Night Rounds
Timeframe: LOTF Inferno
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or the characters.
"Your father is in the other room still." Tekli told Ben. The small Chadra-Fan Jedi had just retrieved Ben from the lone bacta tank in the medical ward Cilghal and Tekli had taken charge of on Kashyyyk.
Luke had insisted Cilghal and Tekli take care of Ben's injuries first.
Ben felt much better, and a glance at his arms showed the dunk in the tank had done its job. All of his sores and open wounds from the Embrace of Pain were gone. Yes, he'd be tasting bacta for the next several days, but that couldn't be helped.
From the other room, Ben heard voices, predominantly his Aunt Leia's. Extending his senses, Ben determined Han, Leia, and Jaina must have all arrived while he'd been submerged.
"Master Cilghal does request that you remain in the medical ward overnight for observation." Tekli continued.
Ben nodded absently, then quickly finished getting back into the robe, provided by the medical ward, that he'd been wearing. "Thanks, Tekli." He said and headed to find his family.
With a soft hiss, the door to the room Ben had left over an hour ago opens to reveal the three Solos, Cilghal, and his father. His aunt's back is to the door, and he hears her say, "…any idea how that feels?" Leia's voice is raised, and any pretense of composer is gone as she lectures her brother.
Luke, similarly to Ben, is dressed in a robe and is reclined on the lone exam table. The bruising under Luke's eyes indicates a broken nose, and Ben wonders why his father isn't in a healing trance like Ben had assumed he would be. He knew from the brutal fight between Luke and Jacen aboard the Anakin Solo, Luke must have other injuries.
Jaina is standing close to her mother with the same angry expression as Leia.
Cilghal, the head Jedi healer, is standing beside Han near the doorway. The Mon Cal's bulbous eyes were staring intently at the scene unfolding in front of her.
Han is the only person to look at the newcomer. "Hey, Kid," he says. Moving, he quickly engulfs Ben in a hug."We were worried."
"I'm okay," Ben says.
Han releases his nephew.
Ben's attention returns to his father and aunt.
"If you didn't look like a rancor had nearly had you for dinner, I'd…" Leia never finishes.
"Jedi Solo, that is quite enough." Cilghal interrupts her tone and the use of Leia's rank within the order indicated the Jedi Master had had enough. There were allowances for breaking rank when it came to allowing families with members within the Jedi Order to sort things out. However, the line was not always clear, and Cilghal had apparently determined Leia had stepped out of line befitting Leia's rank as a Jedi Knight regarding her current tirade directed at the Grand Master.
Luke didn't even look up, and Ben noticed, for the first time since entering the room, how drawn into himself his father's presence was. Not like it had been when everyone but Ben had believed him dead. This was different, but Ben couldn't figure out exactly how.
His aunt turns and says, "I'm sorry, Master Cilghal." Leia sounds just contrite enough to avoid Cilghal saying more. However, Ben knew his aunt well enough to tell she was still seething inside, and more so now for having been scolded for reasons she deemed absurd. Just hours ago her brother had faked his death, and after everything the Skywalker/Solos had been through, Leia had a right to be angry.
Cilghal gives Leia an apprising look, then says to everyone. "Unless you are Master Skywalker or Ben, I must insist on you leaving the medical ward. I have patients to attend."
Han takes Leia by the arm and leads her out of the room. Jaina follows her parents with a last brief glance back at Luke and Ben before the door closes. Ben gives her a tiny wave.
With one rubbery fin, Cilghal points at a chair. "Sit down, Ben, while I get your father into the bacta tank."
Ben does as he's told.
With a bit of Cilghal's help, Luke gets up without saying a word. The only acknowledgment of BenLuke gives is a small pat on the shoulder as the Grand Master limped past. Then the door closes behind the two, leaving Ben alone.
Alone with his thoughts, Ben replays the events in his head just before Luke ordered a retreat from Jacen's secret torture chamber.
They could have finished Jacen off. Ben was sure of it. If only Luke had let him.
Jacen deserved it. He'd killed Mara. Perhaps had Ben explained to Luke about telling his mother about Jacen and Lumiya, Luke wouldn't have left the Anakin Solo with Jacen still breathing.
The door hisses open, and Cilghal steps through.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Ben asks.
"Your father's injuries are not life-threatening." The healer states, pulling up a chair so she could sit down next to the young human.
"Why wasn't he in a healing trance?"
"Ben," Cilghal begins softly, "your father is in shock."
"You just said his injuries weren't life-threatening!" Ben's voice rose accusingly.
"Not that type of shock."
Ben stares at the healer. "I don't understand."
"Master Skywalker's ability to focus enough to get himself into a healing trace isn't there."
"Dad can't use the Force?" That didn't make sense. Luke had been using the Force in his fight against Jacen. What had changed?
"It's not permanent. But you've both suffered a major loss, and seeing Jacen use the Embrace on you didn't help your father." Cilghal explains calmly.
Ben knew battle shock was a thing. Its primary manifestation was a soldier freezing mid-fight because of having, what amounted to, a mental breakdown over some internal trigger. However, sometimes its symptoms could manifest hours after a battle. However, Ben hadn't realized that it could, even temporarily, disrupt a Jedi's ability to wield the Force.
Ben feels his hatred of Jacen flare again.
"Ben, your father loves you." The Jedi healer says.
"I know that."
Something in Cilghal's presence changes. "Actions speak louder than words, and your actions of late make you seem an arrogant, ungrateful child. I know for a fact you weren't raised that way."
Ben is so taken aback all he can do is gape at the Mon Calamari.
Cilghal looks back at him expectantly.
Finally, Ben can't take it anymore and explodes."I'm not. Everyone just expects me to be Luke Skywalker 2.0!Everyone did, except for Jacen." Now the thought of his cousin made Ben's blood boil, but up until Jacen had killed Mara, he had liked how Jacen didn't treat him like a child.
"You are an intelligent young man, and very gifted in the Force. Remember, an inflated view of one's self quickly leads to resentment, and resentment quickly leads to hate." She fixes an intent stare at him. "You have a lot of hate."
"I don't hate my dad, though." Ben argues.
"No? Did you so quickly forget what I said about resentment?" The Jedi Master asks.
"It's Jacen's fault!"
"Jacen Solo is responsible for Jacen's actions." She states calmly. "Up until recently, you didn't want to hear it from anyone, especially Luke, that maybe Jacen wasn't the pathway for you to avoid your own flaws and insecurities."
Ben swallowed hard. That was why he had only told his mother, and had made her promise not to tell the other masters. Ben hadn't wanted to admit he'd been wrong. That Jacen hadn't found a new and better way of being a Jedi. In fact, Jacen wasn't a Jedi anymore at all. That's why Mara had gone after him. If the other masters had known, Mara would most likely be alive. His father wouldn't be emotionally broken. His family would still be whole.
Ben feels Cilghal wrap a fin around his shoulder as she sends soothing emotions towards him in the Force. "I've known Luke long enough to know the only thing he expects of you is that you make good decisions. You know how I know this?"
Ben shakes his head no.
"Your mother."
"Mom told you?" Ben asks perplexed.
"She never had to." Cilghal says, her gravelly voice filled with warmth. "A rebel war hero doesn't wind up married to an ex-Emperor's Hand by going around the galaxy looking down his nose at people. If he didn't completely condemn your mother upon first meeting her. Why do you think he expects the unreasonable from you?"
"Master, do you think Dad would be willing to finish my training?" Ben asks. "I probably could use it, and since he's the best."
Cilghal laughs. "I'm sure he'd be delighted, too. For now, though, I think you'd both benefit from just being there for each other."
Ben nods.
"And Ben, don't always think the worst of those you should hold close. Your mother often did that too."
"I miss her."
She gives him another affectionate squeeze before she gets up. "I need to check on your father. Then I want both of you to rest. Force knows you two need it."
Hours later, Ben wakes to the sound of the med-bay room door opening. Squinting, Ben knows it is Luke before his father has even stepped into the room. Ben reaches over and hits the sensor for the lights.
"Ben!" Luke exclaims in surprise. "What are you doing awake?"
Ben glanced at his father, whose hair was dry, so he hadn't just gotten out of the bacta tank, then at the undisturbed second bed in the room. "Aunt Leia find you again or something?"
Closing the door behind him, Luke walks over to the other bed and sits down. "The council did."
"I bet Master Cilghal was thrilled."
Luke yawns before stating. "I know I said we needed to talk, but Cilghal has warned me if I'm not asleep in twenty minutes when she comes by to check, she'll forcibly sedate me."
Ben smirks. "That's okay, Dad. I think Master Cilghal beat you to that lecture."
Luke's eyebrows raise fractionally, and he shrugs before standing back up and heading to the adjoining fresher. A few minutes later, he returns dressed for bed and promptly climbs into bed.
Ben turns the lights off and lays back down himself. A long minute passes before Ben says, "Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to finish my training under a different master."
"Sure. Take some time to think about who and let me know," Luke answers, sounding half asleep.
Ben swallows and tries to work moisture into his mouth. "Okay, I choose you." His father's shock hits Ben through the Force. Had Luke really thought Ben wouldn't want him as a master?That thought causes a flash of guilt to wash over Ben.
It is a long moment before Luke responds. "First lesson: Jedi need sleep."
Ben lets out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and smiles. "You're afraid of Master Cilghal?"
"I despise being sedated."
"You think she would?"
"I'm not in a hurry to find out," Luke states. "Good night, Ben."
"Night, Dad."
Cilghal was almost done with her last rounds for the night; with the fires still raging, she knew more Wookies would be brought in, all in need of care. She and Tekli had helped the staff as much as two more doctors could.
The ten remaining Jedi Masters, of what had been twelve before this new conflict, on the council had called an impromptu session that had pulled Cilghal away for over an hour from helping patients. They had requested a full debrief of what had transpired aboard the Anakin Solo, and Luke had dutifully complied. Then all nine had turned and made the Grand Master swear to them he would never pull the stunt he had pulled that evening again. Cilghal had to admit ruefully, Luke's stunt had almost single-handedly stopped Jacen's bombardment of the planet. No doubt, saving countless lives.
After the meeting, Cilghal had told Luke to go to bed, and if he was still awake when she finished her rounds, she'd sedate him. She wasn't a fan of sedating patients if they medically didn't require the Grand Master was emotionally and mentally drained, and she didn't think he'd had a proper night's sleep in…Since Mara's death? A good night's rest wouldn'tfix everything, but it'd go a long way.
Standing in front of the room she'd put the two Skywalkers in, Cilghal hits the sensor panel, and the door slides open.
Even with the sound of the door and the flood of light into the room, neither man stirred.
Pleased, Cilghal closes the door and heads off to bed herself.