CHAPTER 84 - FAREWELL

Naluma rolled out of her rack in the officer's quarters she shared with Jannah on Zaxyn. Thud.

"Ow. What time is it?" Jannah yawned, rubbing her elbow.

"0600."

Weak sunbeams splintered through the bent blinds, giving her enough light to move around the tiny room without tripping. After dressing in a drill instructor's PT uniform, the Jedi headed to the parade grounds while her blonde roommate pulled the covers over her head and rolled over to face the wall.

✧∙ ° : * ✧ ∙ ° : * ∙ ° ✧

When the brisk air bit through her fleece shirt and trousers, Naluma rubbed her hands together and jogged across the base. After reaching the parade grounds, she lowered herself to the dormant grass and initiated her meditation exercises.

Midway through her daily routine, she felt Luke approaching from the barracks. Even at this distance, she could read his emotions in the Force—peace, determination ... and love. That last brought a smile to her face.

His alternate lightsaber swung at his hip as he walked at a clipped pace across the field. His black boots kicked up the dead grass clippings while his face reddened in the crisp air.

Naluma rose as she pursed her lips together in a grimace. "You're leaving now?" she murmured while tilting her head and gazing into his eyes.

Luke nodded, his light-brown hair blowing in the breeze.

She reached up to smooth it. "You could use a haircut."

He pulled her hand down and took her in his arms.

She luxuriated in the warmth his body provided.

"Stay safe. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Mine or yours?"

"Both. Something's not right with both of them. And with both of us tied up ..." Luke trailed off as he took her face in his hands, tracing his fingers down her jawline. "Promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks." He moved his lips to her and kissed her in a tender goodbye.

Unlike the many times they had said good-bye on Khalkha, this time it seemed like their last.

"You, too." She grabbed his head, running her fingers through the locks she had just straightened. She lightly brushed her lips across his before firmly pressing them against his once more.

⊘ They jerked apart when they felt Jannah and Tandolleau approaching.

The young blonde Jedi said with a mischievous wink, "Heh-heh, caught you two with your hands in the cookie jar." With wide eyes and a sly smirk, Jannah looked at the Jedi pilot beside her and asked, "Think we ought to report them for PDA?"

Tandolleau grinned. "We should—just to see Madine lose it."

Luke glared at them and said with a stern voice, "You wouldn't dare."

Jannah laughed while placing both hands on her hips, thrusting her elbows akimbo. "'Course not, Master. Wouldn't want an officer implicated in fraternizing with an NCO, would—"

Tandolleau interrupted Jannah with a sharp elbow. "We'll pre-flight the fighters. See you on the flight deck in a few." The tall Jedi with dark hair grabbed Jannah by the forearm and steered her away.

As they hurried from the parade ground, Jannah mumbled, "What was that for?"

"Sometimes you don't know when to quit."

"I was only joking ..."

After the duo had moved out of earshot, Luke turned back to Naluma, holding her around the waist. He inhaled in a few cleansing breaths.

She turned in Luke's embrace, resting her back against his chest and drawing his hands around her midsection. "Are you sure you want Jannah as lead on this mission?"

"Relax. She's only like that with people she's comfortable with. I'll keep her out of trouble." Luke rested his head against hers.

Naluma reached her hands up to Luke's neck. "But who's going to keep you out of it?" She pulled his head over and kissed him once more.

He broke the embrace and walked away. He stopped about halfway across the field. "I love you."

"Love you more."

Never. I will always love you more.

May the Force be with you.

✧∙ ° : * ✧ ∙ ° : * ∙ ° ✧

Luke found Artoo secured in his socket when he reached the airfield. Jannah was checking out his fighter from the cockpit while the ground crew scurried around the craft. Tandolleau was working on his weapons check. Both had dressed in their orange flight suits already. Luke grabbed his out of the forward storage compartment and slid the jumpsuit over his Jedi blacks.

It did not take long before Jannah had climbed into the gunner's position behind the pilot and Tandolleau had jumped into the cockpit. Their first stop was the cruiser Freedom, which was monitoring transmissions and space traffic near Cato Neimoidia. After overnighting on the cruiser, their next stop would be Castell.

He hopped into the pilot's seat and settled the helmet on his head. "You all right back there, Artoo?"

The droid beeped a string of Astromech which displayed in Galactic Basic on Luke's screen. Not in this piece of junk.

"I know. I know. Just do what you can with her. We needed the two-seaters as well as the bombing capabilities." Luke fired up the converters. "Tandolleau, Jannah, all ready?"

"Yes, siree, Master Luke." Tandolleau gave a tiny salute to the Jedi Master.

"Raring to go. Let's take out some TIE fighters," Jannah hollered, happy to be back behind her ion cannons.

"Want to avoid that as much as possible, Jannah. Plot coordinates for Cato Neimoidia. Freedom's waiting." Luke punched the coordinates into the navacomp. "May the Force be with you."

✧∙ ° : * ✧ ∙ ° : * ∙ ° ✧

Did you know …

● It wouldn't be Star Wars if we didn't hear "I've got a bad feeling about this" at least once.

● The Y-wings dated back over thirty years to the Clone Wars. There is a very good possibility that Artoo flew one of these with Anakin back then.

✧∙ ° : * ✧ ∙ ° : * ∙ ° ✧

Tell me what you think …

● What are you thinking is going to happen next?

● How does Luke and Naluma's farewell display how their relationship has developed over the last nine years?