Two weeks later…
"You're all aware that in the past week three Federation Worlds have been destroyed by this so called Soul Reaper." Poe said to hologram images of the other 9 council members that made up the temporary leadership of the fledgling Federation. "We have solid intel pointing us to an imminent attack on a planet just outside of charted space. We're in need of every ship you can send."
"With the size and strength of the First Order fleet at your disposal, what need could you possibly have for our planetary defense forces?" Asked a Mon Calamari counselman named Pischa. "You're asking us to leave our worlds defenseless, and you don't even know when this attack will occur."
Poe explained, "We know that the planet Aaronia will be targeted by Soul Reaper. In order to prevent that planet from being destroyed we need a massive number of ships. Far more than we currently have. If we get the ships we need we will destroy Soul Reaper." He promised confidently.
A Devronian female councilor nodded and said, "That's all well and good, but we need to stop the slaughter now. Three planets and billions of citizens are already gone, how many more will be destroyed before Soul Reaper stumbles into your trap?"
"That's true, three planets are gone, billions of sentient beings and uncountable lesser lifeforms all dead. Soul Reaper may indeed destroy more planets before it comes for Aaronia. We don't know what planets it will target next, or when… but we do know that Aaronia is on it's list." Ben intoned. "Which is why we require the ships from the planetary defense forces of every member system in the Federation. We have one chance to stop it here. If we fail here we may never get another tip on it's impending movements and as you know, we can not track it." His voice went deadly serious. "The plan we've come up with is our only chance, this is the only time we'll ever be able to lay a trap for it."
"And if your plan fails?" Asked the Devronian. "You'll have handed us all over to Soul Reaper with no chance to defend ourselves."
"Planetary defense forces didn't prevent the destruction of our member planets any more than they will prevent the destruction of your worlds." Poe insisted. "The only way they can possibly be of use against Soul Reaper is if they join with our main fleet and help us destroy that beast in the skies over Aaronia."
Pischa argued. "You're asking us to support your call to drain the entire galaxy of fighting ships. You want us to endanger every living thing in known space on a gamble that is based on what? An anonymous tip?"
"The tip is solid. Soul Reaper will attack Aaronia." Ben injected. "Soul Reaper has turned it's sights from ships and convoys to planets now, how long until it leaves this area and makes it's way to your homeworlds?"
Poe spoke up, "All of the attacks have been in an area known as the Spice Lanes. Aaronia is in uncharted space adjacent to the Spice Lanes. We think Soul Reaper's base must be near there somewhere. We have thousands of small ships from dozens of factions scouring that whole quadrant, but if we can't find it before it hits Aaronia, we have no choice but to assume that will be our battlefield, and that battlefield requires far more ships than we have." He warned the council. "We are running out of time! We need your support to order the planetary defense forces from all Federation planets to get to Aaronia as soon as possible! Soul Reaper could show up at any moment, if we don't have those ships, none of us, none of you, no one will be able to stop it!"
The holoconference ended shortly thereafter and Rey turned to Ben, "Will they send us the ships we need?"
"They'd better." He said grimly. "Or all of this will amount to nothing."
Over the past two weeks most of the fleet had gathered around Aaronia. Without the regular patrols chaos had crept into even the core systems. It was no wonder that planetary defense forces were so in demand, but without the hundreds of thousands of ships they represented, Soul Reaper would surely prove it's indestructability.
"I suppose." She rubbed her belly absently as they walked along the corridor then her attention and eyes focused sharply, "The time is growing short, I can feel it."
"Yeah, me too." He said grimly. "I would feel better about this if we knew the guy's name."
Despite having hundreds of people attempting to find specifically that information, nobody had been able to figure out who was in command of Soul Reaper. "His name isn't important." Rey said vehemently. "We're going to bring him and his reign of terror to an end."
"*We're* going to." He eyed her warily. "I don't want you in the thick of it." He would have been able to feel her irritation even if he weren't force sensitive. "Please, Rey, I wont be worth a damn if I don't know you're safe."
"I understand," She said. "I feel the same way about your safety."
He smiled tightly. "Why doesn't that feel like a promise to stay out of this?"
"Because it isn't," She stated matter-of-factly. "I'm not going to run off and hide just because there is danger around."
"That's not what I'm asking." The only reason he wasn't asking that was because he knew she'd never agree to such a thing.
"Good." She smiled then changed the subject. "Do you remember those fritter things we had with lunch the other day? I want more of those so much I can taste them… do you know what they were called?"
A month later…
"Six months ago, none of us knew each other, none of us liked each other, Half of us didn't know or didn't want to know the other half existed." Ben glanced around the holoaudience chamber. Instead of a slowly revolving galaxy he was surrounded by thousands of hologram beings from every corner of that galaxy. He held his arms elegantly askew. "We'll soon be engaging a foe the likes of which the galaxy never needs to see again. His name is not important, his quest is to kill each and everyone of us. That's not a ship he's flying around in, it's a threat. A threat to all of us. A threat to our families, our friends, our societies, even our existence."
He paused. "I used to be that guy and I can tell you, right now, that guy is the loneliest guy in the galaxy. No matter how much fire power he's commanding, he's standing alone."
He looked around at the newest crop of captains to join the fleet, "We have Emperial Remnants, First Order Converts, Republic Rebels, Resistance Fighters, Pirates, Spice Runners, Smugglers, Spacers, Mercs and Planetary Defense Forces from a thousand systems. We've got Hutts, Wookiees, Bothans, Biths, Twi'leks, Devronians, Gherkens, Mon Cal, Quorins, Sulistians, Humans and hundreds of other species. He has a big ship, lots of guns… and only himself to rely on."
These peptalks weren't his forte but he'd given enough of them lately to make them easier. "Only one side can win. Do your parts, stay vigillant, execute your orders as if the galaxy depends on it, and I guarantee you, that at the end of the day, that will be our side. One man alone doesn't stand a chance against the combined forces of the known galaxy and we're going to show him that."
He paused to look around the audience chamber projecting as much gravity into his tone as possible, "We don't know exactly when he'll show up but we do know where, subbed into this transmission are your individual patrol coordinates. Keep your eyes open and stay alert, when he drops out of hyperspace we've got less than ninety seconds to spring the trap. If he gets away, we lose, so call him out as soon as you see him. Our fighter squadrons will take out as many of the turrets as possible so the bigger ships can move in close, don't delay! The closer you are the harder you are to target without shifting the whole ship, the more he moves the more he misses, so get in close!"
'May the Force be with us.' Rey prompted as she always did when he finished speaking to a group of newly arrived Federation pilots and personnel. This had to be at least the fiftieth group to arrive in the past month since the council had finally agreed to draft the planetary defense forces of nearly every planet in the burgeoning Federation of Worlds.
'I'm not saying that.' He disagreed, as always.
"Good luck." He said aloud.
'May the Force be with us!' She demanded.
'No.' He refused.
An evil idea occured to her. 'I'll name this baby Han Lukas Chewbacca Solo!' She threatened.
'I thought it was a girl?' He countered haughtily.
'Then she's really going to hate you for that!' She shot back.
"May the Force be with us." He said awkwardly and ended the holo projector's call connection.
'That was a dirty trick!' He complained.
'There are no dirty tricks, remember?' She grinned and kissed him on the chin.
"Now, whatever shall we do with the rest of our evening?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and staring hungrily into his eyes.
Turning his head slightly, to avoid shouting in her face, he called loudly, "Activate." Everything went dark for a beat then the galaxy burst to life around them. "I had a few ideas." He said. "But I like yours better."