For once, it was Ben who was sleeping and Amaya who lay awake, staring at the ceiling. She twirled a piece of Ben's hair around her finger, her mind replaying her conversation with Luke from earlier that day. He thought Snoke had influenced her mind. He hadn't. Amaya was as sure of it as she was of anything.

It was Luke's mind that Amaya wasn't so sure about. If Snoke made Luke dream she saved the Temple, what else had he planted in his head without his knowledge? Could he be subtly influencing Luke too? Turning him against Ben?

And what about the others? Amaya doubted Tai, Hennix, and Voe's abilities to shield their own minds. If they were open to Snoke, how did she know he hadn't been inside of their heads too? Could Voe's jealousy of Ben have been planted by Snoke without her knowledge? What else might Snoke have done that she would never be able to prove or pin back on him? The possibilities were endless.

Amaya sighed, curling into Ben. He wrapped an arm around her, mumbling something incoherent in his sleep, before falling silent again. Amaya tightened her grip on him, fear and protectiveness filling her heart with restless energy. She had to do something and she had to do it fast.

Closing her eyes, Amaya reached out through the Force, letting her mind expand beyond the planet and across the stars. The exercise was becoming almost easy. She located her brother's Force signature in no time and slipped inside of his mind. He was sleeping and his mind was quiet. Even better.

Amaya quickly began flipping through his memories, seeking out useful information. Locations of bases, weapons factories, recruitment and training centers, countries considering joining the First Order...it was too much information to remember. She needed to write it down but that might break the connection.

Trying to remember as much as possible, Amaya withdrew, slipping back across the galaxy to her own bedroom and opened her eyes. She inhaled a few shaky breaths and then closed her eyes, repeating the exercise. This time, she reached Leia's mind and began metaphorically knocking on the door to her mind again. After a few moments, she got a response.

Amaya? Leia said, opening her mind to her.

I have information. Can you write this down? Amaya said, feeling Leia's shock reverberate through her mind.

Hold on, what information? Leia asked.

I've pulled some information from my brother's mind. Confidential First Order secrets. Do you have a pen? Amaya said.

Leia was silent for a moment, and Amaya felt a wave of frustration wash over her. She was helping the Resistance wasn't she? Why was her ability subject to so much suspicion?

Amaya, this ability you have, to enter other peoples' minds, and control them. Leia said slowly. I've only seen it in Dark Side users.

Oh. Well that explained the suspicion. Do you think I'm using the Dark Side to do this? Amaya asked, and Leia sighed.

Are you not? Leia asked, and Amaya frowned. Was she? She wasn't entirely sure.

Not...exclusively? Amaya replied uncertainly. Not any more than the Light Side anyway. I think I'm...using both.

You are. Leia said. I can feel it.

Amaya fell silent a moment, unsure what to say and a little offended at the Senator's suspicion.

Don't be offended. Leia said, picking up on Amaya's emotions. I trust you.

You don't sound like you trust me. Amaya said.

Well I'll be honest, I did have you checked out. Leia said, and Amaya recoiled.

You what? She asked, aghast.

When you came to me from across the galaxy two weeks ago, with top secret information pulled from your brother's mind, that raised alarm bells. Leia explained. And then I remembered that you were able to control the stormtroopers' minds and my suspicion increased. Not to mention the fact that you are the sister of a Knight of Ren and you intentionally hid the fact you and Ben were communicating with Snoke from Luke and I.

Well I guess when you put it that way... Amaya conceded.

Yes well you have to understand how it looked to me. Leia said. You show up out of the blue with strange and impressive Force abilities and suddenly you're the only person my son trusts. My son, whom Snoke has been trying to recruit for years. I would have been careless not to question your identity and intentions.

Amaya couldn't deny it made a lot of sense. She would have been suspicious if she were Leia as well. It was actually surprising Luke didn't suspect her.

Luke knows you better than I do. Leia said. He would have sensed it if you had bad intentions...he's also more naive.

Amaya laughed, despite how uncomfortable she felt realizing that Leia had suspected her for so long.

So then why do you trust me now? Amaya asked, and she felt Leia soften.

I went to Alfazine myself. She said, and Amaya inhaled sharply. And I met your father myself.

You met my...father? Amaya couldn't figure out if she felt more violated, betrayed, or curious.

I know, I'm sorry but I had to be sure. Leia said. He told me about your mother. How she used both sides of the Force. That explains your lightsaber and the way you can draw on the Dark Side without it consuming you.

I could have told you all of this if you'd just asked. Amaya said, irritated.

I know. Leia said. But as I said, I had to be sure. So after I finished speaking to your father, I went to find your rebel friends. They were able to vouch for your character and opposition to any form of authoritarian rule.

Amaya grit her teeth, feeling as if her privacy had been invaded. You did all this without my knowledge?

Don't you think your brother feels similarly when you pluck information from his head without his knowledge? Leia asked, and Amaya flinched.

I was trying to help the Resistance. She said, defensively. If you don't want the information-

I want you to be a spy for the Resistance. Leia said, before Amaya could finish, and Amaya frowned, confused.

But you just said-

War is not kind, Amaya. Leia said. You can't fight a war without hurting the enemy. In this case, your brother is the enemy.

So you're saying it's okay to hurt him? Amaya asked, becoming more and more confused.

I'm saying that it hurts to fight family. Leia said. But if you're up for it, the Resistance could benefit from your unique skills.

Amaya paused, feeling confused. She had thought she wanted to help the Resistance but why did it seem like Leia was cautioning her about joining? Did she think Amaya wouldn't be able to fight her own brother? She didn't have a problem with that...did she? Or was Leia still questioning her loyalty by suggesting she might be emotionally compromised?

I want to help. Amaya said, at last. I can gather information. Even the playing field. Snoke knows everything about us because he can pluck whatever he needs from anyone's mind. I can do the same thing.

You realize that when he discovers what you are doing he is going to try to kill you. Leia said, and Amaya felt a shiver run down her spine.

I know. She said.

And he will realize eventually. Leia said. It will only be a matter of time before he catches on. He already has a good sense of what you can do. Does he not?

Of course he did. Suddenly, Amaya wished she had hidden her abilities from him.

But despite the certainty of Snoke's wrath, what choice did she have? They were at war and if she didn't give the Resistance the leg up they needed, they didn't stand a chance. And besides, as a padawan of Luke, it was only a matter of time before he tried to kill her anyway.

I'm willing to deal with the consequences. Amaya said, swallowing her fear.

Okay then it's decided. Leia said. What was that information you said you had?

Amaya struggled to keep her eyes open as she sat around a table in the library with Voe, Tai, and Hennix, going through the assigned readings. She hadn't slept until late, going back and forth between her brother's mind and Leia's, relaying information. By the time the clock had stuck 3, she had communicated practically everything Ancai knew of the First Order's operations to the leader of the Resistance without his knowledge. The effort of sustaining a connection for that long had been exhausting and it had been physically painful to wake up the next morning. She'd missed breakfast and Ben had had to pull her out of bed so that she didn't miss the morning library session.

Unfortunately, she couldn't explain any of this to the other padawans or to Master Luke. Only Leia's mind was protected enough to be entrusted with this information. No one else could know what they were up to or Snoke would make sure she never got another piece of information again.

Amaya jumped when Luke entered the room, looking tense. He wasn't supposed to join them until the afternoon.

"Everyone to my office please." He said, the tone in his voice setting Amaya on edge.

She could tell the other padawans felt the same way as they exchanged looks before getting up to follow Luke to his office in silence. Luke closed the door behind them and Amaya swallowed the lump of fear that rose in her throat.

"Senator Organa called me this morning." He said. "She wants you all to go on a mission."

Amaya's eyebrows shot up and she felt the other padawans' surprise through the Force.

"The First Order is primarily focusing on generating weapons and recruiting soldiers at the moment." Luke said. "They are building up their forces for when they will need to directly confront the New Republic. Leia has located a major weapons factory and has requested that you destroy it."

"How?" Voe asked, her eyes widening.

"The Resistance will supply you with bombs that can be dropped once you are close enough to the factory." Luke said, pursing his lips. He's afraid, Amaya realized. Afraid this mission is too dangerous.

"When do we go?" Hennix asked.

"Tonight." Luke said, running a hand through his hair. "We can't afford to wait - Snoke might realize what we're doing. Some Resistance fighters will stop by this afternoon and drop off the bombs. You'll take the Verity. It's big enough to safely carry them."

Amaya frowned. If the Resistance already had the bombs, why didn't they drop them themselves? You didn't need to be a Jedi to drop a bomb.

"Where is this factory?" Amaya asked, and Luke gave her a strange look.

"I don't know." He said. "Senator Organa said she would only tell you. She said you were the only one whose mind was sufficiently shielded against Snoke to be trusted with the information."

Amaya felt her cheeks burn as the gazes of her fellow padawans turned on her. They had no idea. No idea of what had been going on with Snoke and no idea of the extent of Amaya's true abilities. She could feel their surprise and confusion.

"If I'm the only one who knows where we're going then..."

"You're going to have to pilot the ship." Luke confirmed. "Can you do it?"

Amaya nodded, swallowing the fear she felt. "Yes, of course." She said, the weight of the responsibility both heavy and exciting. So this was why the Resistance fighters couldn't drop their own bombs. They didn't know where to drop them.

Certainly that meant it was one of the factories Amaya had pulled from Ancai's mind the night before. If that were the case, Leia sure hadn't wasted any time in acting on the information.

"Is Ben coming?" Tai asked, and Amaya felt her heart sink. In her shock, she had completely forgotten about Ben's suspension.

"Ben is suspended until tomorrow." Luke said. "So, no. He's not going on this mission."

Amaya looked at her master, but Luke wouldn't meet her eyes this time.

"It's fine." Ben said, his voice clipped when Amaya told him where they were going that night. She'd held off on breaking the news to him until after they'd finished training for the day. Leia had called her and given her the location, confirming it was one that she had pulled from Ancai's mind the night before. The Resistance fighters had dropped off the bombs and the padawans had carefully loaded them onto the Verity. Everything was ready to go except Amaya herself, who was feeling more and more nervous about the mission.

"It's not even a Jedi mission. Leia just wants us to do it because Snoke can't get into my mind." She explained.

"I said it's fine!" Ben snapped, and Amaya flinched.

Ben sighed, running a hand over his face. "Sorry." He muttered, and Amaya frowned.

"I don't want to go without you either." She said. "But it's just one mission-"

"It's not though, is it?" Ben snapped, unable to stay calm. "It's not just one mission. I wasn't allowed to go to the fortress either. My suspension is technically already up - it's been two full training days. Luke just doesn't want me to go on any missions."

Amaya bit the inside of her cheek, feeling helpless. What could she even say to make him feel better? He wasn't wrong. And he wasn't wrong to be upset about it either.

"I'll talk to Luke-" Amaya began, but Ben cut her off.

"No." He said firmly. "Don't. Please don't."

Amaya frowned. "Why not? It could help-"

"Isn't it obvious!?" Ben asked. "He'll think I sent you! He'll think I'm manipulating you to get him to change his mind and it'll all just backfire on me. No matter what happens, he will find a way to put the blame on me, so just leave it alone."

Amaya fell silent, staring at the clock on the wall. They would have to leave soon. Her stomach flipped upside down, something inside of her resisting leaving. Was she afraid? This wasn't her first mission and it was arguably less dangerous than the first one she'd gone on. So why did she feel like it was a terrible, terrible mistake?

"Ben, I don't want to go." She said, looking back at him.

Ben's eyes softened ever so slightly. "You have to go. It doesn't work without you."

"I know but I-"

"Don't be afraid." Ben said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

Amaya felt her eyes brim with tears and blinked them away. Why was she so emotional about this?

"You know I love you right?" She said, and Ben's eyes softened even more. He pulled her into a hug and she clung to him, breathing in his familiar scent. She would memorize it and then, no matter what happened, she would never forget it.

Amaya didn't know how long they stayed like that before Ben pulled back and pressed a kiss to her lips. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, letting go of him.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She said, the sinking feeling in her stomach making each step feel like a sentence.

"See you tomorrow." Ben said, as she pulled open the door and slipped out of the room.

Luke lay in silence, the only sound the incessant ticking of the clock on the wall. The padawans had left hours ago and everyone in the Temple was asleep except for him. Even Ben seemed to be asleep, despite the thick cloud of darkness pressing in around him.

What to do about Ben Solo?

This was the question Luke had been asking himself for years now. No matter what he did, it only seemed to make things worse. He couldn't connect with his nephew anymore. Once upon a time they'd been close. Luke had thought of him as the son he'd never had, teaching him everything he'd wished his father had taught him. He'd spent more time with Ben than Leia and Han had. They were similar...too similar sometimes. But he had felt Ben's admiration for him, his desire to be like Luke when he grew up, and it had warmed his heart. He'd never wanted to be a father but sometimes it had felt as if he'd been given a chance to be one.

Luke didn't know when it had changed but, somewhere along the line, the relationship had soured and turned to distrust and resentment. Initially, Luke had blamed Snoke. He'd thought if he could just help Ben shield his mind from this predator that everything would be okay. After all, that was why he'd begun training Ben in the first place.

He still remembered the day Leia had come to him, tears in her eyes, and begged him to take Ben and train him. The look of fear on her face was seared into Luke's memory and, before long, it had become his own fear. The fear of the Dark Side, of what it could do, left unchecked, was a fear that he shared with his twin sister. The two of them had suffered too much and lost too much to the Dark Side to ever let their guard down again.

And so he had taken Ben in and set to work on teaching him how to shut out Snoke. Luke still remembered those early days, when it was just him and Ben, before the others came. The boy had been miserable. He didn't understand why he had been sent away or, perhaps, he understood too well why he had been sent away. Things had improved when Voe, Tai, and Hennix arrived. Ben had settled into life at the Temple and Luke had breathed a sigh of relief. Those had been good days. Luke had expanded the Temple, bringing in new padawans from all over the galaxy and Ben had helped him build up the Temple to what it was today.

But through it all, the threat of Snoke had hung over them like a dark cloud that couldn't be ignored. As Ben got older, he became more distant, shooting Luke looks of distrust and resentment when he thought Luke wasn't looking. He told Luke that Snoke was gone but he continued to withdraw from him anyway. He became more irritable, more quick to anger...and when Luke tried to talk to him, he shut him out or snapped at him until he was left alone.

He should have known Snoke had not left. He should have realized sooner - should have done something sooner. But a part of him had wanted to believe that Snoke was really gone. He had wanted to believe he'd succeeded.

The revelation that Ben had been lying to him about Snoke for all this time had hurt Luke in a way he hadn't thought possible. There was no way Ben was incapable of shutting out Snoke. The boy was so strong with the Force it scared Luke sometimes. No, this was a choice. Ben was choosing to continue letting Snoke in and the inescapable knowledge of this fact was a bitter pill to swallow.

Ben no longer looked at Luke as if he were a hero. He looked at him as if he hated him with a burning passion. Ben no longer went home to visit his parents. He didn't respond to their letters, didn't answer their calls... he didn't even want to see them. Even with the other padawans, Ben acted differently. He had started pulling away from them years ago and, while Tai seemed to still win his favour, even their friendship seemed strained these days. The only person Ben seemed to trust was Amaya.

Luke looked over at the clock on the wall, realizing it was well past midnight. If he didn't sleep soon, it would be a rough morning the next day.

Still, despite this knowledge, Luke could not focus his mind. Every time he tried to clear it, his thoughts wandered inevitably back to Ben. The boy was slipping, falling to the Dark Side, and there was nothing Luke could do to stop it. He was failing Leia. He'd promised her he would keep her son safe from Snoke and from the Darkness. She'd trusted him with her son and he felt ashamed every time she called and asked about Ben, that note of worry in her voice that never left.

And now Ben had gone and attacked another student. He was losing control and becoming dangerous and Luke had no idea what to do. He couldn't expel him because Ben would go straight to Snoke if he did that. But could he really keep him here forever? How long could they dance on this blasted tightrope before someone fell off the wire?

Unable to take it any longer, Luke sat up. He would go talk to Ben. He didn't care that it was midnight. Ben didn't sleep through the night anyway and they needed to talk. They were years overdue for a talk. No more tiptoeing around each other. No, they would have it out tonight and be done with it.

Luke pulled on his robes and clipped his lightsaber to his belt, an unconscious habit. He ran a hand through his hair and then walked out of the room, climbing the stairs. When he reached Ben's door, he hesitated. Perhaps this could wait until morning. There was no need to wake him up. The kid needed more sleep than he was getting.

Luke turned to leave when the ground under his feet shifted and he grabbed onto the doorknob. He pulled open the door but, instead of seeing the inside of Ben's bedroom, he found himself on Hosnian Prime. The crowd around him was staring up at the sky in horror and Luke followed their gazes, seeing what it was they were looking at just in time for the weapon to fire. The crowd disintegrated into a pile of red ash, their screams ringing in Luke's ears as the dust settled and he saw a dark figure walk towards him. The figure was robed, head to toe, in black and was wearing a helmet that covered his face, but Luke could sense who it was. He opened his mouth to call out his name when the figure approached a row of prisoners.

"Kill them all." He said, his voice distorted by the mask, and Luke tried to scream but no sound came out as the stormtroopers carried out his order.

The scene changed again and this time the mask was gone. Ben stood in front of Han, the look in his eyes hollow and broken. Han tried to reach for him and Ben ignited his lightsaber, piercing Han's chest. Luke screamed another silent scream as Snoke's face swirled in front of his, his twisted grin smiling smugly down at him.

"You have already failed." Snoke said, laughing. Luke unclipped his lightsaber and ignited it as the vision disappeared and he found himself back in Ben's room, in front of Ben's bed. He looked down at Ben, the boy he had just seen kill his own father and commit a genocide and, for a split second, he felt his heart fill with a kind of rage he had never known before. He lifted his lightsaber, fury coursing through his veins, when Ben's eyes flew open and Luke froze, blinking as if waking from a dream. What was he doing?

Ben stared at him for a moment, the momentary confusion in his eyes dissolving into a look of hurt so deep Luke felt it hit him like a punch in the gut. Before he could lower his weapon, the look of hurt in Ben's eyes hardened into fury and Luke inhaled sharply as he realized what he was going to do.

"Ben, no-" Luke tried to scream but the ceiling came down on top of him and he remembered no more.