Ben had never experienced anything like it. As their frantic footfalls echoed through the dimly lit corridor, he knew Rey had never felt it either.
The terror.
The electricity.
The pulsating darkness that tore through the force was so tangible it felt like a bludgeon to the chest, an impact that amplified through the bond until it nearly floored them both.
It took all Ben could muster just to force his lead feet to move towards Finn's frantic cries for Rey.
They slid around the corner of the corridor and Ben found himself in a large, decrepit war room. He barely had time to take in the stale air, or the dust that hung like a blanket of smoke. Not even the eyes of the Rebels registering his appearance tore him from the venom that seeped through the force towards himself and Rey.
"Finn, what is it?" Rey cried frantically as she met him at a several large panels, decades of dust smeared across to yield better vision.
Finn opened his mouth to answer, but Poe Dameron responded first.
"Another vessel just entered the upper atmosphere. It's larger than any Star Destroyer or Dreadnaught we have ever encountered." Poe's eyes flickered to Ben's as he spoke, the palate of his words souring with each syllable.
Ben had not seen Poe since he had tortured him, aboard his Dreadnaught.
The hatred and disgust that filled Poe's expression pierced him, and Ben knew that he was remembering the same encounter.
"How the hell did you get here?" Poe growled, low enough that even the staring rebels could not hear him.
It was in vain though; the way that Poe stormed towards Ben, fury incarnate, in no way disguised his true feelings.
Through the bond, Ben knew that Rey had anticipated such a reaction, and responded accordingly by placing herself between them, but he was more surprised by Finn placing his hand on Poe's chest, moving his face close to dispel his intentions.
"Poe… I know you don't trust him, but trust Rey. Trust me." Finn's words were low and sharp, but there was a warmth to them as his hands lingered at Poe's chest, as though he conveyed more than just his words.
Ben was not the only one aware that they had an audience.
Poe's stormy eyes flickered to Ben's face, and then back to Finn. An unhappy resolve settled in his chest, and he nodded once, exhaling as he turned back towards the panels.
"What have we got? I want to know what defences we are looking at!" Poe called across the room, and was met by a frantic wave of information.
External shielding. Surface cannons. Surface blasters.
What appeared to be planet destroying technology…
And there was something else aboard that vessel… Something that Ben could not grasp, but whatever it was had already taken him by the throat, suffocating…
"Ben." Rey whispered from his side, shaking him from his reverie. He turned his head down to her, and found her eyes wide and imploring, searching the depths of himself for comfort, and for answers…
His mind held no answers that she desired in that moment, but he would give her all the comfort that he could muster.
Ben wished that he could spend his entire life giving her the comfort that she deserved.
An acidic burn spread through his chest as he contemplated the minutes he felt were counting down, but forced his mind to ignore the dread, and focused on Rey.
His fingers twitched towards hers, brushing them gently as he cast his mind to the first time their hands had connected, in just a murmur of what he felt now.
Ben filled his thoughts with the memories of belonging, of calm, of adoration, and sent them to her.
If the minutes were to disappear tonight, he would spend every moment making certain she knew that she was not alone.
That she was loved.
Tears begun to well in Rey's eyes as she watched him, overwhelmed by what he was giving her, but she too felt the urgency of his intentions.
She knew that they may not make it through the night.
"General! The weapon on board the vessel is not being activated, but they are deploying troops to the surface!" Poe ran over to an ancient set of monitors to confirm the information, taking but a split second to verify the observation.
"They aren't firing… They would only send ground troops if they needed something…" Poe's eyes turned angrily upon Ben's for a moment before he began calling orders.
"Get our fighters in the sky, now! Let's take out as many of those troop conveys as we can! I want every single one of us armed and ready. This is it. This is our final stand. We do this for every single one of our friends we have lost. We do this for all our family that have fallen. We do this for Leia." Poe's gaze fell back to Ben, and it felt as though a white-hot knife pierced him directly in the chest.
"We do this for every single one of us that are still standing here! Let's get to it!" Suddenly there were people everywhere, brushing dust from relic weapons, racing in every direction, specific orders cascading through the air.
Ben felt Rey shiver from beside him within the same instant a growing sense of dread and power crept through the force towards them both.
The Knights of Ren were making their way to the surface.
Hux's words echoed through his memories as his mind raced back to Poe's analysis.
"I cannot understate my excitement in bearing witness to you watching your scavenger girl die before you."
Rey's hands gripped his, squeezing tight to draw attention from his thoughts; Rey's amber orbs implored his own, her eyebrows drawing into a deep frown as his fear coursed through her.
He shook his head, unwilling to share with her what Hux and the Knights planned for them both, but it was Poe who demanded answers.
"You answer me now, Kylo." Poe spat at him, his voice louder now that every single available body was frantically preparing to save their lives. "They are here for you, are they not?"
Finn and Rey begun to step in between them once more, but Ben needed to face Poe, even though the use of his old name felt like another sickening blow to his chest.
"They are, but not in the way that you believe. You believe they are here to rescue me and destroy the remnants of the rebellion, but the Knights of Ren are here to kill me… Though not before they kill Rey, as they force me to watch." Ben's jaw hardened as he spoke the words out loud. Rey stiffened beside him, but the fire rekindled within her chest and she stood taller, fiercer, as she digested his words.
Ben knew within himself that if she were to die, he would never live to see it; he would take one hundred saber burns to protect her.
He would fight until his heart no longer beat within his chest to ensure her safety. To ensure her life.
"How the hell am I supposed to believe that!" Poe exploded, frustration and betrayal spewing over the edges. "How the hell am I supposed to believe anything you say, after everything you've done! After everything you are!" Poe pushed Ben's chest with enough force that it knocked him several steps backwards, but Ben did not retaliate.
He knew that Poe was right.
He knew that he had committed several hundred lifetimes of atrocities.
He knew that nothing would be recompense for his actions, but regardless, he knew he had to try.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally understood his path and his own mind.
He knew what had to be done.
"I know I have given you nothing but pain and loss, and I have given you no reason to trust me. I don't know how to convince you to believe me, except to tell you that I would never let anything happen to Rey. I fight for her and all she stands for. Please, trust that." Whatever softness that Poe's eyes held had hardened then, as though his trepidations had been confirmed. It was then that Ben knew Poe's allyship with him was only bound in his friendship with Rey.
"That is what I am concerned about." Poe took several steps backwards, before resigning himself to their task ahead.
"We don't have the manpower. We don't have a way to destroy that vessel. We are just going to attempt to destroy as much as we can before they get us. So long as the Knights are here, the planet will not be destroyed, so I need you both to stall until we can figure out a plan."
Poe turned and reached for several pieces of equipment at a nearby panel, flicking the metal within his palms as he walked back towards them.
"Here, take these." He handed Rey two earpieces so decrepit Ben wondered if they would truly work.
"Tell me if you come across a weakness or any piece of information we can use. Otherwise, stay alive." Poe shot a look at Ben that clearly meant that he was not included in the order and continued.
"Come on, Finn. Just like old times, huh?" Poe patted him on the back and took off towards where Ben assumed was a vessel hanger, while Finn hung behind, looking to Rey with eyes far too old for his face.
"I can't believe we are doing this again." He whispered almost dejectedly as he wrapped his arms around Rey, his whole demeanour radiating a resignation that he believed his life was only destined for fighting.
"This will be the last time." Rey whispered back, but opened her mouth to backtrack on her words before Finn interrupted.
"In a way, I hope it isn't." He made out through her hair. "Stay alive." He echoed Poe's words before unravelling his arms, lingering with what seemed like many unspoken words. Shaking himself, he turned to Ben and held out his hand, a newfound alliance extended at his fingertips.
"I don't care what Poe says. We are all traitors to what we once knew. How else would any of us be here?" Ben took his hand then, shaking firmly.
"Thank you, Finn." Finn nodded quickly, before taking his hand away and falling into a jog through the war room and towards the hanger.
The absence of Finn and Poe meant that Rey and Ben could fully turn their focus onto the dread that had been dragging its fingernails up their spines, tearing into the flesh there until it ripped through their ribs directly to their hearts.
Rey took Ben's hand more firmly within her small fingers, the fire now completely ablaze within being. Her eyes radiated defiance as she turned her chin up to face him, and he knew then that he would not be the only one to give their life to protect the other.
Ben opened his mouth to speak, to verbalise the words he had desperately sent through their bond towards her only moments ago, but the world shuddered beneath them, calling their attention to the imminent danger at hand.
Explosions sounded from above the compound, shaking the building. Cries emanated through the corridors as the last of the rebellion ran from their final stronghold. Stormtroopers had made it to the surface of Endor, carrying what would be the most dangerous cargo in the whole of existence.
The Knights of Ren had arrived.
Well, shit is very much about to get real. Hold onto your butts fam, we are going to be in for one hell of a ride! Approximately 5 chapters left now, and they will be relatively small to build suspense between chapters. Thanks so very much for the reviews (RedPanda and BrokenMentality!), favourites and follows! ya'll are amazing! I hope you are all keeping as safe as possible in this crazy world. Sending you all my love!