Author's note: I really cannot stress how much of a jerk he is. Be prepared.
Monster
"You have humiliated me in front of the whole Senate!"
Rey stands across the Governor as he thunders in the middle of the room, her features carefully schooled into an expression of impassiveness. It only eggs him on.
They are in his hotel suite, in one of the most expensive and prestigious hotels of Hosnian Prime towering over most of the buildings in the capital city. It is nightfall but the heavy sky reflects the vast city's infinite lights, and has obtained a bruised crimson hue because of them. Rey has her eyes fixed on the city below, wishing she were anywhere in the galaxy except here. In this room. With this raging man before her.
"You have made me appear weak and cowardly and no statement in the galaxy can wipe out the image of my own personal Jedi whipping out her sword at the sound of a busted cubicle."
Rey blinks not offering him an answer that would make things worse. She doesn't grace him with a single look, even though, she can feel the heat of his fury scorching her skin.
"Ben, you are clearly over exaggerating. Everyone knows there has been an attempt on…"
"Am I now?" He snaps around and approaches a very composed Amilyn Holdo who is standing elegantly tall with her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I am sure my opponents will send me their deepest regards and pat my back in sympathy when I lose the elections, Amilyn!"
"You will not lose the elections because of such an incident. Rey was only protecting you."
"Why don't you say that to the Press, then? They will tear and dissect this incident like a pack of wolves, until there is nothing left of me to bury. No." He shakes his head, raking his hand through his already messed up hair, before he lets it drop to his side. "No. This is exactly what my opponents have been waiting for. They won't let this go."
The Governor stomps towards his private bedroom tugging on the fastenings of his cloak. It falls heavily to the ground as he disappears through the wide open doors.
Rey glances over at Jeff and an assistant, Kaydel she thinks her name is, who are standing a little further from her looking rather ashen. She presses her lips trying to contain the aggravation that this man brings forth from her. She cannot believe how terrified they are of the Governor.
"Let's give this a little time…" Holdo says, after a couple of moments pass by, rolling her eyes at the ceiling.
A crash comes from his bedroom and he soon emerges with a heated face, wearing only a black shirt that was probably in the middle of being unbuttoned, over his trousers. His black and purple robes are gone.
Rey looks away.
"Time?" He nearly seethes. "You want us to give this time? To do what. Let it fester further until my whole campaign disintegrates? Absolutely not! We have to find a way to salvage this. And you…" he points at Jeff who flinches under his finger. "...will be the one who figures out how to do it. Because if you don't, than so help me Force, I will make sure you never find another decent job in your life!"
Rey snaps her head at the Governor's direction and he notices immediately because he narrows his dark eyes at her. "And as for you…" he growls low, "This is your last misstep. Tomorrow morning you are packing you rags and leaving. You will return to Skywalker and inform him that his infamous Jedis are as big of a failure as him."
Rey cannot believe the gall that this man has. He has mocked and insulted her on more than one occasion, has threatened and berated Jeff who had absolutely nothing to do with what has happened back at the Senate, and is currently lashing out at Luke who has been nothing but supportive of him. Offering a Jedi for the Governor's protection is not something that happens. At all.
"I will do no such thing," she states icily. "If you want to say something to Luke Skywalker than you will have to do it yourself instead of acting like a petulant child and demanding of others to do what you are too cowardly to achieve on your own."
"Cowardly?"
"And as for me…"
"Did you just call me a coward?"
"Oh, there are a lot of other things I would call you, Governor, but frankly they fall too short to describe you."
His face blanches and fists clench and a little insignificant part of her is starting to enjoy this. She is tired of watching everyone tiptoe around this man. And if this means that she will be packing her rags, like he had said, and getting the hell out of there than she can might as well go in a blaze of glory.
"And as for me…" Rey closes the distance between them and comes to stand right in front the disheveled Governor. "First thing in the morning I will pack my belongings and leave. You will not speak to me. You will not stop me. Because as of tomorrow you will never see another Jedi again. I will make sure of that."
Her voice is oddly cold as she says these words and Rey can barely recognize it. In fact she can barely recognize anything this man has brought forth from her in just a matter of hours. Luke would not be happy.
The Governor glares at her.
She can see the stubbles on his jaw and even count the lashes around his blazing eyes if she really wishes. But Rey doesn't. She only wants to get as far away from his world as possible.
"Leave."
The order is simple but chilling. And even though he is looking at her, it is not directed at her.
The shuffling of feet drifts in the room and soon the automated doors of his suite hiss shut. They are the only people left standing in the lounge.
"Is this some kind of a game to you?"
"A game?"
"You seem to be particularly invested in bringing absolute chaos to my affairs for no apparent reason."
"And you have absolutely no respect for any of the people around you. They work very hard to reach your obnoxiously high standards and you demean them the first chance you get." Rey crosses her arms in front of her chest. "I am surprised they put up with any of your behavior."
"They are very well compensated."
"Money doesn't buy everything."
His eyes roam her body slowly and deliberately and Rey tries really hard not to give him the impression that she is affected by his gaze in any way.
"Everyone has their price."
"I do not care about money."
"I have noticed," he drawls as his attention slides up her face again. "I want Nyxx to be sent to me."
Unbelievable!
"He is busy."
"Findings old artifacts and useless holocrons is not considered busy."
"You are not getting another Jedi."
Gods… How many times must she say this to him?
"You are young and inexperienced," he grits out. "You are incapable of protecting me. Nyxx is Luke's oldest student."
And there you have it. The realization lights up like an electron rod in her mind.
Rey steps closer and his eyes widen. Just a fraction.
"You're afraid."
But then again anyone would be afraid if there had been an attempt on one's life. But somehow…
No. There is more.
The Governor remains silent. She takes another step and can see the rise and fall of his chest quicken.
"No one has told me what has happened," she says.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about the attempt that took place. No one has told me anything about that day."
He steps back a bit guarded, not offering an answer. That ridiculous anger of his seems to deflate in a matter of instants. The Governor sets his hands in the pockets of his trousers and goes to stand by the large window that seems to take the place of an entire wall. Rey can barely see the reflection of his solemn face as he stares at the glittering city.
So alone.
Rey can't help but think. He is surrounded by people, with a schedule that barely allows him any sleep. He owns a beautiful estate which he never sees because he practically lives in a space ship. He has the power to save worlds from poverty or crush them under an economic war. He can have anything his heart desires with just one word. And yet the man is utterly alone.
And afraid. Despite the fact that he has a small army and an actual Mandalorian watching over him.
"It happened in my estate. Nearly a week ago."
Rey is startled from her thoughts at the sound of his voice. She honestly didn't think he'd say anything. Just stand in front of that window looking broodily out at the city. But no. He turns around and fixes that heavy stare on her.
"Whoever it was, had access to my room. At night. The only reason I'm alive is because I happened to be awake."
Rey begins to approach him slowly. Putting one foot in front of the other carefully. As if he were a wild animal about to flee at a single wrong move.
"It sounds like a very unlucky assassin."
Is that a smirk?
Rey's not sure if that curl of his lips can be considered a smile. Either way it is gone in an instant.
"He had a red lightsaber. We fought and I pushed him through a window. There isn't much to tell."
Yeah, right.
Half of the story at least is missing.
"Your mother said you used the Dark Side. She seemed concerned."
His face darkens at that. And Rey feels like she has said something she shouldn't have. This man is so easy to irritate that no matter what comes out of her mouth, he is bound to take it the wrong way. She is standing in front of him by now and she can't help but wonder why she even bothers to find out anything about him. She should have just walked out with the rest of his staff and not given him a second thought.
But he looms over her, feet spread firmly on the ground, hands set loosely in his pockets, looking every inch the intimidating man he is supposed to be. Rey, however, is not intimidated. Intrigued is more like it. He tilts his head lightly and looks at her.
"I did."
"Do you use if often?"
"Once in a while."
"Does it come easier to you than the Light side?"
There is a crease on his brow.
Rey studies his face trying to decipher his emotions. The man hides himself well in the Force. His eyes are as black as ever but she can see some kind of struggle in their depths. His nose is prominent, and his lips full, and he has bags under those eyes. And his skin is so pale. As if he has never come across a single sunray in his life.
He looks very unhappy.
"It depends."
"On what?"
Two heartbeats pass before he answers.
"A number of reasons."
Her eyes fall on the expanse of white smooth skin behind his black shirt. She quickly looks up. But she knows he noticed. Because there is definitely a light smirk playing on the Governor's lips.
Shit.
"And how about you, Rey? Have you ever used the Dark side?"
"No."
Warning bells ring in her mind. He is very good at turning the tables. She has to remember this. He is after all a politician.
"A pity. It is much more interesting."
"It has nothing to offer me."'
"Oh, I believe you very much know what it could offer you. Why deny it?"
"I am not denying it," she snaps. "I want nothing to do with the Dark side."
The absurdity of his remark is infuriating.
The man leans in, just slightly before his next words make her heart stutter to a stop.
"Don't lie to yourself. You would spread your legs for me and let me fuck you senseless if it weren't for you self-righteousness holding you back."
Her rattled breath fans on his face.
The slap on his cheek resounds in the room before Rey is able to think twice about it.
"You're a monster," she snarls. "I'm surprised there has only been one attempt on your life."
His cheek is turning red and his lip is seeping blood from a cut. He brings the back of his hand up to wipe it, staring at her with the most unfathomable of looks. If he regrets saying those words or plans on calling his security to restrain her is no longer her concern.
Because Rey is done. So done with him.
"I have wasted my time on you," she grits through clenched teeth and ignores the trembling of her bottom lip. "You are not the Ben Solo I remember. There is nothing of him left in you."
There is a light bob of his Adam's apple. But that is as far as she sees. Rey swirls around and storms out of the room feeling anything but triumphant.
Author's note: So yeah...I don't think Rey will want to do with him much anymore... Or will she?