Free Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens the Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure by Jason Fry Page B

fight with him. Ben had tried to play peacemaker, sensing Luke’s growing panic, butthe aliens
hadn’t been interested in peace. One had flung Luke into a table, then gone for his blaster, ready to gun Ben down.
    The old Jedi’s hand had dipped to the lightsaber on his belt, faster than anyone would have imagined a desert hermit could move. His lightsaber sliced the blaster aimed at him in two, then
carved through the thugs.
    It was the first time Luke had ever seen alightsaber in action, and what amazed him was that there was no wasted motion—one moment two alien bullies were threatening an old man’s
life, and the next moment their days of threatening anyone were over.
    Ben had stood for a moment, coolly regarding the other patrons at the bar with the lightsaber held before him in ready position. Then he’d deactivated his blade and helped Luke up fromwhere he’d been sprawled on the filthy floor, looking on in awe.
    Luke tried to imagine what the patrons of the cantina had thought to see a Jedi Knight in their midst after nearly two decades in which Force-users had been nothing more than rumor and legend.
What had it been like when Jedi were common sights in the galaxy? And would such a day ever come again?
    The remote zipped left,then right, then cut back to the left and shot Luke in the knee. He yelped at the sting of the laser bolt as the machine returned to floating in front of him.
    “Artoo! That dreadful machine has injured Master Luke!”
    “Just my pride,” Luke said, wiping the sweat from his forehead and reminding himself to quit daydreaming.
    When he resumed the ready position the remote began to dart fromside to side again, testing his defenses. It tried to get behind him, and he parried the pencil-thin shaft of laser light,
sending it caroming off an annoyed Artoo. He kept turning as the remote dove at his feet, leaping over its bolts and reminding himself to keep his guard up.
    Luke took two more hits and lowered his blade, causing the remote to back away. He told himself to ignore Threepio’scomments and push out the fear of failure trying to creep into his
head.
    Ben had been gentle after the death of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, letting Luke grieve for his family and rage at the Empire for murdering them. His emotions were natural, Ben said, and his love
for his family did him credit. But he then warned that Luke must resist the desire for revenge. Anger and hatred could helphim draw power from the Force—but only at a terrible price. For
those emotions unlocked the dark side of the Force, leading a Jedi to temptation—and sometimes ruin.
    A Jedi had to learn to let go of anger before calling on the Force, Ben had instructed. But he or she also had to let go of fear—for fear led to anger, inviting the dark side in.
    “I’m not afraid,” Luke said, raising his saberagain. “I won’t fail.”
    The remote tried to zip around behind him. He whirled, blade humming, and blocked its shot—then turned the other way as it tried to reverse course and target his hip. He deflected a shot
aimed at his head, then one intended for his knee, then leapt to avoid one that struck at his feet. He smiled to himself but then pushed the elation away, too, trying to see and hearnothing but
the remote.
    It felt like he and the remote were dancing, like they were somehow connected—man and machine, joined by the energy of the training laser and the blade of Luke’s lightsaber. They
moved together—first for a minute, then for five, and then Luke lost all track of time.
    When the remote backed away he didn’t register it at first but simply waited, barely consciousthat he was breathing hard. Then he realized the remote had stopped attacking and lowered his
blade, letting his shoulders slump.
    “Well done, Master Luke!” Threepio called. “A most impressive display!”
    Luke smiled at the protocol droid, waving to acknowledge Artoo’s enthusiastic whistles. Then the remote chattered in an