Thanks again for reviewing Love. Fiction. 2020!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"What happened?" Amaya asked frantically, grabbing onto Tai's arm as Luke and the doctor closed the door on her and the other padawans.
"There was an explosion." Voe replied, her hands shaking. "He pushed me out of the way and got caught in it. I don't know how he knew it was going to happen. Jedi premonition I guess...I probably would be dead right now if it weren't for him."
"It's okay, we're all fine." Hennix said, helping Voe limp along as her eyes began to water. "You're okay. Ben's going to be okay. We're all okay."
Amaya exchanged a look with Tai before looking back at the closed down, listening to the sounds of beeps and hurried footsteps inside the room. She thought back to her last conversation with Ben, regret washing over her. What if he died? What if her last conversation with him was a fight?
The door opened suddenly, interrupting Amaya's dark musings, and Luke came out, his expression drawn.
"He's alright." Luke said. "He's still unconscious, but the doctor said he'll come around soon enough. They've got him in the bacta tanks for now."
"What happened?" Amaya asked. "I thought this was supposed to be a diplomatic mission?"
"So did I." Luke said, letting out a long sigh.
Amaya frowned, looking at the other padawans for a better explanation.
"We were ambushed by a group of Dark Side Force users called the Knights of Ren." Hennix explained. "They knew we were coming."
"Who are the Knights of Ren?" Amaya asked.
"A bunch of untrained rogues." Luke muttered, his voice laden with a degree of disgust Amaya had never heard in it before.
"What do they want with the Jedi Order?" Amaya pressed and Luke sighed.
"Honestly?" He said. "I think they just like causing destruction for the fun of it." He said, leaving Amaya more confused than ever as he walked away.
Ben felt like he'd been run over by a ship...and from what little he remembered up until the point at which he had blacked out, it seemed that something just as bad had happened to him. Honestly, it was a miracle he wasn't dead.
Ben looked up as the door to the hospital ward opened and Luke entered, a half smile filing his face. "You're awake." He remarked, taking a seat on the chair next to Ben's bed.
Ben attempted to sit up further but found it hurt to move and gave up. "How long was I out?" Ben asked.
"Almost 24 hours." Luke said. "We were getting a bit worried actually."
Ben shoved down the part of him that leapt at the prospect of his uncle being worried about him, immediately changing the topic. "How did we get back here? Where are the others? Are they-"
"They're fine." Luke said nodding. "Voe has a broken leg and a mild concussion but other than that she's fine. The others managed to escape with nothing more than a few scratches and bruises."
Ben felt a weight lift off his chest. They were fine. His betrayal hadn't cost any of them their lives. It could have been so much worse...
"I contacted your mother last night." Luke continued, "She's going to try to stop by on her way to some negotiations in the Outer Rim. She's also initiated a full-scale investigation into the ambush we fell into. She's worried someone from the Senate is behind this."
Ben nodded, trying to ignore the way his stomach twisted with guilt at Luke's words.
"And dad?" He asked.
"So far Leia and I have been unable to get into contact with him." Luke said with a sigh. "We'll try again tomorrow. You know how he is."
Ben made no reply, pushing away the resentment that rose inside him. His father was never where he was supposed to be. He'd disappear for weeks at a time without a word and then reappear, smiling and laughing, like nothing had happened and no amount of scolding from his mother was ever able to stop him from doing the same again.
"For now though." Luke said, standing up and smiling. "I think there are some people who are very eager to come see you."
Ben felt his chest tighten as Luke walked over to the door, opening it to reveal his fellow padawans. Voe's face lit up with a large grin as soon as she made eye contact with him and she hobbled her way over to his bedside as fast as she could on her crutches. Ben smiled weakly as Voe threw her arms around him, causing him to inhale sharply from pain.
"I'm sorry!" Voe cried, pulling back immediately. "I should have been more gentle. Of course you'd be in so much pain even after the bacta tanks. You almost died, Ben! And it was because you were saving me! I don't know how to ever repay you."
Ben felt his skin crawl and swallowed thickly.
"It's okay, Voe." Ben said quietly, forcing a small smile. "You would have done the same."
Voe looked for a moment like she was going to cry despite the smile still plastered on her face and Ben braced himself for an emotional outburst when Hennix saved him by stepping in front of Voe.
"I know Skywalkers are genetically programmed to do stupid, heroic acts but you cut it close there, buddy." Hennix said, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder.
Ben forced another smile, trying to ignore the persistent voice in his mind that kept reminding him that Voe might never have even needed saving if he'd warned the others the Knights were going to be there.
"Too close." Tai agreed, and Ben found his eyes wandering past Tai to the dark-haired girl behind him who had remained silent up to this point. A memory tugged at the back of his mind. There was something about Amaya...something...
The locket.
Ben looked down, realizing for the first time that he was wearing a hospital robe. Where were his clothes? He'd put the locket in his pocket...
Noticing his eyes on her, Amaya stepped forward, meeting his eyes with a look that made his blood run cold. Suspicion lingered behind her eyes mingled with confusion and something akin to fear.
"Now that you're awake, we need to change your bandages." Amaya said. "I can do it. I have way more experience with this than I wish I had."
"I'll help." Voe said immediately but Amaya shook her head, putting a hand on the other girl's shoulder.
"You can barely walk and you didn't sleep much last night. You should rest." Amaya said. "Tomorrow when we go back to practice, you'll have to take care of Ben, so really this is your only opportunity to get some sleep."
Voe sighed, nodding. "Alright." She said, "I'll see you tomorrow then, Ben."
Ben felt a wave of relief wash over him as the other padawans moved to leave the room until he realized this meant he would be left alone with Amaya. He had the distinct impression that she had only brought up changing the bandages to get the others to leave. He eyed her warily as she closed the door behind the others, the room becoming deadly silent.
Amaya walked back to Ben's bedside and took a seat on the chair next to his bed without looking at him. Ben felt his heart race as all the possible scenarios played out in his mind. Did she know he knew about the Knights of Ren? Had Snoke told her something else? Had he told her the real reason Luke had let her into the academy?
Amaya fiddled with her pocket and understanding flooded Ben's mind. She pulled out the locket, holding it up for Ben to see.
"Where did you get this?" She asked, her dark eyes boring into his with such intensity that Ben wanted to look away.
"Where did you find that?" He asked in return, watching as a flash of annoyance passed behind Amaya's eyes.
"In your pocket." She almost snapped. "Why was it in your pocket, Ben?"
Ben sighed, pushing himself up further despite the pain it caused. "Amaya, do you have a brother?"
The colour drained from Amaya's face before her eyes hardened. "Yes. Why do you ask?"
"I met him." Ben said, silently apologizing for the effect his words seemed to be having on her. "Yesterday."
"On Endor?" Amaya asked, confusion written plainly on her face. "Why? How?"
"He was one of the people who ambushed us." Ben said. "He was a Knight of Ren."
At this, Amaya stood up suddenly, the locket clattering to the ground. She didn't even bother to pick it up as she stared at Ben, a look of horror on her face.
"I take it you didn't know." Ben said.
"Didn't know!?" Amaya exclaimed. "I didn't even know he was Force-sensitive. I didn't even know he had left Alfazine. I didn't even know the Knights of Ren existed before yesterday!"
"What did you know?" Ben asked, at a loss as to how to comfort her or calm her down.
"Last I heard he was a spoiled brat living off the cheap labour of better people in the palace my father built while the rest of the country starved to death." Amaya snarled quietly.
Ben's eyes flew open. Now he was the one who was confused.
"Your father lives in a palace?" He asked, prompting Amaya to wrinkle her nose in disgust.
"He's a member of the High Council of our kingdom." Amaya said, shaking her head.
"You never told me this." Ben said, almost offended he knew so little about this girl he'd thought he was becoming friends with.
"Because it doesn't matter." Amaya said savagely. "He's my father by blood and that is all. He means nothing to me."
Something Snoke had said about blood ties meaning nothing rang in the back of Ben's mind and he nodded.
"Have you ever met him?" Ben asked, suddenly curious about her background.
Amaya shook her head. "Never." She said. "I've never met my brother either. Are you sure it was him you saw on Endor?"
"He said his name was Ancai Morava and he gave me that locket." Ben said. "What do you think?"
Amaya bent to pick up the locket and took a seat again, opening it. She stared at the photographs inside, looking conflicted.
"His name is Ancai Morava." Amaya said, reaching into her pocket a second time. This time she drew out another small locket and handed it to Ben. He opened it, finding two photos inside. One was of a little girl and one was of a little boy - both with hair so dark it was practically black.
"My mother always wore this around her neck. She never took it off. Not even to sleep." Amaya said.
"This is you and your brother?" Ben asked, and Amaya nodded.
"Did he look like this?" She asked.
"He was masked. I couldn't see his face." Ben replied, handing the locket back to her.
Amaya nodded, falling into pensive silence.
"He wants to meet you." Ben said, watching her shoulders tense at his words.
"That's nice." She said sarcastically. "Unfortunately, I don't think I want to meet him."
"Because he's a Knight of Ren?" Ben asked.
"No. Well...yes. But mainly because I know what role he played on Alfazine. He ate cake in his palace while everyone around him struggled to survive the bombings and find enough food to make it through the week." Amaya said, shaking her head with a look of disgust on her face.
"Maybe he didn't know how to help the poor on Alfazine." Ben said and Amaya shot him a withering look.
"He was - or maybe still is, I don't know - in a position of power and he's abusing it." Amaya snapped. "There's no excuse for that. He's not stupid."
Ben felt himself wanting to say something about how things were not that black and white but stopped himself. She was clearly far too upset for this kind of argument.
"Why didn't you grow up with him and your father?" Ben asked, finally asking the question he'd been curious about for so long.
"Because my mother didn't want to be married to a member of the High Council. She hated the way the kingdom was run - the corruptness of it all. So she ran away to the only place on the planet she thought she had a chance of hiding on." Amaya explained. "She was pregnant with me at the time but didn't know it."
"She left her son behind?" Ben asked, something about this troubling him deeply.
Amaya nodded. "She wasn't about to take a child on the run with her. He wasn't more than 5 at the time."
"So she just abandoned him?" Ben asked, shaking his head as he felt anger within him rise on behalf of the boy.
"She left him with my father." Amaya said. "She knew he'd be safe there."
"Yes but because of her, he grew up without a mother." Ben snapped. "And for what? Because she didn't like living a pampered life? Isn't it more selfish to run away from your obligations to your family than to live a wealthy life?"
"You don't know what it was like for her." Amaya snapped back. "She didn't love my father. She was forced to marry him when she was just a teenager. She didn't even want children."
"Oh yes poor her." Ben sneered. "Children are such burdens."
"Well they can be!" Amaya cried, "Especially when you're 16 and you want to have a normal life."
"That still doesn't mean she should abandon her son." Ben snarled and Amaya sighed, leaning back in her chair.
They fell into a heavy silence for a moment as Ben stared at the wall opposite his bed, fury coursing through his veins. No wonder Ancai had turned to the Dark Side - he'd been abandoned by his own mother. Mothers were supposed to stay with their sons and love them. Not march off to whatever corner of the galaxy struck their fancy and leave their son all alone.
"How are we supposed to meet?" Amaya asked after a moment, pulling Ben out of his dark ruminations.
"What?" He asked, still half distracted by his own thoughts.
"If I were to meet Ancai. Where and when and how would I do it?" Amaya asked.
Ben sighed, realizing Amaya was not going to like the answer. "Snoke can arrange it for you." He said, cringing at the look of horrified realization that filled Amaya's face.
"The Knights of Ren...do they- are they-" She stuttered.
"They work for Snoke." Ben said, nodding.
"So that's how Ancai knew I was here." Amaya exclaimed, "Snoke told him. Snoke knew he was my brother because he's been snooping around in my brain for weeks..."
"Probably." Ben agreed, nodding. "I don't see how else he would have found out."
"Wait but if Snoke controls the Knights of Ren then did he order the ambush yesterday!?" Amaya asked, her intelligent mind putting together far too many pieces far too quickly for Ben's comfort.
"I don't know." Ben said, shrugging as he tried desperately to push down the fear he now felt. "They could have just chosen to ambush us of their own free will. I don't think that Snoke controls their every move."
"But then how did they know you were going to Endor?" Amaya asked. "This plan was made literally hours before you went on the mission. It was so last minute. What if they found out because Snoke told them and Snoke knew because he read it in our minds?"
This wasn't good.
Ben clenched his fists to stop his hands from shaking. He had to find a way to calm her down and get her off the right track and he had to do it fast.
"Luke just said before you came in that my mother is conducting an investigation in the Senate to see whether any of the people in her circle betrayed us." Ben said quickly. "Chances are, it was someone from the Senate who was in contact with my mother the morning before we went to Endor."
"Yes but Snoke must have known. He literally spoke to me that morning after the mission had been announced." Amaya said, shaking her head. "Also, what was even the point of the ambush? Snoke would never want to kill you and from what the others told me it doesn't sound like the Knights of Ren even had any objective in ambushing you. The only meaningful thing that happened during the entire encounter was that my brother gave you this locket. What if that was the reason for the ambush? So that Ancai could talk to you."
Ben stared at her, caught off guard. She could very well be right. The attack had seemed meaningless. The Knights of Ren had no prior business on Endor that he was aware of. And Ancai had purposefully chosen to fight Ben, drawn him away from the others, and then stopped the fight to give him the locket.
"Maybe." Ben muttered. "Maybe you're right."
"You know what this means right?" Amaya breathed, starting to pace up and down the room with anxiety. "This means we're security threats. Whatever we know, Snoke knows."
"Well not necess-"
"Yes, necessarily." Amaya snapped, turning to stare at him, a dangerous glint in her dark eyes. "Don't deny it Ben. He knew you and the others were going to Endor because he read our minds. You knew this might be a possibility and you chose not to say anything."
Ben felt his stomach plummet, his mind starting to panic. "I didn't realize it was a risk." Ben said quickly. "This was supposed to be a diplomatic mission. I didn't think Snoke would have any interest in it. How was I supposed to know he was going to send the Knights?"
"Ben." Amaya said, something in the tone of her voice sending a shiver of fear down Ben's spine. She stared at him and Ben knew without a doubt that she knew everything.
"We need to tell Luke about Snoke." Amaya said quietly, shaking her head.
"No." Ben said quickly. "Amaya, we've been over this."
Amaya continued to shake her head, her face drawn. "I didn't realize. I guess I was stupid or wilfully blind but it just didn't click-"
"Amaya, listen to me. You will be sent back to Alfazine-" Ben began, pushing himself up despite the pain it caused him.
"It's not about me!" Amaya cried suddenly, her apparent resolve to remain calm shattering. "And it's not about you! Stop being selfish Ben, we are endangering them all by keeping this a secret!"
"You don't think I know that?" Ben shot back, her words igniting a fire in him. "I've had to live with this since I was a child! You've had Snoke in your head for what - a little over a week? You know nothing about what it is like."
"I know it's wrong to endanger our friends and your uncle to protect ourselves!" Amaya snarled. "What if Voe had died yesterday? Then what? You would be just as responsible for her death as the Knights of Ren!"
Ben flinched, instinctively turning the guilt her words caused into more anger. "Yes well while you're busy being noble, why don't you tell Luke the real reason you're even here in the first place!" Ben cried and Amaya froze, some of the colour draining from her flushed face.
"Yes, that's right." Ben sneered. "Snoke made Luke have that dream. It's because of Snoke that Luke let you in - not because you're someone special."
Amaya stared at him, her face blank with shock as she tried to process the information. You shouldn't have told her that, a persistent voice in the back of Ben's mind insisted. You just made her even more inclined to tell Luke the truth, you idiot!
After a moment, Amaya turned, leaving the room before Ben could even put his thoughts back in order enough to call out her name.
Amaya was livid.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this angry. She marched through the hallways, heading straight towards Luke's office. If he wasn't in, she would scour the entire Academy for him. This couldn't wait.
She couldn't believe Ben. How could he put his own selfish desires in front of the lives of his friends and family? How could he justify this to himself? And then how dare he expect her to keep his lie?
Amaya felt her hands shake as she reached out through the Force, actually calling out to Snoke. It's over. I'm done with your little games.
She would not be his pawn. Clearly she wasn't even meant to be a Jedi. She was only here to be used by Snoke for whatever sadistic purpose pleased him.
Your honesty never ceases to amaze me, my girl. Snoke's voice replied, and Amaya froze, trying to control the anger his words evoked in her.
Good. Snoke purred. Anger is the path to the-
Dark Side, I know. Amaya snapped back. Do I look like I care?
You should care. Snoke said. You could do great things if you let me help you.
I'm not going to be doing anything but returning to Alfazine. Amaya snapped. Enough is enough.
I really wish you would reconsider. Snoke replied. Are you sure there's not something I could do to put things into perspective for you?
I'm seeing quite clearly, thank you. Amaya replied coldly and Snoke laughed.
Well that's a shame, isn't it. Snoke sneered. You are very valuable.
Amaya shook her head in a futile attempt to clear it of Snoke, turning a corner and entering the hallway that led to Luke's office. She could see his door. Just a few more seconds and everything would be as it should be.
Your brother, however...he's not as valuable. Snoke continued and Amaya froze.
Not that you care anyway. Snoke sneered. He's just a spoiled brat to you. You don't even want to meet him. I'm sure then, you'd have no problem if I simply disposed of him. He's becoming quite burdensome in all honesty.
This isn't funny. Amaya snapped, a shiver running down her spine.
No, it's really not, is it? Snoke agreed. It's a shame really. His sister, the only one who could save him, decided she'd rather tell her Master the truth instead.
Is this a threat? Amaya asked, suddenly struggling to breathe properly.
Of course not, my girl. Snoke replied. How would I be to blame if Ancai Morava were to perish in a freak accident?
Amaya closed her eyes, panic gripping her body as she struggled to think of a way out. She had nothing on him. She was trapped. She'd been trapped since she'd landed on this godforsaken island...she just hadn't realized it.
He's not worth it, a part of her insisted. Tell Luke the truth - the padawans here are more worthy of your protection.
Amaya ran her hands over her face as she struggled to breathe. He was her brother. Her only brother. There were other ways to protect Luke and the others. There had to be...
Straightening herself up, Amaya inhaled deeply, composing herself. She focused on the presence she knew belonged to Snoke, directing all the hatred she felt towards it.
This deal goes both ways. Amaya said quietly. If anything happens to Ancai...
Of course, my girl. Snoke replied, and Amaya could tell from his voice that he was smiling.
Amaya sat on the grass, her knees huddled to her chest, as she let the rain soak her. She was shivering, her hair dripping with water, but she didn't care. She couldn't go back inside. She couldn't handle seeing anyone right now - knowing she'd just betrayed them to save a Knight of Ren of all people. Ben probably thought she'd told Luke the truth. She should of...shouldn't she? Everything she had learned about the Jedi Code so far had said that attachment was bad. But if she had told him, she would be assuring Ancai's death. Now, although the Jedi order was in danger, they were no more in danger than they'd always been and Snoke had never hurt them before.
Amaya closed her eyes, letting the shivers rack her body as she breathed slowly. There was only one solution. She had to find a way to block Snoke and she had to ensure Ben learned how to do it too. It was the only way to get out from under Snoke's control.
Amaya froze as she heard footsteps come up behind her. She spun around, half relieved and half annoyed to see it was Ben. He limped as he walked and Amaya scrambled to her feet. He shouldn't out of bed, let alone out in the rain with his injuries.
"What are you doing? You need to go back inside right now-" Amaya began, when Ben cut her off.
"Snoke told me what happened. I just came to say I'm sorry." Ben said, and Amaya shook her head, walking towards him.
"You shouldn't even be out of bed." Amaya muttered, grabbing his arm and pulling him in the direction of the Temple.
Ben resisted her, standing firm. "I know how you're feeling. I've felt this way all my life and I wish I could say it gets better but it doesn't. Snoke will always find a way to win."
Amaya let go of his arm, crossing her own arms instead. "So then what? Are you saying I should give up?"
Ben sighed, "Amaya-"
"No." Amaya snapped, her fury returning full force. "Why are you even here if you've given up, Ben? Why don't you just go join Snoke if you really think that's the only option? It's not like you even like it here anyway."
Ben opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again. Amaya shook her head, beginning to walk back to the Temple when he spoke.
"You want to know the truth?" Ben asked and Amaya turned back to look at him. "I think about leaving to go join Snoke every single day." Ben said, an edge to his voice that Amaya had never heard before.
"Then why don't you?" Amaya asked.
Ben's eyes seemed to become brighter for a moment before he looked away. "I don't know." He said quietly.
They fell into silence for a moment, Amaya staring at Ben and Ben staring at the wet grass at his feet.
"Come back inside." Amaya said after a moment, placing a hand on his arm - more gently this time.