Turning Point: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 13

Ben woke to approaching voices. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but the little girl in his arms still slept. The shadows under the trees had grown darker. He scanned the grove and reached out with the Force toward the voices.

He sighed. I don't think I've ever been so glad to see Master Skywalker.

He could discern the glow of humming lightsabers and faint shouts of "Rey" in the distance.

He nudged the little girl. "Come on, Rey, time to wake up."

She grumbled and rolled away from him.

He grabbed a broken kavak frond and teased her ear. "Rey. Time to wake up."

She batted the frond away and moaned.

He tickled her side. "Rey, people are coming."

She rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "But I was playing with Ani."

"It was a dream." Ben stood up and brushed the dirt from the front of his uniform as the Master Skywalker broke through the undergrowth.

"Rey!" Leia followed closely behind Luke.

The little girl ran across the grove into Leia's arms. "Mommy! Mommy!"

Leia knelt in the dirt, smudging her white gown as the little girl hugged her.

Han and Chewie thudded into the area. The smuggler stared at his son and then at the little girl in his wife's arms.

Kalder led the rest of the Jedi Knights into the clearing. "Secure the area and report any disturbances."

The Jedi dispersed, each taking a different compass point. Except Naluma. She panted and clutched her belly before leaning against a tree.

"Are you hurt?" Leia asked Rey.

Rey shook her head. "No. Ben saved me." She pointed to the lanky teen who now stood at the center of attention.

Leia stood and pushed Rey behind her. "Ben!" She turned to Han. "This is all your fault! If you hadn't been lusting over the Twi'lek—"

Han moved closer to her and gestured to his chest. "My fault? Look, I'm not the one who left her in the care of a stranger. If anything had happened to her, it would ha—"

Rey whimpered. When the argument turned into a bawling match, even Chewbaca took a step away from the confrontation.

Ben pushed in between his parents and dragged the little girl away from them. "Stop it! Cut it out! Haven't you two done enough already?" Rey clutched his leg and hid behind him. "You ruined my life. I'm not going to let you ruin hers, too."

The fire in his parents' eyes focused on him now. "Who do you think you are?"

"Your son. And I won't stand by and let your unresolved emotional turmoil destroy another person's life. "

Chewie moaned his agreement. Luke motioned to the Wookiee to stay out of it. They both stepped back from the family.

Leia blushed and squirmed. Han put his hands on his hips and turned his back on them.

"That's just like you, Dad, turning your back on your family. Swoop in, get what you want, and slide out when no one's looking. Leaving a disaster in your wake." Ben stepped forward and poked him in the back. "You know what you taught me? Huh?"

His father kept his back to him until Ben yanked him around by his arm. "Not to trust anyone, especially if they're family. Take care of number one." Ben stabbed his thumb at his own chest.