Force from the Other Side

Chapter Fifteen

Rey found Ben watching the comings and going of people on the base. "Jedi knight Solo. Might I have a word?"

"Of course Rey. There is no need to be formal. you and I are equals. Sort of. I think there's things you and I both still have to learn about the force."

"Your humbleness is becoming of a jedi. I requested my father that he could teach me to be a jedi like him. I want to be like him and my mother. But they refused. Because I'm their daughter and that's what they want me to be. I feel as though... I am asking a great deal of you now but... I have to better. I will be better. Might you train me to be a jedi. The new jedi way. I'm excellent at combat and certain techniques... as a sith would be... My mother became my father's padawan after she decided to follow the light path. I need someone to show me the light side too."

"Of course" he smiled

"Wait.. Really?"

"Yeah" he beamed.

"Well thank you Jed Knight Solo."

"Ben is fine. We're cousins after all."

"Ben." uttered Rey, feeling awkward.

"Alright! You! Miss Sith Girl. Medical time!" a voice said behind them. "Okay. I get it, i'm a pain in the ass but I'm the only doctor in this place that isn't scared of you. You need me to tend to you. For a period of days. Whether you like it or not." Alistair said to Rey.

Rey turned to Ben. "Must I continued to communicate with this idiot?"

"Rule one of being a jedi. You're not always more knowledgeable than everyone else and it's smarter to let someone with more knowledge than you help you. This is one of those cases. You must trust that you need medical attention if he says so."

"Very well then Doctor....Whatever you name is." Rey replied.

"You ask for his name. it's polite."

"That's social skills. You're teaching me social skills."

"Jedis must have social skills."

Rey sighed. "What is your name doctor person."

"Alistair. You'd know if you were listening. Alistair Whishaw."

"Doctor Whishaw. I'll stop by your medical centre. I have duties to take care of. We are setting up a library here until the new academy is built."

"The library can wait." Ben said.

"Yes Jedi Knight....i mean cousin...This is confusing." Rey responded.

*

Rey was putting her shirt back on when Amethyst came into the room, carrying boxes. "Oh. Hello. How are you? Are you still in pain?" Amethyst asked.

"Nothing that isn't bearable. Nothing I don't deserve. Are you in need of me for anything?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"My services are always available."

"Ben told me you're his sort of cousin padawan...that's pretty cool. You will need a new lightsaber though."

"Oh. No I don't."

"Yes you do. All Jedi have one. You get to design it and everything. I was there when Ben found his crystal. He even let me swing it, he helped with that but you know. Did you get to make your own or was it handed to you?"

"Handed."

"Makes sense. Red crystals are synthetic. Not natural."

"You were with him through the whole thing?"

"More or less. From flirting and treating his injuries, to marrying him and treating his injuries." Amethyst laughed.

"The last time I had a lightsaber... I did bad things. Mostly to bad people and then I hurt Ben. He wasn't bad people. They were all bad things. I'm scared picking up a weapon again will.... turn me back into her."

"It won't. You want to be good so you will be. I think purple would really suit you. Just like your mum."

"Well I would like to be more like her. She's very.... amazing."

"Would you not condemn her for the things she did?"

"No." Rey said after thinking about it. "The emperor raised her to be what she was. She knew nothing else..."

"You're a lot like your mother. Your mother almost killed your father. They got into a serious battle. He almost lost his arm. Luckily he got patched up okay."

"I saw the battle they had." Rey said. "When I picked out my father's lightsaber.... his blue one... I saw a lot. I saw how he treated Ben like his son. I saw them taking care of me when I was a baby. I saw how much they loved and cared about their family, about me. I saw the struggle my mother went through."

"maybe the lightsaber was trying to tell you something. What did Alistair say about your burns and your....big wound thing?"

"Such description for a nurse."

"Hey I'm tired." Amethyst replied. "you try raising two twins."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Rey bowed her head.

"It's okay." Amethyst replied. "How is everything?"

"The very annoyingly happy doctor said I've to take a gel and put it on my burns. The wound from my face to my abdomen is going to scar. He's worried about the area around my neck. He's going to keep an eye on it."

"It sounds like the 'annoyingly happy doctor' likes you." Amethyst opened the boxes and started to put things away. "Use it to your advantage. I did with Ben."

"I don't understand." Rey uttered.

"Try to." Amethyst replied.

"I am it's not being clear. Why would I need to use him to my advantage. He has nothing to offer me and he's not the only doctor in the galaxy."

"I thought you meant that you didn't understand that he likes you."

"No that's obvious." Rey responded.

"You mean you're aware that he has a crush."

"I was aware of the sexual prowess that I used to have. I used it to my advantage. I was tired of other people taking advantage of it."

"Like Jacob...." Amethyst began. "Ben told me."

"Jacob is locked up."

"I'll tell Alistair to lay off his...flirtations but he is actually doing his job getting you in here to look after you."

"I'm aware." Rey replied.

"So. Are you going to have a lightsaber crafted yet? What color you going for?"

"I think I might just wait a while. I don't feel up to physical combat just now."

"Understandable" Amethyst nodded finishing up with the boxes. "If you need me I'll be wherever."