Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Aftermath

9: Dilemmas

"Come into the light!" the mother of the boy cried. she reached out for her son and he hopped down from the large rock to hide behind her legs. She spread her arms in defence as Rey came out of the shadows, followed by Jacen and then Amaliea. "We mean you no harm," she called to her. The mother scrunched her eyebrows together. "You.. you are a Jedi," she said, and Rey was greatly surprised to hear the anger in her voice, as well as how she expressed the comment as a statement, not a question.
Amaliea shot Jacen a confused look. "How did she know?" she hissed to him. Jacen frowned and shook his head.
"Yes, I am, but I mean you no harm, ma'am," Rey repeated in a soothing voice. The mother shook her head and took a few steps backwards, as did her son. "Lalo, go inside," she said quietly. The boy shook his head. "No, mama, I want to stay," he whispered, clutching her skirts. Rey attempted to take another step forward. "Stay where you are!" the Mirialan woman shouted, and then Rey was shoved backwards by an invisible force. She hit another buildings wall and crumpled to the ground in shock. Jacen drew his lightsaber but Amaliea grabbed his arm. "No! We must show her we aren't a threat!" she pulled him back. Jacen lowered the blade slowly. Amaliea rushed to Rey's side and pulled her to her feet. "Are you okay?" she asked urgently. Rey clutched her stomach and nodded silently, leaning against the other girl. Amaliea put an arm around her and walked up to join Jacen. The mothers hands were shaking, and she looked terrified.
"We just want to help," Jacen said hopelessly after a few seconds of tense silence. The little boy peeked out from behind his mother. "Lalo!" she warned. He ignored his mother and stepped out from behind her.
"My name is Lalo," the bright eyed boy said, holding out his hand boldly to shake Jacen's.
"That was a quick change of heart, bud," Jacen said suspiciously. Lalo said nothing, but continued to extend his hand to the tall Jedi. He sighed.
"My name is Jacen," he said to the child, crouching down and shaking his hand.
"Who're you?" Lalo pointed at Amaliea and Rey.
"Um.. i'm Amaliea Bridger," Amaliea replied hesitantly. Lalo looked at Rey pointedly. Still relying on Amaliea for balance, Rey lowered herself to the young boys height.
"I'm called Rey," she said with a small smile. Lalo shook his head. "And her?" he asked, pointing at Rey again.
The older one was confused for a second, then looked to where the young one was gesturing to.
"Oh.. um, her name is Beatrice," the name just came to her lips naturally. The boy seemed satisfied and took his mothers hand, pulling her forward. "Good people, mama," he insisted to his mother. "Not like him,"
Lalo's mother looked up slowly.
"Jiroe. That's my name." she said quietly. She tentatively led the three Force-users into the wooden house, sitting them down at a low table in the front room.
"My son, he, um, can sense people's true intentions. It's always been a particularly good skill of his."
Rey sighed. "Jiroe, I know you are aware that Lalo's abilities go far beyond simple skill. The Force is a very complex-"
"Don't say that word in my home!" Jiroe suddenly raised her voice. Purple eyes flashed dangerously. Amaliea, Jacen and Rey were all taken aback while Lalo barely even batted an eyelash. Clearly this happened a lot.
"Ma'am, with all due respect. The For-" he cut himself off as Jiroe shot him a look full of daggers,"-it isn't something you can just avoid. I can tell that you have been hurt by its users in the past and maybe even Jedi, but your son is very gifted, as are you." Jacen tried to reason with the older woman.
"It is no gift. It is a curse." Jiroe hissed. Amaliea stayed silent from pure disbelief. The Force was in everything, around everything. It was good. How could someone possibly hate it so ferociously? She thought. No, no, wait. The Force can be used for evil, she contradicted herself. But how could the Jedi have been involved with it? The Jedi were good, that much she knew. Or she thought she did.
Rey took a deep breath. "Jiroe, your son needs to be trained if he is to protect himself when he is older. He must harness his power. We know how to help him with that."
Jiroe hesitated for a long moment. "I'm not agreeing to anything.. but I am listening,"
——
-7 years ago-
Ahsoka sat quietly on the porch of her daughters home. Night was falling, all was well and peaceful. The lines on her face were getting deeper and more pronounced, but she was still quite agile for a Togruta of sixty-seven. Oh, how the Child would have laughed if he were there. He was only a few years younger when she had met him.
Smiling at her memories, Ahsoka let herself fall into her meditation. Oh, how the Force was wonderful. Life and creation swirling together in perfect harmony. She was proud of herself for living through Morai's commands and suggestions, while still following her own path.
"Ahsoka."
The old woman's eyes opened and she looked around for the source of the voice. It sounded an awful lot like Sameuells voice, but her husband was inside cooking with Tam and Xielle.. she could see them through the window.
"Hello?" her voice rang out into the night, it's raspiness barely even noticeable.
Slowly the form of a man with long wavy hair that fell around his shoulders faded into view. His entire body had a faint hue around it. His robes were the same as the ones she had last seen him in. Happy blue eyes smiled at her proudly.
Ahsoka frowned. "Anakin, don't you know that i've no interest in you standing there in all of your glory while i sit here, old and slowly falling to pieces?"
Anakin laughed, and Ahsoka tried to keep hold of her stern expression, but to no avail. Her face broke into a smile and she rolled her eyes at her old master.
"Ah, well, mind if I join you?" he asked her politely. Ahsoka patted the spot next to her and he sat, brushing himself off as he did. Ahsoka scrunched her face. "I always knew my lekku would grow taller than your obnoxious hair, but here we are and i'm still surprised,"
Anakin grinned at his old Padawan and glanced behind him. "Goodness, she's so big," he said, looking through the window at Xielle, Ahsoka's daughter.
"Hmm, well, considering the last time you visited was to scold me about giving birth to her on Mandalore, yes, she has gotten a bit bigger," Ahsoka raised an eyebrow at the Jedi Knight.
"Hmm, yes, she has two of her own now, doesn't she?"
"Yes, she does,"
"And how are Amaliea and Sameuell?"
Ahsoka scoffed at his attempt to change the subject. "My goddaughter has recently had her head turned by a Twi'lek girl, a healer, and Sam.. well, you know how he is," she added fondly, gazing at her husband through the window. Anakin laughed sombrely. "Ah, well, you know what i'd give to see Padmé again.. cherish your time with him, Snips,"
Ahsoka shook her head. "It'd be nice to hear from Obi-Wan or Yoda sometimes.. and Hera's always thinking about Kanan, you know.."
"Actually, the real reason I came has somewhat to do with Jacen," Anakin said. Ahsoka met her former masters eyes worriedly.
"There's a girl.. she is part of a Dyad.. with my grandson." Anakin admitted. Ahsoka clapped her hands excitedly. "Yes! Soulmates! How romantic, honestly," she exclaimed. Then she stopped short, realizing. "Ah.. she is going to turn poor Ben back to the Light, i hope..?"
"Unfortunately.. he will probably die," Anakin sighed. Ahsoka scoffed. "Why must one always perish when turning back from the Dark Side?" she complained.
Anakin held a hand up. "The point is that she is going to need help. As will Ben's daughter."
Ahsoka's eyes widened. "A child produced by a Dyad.. incredible," she said, mostly to herself.
"This child will be possibly stronger than even I, Ahsoka. You must do what you can to protect it."
"What does Jacen have to do with it?" Ahsoka asked.
"Mention to him the idea of beginning a new Jedi Order. Tell him to go to Tattooine when the time is right. He will seal the fate of Rey and Beatrice Hana Xae Solo."
"That's an unnecessary long name," Ahsoka said skeptically, scrunching her face again.
"The author thought it sounded cool."

Yes i added the Ahsoka flashback part for no reason other than i missed her.