Luke and Leia - Rebels [2]

27: Beckoning and Betrayal

The bright lights of the X-Wing guided Luke's way as he hastily placed boxes inside of it, glancing up as Artoo waddled into his cubbyhole. His jaw ticked to the side, hesitant, before he turned to grab another one.

"Luke!" Came a gruff voice behind him. Luke kept loading frantically. "You must complete the training!"

The young Jedi in training turned to Yoda, begging him to understand. "I can't keep the visions out of my head; they're my best friend and my sister, I've got to help them!"

Yoda was adamant. "You must not go!"

"But Han and Leia will die if I don't!"

"You don't know that." Luke's gaze diverted from Yoda to where Ben materialized next to him, a blue shadow. "Even Yoda cannot see their fate."

"But I can help them!" Luke protested. "I feel the Force."

Ben raised his brows. "But you cannot control it." He declared softly. "This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the Dark Side of the Force."

"Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen. The cave; remember your failure at the cave!" Yoda took his own turn pleading with the boy to stay, but Luke was adamant.

"But I've learned so much since then." Luke stared at Yoda a moment, then turned to grab his last box. "Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun, you have my word."

Ben looked on at the boy loading his things worriedly. "It is you and your abilities the Emperor wants, that is why your friends are made to suffer."

Luke finished loading with a small grunt and turned back to face the ghost, a look of determination in his eyes that was reignited by Ben's reminder that this was all his fault. "And that is why I have to go."

"Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Emperor the way I lost Vader." Ben stated quietly, and if Luke didn't know better he'd believe he actually detected remorse in the man's tone.

"Stopped, they must be." Yoda continued. "On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor." He took a small breath, casting Luke a stare that seemed to have a much deeper meaning than Luke could understand. "If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did, then you will become an agent of evil."

Ben nodded. "Patience." He ordered calmly to the boy.

Luke sighed, becoming agitated. Every second he wasted here was a second his companions were tortured because of him. "And sacrifice Han and Leia?"

"If you honor what they fight for... Yes." Yoda declared boldly, causing Luke to hesitate for a slight moment. But he shook himself and grabbed his helmet, his grip firm and resolute. He understood where the two Jedi were coming from, but his friend and sister came first. Especially when they were being used as motivation for Luke himself.

"If you choose to face Vader," Ben began, finally admitting defeat. "You will do it alone. I cannot interfere."

Luke paused again as Ben's words resonated within him, it dawning on him for the first time that he would be going into chaos completely alone. Before he'd had Han and Leia and others with him, but this time he had no one but himself. He chewed on his lip a moment, willing fear to stop clawing at his stomach, before responding.

"I understand." Luke replied softly, looking up at Artoo. "Artoo, fire up the converters."

The droid let out a happy beep and complied. The two Jedi watched as Luke hoisted himself into his cockpit. "Luke, don't give into hate. That leads to the dark side." Ben declared, quickly giving the boy any advice that he could think of.