Author's Note: Happy New Year! I took yesterday off to rest, recover, and reflect, but my updates are BACK BABY! I hope I haven't lost you all.

I haven't heard from some of you in the reviews/comments. I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve. Here's to a great 2020 with my first update of the year!

Happy reading!

CHAPTER 14

One Month Later - Ajan Kloss

REY

Rey collapsed to her knees, a few sticks biting her skin through her thin, light tan pants. Turning her saber off, the scavenger collected her breath, palms on her thighs as she watched Ben swing his recently finished saber, which glowed bright purple. Much like his abandoned saber, this model also had a crossguard. One special difference in his new saber was the small bit of purple jutting at the bottom, measuring an equal length as the light flaring out either side of the crossguard.

"I'm starting to think…" Rey huffed, her shoulders sagging as she exhaled and groaned. "...I'll never master the lightsaber."

Deactivating his saber, he clipped it to his belt. Ben extended his hand down toward her, chuckling softly. "Nonsense. You're much better now that we spar for hours each day."

Rey slipped her calloused hand in his, laughing. "Yes, well, you still wouldn't bet on me if Darth Maul were here."

Together, they walked the short distance to camp. The jungle was hotter today than it had been in a while. Whereas Rey didn't mind, the heat was starting to make Ben go restless. The plan was to remain on this moon until they were contacted, but, aside from Rey using the receiver to talk to Desren a few times each week, news from the Resistance was scarce.

"You'll get there, sweetheart. It's only a matter of patience and practice." Ben stole the canteen on a makeshift table and drenched his face in the water within. Letting it cool his skin a bit, he eventually added, "We should run our exercises, Rey. I'm really starting to feel like I could... someday ...master this shield ability."

Rey rubbed his arm, reaching for the canteen and stealing it from him. Gulping down the remainder of water, she shoved it back in his stomach. He grunted, but watched her with expressive hues. Lifting her brow, the scavenger retorted, "You'll get there, sweetheart. It's only a matter of patience and practice."

"I hate it when you do that."

Rey bent down and gathered a few stones from the ground. Lightly tossing them in the air, she waved her fingers, and they spun in a circle. "Do what?"

Extending his palm, Ben willed the floating stones over to him. Only two smaller ones twirled over Rey's splayed palm. Fisting, the stones rotated around his clenched hand. "Use my own words against me."

Rolling eyes, she moved past him, their shoulders bumping. Walking into the Falcon, Rey moved to the cockpit, hearing him follow closely behind. Waving her hand forward, the stones landed on the dash for later fidgeting. Ben did the same thing. Rey slid down into the pilot's seat and sighed. "Aren't breaks the best?"

"They won't help you master your saber."

"Yeah, yeah. We'll go back outside in a minute. Just let me catch my breath."

A sigh escaped his lips, but he threw himself down on the co-pilot chair. Wiping sweat from his face with his shirt, Ben chuckled. "You have better stamina in our bed than you do with Force training."

Rey felt her cheeks warm, and she tried hiding her smile from him by slapping across the aisle at him, but he caught her hand and pulled her into his lap. "And see, I hate it when you do that !"

"I thought we agreed not to lie to each other." Ben reached between her thighs, and started sucking on her neck.

Moaning, Rey caught his hand and stilled it. "It's not lying if it's flirting."

Ben growled. "Do you have a space in your mind where you specifically store everything I say for later use or something?"

The scavenger laughed, his fingers digging into her side. The seats in the cockpit of the Falcon were too narrow to fit them comfortably. They'd tested almost every feasible position he knew of to make it work. While possible, the point of making love, aside from procreation, is mostly about pleasure. Having her knees scrap against the armrests hardly constituted as pleasurable.

"Don't forget I can feel you through the connection, Rey. I know you want to," Ben whispered, taking her earlobe and flicking it between his teeth in the way that drove her wild.

"As you always remind me, let me remind you that we almost broke this seat the last time I gave into you." Rey tried to stand, but he caught her. "Ben, it's just not comfortable here."

"Oh?" Ben scoffed. "And like on top of the Falcon is any better?"

"That was your doing too, Ben!" Rey slapped his hands away from her.

Ben looked lost in thought for a moment as he scratched his head, lowered her brows, and flattened his mouth into a thin line. "Oh, yeah." As Rey walked out of the cockpit, Ben quickly hopped up from the chair and trailed behind her. "We really should get a place of our own soon. We could settle down anywhere. I have safehouses in almost all the major systems."

Rey moved toward the game table, seeing the receiver there, and threw herself on the bench. "We'll talk about all that once we've sorted out this new order of ours."

Static on the other end of the receiver cracked in their silence. Plucking it from the table, Rey spoke into it. "Hello?" She almost heard her name, but it could have been a syllable to a host of different words. When she looked at Ben, he only shrugged. "Anyone there?"

"Rey! I'm so glad to hear your voice! We're trying to land on Ajan Kloss! We've been hit, but Ani can land us adequately safely if this ship behind us weren't so close to us!"

Ben hunched over the table, grabbing Rey's hand and moving the device to his mouth. "Aren't you three supposed to be on Coruscant?"

"Well, we were, but we've been tracked since we left Naboo. Ani's dodged all of the mercenaries, but this one is rather persistent!"

In the background, they heard Finn. "Is Rey there?" Static picked up, but eventually he added, "We're here with Jannah and R2!"

"Where are you coming in from?" Rey asked. "We're in the Falcon. We can take them by surprise."

"We're coming in from the west, Rey. We should land in the lake by the camp." Finn's voice was sharp, tense.

"Got it!" Rey replied, slipping the receiver in her hand.

Ben rushed out of the room and hurried toward the turret. "Get us up, and I'll take care of the ship," he yelled.

Running around the curve of the hall, Rey plopped down into the pilot's seat and fired up the engines, fisting all the necessary buttons until the Falcon began its ascent. Rey spoke into the receiver. "We're on our way!"

Thrusting the ship forward, Rey instantly found the falling freighter chased by a smaller craft. "Ben!"

I see it! I'm waiting for a cleaner shot.

The ship in pursuit rolled, shooting lasers at the freighter, which was hit twice. We might not have time! After a few more seconds, Ben shot the chaser, clipping the craft's wing.

"What happened to the meadow?" Finn shouted. "Were you two attacked or something? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Too many questions for a time like this!" Rey shouted, grinding her teeth as she slowed the Falcon in order to give Ben more time to fire a second time. Only a second after did he take the next shot. The chaser exploded, and from their position in the air, Rey watched as the freighter plunged into the lake. "We're coming for you!"

Rey piloted the Falcon to a small clearing several dozen paces away from the lake. As she descended, Ben burst into the cockpit, placing his hand on her shoulder and pushing a button on the other side of the space for her.

"Thanks."

Bending over the seat, Ben quickly replied, "Always, sweetheart."

Rey's mouth twitched, a small grin gently easing over her expression. The Falcon landed, and together, they rushed out of it and closed the distance between them and the small lake. When they reached the shore, they saw Anakin helping Padme out of the water. They crashed into the shallow end. Desren, Jannah, and Finn hauled crates off the ship. Rey left Ben's side and rushed to Finn, who stood next to Des. Rey reached out for Finn and, with her free arm, brought in Desren's short form closer to her.

"I'm so happy you're safe!"

Finn reluctantly returned her embrace for a second before pulling away. "I'm just happy I'm off that ship!"

"I flew us here in one piece, didn't I?" Anakin fought. He didn't wear his ridiculous cloak. Instead, he wore dressier garb, drenched in mostly a grayish brown. The color of parched, dried dirt.

"That's not flying! That's suicide!"

Anakin walked toward Ben, stretching to fit his arms over his grandson's shoulders. "I'm glad to see you, my grandson."

Ben glanced to Rey for help, but she ignored him in favor of returning Padme's hug. Bending to her side, the scavenger moved around the large headpiece the ambassador had tucked into her intricate hairstyle.

"It's been too long, Rey! I trust your training is going well?"

Ben reached for Rey's hand and tugged her back. "Let's take this back to the Falcon. We can chat later."

Rolling her eyes, Rey slipped out of Ben's hand and allowed Padme, who held Desren's hand, to lock her arm with the scavenger's. When they passed Ben, who towered over them all with his gloomy expression, Rey lifted her brows, challenging him. Ben grunted, opting to rush ahead of the group.

"Don't you dare think for a second you're piloting the Falcon!" Rey shouted.

Ben stopped in his tracks and stared at her like she ate the last of his favorite dessert. "We'll see."

Scrunching her mouth into a tight point, Rey looked behind her. Anakin remained behind and floated two of the five trunks with them. The smallest one was carried by Desren, who'd left Padme's side to obey his master's command to help. Finn and Jannah carried the last two. Finn didn't use the Force. He was still untrained, Rey observed.

"How are you, granddaughter?"

Rey stopped, her arm loosening from Padme's, who turned around. The scavenger met Ben's intent stare. In the distance, wind passed over the trees, and leaves scratched together, creating a quiet symphony of whispers.

The darkness follows you…

Turning, the scavenger narrowed her eyes, stepping toward the water's edge. The gust passing over the area caused some water to wash over the shore onto her boots. Flickering from the fire slowly consuming the crashed ship hissed to her side, but it did not disturb her from staring at the jungle beyond the other edge of the small lake. Hidden around a dark corner was the bathing pool.

Finn's hand touched her shoulder, pulling her around toward the Falcon. "Everything okay?"

Rey held his stare, saying nothing. Reaching for her saber, Rey ignited it. Breaking from his grasp, Rey hopped up onto the small crashed freighter, the flames slowly licking at her heels the longer she remained there.

I sense it, too. Ben's whisper echoed across her mind. I don't see anything, though.

A crackle of a familiar red saber ignited from behind her, and she whipped back, catching it before the ghostlike heat of it nipped her arm. Groaning, Rey's yellow saber sparked against Kylo Ren's phantom one, creating smoke that briefly showed his shape to her as the wind blew passed her. Gritting her teeth, the scavenger heard him gasp, feeling a cold shiver wash over them both.

"It's you ," Kylo seethed. "It's been years. You've left me alone for so long…"

Eyes rushing from one direction to the other, Rey winced as she jerked her saber to their side as he tested out their connection. The mist lightly dusted a masked Kylo Ren into view. "I don't have time for this right now…"

"REY!" Ben shouted. Rey tore her attention away, seeing him come from the cover of the jungle standing between them and the Falcon.

In the mist, Kylo Ren sharply turned. "I can't hear what was said, but you're with a man," the masked monster whispered, the sound airy and tragic. "Impossible!" He stalked toward her, waving his saber around as he inspected her.

Holding out her hand, Rey cringed as she fumbled at the edge of the fiery ship. "Kylo, I really don't have the time."

"You haunt me, girl from nowhere. You're nameless. All you've given to me is a bewitching face I'll never actually see...and you're with a man ?" Heartbreak poured over him, and his presence solidified, now translucent but visible. "Your power. Is mine ."

Kylo leapt toward her, and she landed on her two feet, throwing her arms up to catch his assault before he struck straight through her skull. Kicking his nearly invisible figure, Rey stumbled to the stance Ben had shown her. Assuming it was easy; however, keeping it was an entirely different feat. Kylo rushed toward her until their sabers clashed again. Her back hit a tree, and the heat from his saber nearly impaled her shoulder as she shook under his strength.

"Tell me where you are!" Kylo breathed rabidly. "I have to find you!"

"Go to hell, Kylo." Rey squared her shoulders and kicked off the tree, using it to jump onto a thick branch high above his head.

Kylo bellowed, the sound carrying across the water. Monstrous. Tortured. Like she'd sliced open a piece of him and began to slowly peel away his skin. Every last inch. He swung his saber, and the tree split.

Springing back onto the crashed ship, Rey watched as he jerked around, reaching toward her to attempt to use the Force. This was the first time her connection to the past allowed him to reach her and make contact. He'd grown stronger. Without him taking off his mask, she had no way of knowing when she was in Kylo's time right now.

"When I find you, I will slaughter the man you're with right now."

"No," she whispered, jumping to avoid his sweep at her feet. She'd said the same thing to Snoke. Apparently, Rey fancied provoking all the dangerous dark lords across the galaxy. Kylo leapt up onto something where he was and onto the ship in front of her. He joined both hands on his hilt before raging his saber down again, but she closed her eyes, waiting for a pulse in the Force to show her when to block his relentless strike. Something pinched at her palm, and she threw her eyes open and bent her knees so that she had better control. "He kills you ."

The Force memory bled away, but his scream of agony almost pierced through her resolve. Rey froze, but deactivated the saber, mouth hanging open as she shuddered. What shook her from her thoughts was Finn's distant scream. Her name. It was always her name he cried. Tears in her eyes weighed her footsteps, but she jumped down from the destroyed freighter and absently stumbled toward them.

Ben had held them away. Knowing exactly how the memory ended, he must have known she wasn't in danger. As she shivered, she choked out a gasp. Finn rushed for her, but Rey locked eyes on Ben. Avoiding Finn's arms, she slowly crossed the ankle deep water past Jannah and Desren. Only when she was in arms' length of her husband did she relax. Sinking into his chest, Rey sobbed into his black shirt.

I hate those.

Ben claimed her mouth, and they slipped away to a world all their own. I know. I'm so sorry. I wish I could do something to make it stop .

"How many more were there?" Pulling back, Rey sighed. "I thought we'd left Kylo in the past, Ben."

He just stared down at her, both of them falling quiet.

Off to their side, Anakin and Padme embraced, but it was Finn who asked, "What the hell was that?"

Ben clasped both sides of Rey's face, features somber and dipping down. "I think only a couple left. We didn't meet much before Takodana."

"Neither of you are listening to me. Great. That's just great!" Finn shouted.

Ben rubbed underneath her eyes, and Rey's face banished the scowl there. Reaching for his wrists, Rey kissed him quickly and turned. "It's a part of our connection. It's never been so vivid or real before. It's mostly only moments in a star-filled void of the Force where we meet."

"We're calling it a Force memory for now," Ben added from behind. "She's travelling back to a few moments in my past through our connection, though not by choice."

"Great…" Finn swallowed, looking about ready to kill Ben. He balled his fists until his shoulders shook. "So you tormented her even before you took her on Takodana from your father and me."

Jannah moved behind Finn, rubbing his back and saying, "Finn, stop this. This anger won't help us convince the senate to spare the stormtroopers."

"Is that why you're headed to Coruscant?" Ben knit his brows together and looked to his grandmother. "I thought we were making contact before the senate did anything."

Padme hesitantly walked between them and forced a smile to spread over her mouth. "That was the plan, but a few senators, who we suspect have decided to support Darth Maul or at least a sympathizer, encouraged the senate to hold an emergency session on the matter with little notice." She turned to Anakin. "I'm seeing a pattern, Ani. Do you think they're trying to kill me?"

"Welcome to the Resistance. Officially speaking. You're not really a member unless someone wants you dead these days," Finn said, his voice tired and itchy.

"If that's all it takes, then I should be at least a commander by now," Ben mumbled.

Anakin shifted his attention between Finn and his wife, until he ultimately settled on Padme. "No one's going to kill you, Padme."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Jannah grumbled something under her breath. "Look, let's get R2 onto the Falcon and leave. We don't know if there are more where this chaser came from."

"Guess we're leaving…" Ben muttered, rubbing his face. "We'll go back to camp and grab the few things not on the ship. We'll need to make a pit stop on our way to Jakku for fuel."

"Jakku?" Finn grumbled something under his breath. "We have to get to Coruscant."

"No way!" Rey clutched each elbow, folding her arms over her chest as she looked back to the direction of the Falcon. "I'm not risking the Falcon if there will be more people after you. Without the right parts, getting anywhere is a miracle."

"I agree. It's unnecessary to risk everything we have for a vote that might not matter much." Feeling a hand rub the small of her back, the scavenger looked up at Ben. "We'll get the parts we need and get those stormtroopers on our side."

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