Luke Skywalker, the Last Jedi, faces his toughest challenge yet. To rebuild the Jedi Order, he must give up his personal hopes and dreams. Every move is critiqued by not only the New Republic Senate but also the Force-ghost Jedi Council of the past...
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Madine and Kiner led Naluma out to the ice-covered obstacle course. The Jedi glanced at the command officers in their snow gear while she shivered in her combat fatigues and lightweight flak jacket. After the relative warmth of the holo simulator, her teeth chattered, and her muscles shivered in the bitter cold.
Colonel Kiner asked, "You know what to do? Anything that's elevated must be scaled, except the weave and the crawl. You have ten minutes."
Naluma positioned herself at the starting point as Kiner yelled, "Go!"
❶ She slid across the icy mud and groaned in pain as she twisted her ankle. Great, I'm not even at the first obstacle. She hobbled across the mud to the parallel bars, swinging over an imaginary swamp. When she thudded to the ground, more pain shot through her leg.
She pulled herself up from the mud and hopped on her good foot. While Kiner held up a single digit to indicate one minute had passed, she levitated herself to the duo. "I'm done with your games." She limped off toward her quarters without waiting for a response.
Madine blustered, "But Master Skywalker said—"
Naluma pivoted. "Master Skywalker is not here. When he's gone, I'm in charge of the Jedi Order." She crossed her arms and waited for a response.
The general and the colonel conferred. "Very well," Massive finally said. "Meet us in my office after you've cleaned up."
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Dressed in a sergeant's service uniform, Naluma reported to the general's office at the appointed time. She was grateful for the two-hour interlude, during which she took a long, hot shower and ate a warm meal to fend off the hypothermia.
She had also attended to her injured ankle, wrapping it in a support bandage under her dress boot. Fortunately, the cold weather had kept it from swelling too much.
