Star Wars- In another Life.

Chapter 19- The Return of Luke Skywalker

"Connected you?" Luke raised an eyebrow with interest at Kylo's revelation.

"Yes, I've seen her from the moment she was born," Kylo admitted.

"Her whole life?" Luke's interest transformed into exasperated vexation, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Astounded, Kylo's eyes went wide, "Really? We're going to talk about who should've told who what?"

The air around the group turned from frozen particles to boiling hostility in the blink of a moment, and Poe took a step back, feeling as though, any minute, there might be an eruption or explosion one he did not wish to be caught in the crossfire of.

"We were going to tell you, Ben!" Luke urged. He looked sincere but old, tired, and unwilling to engage in this conversation. He hung his head before taking a breath and looking up at his nephew. "We failed you. I failed you. I'm sorry."

"I'm sure you are!" Kylo barked. "I'm not here to appease your guilt or accept your apology. I'm not here for your forgiveness or for you to save my soul. I'm here for her." Kylo pointed at Rey. His body shook with suppressed fervency, but his feet remained firmly planted to the spot where he stood as he now beseeched his Uncle's involvement. "We need your help. She's strong with the Force. She can do things, on instinct with no training, things only those with the dark can do."

Luke stepped backwards, shaking his head, rejecting his nephew's pleas.
"I can't help you. I will never train another generation of Jedi. I came here to die." 

Luke turned away from them, but Kylo stepped angrily forward, grasping Luke by his shoulder and spinning him around so their faces were barely a metre apart. Managing not to shout, his words were earnest, and his tone weighted with resolve.

"You told me it was the destiny of a Jedi to face their fears. Do you think you only have to do that once? It is a lifelong battle. Seeing her isn't the only thing I kept from you. I heard more than just Snoke; he's just a pawn for something worse, and you know it. The Galaxy needs you; she needs you. The Force isn't done with you yet. Put aside your pride re-open yourself to the Force. We'll be waiting here when you do." Kylo swallowed, breathing hard as his eyes bored into his old master's, willing his acceptance before he turned on his heel and strode back out the way he'd come to where Lando and his treadable hopefully awaited.

Luke lurched forward, appearing lost and wounded, as though the air had been knocked from his chest. Poe, Rey and Chewie exchanged perplexed glances before awkwardly taking their leave of Skywalker and following Kylo back out of the cave home. Luke did not see them leave; though his eyes were open in their direction, he was lost in everything his nephew had said. The truth of it stung, and he fell to his knees. Was his nephew correct? Had he unwittingly abandoned the Galaxy because of his hubris? His legendary status had been tainted by failure. Had he cared so much about it?

Out of the tunnel, back in the bright sun, Rey turned to Kylo. His body was tense but motionless, staring at the sky. He was seething; she could feel it spewing from him, tainting the air about his person, hate, anger and unease, yet somehow he stood composed.

"Will he re-open himself?" she asked him.

"I don't know," Kylo responded, his words clipped, "we'll feel it if he does."

"Lando, where's good to eat around here?" Poe asked, trying to avoid any more conversations involving the Force, Jedi and Snoke. Anything would be better than waiting for an undisclosed amount of time in the baking sun with a volatile Kylo Ren.

"I know just the place?" Lando answered with a smile; nothing phased him. He hadn't expected them to leave with Luke. Lando had seen Luke close himself from the Force; he'd seen the misery and remorse Luke had been overcome by, that all his friend's lives had been destroyed by. Now Han and Leia's son, Ben, who he'd considered as much his nephew as Luke had, as Chewie had, was back, the cause of all this confusion. Not the source, of course. They all knew that the boy, Ben, had only ever been an instrument for a far more sinister player. A bigger game was in the throws of being executed. Maybe now that Ben was back, he finally knew it too.