Ben Solo

XXI

Poe was already in the meeting room.

Ben sat down heavily in his seat, rubbing his face.

Onya came in a bit later, and sat down gracefully.

The three sat in silence as Averann, and then Luke, entered.

When Ilia came in, holding the now-clean hand of Anina, they all looked on that direction.

Anina had skin slightly darker than Poe's which contrasted her dark hair.  Her eyes, on closer inspection, were not only brown, but had specks of green in them.

Luke stood and extended a hand to the little girl.  She shrank behind Ilia.

"This is Master Skywalker.  He will not hurt you," Ilia murmured to the frightened child.

She stepped out again.  Ilia led her to the center of the circle, and told her she needed to stay there so she could talk to Luke.  Then she went and sat down in her own seat.

"Anina, can you tell me what happened to your parents?" Luke asked, still standing.

At that, her lip quivered.  "Mommy..."

"I know, Mommy's not here, and I'm sorry.  But can you tell me what happened?"

"The mean man, mean man!  He came in a ship!  And he took Bubby!"

"Who's Bubby?"

"He's my baby brother!" Anina cried

"Why did they take Bubby?"

"I don't know," she whimpered.

"What happened when they took Bubby?" Luke asked, kneeling in front of her.

"Mommy gave me food, and I sat on the floor.  Then the mean men in white came, and they took Bubby, who was by the door.  Then Mommy told me to hide in the basket, while she went to get Bubby."

"What happened when they set the village on fire?"

"I-I don't know."

Luke put his hands on her shoulders and she didn't flinch away. He muttered something that Ben couldn't catch.

Anina's eyes widened.  "I have the Force?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.

Luke nodded.

Ben sat up.  This little girl, the lone survivor of an attack, was Force-sensitive?

Ilia watched the little girl, as she stood before her master.

"You are too young now to train, but in a year or two, perhaps you can become a Padawan, like Ilia and Ben."  Luke stood.  "Would you be willing to accept that training?"

Anina nodded.

Luke smiled.  Then he looked up at Ilia.  "Would you take her to the room next to yours, and return once she is settled?"

Ilia nodded, and stood.  Anina took her hand and they left.

Luke turned to the others in the room.  "I will propose the idea to you first, and brief Ilia once she returns.  As the First Order gets bolder, they will continue to attack Dantooine.  We think they may already know where we are, but have chosen not to attack.  If we take in children, of the ages they are kidnapping, perhaps we can protect a few families, at least the children, and train some of the Force-sensitive ones, like Anina and yourselves, as Jedi."