Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the recognisable characters of the franchise. This story is purely for entertainment.
Chapter 29
'Happy beeps, buddy. We're not doing it for the first time, you know.' – He said to his droid, who as usual, was occupying the tailseat.
'Are you ready to dance Solo? It's your call.'
'It's our only chance. I still need to talk to Rey. We won't be able to do it without her. So, keep them entertained, give them time to think it through. Don't worry. Hux won't miss an opportunity like this.' – Poe heard Solo's calm voice over the intercom. He still wasn't sure if they would pull it off.
BB-8 chirped anxiously.
'I know, buddy, I don't like It either. But we'll make it work.' – He tried to convince both the droid and himself. This was the fastest put together and the craziest plan of attack he ever participated in. Basically, a suicidal one…especially for Ben Solo. And surprisingly it wasn't even his plan.
'Ok. Everyone knows what to do. Let's start.' – He addressed his crew over the intercom and then flicked the switch on his console.
'This is Commander Poe Dameron of the United Republic fleet. I have a message for Leader Hugs.'
There was no response even though he knew they could hear him.
'This is Commander Poe Dameron of the United Republic fleet. I have an urgent message for Leader Hugs. And I'm not going to hold this time.' – He repeated a bit louder.
The intercom suddenly came alive. - 'This is Supreme leader Hux. Let me just tell you that I am not going to be played the same way twice! '– Hux's voice sounded angrily.
No, friend. You're right. This isn't going to happen. We have another trick up our sleeve. Poe smiled to himself and replied calmly, – 'Sir, let me assure you, I am here to negotiate. In exchange for the safety of our ship and our people on the surface of the planet, I have a proposition you will find difficult to turn down.'
'What proposition?!' – Hux barked impatiently.
Poe deliberately was taking his time delivering his message: – 'We will bring you Ben Solo.'
...
As soon as they connected, he could see Rey looking around helplessly.
'Rey! Finally.' – He was relieved to see she was fine.
She looked at him as if not understanding what she was seeing.
'Ben?' – She ran to him, stumbling over something for a brief moment. She surrounded him with her arms and rested her head on his chest.
He stiffened at first. He didn't expect it. He wasn't sure what to do. Hesitantly, he embraced her. He felt awkward but so good at the same time. Then he could hear sobs rising in her chest. He timidly started patting her back to comfort her.
'You can't see it but I'm here…on Ahch-To… And it's all gone…the tree…ancient Jedi texts…all of it! All of my efforts…for nothing.'
He didn't care about the Temple. – 'Shshsh...' – He clumsily tried to calm her down as relief washed over him. He was right, she was on Ahch-To. She was safe. For now. – 'We're trying to contact you. Where's Chewbacca?'
She took a step back and somewhat reluctantly, he let her go.
She looked ashamed. – 'I turned off the radio and Chewie is …unconscious. Drugged by the scum we took with us from Cantonica. Tem helped me so I recovered early.'
'The boy is with you?'
She nodded. – 'Still trying to wake Chewie up. He hid himself in the smuggling compartment. If it wasn't for him, I would had been caught by the First Order by now. I managed to lose them though.'
He shook his head. – 'You didn't. They tracked you through the lightspeed. They're in orbit as we speak.'
'But it's impossible! I checked!' – The tone of her voice reflected the bewilderment and shock so clearly visible on her face.
'Then they must've known where you were heading.' – He tried to calm her down. He needed her to be focused.
'DJ…' – Rey whispered through her clenched teeth. Her fists tightened.
'It's not important now.' – He waved his hand dismissively. – 'But you need to know that we're here as well.'
'You're here!' – She lighted up for a moment but then all that he said fell in place. – 'Wait! If you're here and the First Order is here then...'
He impatiently interrupted her. – 'Yes. We're facing each other right now.'
'How many of us?'
'Not many.' – He shook his head. – 'One cruiser with the red squad on it.' – He was willing her to understand.
She did. – 'Oh no…' – She looked at him with understanding clearly forming in her mind. – 'I saw their ship… just for a split of second…before jumping into Hyperspace.'
'Hux is on board. Listen…you came here trying to find the solution on how to finish this war faster. I have a plan. A risky one but we can do it. It can work if you help me.'
He quickly explained the details to her. Her frown was getting deeper and deeper.
'Are you sure?' – She asked hesitantly when he finished.
'You can do it. Follow your instincts.' – His eyes, fixed on hers, were conveying the same message of the trust he was putting in her.
'I'm asking if you are sure you can run away safely.' – Her eyes were stubbornly searching his in return, looking for the truth.
'I promise I will.' – He needed her assured and confident. He knew she wouldn't be able to see through his lie. She was too shaken.
'It's all my fault! C-3PO, Chewie, you…all this mess.' – She sounded so ashamed. His heart went out to her. He instinctively opened his arms inviting her in. She accepted his embrace gratefully. She was finally calming down…. regaining her balance.
He tightened his grip around her. – 'Nothing happens by accident.' – He planted a delicate kiss on the top of her head. He could smell her hair. He wished he could had been on that planet with her. Right now. He wished this wasn't their goodbye. – 'May the Force be with you.'
...
Rey looked at the purple light of her lightsaber and then closed her eyes. She was reaching out. She had never done anything like this before. She still had problem with initiating the connection with Ben. Now, not only would she have to get the feel for the ship she didn't know, but on top of that she would have to do it with the ship that was so far away from her. She couldn't physically touch it. She could only do it through the connection with Ben.
She was sitting with her legs crossed in a middle of the remains of the first Jedi temple. For thousands of years this place was a synonym of Jedi knowledge, a source of their power. She tried to tap into it. She tried to remember what Luke had said to her. The force is not the power you have. It is the energy between all things, that binds the universe together. The force. – 'Please' – she whispered. – 'Help us. We need your help.'
She was reaching out further and further towards Ben. He said he needed her help. He finally got it that they were stronger together. She had to prove it. She tightened her hold on her lightsaber and put her other hand on the ground. She could feel the island, the planet, she was sinking deeper, she could feel balance. Powerful light, powerful darkness.
She heard a voice. - 'Use it. All of it. All of the power. Both light and dark.' – She knew this voice. She recognised it. It was Luke Skywalker. Without hesitation she went deeper and reached out higher.
Suddenly she heard Ben's ferocious voice. – 'It is now between you and me, Hux. It always has been.'
She could see him with his purple lightsaber. She couldn't hear anyone else. And then she was aware that he felt her presence. He looked directly at her and decidedly said. – 'Don't get distracted. You know what you have to do.' – She nodded her head and closed her eyes.
She reached out further to get a feel for the ship. She needed to find the Hyperdrive. She had so little time. Her efforts started to become frantic. Where is it? The moment she was about to panic, she felt Ben's calming power. He was still helping her.
She calmed down. Breathe. Just breathe. He was guiding her. She reached out again and found it. His presence left her. She felt cold for a moment but she reminded herself to concentrate.
She focused, embracing all her power light and dark, all her fear, all her love, the tension, the balance, the Force that was in her…She felt the ship shaking, the ground below her shaking, the Force inside and outside her rising…teeming…exploding…overwhelming her and everything around her.