Last On: Leia accepts Ben back to the resistance, with rules. He can't go by Kylo Ren anymore. The first order has orders to shoot-on-sight, so Ben has to follow these rules.
Chapter 15
Ben sulked through the base. The short redhead that his mom called on to escort him hurried on ahead. He seemed both afraid of what they'd do to him if he left Ben Solo unescorted, and of what Kylo Ren would do if he caught up to him in the hallway. Still, it didn't bother Ben much. He was used to troopers taking extra effort to avoid him.
When they arrived at his quarters Ben was surprised to find the door opened to his hand print. He wasn't getting locked into a cell somewhere. The room was simple, and furnished in a similarly eclectic style to Rey's, but with different furniture. There was even a desk against the wall. On the bed sat a box, and there were already a few outfits hanging in the closet.
Attached to the outside of the box was a note. It read, "Son, I can't say how, but I always knew you'd come home one day. Inside are a few of the trinkets a mother saves."
Ben opened the box next. Inside was an old calligraphy kit, a practice saber, and a model battlecruiser he used to play with as a boy. But the item that stood out to him was an old stuffed Tauntaun. Ben was absorbed into memories of how he used to carry it everywhere. So much that his parents seemed to get worried. If he lost it he would scream and cry until his dad found it again. One day his parents told him that it was gone, and they endured a tantrum of unmatched proportions. Ben remembered feeling like his only friend was gone. But here the toy was. It still had the stitching his mom applied once to 'heal' a boo-boo it sustained after getting lost one day.
A buzzer by the door interrupted his memories. Ben put the toys back into the box and went to answer it.
"Hello, FN- uh Finn," Ben greeted.
"I wondered if you wanted to grab a bite to eat. I could show you around," Finn suggested.
Ben wasn't really in the mood for a social outing right now. He looked away, as he formed his refusal, until Finn spoke again.
"Or we could go see if Rey wants to hang out."
Ben's eyes snapped up and he responded, "Alright." He shut his door on the way out.
Finn proved to be a decent tour-guide, as they walked through the base. He even shared a tablet with a map, and all the complicated hallways seemed to make much more sense. Finn wasn't afraid of Kylo Ren, and talked to him with ease. Despite how much Ben scowled and glared at him.
They went into a workshop while Finn went on telling him some story about his jacket. Ben, in truth, hadn't been listening too closely. And when they stepped into the workshop his eyes went right to a pair of legs that could be seen stuck out from under an X-Wing.
Rey pulled herself out when Rose greeted Finn. As they hugged she eyed Ben carefully.
"What do you think, care to join us for a meal?" Finn asked the room, which included both Rose and Rey.
Rey turned from Ben and smiled at her friend, and nodded her assent. She grabbed a towel before leaving and wiped grease from her hands. Ben watched her closely as she did this, his face no longer a scowl.
"I don't know how you could enjoy cafeteria food so much," quipped Poe, as he approached their table with a tray of food.
"You grow up with next to nothing to eat, you'll appreciate anything." Rey responded.
Ben, who was sitting across from Rey, glared at Poe as he sat down beside Rey.
"I see you're making yourself at home," Poe said to Ben. He paused for a moment, but when Ben didn't respond he turned to Rey and Rose again. "So how long till I get my X-Wing back."
"How long till you learn not to damage it," Rose quipped.
"Now that's not fair. There was a guy with a Starfighter claiming his ship was faster. Said a few things about the Resistance that I'm too much of a gentleman to repeat. It was for all our sakes I showed him up. Not my fault he's a poor loser,"
"Only you, Poe, can turn a simple supply run to a rescue and tow," joked Rey.
"Well, you're going to have to wait for your X-Wing. We were hoping the girls would take the rest of the day off and join us as I finish the grand tour," said Finn, as he motioned to Ben.
"That sounds like so much fun!" said Rose excitedly.
Poe put on a childish pout, before elbowing Rey. Rey immediately pulled back her shoulder from him and Ben just glared from across the table. Poe didn't seem to notice either when he said, "Ok, I guess I'm gonna have to stay on desk duty then. You folks enjoy your day. I gotta get back before someone misses this handsome face, or disaster happens, whichever's sooner. See you all later." Poe picked up his tray and carried it out of the cafeteria with him.
After lunch Finn finished his tour. Ben silently followed him and Rose as they talked about this or that. Rey was silent too, though she did speak up every once in a while.
"And this is the training room." Finn said as he opened a set of double doors. Inside was a very large gym. Mostly empty space with equipment off to the side.
Ben walked in and examined everything. "I can see why the first order is triumphing."
"It isn't much, but we make good use of it," said Rey.
"Care to demonstrate?" Ben asked, pulling the lightsaber he was surprised they let him keep from his belt.
Rey still had the repaired lightsaber on her belt. She pulled it out and a look of exhilaration came over her face. "You're on!"
Rey took the offensive right away, and Ben pulled up his saber and deflected her blow immediately. Then he spun around to take advantage of an opening she left to her side. Before he could strike, she moved her saber to block his. They continued like this for some time. To those watching it seemed like a dance. One would strike, while the other would parry. But Ben was learning about Rey through all of this. When he was ready, Ben feint an attack, quickly pulling out and around to take advantage of the weak spot Rey's defensive parry left open. Her saber was knocked out of her hand, and Ben stood triumphant. But before Ben came in to pin Rey down, there was a loud bang from across the room. Suddenly a staff flew into Rey's hands. This was no loose branch, this was Rey's tried and true staff. She poked Ben with its tip, agitating him into throwing his massive frame into the fight. Ben, who was used to the advantage his physical strength provided, fell into her trap. Rey was used to fighting opponents much larger than she, and when he stomped towards her, she pulled her staff out and spun around him. Throwing her staff over his head, and pulling back. She soon had him pinned.
Ben disengaged his lightsaber, and Rey whispered in his ear. "Good, for a piece of firewood. Don't you think?" Before Ben could respond, Rey dropped him and looked up to the sound of clapping.
Leia was walking towards them, with an amused look on her face. "Bravo, very well done," she said as she clapped. "Ben, tomorrow at o-eight hundred hours I need you in conference room four. We've decided how to proceed and will brief you then."
Ben nodded to his mother.
"And Rey, next time try summoning a weapon that's in the room with you," Leia added. Rey and Ben both looked over and noticed the staff sized hole in the wall by the hall door.
Rey winced. "Ooh, I'm sorry. I really didn't try that. It just kind of happened."
"Believe me, I understand how that can happen." Leia glanced at Ben then back at Rey. "Just try better next time."
Ben stood watching this with his jaw hanging opened and a look of shock on his face.
Note from the author: I won't get the chance to go to the movie theater for a while, if I get the chance to go at all. So safe to say this story remains Spoiler Free.
I hope you like this chapter. I experimented a bit with trying to write an action-y sequence. I've never done so before. So if you could be so kind as to leave a comment as to how you think it works for you in the reviews, I'd be very grateful.
I did really consider doing a time jump here, but decided it felt better without it. I already have some ideas for the next chapter, and it's got the Force Bond causing trouble for them again.
