I will forewarn you all that this chapter does a bit of a time jump of a couple of days. I didn't want to drag out their whole stay on Hapes. So enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars, but Disney and George Lucas do. I just play in their sandbox and cause havoc.
Somewhere in the Mid-Rim…
For several days now, Leia and Lt. Connix have been trying to get in contact with Poe and Rey with little success. The only success they had was getting a jumbled-up message from BB-8 which even Threepio couldn't decipher. Then add to it that Booster had given Leia intel about the First Order movements, and now she had to figure out what to do next. Send what ships they had received from Booster and Karrde to Hapes, or keep trying to reach Poe and Rey to warn them of the coming threat.
Knowing that she isn't going to be getting any sleep, Leia decides to get up out of her large bed and shuffle across the room. Throwing on a heavy cotton blue robe, she sits down at the small desk that sits just beneath the window of her room. She picks up one of the many data-pads that she's been using over the past several days and begins to idly flick through the galactic news
A small chime rings out from the door.
"Enter." Leia calls out without looking.
The door hisses open and Booster Terrik enters the room with a small, circular disk in his hands.
"Princess, we've received word from Rendar," Booster says to her, having crossed the room in several quick strides to reach her. "and it doesn't look good."
"What's happened?" Leia wearily asks as she sets down her data-pad and turns her chair to look at Booster.
"You'd best watch." Booster replies, pressing a button on the desk to reveal a small slot for the data-disc. Once the disc goes in, Booster presses another button which reveals a small holo-projector on the right side of the desks' top.
A blue image crackles to life in the air above the desks' surface and suddenly Dash's image appears.
"I don't have much time to get this message out. Leia," The image fluctuates for a second before steadying out again. "things have collapsed here on Hapes. Your flyboy has landed himself into a lot trouble. If the charges are true, which they aren't really true, then your Commander Dameron is facing death. But that's not the worst of it. The Princess of Hapes, Tenel Ka, has passed along information that her grandmother is going to sell your Jedi-in-training to the First Order as a peace offering. I'll try everything I can to keep Poe and Rey safe, but I can't give you any guarantees. Your Resistance better get here quick to rescue them."
With the message's end, Booster has the holo-disc ejected from the player. Then he looks down at Leia, who is in quiet contemplation.
"I would offer you the assistance of the Errant Venture, but Karrde has already sent word that I'm not to interfere." Booster kneels down in front of Leia and takes hold of Leia's hand before continuing. "However, I won't just do nothing. I am willing to give you as many weapons as you need to retrieve those two kids. Dameron's boy isn't one to force himself on others, and Force knows what the First Order would do to Luke's protégé."
"Thank you, Booster." Leia places her other hand over top of where Terriks' hands cover one of her own. "Can you send word to Chewie to warm up the Falcon's engines?"
"Of course, Leia." Booster rises up from the ground after pressing a kiss to Leia's knuckles. "Us smugglers owe Han a huge life debt; and I, sure as hell, will make good on that debt. Whenever you need help, you can count on me."
Booster releases Leia's hand and reaches in to his pocket. He pulls out a small data-chip and holds it out to her.
"Use this to get in contact with me using this through transmission signals. It's encrypted by our former slicer friend, Ghent, before he went missing. It'll get a message through to me, and I'll come."
Leia inspects the data-chip closely before looking up at Booster. "Thank you. For everything."
Booster simply nods head and bows to her before leaving the room. This leaves Leia alone for a few moments to think and strategize a plan on how they are going to get Poe and Rey back.
On the planet of Hapes…
Poe lets out a groan as he feels his sore muscles ache from having to sleep on the dura-crete floor. Shifting to sit up, Poe leans his back against the wall behind him. Scrubbing his face with his hands, Poe lets out a half-sigh, half-growl at his predicament. For the past six days he and Rey had been guests at the Hapian Court, and they'd even got to know a bit more about Tenel Ka during her and Rey's Jedi-sparring lessons. However, nothing could have prepared him for what had happened that fateful evening two days ago.
A sound from outside of Poe's jail cell alerts him to someone's presence. However, with as dark as his jail cell is, Poe can't see just who it is that has arrived.
"Well kid, you got yourself into a huge mess." A familiar male voice says from the shadows of the cell block.
"Dash?" Poe calls out, rising up from his place on the floor and slowly stumbling towards the dura-steel made bars of his jail cell. "Is that you?"
"Sure as hell ain't the Queen Mother." Dash retorts, leaning both of his forearms against the bars.
"Where's Rey? What have they done to her?" Poe blinks a few times to get his eyes acclimated to the very low light of the cell block's hallway.
"She's safe for now. You, on the other hand, are facing a death sentence for raping a young Hapian female."
"What?!" Poe sputters out in shock.
"It's the best excuse they could come up with, kid. The Queen Mother wants you gone by any means necessary."
"And Rey? What does she plan to do about Rey?" Poe asks, his fingers clutching at his mother's ring which is hidden beneath his dirty and torn up velvet blue vest from that evening two days ago.
"Unknown. All I know is that your girlfriend is under house arrest and not allowed any visitors." Dash replies.
"Rey isn't my girlfriend." He practically groans as he rubs his hands over his face
"Could have fooled me. I hear she's been sleeping with you during the night time hours."
"That's because her rooms were ransacked that first night we were here. Then you have to add that she was drugged too. She didn't feel safe sleeping in her chambers any more than I was at knowing she could have been attacked while sleeping."
"Well, the two of you broke three of the Queen Mother's laws just by sharing quarters with each other. You're not married. Not to mention the sparring in public without a chaperone."
"BB-8 was there." It was a weak protest, but Poe figured he'd make it anyway
"The droid doesn't count, Dameron."
Poe lets out a growl of frustration at everything that the old smuggler has told him. "So why the rape charge? I was never alone with that girl."
"Well," Dash takes a deep breath before responding. "you were seen leaving the celebration alone, after having danced with the young lady. Then she left as well. And there you go. A most opportune time to set in motion a plan that'd put you in the situation that you are in now. Lucky for you, that your droid has hidden himself on Outrider and has sent a message to Booster to pass along to Leia."
Poe lets out a groan and lets his head drop in resignation that he'll never hear the end of this if Leia has to come and bail his ass out. Again.
"Look, if you can hang in there a bit longer, I am sure that Leia will be able to get you out of here. Because there is nothing I can do to help you. Karrde's smuggling crew stays neutral in all this." Dash tells Poe before leaving the pilot alone once more.
Hearing the smuggler walk away, Poe shuffles back over to his makeshift bed is. Sitting down, Poe once again leans his back against the wall. Slowly, Poe allows himself to think back on what all had happened two evenings ago.
~~~SW~~~
Poe had woken up earlier than Rey and while he couldn't help but grin at seeing the young woman stretched out across the expanse of his bed. Normally Poe wouldn't mind sharing a bed with such a bed hog, but for the past six nights he'd been sleeping on a pallet on the floor instead. The morning after Rey's ordeal from being drugged, Tenel Ka had found the pair in Poe's bedroom.
"A very potent and local flora which is used in the making of the wine we use only at special occasions." Tenel Ka had told the pair as she examined the results from BB-8's scans. "It is used as an aphrodisiac among our people. However, it would appear that it was also laced with an unknown, organic substance which I've never seen before."
Since the incident, Rey had become uncomfortable with sleeping alone at night. So, Poe offered her the use of his bed, and his company, to help her feel a safer. Even BB-8 offered to serve as a secondary protection measure for the pair.
The light from the sunrise begins to filter in and Poe couldn't help but release the sheer fabric curtains from their confines that surround the circular bed. Even though it seems pointless to close them, Poe doesn't want Rey to wake up just yet.
Having picked out a pair of chestnut brown trousers and a cream-colored shirt, Poe heads into his bathing room for a morning wash. Once he is finished, Poe heads out into his bedroom and discovers his bed is empty. Even BB-8 is missing from his charging station. After pulling on his boots, Poe heads out to the hallway where he will meet up with Rey. He doesn't have to wait long for the woman to come out of her room, dressed for her morning practice sessions.
Once the morning practice with Tenel Ka is finished, Poe and Rey decide to work on hand-to-hand combat. They won't have time in the afternoon thanks to being invited to the Solstice celebrations which are to take place this evening. After their sparring, the pair head back to their rooms to relax before the getting ready for the celebrations.
By mid-afternoon, Poe began to work on getting ready for the evenings celebration. Tenel Ka had already told him what he was expected to wear, and the outfit in question had Poe wondering just type of celebration this is. He strips out of his clothes and climbs into the ground level pool. Settling in, Poe decides to let his body float in the scented water. Eventually his muscles relax and any tension he had is now gone. He isn't sure how long he was floating in the water, but Poe decides to wash his hair before getting out.
Once he is satisfied that his hair is clean, Poe climbs out of the water and walks over to the large linen closet to grab a large towel. As he dries himself off, Poe starts going over a checklist in his mind of things he and Rey will need to keep aware of. With everything dry, Poe heads into his bedroom and starts to get dressed.
With a velvet blue vest and velvet black trousers on, Poe starts to pull on his black boots when the door to his bedroom receives a knock.
"Come in!" Poe shouted, quickly checking to make sure that his two vibro-blades are safely hidden away inside of his boots.
"You look nice." Rey said while stepping foot into Poe's bedroom.
Looking up, Poe is speechless at the sight before him. Standing there in a skin tight, deep indigo dress is Rey. A pearl necklace rests around her neck, and pearl bracelet at her wrist. Even her hair, which is done up into heavy curls, leaves Poe breathless.
"You… you…" Poe stuttered before clearing this throat to speak again. "You look beautiful."
Rey blushes at Poe's comment and looks down at her feet. "At least I don't have to wear heels this time."
Poe also looks down at Rey's feet and lets out a chuckle at seeing that she is barefoot. "A small blessing, I take it."
"Yes. I don't think I could handle another dinner wearing those killer shoes. I take it that you are wearing your boots to hide the vibro-blades?"
"I don't trust these people, Rey. Haven't since we stepped on this planet. Even more so since your drugged state six nights ago."
Rey lets out a sigh at the reminder of how close she had come to being harmed. She isn't thrilled that she hadn't been able to sense the person who had spiked her drink before it happened. However, she was much more conscious at keeping her glass with her at all times, or even avoiding a refilled glass to prevent such a thing from happening again.
"Well, we best get going. Don't want to be late to the celebrations." Poe stated, offering Rey his arm. This has become a habit for him and doesn't intend on ending it anytime soon.
"Of course." Rey takes hold of his arm and the pair headed out.
It didn't take them long to reach the overly large ballroom where the celebration had just begun. Neither of them paid attention to Ta'a Chume's long-winded speech, nor did they notice that Risla was standing near them.
Several hours later, Rey and Poe found themselves on opposite sides of the ballroom. Poe was speaking with a visiting representative from Coruscant, who had been secretly siphoning funds to Leia for the Resistance under the guise of helping those who had been displaced by the First Order. While speaking, Poe's eyes kept looking over at Rey as she was speaking with Prince Isolder. Then to Poe's surprise, Isolder guides Rey out on to the dance floor.
"Excuse me." Poe told the representative, wanting to find a better place to watch the pair. Yet he was intercepted by a young Hapian female.
"May I have this dance?" A blonde-haired, young woman asked shyly, a blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Sorry but I…" Poe begins to reply only to be cut off by Dash Rendar showing up out of nowhere.
"Kid, dance with the pretty girl. To refuse would be an insult." The old smuggler whispered to Poe, making sure to remind him of the rules.
Poe, let out a hard sigh before acquiescing to the girl's question. He allows the girl to lead him out on the dance floor, but doesn't say a word to her. As they dance, he keeps trying to watch for Rey which doesn't irritate the young girl as it should have. The song changes as does the type of dance, which Poe doesn't know. However, his partner thanks him for the dance and leaves him be. Then Poe looks around and sees the back of Rey exiting the ballroom via the archway that leads out to a massive balcony and the large garden expanse outside. With Rey is a different Hapian male than Prince Isolder.
Not wanting to lose sight of Rey, or the unknown man she is with, Poe heads out to the balcony himself. Once outside he watches as Rey heads into the gardens with the man. However, Rey is stumbling as she walks with the him. A rush of worry and fear flows through him, Poe doesn't waste a single moment to chase after her.
"Rey! Rey!" Poe called out into the gardens as he runs into the areas of thick shrubs, bushes, and tall flowers.
He keeps running, hoping that Rey is alright till he can reach her. As he turns the next corner something slams hard into him, forcing him to the ground. However, he feels relief flood through him as he sees who it is that has run into him.
"Rey!" Poe gasped out as he moves them both into a sitting position on the ground.
"Poe." Rey mumbled out, wrapping her arms around Poe and holding him close. "I found you."
Poe wrapped his arms around Rey, and can feel skin beneath his fingers which are on her back. This caused him to pull back slightly and he can see now that one of the straps to her dress is missing. Not only that, but it had managed to cause a good section on the back to come off as well. Then there was the dark red mark on her right cheek and the pearl necklace is missing from her neck.
Anger surged through Poe at the audacity which the male had to attack Rey. "Where is he?" Poe snarled out while helping Rey to her feet.
"Knocked out." Rey admitted before passing out.
As Poe had caught Rey before she could hit the ground, several armed guards arrived. There was yelling, and Poe felt something hit the back of his head before the world turned black.
~~~SW~~~
Coming out of his memory, Poe releases a heavy sigh and presses his face into his hands. With as serious as Dash made the charge out to be, Poe can't help but wonder if he'll make it out this jail cell. The sound of heavy footsteps coming causes him to look up towards the bars of his cell. Five burly Hapian guards appear at the door of the cell, and one of them opens the door. The file in to Poe's cell and three of them take hold of Poe. As they try to place cuffs on him, Poe attempts to fight back but receives a punch to his stomach.
"The Queen Mother requests your presence." The lead guard growls out as he motions for two guards to take hold of Poe.
Poe continues his attempts at trying to break free from the two guards who hold him, but he is dragged away.
In another part of the massive Hapian palace, Rey is standing in the royal throne room. In front of her is the Ta'a Chume, who is dressed in an elaborate outfit. Rey, however, is dressed in a simple, burnt orange colored gown and her soft brown boots.
"There has been a mistake." Rey says in a loud voice. "The only attempted rape done to anyone was done towards me. Poe is innocent of the crime you are accusing him of."
"And one may say that you are biased in your opinion of the male." The father of the accuser states in accusation at Rey. "Your own judgement is clouded because he is your paramour."
"We are friends. Nothing more." Rey counters back, keeping herself facing towards the Queen.
"And what of your nightly stays in his rooms?" A different courtier, a female, approaches Rey with a sly smirk on her face. "You cannot deny that you've been staying in his rooms nearly every night."
Rey gives the woman a glare as the woman walks in front of her. Then Rey returns her gaze to the Queen and speaks. "Only for my protection. Especially after being poisoned and then having my chambers ransacked. We didn't even share the bed. He slept on the floor."
"So, you don't deny that both of you ignored and broke our laws. Have you no shame?" Another female courtier asks from where she sits before the royal dais.
"The laws wouldn't have needed to be broken if those who drugged me and broke into my room obeyed the laws themselves." Rey shouts in frustration.
"How dare you accuse us, loyal subjects of our queen, of not following her laws!" Yet another courtier yells out in anger.
"Enough!" Ta'a Chume shouts, which causes everyone to in the room to go silent. Then she continues. "We will ask the accused. Bring him in."
Rey turns her head and watches as Poe is dragged in through a nearby door. The five guards bring him before the royal dais and practically shove him to the ground. She wants to go to him, but Tenel Ka had warned Rey about the dangers of doing so. Having to remain silent and unmoved has Rey feeling conflicted, but it is needed to save Poe's life.
"Are you Commander Poe Dameron of the Resistance group?" The Queen Mother asks.
"You know who I am, your exalted one." Poe grouses out as he finishes pulling himself onto his knees. He receives a blow to the back of his head from one of the guards' baton for his remark. "Yes."
The Queen Mother lets a malicious smile appear on her face before nodding for the main questioning courtier to proceed with the questioning. The lead, female, courtier walks over and comes to stand before Poe.
"You are charged with the attempted rape of the Lady Melusina, daughter of Lady Kaness and Lord Corbenius. How do you plea?"
"Not guilty." Poe responds back, but it doesn't stop there. "But then again, you all don't care. This whole thing is a farce, meant to split me and Rey apart."
The lead courtier turns so that she may look at the Queen Mother. With a nod from her sovereign, the woman continues her questioning.
"Are denying the charge and the validity of it ever happening?"
"You must think me dense if you think that I would give you a different answer when you're asking the same question, but worded differently."
This earns Poe another smack over the head by a baton. As his head comes back up, he looks directly at Ta'a Chume and begins to yell in defiance.
"Just how much credits did you offer the girl's family to create this false accusation? Or better yet, how much did you offer to those who poisoned Rey? Who raided the chambers you placed her in?"
This outburst causes the room to explode into yelling which causes the guards to begin beating Poe incessantly. Rey tries to make a mad dash for Poe, but finds herself being held back and pulled away. She tries to call upon the Force, but nothing happens. She tries to reach out for it and yet there is nothing there.
"Poe!" Rey screams out before using all of her physical strength to break free from her captor. However, she doesn't get far as yet another pair of arms take hold of her by pinning her arms to her sides. As the person lifts her body up, Rey begins to kick out while still screaming out for her friend. While being carried away, Rey keeps trying to see where Poe is and watches in horror as the guards continue beating him.
Her captor must have finally made it out the doors to the throne room, because there is a loud hiss followed by more movement. Then the doors close, shutting Rey away from what all is going on in the throne room.
"Let me go!" Rey shouts as she throws her head back, hoping to clock the person in the face. "I need to stop them from killing him."
"Calm yourself, Lady Rey." A familiar voice finally says to her. "My mother cannot kill him, yet. Nor is she willing to allow you to keep your force abilities."
"Allow… You can't control the Force in that manner." Rey growls out as she continues wiggling within Isolder's hold on her.
"She can by blocking the Force." Isolder shifts to allow Rey's feet to firmly touch the floor. "My mother is resourceful and has paid good money to have a shipment of Ysalamir lizards brought here. These creatures are able to remove the Force from their surroundings, rendering any Jedi or Sith incapable of using the Force. Now, I will release you if you swear not to attack me. My daughter is very fond of you and has come to see you as a friend. I would hate to be the one to explain to her why her new friend is dead."
Rey nods her head in agreement and feeling Isolder's hold on her lessen, she quickly whips around to look at the other man. "Your mother plans on killing Poe."
"Come, walk with me." Isolder offers Rey is arm, and isn't offended when she doesn't take it. "Very well. Walk with me and we will discuss your friend's options."
Isolder begins to walk away and smiles as Rey catches up to walk along side of him.
"Poe doesn't deserve this." Rey states as they walk down the corridor. "He's done nothing wrong to that girl. If anything, he found me after one of your men tried to get handsy with me. This was after the man tried to use a damp cloth to drug me."
Isolder stops walking and turns to look at Rey. "What did he look like, the man who you say attempted to harm you?"
Rey, having come to a stop, begins to think back to the attack. Then she begins to give a description of her attacker. "He had brown hair with blue eyes. He had light skin, like yours and… he didn't look very Hapian, wasn't as… fit. He might have been a few years older than me."
"I will look at the records of the Celebration's security footage. On my oath, as Crowned Prince of Hapes, I will find your attacker and bring him before the courts. However, I fear that this information will not save your commander."
"Is there any way I may be able to see him?" Rey asks, hoping that she may be able to find him and break him out so that they may leave this planet.
"I'm afraid not. My mother doesn't allow visitors for her prisoners."
"But there has to be a way to save Poe. What about sending a message to the Resistance, to Leia? Maybe she can help us." Rey is trying hard to find any way possible to be able to keep Poe alive.
"My mother is having all out going transmissions filtered." Isolder tells Rey as a thoughtful look begins to appear on his face. "Though there may be a way…"
"A way?"
"For you to free your friend."
"How?"
"Marriage."
"Wha… Marriage? Whose marriage?"
"Ours." Isolder takes hold of Rey's hands with his own and looks down at her. "If we were to marry, you'd become my wife and would become the new Queen Mother. No one would deny that right to my wife."
"That's… No. I can't… No." Rey stutters out in shock at the proposal and yanks her hands free from the Crown Prince's hold on them.
"Do you want your friend to live?"
"Yes."
"Then it's the only way to guarantee that his life would be spared. However, he would be exiled from ever stepping foot on any planet in the Hapes Consortium ever again."
"But he would be allowed to leave. Safely and alive?" Rey asks as she slowly walks a few feet ahead of where Isolder is standing.
"Yes, I promise."
"And all I have to do is marry you?" Rey turns to look at Isolder. "To guarantee that Poe returns to the Resistance? What would you expect, from me, for this-this marriage?"
"You'd be expected to rule Hapes as its queen. Though the courts would demand an heir at some point."
"What about your daughter, Tenel Ka? Couldn't she just take the throne?"
"She could, but it would mean that she'd have to wade her way through blood to do so. Not just her grandmother's, but mine and all of our extended family as well. Even then, she'd have to hold on to that power, which I highly doubt that the people would want a Jedi for their queen."
"But I can use the Force, just like her."
"Yes, but any heirs you would bear may not have Force abilities. To my people, taking your age into account, you could bring about many heirs to choose from." Isolder counters, keeping his face neutral of any deceit.
"Can I have time to consider the offer?" Rey asks, already starting to contemplate everything that has been placed before her. Even shuddering at the idea of having any children with him.
"I can give you till sundown. Four hours from now. If you agree to this, we would need to move quickly with the marriage and have it done by tonight." Isolder tells her before reaching out to cup Rey's cheek.
Rey tries hard not to flinch at the man's touch, but her body flinches away at the contact. She takes several steps back as well without saying a word, but her face says it all to Isolder.
"Perhaps, with time, you will welcome my touch." Isolder says with a sad smile on his face.
"Lady Rey!" Tenel Ka appears out of nowhere. She looks at her father then at Rey. "Is everything alright?"
"It is my daughter." Isolder says, giving his daughter a large smile. "Will you see Lady Rey to her chambers? I fear she is distresses at seeing her friend beaten so by your grandmother's guards."
Tenel Ka doesn't argue with her father, and swiftly takes hold of Rey's arm. Then she guides Rey away from her father and down the hall. They stay silent till they reach the guest wings of the palace and Tenel Ka stops them just outside of Rey's chamber doors.
"By how pale your face was when I arrived, I take it that my father proposed marriage?"
"How did you…."
Tenel Ka pops an eyebrow at Rey before talking once more. "It would be the only available way to guarantee Poe's survival. Tell me you aren't seriously considering it."
"I don't…know."
"You need to speak with your male about this."
Tenel Ka abruptly pulls Rey away from the guest wing and heads over to a small alcove near the main stairs which houses a tall statue. She places her hand against a hidden panel and a small door opens behind the statue.
"Come. The secret tunnels that my mother built during her reign will lead us to the cell blocks. From there we will find your male so that he may talk you out of doing something inherently stupid."
The two women head into the tunnels and after a while reach an exit that comes near the exit of the cell blocks. Tenel Ka steps out first, followed by Rey. The princess wastes no time in chatting up two of the young male guards so that Rey can slip pass them. She heads deeper into the cell block, glancing down each corridor till she comes to a stop. She can hear breathing coming down the corridor and heads down it.
"Poe." Rey calls out softly as she walks as quietly as she can down the corridor. "Poe!"
A groan comes down the corridor along with Poe's voice. "Rey?"
Rey moves faster down the corridor till she comes to a stop in front of Poe's jail cell. Then she lets out a gasp of horror at seeing Poe's battered back facing her through the bars. Slowly she kneels down and reaches a hand through the bars to gently touch the fresh whip marks on his back.
"What did they do to you, Poe?" Rey whispers softly as her eyes begin to water at the horrendous sight of his back.
"Rey?" Poe groans out again before rolling from his side to his stomach. Then he slowly rolls onto his other side so that he can look towards the bars of his cell. "Thought I heard you."
"Oh Poe." Rey says softly as she pulls her hand out of his cell, and then shifts so that she can reach in to touch his face. She gently cups Poe's bruised cheek before speaking again. "Why did you talk back like that? It wasn't worth all of this."
Poe tries to give Rey a cocky grin, which is more of a grimace before replying. "Couldn't let them get to you. You're worth it, though." Then he turns his head to place a kiss against the palm of Rey's hand.
"Poe, I'm not worth taking a beating for."
"Yeah, you are. Besides, once you were taken away I confronted her royal queenship about her plan to sell you off to the First Order."
"What?"
"She didn't seem to be thrilled that I knew of what her plans for you are." Poe states before pressing another kiss to Rey's palm. "I won't let you be sold off to the First Order or Kylo Ren, who is now their new supreme leader by the way. Got that little tidbit of information out of her ladyship too. Now listen to me, Rey. You need to leave before they arrive. Find BB-8 and get the hell out of here."
"What about you? I can't leave you here to die."
"Yes, you can. I'm not as important as you are to the Resistance. You're the future of the Jedi, and the universe is counting on you to pass on what you know."
"But you're important too. The Resistance needs you as Leia's second in command."
"I'm replaceable, Rey. If I die, Leia will find another to take my place."
"You are not replaceable, Poe. Not to Leia, the Resistance, or me." Rey tells the beaten man within the cell. Isolder's offer to Rey comes forefront in her mind. "I will be able to save you, Poe."
Poe gives Rey a confused look. "How?"
"It's not important how."
"Yes, it is. How, Rey? Unless you have the codes to open these bars or use the Force to spring me out of here, I am pretty much stuck in here."
"Marriage. Isolder offered me a deal to save your life if I marry him."
"No… Oh hell no…" Poe practically shouts as he forces his body closer to the bars and sits up. "I'm not worth it, Rey. Not that. You'd just be doing a prisoner exchange. My life for yours. I can't let you do that Rey. Promise me you won't do it."
"If I did, then you would be free and can return to the Resistance."
"No…" Poe tells her as he reaches through the bars with both hands and takes hold of her face. "You are not to do this Rey. You hear me. I forbid you from doing this. You are to find BB-8 and leave this place. You understand me. That's an order, Rey."
"You can't tell me what to do, Poe." Rey replies, placing her hands over top of his. Before she is able to pull free, she suddenly finds herself on the receiving end of a fierce kiss between the bars of the cell. Rey begins to feel fluttering in her stomach at being kissed, yet again, by Poe. The kiss is cut short before it can last any longer between them and the pair jump back in surprise as a voice comes from out of nowhere.
"Rey, we must go now. Quickly, while the guards are changing shift." Tenel Ka says, having appeared yet again out of nowhere.
Poe quickly reaches into his shirt and pulls the necklace that houses his mother's ring up over his head. Then he reaches out and takes hold of Rey's hand before setting the necklace upon it. He closes her fingers over the necklace and looks at Rey.
"You will take this and keep it with you always. Now go escape while you still can and don't look back." Poe tells her before releasing her hand.
"I… I can't…" Rey stutters out but is pulled to her feet by Tenel Ka.
"Now. Go." Poe strongly tells Rey, giving her one of his signature smiles. Yet his eyes don't have their usual spark of mischief in them.
"Poe…" Rey says, trying hard not to cry.
"Come." Tenel Ka firmly tells Rey and begins pulling her friend away from the cell.
"Good luck, Rey. And may the Force be with you." Poe whispers to himself as he watches the two women leave the corridor.
Yes, a cliffhanger. I'm so mean. Reviews are welcomed, loved, and cherished.
Selene