LUKE SKYWALKER.
Did that name mean anything? He wished he knew.
Stars glowed above. A fire roared boastfully beside Luke. Chewbacca sat across from it, staring into the flames with hollow eyes.
One year.
One year since Han's death. One year since her.
Another wasted.
Why am I here?
Acht-To.
A mystic world. Contrary to old records, it was believed that this was where the Jedi originated.
Luke sighed, raising his eyes to Chewbacca.
The Wookiee caught Luke's gaze. Chewie shrugged, growling warmly with his characteristic smile.
Skywalker turned back to dark ruminations.
The planet did have a connection to the Force different from others. Further, the temple here was an enigma within itself.
Ancient runes covered the walls and floors. They glowed with an esoteric power, thrumming through Luke's body like a deep percussion.
They were dark words- and although Luke and Snoke had discovered this world nearly fifteen years ago, he still made little progress translating the foreboding texts cut into stone. Much less now that Induran was..
Luke shook, Snoke's affliction barely subdued by Acht-To's natural healing. If Luke attempted to leave the world.. He would di-
Luke's mind spiked, shattering his thoughts as he held himself from falling over. Chewbacca rose to his feet, howling in worried surprise.
Skywalker raised a quivering hand and offered the Wookiee a pained smile.
Luke saw himself flashing back to that day.
The day Induran Snoke betrayed him.
Luke ushered the Force to crawl over his body, penetrating mind and thoughts. It gradually eased Induran's curse as Skywalker let out a relived sigh.
It was the day he lost Ben- the day he lost his Order.
Skywalker grimaced.
He felt the pain again- he saw the shock written on Ben's face as Jacen felled him.
They grew up as brothers.
He then saw Indüran.
He saw tears in Snoke's eyes as he cut down Luke's faithful apprentices.
Including Kylo there had been six- six learners who were turned by Snoke's visions.
The visions that Luke knew.
The Laughing One's silhouette stood at the back of Luke's mind, emboldened by a shadowy field of flames.
It was this being that Snoke saw in his dreams- a creature that would spring from within Luke's own pupils. The Force revealed to Luke something similar- though he had kept these dark tidings to himself.
Luke knew that while visions could hold certain truths, ultimately it was what was in the present that dictated fate.
However, Snoke was consumed by fear.
Snoke knew what life was like under the Sith. He had been an Inquisitor- but more than that, his unique connection to the Force made him a valuable asset to Palpatine.
The Dark Lord eventually imprisoned Snoke, fearing his power. It wasn't until Palpatine's death that Snoke was freed from the Emperor's mystic prison- and that's when he sought out..
"Luke?"
Rey's voice broke across Luke's thoughts. He turned to see his apprentice. The moonlight gave her an almost ethereal grace.
Her thick brows were furrowed in confusion as long brown hair cascaded down slender shoulders.
"I'm genuinely surprised to see you up this late." Luke said with a smile.
Chewbacca laughed softly at Rey's expense.
"You know, I was worried about you." Rey scoffed, grinning as she sat down.
Her face darkened.
"I couldn't sleep. I haven't been able to- not lately."
Concern painted Luke's face.
"What's wrong?"
Rey's eyes passed over Luke before meeting the fire. Her expression twisted as thoughts too dark to conjure churned between small ears.
Luke knew that feeling all too well.
"I'm afraid of not being enough." Rey said finally.
"Ever since I got here, I've been scared. The Force- it's different between these temple walls, Luke. I see things. Hear things." Rey paused, opening the palms of her hands.
Luke watched as her pupils traced the lines and callouses that painted rough skin.
"I can tell the Force is different in me. The more I learn- the more I can tell you're holding me back. And you're doing it because I'm different."
Luke remained silent.
She was powerful.
Too powerful.
Her raw potential was greater than Jacen's. Even possibly greater than Holdo's. He had never seen The Force touch somebody like her- she was a conduit. Luke looked away from Rey then. Remembering the other thing he and Snoke had discovered- the remnant of..
No. It can't be. Only Ben was...
Rey continued, pulling Luke from truths that he was eager to flee from.
"And that's what scares me, Luke. Am I not enough? Do you not trust me?" Rey inhaled haggardly as she looked up towards the stars.
"Are you afraid of me?" She asked silently.
"I am." Luke said.
He couldn't lie to her.
Rey's mouth opened wordlessly, an O forming on her lips.
"More than that I'm afraid of myself. Everyone I've taught has been touched by my own darkness in some way. Every time I dedicate myself to someone- they get hurt. They die."
Luke saw Ben's face again.
Tears of blood streamed down his son's cheeks.
Ben.
"You can't stay afraid forever." Rey said silently.
Luke frowned.
"You don't understand what-"
Rey raised her voice slightly, but remained calm as she spoke. Luke could see the control she was trying to exhibit, and it was because of this that he allowed her to continue.
"Understand what? What's at stake? You know the pain I suffered. You know what it was like for me. I abandoned Finn to come here."
Rey turned her head towards Luke, locking her gaze with his.
He shivered.
"I'm not going to pretend like I know what you've suffered.I know that you've been through much more than I have. And maybe I am..being naive, being ungrateful. But based on how many people have suffered because of you, why wouldn't you try as hard as you could to fix what happened? Why aren't you trying as hard as you can to stop Kylo Ren?"
Rey rose.
Luke stroked his beard as she gracefully walked around him. He said nothing as her footsteps faded away.
He didn't look back at her, but he knew she was descending into the temple's common flats to train.
Chewbacca whimpered sadly.
"I don't know what to do, Chewie. I used to think I did."
Luke rose his hand, lifting a log with the power of the Force. He placed it down onto their dying fire, embers sparking into the air like errant stars.
"We never asked for this life, did we?" Luke said softly.
Chewbacca grumbled in agreement. The Wookiee sat up and moved beside Luke.
"You're all I have right now, old friend." Luke said.
He patted Chewbacca on the back.
"Thank you."
Poe's cell lights activated.
His eyes burned as brown irises adjusted to pale light that quickly dimmed.
How many days has it been?
Poe smiled to himself as vision slowly returned.
He wasn't injured. The Alliance didn't torture prisoners.
However, they did refuse to tell him the day, the time, and seemed to wake him at random hours for bathing, food, and recreational periods.
Questions about Mozon and Joma went unanswered.
Suddenly, Poe's cell door whispered open.
Before him, finally, stood...
"Nievidal Holdo.." Poe rasped.
The Chancellor smiled warmly at Poe.
"Commander Dameron."
Poe's cell door closed behind Nievdal as she stalked forward.
"I have just spoken with your General. There may yet be a path of redemption for you, Commander."
Poe grimaced. He saw through Holdo's smiles. His mother told him what Holdo truly was during the Unification Wars.
And his father-
"What makes you think I would help someone like you?"
Holdo's eyes narrowed with a hint of bored humor.
Poe was raised to his feet by unseen hands, then gently placed onto a chair behind him.
"Forcing individuals to work against their own ideals is why I'm Chancellor."
NievIdal's smile cooled.
"And I believe you are quite susceptible to reason."