Star Wars: The Rise of Ren ✓

Chapter 5 - First Contact

Playlist:

❶ "The Old Death Star"—The Rise of Skywalker OST

❷ "Anthem of Evil"—The Rise of Skywalker OST

❶ A week after the Jedi Masters had left on their honeymoon, Ben refused to cooperate again. Jedi Knight Kalder Flo'et crossed his arms and shifted his weight backward. "Pick it up."

Ben tilted his head up, clenched his teeth, and furrowed his brows. "Make me."

The boy scrutinized the Jedi, watching for one hint of indication. He even tested with the Force to evaluate Kalder's emotions. Unlike the tranquility he felt with Master Luke all the time, Ben felt Kalder's anger boiling under the surface. Ben could not prevent a smirk from gracing his lips. Finally. Not so great after all, Jedi. I can't believe they left you in charge.

Ben's thoughts festered in his head. He had not mastered even the basics of mindspeech yet. He had struggled with the concept for weeks, afraid to let down his psychic walls and let people see the real him. If they really knew what I am ... I don't even like what I am. They'd exile me ... or worse.

Jedi Kalder paced around the young Padawan who stood at the front of the room. The Jedi settled his hands on his hips when he had circled three-quarters around the boy. He nodded at the books, keeping his eyebrows raised and his eyes narrowed.

Ben shook his head and sneered at the man before turning on him and running out of the room.

Kalder reached out with Force to grab the boy, but the Jedi dropped his head in resignation as he looked at the rest of the Padawan observing his actions.

❷ As the darkness pulled at him, Ben ran out of the lodge. He had no plan. He just had to run. If I run hard enough, fast enough, far enough, maybe it will leave me. A few more paces. I don't want to be exiled.

After a few clicks, the terrain dipped downward into a glade. Ben raced into the shade of the kedari trees, inhaling the evergreen fragrance and letting the Force fill him. The trees stretched to the sky hundreds of meters high, blocking the waning afternoon sunlight. The darkness of the glade opened the darkness in his soul.

A figure loomed in that darkness. The petite figure stood with her hands held out to him. Her voice echoed through the glade. "Why, Ben? Why? How could you do this?"

The figure in white turned around in the glade and motioned to the bodies strewn around him.

Ben covered his eyes with his hands. "I didn't do this."

"Yes, yes, you did. Look. Is this what you want? Do you want to kill me, too?"

"No, Mother. No. I want to come home. I promise I'll be good."

"I don't deal with murderers."

Ben collapsed to the ground in the grove of trees, the damp loam staining his gray trousers. I don't want this!

As he caught his breath, tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his face while the loneliness assaulted him. He pulled in the Force around him—more than he had ever done in a training exercise—and sent this thought out into space, "Lord Vader! Lord Vader! Please come to me. It's me—Ben."

It's no good. I'm not even good at being bad.

"Use the Force."

Ben looked around, searching for the source of the deep, raspy voice.

"Grandfather! It's Ben. It's the Chosen One."

And then he heard the voice, deep, filtered by a breathing unit with mechanical respirations. "Ben, I am your master, Vader."

"Lord Vader, get me out of here. I don't want to do this."

"No, it's too late for you. It is what you are. Nothing can change that now. You must finish what I started."

"But nobody likes me here, not even Uncle Luke."

"You are the hope of the galaxy. The Chosen One does not whine."

"Can't we start this now?"

"Patience. The time will come soon enough."

"I'm tired of waiting." Ben jumped up to leave but froze in his tracks. "Let go of me."

"No. You can't even defend yourself against me. How do you expect to conquer  Jedi Masters? You have not even constructed a lightsaber yet. Foolish boy."

Ben was silent. He knew he was not strong enough to take on his uncle or his aunt—and definitely not both of them together.

"Ben, if this plan is going to work, they cannot suspect what you really are. Lie until you believe your own lies, but convince them. Soon, we will destroy the Jedi once and for all."

The control over Ben's body relaxed, sending him to the ground again. I'm trapped in the academy. I'm trapped. I wish ... "Mother, hear me! Help me, Mother!"

As he sent the thought out through the galaxy with as much Force as he could gather, he felt a brief connection. He collapsed in tears and exhaustion when he felt it break off.

Did you know . . .

● None of the second scene was what it appeared to be. I know I made a few readers extremely mad about how Leia was portrayed. Relax, it wasn't Leia. 

● While this is a serious scene, I hope you caught my little joke in the middle of it all.

Tell me what you think . . .

● Who is seducing Ben?

● If he had made contact with Leia, what would have happened?

● Is there any hope for Ben?