Ben Solo

XXXI

Ben sat on his bed, after lights-out, with one small light making it possible for him to see the bag as he held it in one hand.

He pulled out the crystal and investigated it briefly.

It was rounder than his green one, and looked like it had been cut. Cracks marred the inside of the crystal.

At first, it did nothing, and Ben thought that perhaps it hadn't been calling to him.

Then, it started to rise out of his hand, glowing softly.

It burst into light.

Ben was taken aback by the color.

Red.

The color of the Sith.

The color of Darth Vader's lightsaber.

He shuddered.

A red crystal, Master mused.

Ben started. "I got it on Tatooine."

I know. Excellent.

"What should I do?"

I may have an opportunity for you to train, to become more powerful than Vader, with the accompaniment of others with slightly less skill.

Ben laughed. "Am I not already doing that?"

With my group.

He stopped laughing. "What do you mean?"

I have a small team, of other Force-Sensitive people who are starting to give themselves over to the Darkness, to me.

Though it shouldn't, the thought of the Darkness excited him.

They are the Knights of Ren.

"I've never heard of them!"

Of course not!

Ben flinched.

They have not been exposed to the world yet. But they will be more powerful than the Sith ever were.

"Why have you not told me before?"

You cannot be a Knight of Ren and possess a green lightsaber as your primary weapon.

Ben nodded. Then he realized how tired he was. "I am sorry, Master. I need to go to bed."

Rest, my pupil, and contemplate my offer.

The nightmares were there that night, but he suppressed the worst of it.

The next day, Luke called all of his Jedi into a meeting, leaving the Padawans to rest until their masters returned.

"I have two orders of business.  The first concerns your padawans.  I have been observing from the outside, and, though I shouldn't be one to assess your apprentices, I believe they are all ready to go to get their crystals."  Luke looked around the circle at his Jedi.

Ben nodded.  "Mei is ready, and I believe she is trained enough in the Force now to begin training with it."

"She is also very skilled in fighting," Luke pointed out, "though that is not the sole purpose of a Jedi."

"Anina is prepared," Ilia said.  "And I can sense her readiness."

"Kilya is ready," Onya announced.

"As is Aaron," said Averann.

"Good.  Now, who will take their apprentice to get their crystal first?"  Luke glanced at each of them.