Force Dyad
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A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly read and reviewed the last chapter.
Chapter Eighteen-Impasse
The tree lifted its branches to the sky as if its very presence was enough to beat back the darkness and command the daylight to fall on its glittering leaves. The tree's bark shone like the right kind of gold, the sort that inspires the mind to heady heights of imagination, opening doors to fantastical kingdoms. It was no wonder that the tree was where Rey went when her soul needed to recharge, to get away from the simmering tension building inside the temple. After Voe had openly lied to Master Skywalker and informed him that Rey hadn't apologised like he had directed her, he had revoked all of her privileges.
"Rey? Are you up there?" Finn looked to the left and to the right of him to make sure that no one was watching as he called up to her.
Rey's head popped out of the dense foliage on the topmost branch. "Did you bring food?" She asked.
Finn rolled his eyes as he pointed to the bag slung over his left shoulder. Rey was obsessed with food. He often wondered how she stayed so skinny when she ate so much. She didn't eat slowly either, she would stuff things quickly into her mouth as if she was eating on the run, or was on the clock. She was always the first to finish and always willing to polish off any leftovers. She often told Finn she hated waste-he put it down to her peripatetic childhood. Rey rarely spoke about the parents who had abandoned her, but he got the impression there were times in her life when she had suffered because of lack of proper nourishment. He had tried to ask her about it once, but she had clammed up and looked quite upset. Later, Ben had come to find him and advised him not to pressure Rey, he told him if she wanted to open up, she would in her own time. Finn had taken this advice to heart and never brought up Rey's past again.
Finn ascended the ancient tree swiftly, the weighty bag filled with food constantly banged against his thigh as he pulled himself skilfully from one branch to another. When he neared the top, he lifted the bag from his shoulder and passed it to Rey. She took it from him quickly, before lending him a hand as he pulled himself up to sit beside her. It was a hot day. The humidity encased them both, and like the boughs above them, they didn't move.
"You can't stay up here forever, Rey." Finn said as he sprawled on last seasons leaf litter and made himself more comfortable on the wide branch. "You're just making things more difficult by avoiding training and hiding up here. Voe is fuming and she'll only rat you out to Master Skywalker again."
"I don't care." Rey replied obstinately as she opened the bag and took out a piece of fruit. "I'm staying here until Ben gets back."
"And when's that going to be?" Finn scoffed. "You can't hide up here forever."
"He'll be back tonight." Rey said with a certainty that surprised him.
"Don't be stupid. How would you know?" Finn frowned.
"I just do." The fruit was wet and crisp as Rey bit into it. It broke between her teeth with a soft crunch.
"You can be so odd sometimes." Finn tugged on the end of her long braid to take the sting out of his words. "Enjoy your stake out. I'll check in with you later."
Rey grinned and waved as she watched him begin his descent. Soon he disappeared amongst the tree's thick foliage as he made his way back to the ground. Rey pressed her back against the rough bark and finished eating the fruit. Soon the world began to dissolve around her, just to melt away, yet she could still hear the rustling leaves and feel the rough bark. A hot breeze lifted a few fine hairs on her neck. Rey flipped her long braid over one shoulder and reached inside the bag to retrieve the flask of chilled water Finn had brought her. She only took a few sips, knowing that she was going to have make it last until nightfall.
In the distance she heard the sounds of irritated voices calling her name. Rey assumed that Voe had already complained to Master Skywalker that she had skipped training and now they had come looking for her. Rey smirked, knowing they would never find her here-she had become adept at masking her Force signature from others-a trick Ben had taught her years ago. She settled back to wait for Ben as she plucked another piece of fruit out of the bag and bit into it.
As night fell the blue haze of day lifted to reveal the stars. The night sky was such a welcome sight, appearing like magic at sunset. As Rey looked up at the smattering of stars above, she felt so alive and was filled with a raw energy as she tapped into the Force, anticipating Ben's imminent arrival. At times she felt as if she could feel it vibrating somehow, whispering in a way the ears cannot hear.
Rey was on tenterhooks as she impatiently waited to capture her first glimpse of Grimtaash in over a month. She didn't have long to wait. A few minutes later the vessel's familiar shape blotted out some of the stars as Grimtaash made its descent. With the recent adjustments Ben had made to the star ship's propulsion system while he was away, Grimtaash hardly made a sound, as if somehow it didn't even displace the air as it landed.
When Rey saw the star ship finally touch base, she was filled with sudden calm tinged with euphoria. Ben had come back. Everything was finally alright in her world. She knew better than to break cover. Rey waited patiently for Ben to come to her. She knew it wouldn't take him long. She may be able to hide her Force signature from other Force sensitives, but he always seemed to know.
Rey watched in delight as his tall form emerged from the shadows. Was it possible that he had grown again while he was away? He seemed so much bigger. Rey began to shimmy down the tree's branches like a trained acrobat until she reached the bottom one. Holding on to the bough above her head for support, she leaned forward and waited just for the right moment to jump off when Ben stepped underneath the branch she was resting on.
Ben's face broke out into a happy grin when Rey dropped to the ground in front of him. There was joy in Rey's every step as she threw herself at him and he lifted her up into a bear hug. He had missed her so much. Their emotional reunion was quickly cut short, however, when Ben sensed Skywalker coming toward them. He wasn't alone-Voe and Hennix flanked him on either side. Ben slowly set Rey back down on her feet before revolving slowly to face his uncle, gently pushing her to stand behind him in an effort to shield her from Skywalker's annoyed glare.
Ben smoothed his features into an indifferent expression as he faced his uncle. He didn't give Voe the benefit of looking in her direction. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her mouth twist into an ugly scowl. She had clearly been hoping to get an immediate rise out of him. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction. On the flight over he had plenty of time to form his plan of revenge. By the time he finished with her she would never step foot on the temple grounds again. For now, Ben remained composed in front of all of them, patiently waiting for his uncle to speak first.
"Rey, go back to the temple." Skywalker ordered sternly. "I'll be coming to speak to you later."
Rey glanced up at Ben anxiously as she wondered whether to obey Skywalker or stay put. Ben turned and touched the top of her head lightly with his fingers. "Do what he says for now, Rey. I'll be along to see you later."
Rey hesitated for a few seconds before complying. "K.'" She murmured before running off into the night.
When Skywalker was certain that Rey was out of earshot, he returned his attention to his nephew. The disappointment on his face and in his tone was clear. "What are you doing here, Ben? Your orders were to remain at the Senate with your mother until she felt it was safe to relieve you from duty. And where's Tai?"
"Still at the Senate." Ben informed him coolly. "I came back alone."
"Why?" Skywalker demanded. "Has something happened?"
"You could say that." Ben's steely gaze drifted to Voe. "I need to speak to you alone…Uncle." He dropped all pretence at using the jedi master's formal title, instead referring to their familial relationship to put Skywalker off his guard.
"I warned you it was a mistake sending Solo on such an important mission, Master. I should have gone with Tai just like I requested." Voe piped up.
"I am not debating this with you now, Voe. There is a time and place." Skywalker commanded impatiently. "You and Hennix can leave me now."
"But Master- "Voe protested.
"Not now, Voe." Hennix cautioned as he motioned for her to follow him.
Voe pursed her lips, shooting Ben a challenging glare as she heeded Hennix's warning and followed him back to the temple.
"You continue to test me, Ben." Skywalker sighed as he took in his nephew's detached expression. Ben was lounging in his chair, his feet crossed at the ankle, in a blatant attempt to provoke. "Your bad attitude is beginning to rub off on some of the others, particularly Rey. Lately she has been acting out like a wilful child and I am weary of it. You know she idolises you. She sees you disobeying orders and thinks she can do the same. I had no choice but to punish her and revoke some of her privileges."
There was a flicker of resentment in Ben's eyes that he quickly hid behind an impassive mask. "And what is it she is supposed to have done?"
Skywalker licked his dry lips to moisten them. Ben was making him uneasy. There was something off about him. He was being too calm. Too composed. He had expected his nephew to argue as soon as he admitted that he had to punish Rey. "There was an incident involving Voe. I asked Rey to apologise to her, which she promised me that she would do, only for Voe to inform me later that she had done no such thing."
"And of course, you believed Voe." Ben replied scathingly.
"I have no reason to question Voe's sincerity. Unlike you, she's fully committed to her duties." Skywalker made an irritated sound in the back of his throat. He had expected nothing else from Ben. "I am sick and tired of this rivalry you've got going on with Voe. Your constant and unfounded criticisms of her are getting tiresome. I have yet to see proof."
Ben slowly rose to his feet, at six foot three, he towered over his uncle. Skywalker actually took a step back from the ferocity of Ben's intimidating stare. "Voe is not committed to her duties, the Jedi order, or to you." He declared coldly. "She's an ambitious and aggressive individual who has been jealous of me ever since she came here. She can't tolerate the fact that I'm better at mastering the Force than she is. She has done everything in her power to undermine me and has succeeded because you stubbornly refuse to see her faults or are just wilfully blind to them. You point out mine at every opportunity and I've damn well put up with it for Rey's sake. But in my absence Voe has moved her animosity onto Rey and that I will not tolerate."
"Ben…"
"No!" Ben cut in defiantly. "For once you listen to me, Uncle. We both know that I only resumed my training under you because you emotionally blackmailed me into believing it was in Rey's best interests that she stays here. Every single day since then I've rued that decision. It has become my biggest regret. I should have defied you and taken her with me anyway. We would have both been better off then remaining in this toxic environment you've created."
Skywalker glared at his nephew as he attempted to defend himself. "Rey has flourished here. She has benefitted from the training and stability that she's found here. She's strong with the Force and one of my most gifted students. In my opinion there is only one thing holding her back and that's you, Ben. Your obsessive rivalry with Voe is mostly to blame for the toxic environment that you speak of. Voe has spoken to me in private at how distressed the whole situation has made her. She feels she has lost the respect of some of the padawans, including Rey, and this has made her overcompensate on occasion. And that is down to you. Your actions continue to cause division and I won't tolerate it." He ended harshly.
Ben hid his anger and hurt toward his uncle's accusations behind an impassive mask. With an air of detachment, he looked back at Skywalker and shrugged. "It seems we've reached yet another impasse, Uncle."
"It seems we have." Skywalker agreed tensely.
"You continue to overestimate Voe and underestimate me. You see me as the enemy, maybe you should look in the mirror sometime, Uncle. You are your own worst enemy. If you want proof that Voe isn't the perfect jedi you think she is, then I'll find you that proof. And when you finally see Voe for what she really is, and you can no longer deny it, I'll enjoy every minute of saying I told you so."
With that last pointed rejoinder, Ben left Skywalker's study, slamming the heavy wooden door behind him so hard it shuddered on its hinges.
A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.
