Chapter 18

"What's that all about?" Luke asked, pointing at the hole that was now in one of the yurts.

On…the most sacred island…to Jedi there was, short of one of the original Jedi temples…she'd caused major damage to one of their buildings.

Worst. Padawan. Ever.

And there were these…angry creature-things that were chittering at her in what was obviously outrage and annoyance.

She sighed, fumbling for an excuse, still lost in a daze. "I was cleaning my blaster and it went off," she said.

Luke seemed to be satisfied with this excuse and shrugged it off. "Let's get started," he said.

Rey briskly started up the stairs after her new master. "Who were those things?" She asked.

"Caretakers. Island Natives. They've kept up the Jedi structures since they've been built."

Rey sighed, flushing with color. "I don't think they like me."

Master Skywalker, without skipping a beat, sarcastically responded, "Can't imagine why."

~.~

When the Supreme Leader required Kylo's presence, he didn't have some lowly storm trooper fetch him, he was summoned directly.

Kylo Ren, without his mask, sauntered menacingly down the hallway until he saw him.

His mentor.

He kneeled in front of him once more, his head bowed low.

"Your wounds are healing quickly," he said, with the force, gingerly moving Kylo Ren's body to a standing position. "Walk with me," he beckoned, putting an arm behind Kylo.

Kylo didn't hesitate to fall into step with him.

He wasn't sure how to behave. Was Master Snoke still displeased with him?

But when he attempted to reach out to read Snoke's energy, it was calm.

"Your mother was on the cruiser that was destroyed," Snoke said. It wasn't a question, he'd known.

Kylo Ren nodded. "I have not dwelled on it," he said.

Snoke spoke slowly and deliberately. "I permit you to grieve, if you must. We are not Jedi. We do not carelessly toss aside attachment as they do. Hate, Anger, Fear, Grief…the sentiments that Jedi forbid, we feel in their entirety. By accepting every aspect of our true nature, we become stronger."

Of course, Kylo knew this. It's what Snoke told him that night that Rey was taken away from him…the first time his Master ever came to him.

He was always there when Kylo needed him most.

Including now.

"I was wrong in thinking your true test would be confronting Han Solo," he said. "A greater one still, fast approaches."

Kylo's heart pounded. Was he talking about Rey? Did he know how he felt about her?

"But all in due time," Snoke said, waving his hand dismissively. "Something else has been on your mind."

The knight of darkness didn't say a word, not sure what Snoke was going to say.

"You assumed correctly about General Hux. I commanded him to end the fleet in the hopes the task would distract him from interfering with your progress."

Kylo's eyes widened. So Snoke had known of Hux's feelings all along. And suddenly it all fell into place in his mind.

Weakness…when properly manipulated…can be a sharp tool. That's what he'd said.

"You've been using his desire for me as a tool against him," Kylo stated.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. But surely the Supreme Leader knew what he was doing.

"For the sake of progress…certain sacrifices must be made. Promises made, that are not to be kept, all a means to an end."

Finally, they'd stopped walking, until they were both in front of a giant glass wall.

It overlooked one of the hanger bays, where mechanics were working on another machine.

It looked like a star destroyer or dreadnought.

Either way, there were sparks flying, and somehow even the smell of molten solder had penetrated through the glass.

The smells of progress.

The delicate equipment whirring past and shooting sparks into the air excited him.

Now he understood why Snoke had brought him here.

"I have made promises to the cur that I have no intention of keeping."

Kylo swallowed, knowing what his next words were going to be. "You told him he could have me," he said.

But it was a question. His looked not at Snoke directly, but at the reflection of Snoke's face in the glass.

"Much like promising a womp rat it could have one of Coruscant's moons," he said as he wore an entitled smirk. "Our little General thinks he's seeing the work we're doing here for what it is; steps towards a better world. But he's just the same as any other wretch on any star destroyer anywhere in the galaxy; he's out for himself."

In the glass's reflection, Kylo looked into Snoke's eyes as Snoke looked into his. "We're the only ones who truly understand what all of this is for. And as long as you remember that, there's nothing the First Order can't accomplish."

Kylo Ren nodded. "Yes, Master," he said obediently, his faith in his master restored.

Snoke patted his back before walking away. "I'll leave you here to bask in our progress, Kylo Ren."

~.~

It was a beautiful day. The sun was beaming, warm and bright, and made the sand toast Rey's feet.

Ben's own feet were bare, his pants rolled up to his knees. As the tide came in and out, rushing well over his ankles and sinking his feet deeper into the sand, he looked out for the youngling from a distance, letting her enjoy the day, ever watchful for her safety.

He smiled as he watched Rey play in the waves.

When she'd first arrived, she waddled around like a seabird figuring out the mechanics of its own body.

But now she darted up and down the shore fast and light like the swish of a lightsaber. The tide washed all the way up to her torso, as if it was playing tag with her.

The ocean breeze played with Ben's hair. A comforting gesture, as if the universe was promising him, he had nothing to fear.

But the moment took a turn as he noticed a wave coming. Much taller than the others had been.

Rey stared at it, seeing its approach, coming closer and closer.

She was frozen in place.

His eyes widened with concern. "Mother of moons," he mumbled, running towards the tiny child.

"BEEEEN!" She screamed, crossing her arms in front of herself like she could stop the wave from crashing over her.

Ben made it to her and picked her up, holding her in his arms. "Hold your breath," he said gently.

It was all the warning he could give before the wave crashed over their heads.

Then there were the muted sounds of the ocean currents in their ears.

Rey underwater, holding her breath, slowly opened her eyes, to see Ben doing the same.

The water played with his hair, making it flow and dance with the flow of the waves.

The wave had been gentle, not enough to knock him off balance, just to bury the two in warmth, like a blanket. So, there he stood in the sand, in a watery world of quiet.

Her eyes widened with wonder, reaching a hand for the locks of hair that floated near her face.

She looked around her, seeing the beautiful turquoise crystals the sun made as it hit the water's surface.

In an instant, the wave left, and they were above the surface again.

They both let go of their breaths, and then Rey's fear had shifted into joy. Her giggling became incessant, and she exclaimed "AGAIN!" To Ben's amusement.

So together, they stood side by sand, hand in hand, bracing themselves for the next one.

That was the day he taught her how to swim.

~.~

Rey wasn't sure what it was that had made her remember it. That day on the beach. Was it the smell of the rain, trickling steadily onto her hand, or the ocean waves spraying her with the salty ocean mist? Or maybe it had been the way the sand clung to her skin.

Regardless, she'd remembered. The boy who'd always been by her side.

What happened? Why did her parents drop her on Jakku and never come back? Why didn't the boy come with her?

Sometimes, her mind would start to remember little glimpses. Hushed, urgent voices. I love yous, final hugs, but she couldn't remember their faces.

The rain distracted her from these thoughts.

She couldn't help but smile. It never rained on Jakku, they had to import their water from other planets, who'd farmed moisture for transport.

Here it was so abundant.

And it thrilled her, the loud booms of thunder, the crashing of waves. All around her there these huge, loud, elements so full of power and life.

But suddenly, they were accompanied by another sound.

The buzzing, from before.

She dreaded what was coming.

~.~

Kylo became distracted from the symphony of construction by…

Ocean waves?

The day he'd taught the girl how to swim rose briefly to his mind, but he shoved it down.

No need to relive old pain, no matter how necessary it could be to make one stronger.

But it wasn't from that day, or any of his memories.

He turned his head to focus in.

There were sounds of thunder, and these waves were huge, maybe miles high. They boomed and cracked like the splitting of earth.

He realized it was coming from somewhere else.

From where…she was. He turned around, feeling that same whirr of energy again, and there she was, standing before him.

Her boots and clothes were damp, almost completely drenched.

She was looking at him like he wasn't even a person.

It didn't make sense. If she didn't want to see him, why did they keep meeting like this? If she wasn't doing it, and he wasn't doing it…

It had to be the force. But why? "Why is the Force connecting us?" He asked her. "You and I?"

"MURDEROUS SNAKE!" She exclaimed at him, but Kylo could see now it wasn't anger or hatred she was feeling.

Her "anger" was a front – to hide fear and pain.

As a Knight of Ren, or a Sith, or one of Snoke's apprentices, she'd be taught not to repress things like that, but to accept them, however they came, and channel them into making her more powerful.

"You're too late!" She said, as if he hadn't wanted her to reach Luke Skywalker. "You've lost! I found Skywalker!"

So many questions ran through his mind.

She very clearly didn't remember anything, and maybe there was a chance she wasn't going to. Ever.

But had Luke told her anything? Didn't she ever wonder how he came to be this way? She knew he used to be the young boy Ben…before Kylo destroyed him. She wanted him back so badly…maybe she should be questioning what had happened to him in the first place. "Did he tell you what happened?" he asked, somewhat afraid of her answer.

Would she even care?

She looked at him with confusion, and curiosity.

He could tell she hadn't expected him to be so civil with her, only interested in talking.

To be fair, the last time they'd seen each other in person it hadn't exactly been friendly.

Maybe he needed to clarify. "The night I destroyed his temple, did he tell you why?" she deserved to know that much at least. She had the right to know why he was the way he was. After all, he understood her inside and out, even if she didn't want him to.

"I know everything I need to know about you," she snapped.

So she didn't care. "You do?" He asked, gazing at her intently. "Ah, you do," he said, a look of wonder on his face. He was searching her eyes, trying to put a name to what he was seeing…

And then he realized what it was.

"You have that look in your eyes, from the forest…when you called me a monster," he said.

"You are a monster," she said, but she looked defeated, like it was the last thing she'd wanted to call him. As if she'd wished he could've been something else. Someone else.

But we both know the man you want me to be is gone, he thought to himself. "Yes, I am," he said, his voice faltering on the last word. Before he broke down right there in front of her, the connection was severed, and she disappeared.

But not before his face was misted lightly with a wave of ocean water.

He brushed over his face with his leather glove and pulled his hand away.

There was moisture on his fingertips.

His heart pounded. He hadn't known that matter could be transferred during their bond.

This was so…strange. So new.

But if she wanted nothing to do with him, what was the point?

He stormed off in the direction of one of their simulation rooms, where he could thrash at some objects with a lightsaber.

He needed to blow off some steam.

~.~