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Chapter Text

Before

Kylo Ren was standing there, in front of the man he once called father, lightsaber in hand ready to kill him, ready to release the cry of pure hatred stocked into his chest since his childhood, but when it was finally time to do it he hesitated.

It happened in just a fraction of second, it hit him like a thunder. That barely strong ray of light, he knew where it came from, or rather from who it came.

Rey

The girl

The scavenger

He flicked his eyes to his right, he couldn’t see her but he knew where she was. His heart leaped again at the thought of her and the pain in his chest disappeared instantly.

“Ben?” Han Solo asked cautiously.

“Leave”

“What? But you...

“I said leave... I’m not ready” He turned his back to his father and walked away.

.....

Now

Ben Solo woke up with the annoying sound of his alarm and the sunlight entering through the windows but feeling well rested he took a moment to appreciate being there, in his bed with his beautiful fiance, Rey.

They slept in their usual position, him on his back in the middle of their bed with Rey snuggled up to him with her head on the crook of his neck, one leg between his and her hand on his chest over his heart.

He felt grateful, three years after the end of the war and only two months until their wedding his life couldn’t be more perfect.

When everything ended the new Republic moved back to Coruscant with his mother and Poe to put back the galaxy in order. He now worked as an advisor having rejected a place in the senate after been forgiven for his past as Kylo Ren.

He didn’t want a life as a politician but having all the information on the First Order’s actions there was work to do and he feels obligated to do it. He worked for a few months with Finn and Rose to establish the officially called Across the Stars Program (ATSP), it’s main goal was to reunite families separated by the war and the newly created division specialized in retrieved the former stormtroopers to their families.

Rey chose a similar path to him as an advisor but instead of spending her time on the ATSP, she worked at the Aviation Academy with the Head of the Mechanical department in training the new mechanics and having the time of her life testing the new ships.

They also went occasionally on travels with his dad and Chewie, Ben rapidly found that one of the things he enjoyed the most was to see the look on Rey’s eyes whenever they went to a planet she didn’t know. Together they went to Chandrilla, back to Takodana to see Maz and when they reached Naboo the way her eyes lightened up was enough to him to stay for a few more days than planned. They went to see his grandmother‘s grave, talked to the Queen about her legacy and they had an enormous surprise discovering that the villa where Padme spent most of her time away from the senate with her husband, was now his property. Her will stipulated that the Villa would pass into the hands of her first grandson as soon as he or she turned 21.

He accepted it graciously and they met the housekeeper, who they learned was the granddaughter of the housekeeper that knew Padme and Anakin in person. For some reason both of them felt attracted to the balcony on the back of the house, it had a beautiful view of the lake and later it became the place where Ben knelt and asked her to marry him.

Now the ring he had been carrying for months in his pocket was shining on her delicate finger and he couldn’t be happier.

After he woke her up with a kiss they both got ready for the day, they took breakfast on the balcony as usual and headed to the elevator to start their day at the Senate building where they were supposed to meet with Leia to talk about the wedding.

But when the automatic doors opened they found the smiling face of Luke Skywalker.  

"I have a mission for you,” he said after hugging them and getting himself comfortable on their sofa.

“What?” Ben asked a little suspicious of his uncle’s words.

They’d usually visited him on the new Jedi Temple and last time they’ve met he didn’t mention a thing about a mission.

“I’ve found some ancient scrolls,” He said after they were all seated “All of them talk about a stolen Jedi relic from before the Clone Wars but that information was hidden and...

“Uncle stop” interjected Ben raising his hand and trying already to not being involved in another Force-thing “we’re supposed to meet mom this morning but we can talk later about...

“Don’t worry about that Ben, my dear sister already knows, in fact, everyone should be here soon” Luke answered dismissing him with a wave.

“Everyone?” Was Rey’s first word, she shared a look of confusion with Ben when they heard the elevator door open.

“It’s time to reunite the team again“  Said Luke clapping his hands and heading to the elevator.

Chapter Text

NOW

“So... you want us to fly across the universe to look for an old Jedi vase?” Said Han putting his feet on the coffee table.

“No! First of all, it’s not a vase! It’s an ancient force relic that...”

“What’s a relic anyway?” Asked Finn amused.

“It’s his mystical way of saying vase” chuckled Han while Chewie laughed.

“It’s not a vase!!”

“Can you explain it again, please? I don’t think I understood it” interjected Rose with a shy voice, a rare thing she was never shy but for some reason when someone talked about the Jedi and the force she became shy.

“Don’t worry Rose I’ll explain it” said Luke gently. “While repairing the temple we came across some ancient scrolls that describe some of the Jedi traditions and stories, but one, in particular, caught my attention”.

At this point, every joke died in order to pay attention. “This particular one describes a relic adored by the first force users, they found an object enhanced with the force and they felt attracted to it like a magnet it made them feel stronger and more powerful, it’s important to understand that according to the old Jedi texts that we have, these force sensitives were not divided between Jedi and Sith, they simply followed their instincts. When they found this object that they describe as a kind of Kyber crystal...

"Like the ones used on lightsabers?". Said Rose quietly from her place next to Finn.

"Exactly, a group of them tried to extract power from this object but the magnitude of the force was too strong, they couldn´t control it and the crystal broke in two parts. When it broke judging by the notes of other Jedi Masters about this, it was believed that each part represented an aspect of force, the light and the darkness. They fought each other over the power possessed by both parts and as  result the balance between them was broken. The philosophy of neutral force that they followed disappeared and thus the two counterparts that were maintained for thousands of years were born. The Jedi and the Stih".

"I get it, but if it's true Why do you want to find it?"

"Yeah, Why?" asked Ben pointly. "Why now? Why can't it wait?"

"And why can't it stay where it is?" asked Han looking at him suspiciously.

"For its protection and ours obviously, Han," Luke said without meeting his eyes.

"Is there a threat we don't know about?" Finn was more intuitive every day that he accepted his connection with the force, he still preferred to get away from all the mystical exercises that Luke had tried to face him, he had not stepped on the temple more than on some occasions but he still trusted his instincts.

“Well, I haven't felt anything in the force yet but I'd rather have that relic under my protection in the temple than have it lost out there and be found by anyone. Besides, there are still some Sith worshipers scattered throughout the galaxy and some sympathizers of the empire who could try to search for it so that the empire resurfaces. I don't want to risk it, we can't risk any of that happening ”.

No one could dispute that logic.

It was a threat.

Still, Ben wasn't convinced to go.
"And you know its location, right? I don't think you reunited us without knowing it ”.

"Yes, the ancient texts indicate that it is in the Mustafar system, in a cavern in the mountains of ...

"Wait wait wait, did you say Mustafar? The same place that is covered in hot lava where there is no life and whose atmosphere has become poisonous in the last 50 years? That Mustafar? " Han and Ben exchanged glances from the ends of the couch, their relationship has improved a lot in the last few years since Han had taken him from the dark side.

Clearly, neither of them liked the idea of going there.

“Yes, but it is a necessary mission for…

"Isn't that the place where Darth Vader was born?" Finn asked.

"No," said Ben forcefully "It is the place where Anakin Skywalker died" no one dared to say anything after that, Rey took Ben's hand, intertwined their fingers, and sent him love through the bond they shared.

"It's a necessary mission," Luke repeated.

"That's why you called us all," said Rey looking around, Han, Chewie, and Poe, the best pilots in the Republic, Luke, Ben and herself, the most powerful Jedi, Finn, and Rose the best soldiers. They were the perfect team for such a dangerous mission. A mission that could be compared to the first and only mission of the legendary team Rogue One.

"What do you think, Poe? You haven't said a word "
"I don't like it, but I will follow you wherever you go Rey, I trust you and if you think we have to do it, I will go." He said.

The mission still did not convince them completely, but nobody wanted a new threat, it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Okay" said Rey looking at everyone "When are we leaving?"