Supernova || Luke Skywalker

Three

The first time Luke saw him, the man was sitting underneath one of the stolen imperial ships in the flight bay. He was sat cross legged in the shade of the hull, eyes closed and half hidden with his black and red robes. Despite the way he was almost blended into the background, there was something pulling Luke's eyes towards him. The force seemed to swirl comfortably around him. It was unlike how Ben had looked in the force, a presence with the force moving like a river, or even Vader who crackled in the force like a raging storm. No this man was still. Still and calm, his force signature as soft as his presence. His presence in the force a gentle breeze on a warm day. Luke hadn't been aware of his control of the force for long but he could tell that he wouldn't see a presence like that again.

The man seemed to be meditating, something he had seen Ben do a few times. Luke took in his short dark hair. The way black and red robes were wrapped around a thin waist. The slightly tanned skin, similar to the warm sands of his childhood home and the dark eyelashes. The rest of the man's face was hidden by a red scarf. The garment matched the red of his under robe and was pulled up over his nose, hiding his lower face from sight. Luke wondered what he was hiding.

Another man exited the ship and strode over to his companion. He had long black hair tied in a low ponytail and the slight scruff of a beard on his face. He was skinny, dressed in orange jumpsuit of the resistance pilots. The jumpsuit was stained with oil and the sleeves were pulled up. A pair of flight goggles sat on his head, which he pushed up further as he sat down at his friend's side. The first man, the monk in robes, opened his eyes and seemed to smile. It was hard to tell from that distance but his eyes crinkled slightly.

"Luke", Han's voice called, breaking him out of his gaze. "Are you going to hand me those parts or what?"

Luke blinked and turned back to the falcon. Han had a of hatch open on the side and was messing with the shields. The taller man waved a hand expectantly and Luke handed over the pliers. Han took them then paused. Luke tried to look normal but something must have shown on his face as Han grinned. "Has someone caught your eye?" He smirked. "Come on then. Who is it? Point them out".

"Nothing!" Luke shook his head. "I was just wondering why that ship is parked so far away. It looks pretty banged up". He waved a hand towards the imperial shuttle. Now that he had mentioned it, it was easy to notice. The ship had been given a wide birth by all the other pilots. There wasn't even many droids nearby. But the distance didn't seem malicious, in fact the other ships seemed to almost circle it. Looking around, Luke realised that the other pilots were glancing at the ship too. Their faces a mixture of respect and protectiveness. The ship seemed important.

Han peered round the hatch to where Luke had gestured. He hummed thoughtfully. "Remember that mission Her highness told us about. The one on Scarif where they got the Death Star plans?"

"Yeah".

"Well that's the ship. I heard from the other pilots that that is the ship that carried them there. Rogue one? I think it was called. Yeah. Well apparently that ship got them into the heart of imp territory. Explains why it's so banged up".

Luke's eyes widened. He glanced to the ship again, noting the marks from blaster fire on the sides and the evidence of explosions near the hull doors. The two men were still sat together underneath it. They were talking, the monk using his hands animatedly as the pilot laughed. Great grief lingered in the force around them but it was also shared with feelings of friendship and happiness. "Hey Luke", Han was waving a hand at him. "Stop daydreaming and help me repair these energy shields".

Luke jerked and nodded. He turned his attention back to the task at hand but he couldn't stop sneaking glances towards Rogue one and the two people sat with it.

——

The first time Lian saw Luke skywalker was almost a month after he had woken up. He and Bodhi had grown used to the busy rebel base. They had found out a sort of routine to keep themselves busy and out of the way. During the mornings Lian would cajole Bodhi into meditating outside with him for an hour or two before braving the canteen. After that the day would often be spent helping Bodhi make repairs to their ship. The other pilots and mechanics had obviously heard about them as they were quick to stare. Lian left the talking to Bodhi, not that he talked much either. In all they kept to themselves. Bodhi only really communicating with others to ask for parts for the ship or communicate on the behalf of Lian.

Lian hadn't been social before, wary of strangers and always socially anxious when meeting new people, but now whenever someone talked to him it was like his voice was physically stuck in his throat. He couldn't raise his volume more than a whisper. After the first ten excitable pilots, who had approached him with hero worship and awe in their eyes left annoyed by his lack of responses, word got around. Now when people wanted to talk to them they approached Bodhi. Not that it made much difference, Bodhi stuttered and didn't talk much any more than he needed to. So soon people stopped expecting either of them to talk and simply let them drift.

It was one of these days, where neither of them wanted to spend time with others, that Bodhi saw him. He was standing in the open doors to rogue one peering out through to the rain clattering outside the flight bay. The sky was dark and stormy and the rain was coming down in sheets. It reminded Lian of monsoon season back in Jedha. Behind him Bodhi was proffering around. He was making plans on what to do with their imperial shuttle. "I think we should add bunks for long missions", he said aloud. "And expand the fresher. We only have the bare minimum here and we will need it if we are to live here for a long period of time". That was their plan. The ship was theirs, as filed with the alliance and on paper. Lian had never owned a ship before and Bodhi was delighted. Despite the bad memories, the ship was theirs and they couldn't bare to get rid of it.

Lian leaned on his staff, watching the rain. Bodhi still half muttering to himself as he made plans on his data pad behind him. Lian gave a hum every now and then to let him know that he was still listening. That was when someone walked past the ship to stop at the doors to the flight dock and stare at the rain. Lian's eyes widened. The boy, or man, seemed about his age. He was short and clothed in casual black clothing. His hair was a messy, slightly too long blonde and his skin was sun touched. But that wasn't the part that made Lian stare. It was the force.

Lian wasn't as force sensitive as others. He could feel the force was there, almost absentmindedly. Like a sixth sense. But he had no talent in influencing it or controlling it. He just listened. And now it was singing to him. The blonde boy was wrapped in the force like a warm cloak. It hummed around him, shining brightly. It was like the sun. Bright and brilliant and scorching if he ever got too close. Lian had heard tales of the Jedi and had read about them in the archives of the temple but he had never met one. He wondered if this was what they were like.

"Bodhi", he voiced. Bodhi looked up and wandered over. Lian pointed at the blonde man's back.  The man was holding his hands out into the rain with a childlike fascination. "Do you know him?"

"Him?" Bodhi asked in surprise. "That's the kid who blew up the Death Star. He's called Luke skywalker".

Unedited