Note: My numbers (reviews/visits) for chapter 34 were much lower than I expected, and I've been wondering if it's because the story last updated time never updated to reflect the release of ch34. It's a chapter from Ben's perspective following the Banto "I am a villain!" chapter. Please make sure you don't miss it, or you will be confused moving forward!


Chapter 35

Ben watched Rey fly the ship they had shared into space and enter hyperspace with the deep satisfaction of knowing she would return to him, and when she did, the peace treaty would be signed and the war over. The next time, they would be leaving together and leaving all this behind.

He took a moment to gaze at the stars before turning about face to leave the hangar. Updating the knights would be the next step. They would need to send someone to negotiate the details. Rey was a brilliant woman, but not suited for that role. Furthermore, the First Order would want someone loyal to them to represent them.

He would let the knights decide.

Ben marched for the cafeteria. It was dinner time. Rey had opted to skip it in her determination to catch up with her friends before they might change location again, but the knights should be there.

Sure enough, while they were scattered across several tables, his knights were all present in the cafeteria at various stages of meal completion. He collected his own dinner, set it on the table reserved for the highest ranks where Banto and Jun'Pon already sat, then went around to the other knights asking them to relocate.

Once they were all seated together at the head of the room, he spilled the news. "Rey and I have located the Resistance, and she has left to request that we begin negotiations for peace."

"And are we to trust a Resistance member to represent our interests in the negotiations?" Jun'Pon asked.

"Of course not, nor should you trust me as a known sympathizer. Pick one of your own to send for when Rey says they're ready," Ben replied between bites of some kind of avian meat. He gave it a second glance, thinking of Growlie, and searched for the bird's force signature in his room. Growlie was sleeping, but most definitely alive and well and not on his plate. Ben exhaled in relief and took another bite.

The knights all exchanged glances and then pretty much looked as one to Hama-Ki. "I suppose I am the natural choice for this role," she said.

"You're the only one of us with any real diplomatic experience between governments," Rypo said. "Will you do it?"

"Of course," Hama-Ki said, as if refusing the offer were beneath her. "Though I want a well-armored ship with sufficient firepower to defend itself if they change their minds. It's plain that the Supreme Leader's consort wants this treaty to happen, but that does not mean her Resistance allies are in agreement."

Ben blushed at her title for Rey, but he did plan to spend his life with Rey, so consort was an apt description.

Banto straightened and put his fork down firmly. "The ship can be arranged. Would you like to have someone accompany you to manage the guns? Perhaps Teva, since we all know how well he fights?"

Teva snorted. "I may best you easily in physical combat, but I'm fairly certain you're the better shot between us, Banto."

"Banto will be needed here with the fleet," Hama-Ki said. "While I approve of having Master Kylo help select the successor, I do believe that Banto should remain in control of the fleet until that successor is chosen. Are we in agreement?" Ben watched as the other knights hesitantly nodded. It seems he was not the only one with reservations against Banto, but not greater reservations than they had against himself. "Thank you. Then Banto will remain in control of the fleet. However, finding a gunner for me is no issue. We have plenty of stormtroopers who excel at aiming even without the force. I am sure there are more important things for Teva to be doing than babysitting me."

Ben kept his silence. As long as things were proceeding smoothly towards peace, he didn't care much for how it happened. The conversation continued around him as he ate and let his mind drift to Rey. There had been food on the ship. He hoped she was eating too. The visions he saw of their future together were amazing. Of course, none of them addressed what would happen with the First Order and the Resistance, only with him and Rey. Furthermore, even those visions had no guarantee of coming true. He sighed, hoping that everything would go smoothly.

Setting up a new academy for force users would prove an interesting challenge. He had enjoyed teaching the younger students under Luke's direction, and they had clearly approved of him, as evidenced by the ones that followed him that night. He sighed. He would never have let them follow him if he had known he was leading them to their deaths. Snoke had not been interested in recruiting them.

He gazed around the table at his knights, and his eyes fell on Nighwitch. She had been in his visions too. He wondered if he should tell her or wait to discuss it with Rey first. After all, they did not know when they would establish the new academy… though Rey had not been notably older in his vision.

What was Rey doing? He debated opening the bond to her, but he also was not ready to give himself away in front of his knights, and he did not trust that he would sufficiently hide the connection with them present.

"Master Kylo?" Teva said.

Ben glanced up. They were all looking at him. Kriff. What had he missed?

"Banto wanted to know which channel Rey would use to get in touch," Teva explained.

Ben gazed at them. "A private one," he said eventually, realizing he had not given her an alternative to the bond for reaching him.

Hama-Ki huffed. "Given how much you are invested in making the treaty happen, it would only be appropriate to provide one of us with the means to contact your consort should something happen to you."

Ben gazed at them all. "Then don't let anything happen to me." He saw their varied faces of frustration and sighed. "I'll set something up outside the private channel."

"Thank you," Rypo said. "I am glad for the opportunity to stop that threat through peace. Entirely too many of our resources were spent on managing the Resistance and replacing the losses from our conflict with them."

He felt the bond vibrate through the force, as if Rey were nudging him, and he stood up. "Excuse me," he said, and left the table for his private quarters.

When he got there, he opened up the bond and found Rey standing before him. They embraced without a word, holding each other tight from across the galaxy. After a few moments, Ben stepped back to look at her. "Did you eat?" he asked.

Rey nodded. "Did you?"

"With the knights. They want me to set up a communications channel access for you so that they're not dependent on me to make the treaty happen. I didn't think explaining the bond would be appropriate."

Rey smirked at that. "No, probably not." She took his hand and looked around his room. Ben could see the inside of the ship overlay with it, and he wondered yet again about the bond between them. "Where's Growlie?"

He glanced around the room, searching for the tiny force signature. "Asleep on my pillow," he said. "Smooth trip?"

"Yes, of course," Rey said, smiling at him. "I have a few hours before I'll arrive in the Corellian System. I'd like to spend them with you."

Ben kissed her gently on the forehead and gazed into her eyes. "I want to spend every moment with you," he said. He kissed her on the lips and walked them backward into his bed, which he sat down on, parting them.

"There's nothing solid on my side… I might fall if I'm not on top of you," she said.

Ben smirked. "I'm perfectly okay with you being on top," he teased. She gave him a funny look, and his smirk faded. He always forgot how little she knew of the world. "It's okay. You're not too heavy, and I like being close to you. I don't think we should stand for several hours though, and this is more comfortable than the floor."

Rey nodded and carefully climbed into his lap, hanging her legs off one side and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her expression was still pensive, however. Ben kissed her cheek to bring her attention back to him. "Is this an okay way to spend this time together?"

Rey nodded and kissed him. Ben wrapped his arms around her waist and lost himself to the kiss.

Some time later, he felt Rey stiffen and pull away from him. He studied her and watched her face burn crimson with a blush. "What is it?" he asked.

She stared at him with wide eyes. "On top," she muttered, then buried her head in his shoulder and shook her head against him. Ben chuckled lightly, marveling at both her reaction and the sensation of laughter.

He watched Rey roll her head to face him, still leaning on his shoulder, and smile brilliantly. "You laughed," she said.

He smiled back at her. "So I did."


Please let me know what you think. :)