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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Dressed in a sergeant's service uniform, Naluma reported to the general's office at the appointed time. She was grateful for the two-hour interlude, during which she took a long, hot shower and ate a warm meal to fend off the hypothermia.
She had also attended to her injured ankle, wrapping it in a support bandage under her dress boot. Fortunately, the cold weather had kept it from swelling too much.
Leaving her heavy jacket in the reception area, Naluma limped into the general's office, coming to attention before Madine and Kiner once again. Madine's office boasted wood paneling over the insulation, a few metal-framed windows, and shelves behind his utilitarian desk.
A hologram of his wife Zera perched on the desk. Naluma recognized her from the military ball seven years earlier. Holocrons and datafiles cluttered the shelves. In front of the desk stood two hard-backed metal chairs.
After the general ordered the junior officers to be seated, he sunk back into his brown, upholstered executive chair.
❶"The rest of your training shouldn't take too long. Kiner and I have witnessed your command presence on many occasions. Your Close Order Drill is almost perfect, and we both believe it will be perfect when you arrive on Ruusan in a few days. We just want to review the Standing Operating Procedure for Recruit Training as well as the Values Based Training."
"Understood, sir."
Leaning in toward her with his hands on knees, Colonel Kiner said, "It's been quite a few years since you've served with the military, Jedi Fau."
Sitting straight as a board on the uncomfortable chair, Naluma said, "I reviewed both disciplines on the way in, sirs. And, trust me, the Jedi Order has an even stronger Core of Values when it comes to honor, courage, and commitment."
"We don't doubt that." The general rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and intertwined his fingers before his face.
Now that they were inside, Naluma felt something different about the general. A glimmer in his eye warned caution. Even the Force moved differently around his aura.
Kiner handed Naluma his datapad. "Test over those procedures and values."
Naluma looked at the pad. It displayed no such thing.
"When you finish, your training will be complete." Kiner drew his fingers across his throat.
"Sir, yes, sir."
"You may begin," Kiner said as he eased back in the uncomfortable chair.
Naluma scrolled through the data presented to her. She pored over the case file on the missing recruits—every occasion, every recruit, every detail.
