The Desolate Jedi | Luke Skywalker

Act I. x

"I have to go, I have to save my friends!"

Eleri woke up to Luke's frantic behaviour.

The bed beside hers was empty, sheets half flung onto the floor, but she couldn't see any of his stuff.

It wasn't unusual, given his impatient nature, so she didn't bother to listen to what was going on outside the house and just stared at the ceiling, taking a few minutes to wake up. That is, until Yoda started calling for her.

"Some sense in this boy I do not see." Her Master huffed and struck down his cane.

"What's going on?" Eleri questioned, noticing Luke hunched over a bag of his things.

The R2 droid beeped at her and Eleri shot a confused look.

"Leaving?" She turned to the boy. "What do you mean leaving?"

Luke sighed and shook his head, not stopping what he was doing.

"My friends are in trouble." Was all he said, and Eleri felt herself deflate a bit. Yoda started speaking again.

He told him that it wasn't right to leave his training, and Luke assured him that he would come back to finish it, but Eleri was weary. She knew how much Luke cared about his friends and the war going on, she thought that if he left now, there was no way he would ever return. She may have spoken admirably about his good natured spirit, but his immaturity in Force training was not something to overestimate.

But he promised and promised that he would come back, and it seemed to convince her Master well enough that he willed Luke's ship out of the bog. Vegetation clung to the side and swamp water cascaded through the notches, both Padawans looked in amazement at the strength of his power.

Then the small Jedi turned to Eleri.

"Help him pack you will. Trust that he will come back. Hmm." He spoke before walking back towards the house.

R2 started beeping and rolled over to the ship, where Luke had leant a ladder and started loading his stuff. Not having seen an X-Wing before, the girl hesitantly walked over. She didn't know how protective Luke was over it so she didn't want to invade his space. But she still called out to him.

"You can't leave!" She said and saw his blond head pop out from the cockpit.

She wasn't ready for him to go. Her night of reflection in the rain was not enough time to undo the feelings she had for him. She needed more time to stop wanting to be around him.

"I have to." His voice was calm, unlike how he spoke to Yoda.

"But there's millions of people out there." She tried to reason, feeling selfish. "Can't they help your friends?"

"I can't just trust that someone else will do it, Ellie." Luke looked at her and Eleri cast her gaze to her feet and kicked at the dirt.

"But I want you to stay, Luke." She breathed, but he didn't hear her and they fell silent again.

Finally, Eleri, curious of the ship, climbed the ladder while Luke was rummaging around the cockpit. She took in all its details, layout, and colours. It was something so new and foreign and it intrigued her.

"You can always come with me." He offered and Eleri had to refuse immediately.

"I won't leave my Master." She reasoned.

"I knew you wouldn't, you're just like her." He smiled.

"You keep saying that." Eleri hoped she didn't look too upset at the thought that Luke kept mentioning another girl. "Who is she?"

"My mentor - well, one of them." He sat on the edge of his X-Wing and Eleri took a step to the next notch down on the ladder to give him some room.

"Mentor?"

"Yea." Luke cast a small smile to the ground. "They taught me the basics of the Force, and after Ben died, he told me to find Yoda. She wasn't to happy about it, said she could train me herself."

Luke chuckled a bit and Eleri leaned on the side of the ship, intent on listening to him more.

"What's her name?" She asked.

"Ela."

Eleri raised an eyebrow.

"Is that how you came up with Ellie?"

"Ela is one of the most incredible people I've ever met." He nodded.

"I don't think I can live up to that." Eleri felt too much weight Luke put on that nickname.

"I think you can, easily." Eleri had to look down at the ship as her face heated up.

"Come with me." She heard him repeat, with a softer and more determined voice.

Eleri shook her head, taking another step down the ladder. She avoided eye context because she knew that if she took one glance at him, she would agree.

"I can't, my place is here." She looked away from the ship and towards where the house was.

"You're not ready now." He acknowledged. "Don't worry, I'll come back for you, and when I do, I'm not letting you get away so easily."