"Attention, unidentified craft, return to Theed immediately."

Luke jerked the controls of his X-wing evading the yellow Nubian starfighters on his tail.

"Repeat—"

"Negative, control. Jedi Order Red 5 en route to Varykino at request of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elsa the Compassionate."

The female voice on the other end of the comm channel said, "We weren't notified. Hold your position until we confirm."

"Catch up to me at Varykino. Skywalker out."

The Jedi Master throttled the craft across the prairies, racing toward the sunrise on the eastern horizon and leaving the starfighters in his wake. So glad Naluma souped up my atmo turbos. Force, I love that woman.

He spared a glance for his tiny charge, Grogu, curled up in his lap. I know you're going to love her, too. He traced the outline of one of the pointy ears, but the little guy was sound asleep.

✧ ∙ ° : * ✧ ∙ ° : * ∙ ° ✧

Luke spared not even a moment as he landed the snub fighter on the lakeshore. He bundled Grogu in his arms and jumped down from the cockpit. After shucking his flight suit to reveal his Jedi blacks, he grabbed a utility bag from the storage compartment and placed the baby inside. Within moments, he was hiking the three kilometers to the villa in the rosy aurora of daybreak.

When Luke reached the base of the terrace, he could feel her through the Force. Her purple aura pulsed, beated, sought for his. He sprinted up the wide marble steps to find his love. Twisting the bag around to his side, the Jedi Master met his soulmate halfway.

With writhing arms, his hands could not let go. He had to feel her. From cupping her face while he merged his lips with her, probing, seeking, sensing with Force and with his lips, to sliding them down her back and clutching her by the rear to let her feel his longing, this reunion tasted of hunger, desire, and the forbidden love that he vowed to pursue for the rest of his life.

Naluma pulled back for a moment and gasped. "Luke, I need to breathe. Please."

He was heaving from the ardour of the reunion.

"What's this?" She pointed to Grogu in the open bag.

The child yawned, curling a little claw into a fist as his bulging eyes opened. He twisted his head and upturned his pointy ears before stretching out his hands toward Naluma.

"May I?" Naluma asked Luke.

Luke nodded.

"Does he speak?"

"All the time. Open your shields, let him in."

"What's your name, little fella?" She picked him up and kissed him on the forehead before cradling him in her arms.

His ears tilted upward as his little mouth smiled. The joy was contagious. Grogu.

"How old is he?"

"Older than he looks. Was trained in the Jedi Temple before the Purge."

"How did he survive?"

"His father hid him."

Naluma scrutinized the tiny boy and then chuckled at Luke. "That would have to be one powerful Jedi Master to hide him from a Sith Lord, and there's no doubt who."

Luke kneeled in front of Naluma and took her hand in his. "'Luma, my love, my soulmate—I love you with all my heart. When you ache, I ache. When you are joyous, I am joyous. When we are apart, the torture is unbearable. Will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened. "What about—"

"Master Yoda confessed to Grogu. We have his blessing." He caressed her cheek with his left hand and rubbed the dip between her thumb and forefinger with his other. "I beg you to forgive me for hurting you—"

"And being ronto-headed?"

"Yeah, and being ronto-headed." He tilted his head and smiled. "So, will you have me?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

Yes. With all my heart.

As she pushed her lips to his, opening her mouth, letting him in, the Colors of the Force entwined them, merging the blue and the violet into a deep indigo. Grogu reached up and added his green aura to theirs.

"So, Grogu, it's time you learned how to speak real words. Let's try your name. Gro—"

The frog-like being rounded his lips and blew bubbles.

"No, you have to almost close your jaw—"

He laughed at her and blew more bubbles at her. The little guy waved his hands, swirling the Colors of the Force around the trio. Colors you read. Words can lie. Colors cannot. Emotions cannot.

When the Force surged among them, Luke sensed another spectrum of the Force.

Look closer. Much much closer. Grogu undulated his hands once more magnifying the tendrils around them. See the tiny ribbons? Hmm? The waves. The vibrations. These threads of the Force. It's a symphony. There in the purple, threads of green and orange and, yes, even red. The Force is all colors. All emotions. Even love. He crinkled his eye ridges. Listened for one thing you have, so one thing is all you have heard. But now you see. Feel. Hear. An infinite spectrum the Force is. Not perceptible by eye or ear. Grogu pointed at their hearts. Only here enlightenment resides.

Luke and Naluma stepped into that deeper communion, all the Colors of the Force shining through their beings and illuminating their bond. The pure euphoria elated the couple as the child fell asleep once more.

"When do you want the ceremony?"

'Luma grinned. "Tonight at twilight. Right here on the terrace."

"Tonight? The rest of the Order should be here by then, but I wanted Leia and Han here."

"There on their way."

"And I don't have a ring for you."

She demurely batted her eyelashes. "Think you can find a jeweler in the next eight hours to set this stone?" She held up the gleaming violet Kyber crystal.

Luke pinched it in his fingers and held it up to the brightening sun. "Where did you get that?"

"Your mother."

"Wait? My mother?"

She linked her arm through his and led him into the library.

"Naluma, wait! Where are you taking me?"

She dragged him through the doors and grinned as the lamp blew out. "Ignite your lightsaber, and she will come. She loves the Colors of the Force."

In the darkened library a merry female voice giggled. "You found me out, Naluma. Hello, Luke. You have so much of your father in you. The good." [20,045 words]