Star Wars- In another Life.

Chapter 30- Wayfinder

Entering the Falcon, Ben came across Finn and Rose at the table, chattering animatedly. The Dejarik board was open, ready to play. Finn had almost overnight become a member of the Resistance in a way Ben could never be, fitting into their habits and friendships like his past wasn't that of a child taken and indoctrinated by the First Order. Maybe that was the difference between him and Finn, Finn's ability to slot in with them comfortably. He'd never had a choice; concurrently, Ben had chosen that life. Finn's past, as such, was forgivable, not to mention his personality far more approachable. Ben wasn't there to be liked or accepted; he was here to end all of this, to destroy Palpatine. He realised the pair were staring at him quietly, at him having stood before them in solitary silence.

"Did you wanna sit?" Rose asked him, motioning next to her at the spare seat.

Ben swallowed before turning from them and heading for the cockpit. Dameron was sitting in the pilot's chair, Chewbacca in the co-pilot.
"Don't even think about it. I don't need you in here distracting me," Dameron said without looking at him as his hands moved deftly over the controls.

Ben took a deep sigh before heading back and awkwardly standing back in front of Rose and Finn, who shuffled across, allowing him to sit and strap in. As the engines fired and that familiar throbbing built to a constant low hum, Ben noticed Rose surveying him as though he was an interesting component whose purpose she was unsure of. He turned his head slightly and raised his eyebrows at her, suggesting that she was free to ask whatever question she had.

"Why is your lightsaber red?" she asked.

Ben looked at her, a little confounded, before answering honestly.
"It was blue until I took it apart and cracked my kyber crystal, bending its will to mine, making it bleed. A requirement in leaving my Jedi teachings behind."

Rose nodded, processing his information, considering, "So that's why your lightsaber is a crossguard, to vent the volatile energy created from cracking your crystal out the bottom."

Ben nodded; clever girl.

"Hhhmm. Could you change or fix it if you wanted to?"

Ben looked at her; he'd never even considered it, let alone know whether it was possible.
"I'm not sure."

"Because the crystal chooses you as much as you choose it, right? So I imagine you wouldn't want just to replace it."

"No, I would not."

"Why did you wear a mask? I mean, Vader wore one because of his injuries, and well, there's nothing physically wrong with you."

Ben sighed with vexation before responding, "Fear and anonymity."

"But we all knew you were Kylo Ren."

"Yes, Kylo Ren, leader of Knights of Ren, Dark Force user and Jedi Killer, but you didn't know I was Ben Solo. There were few that did."

"Snoke, Hux and your Knights?" Finn half queried, and half replied on Ben's behalf, openly considering the options. "Did Phasma know?"

"I imagine Hux told her; those two have no secrets. He despised my heritage."

Rose nodded and went to ask another question, but before she could, Ben interrupted her.

"Are you going to do this all the way there?" He tried not to look annoyed but wasn't sure he succeeded.

Rose blushed brilliantly, her little round cheeks lighting red, and she smiled embarrassedly.
"Sorry. My sister and I grew up on the stories of the Jedi. Never thought I'd get to meet one, let alone know more than one or talk to them."

Ben looked at her cordially—good-hearted young woman, intelligent yet apparently naive.
"I'm not a Jedi," he said firmly, holding her gaze evenly. It made no difference to her zealous, bountiful charm.