"How did you know that about me?" Finn asked, rushing to keep stride with Ben as the taller man led the way to the recruit barracks.
"The general introduced you by your call sign; it wasn't hard to figure out," Ben muttered. He glanced down at the datapad to check the room numbers again.
"Yeah, but how'd you know I worked on Starkiller Base? The general didn't say that part. Can you read minds or something?" The ex-trooper's voice dropped. "Are you a psychic?"
Ben shot him a withering look.
"Finn," Rey admonished from Ben's other side. "He knows about you because he's a Jedi." She turned to Ben. "Aren't you? I saw your lightsaber at the meeting," she explained, eyes wide with wonder. "I thought the Jedi were a myth!"
He gave her a small smile. "No," he said to her. "They're real."
They arrived at Finn's room first. "This is your keycode," Ben told him, tilting the screen of the datapad so the ex-trooper could read the four digit sequence. Finn studied the numbers and nodded. Ben pointed to the interface in the wall. "Enter it here. Sometimes the screen lags; if it glitches and accepts the wrong number, clear it here."
Finn punched in the code and stood back as the door whooshed open. He stepped inside, looked around, and nodded again. The room was rough in comparison to the quarters he had probably been accustomed to on Starkiller Base; only the essentials were provided, and everything was well worn. But to the man's credit, he said nothing.
Ensuring Finn was settled, Ben told the fugitive trooper that he'd be back to collect him for dinner. Before the man could think up any more probing questions, Ben turned on his heel to continue down the corridor.
As Rey fell into step beside him, he realized that, for the first time in a long time, they were alone together. No one else was around; everyone was out working around the base, tending to last minute tasks prior to dinner. He ignored the thundering in his chest.
"So," Rey spoke as they walked. "How long have you been a part of the Resistance?"
"Six years," Ben answered quietly. He kept his eyes trained straight ahead.
"I've wanted to join the Resistance for a long time," came her wistful reply. "Ever since I overheard some off-worlders talking about what was going on in the galaxy. One of them mentioned he'd heard about a secret movement. Someone willing to fight against oppression, for freedom. And now… I'm finally here. I can hardly believe it."
Neither can I. He stole a glance at her. "Better late than never."
She smiled warmly at him.
Way too soon for Ben's liking, they came to a stop before another door. "This is your room," he announced, stepping to the side in invitation.
Rey tapped in the keycode, and the door slid open. She stepped through, turning to take in the space with an expression of wonder. Ben peered in after her. It was quite similar to Finn's room inside, if perhaps slightly smaller.
"I've never had anything so nice," she whispered to herself. Her eyes fell on another door. "There's a fresher?"
The corner of his lips quirked up. "Yeah."
Seeing her eye the fresher hungrily, he decided to leave her to it. "Take your time and get settled. I'll return around dinnertime to show you to the mess hall." He turned to leave, but she called out to him.
"Ben?"
"Yes?" he replied, turning back to the door.
She was standing just inside the threshold. "Can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
She hesitated. He could see uncertainty in her expression, and his brow furrowed. "What is it?" he asked quietly, stepping closer to the door again.
"I've... I didn't want to say anything in front of the others, but I… I've felt something, inside me," she confided softly. She placed a hand over her chest, as if to show him where it was. "It's been there all along, but now, it's—it's awakening."* She frowned up at him. "I had wondered… well, with you being a Jedi and all… have you ever heard of something like that?"
Leaning against the doorframe and folding his arms across his chest, he regarded her thoughtfully. "Yes, I have. There's no need to be afraid. I felt it too, years ago."* One corner of his mouth lifted up. "It's because you're Force-sensitive, Rey."
Her jaw dropped. "You mean—I could be a Jedi like you?"
He snorted faintly, already knowing what a powerful Force wielder she would become. "With training, yes. But the journey is long and arduous."
"I want to learn," she assured him.
He inclined his head. "I shall speak to my Master about it, but I see no reason why we cannot teach you."
She beamed at him, eyes crinkling as her lips parted to reveal a row of white teeth.
His eyes caught on her mouth, and suddenly he found himself overwhelmed by his proximity to her. Her smile loosened something long locked in his chest, like a rusted coupling that suddenly became limber and functional again, and he found himself badly wanting to kiss her.
In two quick strides, he backed away from her door. "I'll be back to get you for dinner," he said hastily, cursing his gracelessness as he fumbled to put some distance between them. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "I-I'm just down the corridor if you need anything."
She nodded her thanks, cocking her head with a slightly bemused expression, and he all but ran down the hall to the safety of his room, not stopping until the metal door hissed shut behind him.
Panting from the mixture of exertion and emotion, he leaned against the closed door and sharply berated himself for acting like a complete nutter. He had to get a hold of himself around her, or else he was going to create some serious trouble.
…
The mess hall was teeming with people when they arrived for the evening meal. Ben spotted a table along the far wall, and led the way through the room to the secluded booth. He sat with his back against the wall, and Finn and Rey settled across from him.
Ben caught Finn's dubious look as he studied the rations on his tray. It was very different from the cuisine aboard Starkiller Base, Ben knew. Rey, however, was tucking in with gusto.
Across the room, Ben glimpsed the other members of 'the team,' as he'd come to dub them in his head. The pilots and flight crew tended to sit together. Poe, Paige and the others had commandeered several tables and seemed to be having an animated group conversation. Rose, as Paige's sister, often joined the flight crew. But the petite engineer had noticed the three of them coming in, and she was now standing and making her way toward them.
"Hey Ben! May I join you guys?" she asked as she arrived at the end of their table, tray in hand.
Ben nodded to the seat next to him, and she sat down.
"Hi!" she chirped, extending a hand over the table to greet Rey and Finn. "I'm Rose. I heard about your arrival. We're glad you're here."
"Thank you," Rey replied, smiling at her.
"Yeah, thanks," Finn said. "Nice to meet you, too."
Ben found himself unusually appreciative of Rose's presence. Ordinarily he would've balked at someone inviting themselves into his space, but Rose had a way with people he would never have. She put people at ease and made them feel welcome, which was just what he needed.
"So, where are you guys from?" Rose inquired, taking a bite and leaning forward in genuine interest.
"Jakku," Rey answered without elaboration, and quickly spooned up another bite.
Rose grimaced with sympathy. "How about you?" she asked Finn.
"I, uh, don't really know," he said with a shrug. "I remember growing up on the training base, and then I got shipped out to my post on Starkiller Base."
"I heard you were a Stormtrooper, but that you defected." Rose smiled. "That was very brave of you."
Finn's chest puffed out, and he gave her a jaunty grin. "Thanks. So what do you do around here, Rose?"
They carried the conversation while Ben listened and Rey focused on her food. Ben had suspected in the vision that the ex-trooper and the engineer had had romantic feelings for one another, and apparently that connection hadn't been lost in reality, if the slight curl to Rose's lips and the attentive expression with which Finn regarded her were anything to go by. It gave him hope.
He took a swig from his cup, and was about to continue eating when a new voice spoke. A haughty, drawling, extremely unwelcome voice.
"No one's gonna steal your food from you, you know."
Ben and the others looked up to find Poe standing beside their table, next to Rey's elbow. Apparently the pilot hadn't wanted to be left out of the welcome party. Ben resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Poe slid into the free seat next to Rey, who spared him a look and then continued eating. Poe's nose wrinkled momentarily, but then smoothed out as he said to her, "So, I've been meaning to ask—how do you know so much about ships?" He turned to the others. "This girl," he explained, jerking his thumb at Rey, "got us out of a real pinch during our escape from Jakku. The propulsion tank on the Falcon was malfunctioning, and it nearly overflowed. In the middle of avoiding TIE blasts and getting off-planet as fast as possible, she's hanging upside down in the compartment, putting a patch on this thing before it blows and fills the whole cabin with poisonous gas." He studied her in wonder. "How?"
She shrugged and swallowed. "I'm a scavenger. I know ship components. I've had to dismantle enough of them that I eventually learned how to put them back together."
"Well, you saved our skins, that's for sure." He shook his head. "Jakku. What a junkyard. You've lived one hell of a life out there, Rey." He clapped her on the shoulder. The possessive gesture set Ben's teeth on edge.
"I admire that about you, though," Poe commended her. "It's made you strong and smart. You're gonna fit in here just fine."
She smiled at him.
"Maybe we could talk to Leia about getting you some official pilot training," Poe continued. "You'd be wicked in the cockpit."
Before Rey could respond, Rose chimed in. "Or maybe, if she's as good with machines as you say, she could help in engineering. Not everyone has to be a flyboy, Poe," she teased.
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with being a flyboy! So, what do you say, Rey?"
"I appreciate the offer," Rey replied with an apologetic smile, "but I…" She looked across the table at Ben. "I'm actually hoping to start Jedi training."
Finn looked up from his plate in shock. "You're Force sensitive?" he exclaimed.
"You're going to train with him?" Poe asked at the same time, gesturing at Ben. "I thought only Jedi Masters could train other Jedi."
To everyone else, the pilot's words seemed like a mere statement of fact, but Ben felt the tips of his ears heat at the subtle jab. You're not good enough.
"Traditionally, only Jedi Masters can take padawans," he explained evenly, "but there's nothing saying Jedi Knights can't help mentor them. Luke and I will share in Rey's training."
Poe frowned consideringly. "I guess that would free up the old man to consult with the general more often," he conceded, flicking his eyes over at Ben. "Force knows we need the help," he added sotto voce.
Since your information is obsolete. Since you aren't as good as Luke.
The muscles in Ben's jaw ticked. He wished the ridiculous pilot didn't have such power over him, but Poe's words stung because they were true. Ben was well aware that every slight divergence pushed the current timeline further from the one he'd seen. He was still certain of the big events—like the construction of Starkiller Base and the Sith fleet on Exegol—but what about the other things, like the destruction of the Hosnian system, or the attack on the Resistance base on D'Qar? What if Hux snapped one day and started firing on anything within range? What if Palpatine changed his mind and decided not to wait for Rey before deploying his fleet? Ben would have little to no warning, and there was a good chance it wouldn't leave him enough time to warn the rest of the Resistance.
Even though he'd studied the ways of the Force for nearly his entire life, and even though he was naturally gifted and very powerful, Luke was still his superior in so many ways. The old Jedi Master's intuition was keener, his abilities stronger. Luke was trusted.
And Poe, the brave commander whose prodigious piloting skills were revered throughout the Resistance, was trusted.
Ben was not.
No matter how hard he tried, it seemed that he would never be fully trusted here. They hadn't believed him when he'd arrived, and they didn't believe him now. Hadn't he just seen evidence to prove it earlier that day, when Poe's information, which confirmed Ben's vision, had triggered reactions of surprise? It wasn't new information, yet everyone acted as if it was the first they'd heard of it—because they trusted Poe, and not Ben.
His efforts and counsel would never be enough, especially if the timeline was starting to change. He would never be enough. He would always end up in the shadows of someone greater.
He fell quiet and said nothing more throughout the remainder of the meal, and excused himself as soon as he knew Rey and Finn would be well looked after. He no longer desired to be in company. He walked back to his room in silence, showered and brushed his teeth, then laid back on his narrow cot, all the while replaying the conversation at dinner in his head.
He'd been trying his whole life to learn enough, to be strong enough, fast enough, clever enough, good enough to impress them. To make a difference. To resist the voices in his head. To do good. And yet Poe still undermined him at every opportunity. Except for Rose and occasionally Paige, the other Resistance members kept their distance from him. Luke was always watching him. No one fully trusted him, not even his own mother.
And he hated the way those sharp, acidic thoughts made his eyes burn. He bunched up his pillow into something resembling a shape and curled up on his side, pulling the threadbare blanket over his shoulder. His toes poked out from under the hem.
In another life, when he'd been the Supreme Leader of the First Order, he'd been respected. It had been borne of fear, but at least he'd been respected. He wasn't respected here. He was viewed as a freak. An outsider. Dangerous.
But that train of thought, the logical side of him realized, was a slippery slope. And so, with a shuddering breath, he went about erecting his mental barriers again, keeping the voices out and his weakest feelings buried deep within. Even if he wasn't respected, or trusted, or even liked, he had to keep these people safe. He had to keep Rey safe. The alternative was too horrific to think about.
…
He didn't sleep well that night, and as the first rays of sunlight started to rise above the base, he was already up and dressed again, slipping out of the recruit barracks and heading for the clearing in the forest. He badly needed to meditate and get the bitter aftertaste of last night's ruminations out of his head.
But as he neared the edge of the base, the sounds of physical effort met his ears. His pace slowed as he listened. Harsh breath panted in the cool air, punctuated with the occasional grunt of exertion and the dull whoosh of an object cutting through the air. Following the sound, he rounded a stack of crates.
There, in an out-of-the-way spot behind the supply cache, was Rey. She was practicing with her staff, totally engrossed and unaware of his arrival. The long staff was a blur as she swung and twirled it about her person, over her head and around her sides, striking forcefully at her imaginary foe.
"Rey?" Ben said aloud, announcing his presence.
The young woman looked up, and immediately snapped her staff against her side. "Ben!"
"What are you doing up so early?" he asked, glancing around as he approached her.
"Couldn't sleep." She shrugged. "New place and all."
"You should be careful out here alone," he cautioned her. "Resistance base or not, you never know what might be lurking about."
She tilted her head and gave him a wry smile. "I think I'll be all right. But thank you." She set the end of her staff on the ground and leaned on it. "What about you? What are you doing out so early?"
"Couldn't sleep," he replied with a small smile, mirroring her words back at her. He gestured to the forest. "I was going to meditate." Taking a risk, he asked hesitantly, "Would you care to join me?"
"You're going out into the forest to meditate?"
"It helps me focus." Glancing back at her, he kept his voice carefully even. "You could consider it your first lesson in Jedi training. Maybe learning to manage your thoughts and seeing more around the base will help put your mind at ease."
She appeared to consider the invitation. "Will Luke not mind you training me?"
"He won't mind."
She smiled and picked up her staff. "Okay, then."
Together, they walked into the forest. He easily picked out his trail amidst the underbrush. She followed closely behind him, taking in the lush green forest with such a sense of wonder that he felt it even without their faint Force bond. He imagined D'Qar looked very different from Jakku.
As they walked, he decided not to point out that, technically, he hadn't spoken to Luke about her training yet. He already knew she would become a powerful Force user, so it didn't really matter what Luke said. She would learn the ways of the Force one way or another. He also neglected to mention that she was the first person he'd brought out to his clearing. In a way, she'd already been here in spirit, as she was never long out of his thoughts, but he was happy to be sharing it with her in person. He rather thought she might appreciate it just as much as he did.
He glanced back to check on her. "You're pretty good with that staff," he commented mildly.
"It's come in handy a few times." There was a humorous lilt to her voice. "Just ask Finn."
He smiled appreciatively to himself, imagining the sort of confrontation she was presumably referencing. He could picture her swinging her staff at the ex-trooper's head, him ducking just in time to avoid being clobbered.
They arrived in the clearing. Ben approached his favorite boulder and climbed up to the flat surface with ease. He reached back to help Rey, but found that she didn't require his assistance as she nimbly scaled the rock behind him.
With the two of them sharing the rock face, space was limited, but not uncomfortably so. He sat cross-legged on the flat surface and swept his hand at the space before him in invitation. She set aside her staff and joined him, sitting knee-to-knee and awaiting instruction.
"Meditation," he began, his voice low and soft, "is a balance between controlling oneself whilst simultaneously relinquishing control. It allows a Jedi to let go of worldly concerns and focus on the will of the Force. It is communion with the Force."
Settling his hands loosely upon his knees, he continued, "It starts with breathing. Let your breath become slow and steady. In and out. Purposeful and unrushed."
She copied his stance and let her eyes fall shut as she focused on her breathing.
"Good," he murmured. "Let all your thoughts, all your worries, all the worldly things fall away. Let yourself go. Reach out—"
She thrust out her hand, nearly poking him in the eye. He dodged just in time, and swiftly swatted her hand away from his face.
Her eyes snapped open with a shocked gasp. "Ow!"
"With your feelings," he snarked. "Not literally."
With a reproachful look, she closed her eyes and settled back into her breathing. He closed his eyes too, and they sat in peaceful silence for a while.
But after a moment passed, and another moment, and another, Ben realized he wouldn't be meditating today. He wasn't able to focus well enough with her so close to him. Not when he could feel the warmth of her legs radiating against his, or smell her discreet scent, freshly cleansed skin warmed by the sun, or hear her soft, regular breathing so close in front of him…
He cracked one eye open and peeked at her. Her face was screwed up with effort, lips pursed and brows furrowed. He bit back a smile.
"Relax," he whispered. "Breathe. Let it flow through you."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her face and shoulders softening as she did so. The crease between her brows smoothed away, and her eyes fell further closed. Her arms relaxed all the way down to her hands, resting open upon her knees. She took another, slower breath.
As she relaxed, he felt a faint stirring in the Force. It was only a feather-light touch at first, hovering at the edge of his consciousness. Faint and sparkling, like the champagne his parents used to drink on special occasions back on Chandrila. The presence swirled and undulated there, as if coming into realization, before it rippled out like gooseflesh over him, tingling as it brushed past his mind and then beyond. Searching and wondering.
He sucked in a sharp breath and opened his eyes as a long-lost, very unexpected sensation sparked back to life in its wake.
She'd done it on her first try. She'd accessed the Force. And when she'd done so, the dormant bond between them had reawakened.
His breath caught in his lungs. "What do you feel?" he murmured, unable to help himself.
Her eyes were still closed; she seemed not to have noticed his shock. "Life," she whispered. Her brows drew down in a slight frown. "Death and decay, that feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence." Her expression grew lighter. "And between it all… balance and energy. A force."*
She finally opened her eyes and looked at him. Her gaze was wide and intense, filled with questions and awe, like someone seeing for the first time and trying to make sense of the world through this new lens.
He broke out into a rare full smile, incredibly proud of her and excited for where this discovery would lead.
"Well, that's a start," he said.
…
They finished their meditations and returned to the base just in time for breakfast. Rey spotted Finn, sitting with Rose and Poe, and immediately started in their direction. But Ben had seen Luke heading out the door, and parted with Rey in order to catch the Jedi Master before he could get away.
"Luke, I need to talk to you," he said, drawing even with the older man.
Luke looked up at him from beneath bushy grey brows. "Does it have anything to do with your Force dyad?" he asked dryly.
"Yes, actually," Ben replied, refusing to be baited. "Rey's Force sensitivity has manifested. She is going to need a teacher."
Luke glanced at him again, this time more sharply. "No," he grumbled, and then started walking down the corridor.
Frowning, Ben caught up in a few quick strides. "Uncle, I'm being serious."
"So am I."
His steps faltered, and he looked down at Luke in confusion. "What? What do you mean, 'no'?"
"I mean, no. She will not be taught."
Ben didn't remember ever feeling so speechless. What about the vision? Luke knew Rey was destined to become a Jedi. "But… but we have to teach her," he said, as if it were obvious.
The Jedi Master shook his head. "We are on the brink of war. I am too busy to take on padawans, Ben."
Ben's voice lowered to a hiss. "But we already know she—"
Luke held up a hand, interrupting him. "I said no."
"But why? She's strong, Luke." The corners of his lips twitched, remembering the forest clearing. "She's a natural. We are going to need her."
His master's brow drew down, and Ben immediately knew he'd misstepped. "Ben, have you already begun to teach her?" Luke growled.
Ben swallowed guiltily. Luke was perpetually in some state of annoyance or frustration, especially where his nephew was concerned, but Ben could count on one hand the number of times his master had been truly angry with him. Now, with his blue eyes glittering dangerously and the vein beginning to pulse in his temple, Luke seemed furious. Upon reflection, the reaction seemed disproportionate to Ben's perceived crime, which worried him. What wasn't his uncle telling him?
"I showed her how to meditate," Ben admitted carefully. "She said she hadn't slept well; I thought it would help—"
"You are not allowed to take padawans!" Luke seethed at him. "You are not yet a Master. And at this rate, breaking rules and ignoring advice, you never will be!"
Ben ground his teeth together, his frustration mounting along with his hurt at the cutting words. It hadn't been his intention at all. Taking a long, deep breath, he forced himself to calm down before he spoke.
"Then you take her on in name, and let me mentor her," he suggested evenly. "You can supervise us. I will heed your advice, and teach her as you taught me."
"No!" Luke snapped. Stepping closer, he continued, "I sensed a darkness in that girl the moment I laid eyes on her. It's slight, but it's there, an undercurrent of Dark potential. You never said anything about that, Ben. Do you really think I would condone you teaching her? The risk is too great."
It was a low blow, and it struck hard. His voice was soft and pained when he spoke. "Have I turned Dark, Uncle? Have I ever deviated from the Light?"
Luke remained silent.
"I have seen the potential for darkness in Rey, too," Ben continued. "But I have seen deeper into her character, in ways you have not. She would never turn. In the vision, I tried to corrupt her, but she never turned. She turned me."
He held Luke's gaze steadily, entreating him to listen. "We both know we will need her. Her education in the ways of the Force will be instrumental in the Resistance's future endeavors. Without her… we may as well surrender to the First Order now."
At last, Luke's unyielding expression began to soften.
"She won't succumb to the Dark," Ben assured him. "I've already seen it."
The Jedi Master finally sighed, and looked up at Ben. His jaw worked beneath his beard. "You may mentor her," he granted, then held up a finger. "Only on the condition that you confer with me often about her progress. Agreed?"
Ben accepted the offer with a low bow. "Thank you, Master."
Luke spun on his heel to leave, and Ben returned to the mess hall. As he looked around, Rose caught his eye and waved him over to sit with the team. He went to them and slipped into the spare seat on Rey's other side.
He'd barely sat down when a young recruit ran up to their table, bearing a message.
"Oh good, you're all together!" the recruit said. "General Organa has requested that you all come to the meeting chamber to continue your debriefing, as soon as possible."
The group exchanged glances, then rose and went after the recruit. Ben swiped a protein bar from the sidebar as he followed them out of the mess hall. He wanted to pull Rey aside to tell her about his victory with Luke, but before he could reach her, Poe swept in and claimed her attention.
"Hey, I wanted to ask you about something…"
The two of them walked up ahead, the pilot gesticulating with his hands and occasionally nudging Rey with his elbow as he spoke to her. Rose and Finn followed along, involved in their own quiet conversation, and Ben hung back a few steps behind them, glaring at the back of the pilot's stupid, curly head as he bit into the protein bar.
The day was just getting started, and already it was shaping up to be a long one.
A/N: Starred (*) phrases were borrowed or adapted from Star Wars!