Ben Solo

XXXV

My student, I have a task for you.

Ben jerked slightly and quickly righted himself.

"What is it, Master? You startled me."

A low chuckle from his mysterious master.  Then I shall wait until both of your feet are on the ground.

Ben huffed. Master always left him to wonder.

Patience, my apprentice.

He landed at the academy and ran to tell Luke his news from Ira.  Poe and Averann were not back yet.

Luke dismissed him, and told him to go and find Mei.

He did, reluctantly and found her training with Onya, Kilya, and Aaron.

Kilya and her master were standing back, watching, as Aaron and Mei dueled with the wooden staves.

Aaron, the larger of the two twelve-year-olds, defeated Mei, tapping her side.

"Good," Ben said, making his presence known to the four in the room.

Mei turned.  She dipped her head.

"If you guard your left side equally, you will eliminate all weak points," Ben instructed his Padawan.

She nodded again in a breathless thank you.

Aaron wiped his forehead and looked at the Jedi. "Do you have any advice for me?"

Ben shook his head. "None. Except to stay lighter on your feet."

"Thank you. Kilya?"

The two padawans dueled as Ben and Mei walked over to the tall Twi'lek on the side.

"Hello, Ben," she said, smiling.

He stood next to her, and Mei took up position beside her master.

"Any notes for Mei?"

Onya shook her head. "None. Mei is a very good fighter."

"Thank you," Ben replied.

"Just like her master," she continued.

Ben grinned. "Thank you, that's coming from the second best fighter I know."

"I'm only second?" Onya asked, looking sideways at him, a grin on her face.

"Or maybe third," he joked. "Depends on where you put Averann. But Luke is definitely first."

"Fair enough. Watch the left!" she yelled to Kilya.

Kilya stopped Aaron's blade with a quick interception.

Anina entered.  "Dinner," she said shortly.

The five headed to the kitchen.  Averann and Poe weren't back yet, and Ben was concerned.

But, about ten minutes into the meal, both of them walked in.

Ben stood to embrace his best friend, then gave a much gentler hug to Averann.

She smiled graciously at him, then sat in a seat with a plate of food.

He looked sideways at her.  She had turned twenty nearly two weeks ago, but they hadn't celebrated.  They wouldn't celebrate his either, since Jedi had no need for birthdays other than to count how many years old they were.  Her long blonde hair brushed the backs of her legs when she walked, and shorter wisps fell into her eyes when she didn't push them back.

She caught him staring and he glanced down again, flushed.  This time he didn't try to convince his mind that it was the food.

After dinner, he washed his dish, and turned to see Averann behind him.  He took her plate.  "I'll wash this for you."

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

He turned back to the sink, his face almost as red as his hands, which were submerged in hot water.

Then he went to his room and sat down, ready for Master to tell him what he had wanted earlier.

What was this task, this mission that his master had for him?

But Master was apparently busy, as he didn't respond that night.  Ben went to sleep, his dreams haunted with fires and the deaths of friends.

The next day, he sat up, and waited for Master to speak to him.

Nothing.

Nothing before he had to go to breakfast.  After breakfast, he sent Mei to go with Poe and Anina on a patrol.

He escaped into his room with the excuse of meditating.

And for a while, he did so, centering himself.

He had just settled into a feeling of peace when Master interrupted him.

My young apprentice.

"Not so young anymore, Master.  Today is my twentieth birthday."

Ah, when you have lived as long as I have, twenty means nothing.

"What is it you were going to say to me yesterday?"

Just a minute, my student.

Ben grumbled.

Good, let in the anger.  It makes you stronger.

"What is it?" Ben asked, clenching his teeth, holding back the anger.

Do you feel the power?

Ben was about to snap at Master, when he realized he did feel power.  It was stronger than what he'd felt before.

The Dark Side.

Pulsing through his veins, making him stronger.

"Yes, Master."

Good, good.  Do you enjoy the power?

He thought.  Did he like it?  His entire life he'd been trained up to hate it.

But did he truly?

No.  This was the power his grandfather felt.

This was the power that drove the greatest army the galaxy had ever seen.

"Yes, Master."

Good.  Embrace that power.

He did.  He let it flow through himself, not caring if Luke sensed it.

Ben felt as though he could do anything, stop anything.

With that power comes a condition.

"What is the condition?"

It is similar to the Jedi way.  You must give up all of your friends, your family.  Averann.

Ben bit his lip.  Power or those he loved?

Perhaps with power, he could protect those he loved.

"I accept it."

Good.  And now we come to your task.

"What is it?"

This felt familiar.

First, do you give complete allegiance to me, above your uncle?

"Yes!" Ben said, out loud.

He was manipulating him, he knew, but he needed to know.

You must accept the task.

"Yes, Master," he said through the Force.

Here is your task.  In order to join me, you must first follow in your grandfather's footsteps.

"And what are those?"

The Jedi must be eradicated.  You must kill all within this academy.