Chapter Eleven
Four buckets. It was four buckets that Rey carried up the stone steps of Ahch-To, twice a day. The yoke slung over her shoulders had hardened her muscles in the two months that had passed since she started her training with Luke Skywalker. When two buckets of water a day no longer caused her legs to shake, Luke had added two more. And when that no longer made her shake, the second trip was added.
If Rey were any other student, she would have hated it. She would have resented Luke for it. But it was a fire burning deep within her that made her press on. It forced her to quietly accept the challenge, the training. She did question him one night, when they were eating their supper together.
"Why buckets of water?"
Luke had smiled, prodding at his stew with his wooden spoon. "Because, strong though you are, I don't think I'm light enough for you to carry."
Rey's face scrunched in confusion. Luke explained. "Master Yoda. When he trained me on Dagobah… I ran through the forest with him on my back. He was surprisingly heavy for his size. My weight for my size is unsurprising." His eyes glittered at his self-deprecating humor.
Luke knew that Rey was close to being ready. Rey was nearly ready to make her climb to get her crystals for her lightsaber staff. He had thought it over for a time before approaching Rey with the idea.
"It's your choice," Luke had said. "You may use my old lightsaber, or you may climb the high point of the island, and harvest the crystals for your lightsaber staff."
Rey was quiet a moment, and then spoke thoughtfully. "I would like to make the climb. I want to be like the Jedi before me. I want to know I can do it."
Luke smiled, closing his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "You need only collect as many crystals as you need for one side. You may use the rest of mine for the other." She accepted his generous offer, her eyes awash in reverence of him.
He was proud of the Jedi she was primed to become. She never chose the easy way out of anything. She accepted challenges. She took direction well. But deep down, Luke knew that there would be even darker challenges in her future. He thought she knew that as well, which was why she was such a willing student. She wanted to fly a straight course, that she might not fall to the Dark side like Ben.
He could sense her fear. He was sure to warn her of the dangers of fear, but forgave her apprehension. He knew she feared her ancestry. Being the granddaughter of Darth Sidious, the Emperor, was enough to scare even the lightest of Jedi. She feared returning to the Resistance base, and the chance that those she respected and cared for would find out who she was, and reject her.
She finally found the family she's been waiting for, but they were gone. Luke vowed to do his best as a surrogate for her. And in his surrogacy, Luke tried continually to remind her of the good that was in her, namely her grandfather, Obi-Wan, and her father, Ferrus Kenobi.
She visited her father's grave nearly every day. It was where she found Luke that first day on Ahch-To. The grave marker, to the naked eye, was just a stone. But with her new knowledge, Rey knelt in front of it and meditated. It was her way of connecting with him. She had hoped that one day, the Force ghost of Ferrus Kenobi might show up. She had hoped he had this power. If he did, Luke did not say, and Ferrus had not revealed it to her.
She knew she was close to her trial, so her time on Ahch-To was nearly up. She just didn't know how close it was exactly.
It was no surprise to Luke, then, that the morning he crossed his arms and told her she would be making her climb, her face drained of all its color.
"M-Master Luke, are you sure? Am I ready for this?" Her voice wavered.
"I can only make you carry so many pails of water, Rey. We can only spar so much. And you can only lift so many stones with the power of the Force. It is time. The Resistance needs us. Needs you."
"Needs me…?" Rey questioned quietly. She didn't press the question, with the impending danger ahead of her. She'd had plenty of experience with climbing old star destroyers that lay dead in the sands of Jakku, but there were always fail-safes. Rappelling ropes. Her future as a Jedi never rested on her ability to get to the hard-to-reach scrap pieces.
Taking a steadying breath, Rey stood, and followed Luke wordlessly out of his small temple-turned-hut.
Luke had walked Rey as far as he could before the rocky surface began its stark growth towards the sky. Rey looked up at the wall of the southern side of the island. There were places Rey knew served as footholds for Jedis of years past. This gave her some consolation that others had done it before, so she could do it now. Still, the lump in her throat felt like it was going to choke her.
"How will I know I've reached them?" Rey asked, her eyes fixed on the wall.
Luke breathed a moment. "You'll know. But they will be colorless. Simple retrieval of the crystals isn't enough, Rey. It's the meditation and the intent behind it that gives them their form."
Rey looked at Luke, and nodded. Without another word, she hooked her toe into the first foothold.
"Ben Solo, you stand accused of multiple counts of murder and treachery," the gruff elderly woman's voice resonated in the amphitheatre, the morning sun peaking from behind one of the many small mountains on one of the moons orbiting Naboo. The new Resistance base being so close to the Core Worlds was a gamble. Having moved bases several times in the Outer Rim, the commanding forces in the Resistance devised a plan that they hoped would pay off. They would bring themselves closer to the First Order, the last place that Snoke or his forces would think to look for the Resistance fighters.
So far, after a month on Felucia, and a month on the Naboo moon, no one had picked up any signs that the First Order was onto them. The next three bases had been picked out already, in the event that they had to flee.
This morning, surrounded by ysalamiri that blocked his abilities with the Dark side of the Force, Kylo Ren would be given his first hearing with the council, ragtag though it was. Kylo recognized three wizened faces in this council—they must have escaped the attack on the Hosnian system. He swallowed and forced himself to dial back the smug look he knew was growing on his face.
The elderly woman continued. "How do you plead?"
"Guilty, Madam Burell," Kylo stated, adjusting his manacled wrists, feeling the cold steel against his skin. He relished in the murmur that spread throughout the audience before him. He would enjoy playing this game with them.
Vee Burell sighed, shaking her head. "Then you understand the consequences of a guilty verdict," she concluded.
"Yes, Madam Burell, but it is my sincerest hope that through this trial you come to understand my guilt, and adjust my sentence accordingly. I don't plan on dying."
"Very well," Vee Burell stated. She lifted her hand, signaling that the hearing was over, and Kylo Ren was quickly flanked by two Resistance fighters with ysalamiri strapped firmly to their backs. One of them held onto his upper arm with such disdain that he wouldn't have been surprised if there were bruises there later. The thought made him smirk even more.
"Commander Dameron," Kylo stated, not bothering to look over at him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're upset with me."
"I'd advise you to keep your forked tongue behind your teeth, Ren," Poe growled. "Some of us are a little harder to charm, so don't waste your breath."
When Kylo was safely behind the glass of his cell, Poe removed the ysalamiri from both his back and the back of Snap Wexley, securing them again on their nutrient frame in the corner of the prison.
"You seem distracted, Dameron," Kylo said, rubbing his wrists where the manacles had dug into his skin. "I'd hate to think you're not able to perform your duties. What ever would General Organa have to say about this?"
"Thank you for your concern, Ren, what an admirable man you are…" Poe turned unceremoniously to leave the prison, with Snap holding the door for him, and was halted by his com-link beeping at him.
"Dameron," Poe held the device to his mouth, waiting for an answer.
"Report to the landing pad," the voice said. "Out."
Poe sized up Kylo with another glance, holding back his contempt for the man who leaned against the glass, his forearms above his head.
"Duty calls," Kylo taunted, and turned his back on Poe as he made his way out into the bright daylight.
Poe gritted his teeth as he made his way towards the landing pad, Snap on his heels.
"You can't let him get to you like that," he said.
"Haven't got any idea what you're talking about, Snap." Poe didn't slow his pace.
"He's taunting you, and you know it. You let a guy like that get under your skin, and you'll start slipping in your duties. Putting us at risk."
Poe stopped dead in his tracks, and turned on Snap. "You don't really believe that I'm capable of that, do you?" he asked seriously. Snap softened.
"No, brother, but…" Snap held his hands up in defeat. "He found an in with her, and now he's going to continue to get at you. He wants you to slip up."
Poe's lips pressed together in a thin line, and he looked past Snap's shoulder blankly. "Does no one see that he's playing the council? This is all a trap of his making."
"That might be, Poe," Snap said, putting his hand on Poe's shoulder, "but he seems genuinely concerned with the ysalamiri. That's gotta count for something."
"If he is able to spin his lies, and gets out of that cell, how long do you think those animals are going to stick around?"
"I don't know. But we can only take it one day at a time."
The silence that passed between them was enough to satisfy Snap, so he clapped Poe on the shoulder and they both turned a corner around a hangar and made their way to the landing pad. Poe stopped dead in his tracks when he saw, illuminated cheerily by the morning light, the Millenium Falcon parked, its ramp down.
Rey's hands were sweating, despite the cool air on Ahch-To. Occasionally she would reach a rocky landing where she could sit a while, wipe her hands, and begin the whole process again. There were no stone steps this way, that much was certain. The further up she got, the more she questioned herself. Can I even do this? she would wonder. If I turn back now, it will be easier to get down than if I keep going.
She shook these thoughts from her head. After a brief moment of meditation, Rey came to the realization that each Jedi who made the climb had gone through the same internal battle. The thought comforted her, and gave her strength to reach the top.
And when she did, she was not disappointed. Within the very side of the mountain, thousands of crystals glittered in the sunlight. There was a landing that appeared to have been carved into the side, deep enough for one or two people to stand. Her knees still shaking from the rush of adrenaline that brought her this far, Rey felt the prickle of tears as her fingers touched a few of the crystals.
After all she had been through with Luke, after all she had learned of the Force, and of who she was, the weight of it came crashing down on her. She felt the mixture of joy and sorrow as she wiped the tears from her face, studying the wall. After this climb, she knew that she would be able to call herself a Jedi. Still, Master Luke's words resonated in her ears, and diligently she plucked three crystals from the wall, and secured them in a pouch tied on her belt. Her work was not done yet.
Rey fiddled with her lightsaber staff nervously. Luke had taken over the helm of the Millenium Falcon after Rey had flown for a solid eight hours, giving her a moment to rest. They had just left hyperspace, and were entering the atmosphere of one of Naboo's moons. Luke could sense her nervousness, and reached out through the Force, seeking to ease her fears.
When she felt his presence at the front of her mind, Rey relaxed, and took a deep breath.
"I sense confusion, and something else I can't quite place," Rey said thoughtfully, speaking of the Resistance base they were approaching.
"I sense it too," Luke said, nodding. "Leia knows we're here."
Rey swallowed. She had no words for either of them. They would simply have to play out whatever scenario awaited them. Rey was afraid of what the Resistance would make of her parentage, but more than anyone, she worried about Poe's reaction. With his face entering her mind, Rey quickly focused on the handle of her staff, pushing his image from view. She and her master were so finely tuned to each other's emotions that Rey hoped to keep this one thing to herself.
Without Rey noticing, Luke glanced over at his padawan and smiled privately at her. He had picked up bits and pieces about this pilot from his time with Rey. In generations past, Jedi were discouraged from having romantic attachments. When Luke began to revive the Jedi Order, that archaic rule was done away with. As long as love and affection did not impair judgment, Luke encouraged it. Or would have, if the Jedi Order had not been mercilessly slaughtered by his nephew.
Luke was anxious to speak with Leia concerning everything. He had not seen her since he took Ben all those years ago to train him as his padawan. He too had his own fears about their reunion. But his senses told him that he had no reason to fear a reunion between the two of them. It only made him sad.
As they descended into the atmosphere, Rey intercepted communication coming from the Resistance base, and requested permission to land. It was immediately granted, and within ten minutes, they were shutting down the Falcon, and Chewie lowered the ramp.
Rey practically shot up from her chair, and made her way through the Falcon. Luke tarried a while, feeling Leia's presence outside the Falcon. Rey stood at the top of the ramp, waiting for Luke. She could see a throng of people gathering to greet them.
Rey saw Leia standing at the very front, as she knew she would be. When Luke came to her side, she could sense Leia's emotions. She knew how hard she was trying to keep her emotions under control in front of her troops. After glancing at each other for a moment, Rey and Luke silently descended the ramp, and stood in front of Leia and the throng of people. All were quiet.
After a pause, Leia and Luke both stepped forward and into each other's arms in an embrace. Rey felt everything they felt, and for a moment it nearly knocked her flat. With the sting of tears at her own eyes, she knew then how much it meant that these two were finally together again. They shared a womb, and a bond through the Force that no one could understand. Quickly, Rey wiped a solitary tear from her eyes, hoping no one noticed.
Leia and Luke broke their grip on each other, taking a step back to look at one another. Luke put his hand on the side of Leia's face lovingly. Finally, he spoke to her.
"I'm sorry," he said, barely a whisper. Leia shook her head.
"None of that matters now. You're here. That's what matters."
Luke nodded, and finally looked at the faces of those around them. "We have much to talk about then, don't we?" he said, and Leia smiled at the understatement.
"Let's get inside. There is much that has happened since Rey left," Leia said, her voice heavy. Leia turned on Rey, and addressed her. "Thank you… for bringing my brother home to me."
Rey blushed slightly and nodded. Leia and Luke turned and walked towards the bunker. Rey fell slightly behind, scanning the crowd, looking for Poe. Disappointment began to set in the longer she couldn't find him.
Just as she had begun to think he wouldn't show, Poe nudged his way through the people walking the opposite direction of him, and stopped in his tracks when his eyes met Rey's from twenty feet away. She licked her lips and stood nervously on the spot.
Without hesitation, Poe walked the twenty feet to stand in front of her. When he was arm's length away, looking down into her hazel eyes (had he forgotten they were hazel? And had he forgotten how beautiful they were?), he found that he hadn't the slightest idea what to say to her. Rey licked her lips slightly, pulling at the strap of her bag over her chest. Before she had time to react, Poe placed both his hands gently on the top of her neck, and leaned down, pausing when his lips were a breath from hers.
He gauged her reaction. She was frozen, but had not pulled back from him. She wondered deep down if she had the courage to close the distance between them, but before she had time to act, Poe's lips were on hers. She felt that in that moment she might combust. All sound and sight around her melted away, and there was only the two of them. Tentatively, Rey returned the kiss, which was gentle and exploratory.
Just as she had allowed herself to kiss him back, Poe pulled back from her, causing her to make a slight sound as she sighed. Poe ran his thumb gently along the curve of Rey's ear.
With a playful, yet relieved, gleam in his eye, Poe smiled at Rey, and broke the silence. "Welcome back."
AN: A thousand apologies for my delayed update. I had to finish finals (teacher), pack up more of my belongings for my move across country, and once I got to my new home, we hadn't set up internet. I was stuck without internet for a while. And now I'm finally able to access the internet. So, I was waiting for inspiration to hit, because I really don't want to force a story, but I told myself I just need to get back on the horse, and here we are. I hope that this meets your expectations. I appreciate all the new favorites, the reviews, the nice comments. They give me inspiration to continue writing, so don't hesitate to let me know what you all think. Cheers!