Star Wars: Fall of an Empire - Part II

VI - Rey

Rey's X-Wing entered the atmosphere of Ahch-To. She felt nostalgia visiting this place, but at the same time sorrow. She was a different person to the hopeful girl that came to seek the last Jedi master back then. She was less confident and sure of herself now, but at the same time more powerful and hardened by the battles she had fought.

As she approached the Temple Island she felt Leia's presence. She landed her X-Wing and walked up the steps of the Jedi temple to find her.

"You finally came," Leia said at the entrance of the Temple as if expecting her.

As Rey came near her, Leia hugged her and then touched her face. She forced a smile in her pained face, but Rey couldn't return it.

"You must have heard that the Core Worlds are ours," Rey said leaving her embrace.

Leia nodded. "I also heard that you joined forces with Hux's New Order."

"You sound disappointed," Rey said accusatory. "Have you being in contact with your son?"

"He wants peace."

"Of course he does now that he is on the back-foot."

"Don't think it's that easy to win this war, because you won a few battles in a row."

Rey looked away annoyed. "How can you trust him after all that he's done?"

"What about you Rey?" Leia asked. "You train with Vicrul. You make a deal with Hux. You have no qualms to destroy a whole planet. And you seem to have abandoned your Jedi training."

"The Jedi are long gone," she said looking at the light coming from the balcony of the temple. She remembered Luke meditating up there.

"I won't tell you the dark side won't give you what you want, Rey. Of course it will," Leia said. "In fact it is the quickest way to get what you desire. But it comes with a price."

"I'm willing to pay any price, if it means winning this war."

"I was the same Rey," Leia said sadly. "You cheat yourself when you seek the easy path. You have to be patient and open yourself to the light."

"I can carry both light and dark inside me. I'm stronger than you think."

Rey moved slowly towards Leia. Leia looked at the girl who she barely recognised anymore. The war had treated her badly. Her eyes were cold and made Leia want to run away in terror.

"Why did you come here?" Leia asked.

Rey gave no response and lowered her eyes. Leia could feel she had a good heart, but she wanted too much. And this drove all the light away for her and let darkness in. She failed to see it in her son even though the darkness was inside him from his youth. The lies we tell ourselves to keep us from an inconvenient truth will always come to haunt us, she thought.

"Rey," Leia said her voice low and pleading. "This path you're walking down will only lead to misery."

Rey looked at her insulted. "I'm not like your son."

Leia felt hopeless, knowing there was nothing she could say or do. She suddenly felt her son reach out to her. He was close by and coming to her. She felt the warmth of his heart. Her eyes teared as she saw there was good in him. The old hurt was still there inside him and the pain from his actions, but also the will to make whatever remained of his life better.

"He is coming here," Rey said in realisation sensing Leia's bond with Ben. "This was a trap all along."

Rey felt a kinship with Leia, but there was no way she would choose her over her son. Even after what he did. They were royalty and saw her as a nobody. As someone that had to be discarded. Like her parents and everyone else in her life.

Rey's face was hard and cold as she moved towards Leia with murder in her mind. Her eyes were looking at Leia and yet at the same time were distant. As if she wasn't seeing who was in front of her, but plainly looking. Curtained by the darkness that clouded her heart.

Leia felt the presence of her son once more. She felt Luke and the Force around her. She let her body become a vessel of it as Luke had taught her. She called on the Force to do her bidding and as she raised her hand pushed Rey away.

Rey's face was angry and the pupils of her eyes were shining red. She got up from the ground and felt insulted. She run towards Leia, not wanting to give her another chance to fight back.

She didn't want to second guess herself or listen to Leia's words anymore. She didn't want to think any more. She let the dark side of the Force consume her. The darkness gave her certainty of what she had to do. It gave her focus and a clear purpose.

As she reached her Leia didn't seem to want to fight back. She stood and looked peaceful at Rey as she reached out one last time to her son. Leia was frightened, but the presence of her son calmed her. It was as if he was there with her. As if he was holding her.

Rey took her lightsaber from her belt lifted it and in one swift motion ignited it and brought it down.