Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's seventeen of "Not So Far." It won't be much longer before Ben confronts Vari for the first time in years. I can't wait to do that. Stay tuned for chapter eighteen.
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Chapter 17: Tense Dinner
The twin moons shined down on the beach in the early evening. The hut glowed with the soft flicker of oil lamps, their warm light dancing across the woven walls and wooden beams. The air inside was thick with the scent of grilled fish that was spiced with Tihon's native herbs. The same went for the faint tang of saltwater that clung to everything near the beach.
Han, Luke, and Rey sat around the table. Chewie sat in the doorway while gnawing on a fish bone. Ben stood at the fire pit with a salvaged metal slab for a stove. He flipped fish with a practiced hand. Rey ran her hands over her stomach. She was so slow that it seemed she wasn't even moving them. She ran her tongue all over the inside of her mouth.
Phoenix sat on a rafter overhead. His feathers glittered crimson as he tilted his head at the newcomers. He lifted one wing to his head. Marcus walked over to sniff Chewie's fur. This earned the tiger a playful growl and a gentle shove from him. Rey smiled softly, but Ben tensed as he slid the last fish onto a wooden platter and carried it to the table.
"Dinner's ready," Ben said in a somewhat reluctant way. "I hope you enjoy it."
Ben set the platter down and took his place beside Rey. His eyes flickered between his father, uncle, and Chewie. He felt weight of their unexpected arrival pressed down on him like the humid air outside. Han reached for a piece of fish, tearing it apart with his fingers.
"Not bad, kid. You've got a knack for this domestic stuff. I never pictured you as the cooking type," Han said, chuckling softly.
"People change," Ben replied swiftly. "Besides, you really don't have a choice on a planet like this. Yoda can attest to that."
Luke exhaled. "Yes, he can."
Ben speared a piece of fish with his fork and handed it to Rey. She mouthed 'Thanks' to him before taking a bite. Luke cleared his throat before rubbing it gently.
"It's good to see you've built something here, Ben," Luke said, warmth echoing in his voice. "A life, a family."
Luke glanced at Rey's stomach. His stern expression showed a flicker of pride.
Chewie rumbled while gesturing toward the hut's sturdy walls. He looked up at the top of the doorway.
"It is a strong place. It is safe for now," Chewie said.
"For now," Ben responded, his voice barely above a whisper. He set his fork down. He leaned back, his hands laying on his knees. "You didn't come here just to admire the view. You want me to leave this. You want me to leave her and go back to the fight."
"We didn't come to drag you anywhere, Ben, but the First Order's closing in," Han said urgently. "You felt it. Rey felt it. This bubble you've got won't last."
Rey tightened her grip on Ben's arm, her eyes narrowing at him. "We've kept Tihon hidden for years. It's not just a bubble. It's our home. Why should we abandon it because you show up with bad news?"
"Because that bad news has teeth," Han retorted, leaning forward. "Snoke's apprentice, Vari, is hunting Ben. She's tearing through the galaxy to find him. You think she'll stop at a jungle planet because it's pretty?"
Luke raised his hand. "Han's right, Rey. The disturbance in the Force—it's stronger than I've felt in years. Vari's power is growing, and she's relentless. If she finds Tihon—"
"When she finds it," Han interrupted, tossing a fish bone onto the platter.
"She's got the Finalizer sniffing every corner of the galaxy. She won't stop until she finds you," Luke added.
Ben balled his hands into fists. "I know what's out there. Anakin and Yoda have been talking to me. They've warned me about Vari and Snoke. Padme and Obi-Wan have done the same with Rey. I didn't come here to hide forever. I came here to find something else." He glanced at Rey, his expression softening. "I did."
Rey looked at her husband while crossing her left ankle over her right one. She shifted closer, her shoulder brushing his.
"Tell them, Ben," Rey insisted. "They need to know how we got here."
Ben exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell his father, his uncle, and the Wookie what happened after the temple disaster. He decided it wasn't worth the trouble to keep from them. He breathed deeply to release the tension from his body.
"It started after the temple. I never turned. I couldn't," Ben said. He glanced at his uncle, a shadow of old pain crossing his face. "You thought I would. I saw it in your eyes that night. You were standing over me with your saber ignited, but I didn't fight you. I ran."
"I failed you, Ben. I know that," Luke replied, looking away.
Ben waved him off. "I used an old starship to search for a place to live in exile. I ended up on Tihon. It felt right due to the isolation and the way the planet hums with the Force. I built this hut and started over. After eighteen months, I woke up when I sensed a strange presence here."
Ben looked at Rey, feeling uncertain about continuing. She smiled softly, giving him an encouraging nod to go on.
"I thought I saw her sitting there," Ben said, gesturing toward a chair across from the bed. "It freaked me out. I felt her through the Force. It was strong and raw. It was like a storm I couldn't pin down."
"I was on Jakku then," Rey commented. "I was scavenging in an old Imperial walker. I'd climbed inside to sleep. Suddenly, I felt him. It was like a pull I couldn't explain. I saw him sitting up in his bed. He was looking right at me. I thought I'd gone mad from the heat."
"I went mad from the Tatooine heat occasionally myself," Luke admitted. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"The craziest thing about deserts is they can make you see mirages, especially of water. Imagine thinking you will jump into water to cool off and hit a bunch of sand instead," Han added.
Ben chuckled. "We started talking across light-years through the Force. We introduced ourselves to each other and spoke of our pasts. I'd ask her about Jakku, the wrecks she scavenged. She'd ask me about Tihon, the jungle, and the ocean. It was… strange, but it felt real."
"A dyad," Luke murmured, his eyes widening with realization. "Two that are one in the Force. I've heard of it, but I had never seen it."
"Neither had we," Ben said. "However, it kept happening—hours stretching into days. I'd see her fighting off raiders. She'd see me fishing with Marcus. We figured it out together little by little. She was Force-sensitive, raw and untrained. I—" He shuddered somewhat reluctantly. "I wasn't my father's son or my uncle's apprentice anymore. I was just Ben, and I wanted to help her."
Rey squeezed his hand. "He came for me. He showed up on Jakku in his shuttle, all awkward and brooding. He scared off two scavengers who had been harassing me with his lightsaber. He said he could teach me and that I didn't have to scrape by alone anymore."
"I wasn't brooding," Ben muttered, a small smirk crossing his lips.
"You were," Rey teased, nudging him with her elbow. "I said yes. Before we left, Unkar showed up. He demanded to know where he was taking me. Ben said he was taking me far away where I'd be safe and that he vowed to protect me with his life if anyone came for me. He ignited his lightsaber and pointed it at him. Unkar freaked out and backed away. He brought me here. He trained me. We built this life together. We married and started a family. Tihon's been our sanctuary."
Han leaned back, crossing his arms. "That's a hell of a story, kid, but sanctuaries don't hold up against Star Destroyers."
Chewie growled sympathetically yet urgently. "War's close. We can't ignore it at all."
"I'm not ignoring it," Ben snapped. He blinked twice while swallowing hard. "I feel them—Vari, Snoke, and the First Order. I know they're coming, but I've spent years running from that fight. I built something better. I can't just walk away from it now."
"We're not defenseless, Han" Rey pointed out. "Ben's trained me. We're stronger together. If they come, we'll face them. This is our home—our child's home."
Luke looked at the duo closely. He found them unreadable. "You've found balance here, Ben. It is more than I ever gave you, but the Force doesn't let us choose our battles. If Vari finds you, she won't stop until you're captured or dead."
"I know," Ben hissed. "I've felt her—cold, relentless. She's what I could've become."
Phoenix let out a low caw while shifting on his perch. Han rubbed his jaw as he glanced at Luke. He shifted his attention back to Ben, his head tilting somewhat.
"So, what's the play, kid?" Han asked as he leaned forward and cleared his throat. He suppressed a yawn. "Are you going sit here and wait for her or come with us and hit back?"
"I don't know," Ben admitted with a heavy sigh. "I need time to think and to talk with Rey. This isn't just my decision."
Rey nodded in agreement. "We'll figure it out together, but we're not running blind, not tonight."
Luke offered an approving smile. "That's fair. Take the night. We'll stay and help you shore up what we can."
Chewie rumbled in agreement while reaching for another fish. He proceeded to pick it apart. He put a piece in his mouth and proceeded to chew. Han emitted a soft snort.
"Fine," Han said, holding up his hands. "However, don't take too long, your highness. Trouble's got a way of showing up uninvited."
"It also hits when you least expect it," Luke added.
"Like when Vari hit the humanitarian mission on Oliss," Han pointed out while raising an eyebrow.
"Exactly," Luke agreed, his eyebrows raising.
"What happened there?" Rey wondered with much curiosity.
"It was the first time I encountered Vari in four-and-a-half years. Her face was twisted with anger and rage. I sensed the darkness in her was much worse than it ever was in Ben. She actually looked like she was about to shoot fire from her eyes," Luke explained.
"Yikes," Rey said, her body shaking somewhat.
"I did take Rey to Dagobah as part of her training. She was to go into the Cave of Evil. She encountered an apparition of Vari, who told her everyone had their dark sides. She demanded she join her. Rey told her she never would. She passed the test," Ben said.
"That is impressive," Luke said in amazement. "I failed in my first venture into that cave."
"Ben told me about that," Rey responded.
"It was not a good moment for me. I realized I could become Vader if I didn't keep my anger in check after I beheaded an apparition of him," Luke commented. "I learned a lot after that. One thing is clear. The future is always in motion. It is impossible to see clearly."
Ben inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. The wind started to pick up a bit more. It was as if Tihon sensed what was coming.