A man dressed in a coat with a hood and wearing a helmet stepped into a palace-looking temple, searching around for any living soul.
The temple was almost empty except for few droids here and there who were busy placing furniture, beds, lockers, training dummies, installing hologram projectors and many other things that didn't have domestic purposes.
"I'm sorry," – The man patted on the shoulder of a droid passing by, – "I'm searching for Luke Skywalker, is he here?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"Ezra, an old friend of Luke's," – The man now known as Ezra took off the hood and removed his helmet to reveal a face of middle-aged man with two scars on the left cheek and one just above his right eyebrow. His dark-blue hair was stylized as a fringe up with few locks dyed dark-purple. – "I've received an encrypted message from him one rotation ago, he asked me to visit him."
The droid had gone still searching through his databanks.
Moments after he said: "Yes, we have been expecting you. Please, wait for few moments, Master Skywalker will come down soon."
And with that, the droid excused himself and left the hallway they were standing in.
Ezra took a second to look around: the walls were painted simple beige, but the ceilings had pictures of constellations and kyber-crystals. The doors reminded him of the ones on Krownest: glass-looking metal but doors here were painted light-brown.
"Guess he remembered that…"
Few moments later a man in a robe of black and white colors came from around the corner.
"Hello Ezra, it's been quite some time," – a man greeted, keeping his hands behind his back, – "If you're here it means you've received my message."
"Luke, please tell me you aren't serious about this," – Ezra stood before none other than Luke Skywalker himself. Despite having fought many battles, growing out a beard and hair, Skywalker still had that youthful spark but also a mature look in his eyes.
"I AM serious, Ezra," – Luke said without delay, – "The galaxy needs Jedi Order again."
"Listen, we had talked about this," - Ezra took one step closer to Luke, – "This is NOT going to go the way you think!"
"But it's worth a try-"
"What is?! Bringing the old ways back?" – Ezra took one more step before placing both hands on Luke's shoulders, – "Same rules that brought the downfall of the Jedi and your dad?"
"Don't worry, Obi-Wan and Master Yoda will guide me," – Luke said with half-confident voice.
"Master Yoda also admitted the Jedi were arrogant, they've been ruled by the Dark Side, and Master Kenobi was biased," – Ezra countered, refusing to let Luke sway him.
"I won't fail like my father did," – Luke retorted and placed a hand of Ezra's, – "But I might need your help, I understand you feel conflicted-"
"Kriff right I am!"
"- As I was saying, there's not much we can do, the ways of the old Jedi are long forgotten, so we must go off what we have," – Luke then fell silent.
Ezra took a step back and crossed his arms before his chest.
"Di'kut…" – Catching his friend's attention in form of a raised eyebrow, the Lothalian took a deep breath and clarified – "You're also being very ignorant about this you know? Most the Sith came from the Jedi, not the other way around."
Just as Luke opened his mouth to answer, Ezra raised a finger to stop him.
"You still see the Jedi as the "good" and the Sith as the "evil" but these two religions are just two extreme sides of the spectrum," – Ezra then gestured to the walls around them, – "You can't seem to find a balance between the two sides, and if you don't then you WILL fail."
Luke replied after few seconds of silence.
"I know, but I will still try, and if I don't succeed then-"
"Then what?! You'll drown the galaxy in more than one war, Luke!" – After this little rant, Ezra exhaled and decided to leave this dead horse alone.
"Okay, - Ezra lifted his hands in form of surrender, – "I'll have to trust you on this one, doesn't seem like I'd stop you anyway."
Luke sighed as well, – "Okay, thank you."
"Don't thank me just yet" – Ezra warned but then his face suddenly brightened up.
"So! Onto a happier note, love what you did with the place, although a bit more colors wouldn't hurt, and maybe few gardens, a playground would be nice as well and…" – Ezra then started counting on his fingers and saying some things in both Lothalian and Mando'a.
This made Luke pause and question how this man was able to change his attitude so fast. But it also represents opportunity to turn the conversation to a bit friendlier tide.
"Maybe you should come here work on this building?" – Luke mustered up the best grin he could.
"Oh, no-no, I'll have way more work in coming weeks, now that I'll have to look after a little menace" – Ezra then flashed Luke a smirk, knowing full well that Luke understood his words.
With that Ezra stretched his arm out to Luke.
"Well off I go, I'm needed home as soon as possible," – Luke shook his hand but did not let go.
"Wait just a minute Ezra."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"So uh, well… Leia is pregnant." – Luke dropped a bombshell and let Ezra's arm go.
"… Wow, Han actually flew in eh?" – Terrible joke made Luke grin and shake his head.
"Yeah, took him long enough though."
"How are they going to name the kid?"
"Ben," – Luke flashed a nostalgic smile, – "Ben Solo."
"Huh, guess you had something to do with it?" – Ezra watched Luke awkwardly rub his neck.
"Not, not exactly…" – Luke then hid his arms in his sleeves and replied with few questions of his own, – "How's Sabine? Doing well I hope?"
"Oh, well Sabine is resting right now. Last year was pretty tiresome." – Ezra slowly started walking towards exit with Luke by his side.
"I know we didn't talk much, but you could've at least tell me your child's name, no?" – Luke asked.
Ezra stopped by the door and faced Luke.
"Mira," – Ezra replied with small smile, – "Mira Wren-Bridger."
"I see, very "colorful" name if I must say so myself" – Luke said with smirk which earned him a shove to the shoulder.
"Oh ha-ha, says the one whose nephew will get named after his dead Master."
They were joking around and laughing until they came outside and reached Ezra's ship.
"I'm praying for yours and your family's safety, may the Force be with you," – Luke said embracing Ezra and quickly withdrawing.
"Thank you Luke, may the Force be with you," – Ezra patted Skywalker on the shoulder and added while gesturing to the temple – "And I hope you'll do well with all of this."
With that Ezra walked into the ship and closed the ramp. Luke watched the ship take off with solemn but hopeful expression on his face. Seeing the ship going out of stratosphere, Luke turned around and started walking back to his temple.
There was a lot of work to do but so little time and knowledge.