I've told Luke about his old master, Obi-wan Kenobi. How he spoke to me at the edge of the island. What he had shown me.
"He felt so real... So- alive... As if he was always there to begin with."
Luke looks to me thoughtfully, as if to truly understand the importance of me seeing his former master.
"Master... I believe Obi-wan was giving me guidance. Some clue that could start me on my path to becoming a Jedi."
I look to Luke as he stares into the flames of the fire. The twin suns setting before us. He gives it a few pokes with a stick before feeding it to the inferno.
"I suppose it's time... The bird eventually needs to learn how to fly, leaving the nest behind... You are ready Jude, more ready then I ever was."
He pulls out a book from under his cloak, then he blows out the remaining dust from between the pages.
"Except for the flying part, now's the best time to actually read this one."
I look to the all familiar cover, 'Flyers Guide to the Galaxy'. I groan at the sight of it, I remember browsing this one when Luke was teaching me how to read. The first chapter nearly put me to sleep before I tossed it aside. Can't the ship just do auto-pilot or something.
"Don't give me that look Jude, you have to at least have basic knowledge on how to fly. The force does all the rest."
"Wait, the force can help you fly too?!"
Luke gets up and places the hefty text on my lap as he begins to return to his hut.
"It guides you Jude, remember that. And it can't do that when you don't even know how to start let alone get off the ground."
I pout in Luke's direction as he walks away. I stare back at the odd flying book that I all so dread reading. For Ben and Rey...
·~·~·~·
"Wake up, kid! It's flying time!"
Ugh, I hear a metal clanking on the side of my stone hut, waking me up the least peaceful way possible. As I sit up I feel the shift of something heavy as it falls to the ground. I wipe my sleep deprived eyes, to view the haunting book strewn on the ground. I really spent all night with that thing, I don't want to waste another second looking at it. I used the force to slide it across the ground till it was out of sight and out of mind. Now getting ready to face the day with Luke and flying...
"What took you so long, I thought I was the old man here."
I brush my fingers through some of the knots in my hair as Luke leads me to the front of his hut.
"We are going to need this too."
He then, using the force, rips the metal door from its stationed spot, creating the most unsatisfying noise. Wraping pieces of rope around it, he tells me to turn around and places it upon my back. The ropes working as a makeshift sling, as the weight of the metal rest on me.
"Wha-"
"Don't worry about it, we'll need it okay."
I question how a door has anything to do with me flying as he leads me through the island. We make it to the place where I had saw Obi-wan Kenobi and the sunken ship below.
"Never thought I'd be un-sinking my ship... Here, you can put that down now."
I let the metal door slide down from my back with a large clank sound. With the weight off I stretch out my shoulders.
"Well now, it's tradition that if you want off this planet, you have to work for it."
"Is this some sort of test?"
Luke looks to me as he gives a faint smirk.
"In a way yes, if you can't do it then that means you're not strong enough with the force to leave."
"Master, you've trained me for months. I'm on one of the most sacred Jedi temples in the galaxy. Whatever test you have, I'll conquer it."
I have to, they depend on me...
"Okay hotshot, lift up the freighter. Bring it out of the ocean."
Luke lays his head to rest on his wooden stick as he waits for me to try. Ok it's just like rocks... A really big metal rock. I walk towards the cliff's edge, peering through the water to see the hefty freighter.
"Is there anything I have to do first, like meditate or something...?"
"Don't look at me, you're the one going to be the Jedi."
I frown at Luke's response, then give all my attention back to the sunken ship. Raising one of my arms towards to water, I tell the force to pull. I try harder as I can feel the hefty weight going against the water. I furrow my brows as my hand strains to get a good grip on the force. Bubbles start to escape from the water below, till I feel a shift beside me. I stop everything altogether when I feel Luke's hand on my shoulder.
"Not only are you trying too hard, but you're emitting the force out like a lighthouse. Try to calm down..."
I nod at Luke's advice as I go back into position. Calm... Calm... I close my eyes, letting go giving the force control. The weight of the ship gets lighter as I relax my arm lifting up. I can almost feel the drips of water as I lift it higher out of the water-
"Jude, what are you-"
My eyes open immediately at the sound of a different voice.
"Hey! Kid! Watch it!"
Luke catches the soaked freighter that nearly plumitted back into the dark ocean. Oh god not now... I look around for him till I spot him some distance away. He's without the mask, giving a questioning look. I wipe the sweat from my brow, as I feel Luke coming closer. He can't! Panicking I stop Luke in his place, if he touches me he'll know.
"Ben..."
Luke looked angry as he stood frozen till he heard the name. Ben made his way over covered in ash and, with the force, I let Luke go.
"Are you okay? Your clothes..."
I meet him half way scanning him up and down, it was not only ash that littered his robes. He was clutching his lightsaber tightly, wiping his face with his other gloved hand spreading the dirt across his face.
"Ben..."
I grab a hold of his face and try to clean him off, the copper hues sticking to my fingers. He smells awful too, like death. He sheaths his saber as he tries to stop me from rubbing his face further.
"I'm fine. None of it's mine."
Like that makes me any less worried, he's killed again and I can't stop him. Not while I'm still here on this planet. I almost forget that Luke is near and I subtly look around for him. He sitting on the edge of the cliff facing away, giving some privacy I presume. I give a small smile for the gesture and return my focus to Ben. He grabs a hold of my hands as he looks me in the eyes, analyzing.
"You seem distracted."
"I suppose... I'm excited, yet disappointed at the same time."
Although I'm not happy at Ben for showing up like this, knowing what his tainted hands have done especially arriving in the middle of my test. Although, I just can't stop my heart from racing at the idea of seeing Ben and Rey for real.
"I felt you before, concentrating... I was wondering if you where alright."
"You're one to talk, seeing you right now gave me a mini heart attack."
I let go of his grip and gave his shoulder a gentle shove. Seeing a friend drenched in another's blood is not what I would consider normal.
"What happened? Why would you come to me like this?"
I question, and his face contorted to one of discomfort. He looks away ashamed as I grab a hold of his arm, giving a firm squeeze. Why does he torture me like this...
"Ben... You can't keep doing this."
"I will do what I must."
"What you must? You can't even look me in the eyes..."
"What about you then! Why are you so perfect!"
He lightly shoves my touch away pacing in short strides. Facing me again he raises his voice higher.
"You claim to know everything, but what about me?! I know nothing about you! You've hid everything from me, so why am I being treated like a traitor!"
I feel hurt by his words but I know they are true. As he gives me a mile I give back an inch.
"I promise you Ben, I will tell you everything... When we are face to face, breathing the same air I will tell you. And I have hope it won't be long... So trust me, please..."
He shifts his eyes and faces away from me, looking at something from his side. Shutting his eyes tight he lets out a large sigh. Wiping the new found sweat that surfaced from the heated conversation.
"Then let that be our next talk, I don't like to be kept waiting."
With that he fades away along with the crimson that stained my fingers. I shiver at the thought, the heat of the liquid so fresh. Its imagery embedded in my mind. I have yet to truly see death, although it leaves traces on my skin. Rubbing my hands together, I look back to Luke's previous position at the cliff's edge to find him missing. Glacing around I spot him atop the soaked freighter that's planted on the grass infested rocks beside me.
"What are you doing Master?"
He looks away from the wing of the ship to me below.
"Oh, you're done talking to your boyfriend now?"
Annoyed I grab a pebble from the ground and throw it at him. He takes it proudly not even avoiding the small rock. Sighing I make my way atop the freighter with Luke. Situating myself in between both wings, I look across Luke's shoulder to see what he's doing.
"You know, this seemed like a good idea at the time but now I regret taking it off."
He slams what was once his door back into place on the ship's wing bolting it down. The discoloration from the ocean really showing through with the new addition.
"I checked all the specs while you where busy so it should start. Hopefully..."
He says the last bit under his breath. If anything I trust Luke to fix this flying piece of metal better than me. He slides off the wing and reaches the ground wiping his robes in the process.
"Now I want you to go into the cockpit and turn it on, make sure nothings broken."
I follow his orders and slide into the seat, regreting going so quickly as I cough up some of the now loose dust. Waving the dust out of the air I go to find the on switch. I recollect a bit from my nighttime reading by pressing a few buttons and managing to get some noises out of it.
"Okay good, its not junk yet. Do you think you can get it to hover off the ground?"
Gulping a bit, I try to find the right switches. The inside of the ship looking more complicated than the picture in the manual. Shutting my eyes I call to the force for guidance till I hear a faint old soul whisper what to do. And with each instruction I follow, switching nobs and pushing buttons till I hear a cheer from outside the craft. Lowering it down, I lift the glass and poke my head out towards Luke.
"You did it! Wow... you know I kind of doubted you but you did good."
I let out a relieved breath, it actually works. I step out of the craft and hop back onto the rocky land of Ahch-to. The ship made a creaking noise as I got out which worried me a bit. I walk towards Luke as he gives the rusty ship a pat.
"Now we celebrate with food."
I look at Luke confused, I thought I was going to actually fly the ship. We can't be done already. Luke starts walking back towards the hut village as a follow suit.
"Master, what about flying?"
"Gosh, just can't wait to be rid of me aren't you? You can leave tomorrow, enjoy your last night on the island. You know spend some time to pack your things and what not."
"Right, sorry. Didn't mean it that way."
We enjoy the lovely food that was prepared for tonight. The Lanai and Alcida made it extra special as it was their last meal I'll get to eat. Luke took it as a jab at him. He claimed they never made food this good for him and I couldn't help laughing. I'll miss these sweet moments with Luke near the warm fire, or having deep conversations about the galaxy under the stars. He really was a great master and I'm sad that Ben never got to see him this way.
I'm going to miss the morning walks to the ocean or the rainy training days. The little porgs desperate for hugs and food that would bite on my robes. The days just meditating on the cliffside breathing in the gentle cool breeze.
Damn, I'm going to miss Ahch-to.