Disclaimer: I am not Rick Riordan or George Lucas.
Enter Mara and Yoda, among the other residents of the Jedi Praxeum, who all gather to mourn Luke Skywalker.
Yoda. We must assume he is dead. After so long a silence, it is unlikely our prayers will be answered. I have asked his best surviving friend to do the final honors.
Mara steps forward.
Mara. He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He . . .
Enter Luke.
Mara stares at him, shocked.
He's right there.
All turn and gasp.
Ganner. Luke.
All surround Luke. Most of the Barabels curse, but Saba simply rolls her eyes. Mara and Yoda approach Luke.
Yoda. Well, I don't believe I've ever been happier to see a Jedi return. But you must tell me . . .
Mara. Where have you been?
Mara embraces Luke.
I . . . We thought you were dead, Farmboy.
Luke. I'm sorry. I got lost.
Mara. Lost? Two weeks, Luke? Where in space . . . ?
Yoda. Mara. Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private, shall we? [to all] The rest of you, back to your normal activities.
Exit all but Luke, Mara, and Yoda.
Luke. I was responsible for the explosion at the Sacred Spire. In doing so, I wiped out a large portion of the Noghri and sent the rest in retreat for a time. Somehow, I ended up marooned on deserted planet. Finally, Yun-Ne'Shel arrived with a shuttle and helped me home.
Mara. You've been gone two weeks. When I heard the explosion, I thought . . .
Luke. I know. I'm sorry. But I figured out how to get through the Graveyard. I talked to Yun-Ne'Shel.
Mara. She told you the answer?
Luke. Well, she sort of told me that I already knew. And I do. I understand now. The problem with the Graveyard are its Force illusions. We need someone who can see past thing, and few mortal beings qualify. However, I do know of one human who might qualify: Gaeriel Captison. She saw the Anzati at Ossus long before I did. If we are to survive the Graveyard, we are going to need someone like her.
Mara. Luke. That's crazy.
Yoda. There is precedent, however. Andur Sunrider had the help of Nomi Da-Boda. Laranth Tarak, daughter of Yun-Shuno, used many mundane on her Whiplash movement for just this reason.
Mara. But this is my quest. I need to lead it.
Yoda. My dear, it is your quest. But you need help.
Mara. And this is supposed to help? Please, it's wrong. It's cowardly. It's . . .
Luke. Hard to admit we need a regular human's help. But it's true.
Mara glares at Luke.
Mara. You are the single most annoying being I have ever met.
Exit Mara.
Luke. So much for being the bravest friend she's ever had.
Yoda. She will calm down. She's jealous, my boy.
Luke. That's stupid. She's not . . . It's not like . . .
Yoda. [laughs] It hardly matters. Mara is very territorial about her friends, in case you haven't noticed. She was quite worried about you. And now that you're back, I think she suspects where you were marooned.
Luke glances at Yoda, realizing that the Chironian is aware of Vestara Khai.
We won't dwell on your choices. You came back. That is what matters.
Luke. Tell that to Mara.
Yoda. In the morning, I will have Jurokk take the two of you to Coruscant. You might stop by your mother's, Luke. She is . . . understandably distraught.
Luke nods.
Luke. Yoda. What about Corran and Lowie? Do you think . . . ?
Yoda. I don't know, my boy. Mirax is quite distressed. All her branches are turning yellow. The Corellian Council has revoked Corran's searcher license. Assuming he comes back alive, they will force him into a shameful exile. [sighs] Corran and Lowbacca are very resourceful, however. We can still hope.
Luke. I shouldn't have let them run off.
Yoda. Corran has his own destiny, and Lowbacca was brave to follow him. You would know if Corran was in mortal danger, don't you think?
Luke. I suppose. The mind meld. But . . .
Yoda. There is something else I should tell you, Luke . . . actually two unpleasant things.
Luke. [sarcastic] Great.
Yoda. Raynar Thul, our guest . . .
Luke. [wary] Is he dead?
Yoda. Not yet. But he's much worse. He's in the infirmary now, too weak to move. I had to order Saba back to her regular schedule, because she was at his bedside constantly. He doesn't respond to anything. He won't take food or drink. None of my medicines help. He has simply lost the will to live.
Luke shudders.
I'm sorry to say . . . the other news is less pleasant still. Nichos has disappeared.
Luke. Disappeared? How?
Yoda. Three nights ago, he slipped into the Graveyard. Mirax watched him go. It appears you may have been right about him.
Luke. He's a spy for Caedus. The rancors he brought to the Praxeum were given to him by Kueller, the same Dark Jedi who has been supplying Palpatine's army. It can't be a coincidence.
Yoda. [sighs] So many betrayals. I had hoped Nichos would prove a friend. It seems my judgment was bad.
Luke. What about Drang?
Yoda. The vornskr is still in the arena. It won't let anyone approach. I did not have the heart to force it into a cage . . . or destroy it.
Luke. Nichos wouldn't just leave him.
Yoda. As I said, Luke, we seem to have been wrong about him. Now, you should prepare yourself for the morning. You and Mara still have much to do.
Exit all.