Chapter 3

This chapter takes place two years later. Ben is 12 and Rey is 8.

Anakin Skywalker was a Jedi knight during the rising of the Empire. Originally a slave on Tatooine, Anakin was discovered by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and brought to the Jedi Temple. After Master Jinn was killed in battle by the Sith Lord Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon's padawan, was promoted to Jedi Master and allowed to train Anakin. Anakin was promoted to Jedi Knight shortly after the Clone War began, and both Jedi's served as generals during the War. During this time, Anakin secretly married former Queen of Naboo, Padmé Amidala, an act strictly forbidden in the Jedi Code of the time. Later in the war, Anakin had a vision of Padmé dying. In a desperate attempt to save her, Anakin turned to the dark side, believing that he could save his wife from the foretold death. Taking the name Darth Vader, he and the Emperor destroyed the Jedi and took over the council. After a duel with his former master Obi-Wan left him burnt and limbless, he was put in a forbidding black life-support suit. Padmé then gave birth to twins, unknownst to Anakin, and died of a broken heart seconds later. Meanwhile Darth Vader, unaware that his two children, Luke and Leia, were sent to Tatooine and Aldaaran, became the face of the Dark Side.

Ben turned off the holocron and sat pondering for a minute. Would I ever turn to the dark side to save someone I loved? he wondered. He thought about his parents for a moment, but he had to admit to himself that they did not mean as much to him as they once did. And they would rather die than see him turn to the dark side.

But maybe a friend?

Ben put up the holocron and was walking back to his quarters when a group of fellow padawans stepped out of the shadows. Ben looked up, surprised.

The leader of the group, Kahn, stepped forward towards Ben. "Watcha doing, Benny?" he asked in a taunting voice.

Ben ignored them. He knew from experience that it was better to keep quiet.

"Was little Benny in the library again? Was he studying up on the oh-so-important mechanics of a protocol droid?" Kahn teased.

Ben's hands curled into fists under his robe, but he continued to ignore the older boy.

Kahn pushed his way in front of Ben. "Hey nerd! When Kahn's talking, you listen, got it?"

Ben glared at Kahn, trying desperately to keep calm. "Move. Out of my way." he ordered Kahn.

Kahn looked somewhat surprised but recovered quickly. "What did you say jerk?" he snapped.

Ben breathed heavily but did not say anything. Kahn sneered.

"Yeah, that's right. No one tells Kahn what to do. Especially not you." Kahn spit at Ben and shoved him back. Ben staggered and Kahn's followers laughed.

"Hey!" yelled a high pitched voice. "Leave him alone!"

Ben and Kahn both whirled around. Rey stood in a doorway, a look of surprise and anger mingled on her face.

Kahn laughed. "Oh no!" he said sarcastically. "I don't think I can beat this little six-year-old!" Laughter echoed around the high ceiling.

Rey bristled. "I'm eight!" she snapped.

"Oh are you? Then why are you still a youngling?"

"Why are you still one? Oh, you're a padawan? I'm sorry, your temper and bad remarks led me to believe you were one," Rey shot back. Ben laughed and Kahn snarled.

"Teach the little girl a lesson," Kahn ordered a couple of his friends.

The bigger one laughed. "With pleasure," he replied.

"No!" Ben shouted, trying to run to Rey. Kahn laughed and pushed him back.

"We'll deal with you later," Kahn jeered.

The two padawans advanced towards Rey. Rey's face hardened with anger. Ben's eyes widened as he sensed what she was about to do.

Rey thrusted her hands towards the padawans and sent them flying across the hallway. They landed with a sickening crunch on the floor. The rest of Kahn's goonies ran at Rey.

Ben found strength inside himself that he didn't know he had. Summoning the force, he sent the three padawans careening in the opposite direction.

Kahn's eyes widened in surprise, realizing he was alone with Rey and Ben without anyone to protect him. He spun around and fled down the corridor. The padawans on the floor got up and ran after Kahn, casting fearful looks back at Rey and Ben.

Once they had all disappeared, Ben turned to Rey. "Thank you for saving me," he said gratefully.

"You shouldn't let them bully you like that," Rey told him. "Stand up for yourself!"

Ben shrugged. "I've tried. It's never ended well."

Rey opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by a tall figure walking around the corner. A slightly shorter figure followed.

"Kahn informed me that you two have been fighting," Master Luke told the pair. Behind the older Jedi, Kahn smirked.

"Kahn and his friends were bullying Ben!" Rey exclaimed.

"They were going to hurt Rey!" Ben added.

Luke looked behind him at Kahn. Kahn gazed back defiantly, but his confident smirk was gone.

"Is this true?" Luke asked coldly. Kahn did not respond.

"Please go up to your quarters and meditate. I will talk to you later." Luke told him.

Kahn trudged away sulkily. Luke turned back to the pair.

"I am sorry that I did not hear about this earlier. Next time anyone is being bullied, you come tell me, understand?" Luke asked.

Ben nodded, not meeting the master's eyes.

"Even in such a circumstance, a Jedi should respond calmly, not resort to fighting," Luke continued.

"They were going to hurt Rey!" Ben exclaimed.

Luke nodded. "I understand," he told them. "Which is why Rey needs to be trained to better handle the situation."

Rey and Ben looked at Luke in confusion.

"Rey, I think it is high time that you became a padawan yourself. And though Ben is also a padawan, I think he's learned enough to be able to teach you a thing or two."

Ben's eyes widened and he looked at Rey. Rey's face, her entire body, seemed to radiate joy.

"Really?" she asked. Luke nodded.

"I need to go speak to Kahn now," Luke said. "I will talk to you later." With that, Luke twirled around and vanished. Rey and Ben looked at each other.

"Well padawan?" Ben asked. "What do you want to learn?"