The Broken Edge, Chapter 57 "Confusion and Lies"

[ladyofleithian]

In which Ben has a bit of an argument with his father.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The more that Ben listened, the more he realized something. There was something about the Rebellion that wasn’t terribly heroic. Everything that Yana said seemed to strip the varnish off them and expose them as far from decent people. Everything that Ben heard about them made him wonder if they were quite as heroic as the stories had made them out to be.

 

They had seemed so very heroic, almost as if they could do no wrong. They had seemed almost like gods. And yet listening to Yana...were those gods really so benevolent, really so heroic? Poe seemed to disagree with him on the idea that the Rebellion wasn’t perfect, were perhaps even monsters in their own right, and Ben’s father...

 

It had been on one of his visits that it had happened. It started off normal at first. They were in the main hold of the Falcon even as they talked, and Ben was taking in, once again, how it felt to be there, where he was too familiar with it when he was a child. Hiding in corners, shaking like a leaf to avoid his parents’ fights. Fixing the Falcon. Showing Jaina around it. The Falcon had so many memories attached to it that Ben doubted he could really count them. 

 

“So,” Han said, “How have things been going?”

 

“The usual,” Ben said. “I’ve been training.”

 

“Have you, huh? How’s that been going?”

 

“Good. Yana’s been teaching me things.”

 

“Has he?” Han sounded skeptical even as he spoke. Ben couldn’t say he liked it. First Poe, now Han. And then there was the matter of his mother. Did everyone think that Yana was somehow dangerous just because he didn’t worship the ground that the Rebellion walked on? Just because they were written in history as heroes didn’t mean that they were good guys. 

 

Saw Gerrera was one example. 

 

Still, he said, “They’re just things.”

 

“If you say so.” And Ben picked up, If Ben asks me, he’s as slippery as the underside of a Hutt’s tail...

 

“He’s not that bad, Dad.”

 

“I just don’t like what he’s saying. Listen, Ben, we’re not perfect -- ’’

 

“It’s not like,” forgetting to spend time with your son, the mental sentence finished against his will, and Ben swallowed it again. Wasn’t he being just a touch ungrateful? “Forgetting to pick up the blue milk carton.” Yeah. Good. Something not ungrateful. “It’s...torture, Dad.”

 

“Saw always was more of an extremist,” Han said. “Far as I know, people like Mothma wanted nothing to do with him.”

 

“Then why didn’t they try to actually kick him out?”

 

“It’s not like they would do much. Look, kiddo, Yana may have a point on some things, but some other stuff, like the Empire -- ’’

 

“What about the Republic? When was the last time they actually cared about anyone or anything, Dad? The Empire’s not any better, but still...”

 

Even the look in Dad’s eyes was enough to scare Ben. It wasn’t anger; it was devastation, and worry. He’s afraid of me. His own son, and he’s afraid of me. 

 

Just like Mom. 

 

Ben could already hear his father’s thoughts bubbling in his mind. Doesn’t he even know who he sounds like? He sounds like -- no, I can’t make that comparison, I won’t make that comparison, by the stars.

 

“Oh, I get it,” Ben said coldly. “I sound like Vader again, don’t I? All hail Ben Solo, the man who’s too much like Vader and can never do anything right.”

 

“Ben,” Han said, “No. It’s not like that at all.”

 

“Why are you even comparing me to him? Vader died before I was born; I don’t have anything to do with him.”

 

He swore a flash of pain came into his father’s eyes. Then, “Ben...please just listen to me. Just...please, if you can’t stay away from Yana, at least take him with a grain of salt.”

 

Slowly, not quite believing his father, Ben nodded. 

 

***

It was long after that Ben left that Han slumped in his seat. He sighed. It seemed that Yana’s influence on his son was just getting worse. Not like the guy wasn’t a complete slimeball, but still...

 

Chewie grunted in concern, jolting Han out of his thoughts. 

 

Han sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t like this, Chewie. I don’t like what Yana’s doing to Ben -- whatever he’s doing. It’s giving me the creeps.”

 

Chewie grunted softly.

 

“Tomorrow, pal,” Han said, “I’m going to confront him.”

 

Chewie grunted in agreement. Han settled back. Come tomorrow or so, Yana was going to be sorry that he even decided to mess with Ben. He really would

.