Playlist:
❶ "Jabba Flow"—The Force Awakens Extended ST
❷ "Snoke"—The Force Awakens OST
⊘ Silence
❶ While hanging out at Maz's place, Han's comlink woke him from his week-long stupor. After reading the communiqué, he lunged about the tavern, looking for that Wookiee.
The mouthwatering scent of spiced meat filled Han's lungs. He turned on his heels and followed the trail to a dark corner of the tavern. He should have known he would find Chewie hanging out with Maz. He was eating a huge bantha steak at a table in a dark alcove, chortling at the diminutive creature's comments.
"There you are. I've been looking all over for you."
Chewie barked back a few words.
"I can see you're busy," Han said while twisting his lips in frustration. "Excuse me, Maz, but I need this guy."
"So do I." Maz wrapped her arm around the Wookiee's and kissed his snout.
"Chewie, we've got a job."
His partner inquired with a few growls.
"Not entirely legal, but it won't matter. We won't get caught. A shipment of colonial supplies for the Irving Brothers from Ord Mantell to Quellor," Han said placing his hands on his hips. "Easy trip, easy money. Nothing can go wrong."
Maz asked, "Isn't Ord Mantell still interdicted by the Republic?"
Chewie barked his concerns, too.
"I've got that covered. Being a former general does have its benefits, after all."
A memory of Leia on Endor flooded his mind, catching him off-guard. Injured yet ready to blast a stormtrooper away, she had saved them both.
Han fought down the intruding reminder of his painful existence and returned to business.
❷ Luke traveled four days to reach Zaxyn for his cybernetic hand replacement. Because of the delicate nerve work, the doctors sedated him for the long procedure.
While under the anesthetic, a Force-vision of a distorted, reptilian face tormented him, urging someone to find and destroy Luke Skywalker. He revived from the anesthesia with a jerk.
Dr. Kalonia calmed him, "Easy, Master Skywalker. It's only the anesthetic."
Luke took a deep breath, knowing she was wrong.
⊘ The next day Luke reported to the Senate, sitting in the little-used Jedi box in the Senatorial Hall. Over the years, the hall had become more ornate and the Senators more pampered.
Leia spotted him from the across the hall and asked in his mind, How's Ben?
Fine. He's agreed to become a Jedi. He's fitting in, slowly but surely.
Leia breathed a sigh of relief.
The Chancellor opened the session and welcomed Master Skywalker to the meeting. Luke looked over at his sister Leia How do you deal with this nonsense every day?
Leia just smiled back at him in mystery.
The Chancellor Mon Mothma said, "Gentle beings, upon study of the recovered histories of the Old Republic, it has been proposed that we reactivate the Jedi Council of old. The strength of the Old Republic was dependent upon the two councils' symbiotic relationship. As the First Order grows more powerful daily, the New Republic cannot survive without the Jedi."
A Senator from an Outer Rim territory motioned, "In order to have a Jedi Council, we must have a Grand Master of the Jedi and at least three Jedi Masters. Right now we have only one Master. I move that we promote Jedi Master Luke Skywalker to Grand Master, and that upon his guidance, at least one Jedi Knight be promoted to Jedi Master immediately, with more to follow in the next five years."
Another senator seconded the motion. Luke felt he was part of a theatrical presentation. He knew this had been planned in advance, since the Senate did not debate but only called for a vote. Luke glared at his sister as the Senate interfered with the Jedi Order.
She thought back at him, You can thank me later.
Thanking was not what I had in mind. It's only a title, and an empty one at that, Leia.
For you, yes. For Naluma, no. Are you staying over tonight?
Tempted not to.
Oh, stop. This was going to happen whether I knew about it or not, Leia thought. When they heard about your recent accidents, they were worried about the Jedi Order. The Senate wants to make sure there is a structure in place in case something does happen to you.
The Chancellor asked, "Master Skywalker, could you please report the status of the Jedi Academy? I hear it has grown considerably since your last update a few years ago."
Luke provided the Senate with basic demographics. "We have set up a five-year training program for most of the Padawan. Some Padawan arrive having more experience than others, and some are younger than others, requiring maturation before graduation."
He looped his fingers through his belt as he continued. "From its inception, we have graduated eight Jedi Knights, with another two scheduled to graduate in the spring. We currently have twenty-sev—I mean twenty-eight Padawan. Of these twenty-eight, ten will graduate in the next three years. Once a Padawan finishes his intermediate training, he accompanies a Jedi Knight on missions, finishing his advanced training between the missions."
Luke rolled his eyes as the Senate debated over their training regime. Some senators desired a longer training period, while others wanted the Padawan rushed through and graduated as soon as possible. He sighed and glanced at Leia.
She tilted her head and laughed. It is what it is.
After the session, Luke accompanied Leia to her spacious quarters. With only Leia and See-Threepio in the suite, the rooms echoed in emptiness.
Ben's room was just the same. About a dozen shipping crates of all shapes and sizes crowded Chewbacca's room. When Luke pushed a few out of the way, he could have sworn one sung to him for a moment.
Threepio joined him as he unpacked, rattling on as the protocol droid was accustomed to do. "Oh, Master Luke, I do hope Master Ben is settling in well at the academy. When Princess Leia told me he was training to be a Jedi—"
"He's doing fine, Threepio. I'll tell him that you asked about him. He misses you, too."
"Oh, thank you, Master Luke." As the protocol droid stored Luke's bag in the closet, he said, "I do hope Artoo isn't giving you any trouble. That astromech droid can be quite cheeky at times."
"He's fine, too. Saved my life more than once, you know."
"That Artoo unit is always ..."
Luke ignored the rest of Threepio's blabbering as the mysterious cases called to him once more. Not by name or even by voice, just by the Force.
When he came out to the living area, he saw Leia preparing dinner. Luke also recognized the fatigue in her face. "Leia, why don't we eat out tonight? My treat."
Leia looked at him and scrunched her nose before nodding. "Let me make reservations." She called up Chinot's on her datapad and tapped in her information. "We don't have much time—thirty minutes. We're going to Chinot's. I need to change," she said with a smile.
Luke smiled as he perceived his niece's Force-signature within Leia—a bright ray of sunshine yellow which merged perfectly with Leia's amber. He could also feel how strong this child would be in the Force, possibly stronger than himself. Oh, please keep her in the light.
Did you know ...
● Maz considers Chewbacca her boyfriend, but Chewbacca has a wife and a son back on Kashyyyk. And one thing we know aboutChewie is that he's loyal.
● Han had Chewie check-out the Falcon for damage when they arrived on Takodana in The Force Awakens to give him a reason to avoid Maz.
● The Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order were attached at the hip, especially during the Clone Wars. It was this relationship that led to weakening of the Jedi Order. Luke understands this issue and has tried to maintain professional separation between the two entities for the last ten years.
Tell me what you think ...
● Whom do you think Luke saw in his vision?
● Why do you think the Senate is interfering with the Jedi Order?