Skywalker Rises

Dangerous Men

Rey wasn't aware of how much she had missed Finn and Poe until the Falcon settled beside the Razor Crest and they stepped out. She flung herself at both of them, hugging each around the neck and laughing.

The Mandalorian was out of his ship in a flash, weapon held in what appeared to be a casual grip. It was deceptive. He would engage faster than she could blink. She extended a hand to him to stop his advance.

And of course, at this opportune moment, Ben decided to finally show up. He stood with his arms crossed, observing the hug-o-rama with a passive expression.

Finn and Poe stepped back from her. Poe faced off with the Mandalorian, and Finn faced off with Ben. Rey stood in the center, hands outstretched.

"Bounty hunter," growled Poe, weapon drawn.

At the same time, Finn pointed and yelled, "Kylo Ren!"

Rey threw up her hands, more annoyed than concerned. Little Yoda stepped out of the Razor Crest, took one look at the scene, and flung his tiny arms wide. All four men landed flat on their asses and skidded a few feet, ghost and humans alike.

"Stop," he said.

None of them moved. Little Yoda walked up to Rey and reached for her hand. She leaned down and took it, trying very hard not to smile.

"It's OK," said Rey, squeezing his hand. "They'll be nice now. And if they don't, you are free to toss them back down."

Little Yoda released his hold on them, and the four got to their feet. Poe and the Mandalorian were looking at Finn. Poe squinted at him, and shook his head.

"Did he say Kylo Ren?" said the Mandalorian.

Little Yoda rejoined his father.

Rey turned to Poe and the Mandalorian. "Ben Solo is here. He's a Force Ghost. Finn can see him, and so can the little one. You can't, because you don't have use of the Force."

"How many of these ghosts are there?" said Poe, looking skeptically behind Finn's head in the wrong direction.

"Just one," said Rey. "There are others, but only Ben is here now. And I'm sorry, but I really need to speak with him. So if you'll all excuse me, this has been exciting. Mando, Finn and Poe are Resistance Generals. Guys, the Mandalorian and his son are my friends, and welcome allies. I'd appreciate it if you all didn't try to kill each other. If you do." She shrugged and motioned to Little Yoda.

Little Yoda beamed at her, and she nodded in approval. He would make a great Jedi, though he tended to be a bit heavy handed at times.

Ben turned and walked away, and Rey hurried to catch up. Finn frowned at her when she walked by, but she ignored him. He mumbled something about dangerous men. Now wasn't the time to try to foster a relationship between Finn and Ben. Later. Maybe.

"I'm glad he didn't decide to Force Choke the lot of us," said Ben.

Rey grinned at him. "That was well done. He neutralized all of you before you could make any mistakes."

"Preemptive action will get him into trouble more often than it will stop it."

"Perhaps. He'll have to learn as he ages. He is young."

"He's powerful. And violently inclined."

"I suppose you would know about what it's like to be violently inclined and young."

Ben snorted. "Ask Luke sometime about young Ben Solo. He has plenty of stories. Just do it when I'm not around."

"I'm glad to see you like this," said Rey.

"Like this?"

"Oh. Yes. I'm glad to see you well." That sounded wrong. And weird. And it was just asking for a follow up, which of course he took advantage of.

"Well? What do you mean."

Her cheeks flushed. "I was just worried about you. That's all."

I was worried you had somehow figured out how to raise yourself from the dead using the dark side and resumed your Kylo Ren persona. Best left unsaid.

"Rey," he said, and stopped walking.

She faced him, studying his gloriously unscarred face. He was still her Ben. "It's nothing."

"It's something. Whatever it is won't kill me."

"That's not even funny."

"It was sort of funny. I have other dead jokes. Do you want to hear them?"

"I just," she stopped, fishing around to find a way to say what had happened that wasn't too embarrassing.

I've been fantasizing about your alter ego in my sleep? Probably not.

"Remember how we used to be able to be in the same place with the bond? Something like that happened. But it wasn't right. You were your old self. It was just a weird dream."

"How many times?"

"Twice."

His face was blank, and he had gone still again. "I see. Not something to worry about. With all you've been through, I'm surprised you don't have stranger dreams than that."

"I guess."

"Show me some lightning," he said, graciously changing the subject.

Rey glanced back at the men, still standing apart but apparently having a civil conversation. "We should move farther away." She started walking north, away from the Caretakers and her friends

"That bad?"

"That bad. It just scatters. Last time I tried I almost fried some Porgs."

"They probably taste good fried."

"That's awful. Really awful. They are smarter than they look."

"They're birds. Birds are stupid. And tasty."

"They're nothing like seagulls. Those are stupid. The Porgs have families."

"Having a family didn't keep me from being stupid." He grimaced. "Sorry. I know that's a sore spot. If the universe was fair at all, our family situations would have been reversed. Palpatine's grandchild should have gone full evil, and the person raised by the adoring Leia and Han should have ended up saving the day."

Rey didn't want to talk about any of that. She had given up on self-pity ages ago. She raised her hands, closed her eyes, and concentrated. When she opened them, bright bursts of lightning zipped out of her outstretched palms. Ben yelped, and she turned to him.

He rubbed his arm. The cloth of his shirt, his not-at-all tangible shirt, was smoldering.

"Huh," he said, eyeing her. "I'll back up next time, too. I see what Luke meant. You have no control at all."

"Great," she grumbled.

"It's OK. We'll fix it. I promise."