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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❶ Naluma steered the military speeder around an outcropping, racing toward the Jedi Enclave. Strapped into the passenger's seat, Luke hunched over, punctuating every curve with pained groans.
"Hang on, Master Luke. We're almost home."
As they entered the straight-away, she opened the throttle. The entropy smashed them against the seats, their hair flying in the wind.
Half a click.
The trees and rocks blurred.
The vehicle shimmied above the hard-packed path.
Luke grunted. Moaned. Shuddered. Shook. Quaked. Growled.
His body tossed around in the seat, the belt grabbing him at the waist. He flailed his arms, knocking Naluma in the nose. She blocked him with one of her arms.
He mumbled incoherently, "No ... saber ... cut ... help."
"Almost home."
When she ran his hand over his waist, his arm pummeled her again. He groaned and grasped his side.
Naluma glimpsed the hilt of his lightsaber sawing between his hip and the safety belt.
"Hang in there, master."
But it was too late. Nylon bands spilt, the belt unraveling as the hilt severed the harness.
With a jerk, he tumbled out of the speeder.
"No!"
She reached out her arm and grabbed him with the Force to slow his descent. Halting the speeder with a screech, she jumped out and hastened to him.
He squirmed in the dirt, a layer of dust rising above him.
She kneeled beside him and touched his arm. "Mas—"
An avalanche of raw power caught her in the chest and tossed her against the speeder a few meters away. "Ugh."
She crawled to him as he struggled. Closing her eyes and finding her balance, she reached out with the Force. Darkness was all she found. It leeched all light from him. Inky splotches spread from his heart to his limbs. She extended her hand but stopped centimeters away. "Master. Master."
She touched his mind. The darkness almost consumed it now. She probed the one spot left. "Luke."
