Chapter Seventeen

Ambush

Ben sensed the men before they were able to corner he and Finn in the Cantina. Unfortunately, it had not been before they'd determined who he was. Turning, he lifted his hands in a plaintive gesture. "We don't want any trouble. We're just looking for some supplies fuel." The long robe and cowl did little to hide who he was. He wanted to groan internally at that.

"Seriously guys, we're just here to buy some fuel." Finn decided he'd better say something. Not that he expected it would downplay the situation, but one could always hope. "We don't want any trouble."

The shorter man smirked at him and he knew they were screwed; these men obviously knew who he was, and they weren't interested in a peaceful solution to this encounter. "So says a former stormtrooper and the former supreme leader of the First Order." He was flanked by no less than six other figures; all of whom looked ready to make trouble.

Finn's hand twitched toward his blaster. The sudden pressure against his temple made it pretty obvious that that probably wasn't a good idea. He turned slightly, only to find himself staring into the unrelenting black eyes of a Lacertilo and his overly eager blaster rifle. "Try it, traitor. Please try it."

Anger burned inside Finn at the insult, but he did slowly pull his hands away from his weapon. It had been some time since he'd been referred to as a 'traitor' and he hadn't missed the name. Finn kept an eye on them, but his attention shifted to where Ben was staring intently at the man addressing them. The orange and brown montrals and elongated ears identified him as a Kesurrian and he didn't look any friendlier than the one threatening Finn. The former supreme leader didn't at all worried, at least on the outside.

"I no longer owe my allegiance to the First Order…or any order." Ben answered through his teeth. Rage was seething just beneath the surface of his calm expression. He really didn't want to get into a fight with Finn so close. While he could protect himself, the last thing Ben wanted was to explain to Rey how her best friend had died because of him. Not to mention there was a small part of him that was growing accustomed to the man. Perhaps someday he'd actually be able to say they were friends.

His seizure earlier had damped his ability to access the power he'd been born with, which meant he couldn't call on the Force to help him and pulling the blaster he'd been given would invite the fight he was hoping to avoid. Not to mention, he wasn't as efficient with a blaster as a lightsaber. For the second time that night he wished he'd either asked for Luke's lightsaber or he'd kept his t-shaped saber. Because he was probably going to get his ass kicked if this became a fight.

He'd never felt like he was fighting with his hands tied behind his back before, he did now.

"Well, that's too bad for you. Because we are looking for some—" he glanced around the Cantina, held his hands up and got rousing applause for his troubles. "Entertainment."

Ben sighed. His eyes slid sideways to Finn. The younger man nodded once, and Ben knew that they were headed for that fight. "Fine." He tossed the cowl back and shouldered the thick black robe off onto the dirty floor. The music didn't stop, but the patrons did back away slightly, giving them more space. Tables were pulled out of the way and circled up like a gladiatorial ring. His dark eyes caught the significant increase in audience as he kicked the material away from his feet.

"What're you doing?" Finn whispered. He'd stepped to Ben's side and pulled his own blaster.

Dark eyes shifted to him and then down to the weapon. "Not in here. Too many people."

Finn's eyes widened, "What?"

The dark-haired man turned toward him, lowering his voice and leaning in slightly. "No blasters in here. You'll hit someone you didn't mean to and then we'll be dealing with the local law as well as these galactic idiots."

Inhaling deeply, Finn holstered his blaster. "This isn't going to be fun."

Ben straightened up to his full height. Even without the iron mask of Kylo Ren, he made an intimidating figure. "Let's get on with the entertainment."

The others stretched out, putting space between them and setting themselves up to keep ben and Finn from being any help to one another. The first assailant struck out at Ben just as a second made a wild swing for Finn.

Ben parried the punch, striking out with one of his own. His right fist made contact just when he was doubled over with blinding pain in his back. One of the men had gotten behind him and hit him with a long bow staff. He staggered but kept his feet. Spinning, he grabbed the attacker by the throat and threw him into a table, causing several patrons to scatter like cockroaches.

"Poodoo!" One of them shouted as he gathered up his broken drink glass and head back to the bar.

He didn't have time to wonder about what was sure to be an insult. Three of them came at him at the same time, he managed to duck the first two, but the third one landed a staggering blow across his left cheek. Ben's head snapped to the right and his legs buckled. Going down on one knee, he shook his head to clear the instant haze that had spread from the strike.

"Ben!" Finn called. The concern in his voice was surprising, but it did get Ben back on his feet rather quickly. Two guys had pinned Finn's arms while another approached with a wicked bat looking thing.

Kriff! If they managed to land a blow to Finn's head, it could kill him. Ben swallowed all his fears and reached for the Force. His head exploded with a combination of power and pain as it flowed through him. It took all his concentration to control it. He flung the power out, it struck the three men simultaneously sending them backwards into the bar. Yelling and curses burst from the aliens trying to enjoy a bit of a drink. And suddenly the entire place erupted in pandemonium.

Finn spun around, grabbing the man closest to him and laying him out with a powerful right cross. He could feel the blood trickling from a split lip, wiping at it he turned to look for Ben and froze.

Across the Cantina no less than a dozen black clad stormtroopers were making their way toward Ben. He was fighting like a man possessed. His body a strange broken weapon as he struck down the men that kept attacking him. True to his word, he'd never drawn his weapon. But from the bloody and discolored bruising along his face, he hadn't fared much better than Finn. Although, that moment when Finn had been pinned down and the suddenness of his attacker's withdrawal meant that Ben had likely used the Force to save him. He didn't know what to think about that, so he didn't.

Every one of them was carrying both a blaster and a kyber-energy weapon. Even if Ben had had a lightsaber, in his current condition he couldn't have fought off that many of them. Weariness coursed through him as he staggered against the wall behind him. The troopers didn't seem to have noticed Finn. Gathering what little strength he had, Ben focused the order and sent it coursing along the weak link of Finn's Force sensitivity.

"Find Rey!"

He saw the moment the order penetrated Finn's mind. His eyes snapped wide, his mouth dropping open in surprise.

Ben wanted to send another order, but his head was splitting and his body starting to list to the side. He still didn't know exactly what the hive had done to him when she'd invaded his mind. Apparently, his physical strength was as taxed as his mind. Normally he could have fought this many men with his hands tied behind his back, but his efforts were hampered by the last few weeks.

The trooper wearing the shoulder tabs, marking him as the senior ranking, stepped forward. Four of his troops gathered on either side of Ben, Force suppressing manacles hanging from the one closest his left hand.

"Kylo Ren. We've been looking for you." He glanced around the Cantina, which was surprisingly empty now. The arrival of the First Order always had that effect on businesses. Although in the past, it had been at Ben's order. "She has been looking for you."

At the mention of the Empress, Ben's blood ran cold. "Why?" he asked. His continued casting his eyes about the room, marking the location of all his enemies. And the absence of one friend. Finn was gone. Good.

The leader slammed the end of his blaster into Ben's stomach. All the air whooshed from his lungs as he dropped to his knees. He hated the fact that he was on his knees before an enemy. Leaning over he whispered in his captive's ear, "I don't ask her questions. I do as I'm told." He placed his palm against Ben's head and the former supreme leader knew nothing but agony.

He hadn't sensed the Force power that stripped his consciousness, but it was layered with the undercurrents of the hive's power. He dropped forward onto his chest as awareness fled.

XXXX

Finn watched from behind the bar, his heart hammering in his chest. He felt like a coward, but he knew that there wasn't another choice. If both of them were caught, then there would be no one to send the others after them. And yet watching as Ben was attacked had been more difficult than he would have anticipated. The man had given him time to save himself and their mission…at the expense of his own freedom.

And now he was in the hands of their enemy.

XXXX

Rey felt Ben's light blink out. She could still feel him, but he wasn't conscious. His emotions were absent which only happened when he wasn't awake, and not by his own choice. Ben still had dreams, so his emotions were constantly roiling beneath his surface mind. But not now.

Her heart seized at that knowledge. Because if he was unconscious, it meant that Ben and Finn had run into trouble. She reached out for Finn's presence and a small part of her anxiety abated. His mind was there, angry and frustrated but there. Without thinking, she turned and ran in the direction of his Force presence.

"Rey?!" Poe's call was from somewhere behind her. She ignored it and ran faster. Her friend needed her; Ben needed her.

TBC…

Author's Note: Apologies for the later posting, but things have been a bit crazy. That whole global Pandemic thing. Hope you are all safe!

If you're so inclined, reviews are always welcome.