CHAPTER 25 - LIFTING ROCKS

Sweat trickled down Naluma's cheek as she squeezed her eyes together. One rock. Why can't I get the stupid rock to move? Argh!

She screamed at the beige stone and pounded the ground beside her folded legs. The two-kilogram rock soared through the air.

Luke ducked his head at the last moment, the rock whizzing overhead and smacking a tree. The last of the warm fall leaves tumbled from its branches as if a speeder had crashed head-on.

"I'm never going to get this. We're wasting our time." She crossed her arms and slumped in her lotus position.

"No, you won't. Not when you're letting your anger rule you."

She tossed a few stones in her hand focusing on the rough feel on her alabaster skin.

Luke sighed. "Again."

Dropping the pebbles and closing her eyes, she lifted her hand toward another marbled river rock, this one slightly smaller. She could have hidden it in her hand if she wanted to.

She pressed her lips together. Wrinkles formed around her eyes and on her brow as dark hair escaped her flat bun, irritating her cheek. As she resisted the urge to push the tendril of hair away, she remained focused on the rock.

A slight smile crept across her lips.

She felt the stone tilting.

Lifting.

With a lurch, it propelled out of control.

Naluma groaned.

Luke's hand shot up and called it to his own hand. He set it in front of her once more.

When she closed her eyes, he snapped, "No."

She narrowed her eyes at him and steadied her face.

"Your fear is leaking, Naluma. Find your balance first, your center."

She bent forward and extended her arms in front of her, stretching her lower back muscles and sucking in the Force that vibrated in the soil.

"That's right. Open up to the Force. Let it flow in and out. Don't try to control it." After a few breaths, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Concentrate on your breathing, your heartbeat. Concentrate on my voice. Just let it move."

Eyes closed. Arms relaxed at her sides. Back straight. Legs crossed. Feet atop her knees.

Master Skywalker's soothing voice permeated her. "That's it. You're doing great."

Her breathing intensified, from deep breaths to small gasps.

"Let go of the fear. You can do this."

"How can you just turn off your emotions? They drown me." She huffed when he didn't reply. After a few moments and a few cleaning breaths, she ceased trembling.

"You cannot control the Force until you can control yourself."

She felt the elusive peace wash over her.

"Good. Now stop the river. Pull it into the cistern in your center. Let it fill you."

She scrunched her eyes together and held her breath.

"Breathe. Just breathe."

His voice penetrated her, wrapping her inner core and the Force in its sonorous tones.

"Open the valve. Just a drip. That's right. A little more. Small stream."

The air hummed around them. Naluma's hairs on her arms stood up.

"Direct it to the rock." His voice remained steady. "Surround the rock. Push underneath."

The stone between them wobbled on the gritty ground.

"Let it go."

The orb of speckled granite shot high above the pine trees surrounding the glade.

"Oh, no!" Naluma's face fell as a tear escaped her eye.

"Naluma!"

As the gravel plummeted toward them on a direct path for the Padawan's head, Master Luke grabbed the projectile with a quick swipe of the Force.

"Return to center."

"I don't know why we're even bothering. I'm never going to do this." She pushed herself up from the ground.

"You're so certain you're going to fail."

She halted.

His eyes softened. "Naluma, you have to believe in yourself, in the Force, first."

"But …"

"Lock down that fear, apprentice."

Her face froze as her eyes bored into him. "When you do, master."

"We're feeding off each other. Control it."

Trembling, he turned his head and inhaled calming breaths, clenching his fists and reopening them.

Not again. Wish I knew how to help him. Naluma monitored the episode, mindful of his every move.

He chanted "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me" until the spasms stopped.

He inhaled a deep breath. "Now, shut down your fear."

"How can you pretend like this? What is this, third time today you've had a fit?" She stood. "You think I don't know, but I hear you moaning in your cabin." She shuddered involuntarily. Her brow wrinkling, she spat out, "Your fear constricts me, master."

Luke's face flushed as his breathing intensified.

"I hear you screaming at night. All I want to do is hold you and banish those fears. But I'm afraid. Afraid you won't recognize me. Afraid … the rest of the base—the Senate—will find out." She hesitated for a long moment before clasping his left hand. "You need help, Master Luke." Tears threatened to escape her eyes.

He bit his lip and took a deep breath. "I'm seeing Dr. Sindain every day."

She snorted. "Doesn't seem to be helping."

"It has. I was much worse right after Endor."

She touched his arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

He pulled away and shook his head. "Not until you can control your fear."

She crossed her arms and bore her eyes into him.

He nodded. "And I can control mine."

A thought bombarded her brain, screaming inside to get out. "Can the Force heal?"

"According to the Sacred Jedi Texts. But the Jedi Healers used healing crystals." Luke hung his head low. "They're all gone now."

Naluma pondered his words and listened deep within to whatever was speaking. "It's worth a try. I'm sure it wasn't the crystal but the Force that healed."

Luke grimaced. "Do or do not. There is no try."

"What?"

"Master Yoda said that a lot during my training."

"But what does it mean?"

"You will know when you have learned control." He rose in one smooth motion. "You're right. This is never going to work. Come on." He jogged down the dusty trail.

"We're giving up?"

"Nuh-uh. New angle. More than one way to skin a womprat."

She halted on the trail. "What's the point?"

He grabbed her hands and opened her fingers. "You're right on the cusp of this. Once you attain it, you'll never lose it. I promise."

Her heart beat faster as his blue eyes met her black ones.

"We can't give up now, not when we're so close."

The calluses on his palm arced an electric jolt through her arms. She pulled her arms away, not daring to remove her eyes from him. How can I give up when he believes in me?

He darted down the path. "Come."