Star Wars VIII: Stand of the Republic

05: A Closed Door

Luke extended his living hand, and the lightsaber in Rey's grip pulled away from her, floating gently across the distance between them to hover over Luke's palm.

"I haven't seen this in years," Luke said while staring intensely at the weapon. His gaze returned to Rey. "I assume there's a reason for your bringing this to me."

"The Republic is under attack by the First Order," Rey explained. "Leia sent me to find you and bring you back."

"No," Luke denied. "I've fought my wars. Thank you for returning my lightsaber. You can go now."

Luke clipped the lightsaber to his belt and walked past Rey, entering one of the stone buildings and closing the battered metal door behind him with a thud.

Rey stood rooted in place, staring blankly at the door and wondering what had just happened. Stepping over to the door, she knocked with the end of her staff, creating ringing echoes of metal but no response from Luke.

"Excuse me," Rey called loudly in an attempt to be heard through the door. "I need to talk to you."

"You're wasting your time," Luke's voice returned in a weary manner. "Leave."

A pile of stone resided nearby, remnants of a wall that was never finished, and Rey used them for a barely comfortable chair. Practicing the techniques she'd learned from Sentis, Rey closed her eyes and breathed deeply and evenly, concentrating on each breath as it came and went. As her mind focused, her unease because of Luke's refusal to help began to lessen. She still didn't know what she was going to do, but the stress of not knowing faded to the back of her mind.

A clap of thunder ripped across the sky, starling her with the sudden burst of noise. Gray clouds had been forming during the hours she'd been waiting, and they rolled toward the island in dark waves. Leaving her spot, she reached over to knock on the door of Luke's dwelling again, but before her hand even touched the metal, his voice sounded from within.

"I told you to leave!" Luke bellowed.

Rey hesitated. Drops of rain began to fall, cold and chilling her to the bone. She was shivering in seconds. Moving away from Luke's door, she tried the other buildings, but all of them were secured in some manner. She looked down the path leading to the Falcon. The rain was increasing, as was the wind, promising to make the climb down a dangerous one.

Frustration began to build, pushing aside whatever focus and tranquility she'd managed to gather. After everything she'd gone through, nearly getting killed several times, Rey refused to be dismissed so easily. She grabbed the primitive door handle, stumbling inside when the unexpectedly unlocked door opened instantly and let her in.

Luke sat on the floor in a cross-legged position, watching her without expression.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to try the door," Luke remarked.

Rey's earlier frustration turned to confusion. "What's going on?"

"When I first began training as a Jedi," Luke explained, "my master tested my patience to see how I would respond to training, so I decided to test yours. Deep commitment and seriousness of mind are required to become a Jedi, and I had to see what you have."

He held out a hand toward her while closing his eyes. The water soaking her clothes became weightless, pulling out of the fabric and collecting together in a hovering sphere of liquid. Rey looked at her own reflection in the floating water before it drifted out the door and vanished into the rain. The door swung shut, apparently on its own.

"Have a seat," Luke instructed, opening his eyes and gesturing to the floor in front of where he was sitting. She hesitated, her brow furrowed as she continued looking toward the closed door for a moment before turning to facing Luke.

"I'm not here to become a Jedi," Rey disputed as she sat down across from him. "I'm here to bring you back with me. The First Order is advancing, and the Republic needs your help against them."

"One man against how many?" Luke questioned. "Even the Jedi have their limits. The fact they've nearly been wiped out on multiple occasions throughout history should prove that."

"I know you didn't just come here to die, otherwise you wouldn't have left a map so we could find you again," Rey pointed out. She shook her head. "I don't know how much you can do, but I do know you can do something."

Rey reached into her bag and pulled out the Jedi holocron.

"One of the things you can do is open this for me," Rey told him. "My father left it for me. It takes someone with the Force to release the locks, and Leia couldn't help."

"Jedi holocrons are very old," Luke replied, looking over the pyramid shaped device in her hands. "It's interesting your father would have one. Where is he now?"

"I don't know," Rey admitted. "I was told he left a message inside this. Even if you decide not to come back, could you at least open this so I can hear what my father recorded for me?"

"No," Luke denied.

Rey's shoulders slumped, her fingers tightening around the sealed holocron hiding her father's message.

"I will not open it for you," Luke went on. "I will teach you about the Force, and you will open it yourself."

"You taught Leia," Rey reminded. "She couldn't open it because she said it takes a measure of skill. What makes you think I'll be able to succeed?"

"Your father left it for you," Luke answered. "It seems unlikely he'd leave you a message in a manner impossible for you to read. Ultimately, there is only one way to know for certain. Learn the ways of the Force and see for yourself."

"If I learn this Force stuff, will you come back with me?" Rey persisted.

"I cannot leave this place," Luke stated. "Not yet."

"Why?" Rey queried.

"As you learn the Force, my motives will become clear," Luke promised. "For now, trust that I have my reasons. Your training begins now."