Good evening everybody, how'd y'all enjoy that second trailer last night? I've been super busy what with working two jobs to pay for my 16 credit high level math class semester, I'm really glad I got this done. Will I have time to get one more chapter out before TLJ comes out? Maybe, it depends on how the semester goes. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd get this far when I started this fic a while ago. Thank you all for your support through all this!
Rey: The following is a non-profit fan-based fanfiction. Star Wars and all its affiliates are all owned by Disney, Lucasfilm, and George Lucas. Please support the official release!
Chapter 15: Ghosts of the Past
Ahch-to
Mara stood at the spot where they had found her husband a few hours ago, looking out over the vast ocean. Patience had never been her strong suit. Sure, it had been drilled into her during her time as the Hand, and later on during the Jedi teachings from her husband, but there was always a part of Mara that wanted to be doing something, anything really. But Luke wasn't ready to face her yet and Rey was exploring the catacombs of the temple, having indicated that she desired to remain alone for a while. Mara couldn't blame her, really, not after all she had been through the past couple of days. From scavenging on Jakku to suddenly finding out you have Jedi Masters as parents and traveling around the galaxy, Mara could understand just how much of a shock it could be. It was about as jarring as when
Palpatine died, or at least that was the closest analogy Mara could make.
Her attention was drawn to the little tombstone near the edge of the cliff, one her husband had been standing guard over for several years. It wasn't anything special, but etched into it were four letters of Galactic Basic: Jade. A part of her was touched by the memorial, though if it was holding Luke back from joining the Resistance, Mara didn't want to think about it. This was going to be complicated. She was a fighter, and she'd always craved a challenge, but right now she had little clue how to go about solving this conundrum. Rey was exploring the island and was apparently at the entrance to the Temple about a kilometer away. Luke was in his little hut, though what he was doing wasn't apparent to Mara as he had shut himself off from her Force senses and as such she could only detect his location and not his intentions.
With nothing better to do than pass the time until Luke decided to emerge or Rey was done exploring, Mara decided to meditate. It would allow her a better feel for how crazy things were in this dimension, and perhaps with this being the remains of the first Jedi Temple she could get a connection to the Order's past. The Jedi Master wasn't sure what to expect, but it was something to do. Mara sat on the cliffside, assuming the usual mediation pose. Her mind cast out into the Force, searching, feeling, letting it flow through her. Despite the turmoil caused by the dark side being much stronger in this dimension than hers, the Force was the one constant that was reassuring for Mara. With that in mind, she took a deep breath, sinking deeper into the Force with each breath. The Jedi Master could feel the tug in the current of the Force, pulling her towards the past. She let it take her along, wondering just what it was the Force was going to show her. Then the visions began.
She saw an Utapaun male with a dual-bladed lightsaber fighting a male Jedi Knight and his apprentice in a Star Destroyer engine room. The Utapaun flung his spinning double saber at the apprentice, knocking him off the catwalk, much to the dismay of the Jedi.
She saw old Obi-Wan Kenobi parry a strike from the Sith Lord Darth Maul on Tatooine, striking like a viper through Maul's defense and cutting open his chest. Kenobi caught the Sith Lord as he fell, whispering words to him that Mara couldn't hear.
She saw one of the Imperial information planets, Scarif if she remembered correctly, under attack by the Rebel Alliance, the Death Star hovering like a menace over the planet. Curious, Mara watched the Death Star vaporize the data station on the planet. She'd never heard about this from Palpatine, and Palpatine shared nearly everything with her, except the news about the other Emperor's Hands which had come as an unfortunate revelation from Thrawn. Mara observed Vader board one of the Rebel ships, slaughtering all in his path as he demanded the Death Star plans from the one Rebel he left alive, but when that Rebel refused, Vader beheaded the man. She watched the Tantive IV escape the Mon Calamari cruiser and leave the system in a hurry.
She saw the wedding of Leia and Han, much more subdued than she remembered. Did the Hapes Consortium even exist in this dimension? Without Prince Isolder asking for Leia's hand in marriage, Mara figured that Han had been much bolder then.
She saw the formation of the New Republic on Hosnia Prime, thousands of Senators applauding Mon Mothma as she finished her speech about bringing freedom and justice back into the galaxy.
She saw Luke lecturing a group of prospective Jedi in front of a temple, on which planet she couldn't identify. Mara's heart sank as she saw some familiar faces. Saba Sebatyne. Corran Horn. Kenth Hamner. Herself. So much younger than when she'd last seen them. Then Ben Solo appeared. He shone brightly, as though embracing the light side before darkness slowly overcame him. A wave of darkness spread out from Solo, and Mara could do nothing but watch as the wave began to move over Luke's students. Most were consumed by flames as the darkness bore down on them, but some few appeared to embrace the darkness, joining Ben as they spread the darkness over Luke's order. Distraught and broken, Luke fled, taking the last of the light with him as his Mara too sank into the darkness, joined by Mara herself.
Then a new light appeared. A warm light, if uncontrolled. Mara watched as the light drew itself together into a person. Their daughter in this dimension. Rey. The silhouette of Ben appeared and tried to attack Rey, and Mara jolted as the vision ended and she was back on Ahch-to. The caws of the white birds floating in the skies above did nothing to slow Mara's beating heart. The Jedi Master was surprised to find herself gasping for air. It had been a long time since she'd experienced Force visions that intense, and never for so long. The sun was nearing the horizon, an indicator that several hours had passed. Mara checked her commlink, but neither Rey nor Luke nor R2 had tried to contact during her meditation. The Jedi Master dwelled on what the Force had shown her. Obviously so much had changed compared to this dimension. Kyle Katarn had never existed apparently, and the First Order was just as potent at the Empire now, if not more so since they were now a Rebellion with a much stronger position than during the Galactic Civil War. The dark side was strong, but Mara knew that bringing Luke back into the fold and training Rey would be a huge boon for the Resistance and the remnants of the New Republic. How she was going to do that, though, remained to be seen.
Illeenium System, Planet D'Qar
The hanger was a bustle of activity. People of all species and genders were running about, loading cargo ships, preparing fighters for battle, everything to get all the assets they had off planet before the First Order struck back. Starships of all shapes and sizes were present in the hanger as Dannard followed Hera Syndulla towards her own ship. He was mildly surprised to see that it was a modified VCX-100 light freighter. Another Corellian model. Dan didn't suppress the small feeling of pride that it was Corellian engineering once again that had helped the Rebellion through so much, if the stories about Hera were to be believed.
Hera smirked at the look on Dannard's face, one of awe and pride. "I take it you're familiar with the Ghost?"
"I know that's Corellian in origin, just like I am," Dan replied as the ramp to the ship lowered. "Tell me General, can she make it point five past lightspeed like another famous Corellian ship?"
The Twi'lek chuckled. "She may not be as fast as the Millennium Falcon, but there's no ship in the galaxy I'd rather rely on."
"Spoken like a true pilot," Dan laughed, "Kat says the same thing about her modified A-Wing." His laughter faded as he realized that that particular fighter was currently well beyond their reach. "Well, if it weren't another dimension away."
Hera's green eyes showed concern. "General Organa told me about what happened. Don't worry kid, I'm sure everything will turn out alright." Chopper rumbled something at her, which got a disapproving glance. "You be quiet over there."
"I'd rather not know what he said," Dan said as Hera led him up the ramp. "I could never understand Binary all that well anyways."
"It's Chopper," Hera replied matter-of-factly. "Now, let me introduce you to the other member of my crew. Just be careful, she's not exactly the biggest fan of the Jedi."
"If the Jedi have been gone for years," Dan began, curious, "Why wouldn't she like me?"
Hera paused, searching for the right words. "It's… complicated. She'll warm up in time, just be patient. She's lost several friends over the years, and we've all coped in our own way."
Dan fell silent, contemplating what he'd just heard. He cast his senses forward, trying to get a feel for what Hera meant. He felt a mind that felt composed of solid iron. It was so heavily guarded, that he could only get a sense of resolve harder than durasteel. This being was a warrior, that much he understood. Then Hera opened the door to the corridor and he saw her.
She wasn't the tallest human in the galaxy. At least, Dannard assumed she was human underneath all the colorful Mandalorian armor she wore. He could think of several species that would fill out the armor exactly the way this woman did. She wore several different weapons all over her being, from explosives to a wrist mounted flamethrower to a modified concussion grenade launcher and even a lightsaber hanging off her hip. Dan hoped to hear that story at some point, hopefully when he was better acquainted with this Mandalorian.
"Sabine," Hera called, getting her attention. The Mando turned around, the T-visor on her helmet as intimidating as the rest of her arsenal. A part of Dan had always wanted to get his hand on a Mandalorian helmet, curious as to what it was about them that enabled them to be one of the best warrior cultures in the galaxy, and certainly one of the most famous. He could see her sizing him up behind that helmet, looking up and down his Jedi attire. The young Jedi could practically sense her eyes narrow at the sight of his lightsabers.
"So you're calling yourself a Jedi, huh?" Sabine's voice was measured, no emotions betrayed.
Dannard took a second to plot out a response. In the end, he decided a simple answer was best. "I am."
"He's accompanying us to Agamar to aid in bringing Kalani over to our side," Hera explained.
"Is that so?" Sabine tilted her head ever so slightly, suggesting mild amusement. Without warning, she drew her blaster and fired at Dannard, who had a warning from the Force just in time for him to throw himself to the side, one hand on his lightsabers.
"Are you crazy?!" Dan shouted. He glanced back, seeing the scorch mark on the back wall. "That was live ammo!"
Sabine holstered her blaster in one smooth motion. "He's Jetiise alright. Just stay out of my way." With that, she left the corridor for some other part of the ship.
"I've heard Mandos were crazy, but I didn't think they were that crazy!" Dan commented, a bit of an adrenaline buzz pumping through his body at the close call.
"She does take some getting used to," Hera admitted. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "But the fact that she only fired once is a positive, at least with her. Just give it some time. She's never really liked newcomers, not since Skywalker's Jedi were destroyed and Skywalker himself vanished." Chopper grumbled a few burbles, rolling towards the cockpit.
Dan looked to change the subject. "So, since Agamar is a few days away, even if this is the fastest ship in the galaxy, where are the living quarters?"
"I'll show you once we get into hyperspace," Hera answered, apparently also glad to get the topic off Sabine. "It's nice to have a Jedi aboard the Ghost again." Her tone was nostalgic, remembering some day long past.
"That's the second time you've mentioned this old Jedi, just who was he?" Dan asked.
Hera's smile was warm, but the older Twi'lek's eyes were sad. "Let me tell you about the Jedi Knight named Kanan Jarrus…"
Bilbringi Shipyards
It felt good to Katerina to be at the controls of a star fighter again. When General Organa had asked her what her skill set was, she'd happily explained how she'd preferred the confines of a cockpit over boots on the ground. Now here she was, a member of Black Squadron, which she presumed to be the equivalent of the legendary Rogue Squadron from her dimension, designated Black 7. It was a simple mission for the squadron; escort one of Leia's envoys to the planet so that they could explain what had happened to the New Republic leadership and rally the small New Republic fleet stationed there to the Resistance's cause.
"Just a few frigates and cruisers," Kat noted as they winged over the planet, passing above the naval docks where the small fleet was stationed. "Lovely." Despite the system being choked by asteroids rich in mining materials, their flight path towards Bilbringi was clear, thanks to repuslors set up around the system. The X-Wing squadron was set up in a protective screen around a Wolden class shuttle, making their way towards the Bilbringi surface.
The Corellian Jedi was taking advantage of the time she had to get used to the feel of her X-Wing. Each and every fighter, even those of the same class, had their own personalities. Dan had laughed at her the first time she'd mentioned that to him, much to her annoyance, but he had quickly been shown otherwise through her abilities as a pilot, even pointing out the difference in the simulators at the Temple. Her X-Wing was slower than what she was used to, though few starfighters were fast enough to keep up with the raw speed of an A-Wing fighter, much less Kat's modified A-Wing. Even if the X-Wing was slower than her A-Wing, Kat could feel the greater firepower the fighter held within its wings. Another bonus from this simple non-combat mission was her still getting adjusted to her new hand. As close as it was to the human hand, it still felt a little off to her. Dr. Cham'ra had informed her that it would take a little time for her to be as completely adept with her new hand as she had been with her natural one, but for now it was a simple matter of practice. She wasn't clumsy with her new hand or anything, like many patients who had lost limbs over the millennia had been, but as a pilot, where life and death in the cockpit came down to milliseconds, Kat could feel the difference as her hands gripped the X-Wing controls.
"Every bit counts," Poe Dameron replied, "General Organa knows we're going to need every ship we can get."
"Shouldn't we be at Fondor then?" Jess Testor, Black 2, asked. "They're the ones that make the big guns."
"That's our next stop," Temmin Wexley answered, also known as Black 5. "Besides, you'll be happy to have a MC40 cruiser backing you up once you've seen them in action. They may not be able to take on a Star Destroyer, but they're definitely a force to be reckoned with by anything smaller."
"We're going to need guns big and small to take on the First Order," Poe pointed out. "Now tighten up Black Squadron, we're approaching the surface." If there was a way for Kat to describe Bilbringi, it would be if someone had taken half of Coruscant and half of Polis Massa and mashed them together. One of the two massive continents was covered by infrastructure, lights glowing all over the massive city as it was slowly emerging into the Bilbringi daylight. The other continent, entering into the dark side of the planet, looked stripped bare, the extensive mining on the planet removing all but a few patches of green from the planet. The constant need of resources in order to construct the ships was taking its toll on Bilbringi, even with all the asteroids in system. The ocean separating the two continents was a bright shade of blue, a stark contrast with the grays of the mining side and the silvers of the city side. Katerina was glad they were heading towards the city, even as the planet filled her viewport.
"So how long are we staying on this rock?" Jess asked, a hint of resignation in her tone. Kat could tell she'd rather be out flying against the First Order than on escort duty. The Corellian couldn't blame her though, she'd rather be in the thick of the action as well, but Katerina knew full well the importance of this mission of theirs, even if it wasn't the kind of mission they made holoproductions of. Of course, if the First Order had similar ideas and arrived in force, then perhaps the producers might have something to work with.
"It should just be a couple of days," Poe said, "Maybe less if they're cooperative. Then it's on to Fondor, and a few more planets after that, then it's whatever General Organa tells us to do."
Nein Numb added a few lines of Sullustan to Poe's statement, prompting the ace pilot to laugh. "Yeah, we might see some action if the First Order is doing what we're doing, trying to get every ship possible on their side. That's why we gotta get there first."
"It's all well and good to have the ships," Kat pointed out, "But what good are they if we don't have anyone to fly them?"
"General Organa sent a statement out over the Holonet explaining what had happened with Hosnia and is trying to rally what's left of the New Republic together, so I bet our next base is going to be a hella lot bigger," Poe answered. "Hell, I'm hearing we're going to need multiple home bases, at least if initial rumor about early recruitment efforts is true."
"Glad to hear it," Wexley said, voicing most of Black Squadron's opinion. "We're gonna need all hands on deck for this one." Things were looking up though, Katerina thought. With more allies gathering every day, they were going to take the fight to the First Order, who still had to be reeling from the loss of their superweapon and however many other resources they had invested into that planet. For now though, time to focus on the task at hand, including aiding Leia's envoy in potential negotiations should the need arise.
D'Qar
Leia stood in the nearly empty command center, taking a moment to breath. She'd been working non-stop trying to better her little Resistance, and she'd felt she'd made significant progress over the past several hours. Hundreds of planets had already pledged their support in the battle against the First Order, and she had narrowed down the list of potential main bases to a select few. The mineral planet of Crait appeared to be a leading candidate, given how remote it was and how it already housed an abandoned base from the Rebellion days. Galtea was another leading candidate, though depending on the price the native Galteans demanded, it might not work out. One of the many moons of Bonagal was also looking good as a secret base, very similar to how Yavin 4 had been years ago. Leia hoped Admiral Ackbar would be available for consultation soon, as he had returned home to Mon Cala to rally his people to the cause once more. Leia knew just how reliable the Mon Calamari could be when they needed to, and the Quarrens of the planet were great warriors of their own right.
The fact that much of the Resistance leadership was currently off planet was a cause for concern, but only a minor one for Leia, as each had taken some part of their base with, ready to assemble as soon as Leia decided on a world to form their new base. If the First Order were to strike now, they wouldn't get much.
"General Organa, it's time we get moving," the voice of C-3PO called from the entrance to the command center. "Lieutenant Connix is most anxious to leave."
"Tell her I'm coming," Leia replied calmly, looking around once more. They'd worked so hard to set up this planet as their base, and yet it was time to move on. With that, Leia turned to leave, feeling her age as she tried to decide just which planet would be the best fit for their next base.
Hyperspace Transit to Agamar
Khai Ren was restless. She was pacing in her quarters on the Venator-class Star Destroyer Merciless, ready for anything. She had felt a disturbance in the dark side, as though a warrior of the light was awaiting her on Agamar. She had been eager for a fight against a competent warrior for years, as ever since the New Jedi Order of Skywalker's had been vanquished Khai had never found an opponent worthy enough to fight to the death, as killing her fellow Knights of Ren was frowned upon. Of course, Kylo never had any problems letting her go all out in training sessions, mainly because he won all the time. His massive power in the Force gave him all the advantages he needed. Khai had made up for her average Force abilities with intense physical training, becoming the best assassin among the Knights of Ren. The Supreme Leader had sent her on this mission to either recruit the droids to their side or assassinate Kalani and convince the next leader to join them. Either way, she wasn't leaving Agamar without the valuable droid army on the First Order's side, or destroyed so that the Resistance couldn't have them.
Khai was an attractive human female, long light brown hair held in a tight braid down her back, dark brown eyes bright with anticipation. She was considered beautiful by human standards, the only flaw in her complexion a small scar on the corner of her mouth. Khai looked over her weapons, looking forward to the fight that the dark side was warning her of. Her lightsaber rested on her desk, the saberstaff gleaming in the light. She took pride in maintaining proper care of her weaponry, including her shikkar, a glass dagger designed to make the victim's death as painful as possible by snapping off at the hilt with a simple twist. A custom vibroblade rested next to the shikkar, not as pretty as the glass dagger, but far more durable in combat nonetheless. Of course, in the talented hands of the Knight of Ren, nearly anything could become a lethal weapon.
She thought about the show of power they were supposed to make. Droids weren't easily intimidated, and there was no telling just how much Kalani had already calculated both the First Order's and the Resistance's strengths. He'd stayed out of the Galactic Civil War over 30 years ago, but had made it clear that the last stronghold of the Separatist Alliance was not to be trifled with. They had had a representative in the New Republic, though that representative was probably just superheated atoms at this point. Khai winced as she thought about the potential implication that might have with Kalani. She'd heard about the tactical prowess of the super tactical droid and didn't want to waste a potential asset, but if the droid proved uncooperative, then she had to take it out.
With that in mind, she began her preparations. Several EMP grenades were tucked onto her belt, a must have when facing the possibility of battling droids, as well as a few frag grenades. With her armor, and the potential light side opponent probably not wearing anything heavier than robes, it was a good way to seriously wound such an opponent. Her shikkar was hidden up her sleeve, just in case. Up her other sleeve was a small blaster pistol, where a small nudge with the Force would bring it to her hand. A small dart gun was strapped to her lower back, the poison in those darts enough to stun a rancor, but given the rarity of such a poison, they were an absolute last resort. Sufficiently armed, Khai donned her cloak and mask, masking her human appearance and adding to the overall intimidating aura she wished to exude. Although the masks were Mandalorian in origin, it had been the Supreme Leader who had created the final designs of the masks of Ren, inspired apparently by a Sith Lord of old. With the 291st Stormtrooper Legion on board, Khai had plenty of backup, but it never hurt to be prepared.
Ahch-to
Rey was in her element. She was used to being alone, growing up on Jakku, though exploring this ancient Temple was far different from exploring and scavenging pieces of old Star Destroyers in the desert. It was a lot cooler than that desert planet, for one, though her outfit was more adept at holding in the body heat than the rags Rey had used on Jakku. She was still unable to suppress a shiver as she nimbly made her way over some rubble towards a door, set within an alcove partway down the cliff they had scaled not too long ago. The door was important, covered as it was by carvings, phrases marking it in some ancient language that Rey couldn't comprehend. A part of her wished Threepio was there, then Rey paused. Her recovered memories were a little fuzzy, understandably so given how long ago they had occurred, but Rey was still coming to terms with those memories. It certainly filled certain gaps she had growing up, not that Unkar Plutt had been forthcoming in explaining why she was on Jakku in the first place. Then there was the issue with Mara, both the one she knew and the one she remembered. Her deception still hurt, as did the recently reacquired memories of her actual mother's death, but there was another emotion in there, one she wasn't in the mood to identify now. With the door in arm's length, Rey set about trying to find a way to open it. There was no discernable lock, nor any handle with which to gain leverage.
"Now how am I going to open this thing?" she murmured to herself, touching the door. There was an aura to this place, thrumming with power. It was soothing, nurturing, enlightening. The Force was strong here, and even with the minimal training she had gotten in her early years, Rey could feel just why the Jedi had built their first temple here. A little more poking and prodding, even using her staff as a lever to try and pry the door open, and Rey admitted defeat with a growl. "This thing is impossible to open."
There was a pulse of power through the Force. Rey felt it and whirled around, the breeze entering the rocky alcove. One heartbeat passed. Two. Nothing appeared. Rey could sense something though, a presence. Yet nothing was moving but the waves outside and the birds in the sky. Then Rey heard a voice in her mind. It was rough, gravely, and yet it held a wisdom behind it that sounded as ancient as the temple itself. "Impossible, say you, hmm?"
Rey jumped, holding her staff in a guard position. "Show yourself!"
The voice chuckled. "Myself, I will show when ready. Know you how to open the temple?"
"You tell me," Rey shot back, not relaxing her guard. Her brown eyes swept from left to right, trying to spot whoever was speaking. "Can only a Jedi open it?"
"Yes. And no." The voice was sad now. "A Jedi, you need not be, but friendly the Temple will be, if a Jedi you are."
"So you're saying I need to get Father down here," Rey deduced, "Or Mother."
"Need? No child, need them you do not." the sadness was gone from the voice now, it was back to a tone of teaching. "When the Force is your ally, many doors opened will be."
"So how do I make the Force my ally?" Rey asked, finally relaxing just a little.
"Already know, you do child," the voice said and Rey blinked as there was a shimmer of light near the entrance of the alcove. She would've described the blue translucent being that appeared as a troll, and would've had no clue who it was had her father not shown her a holo of the Jedi Masters of the Old Republic.
"Master Yoda," Rey gasped, lowering her staff. Yoda smiled at her before fading from view. There was another breeze and the presence Rey had been feeling, Yoda's presence she knew now, also faded. Rey took a second to think about what Yoda had just told her. She apparently already knew how to make the Force her ally. The scavenger looked towards the door once again. It couldn't hurt to give it a try.
Yoda's voice echoed faintly in her head. "Try not! Do!"
Rey smirked. "All right then, let's do this." She held up a hand, reaching out with her mind towards the door. It was just a big rock, and yet, it had been wedged in a manner that, barring a powered exosuit, it wouldn't budge by normal hands. Rey envisioned the door opening and pushed out with her mind. The door rumbled. Mildly annoyed, Rey pushed again. She hadn't expected it to be easy, but it was still just a door. Another push. The door slid back, then fell into place once more. Rey debated on how long it would take to go get either Mara or Luke, but decided on pressing on. She pushed once more, closing her eyes and envisioning the door opening. With a rumble the door slowly slid open, reaching the point of no return and settling in the open position with a dull thud. Rey found herself out of breath, a little drained after putting in so much effort, but was ready to press on into the temple. It was dark inside, but with the glow rod in her pouch, Rey could see even more carvings, possible telling about the Jedi of old, possibly a teaching about the Force, whatever they were, Rey was going to find out. It was time to explore this old Jedi Temple, and perhaps she would encounter more specters of the past. Either way, she was going to learn more about the Force today.
Hyperspace Transit, en route to Ileenuim System
Kylo Ren's blade crackled as it clashed against the red blade of his new apprentice. Tave Ren was eager to prove herself, but her swordsmanship needed work. So did his, of course, and so he was working on his defenses as she wore herself out against his blade. Tave's mask betrayed no emotion, but her mind was easy to read. She was young, but showed great potential. With a scream of rage, Tave leaped into the air, intent on coming down on top of him.
"Enough!" Kylo Ren snapped and caught her in the Force. She floundered in the air, another passionate shout escaping from her mask as her frustration boiled over. With a mental shove, Kylo slammed Tave onto the cold durasteel floor of the Finalizer. Her lightsaber flew out of her hand with the impact and extinguished itself.
"I'm not done yet!" Tave growled at him, calling her lightsaber back to her hand.
"You are done," Kylo responded, using the Force to wrench her lightsaber out of her hand and call it to his. "I could've sliced you in half with that last leap had I been trying to kill you. You let your anger take control of you."
"Isn't that a part of the dark side though, anger?" Tave asked, tilting her head.
"It is," Kylo agreed, "But you need to use it, you can't let it use you." He paused, realizing that Snoke had given him the same lecture after Hux had reported one of his tantrums aboard this very Star Destroyer. He now saw the insight behind it. Snoke was indeed wise in giving him an apprentice, as it was helping him learn as much as he was helping young Tave here learn. His training in the dark side was accelerating, and yet he still felt the call of the light. His father lived. Somehow. It frustrated him. Even after he tried to kill his own father and fully embrace the darkness. That old man was the most stubborn man in the galaxy. Until Han Solo was dead, Kylo Ren knew he would never be free of Ben Solo. Still, he would resist the call of the light. The darkness was his destiny, and with the help of the Supreme Leader he could be free of this lingering doubt and bring order to the galaxy. Back to the matter at hand. "Anger is a powerful tool, and when used correctly will make you a force to be reckoned with in combat. But you cannot allow it to run unchecked, or it will make you reckless, to the point where you'd make a fatal mistake a more level-headed opponent would take advantage of."
"Is that what happened to you?" Tave challenged him, indicating his new hand and the scar along his face. "You let yourself get too mad?"
Kylo suppressed the temptation to strangle her with the Force. His loss to this Mara stung, in more ways than one. He wasn't ready to face her again just yet. He knew that, and yet Tave's words still cut deep. If he was to prove himself worthy of training an apprentice to Snoke, he would have to deal with the impudence properly. "I made a mistake. I challenged her before I was ready. I was lucky to get out of there alive. It taught me a valuable lesson."
"What's that?"
Kylo took off his mask, glaring at her with a wisdom born from learning the hard way. "That there is no shame in retreating and living to fight another day. Don't waste your potential with a silly mistake born from letting your emotions run wild. Make them serve you, don't serve your emotions."
Tave took off her own mask, revealing her pretty face, green eyes framed by blonde curly hair. She was eager to prove herself. "Understood."
Ahch-To
Mara watched the sun make its final descent towards the horizon, creating a fiery clash of colors that was breathtaking to behold. She stood on the cliffside, where they had found Luke earlier that afternoon, overlooking the grave that marked Mara's counterpart in this dimension. It was almost surreal, looking back on the events that had transpired over the past few galactic days. Mara sensed Rey moving down below, coming to terms with her growing powers. She was a natural talent, much like her Ben. A part of the Jedi Master was worried about how much Rey was using her emotions, but knew that with the right training Rey would overcome any temptation of the dark side. She sensed Luke emerge from his hut, slowly walking towards her spot on the cliffside. Mara didn't turn, letting Luke come closer. She was ready to support him, but only if he asked for it. She continued to stare out at the sunset, feeling the last rays of the sun as it headed downwards. Luke stopped next to her, also apparently staring out at the sun. Perhaps it was a daily ritual for him at this point, or perhaps it was something more depressing. Mara wasn't going to press.
The last Jedi finally broke the silence. "You know how powerful she is, don't you?"
Mara glanced at him, but Luke had eyes for the ocean down below. "She's your daughter, of course she's powerful." Mara was careful to avoid saying 'our' daughter, even though she wanted to.
Luke took a deep breath. He was sensing Rey's progress through the Temple down below, just as Mara was. "I've seen this raw strength only once before. It didn't scare me enough then." He looked at Mara directly in her green eyes, his blue eyes haunted by the memories of the past. "It does now."
So, lots of setups for battles going on in this chapter, both external and internal, as well as some more details about the Knights of Ren I created. Not really that big in excitement, but hey, even Empire Strikes Back had some slower moments. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter.
With Star Wars Rebels finishing up this fall, I wish to elaborate on my inclusion of some of the Ghost crew. I don't know what's going to happen to everybody, with only Hera and Chopper confirmed to have survived Rogue One. I'm making a prediction and sticking to it. I predict in Season 4 that Zeb and Kanan will die during the liberation of Lothal, which leaves Ezra without a teacher until he tries to join Luke's new Order after Return of the Jedi, then Ezra is slain when the Knights of Ren destroy the Temple as seen in TFA. Sabine survives, but many years of fighting in the Mandalorian Civil War hardened her into the tough Mando warrior I've depicted her as in this chapter. It's potential character development, from my point of view.
Shoutout to Shockeye7665 for giving me the idea for what to do with Katerina, I honestly had no clue what to do with her at this point, lel, again, I didn't think I'd come this far before TLJ came out.
Response to Guest Reviews:
Denz-El: I feel bad for what I did to Luke, and what Disney did to Luke, especially after the whole EU had given him so much. But that's new canon material for you.
I think I'll continue Force ghost cameos/appearances on Ahch-To until the Skywalker family leaves, but I want it done right. I feel I did well enough with Yoda in this chapter, though I'm certain if others aren't satisfied I'll be hearing it in the reviews. Such is the life of an author.
Speaking of life as an author, Star Wars + Back to the Future equals one crazy story idea that could work out really well if done correctly. Try and flesh it out if you want, I'll even beta read it if you need one, but don't be afraid to take that first step.
God bless my friend, may the Force be with you!
Guest: It's amazing how quickly certain things come to an end. I'd rather Rebels leave on a high note than stick around too long, imo, so 4 seasons is just about right. Also, I'll be very upset if Luke dies in TLJ, so he better not leave Rey on her own.
CG: I contemplated going with that route, but decided that there was no need for Rey to strike, not just yet. I need more information about this new canon if I want to get everything just right.
James T. Kirk: Snoke being related to Palpatine would be purely coincidental on my part, hehe, I just see a lot of villains doing that "goooooood" vibe, especially when trying to sway the hero to their side. No, the new Knights of Ren aren't Dan and Kat, I basically gave away who they are in this chapter alone. EU fans will understand.
CG: both are solid possibilities, but we'll have to wait and see until the movie comes out to put all the pieces together.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Please leave a review as I welcome any and all constructive criticism. As an author, I'm always looking to improve.
Follow me on Twitter, at nuttybuddy792 for more content and interactions. I'm always up for interaction with my readers. Until the next chapter my friends!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut