The Broken Edge, Chapter 58, "Han vs. Yana."
In which Han confronts Yana/Snoke. It doesn't go well.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Landing on Yavin IV was enough to make Han, for a moment, really take in the lush scenery and things of that nature, the sorts of things that he hadn’t seen in quite a while, actually. It was late evening, and the other Jedi were heading in to go to bed, so Han knew that his time was limited. The best he could do was approach Yana while he could, and from there, he would know what to do.
Getting out of the Falcon, he headed towards Yana, who was heading towards the Academy almost like a furtive shadow, heading towards it as if he expected to just blend in with the others. He turned around in that moment as Han headed down the Falcon’s ramp.
“Captain Solo,” Yana said. “What an unexpected pleasure -- ’’
“Oh, shut up, Yana,” Han snapped. “You ain’t fooling anyone here. What kind of bantha poodoo are you teaching my son?”
Yana was perfectly calm. Then, “The truth, Captain. The truth about all things. Just because it doesn't align with the romanticized view you want to peddle to your son at night doesn’t mean that it isn’t the truth.”
“So this whole thing about us being terrorists is true?”
Still that infuriating calm. Then, “Just because you proclaim yourselves to be heroes doesn’t mean you are heroes, Captain.”
“Of course.” Han snorted. “Never mind that we were fighting against an Empire that was intent on crushing everyone who still had an ounce of free will. What about Alderaan? My wife lost her homeplanet thanks to those evil bastards!”
Silence. If Han didn’t know better, he swore that something in Yana’s eyes passed over like a storm cloud. Then he said, “In war, you make decisions you never thought you would make.”
“She had nightmares,” Han said. He could still remember the nights where Leia screamed in her sleep, crying out for her adoptive family. Her real family, as far as Han was concerned. Vader hadn’t earned the title of father and he never would. Just because the bastard had somehow knocked up Leia’s mom (who apparently hadn’t stuck around) didn’t mean that he was a father.
And what about you? a nasty voice in Han’s mind said. Have you been much of a father to your son?
Maybe Han hadn’t been perfect. But there was a whole line between that and torture. It wasn’t like he’d tortured Ben (hell, he’d never be able to forgive himself if he did) or blown up Chandrila or Yavin, or tortured Poe, or done half the things Vader had done. There was a whole galaxy (no, whole galaxies) between what he did and what Vader did.
“Only natural,” Yana said.
Han sighed. “Alderaan didn’t even do anything.”
“It was planning to cause an insurrection -- ’’
“So that makes it all okay.” Han’s breathing became harsher. “Somehow, that makes it all okay.”
“Besides, what about what your Rebellion did to the Death Star? I can’t help but wonder if you and the Empire are so different. And you...you rejoiced. In the face of civilian workers dying, you rejoiced and gloated and laughed.”
“Because Yavin was about to get nuked first!”
“An eye for an eye, then. Lives for lives. Cling to your childish delusions if you will, but your son knows better. Of course, in terms of morality, your son is infinitely your better.”
Han paused. He didn’t know what to say to that. He couldn’t condemn Ben -- naive, impressionable Ben -- but he couldn’t condone him. Yana knew where exactly to hit. His love for Ben.
“Fascinating,” Yana said. “You have some love left over, some of the old fatherly instinct? I didn’t think you had it in you. Being the neglectful, careless sort, I didn’t think we would even be having this conversation.”
“Well, we are now. I’m telling you, pal, if you so much as go near my son again, they’ll never find your body.”
Yana was calm. Too calm. Then, “Or alternatively, I’m certain that your friend Master Skywalker would be pleased to hear that you’re threatening a Jedi Master. It would be something to hear.”
“You’re going to tell Luke?” Han laughed in disbelief.
“I could. I could also pull out this lightsaber and end you where you stand...but that would be too far.”
Han laughed. “You wanna put that to the test? I’ve met beings like you, pal. All talk, no action. Just stay the stang away from my son.”
“Of course,” Yana said, in a way that suggested that no, he wouldn't.
It was getting back on the Falcon that Chewie snarled at Han.
“He’s brainwashing my son!” Han sighed even as he spoke. “I swear, if he keeps doing it, I’m going to Luke, no ifs, ands or buts.”
Chewie grunted skeptically.
“You kidding?” Han grinned despite himself. “Luke can put the fear of the Force in a being. If anyone can get Yana to lay off, it’s him.”
Another skeptical grunt.
“I dunno, Chewie. But we’re not giving up.”
***
It was on the way to the Academy that Snoke was all but seething.
Han Solo was a fool, a deluded fool at that. At least it cast more light on the situation. Like all monsters, he fancied himself to be the hero. He fancied himself to be the hero, even after what he had donè. Even after he had floated and laughed in the face of the casualties on the Death Star, he fancied himself to be the hero. Even after everything else he’d done, he fancied himself to be the hero. All the rebels were the same, weren’t they, Snoke thought. Cruel, arrogant, deluded, preserving disorder...
But Snoke would not stop teaching Ben. He could not. He would do whatever he could in order to make Ben understand fully, and when the time came, he would join him. Once he saw what Snoke was trying to do, he would join him.
Snoke was sure of it. .
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Landing on Yavin IV was enough to make Han, for a moment, really take in the lush scenery and things of that nature, the sorts of things that he hadn’t seen in quite a while, actually. It was late evening, and the other Jedi were heading in to go to bed, so Han knew that his time was limited. The best he could do was approach Yana while he could, and from there, he would know what to do.
Getting out of the Falcon, he headed towards Yana, who was heading towards the Academy almost like a furtive shadow, heading towards it as if he expected to just blend in with the others. He turned around in that moment as Han headed down the Falcon’s ramp.
“Captain Solo,” Yana said. “What an unexpected pleasure -- ’’
“Oh, shut up, Yana,” Han snapped. “You ain’t fooling anyone here. What kind of bantha poodoo are you teaching my son?”
Yana was perfectly calm. Then, “The truth, Captain. The truth about all things. Just because it doesn't align with the romanticized view you want to peddle to your son at night doesn’t mean that it isn’t the truth.”
“So this whole thing about us being terrorists is true?”
Still that infuriating calm. Then, “Just because you proclaim yourselves to be heroes doesn’t mean you are heroes, Captain.”
“Of course.” Han snorted. “Never mind that we were fighting against an Empire that was intent on crushing everyone who still had an ounce of free will. What about Alderaan? My wife lost her homeplanet thanks to those evil bastards!”
Silence. If Han didn’t know better, he swore that something in Yana’s eyes passed over like a storm cloud. Then he said, “In war, you make decisions you never thought you would make.”
“She had nightmares,” Han said. He could still remember the nights where Leia screamed in her sleep, crying out for her adoptive family. Her real family, as far as Han was concerned. Vader hadn’t earned the title of father and he never would. Just because the bastard had somehow knocked up Leia’s mom (who apparently hadn’t stuck around) didn’t mean that he was a father.
And what about you? a nasty voice in Han’s mind said. Have you been much of a father to your son?
Maybe Han hadn’t been perfect. But there was a whole line between that and torture. It wasn’t like he’d tortured Ben (hell, he’d never be able to forgive himself if he did) or blown up Chandrila or Yavin, or tortured Poe, or done half the things Vader had done. There was a whole galaxy (no, whole galaxies) between what he did and what Vader did.
“Only natural,” Yana said.
Han sighed. “Alderaan didn’t even do anything.”
“It was planning to cause an insurrection -- ’’
“So that makes it all okay.” Han’s breathing became harsher. “Somehow, that makes it all okay.”
“Besides, what about what your Rebellion did to the Death Star? I can’t help but wonder if you and the Empire are so different. And you...you rejoiced. In the face of civilian workers dying, you rejoiced and gloated and laughed.”
“Because Yavin was about to get nuked first!”
“An eye for an eye, then. Lives for lives. Cling to your childish delusions if you will, but your son knows better. Of course, in terms of morality, your son is infinitely your better.”
Han paused. He didn’t know what to say to that. He couldn’t condemn Ben -- naive, impressionable Ben -- but he couldn’t condone him. Yana knew where exactly to hit. His love for Ben.
“Fascinating,” Yana said. “You have some love left over, some of the old fatherly instinct? I didn’t think you had it in you. Being the neglectful, careless sort, I didn’t think we would even be having this conversation.”
“Well, we are now. I’m telling you, pal, if you so much as go near my son again, they’ll never find your body.”
Yana was calm. Too calm. Then, “Or alternatively, I’m certain that your friend Master Skywalker would be pleased to hear that you’re threatening a Jedi Master. It would be something to hear.”
“You’re going to tell Luke?” Han laughed in disbelief.
“I could. I could also pull out this lightsaber and end you where you stand...but that would be too far.”
Han laughed. “You wanna put that to the test? I’ve met beings like you, pal. All talk, no action. Just stay the stang away from my son.”
“Of course,” Yana said, in a way that suggested that no, he wouldn't.
It was getting back on the Falcon that Chewie snarled at Han.
“He’s brainwashing my son!” Han sighed even as he spoke. “I swear, if he keeps doing it, I’m going to Luke, no ifs, ands or buts.”
Chewie grunted skeptically.
“You kidding?” Han grinned despite himself. “Luke can put the fear of the Force in a being. If anyone can get Yana to lay off, it’s him.”
Another skeptical grunt.
“I dunno, Chewie. But we’re not giving up.”
***
It was on the way to the Academy that Snoke was all but seething.
Han Solo was a fool, a deluded fool at that. At least it cast more light on the situation. Like all monsters, he fancied himself to be the hero. He fancied himself to be the hero, even after what he had donè. Even after he had floated and laughed in the face of the casualties on the Death Star, he fancied himself to be the hero. Even after everything else he’d done, he fancied himself to be the hero. All the rebels were the same, weren’t they, Snoke thought. Cruel, arrogant, deluded, preserving disorder...
But Snoke would not stop teaching Ben. He could not. He would do whatever he could in order to make Ben understand fully, and when the time came, he would join him. Once he saw what Snoke was trying to do, he would join him.
Snoke was sure of it. .