Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 57 - Nothing Is Impossible

Breakfast was ration packets, similar to the ones that Rey had eaten on Jakku, but the meat was brown, not green. Granddad, don't let me mess up this time, begged Rey silently. Last night she had realized a little too late that she should have not asked questions.

Just watch for his cues and listen with the Force, guided Ani.

Now she sat patiently, waiting for Master Luke to make the first move, give the first direction. He grabbed the bowls from last night, spooning the meat inside and setting the bread on top. "This is the best I can do for a hot breakfast. Sorry," apologized Luke.

"This is all I've ever eaten for 14 years, Master. Except my meat was green," mentioned Rey. "Are you sure this isn't spoiled?"

Luke smiled. "I'm sure. Yours may have been, though. Most meat is not green. Taste this. These still have three years of shelf-life left."

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After breakfast Master Luke led Rey down to the landing field. She could see the remains of an X-Wing fighter bouncing in the surf below the surface. Rocks were strewn around this site. What looked like the remains of a garden could be seen where the Falcon's feet had not pressed down on the turf.

Luke sat fluidly on the turf, waiting for Rey to join him. After reigning her thoughts back in, she seated herself on the ground. She knew what was required of her: emptying herself of herself and allowing the Force to flow through her—just like last night.

When Rey had accomplished the task, she found Master Luke smiling at her in pride. I did it right! Granddad, I did it right!

Luke spoke in her head, We need to work on shielding, but later. Cut out the chatter.

Yes, Master, replied Rey via mindspeech. She could feel her Granddad lurking in the vicinity, too, his pride flowing over.

"Bring me that rock," ordered Luke while pointing at a square stone not too far away.

Rey stood up, thinking this was another test on obedience.

"No, not that way. Use the Force," instructed Luke.

Rey lifted her hand and used her emotions to pull the rock toward her, but it would not move. She tried again, and again, and again. And she failed again, and again, and again. "Stop," ordered Luke after the third attempt. "Let go of yourself. Don't command the Force to do it. Suggest. When you have no urgency, the command does not work, but the suggestion does."

"So, it's tied to your emotion?" asked Rey.

"Partially, but mostly it is tied to the what is currently happening. It wants everything to remain at peace, to allow the Force to flow through everything where it is. When you are strong with the Force, your adrenaline rush in battle powers your command to it. When you are at peace, your other hormones must work with it. Suggest it move to you. Treat the Force like a living entity," explained Luke.

"That's not how Granddad explained it," argued Rey.

Luke looked sternly at Rey. "I'm not my father. We have different styles. Try it my way, please. And, Father, stay out of this." Ani harrumphed but kept silent through the training. He did not leave, though.

Rey lifted her hand again in a soft gesture and closed her eyes She suggested to the Force to bring her the rock. She could feel the Force swelling toward the rock and then back to her. When she opened her eyes, the rock was in her hand. "So, the Force can refuse a command?" asked Rey.

"That's not really what's happening. But you have to get used to the Force flowing out of you and back to you. The suggestion helped you move the Force around. Just a different method. When you were in battle, you focused all of your energy, sending the Force out to the saber and then calling it back to you. Because of your adrenaline, it moved quickly. Now, it moves more slowly, because there is no urgency with the wielder," instructed Luke. "Try it again. This time, bring all of the stones together, making a ring out of them on this turf, with us inside it. Do not leave any gaps between them. Use the Force to tighten them together."

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It was harder than it sounded. Rey had to find the stones first. Some were easy to find, in plain sight, but others were half-buried under turf. She was not allowed to get up. When she had finished her first ring, Master Luke made her build a second ring, and a third. By the fourth ring, she was having to disassemble an empty cell at the top of the hill and bring it down to her construction. By the time they reached midday, they were trapped in the small cell. She had completed it, but there was no door.

"How do we leave?" asked Rey.

"You tell me."

Rey walked around their little prison. "I'm not allowed to take it apart?"

"You may take some of it apart, but the structure must still be structurally sound," informed Luke.

Rey decided to take off the last few layers so that they could lift themselves out of the top. As soon as she had removed three layers, Luke stood under the hole and quickly levitated himself out of the cell. Rey waited for him to do the same to her. "Hey, I'm still in here!" she screamed, but Luke had already climbed up the stairway to grab his meal. "Granddad!"

"Rey, I can't interfere. You heard your master," spoke Ani.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" asked Rey.

"You just had a demonstration. I would suggest you duplicate it."

"I can't. I'm not strong enough yet," argued Rey.

"It's not about you but about the Force within and around you. Call it to you, Rey. Let it empower you. Then, nothing is impossible," directed Ani.

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