Chapter 5: Ally on Ach-To
Arriving on the planet Ach-To, Ben lands the Millennium Falcon at the base of the island of the temple. Stepping out of the ship, Ben and Chewie guide the group around the island in an attempt to find Luke.
"What are those things?" Finn asks, as he notices the scores of ports chirping.
"They're porgs, they're harmless but they do like to make nests on ships." Ben answers. He then notes the porgs recognizing Chewie and flying away in fear. Chewie roars, feeling insulted by the creatures.
"Hey, odds are the other version of you actually DID eat them." Ben points out to the angry Wookiee.
"Ben, is that the temple there?" Leia asks, pointing to a structure near the top of the hill.
"Yeah, hopefully he's up there." Ben says. Reaching the top of the hill, they see a hooded figure staring into a cave.
"Hello, Ben. It's nice to meet you." Turning around, the figure reveals himself to be Luke Skywalker.
"Luke." Leia gasps as she sees her brother for the first time in years. She slowly walks up to him and hugs him. "Do you know where he-"
"Yes." Luke answers. "I've seen visions of the world he comes from. It's not too different from ours."
"So, you know where your friend Rey is?" Ben asks.
"Not the exact location." Luke replies, "But I think we can find her."
"How did you see visions of this?" Leia asks.
"This cave, Leia." Luke begins. "It's a tether world to worlds beyond our comprehension. Infinite possibilities and outcomes. The only true outcome I see when I look into it… is balance. No matter how many different directions the galaxy can be driven towards, the Force will always balance everything out eventually."
"But what's causing this UN-balance?" Ben asks. "Could it be the Sith?"
"It's entirely possible." Luke says. "I had a vision of the world Exegol. I've seen Sidious resurrected, Rey ascending the Sith throne as Kira Ren, among other possibilities."
"We need to go there." Ben pleads.
"Are you strong in the Force, Ben?" Luke asks. "Or have you cut yourself off from it." Using the Force, Ben pulls a bronze hilted, blue bladed lightsaber from the Falcon, and shows off his skills to Luke.
"Just because I chose my father's lifestyle, doesn't mean that I ignore my Jedi heritage." Ben proudly states.
"Very well then." Luke says, he then turns back to Leia.
"I merely wish this was OUR Ben going with you." Leia says, hugging her brother.
"Anything is possible, Leia." Luke says, kissing her forehead. "However this is balanced out, it's possible that you can have your son come home again. Until then, you are all free to use this island as a sanctuary until we return." Luke then turns to enter the cave with Ben.
"Chewie, stay with them. Help them anyway you can." Ben says to his Wookiee comrade. "We'll return as soon as possible. Chewie let's out a sad roar as he sees the son of his best friend disappear into the cave.
In the cave, Luke and Ben pass through what looks like a wall of smoke. When they step through to the other side, they are on white path in what appears to be a black void. The void has many similar white paths, and on them are portals with visions of many different events throughout the history of the galaxy. One image sticks out to Ben the most, and deeply upsets him. Luke sees that they are both witnessing Kylo Ren stab Han Solo through the chest with a red lightsaber.
"Ben, that is not you. It doesn't have to be." Luke says as a form of consolation.
"Now I know why the Resistance seemed angry to me." Ben says, trying to hide the pain of seeing his father's death. The two continue walking down the path.
"I have to ask, Luke." Ben starts. "What happened to me in this world? Why am I Kylo Ren?" Luke hangs his head in shame as he prepares to show him Ben what happened.
"You were one of my students, but during your training I sensed a rising darkness." Luke begins to explain. He then finds an image of the night he was betrayed. "I sensed Snoke had sunk his claws deep within, and for a fleeting moment I thought I could end it all. The thought passed as quickly as it came. But I wasn't left without consequence." Ben sees the image of his other self pull his lightsaber out and collapse the roof of the hut on top of Luke.
"You didn't go into the hut with nether intention of killing? Did you?" Ben asks.
"No." A remorseful Luke replies. "But it was the one mistake that had a ripple effect."
Ben turns away, noticing multiple versions of the same scenario on splitting paths behind the one they just witnessed. Some show Luke not igniting his lightsaber, but Ben betrays him anyways, Luke begging for forgiveness, and Luke murdering Ben in cold blood.
"This… this is insane. How is all of this-" Ben turns to see Luke sensing a disturbance in the Force. "What's wrong."
"We're not alone here, Ben." Luke says, and Ben can sense that Luke is nervous. "Reach out and listen." Ben obliges and begins to listen out to hear other voices coming from below them.
"Yoda will listen to reason, when he does not sense the darkness, Anakin." A voice says.
"I recognize that voice." Luke says, shuddering in fear but soon feeling relief when he too does not sense the dark side. "We have to meet them below us. I sense they are on a similar mission as us."
Seeing a path directly below himself, Ben leaps down on it and waves at two hooded figures.
"Hello there." He waves. The two figures turn around and remove their hoods, revealing Sheev Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker.
End of the chapter. I know I'm leaving another cliffhanger and that this is a shorter chapter than usual, but I'm also writing two chapters at once for this story. I'm torn between two different ones for the next one. Rey and Kira Ren on Exegol, or Luke and Ben meeting Anakin and Sheev. Until then, happy reading.