A/N - Just want to say that I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of love and support I have gotten from all of you! I read and respond to every single review because I am so grateful that you all took the time to share your thoughts! Thank you!
Been getting lots of guest reviews, so it's difficult to respond to you guys individually! A couple of you mentioned having Rey and Ben fake their deaths to get away from Luke, Leia, and the rest of the galaxy... guess we'll just have to see what they end up doing!
ldsrsc - I absolutely agree! I believe very firmly that the Jedi are incredibly flawed, and I wish that the movies would have followed through by making Ben and Rey be Gray Jedi, and thus making the original Jedi end. To be a Jedi is to give up all that is bad, and to be a Sith is to give up all that is good. Neither side has room for balance, or for love - and that's not okay.
maggiejt - I'm with Finn too! Unfortunately, it seems like the Rise of Skywalker writers had the same ideas as Luke and Leia :(
The female arrow - First off, always read the chapter before the reviews! Secondly, BURNNNNNNN
kagomesirene - Amen! And don't worry, Finn, Poe, and Rose are warming up to Ben... we'll see if they stick up for him!
Ben moved through the trees with ease. He knelt at the edge of the tree line, his eyes closed as he opened himself to the Force. Poe and Finn knelt beside him, with Poe unraveling the designs he had illustrated. Ben had to admit that Poe was talented; he had outlined the attack plan for the town with the ease and knowledge of someone far older than his early thirties.
"This area here is large enough for us to move everyone into the town without becoming hindered by the forest." Ben kept his eyes closed as he felt the open space around him that Poe described. The wind moved freely through the area as it was less crowded with trees and obstacles. "Setting fire as we go will confuse them and drive them from any hiding spots they may have. They won't know what to expect from us."
"So this is where we'll split off from?" Finn asked.
"Yes, from what Ben described the entrance to the tunnel is in this area of the woods." Poe's fingers skimmed over the drawings causing them to rustle slightly. "If you split off from here you'll be hidden within the forest until you reach the mountainside."
"Are you sure that Snoke doesn't know about this tunnel?" Luke inquired.
"I created it as an escape route from that man in case it became necessary. No one knows about that tunnel, except for me."
"Must have taken a while," Rose noted, eyes wide.
Ben shrugged, his fingers and muscles clenched at the mere thought of the Supreme Leader.
"I did what was necessary. I'll take twenty in with me when we first enter."
"You can't go into that palace so unprotected," Leia protested.
"If I take more than that it will be impossible to move them through undetected."
"The tunnel is our best advantage to get more men inside without being seen," Poe added.
"If they know we are inside they will make sure that they have Rey with them," Ben growled.
"Ben…"
"No!" He barked. "No more arguments! This right here, this, is not a democracy! Not when it comes to her. I will go in there with only twenty. We will have one hour before others may follow, but I will have that hour to try and locate her first. When the others enter they can make their way to the main gate, but I will remain inside until I find her."
The uneasily shuffled around him.
"It's a solid plan," Finn finally agreed.
Ben watched as Poe rolled the designs back up and tucked them in his jacket.
"Of course it is."
Ben normally would have felt some amusement over Poe's self assured response, but he was incapable of feeling such a thing right now. He rose to his feet and rolled his aching shoulders as he tried to ease some of the tension within them.
"When will we be ready?"
"Tomorrow, two days at the most. If we wait until nightfall there will be even less resistance," Leia answered hesitantly.
Ben's teeth clenched, his jaw throbbed from the pressure on it. Two days, it was far more time than he had expected. Two more days of Rey trapped in that place, at the mercy of Snoke.
"Two days it is," he grated.
There was a collective exhalation of relief. He turned away from them and moved deeper into the woods. He had to get away from them. Rage was burning up his chest, surging up his throat, strangling him with its intensity.
But when he was finally alone, it wasn't anger that tore through him, but a sense of loss so profound that it nearly drove him to his knees. He couldn't think about what she was going through because of him.
It had just been a simple mission, and he'd lost her. He'd let her down. He'd vowed to keep her safe and he'd failed miserably. Even if he did get her back, he didn't know if he would ever be able to make up for the mental torture he was certain she was enduring. He shuddered as his hands fisted.
"Focus," he told himself firmly.
He had come up here for an escape, but also for a reason. It was a distraction, but with a purpose. Luke had provided him with the materials, and now he got to work.
Ben's gaze drifted to the Kyber crystal set before him.
Help me come back to the light.
Help me save Rey.
A/N - Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
As always, please leave a review with your thoughts, suggestions, and predictions, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
~ Elizabeth (FanOfDeliciousFlavour)