𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | 𝘱. 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

• 𝘹𝘭 - 𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘦

Ben frowns and narrows his eyes and approaches me, taller than I remember all those years ago. Some fear rises from my gut and I begin to tremble.

"Tell me about the droid," He says, tilting his head.

I exhale and nod, cooling down momentarily.

"He's a BB unit with a selenium drive and a thermal hyperscan vindicator." I say.

He frowns even tighter, furrowing his brows low.

"Sarcasm never worked with me, dear sister. He's carrying a section of a navigational chart. We have the rest, recovered from the archives of the Empire. We just need the last piece. And, somehow, you convinced the droid to show it to you. You. A rejected Jedi Padawan with a past she can't outrun." He says.

Tears burn in my eyes as I look at him, fearful for whatever his next move may be. Where does he plan to take this? How does he plan to get this from me and how does he plan to piece it in with what they already have? He shakes his head and leans in even closer.

"You know I can take whatever I want—I've always had that power over you." He says.

He leans in, lifting his hand. Tension fills my chest and a cloud of perception overcomes me. I tremble as I fight it, turning to look away from him.

"You're so lonely, Elyse." He says. "So afraid to leave, although that's really all you want. At night, desperate to sleep, although during the day, it's all you can do not to slump over in your seat."

I tremble, my lip quivering beneath the sheer force he places my entire body under. It feels like I'm being crushed.

"You imagine an ocean," He forces the imagery into my mind. "There it is, I see it. I see the island. And Han Solo. He's failed us, Elyse, why can't you accept that. No child wants a smuggler as a father. In fact, you've thought that same thing once before. I can tell."

I furrow my brows and turn to look at him, anger taking me over.

"Get out of my head," I say sharply.

He backs off, shocked by something. He examines me cautiously, eyes narrowed, hopelessly searching for some answer to why he was overpowered.

"I know you've seen the map, and now you'll give it to me." He says, reaching forward.

I gasp, straining as he tugs on the information, desperately trying to fish it out of my mind.

"Go to Hell, Ben." I stay strenuously, my voice cracking.

He grips his hand tightly, willing me forward. I gasp quickly, struggling for air. I shake my head and fight him, desperately trying to lock my mind away from his grasp.

"Don't be afraid, Little Sister. You just have to give me the map." He says.

Tears begin to trail down my cheeks as I will myself away from him.

"I'm not giving you anything." I say between gasps.

He raises one brow and tilts his head, narrowing his eyes at me.

"We'll see." He says.

He clenches his fist and I gasp again. A strangled noise escapes my throat as it closes, crushed under the power of his hand. I tremble on the table, desperate to fight him. I gasp again, taking in a gulp of air. I lean towards him, spotting a sense of fear in his eyes. Is he afraid of me?

"You, you're afraid." I state shakily, furrowing my brows. "That you will never be as strong as Darth Vader."

He backs away and releases me. I inhale rasping, exhaling sharply.

"The Resistance will not be intimidated by you." A voice says, similar and husky.

Who is this? He's with the Resistance?

"You might want to rethink your technique." The same voice says, echoing throughout the room like a call from the past.

I turn my head and look back at Ben, lips parted.

"You're hearing the echo, aren't you? The echo of Poe Dameron just before I killed him. I killed him where you lay, my blade slicing through him with ease. Of course, he told us where the droid was first, but I ultimately killed him." Ben says.

I shake my head and frown, furrowing my brows.

"You're lying. What do you hope to achieve by lying to me this way?" I ask. "I'm not going to join you. I never will."

He raises an eyebrow.

"How do you know that I am lying?" He asks.

I exhale sharply and my cheeks are suddenly wet with tears.

"You didn't kill Poe Dameron. Sure, he's dead. But not by your hand. Poe Dameron died in a field on Jakku after desperately escaping to save his droid. Poe Dameron died in a fiery blast colliding with a sinking sand pit. You didn't kill Poe Dameron and that feat will never be yours." I say.