The Empire starts moving their chess pieces around and these kidnapping attempts have become too much to ignore. Kess sorts out the skeletons in her own closet and decides it's time to face the Supreme Prophet as well. "The Jedi Apprentice goes for the boss battle!" But Luke isn't ready to let her graduate.

Kess Lendra is a regular rebel grunt until her brother finds an old photo of her grandfather with a lightsaber. When asked for help to design a dud lightsaber, she mails Skywalker for help. Next thing she knows, she's on a treaty mission with a Wookiee she doesn't understand, a Captain that doesn't like her and a Jedi playing tricks to learn if she's really Force-sensitive or not.

Back to military life, Skywalker transfers Kess to his command so he can keep an eye on her fits of temper. He gets more than he bargained for when the grease monkey grounds his squadron for overhauls, not to mention training a female rebel under a microscope grows complicated. When the worst part of Luke's 'long story' is revealed, his apprentice snaps under the strain.

Luke and Mara impulsively begin an affair. Just when Luke thinks his dreams might be coming true, his worst nightmare comes to life. Very much AU.

Luke goes on a mission to an Imperial World only to return close to death. Mara is the one who has to save him. A reworking and expanding of an earlier story