Chapter 2
Two weeks had past and Poe was antsy. She knew a fully trained Jedi didn't happened over night, but how long? How long would they stay on this secluded island on this secluded planet, while out there the First Order grew with power everyday. Everyday the Resistance needed them. Everyday... Poe stood and stared out at the sky and water and waited.
She paced on the hill side chewing absently on her thumbnail, the wind blowing strands of her hair lose from her braids. Chewie sat nearby, but he seemed to be pleasantly enjoying himself, taking in the sunshine. Below in the valley near by her uncle's hut, Rey was... doing something Jedi-y with a stick and a rock with a blindfold wrap around her head. She could hear her uncle murmuring something as he stood near by. Poe stopped and watched them.
She should be jealous. She remembered when her parents sent Ben off to train with Uncle Luke, like he was the chosen golden child or something. She'd been jealous then. But her father had just ruffled her hair and said, "you're better off without it, kiddo." That's when he started teaching her how to pilot a ship. Ben always said she was the 'good one.' She had never believe it until... Well.
She should be jealous. But she wasn't, because she was an adult and there were bigger things to worry about. They were all apart of something bigger...
"Hey! Ever heard of taking a break? I'm starving!" Poe strolled briskly down into the valley, interrupting the training session, because you know, she was a mature adult. Chewie stumbled along behind her trying to keep up, such a strange old shadow she had inherited. "Can we stop with the stick and rock antics for now and eat something?"
The rock Rey was levitating fell to the earth with a thud as she lifted her blindfold.
"Padmi-" Luke's calm voice started to reply..
"Poe. It's Poe."
"Right, Poe." Luke gave a gentle smile, "I believe a break for food is indeed in order." He said with an even tone and then turned quietly and walked away towards his hut, leaving Rey and Poe to stand and look at each other.
"He's a real party animal, huh?" Poe said raising her eyebrows at Rey.
Rey chuckled, "I think all this time alone has made him a bit peculiar and..."
"Boring?" Offered Poe.
"Well,..." Rey shrugged, "I can relate, I spent many years in my own little routine on Jakku..." With that Rey wandered off after Luke to his hut.
"Well aren't they just two peas in a pod..." Poe said to Chewie and then followed after them.
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"Why don't you go by Padme? I think it's a lovely name." Rey asked over lunch. Which was some sad looking porridge-y thing.
"It's an old lady name." Poe stated and wiped her mouth.
"It was your grandmother's name." Luke replied matter of factly.
"I know. And if she was alive, she'd be a very old lady."
"Well!" Luke gave a rare laugh, "I hope that just makes me an old man and not a very old man."
"I don't think you seem that old." Chimed in Rey sweetly.
Poe rolled her eyes, "No one likes a teacher's pet, Rey." She teased while Rey chocked slightly on her porridge.
"Okay!" Poe started as she set down her empty bowl, "we need to discuss time line, people. Now I know you said Rey couldn't be trained over night, Uncle Luke, but it's been two weeks and I know you can feel in the force how strong the First Order is getting every day and -"
"I know, I know, Poe." Luke raised his hands defensively and pointedly looked at her when he used her chosen name, "But! While Rey is very naturally gifted in her use of the force, she is still far too raw to be of any real help to the Resistance-"
"Oh please! She pulled a Jedi mind trick on a storm trooper and defeated a trained Jedi , uh.. "
"She defeated your brother, who is trained in the force, yes." Luke said bluntly, nodding.
"No...I have no brother!" Poe snapped suddenly, "He died when my father died."
Luke sighed, "I know you are upset, Poe, but Rey-"
"No, YOU! Uncle Luke! We came here to find YOU. I risked my life to get the map that brought us here! My mother believes you are the only hope we have! It's all well and good to train Rey, she's a great asset- But the leader of the resistance, my mother -your sister - sent me here to get YOU." Poe grabbed on to Luke's arm, "Can't you just... Please, come home." She ended lamely and desperately.
Luke crinkled his eyes, "Lovely speech, is that what has been buzzing away in your head while hovering about on the hill side all day?"
Poe sighed and sat back crossing her arms, "It's so boring here, I feel useless. We are wasting time when we could be defeating the First Order!"
"Hm, Little Padmi," Luke replied thoughtfully looking at her, "Always wanting action. Never one for patience. So much like..."
"My father I know, I've heard." Poe replied dryly.
"No, I was gonna say, so much like me when I was young. Before I learned that things happen when they are ready to happen, and never before." He stood up pointedly and looked at her sharply, "And now is not yet the time to leave." He turned and walk out of the hut, pausing in the doorway, "Rey, we train till sun down, come along." And he left.
Rey looked at Poe helplessly, "I'm sorry, should I...uh"
"No, no, go on!" Poe waved her hands towards the door.
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It was night, there were so many stars in this sector of the galaxy. Poe sat on the top steps of the old stone staircase watching the night sky. She kept telling herself she wasn't stewing.
"I see you are keeping yourself busy stewing." Luke's voice chimed in quietly behind her.
Damn. "What are you? A Jedi knight? Sneaking up on people like that." Poe joked weakly. But she scooted over to make room as he settled beside her.
"Hope you don't mind, little Solo, if I join you." He grunted a tired sigh as he sat.
"When did you get so old, Uncle Luke?" Poe teased.
"I may ask you the same question, little one." He paused and looked at her, "not so little one, huh? You look so much like your mother."
"Oh that's a new one, haven't heard that one before." Poe rolled her eyes.
"And you sound so much like your father." There was a pause, Poe didn't respond. "His vest suits you." He patted her shoulder. Poe felt her eyes well up, but she kept her mouth close.
"Poe. You know that I asked your parents once if I could train you, your father responded with 'absolutely not!'" Luke chuckled at the memory and Poe looked up in surprise. "Your father loved you so, he couldn't bare the idea of you - well, as he put it, 'throwing away your life to join a cult.'" Luke chuckled some more, "He meant well, it's a tough path to take, the Jedi path... I know. Han, your father, he wanted you to have freedom."
Poe quietly took in this information, it certainly sounded like her father. But...then... What about..
"What about Ben? Why him then?"
Luke cleared his throat and looked serious. "I believe the thought with your brother was, that he couldn't handle freedom. He was just so...reckless. Your parents believed the structure of the Jedi life would help him. I believed the same." A dark cloud past over his face. "I was wrong."
"Uncle Luke, no one blames you. If that is what is keeping you here -"
Luke shook his head, cutting her off, "No, I told you. The time has not yet come."
"But-"
"And, Rey. She is not-,"
"Ugh, No! Don't even, she's SO ready and perfect at everything.." Poe rolled her eyes
"Oh, no not that," Luke genuinely laughed at Poe's display, "No, she is not yet clear to me." He ended more seriously and incredibly vaguely.
"She seems pretty clear as water to me."
"Well, she's not."
"Ooooookay." Poe shrugged. "You know, Uncle Luke, if you won't leave with me, I'm going to have to leave anyways. The resistance needs me, I have to go."
"I wish you wouldn't." Was all the answer she got as he slowly stood and walked off again.
Well, wishes don't end wars, do they? Poe determinedly crossed her arms and frowned.