While I'm not very well knowledgeable about the Force, let alone the Force Bond between Dyad, it does have me thinking:
While they were apart, what if there is a form of imbalance from the Force that could effect Ben and/or Rey, one or both of them, whether physically, mentally, emotionally or even psychologically?
Maybe, whether they wield the Light or Dark Side of the Force, despite both being able to use both side of the Force, it would cause a negative side effect towards one of them and/or both of them, should their connection/bond be in danger or even threatened to be damaged?
...Especially, should one of them rejects the bond...? Or, even, one of them attempts to sever themselves from the Force?
Two Months Later: Lothal...
"Fall back! Fall back!"
"There's too many of them! We're outnumbered!"
"Retreat!"
Like flies, one by one, two by two, many from the Resistance dropped to the ground, dead from a single blast from the Stormtroopers' blasters. A handful of them attempted to run for the x-wings for stronger blast powers and/or escape to space, others head for the speeders to flee from the battle and take cover. Sadly, only two x-wings were able to take off and four speeders got out of the crossfire.
The rest were blown up and shot by the TIE Fighters that entered the losing battle... With six TIE Fighters and a TIE Silencer joining the five TIE Fighters.
Eighty-two percent of the Resistance of Lothal were killed, staining the ground with blood. Sixteen percent of those who survived, were apprehended and restrained in cuffs. The two percent, nine members, escaped with their lives and delay suffering one of the two fates.
The six TIE Fighters opened and, from each of the ships, a member of the Knights of Ren walked down the ramp and head for the leader of the Stormtrooper Army: Phasma.
Vicrul, carrying his phrik scythe over his shoulders, stood in front of the chrome-armored Stormtrooper.
"Status Report, Captain Phasma." He ordered, as the rest of the Knights of Ren stood a few feet behind him.
Phasma, with her helmet having cracks and a filler-chrome to where her armor broke, stared up at the knight in front of her.
"One-hundred sixty-four Resistance scums, terminated. Twenty-seven, captured and accounted for... Regrettably, nine escaped. We should be able to find and locate the five escapees, by tracking down their speeders. As for the two X-wings that got away, they may already have entered light speed, like the cowards they are."
To Phasma's report, the six knights went quiet, standing still.
Vicrul only nodded his head.
"They won't get too far," he informed her. "The instant they land on a planet, they'll be captured and be turned over to us, for their bounty. It's only a matter of a time."
Kuruk, with his custom-designed rifle in his right-hand, stepped out of his spot and walked over to the Stormtroopers. Many having their blasters out, with a couple of them standing behind their captured prisoners.
"Resistance! You've been defeated!" He yelled at the kneeling Resistance. "You've lost, and are now under arrest for going against the First Order and keeping Intel from our Supreme Leader!"
A couple of the Resistance struggled against the hold of the Stormtroopers pinning them to their knees. A few kept their heads down, either from exhaustion from the two days conflict with the First Order or accepting their defeat.
Kuruk slowly walked behind each Stormtrooper aiming their blasters at their captured enemies, before he went to one prisoner at the end of the right.
"You," he said.
The prisoner, a male-Bothan, glared up at the Knight that was talking to him, slightly panting and bleeding at the left-side of his head.
Kuruk walked over to the Bothan, raising his rifle until it's aimed for his forehead.
"The Supreme Leader has a question he wants you and your group to answer and if you try to lie to him, you'll die."
The TIE Silencer dropped its ramp, allowing its pilot out.
...There, the Resistance witnessed the very person that they fear and despise.
Walking towards them, wearing his black-armor, black-cape and very familiar mask, none other than the Supreme Leader, himself.
Kylo Ren.
Phasma bowed her head to her leader, while the Stormtroopers remained in position.
Vicrul turned to his master.
"Nine escaped, Supreme Leader, but will be captured soon." Vicrul informed the thirty year-old.
Kylo Ren seemed to only stare at his knight, before he went over to Kuruk to the prisoner.
The Bothan flared up at the Supreme Leader, still slowly panting and swallowing at the lump formed in his throat.
"...Tell me." Kylo Ren ordered, low and dark, thanks to the modulator. "Where is she?"
The Bothan, Vath Gradim, sneered up at the man. A low rumble left his throat.
"Do you really expect any of us to tell you where our Jedi is, just to help you kill her-? Ack!"
Kylo Ren held up his right-hand, expanding his fingers out. He was using the Force to choke thre Bothan, along with lift him off his knees and dangle in the air.
"No!"
"Vath!"
"Let him go!"
A couple of Resistance called out to their comrades, a few even tried to get up and intervene, only to be kept in place and/or hit with the end of a blaster by the Stormtroopers.
Vath made a chocking sound, grabbing at his neck in desperation.
"She is not yours." He hissed out. A clear tone of overprotectiveness caught in his voice.
The Bothan isn't the first who dare say similar words he heard in the past to set Kylo Ren off, like the last few dozen Resistance did when getting them to tell him where Rey is. And, like many before him, he'll slowly suffocate to death, never to answer Ben's question and to struggle for air until they go limp.
His outstretched hand started to tremble.
"As for what my intentions are for her, is none of your concern. Just as you and your pitiful group won't get the chance to warn the rest of your little Rebellion where we'll strike next. -His hands twitched a bit, causing the choking to tighten around Vath's throat and raise higher in the air as the seconds tick by.- Now, tell me! Where is she?!"
Vath could do nothing but kick his feet in the air, pulling his head back and mouth gaped open, still fighting to breathe.
The other remaining Resistance could only watch in horror, sadness and disbelief, as one of their own dangles in the air and is slowly being strangled to death.
...Then, a voice spoke out.
"She isn't here!"
Behind the first row of the captured Resistance, a few feet from where Kylo Ren is, a dark-tan human-girl, with tears in her eyes caught everybody's attention.
Kylo Ren cocked his head to the side. Then, dropping his hand, the Bothan fell back to the ground and grabbed by two Stormtroopers to get back on his knees.
The Supreme Leader stalked over to the girl that called out to him, with a Stormtrooper laying a blaster against the back of her head. Then, he squatted down in front of the clearly frightened girl.
"Is that so?" He questioned, looking her deep in the eyes to see if she was begging honest or trying to distract him from killing off one of their own.
Frantically, she nodded her head.
"Yes! It's the truth!" She cried, unable to control her fear and sounding desperate for him to believe her. "She never came to Lothal! Nobody has heard from General Organa, since they left for Ajan Kl-!"
"Ara, no!" Another member, another female-human, cut her off. "We can't let him find our Jedi! No matter wha-!"
Without looking away, Kylo raised his right-hand towards the other girl, putting her in a force choke.
"I just said, 'she is NOT YOURS'!" He yelled, standing tall and stomping towards the one that interrupted her companion on information that could help him find Rey... His Dyad.
Then, when he stood over the trembling woman... His hand clenched into a fist and, after a sickening SNAP!, the woman fell on her back. Dead.
"Irma!"
Again, a few Resistance tried to get up and attack, but are kept on their knees by the Stormtroopers.
Ara weep for her friend, bowing her head in shame.
Kylo Ren turned his head to the sobbing girl.
"Now then, Girl. -He slowly walked back to the woman. This time, his right-hand is held out to the girl, just as he did to Vath.- You were saying? And don't hold back any other information. You wouldn't want me to force the information out of you and your companions by painful methods, would you?"
Ara quivered from the threat, fearfully nodding her head. Even with the mask covering his face, the mask, alone, is still frightening to look at.
"Good. Now, tell me: Where have your general taken her to, the last you heard of their location?"
She swallowed pass the lump in her throat, before she forced the answer out.
"A-Ajan Kloss." She answered. "Th-Th-They went t-t-t-to Ajan Kloss. Th-Th-That was the l-last time we h-h-heard from the G-G-G-General."
Many of her comrades bowed their heads. Either they were ashamed of Ara giving out information to the enemy, fearful that he now has a new lead to find their general and Jedi, or are facing reality that they've lost and had given up, Kylo Ren didn't care or bother to figure out.
He has new Intel to help him look for Rey... His missing half.
He got to his feet, and turned his face to Phasma.
"Take them to the Finalizer," he ordered. "Place them in the cells. If any of them try to escape or put up a fight, take them to the interrogation room."
"Yes, Sir." She responded, and gave out the orders to her squad to follow his command.
Kylo started to head for his ship, bur then stopped in his tracks.
"One more thing..."
Once again, holding out his hand, and turning his head to look over his shoulders, he forced the struggling Bothan back into a Force choke.
"The Jedi Order is gone, died when instant Luke Skywalker was killed!" He yelled, kidding Vath back in the air. "If I hear any of you refer to her as 'the Jedi', again, I'll blast you all to nonexistence with the Finalizer!"
Again, Vath could only gag and choke from the Force choke on him, while his group could only quiver in fear and be forced to head for the docking ships to be taken.
Seeing his message has gotten through, Kylo released the Bothan and stomped towards his Silencer. He lost his temper enough, for one day.
Without hesitation, his knights began to follow.
"Inform General Pryde to begin preparation for Ajan Kloss... It's time we put an end to their little game, once and for all." He ordered, not caring which of his knights will do the task.
Vicrul, walking ahead of him towards his own ship, was the one to perform the task.
"The rest of you, return to the Finalizer. Await for further instructions, when we get to Ajan Kloss. And continue to observe General Hux. We can't risk any information to being lost from their refusal to cooperate, should he attempt overstepping their limit, again. We can't afford to lose any more workers... Let alone, risk him causing a mutiny."
Ap'lek, to his right, confirmed his orders had been received.
"Understood, Supreme Leader."
Kylo reached his Silencer and quickly got in his seat. Once he sat down, he reached for his face and removed his mask.
He was panting, not from the heat, but from anticipation on finally having a lead on finding his mother.
...And Rey.
That's all he ever thinks about, now. Ever since he woken up, alone, on the Supremacy and found that she left him, all Kylo Ren, Ben Solo, could only think about is her.
Why did she try to take his grandfather's lightsaber away from him? Why did she abandoned him, alone, in Snoke's Throne Room? Why did she go back to the Resistance?
...Why didn't she take his hand, when he pleaded, begged her, to join him?
...
...Why did she rejected him and refuses to accept that the Force brought them to find each other, and are meant to be together?
These questions had been going on in his head, since he woken up in Snoke's Throne Room and saw Hux had found him, and still they continue to plague him.
He knew that she wanted to take his hand. He knew that she wanted to stand beside him... He knew that she loves him, just as much as he loves her.
Yet, she chose to turn her back on them, on their Bonds, and after the incident on Crait, she has been blocking him and hasn't seen her, since.
Kylo Ren had dealt with many pains in his lifetime, even the emotional pain he suffered from his own parents and uncle fearing his powers and not able to heal him, was just as painful as the physical wounds he'd received from Snoke and his training... But, Rey's rejection and inability to see reason, was clearly the most painful experience he ever experienced.
...And, it was the Resistance's fault.
He knows that they were the reason why Rey refused to stay. Why she left him... Betrayed him, by leaving him, like his parents and Uncle Luke.
It was their fault, for turning her against him. The murderers, traitors and thieves she call 'friends', who kept meddling in his plans... His own mother... They're the ones at fault. And they needed to pay, for interfering in their Bond and their future.
And once the Resistance is destroyed and he finds Rey, does he truly believe the vision he saw from the Force will finally take its course. and they can be together.
"Sir, all preparation are in order and ready to depart for Ajan Kloss." Pryde's voice through the COMM brought him out from his thoughts and found all of his men have boarded their ships.
Kylo Ren, taking a deep breath, placed his mask back on, readying his ship for departure.
"Proceed course, for Ajan Kloss."
Three Months Later...
"In other news, the Kaminoan Government, the Ruling Council of Kamino, have sworn and pledged themselves to the First Order. After three meetings and nearly a full month of deliberation, Kamino is under the protection of the Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren."
"Remarkable. In just a few months, the First Order had taken over the three Galactic Republic Planets of the Galaxy. Didn't they, also, took away Geonosis' power as a Galactic Republic Planet, weeks after claiming Coruscant?"
"They did. Now, it serves more of a prisoning planet for high-level criminals, as a substitute over execution. Though, they may wish they were executed, since the heat is intense and the day period is longer than other planets in the Outer Rim."
"Perhaps, they wish they were on Jakku, instead; days after the battle on Crait, the First Order went to Jakku and killed nearly all lives on Jakku. It's become an executional wasteland, their own personal mineral gathering and an outpost for their Stormtrooper Training Ground."
"Say what you will, Kylo Ren is very much ruthless and won't hesitate to use his power to. show how powerful the First Order is."
"Indeed. And with another planet sworn to the First Order, Kamino are on the lookout for the remaining few Resistance that the First Order had issued a bounty over. Some of whom, many already known, as: General Leia Organa, once known as Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. A former Stormtrooper, who goes by the name of Finn. And even, the Last Je-"
*Click!*
Poe turned the Hologram off, pissed off on hearing that, once again, a planet has allied themselves with the First Order and are willing to hunt them down like Wyrwulf.
Connix, sitting next to him, looked just as angry as him but is able to stay calm. Even as he got out of his seat and looked to be heading out of the Resistance transport, she knew that he won't leave. Not when he's been given orders to stay.
"Poe." She said.
The thirty-three year-old groaned, having to know where this was going to lead.
"I know, Con, I know." He grumbled, taking deep breathing through clenched teeth. "I just can't believe, those kriffing sellouts!"
He walked towards the wall, near the door, and punched it.
Connix and the few Resistance members in the room let him vent out his frustration.
None of them can find the words to help the situation, when this is another major blow to them. Especially to their general, Leia.
Since the battle on Crait, they suffered too many loss than they expected. And when they learned of Luke Skywalker's death, they knew they'd lost their greatest weapon.
And then, they all turned to Rey, to carry on where Luke left off, all having newfound hope that she'd be able to take down Kylo Ren and put an end to the First Order.
And for the first two months, when taking refuge on Ajan Kloss, they all believed they had a fighting chance and become just as strong as before; many of their allies from other parts of the Outer Rim and Inner Rim Territory came to their aid, receiving rations and materials to help fix their ships and equipments. A few of their contacts would inform them of the First Order's whereabouts, and keep throwing them off their tail.
And, more importantly, Rey was finishing with repairing her damaged lightsaber. Only, she was constructing it into a Saberstaff, since she's more suited at using a staff-weapon than a sword. Not to mention, the Kyber Crystal shattered into so many pieces, it would take too long for her to make it whole, again. So, she decided to try and construct the pieces to become two halves to help her figure out which piece to use until she decided to reconstruct the saber.
Then, they recieved a distress message, from Lothal, that the First Order found them and warned everybody on Ajan Kloss to evacuate, before their message got cut off.
...And, to their horror, the First Order came and attacked the base, while they were all heading for their ships.
It was a terrible day for the Resistance.
Most of their Starfighter ships were destroyed, which limit how many could even try to escape... Along with killing off those who barely got on their ships, or into the sky to jump into lightspeed.
Because how quickly they came when the distress message was sent to them, most of their supplies of rations, repairs and medical equipments were destroyed by the First Order's TIE Fighters.
A few Resistance that weren't able to reach the ship's, knowing they would be dead, chose to stay and distract the TIE Fighters on the ground.
The only group to have gotten out of the crossfire, was Leia's Group. The rest were blasted out of the sky, or remained on Ajan Kloss to continue fighting till the very end.
Now, the group had been hiding on Sarvchi, of the Chiss Ascendancy, and had remained on Sarvchi, ever since. It's a planet that, while it has trees to hide their ship and water to drink from, their resources are very few and costly. And while the Chiss aren't allies with the First Order, they wanted nothing to do with the Resistance, either. So, they couldn't take the chance on allying themselves with Sarvchi and had to hide their identities when going to town.
Poe, finally catching his breath, walked back to Connix.
"Any sign of them, yet?" He asked, looking at the screen to see for the three marks of their members to arrive.
"Not yet." Connix answered, pushing a few buttons and turning a nob, listening in for their call. "Should be any moment, now."
Jessika, focusing on hearing for any reports of First Order TIE Fighters coming their way, responded to Connix's report.
"Let's hope they didn't get caught by the First Order," she prayed. "We're running low on our rations, that we may only have enough to last us for two days, before we run out."
Gial Ackbar, hearing how low on food they are, snorted in disgust.
"They probably got held back, because she got spotted and having us wait longer for our rations."
Poe, Connix and Jessika glared at the Mon Calamari. They knew what he was insinuating, like some of the others did, since they left Ajan Kloss.
"Gial, not this, again." Connix said, already getting angry.
Gial turned his seat to face the three.
"I'm only saying what's true," he stated. "We all know that out of all of us, she is the most recognizable and the most requested to being captured, from how much the First Order is putting out to have her brought in. -He turned to some of the other members, who all froze in their spots and watches the argument before them.- I know for a fact that at least some of you agree to what I'm saying."
Poe, Connix and Jessika looked over to where Gial was looking at some of their members. They can see a few of them looked away from the Mon Calamari... While a few of them, remaining silent, appeared to be in an agreement.
Poe glared at them.
"Are you serious?" He sneered. "You guys, actually, believe this?"
Four of the members turned to Poe. They still remained quiet, but their eyes told him, Connix and Jessika what they needed to see.
Then, Geno Namit finally spoke out.
"Well, Poe, she did kill Snoke and allowed Kylo Ren to live." He reminded, a bit awkward and uncomfortable from the angry, disbelief gazes from his friends. "With her taking tasks to help get us rations and whatever materials we need to help with our ships, she actually put us more at risk on getting caught and leading us to starvation. And whenever they're late than they schedule to return, it's mostly because a civilian identified her and informed the First Order of her whereabouts. So, while her heart is in the right place and is a great ally to have, she's putting us in dange-"
"Bantha shit!" The thirty-three year-old general yelled, stomping towards the Vice Admiral. "You're only agreeing with Gial, because he won't shut up about it and wants to put the blame on somebody, while we're all hungry and have to keep constant visual for the First Order."
"But it's true, Poe." Wedge Antilles, who was staring out through the observation window for anything off from outside their ship, voiced out, irritated and seemed very paranoid. "If she had taken Kylo Ren out, we wouldn't be forced into hiding! None of our friends and allies would've been killed, or even taken away as prisoners!"
"And maybe she didn't, because she couldn't, after Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo sacrificed herself to damage the Supremacy! She could've been killed, like how Finn and Rose almost did!" Jessika pointed out, backing up Poe on defending Rey.
Saile Minnau, who was talking to Urcos Furdam, walked towards the two... What he said next, really got under their skin.
"But neither Finn or Rose were the Jedi, were they?" He countered. "They, along with you guys, tried to complete a plan to help all of us escape from the First Order, while she was task to do one simple job: Find Luke Skywalker, and get him to come help us. Instead, she wasted three days to teach her how to become a Jedi, herself, and take down the First Order, without Master Skywalker and allow many of us to perish!"
Poe stepped forward and jabbed a finger against the guard, not caring if he provokes the man to a fight.
"It wasn't Rey's fault that the General's brother had to be stubborn and refuses to come to our aid, when we needed him the most! And it sure as hell was her fault that we lost so many loved ones; that was Snoke and Kylo Ren's fault!" He yelled. "And don't forget, that Skywalker ended up giving his life for us, back on Crait! so, despite how everything had been going for us, we should be glad that we still have the Last Jedi to help us with our war against the First Order!"
Saile sneered down at the shorter-man. His face turned slightly red, as he spoke what's been on his mind for the past four months.
"We'd be better off with somebody else being a Jedi, than some scavenger from Jakku. -He leaned his face forward a bit, keeping his eyes locked on to Poe's raging gaze.- We know it, and so do you, that she's better off de-"
"Enough, Saile."
Cutting off the guard and gaining all eyes towards her, entering with See-Threepio behind her, is General Leia Organa.
Since the death of her brother and the outcome on Ajan Kloss, Leia seemed to have age these past five months. And with their rations being short and having a bounty over their heads by many of their allying planets, was making her very tired, both physically and mentally.
Still, her gaze is just as sharp as ever and made the guard look away from her eyes.
"I've been hearing these false claims, for far too long, and they needs to stop." She ordered, folding her arms over her chest.
Saile, Wedge, Geno, Urcos and Gial paled, knowing she was referring to them and a couple others. And since they were caught, there was no use hiding it.
Urcos was the first to speak up.
"But, General, it's the truth!" He claimed. "She failed to bring us Luke Skywalker, when we needed him! She didn't bring down Kylo Ren, after killing Snok-!"
Leia raised a hand, cutting him off.
"Whether if she had succeeded on bringing my brother back for help or not, it wouldn't change the outcome of us having to flee from the First Order to Crait. As for B-... Kylo Ren, as Jessika stated, Rey most likely couldn't do so, when the Supremacy received critical damage and only had enough time to escape. And, quite frankly, we suffered too many losses that day and I'm very much relieved that she came back to us, alive, than dead."
The four members didn't seem to accept her own opinion on the outcome on that day, let alone share her joy that Rey returned to them.
Leia can see the anger in their eyes and, with the Force, she could read their thoughts if she wanted to, but didn't want to abuse her powers and respect their privacy.
"Now, then, that's quite enough on acting like children." She declared, walking towards the group, putting an end to the argument. "Let's all return to our tasks and wait for our Jedi and her group to return to ba-"
A beeping sound, coming from Connix's station, went off. Somebody was trying to contact them. Many jumped to the sound, as Connix answered the beeping.
"Mothership, this is Finn, from Falcon. Do you read?"
Hearing Finn's voice, along with seeing the marker of the Millennium Falcon appearing on the screen, had everybody sighing out in relief.
"Oh, thank heavens. What a relief." See-Threepio said, a bit nervous but clearly overjoyed to hearing one odd their own members' voice.
Immediately, Connix responded.
"Falcon, this is Mothership. We read your, loud and clear." She replied, not looking over to and seeing Leia conning up beside her. "You're not being tracked or followed, and you're clear to land. Have you completed your task?"
There was a moment of pause... Meaning, there was bad news.
Then, they got a response. But it wasn't freon Finn.
"Mothership, this is Rose. We succeeded on retrieving the rations from one of our allies on Akiva .. However, I'm afraid we have a bit of bad news. We need to tell General Organa. Is she there?"
Leia gently got into Connix's spot and answered.
"This is General Leia. Go ahead, Rose."
A deep sigh went through. An irritated, exhausted, sad sigh.
"We gained the rations... But, they only gave us enough that, should we time them right, last for a week and a half. Two, at most."
That wasn't the news they wanted to hear.
"Two weeks?!" Saile yelled.
"You kriffing kidding me." Jessika grunted, laying a hand on her stomach when it growled for food.
Leia looked over to Temmin Wexley, who also goes by Snap, who seemed very tired and muttering underneath his breath. He, also, couldn't believe what he just heard.
She then went back to communicate with Rose.
"Rose, I was informed that they would be able to give us a month worth of rations. It was supposed to sustain us until we gather enough resources to fix our ship, and get us to Takodana. Why did they go back on their word?"
Again, another pause went through, but it was shorter and Rose gave her a quick answer.
"We'll tell everyone, once we land; we haven't been able to rest for two days. Plus, this is something that needs to be said in person, not through the COMM. Permission to land, General?"
Leia, silently scolding herself for keeping them from landing and getting some rest, immediately gave them her blessing.
"Permission, granted... And, Rose... How is she?"
Nobody needed to guess who the general was asking about.
"...Chewie will tell you. Finn and I will start bringing in the rations. Over and out."
The humming of the Millennium Falcon from outside of the Resistance transport drew everyone's attention to look out of the observation window and watches the large ship fly over them and, over forty feet, landed.
Seeing the ship of her late-husband has landed and the ramp being lowered, Leia started to head for the doors. See-Threepio, sensing a serious matter that Leia wants to handle, alone, stayed where he stood.
"Return to your stations," she ordered. "Poe, Snap, Gial, Geno, Saile and Urcos, go out and help Finn and Rose bring in the rations. And if any of you start an argument, again, consider being the first to not have any rations for the rest of the day."
The six men weren't very much excited on having to work together, but none are going to deny their general's order and didn't want to risk not having food, when they hadn't eater in four days.
Because of the size of the Millennium Falcon, they had to land the ship away from the Resistance transport. And, because of the spot and can't take any risk of the Millennium Falcon taking damages when they don't have much supplies at the moment, they needed to have the ships land in more clearing area.
Plus, should the First Order find them on Sarvchi, then it was best to leave the bigger ship and have it act like a shield, so they can escape on the smaller-ship that has more maneuverability and less likely to draw attention to the next planet they seek refuge to.
Leia and her group walked out of the Resistance transport, walking across the grassy-field and head straight for the Millennium Falcon, that sat on top of a hill.
They see Chewie was already out, standing guard, while Rose each carrying a small-box in her arms. No doubt, containing part of their two weeks rations.
Rose, seeing the general, nodded her head to the woman.
"General," she greeted. "The rest of the rations are in the ship's cargo hold. We, even, got lucky and were given some fuel cells to get our ships and x-wings to the next planet to refuel for Takodana."
Leia flashed her a praising smile.
"That's a relief to hear," she replied.
Poe and the guys, for a moment, happy to hear thet have more fuel cells to, cheered with one another. Stoked that they can fly in their x-wings, again.
Their general turned to the males.
"Gentlemen, you can continue to celebrate, after you help Rose get the rest of the rations to our ship."
Being reminded of their objective and reason to leave their ship, the six men immediately entered the Millennium Falcon, passing Chewie, who grunted a growl. Rose seemed to linger for a bit, staring up at the ship, before she went to the Resistance transport.
When he looked over to Leia, she can see in his eyes that he's exhausted... And worried.
She walked over towards the Wookiee.
"Chewie," she greeted. "Rose told us that you were only given two weeks worth of rations. Did something went wrong?"
Chewie, let our a couple of rumble of growls.
We had a bit of an issue, while on Akiva. Long story short: A couple of citizens recognized Finn, Rose and Rey and reported the First Order of our location.
Leia slowly closed her eyes from the news, controlling her emotions and not show how scared she was for Chewie and the others. She then reopened her eyes.
"...You were being chased?"
Chewie grumbled softly, nodding his head.
We barely gotten off of Akiva, when they arrived. We ended up taking shelter on Daxam IV. Luckily, our allies on Daxam IV came to our distress, and helped us take care of the group that hunted us down.
A sigh of relief left the general, relieved that they succeeded on taking down some of the First Order that was after them. But, the look in Chewie's eyes didn't share any relief that Leia feels.
...Leia... It's getting worse.
As soon as he said it, a hoarse cough, coming from the ramp, caught their attention.
...Looking up, they see a tired, slightly shivering Rey, gently and slowly being lead down the ramp by a concern, overprotective Finn.
The nineteen year-old still wore her scavenger wear; a simple beige tank top with light-brown pants, the brown boots and the sandy wraps around both arms. She was given the offer to having new clothing, which turned out to being the same style of clothing she's already wearing, but in all-white... The color being the representation of her being the user of the Light Force.
...The same coloring that many Jedi would, traditionally, wear underneath their cloak.
She declined the clothing, the second her eyes were set on the gift Leia offered to give her.
Now, the clothing she wore appeared more dirty, ragged. And, in Leia's opinion, a bit bigger than she remembered when she first met Rey. Even the wrappings around her arms appear a bit loose and, near the leather-brace around her wrist, had a second row starting to coil around her limb.
With the belt wrapped around her waist seeming to be a bit tighter around her hip, showing part of the girl's mid-section slightly peeking out from underneath the clothing, informed the general that Rey is, and still, losing weight. If not for the fact that her face seem to sunk a bit and seeing a few hints of her own bones being a bit bare from underneath her skin and thin muscles.
Rey, coughing into her left-arm, appeared to be trying to have Finn let go of her.
"Finn, I'm fine." She insisted, jerking her left-shoulder and right-arm from his grasp, as the coughing continued.
Finn had a serious look on his face.
"Peanut, you're anything but fine." He replied, trying to take her quarterstaff from her right-hand. "You're tired. You need to rest!"
As they neared Chewie and Leia, the general noticed that the girl's lips seemed to bit pale, nearing to a blue-color. The clear sign of Cyanosis.
"I don't need to rest, Finn." Rey argued, pulling her weapon away from Finn's grasp. "I need to train."
Chewie made a response to that, growling and grunting.
You're in no condition to train right now, Rey. You haven't eaten in four days, nor gotten any rest in nearly two days and you can barely stand on your own. You need to go see Dr. Kalonia.
Rey, too stubborn for her own good, wasn't going to see reason.
"She needs to focus on caring for the others and their injuries, rather than waste her time on me. -She finally acknowledged General Organa, nodding to the fifty-four year-old woman.- General."
Leia nodded back to the nineteen year-old.
"Rey," she replied. "It's good to see you all returned, unscathed. And while I'm proud that you want to continue with your training, you've just gotten back from being chased by the First Order and are clearly exhausted. You should consider resting up, before you even try to train."
The six men, each hauling in two boxes in their arms, walked past them.
Four of them, being Gial, Geno, Saile and Urcos, glared at the exhausted girl... Making certain that she sees how angry they are at her.
Finn, noticing their glares, sent a glare back at them, prompting Poe and Snap to purposely shove into them and direct them to keep moving for their ship.
Rey swallowed, which caused her to cough from her throat being irritated... And, for the discomfort and pain in her chest and lungs.
"I'll be fine, General." She insisted, covering her mouth with her left-hand. "I need to train, should the First Order find our location and we end up fighting for our lives."
Leia let out a slight sigh of disappointment, though she couldn't help but find it amusing of her stubbornness.
'Now I see how my stubborn nature would drive Han crazy, when it comes to sticking to the choices we decide to follow.'
Chewie groaned at Rey's refusal to listen. Finn is just as irritated as the Wookiee.
While she could use the Force to take Rey's lightsaber and quarterstaff away from her, even try to freeze her in place, Leia chose a different approach.
"...Very well, Rey." She relented. "You can train, but I want you to report back to the transport when the suns* start to set for a debrief on our current status on traveling Takodana."
Rey hesitated to the term her general wanted her to agree to. She planned to train for the rest of the day, which there was four hours left of daylight, and hopefully through the night, before she and Chewie refuel the Millennium Falcon and go on another run for rations and supplies from whatever allies they have left.
...She needed to train, for when Kylo Ren finds them and stand with the Resistance against their enemy... The enemy who, to this very day, still calls for her through their Bond.
The build up in her lungs and chest forced her to cough, wincing from the ache from the uncontrollable coughing she's been suffering for months.
Finn patted her on the back. It did little help for her.
Leia wasn't fazed by the harsh coughing. Not since learning the true source on how it came to be from her dear friend, Harter Kalonia, nearly three months ago.
Rey can sense that the woman was reconsidering her offer, and she immediately took it.
"I'll do so, General."
She pulled away from Finn and quickly walked off to the opposite direction, away from the Resistance transport, to her temporary training spot.
The general, Wookiee and Finn watches the nineteen year-old walk away.
The twenty-three year-old male wanted to go after her, take her to see their healer, and get her to eat and sleep. He's very worried, scared for his friend, somebody he views as a sister.
He knows, right before their eyes, she's crumbling under the weight. Falling down a path of self-destruction, by all of this going on. And he fears that soon, very soon, all of this will finally be too much for her to carry on her shoulders and will finally break her.
And, sadly, like everybody else, Finn leaves Rey to suffer through the turmoil that's been pushed onto her. For her to carry a burden that isn't hers to carry, at all.
TBC
*: While there are many planets and star systems that we don't know they appear to us, physically, on either novels and/or movies/shows, let alone how many moons and suns they have, water, habitat and whatnot, I'll try to not mess it up.
R&R