozen.
Four years of Luke and Naluma growing closer together as their Force-bond strengthened.
Four years of bearing each other's burdens.
Naluma gazed out at the courtyard full of students, lost in her planning of the events to come later in the evening. When Luke was home, they spent their time in his study. The Padawan assumed they were discussing private Jedi business, but most nights they enjoyed each other's company, whether playing a game or watching an old vid that Luke had picked up on a recent trip. Due to security concerns, they could only connect to the Holonet for two minutes at a time.
After nine years together, they knew by instinct what the other needed at any given time. A word of encouragement, a chaste caress, or even a surprise gift—neither withheld anything the other needed—except physical union.
Naluma smiled at the anticipation of spending one of those evenings with Luke tonight. Kalder and he had returned from a mission to Mandalore Space only a few hours earlier, but Padawan classes had delayed any quality time thus far.
❶ The Jedi Knight returned her attention to the beginning saber class. With training foils extended to the air, the four young Padawan in the courtyard pounded to the grass in one movement, sliding their training sabers forward. As one, they tumbled forward and pounced for attack. Three of them lifted their foils and turned left, striking out, but the fourth—a second-year Padawan repeating the course—turned right, hitting her fellow Padawan with the training rod.
Naluma frowned at Pilar, a thirteen-year-old girl rescued from ravaged Onderon. After eight years of training Padawan, the girl was the first to struggle with saber fighting. Tall for human standards, this one was awkward. Her short-cropped, auburn hair wafted in the wind as silt blew into the girl's eyes. Pilar attempted to rub her eye with her saber hand, knocking herself in the head with the blunt stick.
With a sigh, Naluma shook her head. I don't know what her problem is. She has a great Force control, but her coordination is abysmal. She's more apt to cause problems in a group exercise than be a solution. I hope she has another talent, because saber fighting is never going to be it. I guess we should try her out in a few other fields soon, like flight school or healing, or she just might lose her all confidence with her Force-work.
"Again, Padawan. This time, stay together." Naluma placed her hands on her hips and enjoyed the wind blowing against her skin. She relished in the Force flowing in the courtyard through the trees and flowers.
