Hello, hello! We are back again, once again, chilling at home for a month again. Okay, I'll stop now. But seriously, how is quarantine treating everyone? I hope you're all okay. I impulse bought the lightsaber academy lightsaber. 100/10 recommend. Drop me a message or a comment letting me know that you're okay, and maybe what you think about my fic, but I'm not picky. We finally are in April. May the Force Be With You All.
Ben placed the book he had taken from the library on his table. He figured that Rey would want to read it with her own eyes. He was nervous about how she would react, but he knew better than to let it eat away at him. That would just lead to him spiraling down into a depression and he didn't want to be like that anymore. He wanted to be a better man, for Rey. She deserved someone who wasn't a walking cloud of depression and angst. He smirked, thinking about how he used to feed into his anger and sadness, yet here he was fighting it. His father would be proud. If only he had figured this out sooner. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. He decided to pull up the recordings from the mouse droid to see if there were anything he should be concerned about. He pressed play on his control console and slumped into his bed.
"General Hux, do you have any progress to report?" the Supreme Leader asked.
"Supreme Leader, I have been using our network of spies to pick up data on the location of the new rebel base. As you know, we have destroyed the old base. We have yet to discover where they have evacuated to. However, the information we have collected has narrowed it down to a few star systems. I plan to deploy some squadrons at the end of the week to look into them," Hux informed.
"Good...good... what systems have you found?"
"We're looking into the Yavin system, Pasaana, the Both system, and Ryloth," Hux replied, "the squadron will be sent to the Yavin system first, since it is the furthest from us. Then they will work their way back towards us."
"Very good. I see that putting you in charge of this mission was the correct choice," Snoke nodded.
Then, the audio stopped. Ben felt his heart drop down to his stomach. Rey was on Bothawui. This complicated matters. He would have to warn them, and they might have to move up their time table for their attack. Bothawui was the closest planet to where they were now, outside of D'Qar. He could only praise Hux for being an idiot and starting furthest away instead of starting closest to them. He would waste gas, and fail, which used to annoy Ben, but now it worked out in his favor. Ben sat up in his bed, letting his head hang forward. His mother was not going to like this news, but there was nothing they could do about it. It would take maybe a day or two at each planet to check for the base. If they had three other systems to look into, that gave them about two weeks before they would be in the Both system-half the time than they allotted for when they made their plans. Not to mention, this would have to count on Snoke's ship staying around D'Qar for the time being. Ben would have to figure out something to do to cripple the ship enough that they had to repair it.
His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything al day. He forced himself to get up, crossing over to his work desk. He opened a packet of rations that he had stockpiled away for when he was brooding and wanted to be left alone. After wolfing it down, he put his helmet back on his head and left his room. He walked around the ship, trying not to draw too much attention to himself, making his way towards the hyperdrive. After waiting for troopers to pass, he made sure the room was empty before using the force to kill the video feed to the room. Then, he stepped in and closed the door behind him. He lifted off the back panels off of various consoles, reaching his hand in to grab a wad of wires before yanking. He did this under each panel before stashing the wires that he had pulled in a nearby air duct. Then, he put all the panels back before melting back into the hallway and returning to his room. As his door closed behind him, he let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. He let his head thud back against the door and closed his eyes. Ben needed a second to catch his breath before getting ready for bed. He flopped down into bed staring up at his ceiling, waiting for sleep to take him over. They had much that they would need to discuss.
Rey finally returned to her room for the night. She hadn't stayed out much later, heeding Leia's warning. After a quick meal with her friends, she had given Finn a wink, politely declined his strip sabaac offer, and went back to her room. She took her time getting ready for bed. It had been a while since she had had a space as nice as this, and even longer since she had this feeling of belonging. She had a purpose, and a schedule, and a support system. She gently brushed out her hair while thinking back on how far she had come. Little Rey from Jakku. Now she knew who she was. It didn't matter if she still didn't have a surname, because she had a family. She had Ben. She smirked at herself in the mirror, entertaining the thought that maybe she'd be a Solo. She rolled her eyes, inwardly chiding her foolish behavior before changing into her sleep clothes. She tucked herself in, looking forward to seeing him again.
Ben decided to turn their shared space into something new. He didn't want it to be somewhere either of them had been before. Instead, he wanted it to be somewhere they could be some day, after this was all over. He built them a little house, built it brick by brick in his mind, like the life he would have with her after all this was over. The windows were open, letting in the bright sun from outside as the flowing curtains billowed in the breeze. The rooms were brightly colored. He stood in the middle of their living room now, looking over to the nearby balcony. To his left was a hall leading to what would be their chambers. There was a refresher down that hall. In the opposite direction you would find a formal dining area, and attached to that would be their kitchen. A plush pink velvet couch formed behind him. He let himself fall back into it, finishing up the rest of the room. It was warm and inviting. It felt like home. Like Rey.
Rey looked around her new surroundings with amusement.
"Ben, where are we?"
"Home."
"No, but really, Ben, where are we?" Rey chuckled.
"Home. Our home after this is all over," he replied.
Rey felt her heart skip a beat. He had really put a lot of thought into this, but one thing still confused her. "Why is the world outside white?" she asked.
"Because, I don't know where we'll be after this is all over. Wherever you go, though, I will build you a house and I promise that together we will make it a home," he smiled.
"Ben, that's the sweetest thing you've said to me," Rey replied, sit down on the couch to snuggle into him. She rested her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes close while he stroked her hair back from her face.
"I like when you have your hair down," Ben commented, letting her hair fall through his fingers. He wanted to absorb this moment for a little longer before getting down to business. "Rey, I have to tell you something."
"What is it?" she asked lazily while tracing circles on his chest with her index finger.
"First of all, we're going to have to move up the attack," Ben sighed, feeling Rey stiffen at this news, "Hux is sending out a search patrol to find your base. The Both system is on their list, but it's the one closest to us and therefore will be the last to be searched. I give Hux's team two weeks until they're at your door. I know my mother isn't going to like it, but I'd rather not have to risk her evacuating another planet. It may not be as triumphant an escape as the last if she does."
"Well, I appreciate the heads up. Is there anything else?" She asked, "You seem troubled."
Ben let his free hand run through his hair before sighing, "I figured out how we're connected."
"Ben, that's great news!" She said, sitting up straight to look at him. After taking in his furrowed brow she added, "Why do you seem so upset?"
"Rey, we're what a Sith Lore book referred to as a Dyad. We are two beings connected in the force. So, physically we are two separate beings, but in the force we are one," he explained.
"Okay..." she said, processing the information, "so, why do you still seem upset?"
"Well, what if this," Ben said, gesturing to the two of them, "is only because we're the dyad?"
"Ben, if anything it just means that we're meant to be together," Rey replied, simply.
"But, what if the only reason why we love each other is because of it?" Ben asked, exasperated.
Rey blinked, taking in what he was saying. She understood his fear, but in her heart she knew that she loved Ben, dyad be damned. She gently took his hands in hers, forcing him to sit up and face her. "Ben, the Dyad may be what brought us to each other, and who knows, it may be one of the reasons that we love each other. But, that's not the only reason I love you. I don't love you because I feel like I'm supposed to. I love you because I want to. I love you because of your compassion, your smile, your thoughtfulness," Rey said, listing off reasons on her fingers, "and I know you have your reasons for loving me, too."
Ben couldn't argue with that one, so he didn't. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her. She always knew the right thing to say. "I love you because you're stubborn, you challenge me, and you make me want to be a better person. I love you because you were always there for me, and you always make me feel better. You light up my life, like the sunshine," he told her, cupping her face in his hand.
"Can you just hold me tonight? I need it after the long day I've had," Rey asked. Ben laid down on the couch, letting her fit herself into his body, spooning her.
He chuckled, gently stroking her hair, "Training really took that much out of you?"
"Mmm, I could never be a stormtrooper," she responded.
"Never, my little Jedi," he smiled, kissing her temple.
"Good night, Ben."
"Good night, Rey."
