XIX

The pain clips Luke and he does not care. Now, living, had overwhelmed Kun's pride in time and death. With Force-armor Master Skywalker wrestles and overthrows. He whispers, "You were given control--over death only."

Exar Kun dies in a snap, like the fates' cord cut. The last human emotions he feels are relief and confusion.

You were given control over death only.

Luke slumped forward into the resumed gravity and breathed deep twice of the very clear-seeming air.

Wedge still had his blaster out. He sat in a curl by the chair by the holoproj with one hand buried in the formfoam. He walked low over to Luke and met his eyes a bit angrily. This was a feat, because he could not know that the enemy was gone and indeed he kept glancing around for some attack.

"It's done," said Luke. "It was not your type of fight...don't concern yourself with understanding."

Wedge grabbed Luke's wrists and pulled him to his feet, surprised at how steady they rose. "I'm gonna get you to Leia! Tell the senator about her mystic brother being thrown around the room by a holo-ghost...blast, this family is weird."

Around the corner in the foyer, where they could hear C-3PO rattling around in what sounded like a closet, Luke slipped away from Wedge's grip. "No one else is in danger. He only wanted the Jedi...They're all safe now."

"You killed the ghost?"

Luke nodded or dropped his head.

Threepio clumped swayingly out of a side room, Kyp Durron walking slowly behind him with a humble attitude. "Oh, thank goodness you're all right. I pushed Mr Durron to safety like you ordered, General Antilles, but he keeps professing that the attack is his fault. I've called the--"

Luke straightened up. "Hush."

Kyp was conscious and pale. His sense, like a man's soup of emotion running through a separated trough in Luke's head, cascaded with guilt, pride, and surprise. Luke put his right hand on Kyp's shoulder, feeling the severity of his rough cloak and clean hair.

"I see," said Kyp Durron, quietly. "He told me what the dark side could do, and I wanted power. My parents, Master Skywalker...but I don't want it to be revenge. Not death."

Luke heard his own voice controlled and low. "It's not your fault. Careful now. You heard what I told him?"

Kyp nodded with lids lowered over fierce eyes.

"You have the power. You'll learn the judgement soon."

Luke raised his eyes and knew that Leia, Tionne, Cilghal, and two government security officers were rushing down the hallway toward the apartment. By the time they arrived Wedge and Kyp knew the quick version of the story of Exar Kun, and Luke sent the security officers---a Twi'lek man and a Drall woman--to be sure there was no panic in the lower apartments.

"You told me you would be okay!" said Leia.

"I am," said Luke. "The problem is over."

"Both of them?"

Wedge said, "You just battled a darksider up and down the building and won. I'd say your confidence should be coming back now, Luke."

Luke smiled and nodded. It was...but perhaps it had been before the battle. "Not without you," he said. "But will the senate accept that?"

I can't believe it--I can still think about the title Master. "Or, if..."

"I think they might," said Leia, and she calmly smiled .