"Stealing a ship isn't an easy process." I said flatly yelling over the loud winds.
"Stealing your own ship?" He asked sounding confused.
"Do you think Kylo Ren would really approve of us leaving The First Order alone?" I said. "Do you really think they would surrender like this?"
"You ran away?" He asked. I nodded slowly, we really didn't, but we had to try and keep a solid story. We were supposed to be spying for The First Order and giving him the impression we ran away, but really we were surrendering two of our strongest assets in one last assassination attempt. "Well, I will say, I didn't see that coming."
"That was the point." I said coldly. I hated the man that stood in front of me and I couldn't help, but glare. I wanted to send my lightsaber through his chest but I couldn't. I had to keep my composure.
"Well, It's going to get late soon. I should show you two to your room. We have a lot to catch up on." He said gesturing is inside.
We slowly walked forward keeping very close to one another. Luke walked ahead of us and into the Senate building and it was another throwback. I got the same feeling as when I went into the Imperial Star Destroyer.
This place held so much history, back in the days of the Republic. This entire planet was where my parents orchestrated everything that brought down the Empire. I wanted to look around and take it all in, but I knew I couldn't. I had to keep a clear mind and stay focused on the mission.
"This planet was abandoned after the war, I thought Coruscant had been destroyed. When we realized it wasn't, we quietly set up camp here. They had so much untapped information and maps that lead all over the galaxy." Luke said as we walked through the halls. The halls were dimly lit and very dusty, but despite the lack of cleaning this place had seen it was still beautiful. The carpets and walls looked beautifully designed and the art in the halls were so old fashioned. "That's what brought us all those ships and pilots. It wasn't easy, but it's a glorious army, I hope you two can feel safe here."
"We'll see." I said sharply.
"You turned yourself in, but why do I feel as though you don't want to be here?" He asked
"I'm not sure who I trust yet." I said angrily. I didn't want to make it seem like I wanted to be here because it wouldn't have been believable.
"I trust once you see what I can give back to you, you'll change your mind." He said and just stood coldly. He sighed and turned around to face us. "Your room is through this door, I'll give you both the evening to rest, I'm sure the flight was long."
I nodded and entered the room with Apollo closely behind.
"There's call buttons just outside the door if you need anything." He said and we both turned around. "We have much to begin in the morning, get good rest."
I nodded once again and the door closed behind us. I turned to Apollo and we both looked at each other uncomfortably. I took a heavy sigh and examined the room. There was a small counter where I could see food and other kitchen materials. I frankly was starving, but I couldn't eat until I was much calmer.
I saw the couch and window on the other side of the room. I walked up to it and looked out and a few ships went by, but the city looked dead compared to what I was back in the days of the Republic. It used to be the center of the galaxy, any one who was anyone wanted to see this place. Now it was just an empty junk yard. You could only see it's once beautiful glory underneath the aging it has all seen over the last several decades.
I walked away and pushed a door open and it revealed a bedroom with a single bed. I walked further in and could see an old wardrobe. I pushed open another door and I was brought to a bathroom. I could see a shower and cabinets and another door. I opened the door and was met with Apollo in a similar room to the one I was just in. I took a heavy sigh and walked back to the first room I found. I laid down on the bed and tried to relax.
"We made it inside the Senate building." I said through my earpiece.
"Are you safe?" He asked.
"As safe as I think we could be right now, yes." I said softly trying to not be too loud. "We're in our room at the moment, but the door isn't locked if we want to leave."
"You should come back." He said.
"And fly through the millions of ships and get blown to bits? Yeah I don't think so." I said whispering because Apollo couldn't hear me talk so aggressively to Kylo. "Besides I want to find out if those ships are operational, they didn't look to be active, but I want to know for sure. He mentioned something about finding maps here that lead to the ships and it's pilots. I didn't see any, but I didn't dare question him. God forbid when we leave or if you do need to come here I don't want anyone getting blown to bits."
"Athena I don't like this." He said.
"Is there any situation where you would?" I asked.
"If I was with you." He said.
"Well we both know that's not possible. Things are fine for now, we're going to bed soon." I said.
"You'll call me as soon as you wake up right?" He asked.
"You know I will." I said with a sigh. "This place looks so abandoned. It's beautiful but it's filthy in the halls. The room looks fine, but this place hasn't been touched since order 66 to reign."
"Did you see anyone else there?" He asked.
"I think I saw a droid servant down one of the halls, but no other people, no." I said.
"Please stay alert Athena, I'm worried." He said and I could hear his pain. I saw Apollo walk into my room through the bathroom and I sat up in bed.
"I understand Commander, I will reach out to you when we wake up." I said and I could hear him sigh.
"I know you can't say it back, but I love you." He said and I could hear him crying now.
"You as well Kylo." I said and I cut off the connection.
"This place isn't all that bad, I just want to know what he has planned." He said.
"I don't know, but we need to rest, we need to be ready for anything. I have a feeling this linking procedure isn't going to be easy." I said looking visibly upset. I wish I knew what I had in store, but just like everything else about this mission, we were blind to it all.
"Your probably right." He said nodding. "I'll see you in the morning."
I nodded and he closed the door behind him. I groaned as I got under the sheets and tried to settle down. I hadn't slept alone in a long time and much less so far away from Ben. I never thought I had this strong of an attachment to him, but I couldn't deny just his presence would have calmed me. Just being held would be enough for me to fall asleep instantly.
I closed my eyes and tried to relive old memories with Ben. It sounds silly, but I needed him to keep calm. Even if he couldn't be with me right now I still wanted to think of him. I was so scared about when I would see him next. I tried to push that thought aside and tried to think back to the night Ben and I laid in his library and talked for hours until we fell asleep. If I focused hard enough I could almost feel his arms around me. It wasn't the same, but it was enough to bring me to sleep.
•
I woke up to a light shake of my shoulder. My eyes fluttered open to Apollo who was dressed in different clothes than I was used to seeing him in. He was in stark white robes. He had worn white before, but this was a different kind of off white. He stood above me and I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
"A droid came by and woke me up, we're supposed to get dressed and follow her." He said and he handed me a set of clothes.
"Eat something before we go." I told him and he nodded and left my room to go out to the kitchen area. I pushed my sheets back and held up the clothes I was supposed to put on. I got undressed and put on the confusing articles of clothing. Everything was tight and wrapped around myself. I had a long white cloak that resembled my normal one much too closely. I pulled it on and as much as I hated it, it felt comforting to be wearing something so similar to my own clothes.
I stepped up to the mirror and it felt weird to be in Jedi robes, it felt wrong, but so familiar. I was used to my heavy black robes and seeing it so backwards felt odd. I tried to push that thought away and I went out into the common area and I walked up to Apollo who was eating some foreign food I've never seen before. I looked through the cupboard and pulled out a bar that looked some what familiar. I grabbed a yogurt from the fridge and I stood across from where Apollo was stood on the other side of the island.
"How'd you sleep?" I asked him.
"Surprisingly well, I don't know how." He said and I nodded because I did as well.
"You feel ready?" I asked.
"As ready as I can be." He said and we both smiled slightly as we ate. I remembered I needed to contact Ben so I shoved the last spoonful in my mouth and I opened the connection.
"Commander are you there?" I asked and it was quiet. I waited a moment. "Kylo?"
"Yes sorry, is everything okay?" He asked and I felt a wave of relief because I don't know what would happen to me if I didn't have him.
"Yes, we have woken up and will soon be escorted to another place in the building." I stated.
"Do you still have your weapons?" He asked me.
"Yes, he didn't confiscate anything from us." I said looking down at my weapon which I had clipped to my belt. I was surprised he hadn't taken them from us, but then again I'm sure he could assume we wouldn't just give them up. Not without a fight.
"Be careful Athena." He said.
"Got it, thank you Kylo." I said and the connection was cut.
"Ready?" Apollo asked and I sighed.
I nodded my head and we both exited the room. It was a protocol droid that was waiting for us outside. He lead us further into the building and we walked in silence for quite some time. The halls all started to look the same, but we eventually made it to a set of tall doors. The droid pressed some buttons and I looked at Apollo who looked just as uncertain as I did. The doors opened and we were presented with a large room.
I immediately recognized it as if it had been from a dream of mine, but I couldn't put my finger on which exact one. It was a large room that held a circular pieces of glass to expose the beautiful city behind it. Despite it not bustling like it used to in the old days. The room held many chairs in a circular formation and it clicked with me.
When Ahsoka came to me this is where I saw her. I don't know what that meant for us, but it had to mean something. This is where she had guided me as the sun set, yet here I was at sunrise with my brother and my old Master. I wish she was here instead of Luke, but unfortunately I was met with his eyes.
"Apollo, Athena." I heard Luke say as he was standing in the middle of the room. "Come in."
We slowly walked inside the large room. It was filled with chairs of different sizes and variety however they all looked like thrones. It was empty aside from us three and the droid which seemed to be leaving. Apollo and I both stepped forward and stopped several feet in front of him.
"It's strange to see you two standing together, I thought I'd never see the day." I felt Apollo give me a sight confused look and I returned it as well because I needed him to stay on the same side as me.
I was worried the jig would be up as soon as he started asking questions, but even if he turned against The First Order I couldn't let him turn against me. I decided mentally that if he found out I needed to act as if I didn't remember either. I needed us to be together, he couldn't be against me or this would all be over.
"Today we are going to make our first attempt at creating the link between you two." He said.
"You need to explain what this is before anything else. We came here on our own terms, but that doesn't mean we're sold on your plan." I said crossing my arms. I need to make us coming here believable to both parties if this was going to work.
"Of course." Luke said. "It takes 3 Jedi to create this bond. Two like minded siblings like yourself and a Master."
"We aren't Jedi." I said because we weren't and that meant this shouldn't even work in the first place.
"But you aren't Sith." He said which was true. We used the dark side, but neither of us were committed to the Sith. "The ancient text never specified that it had to be a Jedi, but it has only ever been done on Jedi. It calls for bonding the mind and coming together with like minded intentions. With the Sith they all have different motives and beliefs, but Jedi follow one code and all value the same moral codes. It can be tricky if you aren't Jedi, but that's why I want to try it. If it works you two will have the power to bring life to a new generation of Force users."
"What do you mean bring new life?" I asked.
"With your powers combined you'll have the power to gift others with the Force, give them the powers you two weld to strongly." He said smiling from ear to ear.
"That's not possible. You have to be born a Force user." I said.
"It would seem so, but back in the day it was not as such. Though uncommon it is confirmed that two Jedi with this powerful bond could do many things with their powers, but most importantly craft new powers for generations to come." He said.
"What are we going to do with all these new Force users and powers?" Apollo asked next to me.
"To build an army, at your command. This galaxy has been run to shambles without a proper leader. You two will bring order to this galaxy." He said.
"What's in it for you?" I asked.
"I just want the recognition." He said. "To be known for doing the right thing. To make up for the temple."
Apollo and I exchanged a look.
"What could go wrong?" Apollo asked and I snapped my head to Luke for an answer.
"I don't know." He said. "I haven't heard of it ever going wrong so I truly don't have an answer for you."
"If we die?" I asked.
"Think of the goodness we could do for this galaxy. The balance and light we could bring for all? To finally have order and peace, isn't that worth the risk?" He questioned. I looked to Apollo and I wish now more than ever we could use our telepathy to talk, but the more confusing stuff was thrown his way the more he was going to question me and I could only lie so much.
"Let's just do it." I said and Apollo looked to me and gave me an unsure nod.
Luke gestured us to sit out in two of the chairs and we cautiously did. There was a table between the two of us and Luke stood next to us.
"Reach out with your hands." He said and I grabbed Apollo's hand. We wrapped our fingers around each other. "You're going to feel a strong feeling come over you, but do not let go."
I nodded and looked at Apollo. He looked scared so I gave him a soft smile. I looked into his grey eyes and I felt like like was sucked out of consciousness. Everything went black, but I felt like my body was tumbling through space violently. My skin burned and felt like it was stretching and being pulled at. I could barley feel Apollo's hand on my own, but I squeezed it as hard as I could. I could feel myself screaming out in pain, but I had no idea if it was even coming out. My head hurt and I felt like it was getting squished.
My vision went from black nothingness to visions. I could see all sorts of scenes that consisted of people and places I had never seen. Occasionally I would recognize someone like Anakin, or Luke himself. I saw Leia and my heart hurt because she looked so young, but I knew she was getting old and frail.
The scene switched to a sandy planet and I could see young Luke watching the suns set. It switched once again and I saw an image of who I thought was Padme. I wasn't sure if it was her because of the face paint, but it resembled her immensely. She was yelling, but I couldn't hear her and before I could try to understand her I was ripped out.
I saw my fathers face appear in front of me and I got angry. I could feel my body whipping around harder. I knew I was screaming now for sure and I was struggling to hold onto Apollo. I could feel his nails going into my skin and I made the mistake of loosening my grip. I felt like the instant I did I was thrown against a wall and everything went black again.