Sulit [ Ben Solo ]

VIII.

CHAPTER EIGHT
[ the lost jedi! ]

Aboard the Millennium Falcon, Asteria Rhyos waited to arrive at the island where Luke Skywalker supposedly stayed. Rey had wanted her to come, and so had Leia, so she told her when they arrived back at the base. Both women wanted her to see her old friend again.

They hadn't seen anyone else but Leia. She didn't see her friends, or the pilot. Instead she got on the Falcon and pulled Rey and Chewie with her. She didn't want to see anyone. She just wanted to go.

Her hands shook. They always had, a fatal flaw for a Jedi, but it was noticeable now. She had to steady her hand on the back of the pilot's chair where Rey sat, the one with the horrible wound that was cleaned and wrapped, and the co-pilot's chair where Chewie sat. She felt like she was being slowly undone.

The island came into view, and her brows furrowed. This is where Luke came? She supposed it wasn't surprising, after what he did. She'd told no one what Ben had told her, and she would tell no one. At least until she spoke to Luke about it.

Rey landed the ship, and only she and Asteria got off. Asteria first, and Rey following close behind. Neither spoke a word. Asteria was too wrapped up in her own thoughts and Rey could see it. They did not speak. Not of Luke, or Han, or Kylo Ren, or the lightsaber Rey stored inside her bag— the one that belonged to Luke.

They climbed what seemed to be a thousand steps to reach the top of the hill where she knew he would be. She could feel him, though it was strained. She wondered if he felt her, or if he was too cut off from the Force.

When they reached the top, she could see him. They froze, and he turned to see who was there. His face was hidden by the hood on the cloak he wore. Rey, standing beside her, held out the lightsaber to him. He pulled the hood down away from his face.

He was older, like Han and Leia. It almost surprised her. She didn't know what she expected.

"Luke," she said, her voice hoarse. She felt on the verge of tears again.

"Asteria," he replied. He couldn't believe it. Both that somebody found him and that that somebody was her.

Their eyes were locked, emotions swirling between them. Rey stepped in between them, still holding out the lightsaber. He didn't move, so she went to him. He took the saber from her, inspected it, and threw it over his shoulder off the small cliff.

He walked past Rey to Asteria and stood in front of her. "Asteria."

"Luke," she murmured, the only thing she could think to say. Then, "Han. . ."

"What?" He didn't know. She told him what and how it happened, trying not to cry, though the tears gathered.

"I was there." A tear finally rolled down her cheek. "I was too far away to stop it."