Chapter 15-
Not long after, the two women landed the Falcon on a small, rocky outcropping on one side of a rather small island. As they were securing the systems and landing gear, Rose gazed out the viewport. The island was lushly green, with rocky hills, one of which rose high into the air in jagged points. She noted only two signs of civilization- a small cluster of stone huts high up on a hill they had flown past on their way to land and another cluster not far down a beach from where they finally came to rest.
"What is this place?" she asked Rey, who was checking her supply bag.
"Ahch-To," she replied as she worked.
"Where Luke was hiding." It wasn't a question. Both women stopped to look at Ben when he uttered those four words. He was easing himself out of the seat and moving up to stare out at the place in front of them. His eyes shifted to meet Rey's, silently asking her to validate his inference.
"Yes," she answered in surprise. "It's remote enough that we should be safe here. You can heal, and then…," she paused. "Then you can do whatever you feel you need to do." She cinched the bag closed and flung it over her shoulder. "Are you ready?" she asked.
He was standing on his own now with more color back in his face than there was earlier. She hoped he could manage the trek to the Caretaker village. There was no way he was strong enough to to make the hike all the way up to the Jedi huts just yet. Hopefully, the island natives, the Lanai, would agree to help him despite their previous disdain for her. He moved slowly down the landing ramp and stopped at the bottom where Rey and Rose were waiting. Noticing the grimace on his face, she knew it was taking a lot out of him.
"Here, Rose," she said, switching her bag to the opposite arm. "You take that side and I'll take this one." She slid her arm around Ben's wounded side as carefully as she could. He started to protest and pull away, but Rey kept a firm grip on him. "Just take the help," she demanded with a stern gaze. He nodded in surrender.
Rose stepped hesitantly to his other side, completely unsure of the entire situation. Rey sent her a look that said loud and clear, 'Please, just help him.' So, Rose Tico, staring up at the Supreme Leader of the First Order, slid her arm behind his back to offer whatever support her rather diminutive frame could supply.
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Ben said nothing as they started off toward the primitive-looking village visible down the beach. He wouldn't know what to say anyway, so he concentrated on not slipping on any of the rocks as they descended to the sandy shore. He hated feeling so weak. It was all Hux's fault, and when he was all healed the traitorous weasel would pay dearly. 'I should have Force choked him when I had that last chance,' he mused to himself.
As they walked, he noticed how short the two women were compared to him, Rose especially. Rey barely reached his shoulders, and Rose was several inches shorter than that. Glancing down at Rey's head, he started to wonder. Why was she really helping him? What would she do once he was healed? Would she leave him again? Expect him to come with her? As if sensing he was thinking of her, she looked up at him and smiled. The corner of his mouth began to tug at the corner, a smile struggling to escape, but she glanced away too quickly to notice.
Rose was starting to huff and puff, straining to hold him up as they walked. "You...are very...big," she exclaimed, almost out of breath.
Just then the sound of approaching voices diverted their attention forward. The welcoming party arrived, and Rey recognized the two female Caretakers from her time with Luke. They had usually been fussing at her in exasperation over some mistake she had made, like blasting a hole in a hut or slicing a huge boulder in half and sending it plummeting dangerously down a hillside. They were chattering away at their visitors, but Rey had never been able to understand their language like Luke could. Somehow, she knew, they understood her, but she would need more time to master their foreign tongue.
"Hello," she began. "I don't know if you remember me, but I'm-"
Immediately, the taller of the two females whom Luke called the Matron, interrupted Rey and started rattling off a string of words while gesturing to the Falcon, then Ben, and then their village.
Rey tried again. "Could you please help us? You see, he is-"
She was cut off again, only this time it was by Ben. "She said we should come into the village," he said. "They have a healer."
She stared at him in disbelief. "You- you can understand them?"
Ben shrugged. "Can't you?" She shook her head no in confusion.
The Caretakers motioned for them to follow, so they did. Upon entering the village, it seemed all of its inhabitants were gathered to meet the visitors. Several younglings peeked out at them from behind their mothers' skirts. However, one brave tike dared to approach the trio. She toddled right over to Ben, stopped and looked up, up, up to meet his eyes. He gazed down, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at the tiny being, not knowing what to expect. Truth be told, he had never spent much time around young children. She reached out and grabbed only one of his fingers since her little hand was way too small to grasp his entire over-sized one. He didn't move at first- just looked at Rey and then back to the little girl.
"Come on," she ordered, pulling on his immovable mass. Realizing what she wanted, he finally started to follow. The other Caretakers walked behind them, while Rey and Rose could only stare, stunned at the sight of the big man towering over the village natives.
After a brief silence, Rose finally spoke. "What is happening?"
Rey chuckled. "I'm not entirely sure."
Rose noticed her friend staring at Kylo Ren and rolled her eyes. It was plain as day that Rey had feelings for him. Whether or not she herself thought her friend should care about this man, who by all accounts had perpetrated some pretty horrible things, she knew that sometimes one's heart had a mind of its own.
"So," she started, the simple word pulling Rey's attention away from Ben. "That's how it is then."
Rey instantly turned the slightest shade of pink, realizing she had been caught in the act of staring at him. "I don't know what you mean," she said unconvincingly, unwilling to meet Rose's eyes.
Rose grinned. "Of course you don't. I would love to hear the story of how this whole..thing came to be. He is the LEADER of our enemy forces, after all."
Rey shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other and took a deep breath. "It's...it's complicated," she stated. "He is complicated." She was still staring at Ben, a look of longing displayed unknowingly on her face.
"Yeah, and he's also all muscular and...large. How did Leia produce something like that? She's so small, and he's just so...big." Rey turned and grinned shyly. "Rey, I don't want to tell you what to do, but I also wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't ask again if you're sure about this. I know you said you're just bringing him somewhere to heal, by the looks of his injuries, he needs it. Obviously, someone really wanted him dead. But can you truly trust him? You know, I can stay with you. I don't have to go back."
Rey smiled warmly at Rose's sincere concern. Having people in her life who truly cared about her was still a somewhat new experience. She reached over to grab Rose's hand. "Thank you, Rose," she said. "You're a good friend, but I'll be okay. Do you have the tracking bracelet I gave you?" Rose nodded. "Good. Artoo will help get you back to the base and the return coordinates are already plugged into his programming. Leia's going to need your help."
Rose smiled appreciatively. "What should I tell her about all of this?" she asked.
Rey paused for a moment before answering. "Tell her I'm doing my best to bring back her hope."
Rose pulled her friend into a big farewell hug. "Be careful."
Rey replied, "He's not going to hurt me, Rose."
"Yeah, well, maybe not physically, but just stay on your guard. Don't let his massive 'assets' cloud your judgment. It could be a little distracting for you."
Rey blushed and chuckled. "I promise to be very wary of his…'assets'." They both laughed out loud before taking one last look at one another.
Rose spoke first. "May the Force be with you."
"You too," Rey said softly. Then Rose turned and started the walk back to the Millennium Falcon. Rey turned in the opposite direction to locate Ben at the other end of the Caretaker village. He was still surrounded by the much shorter natives, standing several feet above them all. It was an amusing sight, she admitted with a grin. Slinging her bag up higher on her shoulder, she sighed and started off to join him and his 'entourage'.
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Kylo was entirely out of his element. Currently, he was sitting in a small hut that had required him to duck down just to get in the door. Standing at his full height, the top of his head practically brushed the ceiling. He felt a little like a clumsy giant trying to move around among these small inhabitants- Caretakers, Rey had called them. It was an appropriate name for them because that's exactly what they were doing- taking care of him.
This was apparently the home of the village healer, who was now bustling around gathering various materials soon to be used on him, he assumed. It had been years since an injury of his had been doctored by a sentient being instead of a medical droid- apart from the recent attention from Rey. He glanced across the short distance to see her sitting and observing what was happening to him with a tiny bit of thinly veiled amusement. Not too long ago, he would never have let himself be put into this position- somewhat helpless with nowhere to go. He sighed in resignation knowing he did not have many other options right now, so he decided to take the help being offered. He would figure out the rest later.
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Rey could feel the moment he finally relaxed and accepted his current state of affairs. It helped to ease some of her own tension. She had been a bit wound up ever since realizing he was first in danger. Now she watched as the healer ordered him to take off his ripped shirt so that she could examine his wounds. Carefully, he eased out of the ragged remnants of the garment, and Rey immediately tensed again. She could not deny her attraction to him anymore. She would be lying to herself if she tried.
The healer started poking and prodding, assessing her patient carefully. She mumbled words to herself that Rey didn't understand. Out of a small clay pot, she stuck in her fingers and pulled out some kind of ointment, gently rubbing it on each of his wounds. Rey could smell it from where she sat on the other side of the room- an herbal, fresh scent that was pungent, but not overly offensive. When she finished, she moved to the small fireplace and retrieved a steaming kettle of water, pouring some into a cup filled with ground up leaves of some kind. She handed it to Ben and gave him instructions. He looked with uncertainty into the cup, clearly not thrilled about drinking its contents. The healer said something else, which Rey surmised amounted to a direct order. He wrinkled his nose and hesitantly took a sip. Instantly, he coughed and sputtered, causing Rey to stifle a laugh. The Caretaker forced the cup back to his lips, urging him to finish the drink, and he did. However, he had to choke it down. The healer took the cup and motioned for him to lie down on the small bed to rest.
He shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm not tired, I-"
She stopped him before he could finish. She would brook no argument, so he lay down- or at least tried to. He was much too big to fit on her short bed. Rey couldn't help it. This time she laughed out loud. Ben glared at her.
"I'm- I'm sorry," she apologized in between snickers of laughter.
"This isn't going to work," he stated, standing up too fast and losing his balance. Rey was instantly there to steady him.
"You really do need to rest," she said, trying not to notice the feel of his warm skin beneath her hands. "Let's just make you a place on the floor."
The Caretaker was already two steps ahead, gathering extra blankets and pillows to ready a place for him to rest. When complete, she gestured for him to lie down. Rey helped him, fluffing pillows and straightening blankets. "There. That should be better."
He looked at her in disbelief. "You don't have to do this," he protested as he laid down. However, his protest was weak and his eyes were already growing heavy. Whatever was in that cup must have been quite potent to affect a big man like him so quickly.
"I've gotten you this far," she said. "No use stopping now."
His eyes were already closed, and she noticed the slightest hint of a lop-sided grin before he fell totally asleep. Rey sat cross-legged on the floor next to him, just staring down at his sleeping form. What in the world was she doing?! What did she think was going to happen? What did she want to happen? Without thinking, she reached down and pushed a strand of hair away from his face. It must have tickled because he wrinkled his nose. She smiled again. Who would have ever thought the two of them would end up like this?
A tap on her shoulder diverted her attention away from him to the Caretaker. She had forgotten they weren't alone. The female handed Rey a pillow and blanket for herself. She thanked the healer, who moved to stoke the fire before leaving the two alone to rest.
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Rose exited the Millennium Falcon and was met by a trio of confused faces. Finn was the first to speak. He ran up to her as soon as she stepped off the boarding ramp and pulled her into a big hug. He finally pulled back to look her in the face.
"Where have you been?!" he demanded. Then he glanced behind her searching for something. "Where's Rey?" he questioned.
Poe and Leia approached, awaiting her reply. Leia looked at Rose curiously, their eyes meeting and saying more than words could say. "Leia, she said to tell you that she's trying to bring back your hope."
The men were clueless, but Leia understood exactly what Rose meant. She nodded, smiling gratefully.
Poe was not satisfied. "What does that even mean? Where's Rey? Why isn't she with you?"
Rose hesitated. "I can't tell you where she is, but she's safe. And when she's ready, I'll go pick her up."
Poe scoffed. "What do you mean you can't tell me where she is? I'm ordering you to-"
"Poe," Leia interrupted calmly. He stopped and glared at her. "Let it go."
He frowned. "But she can't just-" he sputtered.
"Poe," Leia repeated. "Leave it."
He huffed. He didn't like it, but he let it drop...for now.
Finn looked at Rose, determined to find out more later. However, right now he was just happy she was back safe and sound. Plus, he had a lot to tell her. So much had happened in the short time she had been gone. He took her hand and said, "Let's go get something to eat and catch up."
Rose liked that idea very much. The past day's events were a blur. There had been no time for eating in between rescuing an enemy leader from his own army and then secreting him away to a far away planet with her friend.
After eating a quick bite, they returned to the command center where Poe and Leia were examining datapads and star maps on the holo-board.
"That makes at least seventeen destroyers now and twenty bases that we have confirmed contacts in," Poe was stating. "This is spreading faster than we could have ever imagined."
Finn chimed in. "Every living soul longs for freedom."
Leia smiled optimistically and nodded in agreement. "You're right, Finn. And this is the best news we've had in a long while."
Poe, however, wasn't quite so convinced of their good fortune. "There is some bad news, too." The others looked at him questioningly. "We received word that the Knights of Ren are back from whatever Kylo Ren had them doing out in the Unknown Regions. And it's never good when they're around."
That killed the mood. The Knights were known to be ruthless thieves and killers. Having them back on the scene did not bode well for the Resistance.
Just then one of Leia's aides entered briskly and brought her a message disk. "General, I think you'll want to see this right away."
Leia took the disk and inserted it into the console. The other three watched her intently, waiting for her to share the news. Rose noticed the change in her expression as she read. Finally, she peered up from the screen, a distraught look on her face- not typical at all for Leia Organa Solo.
"What is it?" Finn asked.
She paused to collect her thoughts before answering. "It's from your contact, Slim. He says that General Hux and a group of Stormtroopers tried to assassinate the Supreme Leader."
Total silence fell in the room. Even though it was no secret that the Supreme Leader of the First Order was also the son of the leader of the Resistance, no one really spoke of it. No one doubted Leia's commitment to the cause.
"They killed him?!" Poe asked in shock.
Leia continued. "It says he was badly injured, but Slim and a few of his friends got him to an escape pod. He doesn't know if Kylo Ren survived."
Leia's usual calm facade faltered. She looked again at Rose, who shook her head ever-so-slightly, trying to let her leader know her son was not gone. Rose sensed her relief.
Finn stared in disbelief. "This is huge! If he really is de-"
"Finn!' Rose stopped him and motioned her head toward Leia to get him to stop his current thought out of compassion for the general. Luckily, he inferred her intent and halted his words.
But it didn't stop Poe. "So then who's in charge of the First Order? Hux? That guy is an idiot, but a dangerous idiot."
"I agree," Finn added.. "He's the one in charge of the Stormtrooper recruitment program. The one who takes kids from their families and forces them to basically become slaves to the First Order." He looked to Leia. "We need to be extra careful. Hux would have no problem executing anyone he thought was a traitor. To him, it is just as easy to replace one body with another."
Leia sighed deeply and nodded. "You're right, Finn." Then she looked back to Rose. "This news changes everything."
