Departure

A small shuttle stood nearby, the metal shining brilliantly in the daylight. Built only to carry a maximum of ten people for more than a few hours (comfortably, at least, with its size), it stood there with its scarred hood. This was the vehicle of choice for Luke Skywalker to escort his newest potential students. Luke, Ben's enigmatic uncle, stood there outside the shuttle, the wind tugging on the brown cloak draped around his shoulders. Beneath the cloak he could make out a few hints of black and grey. He expected that would be close to what he'd be wearing once he joined the Order himself.

Standing slightly farther away, was his father, the wind tugging at the untamable hair that was always a tangle on his head; unfortunately, he himself had inherited that hair. The prospect of joining Uncle Luke to learn how to become a Jedi had caused him to hype himself up. He could barely stand still, his legs were bouncing, and his expression was nothing short of ecstatic. He'd heard stories about Jedi, and more stories about what his Uncle Luke and mother had done during their fight against the Empire… And now he'd be able to train and learn the ways of the Force.

His mother, the famous Leia Organa Solo, rested her small hand on his shoulder, emanating comfort. Never had she let her duties call her away from him, but now it was his turn to have duties beyond him. She was always there for him, and he frowned slightly, realizing he'd have to genuinely leave her for the first time in his life. With her duties in the Republic, there would be no way for them to see each other. He wanted to go, learn about the Force, learn it's wonder, learn control. Control… Two weeks ago he had slammed Threepio into the wall in a fit of rage by accident. He was sorry.

"Mom, I'm sorry, you know that? Don't you?"

The hand tightened reassuringly and his mother knelt down besides him, "Ben, I love you. Sometimes we have to go away to become stronger. Luke will help you, he'll teach you control. We wouldn't want certain incidents to repeat themselves, would we?"

Ben shook his head and smiled ruefully, remembering the incidents, "No I wouldn't, but it was funny!"

Leia wasn't exactly amused by the comment, but ruffled his hair, "Well… let's try to keep diplomatic incidents at a minimum. When you're angry, don't dump foods on diplomats."

Smiling, the nervousness gone, "Sorry Mommy, he shouldn't have insulted Daddy."

She wrapped him in a hug, vibrating with hidden laughter, "Dad can take care of himself. Didn't I tell you how he took on an entire battalion of stormtroopers?"

The story was a familiar one. The first time he had asked for a goodnight story his parents told him of the event. He was three then and angry at not having his parents' full attention and the fact that some scowling people always had to argue with the brightly colored people. He hadn't liked the First Order then, he still didn't. They kept his parents occupied. Mom didn't like them either.

Han had started the story explaining how Mom and Dad always had to help people. He told how there was an old man and a little farm boy, together they found Dad and went to rescue a princess. Dad always called Mom a princess, which was silly, Mom was a General. it was a good story though with plenty of actions. Apparently the evil Empire had decided to capture the princess to find out about the heroic rebels. They blew up a planet, which was silly. A planet can't be blown up. At the end they escaped and the smuggler and princess got married.

Ben pushed himself out of her hug, "Not again, that didn't happen. There's no way that a bunch of stormtroopers would've let you escape. You said they were skilled."

She shook her head, "But that's the secret, they wanted to let us escape… Enough old folk talk, go say goodbye to your dad. Uncle Luke is waiting."

"Bye Mummy, I'll miss you."

She gave him another hug, "I'll miss you too, but remember we'll write to each other, and I'll always reply, no matter how busy people are. You're the most important person in my life."

"What about Dad?"

Raising her eyebrows, "Dad? He's the second most important person. Don't tell him that, though. He thinks he's number one all the time."

Ben laughed and shook his head, grinning. Turning around, he looked at Uncle Luke and his heart soared. He'd learn to be a Jedi, he'd be awesome! If, for whatever reason he didn't become a Jedi, he'd become a smuggler. Dad was awesome too, he and Chewie could talk their way out of everything. Maybe the Force could help with that… but he'd have to learn how to do that first.

Running up to his dad, he was swooped up by the strong arms and whirled around, "How's my favorite son doing?"

"I'm your only son! In fact, I'm your only child. Wait, does that mean I get a brother?"

His father laughed and let Chewie hug them both, "No, no, Leia would be mad. Your mother can be a very dangerous angry woman. She's stubborn and reckless and sometimes forgets about herself. That's why we're here, we keep her from running into trouble. Why, there was this one time where she tried to take on Vader all by herself."

"She coulda taken him!"

"Right kiddo, she and Luke together. Now be good for Uncle Luke, he defeated Vader. He'll be there for you and don't be annoyed by his mystic nature. He's got a lot on his mind, I don't want to hear about any trouble you cause. Luke is going to be your teacher, not your Uncle. I'd bet the other kids are jealous and Jedi shouldn't be jealous. They have to be good."

Nodding seriously, "Right Daddy, I'll be good. When I'm a Jedi, like Un- Luke, I'll come and say hi and we can go on lots of adventures. It'll be like when I was young and you, Mom, and Luke, were saving the galaxy from the Empire."

"I think kiddo," his father began shaking his head, "You were a tad younger than young."

Chewie roared and Ben pushed himself away, "I know, I know, I've got to go. You and Dad make sure to have lot's of adventures and tell me all about it, okay?"

Chewie's paw landed on his shoulder and he nodded, before gently pushing him away. Taking one last glance back, he hurried off to join his Uncle.

"Ready Ben?"

"Yes sir… I mean… uhh… Jedi?"

Chuckling, "Luke's fine. Let's go."

Together Luke boarded the shuttle with Ben and the other new students, who then sat down on the old seats. Glancing out of the window, Ben slowly raised his hand to wave at his mom, who stood next to Dad. She raised her own hand and waved back.

"I'll write," he whispered, aware that she couldn't hear him, "I'll write and when I come back, we'll be a family again. I'll learn to curb the dark side within me. I know you didn't want me to know about it, but I do. I'll learn and be better and we'll be together again. I promise Mom."

ENCRYPTION BYPASS IDENTIFICATION: SB3IJ

Status: Undelayed, clear

Transmission: Authorized

[TIMESTAMP: 25,066-4-6-4; 18:35]

[FROM: Ben Solo, DID JDI-1557933C]

[TO: Leia Organa-Solo, DID STR-3876651A]

Hi Mom, Hi Dad,

I've had so much fun! It's been a month and I already feel like I've been here so long. We've been learning how to move things using the Force, and Luke told us what he knows about lightsabers. We're not going to learn how to actually use them until we prove ourselves. Older students say that's going to take a long time. I'm gonna get one once he knows I'm ready. I think the other students know that he wants to protect me even though he tries not to. It's so awesome to be here, I'm going to be so happy to stay.

Do you think Dad will ask me about it? I want to tell him all about it! Is there anything else you guys want to hear about? I can try to explain everything, if you want. Remember to show this to Daddy, Mom. I hope he can find some time to talk. Tell him that he doesn't have to walk silly anymore because I won't be there to watch him. Tell Chewie hi from me also, he'd love this place. Uncle Luke (he said it's okay to call him that in private) told me that I shouldn't write anything secret because the messages could be intercepted. So sorry, I can't tell you about the planet we're on, I wish you would visit here.

I miss you already, but I'll be strong. Send me a letter back please? Tell everyone hi from me.

- Ben

"One day you'll be strong… you'll live up to your grandfather's legacy."

The wind whistled and blew, the smoke formed giant plumes… and everything, everything, was dark, the pitch black darkness of the point of no return. The air was hot, it clung to him, it called to him and told him to stay. He couldn't move. Around him he could feel creatures moving through the dark, their footsteps pounding on the floor, their flapping wings thundering through the air.

Dark hands rose from the ground and Ben tried to move, to scream. The hands kept moving, and their bodies rose out of the misty dark. He shuddered and tried to tell his body to move, but the hot air clung to him and told him to stay.

The heat increased, the darkness becoming even darker than possible. Something powerful lurked.

"Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth... Vader."

A deep penetrating hiss began to resound through the air, chilling him to his core. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. Almost every part of him wanted to flee, an unimaginable evil was lurking out there, ready to take him. But the rest of him…something inside him was telling him that this was where he wanted to be, where he should be. Slowly he began to move, to further the distance between himself and the monster hiding in the dark, but the hot air clung to him and told him to stay.

Red streams of lava broke through the ground. It burned through him as he saw a lightsaber move through figures, annihilating them. As pain and more pain assaulted his body, he saw the shadowy figure with a red lightsaber advancing on him. The hot air clung to him and told him to stay and he listened, he didn't have the strength to resist.

Throughout it all, the monster moved forward leaving an empty path behind him. It ignored everything and remained strong. So very strong where he remained weak. It closed in on him, the hissing growing louder.

"There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."

Groaning he tried to form an answer, but the heat had stolen the words from his mouth. Just before the red lightsaber could come to rest on his throat, a roar of fury tore through the scene, causing the mist to cease and blackness to send him away with the memories still burned into his skin.

The gasping breaths of a young Ben Solo ran through the room, as he woke. The burning heat still feeling ever so real and he shuddered feeling the ghostly presence surround him. Closing his eyes he tried to forget what he had seen, what he had endured. Telling himself it was a nightmare, he rolled over and tried to got to sleep. He wanted his parents. He had told his mom that he'd missed her, but that felt like a petty story compared to the longing that struck him as he fought insomnia.

This story is cowritten with alwaysyourqueen who is posting the story on Archive of Our Own.

Our story is going to focus on Ben's gradual fall to the dark side and will mostly be a series of letters between him and Leia. The next chapter is scheduled for the following Sunday, but if you happen to like the first chapter, please drop a review. Until later.