Devaron, Morning

The morning mist hung in the temperate valley of Devaron, wrapping the village in a cool, foggy embrace. The Temple of Eedit stood nearby, a looming silhouette in the distance. Its ancient stones, weathered by time, seemed to absorb the serenity of the landscape. A light breeze tugged at the autumn leaves scattered across the ground, lifting them lazily into the air. Luke Skywalker's modest, modernized home sat quietly amid the calm.

Inside, the smell of a simple breakfast still lingered—eggs sizzling from an earlier hour. Luke had already gone through his routine: stretching, meditation, a light workout to keep his body sharp. Kata, meanwhile, had finished her meditation and stretches, and now sat cross-legged on the couch, her legs hanging off the edge, her gaze drifting out toward the backyard. The slider window allowed a perfect view of the overcast sky, a sea of swirling clouds, pale and thick with the promise of rain.

She wore a light grey hoodie, baggy pajama pants, and slippers. Her cup of hot chocolate steamed lightly in her hands. Cloud-watching had become something of a ritual for her. She loved the feeling it gave—the simplicity of it. The stillness. It was in moments like these that she felt both stimulated and at peace.

The sliding door opened, and Luke walked in from the backyard. He glanced at her, his hair still a bit damp from the morning dew.

"You done with your exercise?" Kata asked, not shifting her gaze from the sky.

"Yeah, I'm done." Luke stretched his neck. "Thanks again for breakfast, Kata."

"My pleasure. Anytime."

For a moment, they let the silence settle around them, content to simply exist in each other's presence. Luke stared out into the backyard, and then shifted his gaze back to her, something on his mind.

He walked over and sat beside her on the edge of the couch. Kata, sensing the weight of his thoughts, turned toward him, grinning. "What is it?"

Luke hesitated, as if unsure whether to ask the question forming in his mind. "During our meditation earlier... I saw your past. It made me wonder—how did Cal and Merrin find you?"

Kata's grin faded, replaced by a heavier expression. Memories bubbled to the surface, ones she had buried deep inside. She had long forgiven Cal for what happened with her father, but talking about it was never easy. She had known this moment would come, though—where Luke would want to understand more about her.

"My papa was a Jedi," she said softly. "When the Empire came, he went into hiding, met my mama. He became a spy to protect me." Kata took a deep breath. "He ended up befriending Cal, but... eventually, he betrayed him—and the other Jedi. They built a whole archive, you know? A place for knowledge and history. But when my papa called the Empire, they destroyed it."

Luke's face tightened in thought. "Why didn't your father leave the Empire?"

"He thought... it wasn't enough. The holocron they found, it could lead them to a system far away from the Empire. Cal wanted to use it for everyone hiding, but Papa... he wanted it for a smaller group. For us."

"So, after your father betrayed them... Cal and Merrin killed him?" Luke's voice softened.

Kata nodded, her voice catching. "They had no choice. He was... dangerous. Too dangerous to be left alive."

Luke lowered his head, clearly grappling with the weight of her words. He knew this story all too well—how a person could fall, consumed by their choices, and the consequences of those choices. He thought of his own father. Anakin Skywalker, once the hero of the Clone Wars, later known as Darth Vader, scourge of the galaxy. His father's path had been one of destruction, yet he had found redemption.

"What's wrong?" Kata asked, her chest still heavy from the weight of the memories. She could sense something deeper in Luke's hesitation.

"My father was part of the Empire, too," Luke admitted, his voice low. "But when he found out I existed, he chose to join me... to fight the Emperor. I gave him a second chance."

Kata's eyes widened. "Your father...?"

Luke nodded, continuing. "Yes and one of my Jedi Masters—she was an Inquisitor. She hunted Jedi for the Empire. But my other Master gave her a second chance too. It made me think... maybe, with your father, things could have been different."

Kata's chest felt tight again, but this time, the emotion was softer. More bittersweet.

Luke leaned forward and hugged her, catching her by surprise. His embrace was warm, strong, and filled with gratitude. "Thank you for telling me about your past, Kata."

She hugged him back, letting herself relax into his warmth. "I don't want to hide anything from you. I appreciate... I appreciate being able to be trained by you."

They stayed like that for a moment, hearing the sound of each other's breathing, finding comfort in the simple act of being near one another. When they finally pulled apart, Kata wiped at her eyes, feeling a little lighter.

"Wait, so your Jedi Masters—who were they?" Kata asked, suddenly curious.

Luke smiled, leaning back. "They were part of the Rebels. Their names are Ezra Bridger and Yalara Rusis. They just had a child, actually—a boy named Ygnacio."

Kata's face brightened. "That's wonderful. That reminds me... Cal and Merrin tried having a child for a couple years, but I guess the Force had other plans, huh?"

"I suppose so," Luke replied, chuckling.

There was a pause, and then Luke reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, compact machine. It gleamed softly in the low light of the room, and Kata squinted at it curiously.

"What's that?"

"A midi-chlorian count test," Luke explained, holding it up. "It calculates a user's potential in the Force. My father gave me some of these."

Kata raised an eyebrow. "Why did your father have these? Was he an Inquisitor or something?"

Luke smiled, though there was something deeper behind his expression. "You could say he was more powerful than all of them. Now, he's trying to find a balance, trying to reach his full potential."

"Before the Empire, he was a Jedi. Fought in the Clone Wars. I've even met one of the old soldiers he served with."

Kata's mind was racing. The pieces were starting to fall into place. "Wait... I should have noticed this before. Anakin Skywalker... he's your father, isn't he?"

Luke nodded again, and her jaw dropped slightly. "So... that means he joined the Empire after the war?"

"That's right."

"Where is he now?"

"He's... the leader of the Imperial remnants. But he goes by a different name now." Luke's voice was low.

"Will I meet him someday?" Kata asked, her curiosity piqued.

Luke gently patted her back. "Yes. Someday."

A moment of silence passed between them before Luke held up the midi-chlorian tester again. "Alright, you ready for me to take a bit of your blood?"

Kata grinned, rolling up her sleeve. "Sure."

Luke took a small sample, carefully bandaging her forearm afterward. He pulled out a tablet and connected the device, waiting as the results loaded.

"What does it say?" Kata asked, leaning forward.

"10,200," Luke concluded.

Kata's brow furrowed. "Is that... good?"

Luke smiled softly. "My father, before his injuries, was over 25,000. Me, I'm around 24,000. Yoda was about 18,000, and Obi-Wan, my father's Master, was around 13,000. The average Jedi Knight in the Order was between 7,000 and 10,000."

"So... I'm average?" Kata frowned slightly. "Wait—how do you know all this?"

Luke placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, hey... Kata. You have potential. Don't let guilt or jealousy define you. Your limits are just the start. You're strong in ways that count."

Kata looked down, then back up, her short black hair bobbing as she nodded. "Okay."

"And as for how I know... my father had access to the Imperial database. You can trace back records of Jedi from when they were children, all the way through their training, to their missions in the Clone Wars. It's amazing what you can learn if you take the time to read."

Kata's eyes lit up. "That's... incredible. Do you think you could show me some of those records?"

Luke smiled warmly. "Of course. Finish your hot cocoa, and we'll head out to start your training."

Kata laughed, loving Luke's enthusiasm.

They finished up inside the house, and soon, the two stepped out into the cool, misty morning, ready to take on the day together.

XX

Devaron's autumn painted the village in rich, earthy tones, the wind teasing fallen leaves into gentle spirals that danced across the valley. In the distance, the stone walls of the ancient Temple of Eedit stood silently, a sentinel overlooking the progress of two souls training beneath its shadow. A fog clung to the early morning air, the cool mist a regular companion to their days.

It had been three weeks since Kata Akuna arrived in Luke's care, and their days had fallen into a familiar rhythm.

Today, as with every morning, Luke and Kata stood opposite each other in the small yard behind his house. The air was still, the faint rustle of leaves the only sound as they each performed their morning meditation. Kata sat cross-legged, her hands resting lightly on her knees, her breath steady and controlled, while Luke stood with his arms extended in a gentle arc, the serene posture of his own meditation contrasting with the hidden strength of the warrior beneath.

Luke's voice broke the stillness. "How are you feeling, Kata?"

Kata opened her eyes, the crisp air invigorating her. "I feel less worried."

"Good." Luke nodded, walking over to where she sat. "I see. Meditation is key... not just for clarity in battle, but for understanding yourself—how you react, how you think. It's how you'll master the Force." He gestured toward her. "Stand up. Let's stretch."

Kata rose, pulling her hood tighter around her neck, her light grey hoodie blending into the muted backdrop of the fog-covered landscape. Together, they began their routine stretches, easing into the movement that would prepare them for the day ahead.

After a while, Luke broke the comfortable silence. "Today we will focus more on sparring," he said, smiling as he pulled his arms across his chest. "I notice your control with the Force is getting better."

Kata smirked, brushing a strand of her short black hair from her face. "You mean after I almost dropped that tree branch on your head?"

Luke chuckled. "Hey, everyone starts somewhere. Even I've had my moments."

The sun, though hidden behind the thick fog, began to offer a faint warmth as they moved into their resistance exercises, working through the same regimen that had defined their mornings for weeks. Kata was stronger than she gave herself credit for, but there was still a long way to go.

After the exercises, they made their way back inside for breakfast. As they ate, the conversation remained quiet, the two of them sipping on caf and hot chocolate as they watched the autumn leaves through the large window overlooking the backyard.

Kata finally broke the silence, her voice soft, but curious. "Hey, Luke?"

Luke looked up from his cup of caf. "Yeah?"

"You had four Jedi masters, right?"

Luke gave a small nod, leaning back slightly in his chair. He could tell this was leading somewhere deeper.

"Out of the four… who taught you the most?" Kata's voice was sincere, and her gaze now shifted from the window to Luke.

Luke smiled softly, though there was a flicker of something beneath it, something deeper. "Each of my masters taught me something different, you know? Yoda, Ahsoka, Ezra, Yalara… they all had their own way."

He hesitated for a moment, his smile faltering. "Ahsoka... I only trained with her for about a year. She was a veteran of the Clone Wars. She taught me a lot... about the Force, about combat. I owe her a great deal." His voice softened, as if the memories were still fresh. "I miss her."

Kata could feel the weight behind his words. She'd heard Luke mention Ahsoka before in passing, but never like this. There was a depth to the way he spoke now—a sadness that lingered in his tone, as if the loss was still with him.

"What happened to her?" Kata asked gently, not wanting to pry but sensing this was something important.

Luke's eyes shifted from her to the window, looking past the fog as though he could see into the past. "She sacrificed herself to save me and my other masters," he said quietly. "It was on Cymoon 1. We were on a mission, like so many others… but Vader suddenly arrived. If it weren't for Ahsoka... we wouldn't have made it out. She gave us the time we needed. I hope she's at peace, one with the Force."

A heavy pause settled between them, the weight of the conversation pressing down like the fog outside. Kata felt the ache in Luke's words, the way he held onto the memory of Ahsoka. It reminded her of the way she thought about her own father—distant memories, heavy with unresolved feelings.

After a long moment, Kata broke the silence again, her voice a little more tentative this time. "Do you think… there's a way to talk to people who died?"

Luke turned to her, his expression softening, the warmth returning to his eyes. "Interesting that you ask that. My father… he recently discovered something. A portal, hard to comprehend. But through it, he was able to have a conversation with the first Jedi he ever met."

Kata blinked, caught off guard. "Wait… what? Like, an actual conversation?"

Luke nodded. "Yes. He spoke with Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi who had first guided him long ago. But there's more. My father and I have also communicated with other Jedi through the Force—Yoda, Obi-Wan… their presence lingers, guiding us in important moments."

Kata's eyes widened in awe. "So, you can actually talk to them?"

Luke sipped his caf, then shook his head slightly. "Not in the way you might think. It's never casual. It's not like you can just… have a conversation whenever you want. It's always tied to something important. Guidance, wisdom, a warning… something that pushes you toward the next step in your journey."

Luke paused, then looked at her carefully. "Kata… why do you ask? Is this about wanting to communicate with your father?"

Kata's eyes lowered, her fingers tracing the edge of her cup. "Yeah… I want to be able to talk to Papa."

Luke considered this, then nodded thoughtfully. "If there's an important step in your journey, I believe you'll find him within the Force eventually. It's possible, when the time is right."

Kata's lips curled into a small smile. "Ok, Luke."

Luke smiled back, his voice gentle. "Then let's make him, Cal and Merrin, proud."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, the quiet only broken by the soft sound of leaves brushing against the windows outside. Kata could feel the warmth of Luke's presence, a steadying force in her life, a mentor in ways she hadn't fully appreciated until now.

XX

Later, they moved into the courtyard, a wide open space perfect for their sparring sessions. The fog still clung to the valley, but the sun had burned through enough to reveal patches of blue sky. Kata stood with her training saber in hand, her posture tense but eager.

"Remember," Luke said, igniting his own saber, "form is everything. Control, precision, patience."

Kata nodded, taking a deep breath as she raised her saber in the stance Luke had taught her. They began slowly, the hum of the sabers cutting through the misty air as they moved in sync, the blue light casting long shadows against the stone walls of the temple in the distance.

Luke pressed forward, his strikes controlled but forceful, testing her reflexes. Kata moved quickly, deflecting his blows with a fluid grace, but there was still hesitation in her movements, an uncertainty that came with inexperience.

"You're hesitating," Luke called out as their blades clashed. "Trust yourself. Trust the Force."

Kata focused harder. She could feel the Force around her, flowing through her, but controlling it in the heat of battle was another matter entirely. Luke moved with ease, his strikes precise and calculated, while she struggled to keep up.

After a few more exchanges, Luke stepped back, disengaging his saber. "You're overthinking it," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "Remember, the Force is about letting go. So, let it guide you."

Kata wiped the sweat from her brow, her breath coming in short bursts. "It's... it's not that easy."

"I know," Luke said, walking over to her. "But you've made more progress than you realize. It's about practice. Repetition. You're getting better every day."

She looked up at him, her frustration evident. "I just... I want to be strong."

"You will be," Luke said, his voice calm. "But strength comes from more than just training. It comes from here." He pointed a finger to her heart. "And from trusting in the Force."

Kata nodded, her frustration giving way to determination. "Okay. Let's go again."

Luke smiled. "That's the spirit."

XX

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the valley, Luke and Kata sat together on the steps of the temple, their sabers resting beside them. The day had been long, but productive. Kata's control over the Force was growing, and her skills with the lightsaber were improving, though there was still much to learn.

They sat in comfortable silence, watching as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the distant hills. The fog had returned, creeping in from the valley below, wrapping the village in its soft embrace.

Kata glanced over at Luke, a small smile playing on her lips. "Thanks again for today. I know I have a long way to go, but... I'm grateful for your patience."

Luke turned to her, his own smile mirroring hers. "You're doing great, Kata. The fact that you keep pushing yourself, even when it's hard... that's what makes a true Jedi."

Kata looked back out at the fog, her thoughts drifting. "I don't know if it's from the type of music I listen to... But in those moments alone, I keep drifting to the past."

"Asking myself if my papa is proud of me. If things could be different..."

"But those moments... I neglect what you and others have done for me to have a safe and stable environment where I can improve..."

Luke's expression softened. "We all have a past. What matters is what we do with it. You're not defined by your father's choices. Remember, you're defined by the choices you make now."

She nodded, taking in his words. "I'll remember that. Thank you for everything, Luke.

They sat together in the fading light, the fog thickening around them. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, more training, but for now, they were content to simply be in the moment—grateful for the progress they had made, and hopeful for what the future held.