• “Father, why?”
    Luke Skywalker was having a nightmare about his father, Darth Vader. Little did he know it, but having nightmares about parents ran in the Skywalker family. Anakin Skywalker used to have nightmares about his mother before she died. And now it was Luke’s turn.
    “Father, why did you go to the Dark Side? I felt the good in you last time we dueled! You could’ve been brought to the light side, I know it! But then you died… I never got to see you again…”
    Luke rolled over in his bed at Theed Palace. He was clutching a pillow and writhing around.
    Ral-Gu Lind, another Jedi that had the room adjoining to Luke’s, sighed. Luke was her good friend, and she felt sorry for him… but she did find his nightmares annoying at times. She understood his pain, anyone would be sad at losing their father, especially when he was Luke’s. Luke had been so close to bringing Darth Vader to the light side, but it was too late and he died before Luke could really do anything. Vader had become good just before his death, and he had saved Luke from the Emperor’s cruel Force lightning, but still…
    Ral-Gu decided to go see if Luke was all right. She put on an ice-blue robe that was hanging on her bedpost and walked through the door that led to Luke’s room.
    By the time she walked in, Luke was calmer, but still mumbling occasionally. He was saying things like “Father… why? I loved you Father… I sense you here, I know your still here…”
    Ral-Gu didn’t know whether to wake Luke up or just leave him there. Waking him up would stop him mumbling and thinking this way, but she decided to let him sleep. Ral-Gu had to work hard to tear her eyes away from Luke. She secretly loved him, with a burning passion. But to Luke they were just friends.
    Ral-Gu Lind began walking back to her room when Luke said “Wait.”
    Ral-Gu turned around and walked back to Luke, a little embarrassed at the sight of them both. Their hair was a mess, and both of them could use some… freshening. She got over it soon and asked “What’s up Luke?”
    Luke looked up at her. “I was just wondering what your doing here.”
    Ral-Gu Lind sighed inwardly. She had been hoping that Luke was going to tell her that he loved her. “You were having a nightmare about your father. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
    Luke smiled. “I am okay, Ral-Gu… just, next time I have a nightmare, could you wake me up?”
    Ral-Gu answered with, “Of course, Luke. You’re my friend. I’ll be here for you.” She walked back to her room.
    Once she got there, the young Jedi sat down on her bed. She wanted to be with Luke so badly. He had made a new Code saying that Jedi were allowed to marry. She couldn’t explain her love for him, or why she wanted him so badly, but it was tearing her up inside. She layed back down, and a single tear fell down her cheek.
    The next morning, Luke and Ral-Gu were both in the kitchen making something for breakfast. Luke grabbed a piece of muja fruit. “Ral-Gu, do you want to have some breakfast outside with me? It’s a beautiful morning.”
    Heart pounding, she agreed.
    Outside of the Palace, Luke waited for Ral-Gu on the deck. He loved her with all of his heart. He lived for her, and now he was going to tell her how he felt. He had no idea how she’d take it, but he hoped for the best. After all, his friends Han Solo and Leia Organa were now married, so why couldn’t he love?
    Ral-Gu Lind stepped outside with a plate of fruit, but she was too nervous to eat. She put her bare hand on Luke’s shoulder. It was warm. Luke’s heart sped up. “Luke?”
    “Ral-Gu, I have something I need to tell you…”
    He took a deep breath and continued. “Well, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just say it the easiest way. Ral-Gu Lind, I love you. I think about you every day and every night, I think about you before I go to sleep, and when I’m not dreaming about Vader, my thoughts dwell on you. Every time you’re next to me my heart speeds up and I can barely breathe. You are the only person I ever think about. Other then saving the galaxy, I live for you.”
    Ral-Gu Lind gasped. “Luke, I was thinking the same thing. Every second of the day, You’re on my mind. I want to kiss you, I want to put my arms around you. I want to feel you close to me…”
    Luke smiled. “So why don’t you?”
    He put his arms around her and held her there for a long time. Princess Leia walked out with her husband, Han Solo. They saw Luke and Ral-Gu and smiled. “I always could tell those two had potential.” said Leia. Han kissed Leia’s cheek. “Kind of like you and I?”
    Leia laughed, then waited for Luke and Ral-Gu’s 96 second kiss to be over. When it finally was, she, along with Han, walked to where Luke was standing with his arms still around Ral-Gu Lind. “Hey. Luke! Luuuuukkkeee!! Do you hear me? It’s your good ol’ buddy Han Solo! Do you remember me?? Oh Luuuuukkkkiiiieeee!”
    Luke looked up to where Han was standing and laughed at Han’s comical performance. “Ah Han, of course I remember you, buddy! Let me think… the last time I saw you was… yesterday! Gosh, that’s a looong time to go without seeing your friends!”
    Han slapped Luke’s back playfully. “Yes it is. I see you’ve got your self a new girlfriend there! Ral-Gu Lind, are you sure you want to waste your time going out with a ferocious guy like Luke?”
    Ral-Gu blushed. “I wouldn’t call it ‘wasting time’ Han. Every second I spend with him is amazing. Even if it were wasting time, which its NOT, there’s no one I’d rather ‘waste time’ with!”
    Luke put his arm back around her shoulder, and Han put his arms around Leia. “Well, what better things do we have to do than ‘waste time’ with those we love? The Empire is defeated…”
    Luke’s voice trailed off at his mention of the Empire. Ral-Gu knew he was thinking about Vader. She moved her hands over his back a little and whispered “You’re alright, Luke. Don’t be afraid.”
    Han Solo looked at his commlink. “Oh, well will you look at the time! Leia, we need to go get our cup of stimcaf from the now unused Rebel Base.”
    Leia waved to Luke and Ral-Gu. ‘I’ll see you both later!”
    Ral-Gu waved back. “May the Force be with you!”
    Han and Leia both left.
    Later that night, Ral-Gu was visited by the spirit of Ben Kenobi. “Ral-Gu Lind. If you want to help Luke get over his wonder over his father, then listen to this information…”
    Ben Kenobi told Ral-Gu everything she needed to know about Anakin Skywalker.
    The next morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, Ral-Gu grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a song for Luke to help him understand.

    For Luke*


    Verse one He dreamed of his mother
    He was so scared
    She was being tortured
    that’s what he feared

    He woke up frightened
    So the next day
    Anakin went to Tatooine
    But it was too late



    Chorus
    So if your Anakin I want you to know

    Your gonna be Vader
    But it won’t be until later
    Your gonna kill the Tusken Raiders
    That destroyed your mom

    Your gonna marry Padme
    Then choke her when your angry
    But your still in our memories
    Though your practically gone

    Verse two

    Practically gone
    Jedi shouldn’t be afraid
    For fear leads to anger
    And anger to hate

    Your strong on the surface
    But weaker inside
    Your want for power
    Has lead you to the Dark Side

    Chorus

    Bridge
    Forgetting all the memories
    You had while you were good
    And becoming
    A dark, angry, yet powerful Sith lord

    But maybe you’ll turn back…
    But maybe you’ll turn back…

    Repeat chorus and bridge



    Ral-Gu Lind folded up the paper and gave it to Luke. Luke unfolded it and read it. When he was done, Luke applauded. “Well written, but where did you get this information about my father?”
    Ral-Gu explained that Ben Kenobi’s spirit had visited her during the night and told her everything about Anakin Skywalker. Luke seemed amazed as Ral-Gu told what she remembered from Ben’s speech.
    When she was done, Luke was in tears. He was saddened even more about Anakin’s fall to the Dark Side, his slavery on Tatooine, his mother’s death, his burning on Mustafar, and especially about his own birth and how Padme had lost the will to live because Anakin had hurt her and turned to the Dark Side. Luke was even more mystified when Ral-Gu told him that Anakin, even as Darth Vader, still loved Padme.
    Luke hugged Ral-Gu against his strong chest. “My father was a complex man, wasn’t he,” Luke stated.
    Ral-Gu nodded. “He was.”
    Luke smiled through his tears. Well, at least I know more about him.”

    To be continued… and by the way Ral-Gu’s song Is my Star Wars version of Linkin Park’s ‘Leave out all the Rest’