Ben Solo

XXXII

Luke hadn't determined who was the source of the Darkness.

And for that, Ben was thankful.

He hadn't been discovered.

Soon, Mei and Ben left for the tiny planet where Ben had found his own green crystal.

He instructed her to feel where the Force would take her, and sat down by the X-Wings to meditate and wait.

Master tried to communicate with him, but it was hard to hear him. It was probably the overwhelming Light on the planet.

So he thought about how he would design his new red lightsaber.

As he contemplated this, he began to lift the closest X-Wing with the Force. It hovered, two feet over the rocks, until Mei came back, scrambling over the rocks, crystal in hand. It had only been about a half an hour.

"Look, Master Ben!" Mei held up the Kyber crystal.

It glowed violet in the bright mid-day light.

"Very good," he said, looking at it.

"Can we go back so that I can start my lightsaber?"

"You can't start it right away, but yes, we may go back."

They climbed up into the X-Wings. Back over Dantooine, they did a quick, and uneventful, patrol of the settlements nearby, flying over Inob, Mei's home village.

Back at the academy, Ben told Mei to go look in a supply closet for parts left over from when Ben and his fellow young Jedi made their own lightsabers, so long ago.

He sat down in the council room, in his seat, and looked around.

They would need to add three more chairs to the circle, and only three because Poe's chair hadn't been moved since he left.

Then the padawans could join in their small council.

Perhaps, once there were enough Jedi, then perhaps they would establish a council, like the days of old. How it was when his grandfather was a boy.

Your Padawan is growing strong in the Force.

Ben started. Even after all this time, his Master still surprised him. "Yes, she is."

You must be very proud.

"Yes, I am."

As I am of you.

Ben grinned. So Master did see his progress. "Thank you, Master."

Are you ready to progress with your training?

"Yes, Master. Tonight?"

Yes, tonight. After everyone is asleep.

Ben was interrupted by the door opening. He snapped his attention to it and saw the clunky gold form of C-3PO standing there.

"Oh, Master Ben! So good to see you again!"

Mei poked her head out from behind the door. "I'm sorry! He was in the closet and I let him out."

Ben had trapped the droid in the supply closet months ago, and must have forgotten about him.

"It's alright. C-3PO, go and see if Luke has a task for you," Ben said, willing Luke silently to shut up the old bucket of bolts.

The droid clomped down the hall and away from Padawan and master.

Mei turned back to him. "I found a large box of parts. Can we start my lightsaber?"

Ben nodded.

He taught Mei the way Luke had, and sat back to watch her as she lifted the pieces in the air and fitted the crystal, just right.

If it wasn't just right, the lightsaber would explode when the power source was turned on.

Ben took the opportunity of her complete absorption in her work to grab a load of parts for his own new lightsaber.

He grabbed more than he knew he needed, so that he could accommodate the cracked crystal.

When he returned from his room, Mei was starting to come out of her trance-like state.

Ben looked at her lightsaber. It was about a quarter finished.

"Good working. Now go and eat."

She obeyed him, and he closed up the little room she had been working on, to prevent any of the children from getting in and taking something.

That night, Master spoke to him, but Ben asked if he could instead work on assembling his lightsaber.

Master finally relented.

Ben sat on his floor, hands wide with fingers spread, as he tried to fit the crystal.

Since it had been cut, he had to accommodate for that. Also, there was a long crack running down the center of the crystal, which could cause some problems when he attached the power source.

He worked all through the night, only realizing it when someone knocked on his door.

Ben shoved everything away and opened the door. It was Averann.

"Good morning!" Averann fairly chirped, "Are you coming to breakfast today, or not?"

He rubbed his face. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

Mei worked on her lightsaber some more, and Ben dozed off against the wall while she did so.

She tapped his cheek lightly and that was when he realized that he'd slid down the wall.

"You were snoring," she laughed, "and it's almost dinner."

Ben thanked her and stood.

He didn't get much sleep that night either, since for a while he was talking to Master, and then again lost himself in his lightsaber assembly.

Though this was his second time around, it was going to take longer, since he had to redesign this.

A few sleepless nights and drowsy days later, he completed his lightsaber. He snuck outside and took it to a patch of woods where he was well hidden.

"Master," he thought to him.

Yes, my student.

"I have completed my lightsaber."

Good, good, try it.

Ben held it out in front of him and activated the blade.

It flickered to life in his hands. Then, it exploded with a low boom.

His hands flew to his face to protect it. A few pieces of flying metal hit his wrists and hands, burning them.

Ben looked around frantically for a pool of water and found a ditch nearby. He plunged his arms up to the elbows in the murky water to stop the burning and hopefully some of the blisters he knew would appear. He growled at his own stupidity. He hadn't lined up the crystal just right, the energy had come out the sides.

Master's voice came through his head, louder than his pained gasps and frantic thoughts. The crystal! The crystal!

Ben took in a shaky breath to calm himself, blocked out the pain and rage, and looked around on the ground for his Khyber crystal.

There it was, under a few smoldering leaves. He stomped them out, grabbed the crystal, and looked around for any other bits that could catch fire. He stomped those out, and headed back to his room.

Instead of staying up to work on his lightsaber again, he went to bed and slept.