Chapter 14

Kaydel Connix watched Kylo Ren through the interrogation glass window, noting how he hadn't stopped pacing in nearly three hours. The entire ship was asleep, all except for them. She wouldn't sleep so long as he was on board. Not to say she wasn't tired, she had pulled a nearly twenty four hour shift filled with regular vigilance followed by identifying any possible First Order survivors from Rey's massacre. But, as she watched Kylo Ren pivot on perfectly balanced heels, she shook her fatigue away. She would keep both eyes locked on him, even if it made her look like an oscillating fan as she did it.

"Hey," A calm, kind voice called behind her.

Kaydel turned and sighed, seeing Poe come into the room, that knowing look on his features. "I'm not leaving," She warned.

"I wouldn't expect you to," He told her, moving to stand behind her and touched her elbows. "I don't trust him either."

He kissed her cheek, then wrapped his arms around her waist. "He's out of your life, Kay-ko."

"No, he's not." She growled, leaning into his chest. "He's right there," She gestured with a jut of her chin. "And don't say he can't hurt me anymore, because he did. He hurt you, he hurt our fight, that's what he did. And Rey struts in like there's nothing wrong, like he didn't do any of this." She inhaled deeply, shoulders moving to brush her earlobes, then exhaled. "She's compromised. She's in love with him."

"I know," Poe told her. "That's why I'm having her sent to Ach-To. She wants to learn to be a Jedi, and he's willing to teach her."

"What exactly would he be teaching her?" Kaydel scoffed.

"Hey, look at me," He moved his hands to turn her waist.

She faced him, her eyes looking to his shirt even as he pulled her close.

"This is the break that we've been waiting for, Kay-ko. Those plans he gave us? They're worth their weight in solid gold. And to have two of the greatest Jedi in the galaxy fighting on our side? Not to mention what Finn and Rose can do when they've been trained? We've been hurting for this moment, Kay. We really have."

Her eyes met his, "I don't have a family because of him,"

"Me neither," Poe assured her, rubbing her back. "But what we have, he can't touch."

His lips brushed hers, causing her body to ease a fraction. She spread her hands upon his chest and pushed him gently. "I'll see you later, Poe."

He nodded, understanding. "Good night, Kay-ko."

Poe walked away, leaving Kaydel to turn back to her foe. To anyone else, it would appear that he was completely oblivious to the goings on of his interrogators. But Kaydel knew, deep within her, that Kylo Ren was very aware that she had a boyfriend in Poe Dameron, just as he knew that it had been her who watched his every move, his every breath, until he left her alone just as he did when Uncle Luke took him away.

SWSWSW

Ach-To

Rey looked at Finn and Rose as they sat nervously on the Millennium Falcon. She faced forward and guided the ship into the atmosphere, "Pulling into Ach-To airspace now," Rey told Chewbacca.

He grunted, a genuine sound rather than a word.

"How long are you going to give me the silent treatment, eh?" She asked him, looking his way.

He growled, casting her a disgusted glance.

"I know what he did," Rey told him, dropping her voice. "But I couldn't let you hurt him. I know you wanted to. I wanted to the first time I saw him… afterwards."

Chewbacca shrugged his head and shoulders, still grunting nonwords. Rey mashed her lips together and turned back to her flying.

The ship sliced through the clouds into a typical, overcast day on the water logged planet, dotted with island chains. Rey's chair moved back slightly and Finn's face came into her peripheral.

"This is it?" He asked, lips agape.

"Almost, but yes." Rey grinned. "This was where I found Luke Skywalker."

"Master Luke, out here?" The brassy voice of C-3PO called out, his metallic feet tapping against the tiles of the ship's floor (Rose had easily reattached his head as soon as they boarded). "I could hardly believe it."

"Maybe that's why he was out here," The quiet engineer told him, half of a smile on her features.

Rey inhaled, eyes darting around the islands. "We will need to tell him," She said softly.

Chewbacca issued a low wail, He can wait until we land.

Rey didn't dignify that with a response.

They landed with a gentle thump, Chewbacca immediately beginning the routine shutting down of switches as Rey stood from her seat and moved at once to the bunks that served as the detention hull. She opened the door and saw Ben sitting erect upright, waiting patiently with his face pointed towards the door. The moment he saw her, he smirked and shifted towards her.

Rey lifted a hand and his manacles clapped open, then fell to the floor as he stood. She moved to stand before him, her shoulders so light she felt she could fly and only his hands on her hips could keep her contained.

"We're here," She whispered to him.

He nodded, looking once over her shoulder before returning to her face. His feelings changed, he was saddened. "Rey," He began, "I don't think we should be together while I'm training you."

She leaned away, "Why?"

"Well, for starters I know that you're not going to like me some days because of the training I'll have you do. For another, you are the most advanced student I have, I'll need your help training Finn and Rose."

Rey nodded, knowing that she should step away, gather her belongings for an extended stay on this damp planet, collect the Jedi texts for Ben to read, and overall see where the Caretakers were to make a formal introduction, but her feet stayed planted, staring at him. What she wanted the most, could feel it like she could feel starvation, was a kiss. She leaned towards him, hoping, willing him to kiss her.

He bit his bottom lip and leaned away, closing his eyes. "C-3PO," He muttered.

The rhythmic clunking was unmistakable and allowed for Rey to take one step backward just in time. "Captain Rey! Captain Rey!" He called, "It appears that there is a large population of troublesome avian birds on this island. Should I be worried about their excrement on my circuits?"

Rey couldn't help but guffaw and smile, "No, Threepio. So long as they don't land on you."

The protocol droid popped his head into the room, and looked instantly from one person to the other. "Oh, my apologies, it appears I have walked in on a moment."

"Captain Rey was informing me that we had landed, C-3PO," Ben told him, "Nothing more."

"Oh," He brought his body into full view, prompting Rey to take another step away from Ben. "Well, then, I should inform you that Chewbacca is none too pleased to be back on this system as the last time he came, those avians were a source of great frustration."

"Yeah, that's the only reason he's upset," Rey sighed. "Alright, let's go so that Chewie can depart."

"It's just going to be us?" Ben asked, halting Rey in her place.

She turned to him and nodded, "Us and Threepio. I cannot speak the native language, so he's coming to lend a hand."

A twinge of electricity zinged through the air, causing a shiver to run down Rey's arms. They were alone. If for whatever reason Ben decided to turn against them, there would be no one to stop him. Just her. If she fell, then all he would have to do was wait for the Millennium Falcon to land and he would have a spaceship. Assuming he could kill Chewbacca, which, as Rey unlocked the drawer that kept his lightsaber, was more a matter of when than could.

"Where are those textbooks?"

Rey turned to face him, crossblade hilt in hand. "Finn has them. I told him to carry them while I released you."

Ben shrugged and took his lightsaber, clipping it to his belt. "We will be needing Kyber crystals if you are to make your own lightsabers."

"We're going to make our own lightsabers?" Rey squealed, turning her body completely to him.

Ben nodded, "It's part of your training, isn't it?"

"Neat!" Rey grinned, following him into the corridor towards the open ramp. "Where did you make your lightsaber?"

"In the training academy with Luke," He peered down at her, the beginnings of a smile on his features. "He showed me how to make them, but said my red crystal was too cracked for use, ordered me to throw it away. I kept it, and used it later."

"You cut and welded the metal yourself?"

Now he smirked, "You like making things?"

"I've never made anything like that before," She told him, the smell of the salt ocean and damp air perfuming the freighter entry.

They reached the ramp and Ben looked up, seeing the fields of green grass and moss growing over and around light gray rocks, the sounds of crashing waves and calling Porgs echoing around them. Rose and Finn were already there, bags in hand, looking around at their new, temporary home.

"This was it?" Ben breathed in gentle awe, his brown eyes forming a new color of warm brown as he looked around. "This was where Luke hid?"

Rey nodded, looking around herself. "This is where the first Jedi temple was built, and the Caretakers keep it ready for the next batch of students."

Ben swallowed, seeming to ignore her. "This was where he hid from me."

"From everyone," Rey told him. He looked down at her, but said nothing. "He closed himself off to the Force here."

Ben nodded, his eyes still sweeping the area until they settled on the rocky climb to the Caretaker's village. "Is that the way?" He gestured with a quick jut of the chin.

"Yes," Rey answered, her calves already twitching at the long hike to the village.

"Hmm," Ben hummed, walking down the ramp towards Finn and Rose.

Rey followed him, sensing the Force for their feelings. They were excited, Finn more than Rose at the sight of such an ocean, and smell of salt water. Rose was more glad of the travel and closeness to Finn than of the task ahead of them. Ben's feelings, were a bit harder to read. He was curious of this place where they were to stay, but they were mixed with anxiety and another emotion Rey couldn't put her finger on. He was nervous about being a teacher, thrust into the position so quickly with students he didn't exactly care for. He inhaled, and turned his head towards said students. His anxiety washed away and replaced itself with authority.

"Listen up," He commanded, Finn's head snapping to him the moment he spoke. "We're going to meet with the natives. If I bow, you bow lower. Sign of respect, they need to know who to go to."

Rose said nothing, and Finn flinched a sort of acknowledgement.

"Yes, Master Ren," Rey called.

Ben turned to her, his features firm. "You will always be by my side. You are my apprentice, my second in charge."

Rey beamed even as Finn and Rose exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"Is that understood?" Ben turned to them, sending their faces forward.

They hesitated, then Rose murmured, "Yes, Master Ren."

Finn stayed silent, a fire fuming within him. Ben snorted at him and turned to Rey, gesturing once with a jerk of his head. She crossed quickly to his side, feeling, knowing, that in some way this was a challenge to Finn of some kind. But what, she couldn't say, nor had the time to ask as Ben took off up the thousand steps, his movements lithe and quick.

SWSWSW

Finn awoke with a jolt, his heart hammering to something dangerous. He jumped from the reed palette that had served as his bed and dressed quickly. He burst from the stone hut that had been designated his before he could even think to grab his blaster. The day was cool, the sun and the porgs had yet to completely rise, resulting in a bluish gray light to match the skin tone of the short grey aliens moving sleepily about the village.

"Rey?" He called, his voice shaking.

One of the aliens turned to peer curiously at him, a heavy looking fishnet in it's hands, but otherwise nothing happened.

Finn dodged around one of these aliens carrying a basket of smoked fish, and flew up the stone steps as fast as his palpitating heart would allow, and whirled around. Nothing. No one.

"Rey!" Finn screamed, his voice muted against the mountain.

"Finn!" A voice called back at him, equally agitated.

He whirled around, the grass brown in the purple morning light, and saw Rose rushing after him, her face also a picture of panic.

"Finn! What's happening?" She cried, eyes wide.

"I don't know, have you seen Rey?"

Rose shook her hair, strands sticking to her face in the cool morning. "She wasn't in her hut!"

Finn looked up, a soft pull beckoning him towards a stony path that would lead them higher to where they might overlook the entire island.

"Come this way!" He commanded, taking her hand and guiding her, running, up the path.

The path led to a clearing outlined with dozens of grey rock pillars partially taken over by moss and low-cut grass. Sitting in the middle of this clearing, legs crossed and body completely placid, was Rey. Sitting across from her in an almost similar fashion, was Ren whose face was turned towards Finn and Rose, his face uplifted in amusement.

"Good morning," He purred, prompting Rey's eyes to flutter open and look at them.

She immediately grinned, "It worked!"

"Surprised?" Ren asked her, still looking to the new arrivals. He gestured towards Rey with his hand, "Join us."

Finn exhaled the same time Rose did, blowing what could have started a hurricane of disappointment. They moved, Finn taking a seat next to Rey.

"You okay?" He asked, crossing his legs.

"Yeah!" She chirped, "That was neat!"

"What was?" He frowned.

"You weren't awake," Ren answered. "It's almost dawn."

"You expect us to be awake at the crack of dawn?" Finn demanded, a rut in his mind reminding him that this was not an unusual request. He had gotten up a lot earlier before for many days straight.

"I don't care when you wake," Ren told him, "So long as you do this first lesson for three hours before every session."

Finn, Rey, and Rose straightened, determined to learn. Ren exhaled, and parted his lips. "The Force is an energy that moves between all things. It is the diviner of futures, it is the mouthpiece to feelings, it revolves around everything and everyone. The Jedi, the Sith, the Knights of Ren, they are and were powerful because they can access it. That is the very basis of these organizations, if you cannot access the Force, then you are nothing to them. That being said, the Force is not everything. Physical skill and endurance, discipline and determination are what separate the organizations from each other. Jedi and Sith were skilled priests of their respective religions, the Knights of Ren are knights. Different codes, but all with one thing in common," He inhaled, looking to the three of them before finishing, "The Force.

"Your first lesson and outstanding command is to access the Force for a minimum of three hours each morning. I don't care if you're tired of counting ants in their colony, you will feel that ant's body, the grains of sand it carries, the blades of grass it navigates through. You will feel the island shifting on this system, you will want to move with the current in the sea."

"And, h-how do we do that?" Rose asked.

"Easiest way? Close your eyes," Ren commanded.

Rey's eyes immediately shuttered shut and she exhaled. Finn looked at her, then at Rose, seeing the same confusion on her face.

"If you want to do it the hard way, I can throw you off the cliff."

"Ben," Rey chided softly, but opened one eye to peer at Finn. "It's okay. I did it, too." She closed her eye and inhaled deeply.

Finn looked forward, Ren's eyes fluttering shut as well, and closed his eyes.

"Reach out from within," Ren's voice told them softly. "What do you feel?"

I feel like peeing, Finn thought.

"I don't feel anything," Rose's voice called. "I don't think-"

"I didn't tell you to think," Ren snapped, his monotone soft. "I told you to feel."

"I feel the dawn," Rey's voice piped, her voice was lazy, her sound low. "I feel the darkness receding. The island… it's waking. But things are going to sleep."

Finn dared to peek at her. She was leaning forward, her eyeballs shooting around beneath her eyelids, her fingertips barely touching the grass beneath her. She was completely at ease. Completely consumed by the Force.

"I feel chaos," Ren muttered, his positioning before them the same as Rey, "Surrounded by routine. I feel hunger, and satisfaction."

"Balance," Rey whispered, smiling.

"Balance," Ren repeated.

Finn closed his eyes, the crash of waves over rocks reaching out to him. He couldn't do anything more than picture the waves rushing over a tan beach, pushing rocks over unstable sand and black rocks. After a time, he heard the screeching of porgs, calling to each other like sirens in a spaceship, hearing them flap their wings as they flew from space to space. Possibly feeding their young worms that wriggled in protest, in nests secured to hold the hatchlings above sharp rocks.

Finn slumped forward in time to feel a rock whiz by his temple, both actions startling him awake. He whirled in his place, looking first to Rey and Rose who both sat with their eyes closed, then to Ren who, in the same state, turned to Finn. "Your snoring is annoying."

This is stupid, Finn thought to himself.

"If it is stupid, why did you not get hit by the rock?" Ren opened his eyes.

A shock went through Finn's body. Firstly, that Ren was reading his mind, secondly, was that really the Force? Or was he simply that lucky?

Ren gave a short snort and turned to Rey, a soft smile touching his lips. "Rey," He called, "Where are you?"

"Space," She muttered. "The nebulas are… moving."

"Come back to the island, Rey." Ren told her softly. "It won't do you any good to be beyond your present."

Rey muttered something that sounded like agreement, but Finn wasn't too sure. Ren on the other hand moved his gaze to Rose, his smile fading. Slowly, he looked her up and down with his eyes. To see him appraising her, Finn felt his chest clamp and his breathing deepen. Rose was innocent, she had nothing to do with Ren and he knew it.

He smirked, the features upon his face rearranging to look hungered, excited almost. "You're going to be fun," He muttered to himself.

You're not going to put a finger on her, Finn thought fiercely, hoping Ren was reading his mind.

Ren looked down to his crossed legs and swatted away a bug that flew close to him before closing his eyes and lifting his chin, completely absorbed in the Force.

For three, tedious hours, Finn, Rey, and Rose felt the Force. Finn had tried to focus, but failed horribly. He couldn't sit there with his eyes closed while a predator eyed his friends like he did. So, he closed his eyes just enough so that his eyelashes could allow blurred sight, and dug his fingers into the grass beneath him. The pain upon his eyes was sometimes more than he could bear, but he committed himself to doing it. No, he couldn't allow this. He didn't allow it on spaceships when jockey pilots called out to pretty, young officers and he wouldn't allow it here on this island in the middle of nowhere.

"Alright," Ren called, his deep voice loud enough over the crashing waves of the receding tide. "Eyes up."

Rose's head snapped up fairly quickly, while Rey's eyes gradually opened and she smiled, completely content with herself.

Ren smirked at her for a moment, an expression Finn hadn't seen on him before, then addressed his students. "Go and eat. Do your chores, then meet me back here at midday."

SWSWSW

Breakfast was a type of rice porridge that lacked any flavor whatsoever, but was hot and refreshing on Finn's innards. The wind never seemed to stop unless they were indoors, sweeping over the cool ocean and spreading such bone chilling fingers over all who stood in their way. Finn ate next to Rose (Rey ate with Ren), and though the porridge was hardly worth bragging about, they devoured it in record time.

"It's not bad," Rose told him, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Makes me feel ready for the next step."

Finn looked up from his stone bowl at her and swallowed. "Rose, I-"

An alien, a female Caretaker, nudged his shoulder, her words lost on him.

"Um, what?" He asked, looking to Rose as a male Caretaker nudged her shoulder with a three fingered hand, gesturing to her with soup ladle filled with porridge. Finn turned back to his Caretaker, seeing the same type of ladle. "Oh! No, thanks. This is er, good." He placed a hand on his stomach and rubbed in a circle, "Mm!"

The Caretaker asked for his bowl with an outstretched hand and Finn gave it to her, watching her take it to a pile of other bowls that had been taken up from other Caretakers. When she moved, Finn could see Ren and Rey beyond her back. They sat close to each other, Rey scarfing her porridge down almost in the same starved way as when Finn had first met her. How long had she gone without eating this time? He shook his head, making a mental note to check her hut for scraps of food and rations stored from the last week in preparation for their trip.

The female Caretaker nudged his shoulder again, this time in beckoning to him. Finn hoisted himself up and followed her, seeing Ren rise to the summons of a Caretaker as well, both of them leaving their respective ladies alone to other Caretakers.

"Captain Finn!" A brassy voice called, inspiring a slight groan from Finn. "How was Jedi training?"

"Exciting," Finn told him, his tone of voice suggesting that it was anything but.

"Oh, I'm so relieved!" C-3PO declared, waddling close to him. "I've been conversing with these creatures, um, Caretakers they like to be called. They say they usually do not allow students to do chores, but will allow you to do them based on Master Ren's request."

"How did we get to be so lucky?" Finn groaned, looking at the pile of pale grey rocks the Caretaker led them to.

"It won't do you good to take and not give back," The deep monotone of Ren growled, startling Finn. He was not only tall, but his footsteps were downright silent, allowing the dark giant to tower uncomfortably close to Finn's nose. "These creatures shape their lives waiting for Jedi to come to the temple to train, the least you can do is show your gratitude."

He walked around Finn, cutting off any chance of rebuttal. Finn exhaled from his nostrils, shooting a glance at C-3PO before continuing on to the rock pile. At once, the Caretaker turned to the two men and squawked at them, gesturing with her arms to the pile, then to the stone pathway above them.

"Right," C-3PO said, "The two of you are to take the rocks from this pile up the path" He gestured with his shiny arm up a particularly slippery looking path, "That way the workers could begin shaping them to repair the pathway."

At once, Finn seized the cuffs of his sleeves. Ren simply stood there in his pristine black garments, looking up at the designated area for the rock pile. Finn couldn't help himself. He taunted, "Yeah, don't want to mess up those threads, huh pretty boy?"

The look on Ren's face all but slapped Finn's confidence. "No," He admitted, "I don't."

One hand, that's all it took, one hand extended to the pile and all of a sudden, all one thousand rocks lifted by themselves and whooshed up the pathway and rearranged themselves in a tight stack ready to be shaped and laid. The Caretaker stared at Ren, looking from him to the rocks, her mouth agape. Ren turned to her, gave a slight bow of his head, and turned his heel to head down to the beach.

"Have fun," He taunted Finn, calling over his shoulder.

SWSWSW

The Caretakers had been kind enough to lay out comfortable, working robes for Finn to wear when he sauntered to his hut, arms and limbs aching from lifting rocks to the mason's table and picking up the previous one to lay down on the sleek path where a second mason was busy adjusting and arranging the new, sturdy path. Once inside his hut, he found two roasted fish waiting for him, the smoke of the fire still heavy on their crisp bodies, and their feel almost scalding. At once Finn plopped himself down in front of the fish, his muscles screaming relief, and seized one, quickly picking at the meat with his fingers to sate his ravenous stomach. The morning porridge had helped, but with only one bowl, his stomach was more than a tad upset.

From what he could see on his way down the path, Rey and Rose had been selected to chip away giant mussels from rocks at low tide, and dug out onions and garlic heads, their harvest to serve as their evening meal. As for Ren, Finn could not say, though he was glad to know that he had left the girls alone. He ate quickly, hearing the girls' chatter near his hut then disappear as they retreated to eat and possibly to change.

The robes were brown, but smelled of the sea so much that he imagined a Gungan had made them under water and threw them onto the island. Wearing them, however, was so easy Finn imagined he could sleep in them. For the first time in years, he wished for a mirror to check his appearance. Mirrors were mandatory in the First Order, even when covered in a mask and body armor. Nothing, absolutely nothing, other than the white body armor could be showing when in guard formation. And when in black, class A non-combatant uniform, everything had to be so pristine Captain Phasma would barely glance at him, nod her head, and moved to x-ray someone else. In the Resistance, he had been too preoccupied with not blowing the ship up or guiding Rey into a black hole to care much about his clothes. Not that he had a great variety to boast of.

He finished tying his shoes, and stood, feeling an overwhelming peace surge through him. He inhaled, a gentle call onto his spirit soothing him. He was a padawan, an apprentice Jedi. He would stand up where others couldn't, he would defend those who could not defend themselves. Ren's face flashed in his mind, that face that looked hungrily at Rose. He swallowed, remembering when he crossed blades with Ren on Star Killer Base. He would do it again. For Rose, and for Rey, he would give his life willingly.

He kicked his foot forward and marched out of his hut, the sun shining on his face, ready to take on the day's lesson. Then promptly turned around and grabbed his fish bones because a Caretaker matron exited Rey's hut grumbling loudly about the half rotten food she found stored away.

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