I was going to make this longer and then it was starting to run on and get repetitive so I cropped it up. I really wanted to have an interaction between these two and Im quite glad I kept it this way. Hope you enjoy darlings xo
The Falcon wasn't intended to hold prisoners, it had no cell block or brig it was merely a YT class freighter. A heavily modified freighter but a freighter all the same. What then, was Chewie to do with a prisoner?
Poe was like this, make snap decisions on the fly and hope for the best. He was a good soldier and a brilliant pilot, one of the best Chewbacca had seen in fact but he wasn't a seasoned general. He wasn't Leia. In fact, he was much more like Han. That thought brought with it a pang of heart break as he marched Ben back and along the corridors of the Falcon in surprising silence. He had expected some fight, maybe a quick comment or snipe but Ben was silent as the grave. He did his best to stay on his feet, stumbling every now and again on what looked to be an injured leg. Still he said nothing, he walked ahead by no more then a pace following Chewbacca's nudges here and there.
The main hold and forward hold were out, there was no way to secure those rooms. Hold number two held the life support systems and Chewie wasn't sure he trusted Ben not to get spiteful. That left the third hold off the engineering bay. It honestly wasn't ideal either, a quick shot to their engines or escape pods but it was the only room that could be shut off from the rest with any surety. Ben seemed to be aware of this fact too as he turned into the engineering bay without prompting and moved towards the hold in question. He pulled away from the Chewie on unstable footing as he entered the large vacant room. It was filled with heavy looking metal crates scattered agains the far wall. They were stacked neatly in rows of two, empty now but ready to be filled if the need ever arose.
Chewbacca watched as Ben took in the scene before him. His shoulders held a hard line, hair a mess falling in loose sweeping waves that landed around the nape of his neck. He wasn't wearing the rigid uniform of the Supreme Leader but a simple pair of thick knit pants and black shirt. It wasn't familiar but it wasn't unfamiliar either. He seemed oddly contemplative as he gazed around the room idly, his hands held awkwardly in front of his body still in their cuffs. As he turned he cast a sad smile in Chewbacca's direction.
Chewie had been standing with his bowcaster held loosely at his side. It wasn't meant as a threat, the weapon was rarely far from his side. With a slight inclination of his head Ben spoke, "Planning on using that on me Chewie?"
The familiar moniker was hard to hear coming from Ben's mouth, the mouth of Kylo Ren. Try as he might to ignore the painful tugging in his chest Chewbacca let out a wild roar that rolled through the air dipping into several different tones like whining barks. He turned to place the bowcaster down then stood before Ben with his arms open wide.
"Sorry…" he sounded almost, sincere? "You've always been that to me, but you're right, we aren't on those terms." Ben leaned back against a set of crates taking the weight off his leg a bit as they relaxed into an awkward silence.
Not willing to leave Ben alone on the Falcon Chewie cast a glance over his shoulder hoping they would be joined sooner rather then later. It was hard for him to stand here looking at the man who had killed his best friend. The feelings were so complicated and confusing they were physically painful. On one hand this was the boy who would often ride around on Chewbacca's shoulders terrorizing the droids who worked in the Solo-Organa house hold on Corellia. On the other, he was the man responsible for some of the galaxy's most heinous atrocities. How that kind little boy who was scared of the dark and would fall asleep snuggled against Chewie's chest had turned into this soulless shell of a man, he could never fathom.
But, he wasn't soulless was he?
Leia had preyed for the good in him, Han had believed in the good in him, Rey had found the good in him. Ben's dark eyes cast upon the floor looked deep and pensive. He wasn't playing games, he wasn't trying to talk his way out of this he had simply accepted his position and was awaiting what came next. It was odd to watch. Cocking his head from side to side Chewbacca chuffed and chattered lightly.
Ben smiled albeit sadly and nodded a little, "Yeah, she saved my life,"
Letting a low purr roll from his throat Chewbacca chuffed sadly. A question on the air that seemed to rattle Ben and Chewie felt oddly ok making his young captive feel a little uncomfortable.
"You remember things a lot differently then I do," came the quiet response but the answer only served to enrage Chewie further. He waved his arms around, scrunching his nose as he barked and yipped, his speech coming out in punctuated whines. "You may have known him longer Chewbacca but he was my father."
It was hard to hear anything negative about his now passed partner in crime. Chewie had cared for Han Solo in a way that could only be described as familial. They had been through so much together, fought along side one another. Shared in triumphs and losses like brothers. This young whelp was more family then Chewbacca cared to admit but that made the betrayal sting all the more.
"Do you remember when you took me back to your home on Kashyyyk?" Ben asked suddenly, he was allowing his legs to slide out from under him now. His back gliding down along the crates he was using as support. Long legs stretched out before him he sat with his head rocked back against his shoulders. Closing his eyes Ben continued on in a tone Chewbacca noted sounded like deep fondness, "You took me hunting with Waroo, taught me how to build a spear, taught my how to listen to the forest. It was my first real lesson in force wielding, not that that was your intent," Ben smiled grimly, "I was terrified, maybe five years old but you were this unyielding mass at my back the entire time."
Chattering Chewbacca recalled the memory fondly. As a child Ben was always tagging along, always asking questions and eager to learn. He was a bright child born to parents who were often too busy. Han Solo and Leia Organa may have been dear friends but even his friends had their faults.
"Yeah, exactly!" with a serge of excitement Ben laughed, "You never let me quit and thank the Force for that. I remember that bird, what was it called?"
Chewie chuffed and purred, a sound that almost came out like laughter, "Yes! the shyyyo. It was massive and I was determined I was going to get to pet it."
Shaking his massive head Chewie barked once, quick and short.
"How was I to know that?" Ben cried, his tone warming some as they chatted, "I thought it was a destiny thing, the son of the great Han Solo," Chewie flinched slightly but Ben continued, "And here was this massive bird approaching me turns out I'd disturbed that wyyyschokks web and was in severe danger of being eaten."
Chewie laughed, a roaring purr of a noise which drew Ben's attention his way. When the young mans dark eyes met Chewie's there was something there which oddly resembled regret. Pushing passed Ben's gaze and what it might imply Chewie growled long and low yipping a few times.
"You had no idea where I went," he accused, Chewbacca responded with a wide mouthed stare and a series of quick growling yips. "You did not, Waroo found me, we watched as the shyyyo attacked the wyyyschokk," Chewie warbled and whined, "Yes I was terrified and when I told my father about the adventure he didn't even care."
Chewie did not remember that part. Han was busy back then, they all were it was a hectic time but he never remembered Han dismissing his son the way Ben told it. His words however weren't littered with the bitterness Chewbacca had expected. Instead he spoke in the matter of fact way one states that they are going to have mykal for a snack. That vein of dark contempt was gone leaving the broken soul of a man in search of redemption. Growling deeply, the sound altering in pitch a little before he growled again and then chuffed. Ben's eyes were on him in an instant. He let his head fall back to a line of neutral, his brows quirked in a question.
"I don't remember that…" he said slowly so Chewbacca pressed forward with a growl, "I must have been young,"
With a nod and a chuff Chewie looked to Ben imploringly. He needed to see the good in his upbringing came from more then just his relationship with the wookiee.
"Lando… I remember Lando. Dad was always gruff and hard to read. It always felt like he was missing out on something or had something bigger on the agenda…" Ben's fingers toyed at the hem of his shirt as he thought long and hard, "You mean…"
Chewie simply nodded.
"He didn't want me to have to fight…" as the realization dawned on Ben, Chewie called out with a soft growl and moved to peer down the hallway. Footsteps carried down along the corridor as a pair of arguing voices made their way towards the third cargo hold. Chewie could make out Rey's light voice sharp and argumentative as it verbally assaulted one of her male companions. Ben too seemed to pick up on her presence, adjusting his seat so that he sat just a little taller.
They came bustling into the engineering bay a whirlwind of argument and irritation. Rey was accusing Poe and Finn of bigotry while Finn called Rey stubborn and Poe exclaimed something irritatingly. It was like watching siblings fight the way Poe and Finn picked at Rey. He had no fear for her well being though, she was more then a match for Poe and his wild accusations. With a glance back at Ben Chewbacca observed the way his dark eyes followed Rey's every move. He was trained on her completely, no one else in the room existed for him. It was a strange site to behold, the boy so filled with dark and malice that he could kill his own father cared in a deep capacity for the young scavenger from Jakku.
Chewie growled and hummed in a low tone as he nodded his head faintly towards Rey. She didn't seem to notice, too busy in her argument with Poe but when Chewie looked to Ben he knew his point had hit its mark.
"More then I think I ever have," Ben responded and Chewie purred in understanding.
