The next day Naluma moved to the study, eager to welcome visitors and leave her quarters. While she attended to administrative duties, such as placing orders, scheduling duty rotations, and reviewing student progress, the Padawan and Jedi visited throughout the day.

Not all of the Jedi had reported back yet from their missions, but enough Jedi were present to address the heavy work around the academy. The next afternoon, while Luke was orchestrating the clean-up of the demolished wing that had sat untouched since Naluma's leg was crushed thirteen years earlier.

Taking advantage of distracted attention, Ben cut class and entered the study.

Naluma stood as he entered the open hatch. "What are you doing here, Ben?"

"I just came to ask your forgiveness, Aunt Naluma," he murmured. "Uncle Luke said—"

"Oh, cut it out with the 'Aunt Naluma' and 'Uncle Luke.' You don't believe what you did was wrong, nor would you hesitate to do it again in the same situation," she said crossing to him.

Ben's expression hardened. "It was an accident."

"No way what you did was an accident, Ben. Using the Force to crush—to kill—my child did not happen by accident." She crossed her arms and glared at the boy. Only the Force kept her from choking him.

She watched the darkness swirl around Ben, consuming him, masking him so much she could barely make out his Force-signature.

He said with a deeper voice than usual, "You know that, and I know that, but Master Luke doesn't. And he will never know that. He thinks you are delusional."

"Well, all he has to do is probe your mind, and he'll know for sure that you are a murderer."

"All that he will find in my mind is the truth. But what is truth, Auntie?" He let that hang for a moment. "Truth is what I believe happened—and I believe, and now remember, what truly happened. You weren't feeling well. I overpowered you in training. You collapsed." An evil grin adorned his face as his eyes transformed from brown to yellow. "Go ahead, Auntie. Probe my mind."

Naluma glared back at him before probing. She collapsed to the edge of the desk, her face contorted, as she realized he had developed a false memory. Her mouth dropped, and her eyes narrowed.

"Go ahead. Tell Uncle Luke. I'll just have him probe my mind. He already thinks your hormones have made you loony. This will only prove it. Do you think he would ever trust you again to run the academy or even to handle missions if you are mentally unstable? You think he even wants to have kids now ... now that he knows what you're really like?" Ben circled her. "You are beaten, Aunt Naluma. Admit it."

"Ben, this battle may be won, but the war is not over yet. One day you will bring about your own demise, and I just hope I'm there to see it."

"Aunt Naluma, such uncharitable thoughts from a Jedi Master. Are you sure you haven't turned to the dark side? What would Master Skywalker say?"

Ben reached his starting position on his arc and pivoted sharply to her. "I think this interview is over. Write me a tardy excuse, as I don't want my new persona as the Perfect Padawan tarnished so quickly."

"No."

"Yes, or I'm going straight to Master Skywalker to tell him that you hunted me down and tried to kill me." Ben dragged his finger across the back of the sofa beside him.

"And I think he would believe me ... he would remove you from duties permanently, I think. Maybe even lock you up in an asylum—sedated for the rest of your life—or better yet, exiled."

He smiled and laughed at the thought. "Maybe I'll do that anyway."

She quickly wrote the excuse. "Stay away from me. I don't want to ever see you again."

"Oh, Aunt Naluma, I'm sure we'll see each other again. It's not over yet."

The next morning, Ben ran out into the rain and meditated, calling "Grandfather!"

Today, an image appeared before him, his grandfather's melted mask. It spoke in the same voice he had always heard. "Ben."

"Grandfather, I now know the power ... the pleasure ... of the dark side," Ben said with joy.

"Good, good. I knew you would see the truth," the mask said. "The time has come. You need training. It is time for you to have a new master."

"Yes, but who?"

"You will know. He will come to you. Wait here. Follow his commands, and you will finish what I started. That is your destiny."

Ben knelt in the mud, waiting.

A shadowy image appeared. Immense and emaciated, it was difficult to tell if he were human. Dressed in a dark robe, his hood removed, the creature's pale face was marked in wrinkles and wafer-thin skin. His face revealed a broken nose and a large scar that passed down the left side of his skull. His dull blue eyes were unequal in position, with the left lower than the right. His cheeks were marred with holes in his flesh.

Then Ben noticed the figure's fingers were not human—more like claws than fingers. Ben shrunk back in fear.

The new voice reverberated in the grove. "I am Snoke. Supreme Leader Snoke. Kylo Ren, bow to me. I am your master now."

Ben bowed his face to the ground, afraid to raise it again.

The beast said, "Together, we will have enough power to destroy the Jedi and rule the galaxy together."

Ben shuddered, not entirely sure that he wanted to take this step. Taking courage that this was his destiny, he groveled and said, "Yes, my master." 

Did you know . . .

● Ben seems like an emo, spoiled brat in The Force Awakens. His lines are dramatic, almost melodramatic. As we see him transition in this chapter, keep that in mind. The more he turns dark, the more melodramatic he becomes. For him, there is no gray. There is only light and dark. He is either to one extreme or the other. When he is dark, he is very angsty.

Tell me what you think . . .

● Is there any hope left for Ben? Why or why not?

● Will Ben convince Luke to exile Naluma? Why or why not?