[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(10)
“Something is wrong about this,” Luke said. “You shouldn’t be going on hunts with Jacen, you shouldn’t be a member of GAG, and you sure shouldn’t be busting down doors and killing people. You’re too young.”
Ben’s face hardened-not with the resentment Luke had expected, but with resolve. “I save lives every time I go on a mission. Isn’t that what Jedi are supposed to do?”
“Ben, you’re not a Jedi,” Luke said. “You’re not even a true apprentice. You haven’t completed any of the academy tests.”
“I’ve been kind of busy catching terrorists.” Ben’s tone was pointed without being angry. “Besides, Jacen says I’m stronger in the Force than any of the academy’s apprentices.”
“That’s not for Jacen to judge.” Luke was relieved to discover how hard Ben was to anger-it made him hope that maybe Mara was right, that maybe Jacen wasn’t leading their son down such a dark path after all. “If you want to continue helping Jacen and GAG, you’ll have to prove to me that you’re ready.”
“I’m not quitting GAG,” Ben insisted. “Jacen needs me. The Alliance needs me.”
“Then show me you’re ready.”
Luke brought his lightsaber to guard, but did not activate it.
“If I have to.” Ben ignited his own blade, then frowned when Luke did not do the same. “Aren’t you going to turn on your lightsaber?”
“When I need to,” Luke said. “When you make me.”
A gleam of understanding came to Ben’s eye, and he stepped forward with a high slash. The double gravity slowed the attack, and Luke had plenty of time to contemplate the hesitation he saw in his son’s eyes. Ben was not comfortable sparring. He hadn’t done it often enough to trust himself not to hurt his partner-or his partner not to hurt him. Luke evaded the attack by dropping into a squat, then thrust his foot out to sweep Ben’s leading leg out from beneath him.
Ben slammed to the floor, then cleared the area by whipping his blade in a circle around his body. The boy might not be much at sparring, but he did know how to fight. Had Luke not already launched himself into a backward spring, the attack would have taken his legs off at the knees. He landed just beyond reach and allowed Ben’s blade to sweep past, then stepped forward again and deadened the brachial nerve bundle by kicking Ben under the arm, hard.
Ben’s hand opened, and the blade of his lightsaber fizzled out as the hilt went spinning across the vault. Luke somersaulted three meters up to land atop a balance beam.
“You’ll have to do better than that, son,” he said. Though his tone was light, inside he was cringing at how hard Ben had thumped the floor. The safety field would not allow anyone to hit hard enough to suffer any real harm, but no good father enjoyed bruising his own child-even if it would make that child wiser and stronger. “You won’t force me to ignite my blade by swinging short.”
Ben’s face reddened more from embarrassment than irritation. Then he sprang to his feet and tried to reach toward his lightsaber. When his sword arm failed to rise-the nerves would still be numb from Luke’s kick-he extended his other hand and summoned the weapon back to it.
He activated the blade and took a few test swings to make sure his one-handed grip was dry and firm, then looked up at the balance beam where Luke was standing. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”
“Yes, you do,” Luke said. “I need to know you can defend yourself.”
“Then why am I doing all the attacking?” Ben demanded. “That’s not going to tell you anything.”
“It’ll tell me plenty.” Luke pointed at a wobble ball floating nearby, then used the Force to send it hurling at Ben. “There are many kinds of danger.”
Ben ducked the projectile and Force-sprang into the air. Luke hurled another wobble ball, and this time Ben had to block, bringing his lightsaber around to slice the ball in two. He landed on the far end of the balance beam … and that was when Mara turned on the wind.
The sudden blast was nearly enough to knock Luke from the beam, but Ben merely leaned into the wind and started cautiously forward.
Luke frowned up at the control booth, wondering whether Mara had used the Force to give Ben a little warning. The thought had barely crossed his mind before he sensed her touch, assuring him she had not-but urging him not to be too hard on their son.
Yet Luke had to be. He had to know what lessons Jacen was teaching Ben. He rooted himself to the beam through the Force, then glanced up at another wobble ball and brought it flying down at his son from behind.