Glitter and Gold
Chapter 38
34 ABY – Ahch-To
"Are you coming with me?" Rey questioned. She'd been halfway down the boarding ramp when she hadn't heard Han's steps follow her. He stood at the top, arms crossed over his chest. Han didn't seem to have any intention of following her.
"Sorry, Kid," Han said. "But if Luke wants to talk to me, he's going to have to bring his happy ass down here,"
Rey sighed. "Fair enough," she admitted, tugging on the straps of her pack to make sure it was secure. "But you'll be right here, right? You're not going to leave?" she asked, pausing before she'd step foot off the ramp.
"No, Kid. Not without you," Han said patiently, a fond smile on his lips. Chewbacca chipped in with a howl from somewhere inside the ship. "You heard him,"
Rey grinned and started off towards the peak where they'd seen a man perching as they'd flown over. She glanced back towards the Millennium Falcon no less than four times, and each time Han had still been there, watching.
He waved this last time, and Rey couldn't help but return the gesture – smile widening. Kylo Ren had said Han would disappoint her – but he hadn't. Not yet. She was determined not to let her own doubts – or those of others – affect her.
She'd found Luke Skywalker halfway up to the peak, as if he'd begun to descend to meet them. He paused at the sight of her, eyes intense. Rey closed the distance between them, rummaging through her pack for his lightsaber. Once her hands closed around the cool handle, she held it out to him.
Luke Skywalker eyed his lightsaber for several long moments. "I don't want that," he said finally, voice gruff.
"What?" Rey squawked in shock as he turned away. "The Resistance needs you. Your sister Leia sent me," she called, starting after him.
"In Han Solo's ship," Luke said without stopping. "Is he not here?"
"He is," Rey confirmed.
"Then why is he not here to tell me himself?" Luke questioned, pausing to glance back at her. "Ah, I see. He's angry with me,"
Luke turned to her, brows furrowed. "Why would Leia send you? Who are you?"
"I'm Rey," she said uncertainly.
"Rey from where?"
"Nowhere,"
"No one's from nowhere," Luke said in a tired tone.
"I'm from Jakku,"
"So maybe that is nowhere. But you never answered my question,"
Rey stared at Luke, eyes glistening. "There's something inside of me. It's always been there. But now it's awake and I… I need a teacher,"
"No." Luke said quickly.
Rey's mouth fell open. "No? Just no?"
Luke sighed. "I have my hands full with the one apprentice I have right now. I cannot take another," he explained.
"You have an apprentice… who?" Rey questioned.
"Vex," Luke said softly, sadness in his eyes. "And I must save her." He glanced to Rey. "I cannot help you, young Rey. Not now,"
X
A dark cloaked figure crept down the mountain side towards the Millennium Falcon. Past Chewie where he sat a campfire, surrounded by Porgs. Past Rey, who'd fallen asleep at the Wookie's side.
Inside, where he turned on the lights. At the hologame table, Han Solo sat. "Hey, kid."
The Supremacy
Snoke had been wrong.
It wasn't something he liked to admit, but it was true. He was wrong.
Snoke had thought – with Kylo Ren's Skywalker blood and raw, unpredictable power – that he would be his heir. The answer to his prayers. Everything the First Order needed.
But both of Snoke's apprentices held great power. Kylo Ren was unpredictable – wild. But Snoke had teased out each steady inch of Vex's power.
His first – and youngest – apprentice had never failed to complete the task Snoke had set her. The power and control over the Force Vex had achieved was far beyond what Snoke had ever expected of her.
As a child, the power inside her had been little more than a pinprick of light in her heart. When Snoke had become aware of Vex, he'd been immediately taken with the idea of raising an apprentice on the path of darkness. There would be no pesky re-training. No breaking of old habits. No, Snoke had simply raised Vex in his image.
In all ways but blood, Vex was his daughter. Snoke had taken her from neglectful parents. He'd raised her. Clothed and provided for. Taught her how to use her powers, how to grow them. Control them. And Vex had.
She could do anything Snoke asked of her. But her heart had never been his. She'd followed his orders, but she'd never believed in them. In the First Order. In him.
But she'd been obedient.
Until Vex had begun to fracture under the pressure.
Snoke knew now that forcing her to have a child was what had broken her. His impatience. Ever since he'd killed the first baby, there'd been a wildness in Vex's eye. The point of no return.
He'd pushed her too hard and Vex had run away. Found a new master. Skywalker. Found the Light. Snoke didn't know if he'd ever truly have her back on his side.
On the other hand was Kylo Ren. The apprentice he'd seduced away from the Light. Away from the Skywalkers. He blindly Snoke's every command. He was loyal to a fault, but unpredictable. Out of control.
But he'd still turned on Snoke – at the same time as Vex. With each lost child, Ren had turned from him and towards Vex. His prime directive was no longer carrying out Snoke's orders but to protect Vex and their child.
Kylo Ren had failed to kill Han Solo when the opportunity had arose. Vex hadn't failed. Snoke had brought Creel back for her to overcome and she had. She'd taken as much as she could before snapping. And destroying a man who'd hurt her.
Kylo Ren hadn't been able to do that.
Snoke glanced across the throne room. With a flicker of his fingers, the curtain surrounding Vex's bacta tank flew back. His child floated peacefully within, the lines of stress on her face beginning to disappear.
It wasn't any sedative that held Vex in unconsciousness, but instead Snoke's power. Which made it ever so easy to wake her.
Her eyes flickered. He knew she was awake. Your son will be my heir someday…because he will be yours.
Without waiting for her response, Snoke plunged her back into the unconsciousness.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks to my reviewers last chapter - Mstngsali1 and SARA!
Much love, Suz Singer.