CHAPTER 56 - AND SO IT BEGINS

One year and four days following the Battle of Endor, the fleet of the New Republic assembled for its jump to lightspeed to Jakku. Admiral Ackbar said over the intercom, "All ships, await my signal to jump to lightspeed. On my mark. Three, two, one, mark."

Naluma watched the jump from the crowded portside observation deck. The Freedom's running crew had relegated the passenger troops to this area, their packed quarters, or pulling a shift in the launch bays.

She shifted her weight as the stars transformed to rays of blue, bringing the entire fleet into hyperspace. Where is he? She sent a tendril out pushing past the press of souls in between her and Luke. Master? What's so funny?

'Luma?

You're late. Aren't we meeting on the observation deck?

He didn't seem to be too concerned. Oh, sorry, I'm with the XO right now, going over—

Uh-huh. Don't even try to excuse this one.

He laughed at her. Come join us. Officer's Ward Room. Deck Forn at the bow.

Who's "us"?

An old friend.

The hermit has a friend?

He chuckled. You remember Wedge, don't you? Come on. I'll order you one of those dark fizzy drinks you like.

On my way.

Toward the end of the hyperspace jump, Luke and Naluma headed to separate drop ships. He drew her apart from the rest of the throng before they left. Resting his hands on her shoulders, he gazed into her eyes. "Be at peace. Trust your instincts. Vanquish fear."

"But what if one of us doesn't make it?"

"We'll deal with that if it happens."

"We?"

"Naluma, through the Force, I can continue to guide you if … something happens. It's how I was first trained."

Her tone escalated as her face crinkled. "But how will I know? We'll be too far apart on that dustball—"

"You can feel me through the Force, right?"

She nodded.

"You will know if something is wrong with me, as I will with you."

"I can barely feel your presence when we're only a few decks apart, master."

Luke grabbed her hands, gazing into her eyes. He swallowed before speaking. "I haven't wanted to do this until it was necessary."

"Do what?"

"Strengthen our Force-bond."

"Why not?"

"The drawbacks outweighed the benefits …" He looked down and pursed his lips together while hunting for the right words. "Until now." He cocked his head and gestured with his arm. "Look, we are probably the only two Jedi ever to be in this situation, and the Force-bond can be tricky with emotions. You might even say our emotions power it."

He sighed before lowering his shields, allowing the Force to flow between him and Naluma.

"I feel the power, but nothing else."

"I'm at peace right now, Naluma. The bond will allow you to feel everything that I am feeling: anger, despair, pain, agony, death, and … even …" Luke surged his emotions over that bond as he bounded past his peaceful state.

Naluma's eyes opened wider. "Love? I thought … I thought you had stopped."

"I couldn't."

Luke allowed the Force to flow through them on the power of their mutual love. Long moments passed between them. Somewhere in the middle of it all, he held her tight. Naluma did not remember when it happened.

"That was …" She panted.

"Intoxicating?"

"Yeah."

"The farther we're away from each other, the less we will feel—just the intense emotions." Luke lifted his eyes. "It will be vital from this point forward that we control ourselves."

Naluma nodded. "At least I'll know if something's wrong."

"That you will. Now get going to your drop ship before they leave without you," Luke said, turning her around and pushing her in the direction of the ship.

As she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her and even caught his desire—not quite words.

Captain Hazram Namir, a compact man with dark hair, consulted with his senior NCOs—Brand, Gadren, Hober the Quartermaster, and Van Geis the medical officer.

Lieutenant Brand, a dark, solid woman in her forties with wrinkled and scarred skin, asked, "What's up, Namir?"

"Bad news. We're being assigned a Jedi to assist us, whatever that is," he said while making an obscene gesture.

Sergeant Gadren, a gigantic Besalisk with one of his four arms missing, thick skin, and a hard crest of horns rising from his back, said, "We've already got enough fresh meat that are going to get ground up. And now we have to watch out for this idiot?"

"Orders are orders. Can't afford for any of you to take another recruit on, so I hope she can handle herself. Our first duty is to the company."

"Understood, sir," the officers said.

"Transfer the team to the drop ships, weapons and supplies in hand," Namir said in his rough command voice. "It's gonna be a rough landing. Remind the troops of the climate—fifty-five degrees. Water and salt tabs, or they won't survive half a day. Solar protection, too."

When Naluma boarded the drop ship, she reported to Captain Namir with a smart salute. "Jedi Knight Fau reporting for duty, Captain."

Namir glared at her. "Grab a seat and stay out of our way. I don't have time to babysit civilians. We have enough fresh meat in this company as it is."

Withholding a snarky retort, she bowed with respect. "Yes, Captain." She found an empty jump seat and buckled herself in with her pack on her back and her sniper rifle in hand. She double-checked her extra charges, as well as her blaster, dagger, and vibroblade. She unclipped her lightsaber to stop it poking her in the side while in the uncomfortable jumpseat.

Naluma's pack consisted of twelve kilograms of water, salt tabs, and thermal detonators. The water increased the weight, but she knew she would need every drop of it before this mission concluded. The Jedi spent the rest of her time building her Force-signature database so that in the heat of the battle she could tell friend from foe.