Greetings everyone! Yes, I'm still alive. And no, I have not abandoned this story. First off, while there were some things that irked me about the movie, overall I loved The Last Jedi. Reylo Lives! It gave me a boost to keep writing! So I did. Here was the problem: You know how this chapter is the big battle and I don't like writing action? Well, my answer to that was to write the resolution part of the battle before the actual battle. Then before I knew it, I wrote 7,000 words and was like, "Yeah... this is gonna have to be chapter 45. It's way too long." Needless to say, I was mad at myself for doing it because it kind of felt like I was starting over. So I wrote the next chapter before this one! Forty-five is only 70% done, so it will be about two weeks before the next update. Then, on top of all that, the flu went through my family. Not enjoyable. But I'm back! Also, research took up a lot of my time. I wanted to use the right words and describe things properly to make it feel like you're in the Star Wars universe.
I know I usually respond to the comments, but I think I am going to have to answer them through pm. I am amazed by how many reviews I received for the last chapter and am so beyond grateful to each and every one of you. But if I respond to them here, the word count on this chapter is going to be looooooooog. But please don't let that dissuade you from leaving a review! Your comments help me to keep writing! I love you guys! I really should post this on AO3 because the comments section actually lets you respond in it. I'm working on getting this fic up on that site.
Fair warning about this chapter: it is violent. Probably on par with the previous violence in other chapters, but I feel like I should put these warnings out there from now on. And the majority of the chapter is from Rey's pov, with a little bit of Ben and Luke perspectives. I hope you guys like it and I apologize if I missed any grammatical mistakes!
Chapter Forty-four
Chaotic disorder.
That's what Rey used to label the dogfights as she flew the Falcon through the battle happening above Jakku. Ties didn't know whether to shoot down their own people, and the Resistance didn't know who on the First Order was on their side. Then you throw into the mix civilian ships and it felt like her brain cells had randomized, not being able to make sense of it all.
It marked all the pilots with a hesitancy that showed, neither side really being vigorous with aiming at a target.
This worked in Rey's favor since she wasn't actively participating in the battle. She instead maneuvered around the ships, taking on a level of fire that she could handle on her own.
Luke was manning the dorsal cannon. Pretty soon upon launching into the air, the motivator blew in the main hold, causing the alarms to screech with warning. Chewie and Artoo were back there fixing it, leaving Rey with a worthless Ben for support.
Thankfully, over the coarse of the last couple months, Rey had installed computational components engineered to compensate for minor piloting errors and mistakes in judgment. Not all her time on Dandoran revolved around her every waking minute being filled with training in the ways of the Jedi. Luke had even helped her with making the upgrades, giving them time to converse about her ideas of a new Jedi Order.
Ben never did take part in the mechanics when it was his turn to accompany her. He just watched. His relationship with the Falcon was still… complicated. Rey could tell, even though he never said anything.
Still, such upgrades made it possible to fly the Falcon – sans co-pilot – without hiking her stress to a dangerous level of incompetency.
And what was taking Finn so long to contact her? The comm that one trooper gave her did have a direct line to the rebellion, but it wasn't Finn who had answered. Whoever had told her they'd hurry to get the comm to Finn, assuring her that it would only be a few moments.
That was a hundred moments ago.
The ship shuddered, the aerial sensors lighting up and showing a Tie on their tail. "Luke–"
"I see it."
The canon fire was distinct with its powerful vibrations, one shot going off one after the other.
Mixed among the sounds of fire, Rey heard a sharp inhale and a struggle for air as she turned to see Ben finally wake. His body went rigid, muscles tight in his neck as his darting eyes fixated on looking above the co-pilot seat and out the viewport. His lids widened, still somewhat in shock when he locked eyes with her.
"Have a nice nap?" Rey sardonically asked before focusing back ahead, the Falcon dipping to miss two Tie fighters in her line of projection.
The shields percentage suddenly plummeted as they kept taking fire from that pesky starfighter. She could hear Luke curse on the other end of the headset. Deciding to cut off power to the scrubbers, Rey upped it to the shields.
They shouldn't be out here long enough for radiation to become a problem.
She hoped.
Ben blinked, watching her hands fly over the panel and toggle switches. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like?" Rey strained as she stretched to get to the shield pump, flicking the switch to give them an extra boost. "We're in the middle of a fire fight."
"Give me the controls," Ben demanded, going for the flight reins.
Rey scoffed, elbowing him as he nearly jumped on top of her. "No way. Get your own ship."
He doubled over, grasping his side and arm as he wheezed and collapsed in the adjacent chair. "Why is my arm broken?" he asked, voice raised. "And my ribs–"
"You left me to deal with everything," Rey fumed, shooting him a look of contempt. "And everything got… rough."
His expression softened, voice more somber. "I didn't leave you intentionally."
Rey gaped at him. "You refused my help!"
"With good reason," he said through clenched teeth.
"Then don't complain about your broken bones," she snapped at him. Glancing his way, Rey saw that his eyes were already closed and his breathing had slowed. He was in a state of healing. Some of her frustration dissipated.
"I did the best I could to ensure we both survived," she muttered.
"I know you did," he whispered, barely moving his lips. "Thank you."
Rey fell quiet, letting him have some semblance of calm so he could focus on mending his injuries. During that little stretch of inner cabin silence, Luke had taken out the enemy Tie, allowing the shields to regenerate to a higher level of defense.
"Rey?" Finn's voice suddenly came over the comm strapped to her belt, jolting her in her seat. "Rey, you there?"
"Finn!" she cried out, relief flooding into her.
"How were you able to get ahold of us?"
She kept zooming through the battle, dodging turbolaser and flak bolts, slipping past a Resistance cruiser to eclipse themselves from the sensors of other Ties. "Ran into a trooper on Jakku that's on your side," she explained, voice tight. "He gave me a pre-synched comm so I could contact you."
"What's your status on the Star Destroyer?" Ben asked as he tried to help Rey by fine-tuning their trajectory markers so the flight controls were more loose. He seemed to fully healed, showing no signs of pain.
"We're losing man power quickly and can't cut through to the top level because of the blast doors," Finn explained, the stress in his voice apparent. "So we're preparing to blow the Finalizer apart instead–"
"Don't," Ben cut him off. "We can help you take the ship."
Rey glanced at him questioningly. "Ben, the Resistance is going to get slaughtered. If destroying the Finalizer is their best chance, then let them do it."
The Falcon rattled as the shields took a hit. Luke began firing the dorsal canon more vigorously.
"No," Ben argued. "That will just wound the First Order, not end the war. If we get to the command bridge and take out the high ranking officers, we could win."
"At what cost? We should make them retreat so the Resistance has a chance to regroup and–"
"We either get this done now, or we lose. No more waiting." Rey caught his hard stare before shaking her head and focusing back on the battle. Ben took her silence as her relenting. "Finn, which hangar's under your control?" he asked.
"B5. It's on the–"
"I know where it is," Ben said, confidence suddenly in his voice.
The density of the debris and fog dispersed, allowing a clear view of the Finalizer. About nineteen kilometers from end to end, the vast Super Star Destroyer filled her visual field. As the distance became shorter, Rey could see the shields of the hangars, the domes of the deflector-shield generators, the matte colored hull studded with canon turret peaks that lit up space with thunderbolts of explosive energy.
The vast ship flanked a Dreadnaught, along with three other Star Destroyers Rey didn't care to learn the names of. The Finalizer was all that mattered right now.
She gave the Dreadnaught a wide berth even though its ventral canons had been blown apart, making it almost useless. Some of the surface canons were still operational, and they could inflict a sizable amount of damage on ships that were within close range.
Ben described the hangar location with a precise mental picture. While Rey didn't know some of the specific names of the sections on a Star Destroyer, she knew her way around one, allowing her to recognize where he was trying to take her.
"You'll need to punch the thrusters to dodge the canon fire," Ben told her as he fastened into the flight restraints. She did the same as he shut off all unnecessary power and rerouted it to the engines.
"Chewie, Artoo, hold on!" she shouted over her shoulder. She hoped BB-8 was with them.
She waited till she was in range from beneath the Destroyer. Just as the canon fire headed their way, Rey hit the thrusters, sending them zooming below the wide underbelly. Once clear, she pulled the flight controls and arched them backwards, a bold move for how fast they we going.
"Too much speed!" Ben yelled against the pressure. "Too much speed!"
"Almost... there…" Rey's voice came slow, concentrating on not passing out from the artificial gravity forces. She straightened their alignment just as they went through the shimmer of energy filling the opening of the hangar bay.
"Rey!"
She hit the reverse sublight thrusters with not a second to spare, the Falcon lurching to a halt with such sudden force, she was surprised her chest hadn't been crushed against the flight restraints. Both her and Ben grunted as the air from their lungs were expelled.
Sparks shot out of the side control panel next to Ben. He worked quickly to put out the small fire before it engulfed the cockpit. By the time Rey gently lowered the Falcon to the floor, the atmospheric scrubbers had already drained most of the smoke.
They both sat slouched in the seats, letting their weight fall against the harnesses. Rey's hands were slightly shaking.
Slowly, Ben's head turned to her, eyes wide and lips pale. "You… could've killed us."
Rey unbuckled herself, not in the mood for a lecture. "But I didn't." Standing, she went to exit the cockpit and stopped. On the floor, clumps of dirt were scattered among the fragments of a vase, her pyro flower another casualty of the fight. She'd forgotten it was in there.
"You fried the sublight reverse motor," Ben said standing behind her. She felt him look over her shoulder to see what she was staring at.
Her bottom lip trembled. She couldn't get emotional over a plant. But she couldn't deny that she had an overwhelming feeling to cry.
She felt like everything was slowly being taken from her.
"I'll fix it later," she brushed it off, taking a step over the mess and going to the ramp. Chewie and Luke got off the Falcon with her, but Ben was still straggling behind. She was going to go back inside to get him when she caught sight of Finn, standing in front of a backdrop of white armor stained with streaks of red.
They ran to each other, embracing tightly as Finn buried his head in her neck. "That was one helluva entrance," he whispered. Rey smiled. There was this feeling of acceptance she could only experience when around Finn. It was calming and pure, and Rey rejoiced to be reunited with her friend. She could hear the people whispering Luke's name, no doubt fascinated to actually be seeing the legendary man.
Someone cleared their throat. Rey and Finn parted and saw a young woman, dressed in a similar officers uniform as Finn. Her black hair was tied back, showing her round face and sharp eyes. From Finn's past description, Rey figured this was Caliiya.
Both women just stared. Rey wasn't sure how to treat this person. She knew Finn cared about her, but now actually meeting the woman, she thought of all the things Ben had told her.
But introductions would have to wait as the brigade of armed soldiers suddenly lifted their weapons, aiming just behind her.
Ben had finally emerged to join them, his eyes glaring at the swarm of threats that surrounded him. Then something unexpected happened. Chewie went to stand in front of Ben, bowcaster aimed and ready as the Wookie roared indecipherably.
Well, Rey knew what he said. It had a lot to do with appendage removal and slaughtering them in mass quantities.
Ben was just as shocked as she was by Chewie's flagrant show of protection.
Finn shoved the blaster rifles down, raising his hands to calm the group. "Everyone, lower your weapons. That's an order. Kylo Ren is here to help us, not kill us."
One of the troopers protested. "But sir–"
"Kylo!" A short, tanned skinned man pushed his way to the front of the crowd, his broad shoulders knocking one of the troopers off balance.
"Garreaus?" Ben popped out from behind Chewie's broad form, eyeing the man up and down in surprise. The two men went in for a firm handshake, Garreaus plastering a wide smile across his stubbled cheeks. "What…. How are you–"
"General Organa sent some Resistance fighters our way," Finn explained, pointing to a group of them huddled at the end. They didn't seem so keen on intermingling with the troopers.
"Terr?" Ben questioned.
"He's better suited behind flight controls than on the ground," Garreaus commented like it was obvious.
And Rey believed that, especially after meeting Terr on a few occasions.
"You guys ready to go?" Finn caught their attention again, motioning for them to follow. The crowd dispersed as Finn led them into the hallways that connected the hangars.
He dove right into what was going on since it was a fill-you-in-as-we-go kind of situation. "We were able to take control of the secondary launch and primary docking bay, but when the bridge caught wind of what was happening, they sealed access to the upper levels. But we have an idea on how to get around it."
"Bombs?" Rey suggested.
Finn shook his head. "The sealed doors are twenty feet of pure durasteel. It would take a lot of explosives to get through, which runs the high risk of blowing us into space. And lightsabers won't be very useful, either."
Rey kept trying to assess Finn's body as he spoke, trying not to get caught while doing so. Something was wrong with the way he was walking. He couldn't fully lift and extend his right leg, and Rey wondered what his interrogation had entailed.
She balled her fists so tight, the pain radiated up to her bicep. What had these people done to him?
"So how do we get through?" Luke asked from behind, finally speaking up. Rey almost forgot he was there, as well as Caliiya. The woman was being exceptionally silent as she walked by the Jedi Master.
"We don't," Finn explained as he wiped some stress induced sweat from his brow. "We go around it. Above the engine room is the waste dump. It has tunnels that connect all the way up to the bridge. A few of us will use those to get on the other side of the blast doors and open them. With the numbers, we can orchestrate a full on assault to the bridge and take it over."
Rey ran the logistics through her head, amazed at the plan they'd come up with. "That… just might work."
"What do you plan on doing with Hux?" Ben inquired, not looking as impressed as Rey was.
"Removing him of his rank, with whatever means necessary." Finn paused, letting his insinuation sink in for a moment. Ben seemed pleased with that comment. "From the bridge, we can take over the First Order and stop the attack. But we need to work fast. The Resistance won't be able to hold out much longer."
They entered into another hangar, a mixture of Resistance members and red streaked troopers arming themselves with various weaponry.
"Did they try getting the location of the Resistance from you?" Rey asked.
"Kind of impossible since I really had no idea where they were." Finn lead them to a flight of stairs that led to an overhang. "But Hux wasn't interested in the Resistance." He glanced at Ben. "He only wanted to know where you were."
That alarmed Rey. Her heart thumped painfully against her ribs. "He only asked about Ben?"
Finn nodded. "But he wants you dead," he pegged her with a serious stare as they made it to the top. "He made that quite clear." They went left, Finn taking them all the way down the platform to a group of troopers gathered around a holo-image of a schematic map of the Finalizer.
"Where's Poe and Jess? They with their squadron?" Finn asked nonchalantly, like there was no other answer to that question but his assumption.
Rey gulped, smoothing out her face. "They thought they could better assist from their X-wing's."
The lie came out easily. Too easily.
Rey felt like she was going to be sick. Finn nodded, satisfied with her reply. "Good. We need some skilled pilots out there." One of the troopers caught his attention for a moment, pointing to the projection.
Ben took this as an opportunity to grab her arm and whirl her around, getting in her face, his voice low and as cold as space. "You can't lie to him. Not about this."
Her eyes glanced to Luke, seeing his deep frown. "And what do you think will happen if I tell him the truth?" She wrenched her arm from his tight grasp. "He can't be distracted right now. If something happened to him–"
There was a blinding flash, a deafening roar.
The outside of the hangar ignited into a huge ball of varicolored fire, destroying the primary shields and pulling anything not tied down toward open space. Bodies, crates, weaponry, Ties not properly secured to their fuel lines – all being dragged out to the inhospitable vacuum in one fluid gulp.
Rey's body jerked into the air with violent speed, her side hitting the railing and allowing her to use the Force to get a firm grasp on the metal rod.
The others weren't so fortunate. They overshot the guardrail, limbs and bodies flailing as they were hauled across the hangar, shooting to the opening.
No time to think, Rey acted on instinct. Augmenting her strength further with the Force, she released one hand and extended it, stopping Finn in midair, letting the others go.
Letting Ben go, hoping he used the Force to save himself.
The strain was sharp, her muscles and tendons protesting against the immense pull. Her scream was guttural as she fought to hold onto both the rail and Finn, and just as her grip was about to slip, the backup shields closed them in, sending them both to the ground.
…
…
Rey woke with a gasp.
Out of the shock, she felt herself amidst a mass of terrible revelations: the noise of a fearful explosion, the hoarse howl of voices, the awful gulf that swallowed everything out into a lifeless void. Every thought was well-defined, every sense urging her to claw her way to standing. Her hand went to her hip, feeling that her saber was still securely clipped.
On unstable feet, Rey stood, surveying the destruction.
A fog of smoke and dust filled the hangar, twisting, writhing, changing shape, beginning as dark smoke in one moment, then dispersing into the air the next. It was being pushed around by the activation of support air vents working vigorously to bring the room's oxygen levels back to proper concentration.
Belching flames rolled across the walls, a lance-like spray of sparks like rainfall showering down upon them. The troopers that remained were slowly getting to their feet, others just sitting there, taking a moment. Among them was Ben, weaving among the stunned, searching frantically. But then their eyes met and his broad frame raced to her, scooping her into his arms and burying his face into her hair.
"For a moment I thought…"
"Me too," she whispered.
He placed his palm gently on the back of her head, relieving the pressure and healing the ache of the injury. "Thank you," she muttered against his chest. "How are there any people left in here?"
They both went back to surveying the damage. "Luke and I tried to latch onto as many of them as we could."
At the mention of her master, Rey spun around and scanned the area, overlooking what remained of the broken Ties still attached to their cables and the ruined accessory material peppering the floor.
It was astonishing to see anything still in the hangar, but in retrospect, it had only taken seconds for the backup shields to generate.
Felt like a lifetime.
She glanced over at the glowing iridescent barrier, its transparency allowing everyone an uninterrupted view of the carnage being brought down upon the Resistance.
Chewie and Luke stood not far from the shield, his tattered and burnt robes swaying against the push of artificial air. She tripped over debris as both her and Ben came to his side, both watching the onslaught.
One of the Resistance cruisers was extremely damaged, pockets of explosions ripping the vessel apart. But there must have been some life still left in it, because the ion engines ignited and went full speed for the Dreadnaught. The First Order ship tried to fire upon the cruiser with the canons it had left, but it had reacted too slowly.
The cruiser made impact, and both ships were reduced to nothing but huge chunks of debris floating among the lifeless space. This was what it meant to fight in a war: no excuses, no begging. And no mercy.
Maybe this wasn't a battle they could win, only a sacrifice to be read at a later time.
No, Rey rebuked. She refused to believe that.
"Leia…" Luke murmured.
Rey placed a heavy hand on the Jedi Master's shoulder. "I never should've asked you to leave your sister." He met her gaze, eyes filled with concern.
"The cruiser won't last much longer," Ben said hastily. "Go. Get Leia into hiding. If anything happens to her–"
"It won't," Luke asserted.
Chewie bellowed, making his decision to stay and see the fight through. As Luke sprinted away, the Wookie became Ben's shadow during the search for Finn. Rey could tell Ben didn't know what to make of Chewie's unusual choice of staying close to him.
They found Caliiya and Finn helping to huddle everyone together. He caught sight of them as he helped someone get to their feet, his outer jacket now gone and showing the marred white shirt beneath. "The hangar doors sealed shut after the breach of atmosphere," Finn said before they could get a word in. No time to be happy they were all still alive. "It's on a timer and won't be opening any time soon. And we don't have time to wait."
"What if we go around it?" They all looked to Rey, not knowing what she was suggesting. "Like how your going to use the waste tunnels, we can use the air ducts." She ran to one of the walls, the others following as she kicked a piece of rubble away to reveal a rectangular vent, air still coming out of it. "They crisscross at multiple points leading up the neck of the ship. I can solve the problem with the blast doors by the time the hangar doors open, giving you guys a clear shot at making it to the bridge."
Ben and Finn stood there, impressed. "How do you know that?" Finn asked.
"Scavenger, remember? I know every inch of a Star Destroyer, and the air and recycling systems were too narrow for most other scavengers. But not for me," she said with pride. "Plus, the vents have built in ladders so they are easily accessible for repair." And easier to climb.
Ben reached out his hand and Force pulled the opening off. The four of them eyed the narrow space, a gust of air hitting their faces.
Ben shook his head. "There's no way I'm going to fit in there. And you shouldn't go alone," he sternly said to Rey.
"I can do this on my own."
"No, Ren's right," Finn said as he straightened. "I'll go with you. I think I can make it in there."
"I'll stay here and make sure the troopers make it to the bridge," Ben decided, getting a look of surprise from Finn.
Caliiya took a step toward them. "I'll help him."
Finn opened his mouth to say something to the woman, but closed it. "Okay then," he said to the group. "Make sure to use the lifts to get to the top sector. It'll be faster."
Rey walked up to the tight opening, Ben helping her get inside. She started to crawl, but a hand grabbed onto her ankle. She glanced over her shoulder. "If anything happens, contact me," Ben said sternly.
He let go of her ankle, allowing her to shimmy deeper inside the makeup of the Star Destroyer. And for a moment, she though of herself as that little girl, looking for that piece of hardware that would grant her the next meal.
()()()()()
The wait for the hangar doors to open had been excruciating, but not as long as Finn had made it out to be. It was ten minutes at most before the rounded up group rushed up to the blast doors, expecting them to be open.
They weren't.
But Ren sensed that Rey was fine. So he assumed that it was taking them longer than they had expected to crawl to this level. Finn's limp was probably slowing them down.
The man had tried to hide the injury, but it was noticeable. And while it was a loyalty officer who had most likely inflicted the problem, Ren was the one who had originally put it there when he sliced open Finn's back.
Those thoughts weighed into him.
The hallways that led up to the blast doors were now huddled with what was left of the troopers and Resistance members, none of them no longer looking at each other as if they were the enemy. They were helping each other patch up artificial wounds, mumbling, talking, someone actually laughed – to which Ben wanted to find the person and beat the levity right out of them.
He even overheard some Resistance members giving names to those who were just defined as numbers and letters.
Almost dying had a way of bringing people together.
Ren leaned against the blast door, arms folded, toe of his boot impatiently tapping against the floor. He wasn't interested in mingling with these people. He tried telling himself it was because they were all beneath him – which was true – but in reality, most of them were going to die.
When those blast doors open, there were going to be blaster bolts lighting up the hallways and searing through bodies. The only people he really introduced himself to was PK and Quindon, both seeming to have some air of authority the other troopers didn't posses.
He looked to the right and down the corridor, scolding himself. Don't. You don't need it.
His eyes shifted down to his boots, but then he glanced up again, chewing the inside of his cheek. He ignored the inner voice and stepped away from the wall.
"Stay here and keep the group together," he ordered Quindon and Garreaus, both shooting him a look of confusion. Chewie stared down at him, making Ren glance away. He still didn't understand why Chewie insisted on staying close to him. It was hard enough as it was to look the Wookie in the eye. He would much rather take being ignored like before. "There's something I need to take care of before the doors open," he added.
"Alone?" Caliiya griped.
"That's how I prefer it."
"But–"
"You," he pointed to Caliiya, "shut up and do as you're told. And Chewie, kill anyone that gets in your way."
Chewie roared his approval.
Ren split off from the group, their voices dying down as he rounded the corner and hurried down the hall. The officers laundering room was fairly close, hopefully housing what he was in need of.
He rushed into the room, opening storage closets and crates, coming up empty. Going to the adjacent chamber, he entered the overseer's office for all First Order armor and military standard garments. There was a trunk behind the desk, and that was where he found it. His battle attire and helmet.
No doubt Hux tried to destroy all remnants of his clothing, but Ren knew that the man who had designed and created it for him would want to keep some scrap of his own work hidden.
Because pride.
With a quick pace, he undressed. He chose to forgo the long robes and to instead wear the leather cape, giving him more of a look that resembled his grandfather. Ren wheeled around just as he put the last boot on.
Caliiya stood in the door. He didn't know how long she'd been standing there. "You must be desperate to appear menacing if you're putting that thing back on," she nodded to the mask on the desk.
"I prefer determined."
"With offense, your face looks worse without the mask. You know," she waved her hand through the air, "the scar and all."
Ren rounded his jaw. "I told you to stay with the rest of the troopers. Are you really that incapable of following orders?"
"Only when they're given by you." He got the sense that the woman was trying to joke with him, but he wasn't in the mood to appease her. Besides, they didn't have that kind of relationship.
Ren grabbed the helmet and left the room, crossing the laundering facility to make it back out to the hallway.
Caliiya caught up with him. "Look, some of the troopers were starting to think that you ran off to double cross us. That's why I came to find you. Your friends are trying to calm them down, but they're nervous."
Putting the mask over his hair and securing it to his head, Ren felt a sense of security wash over him. To be covered up again, no one able to read him, it was reassuring and comforting.
But then he started to remember the deeds he's done while wearing this second skin, and the relief he'd been feeling began to be tainted with a bitterness aimed at himself.
"You still don't like me, do you?"
Ren rolled his eyes at such a question as they turned the corner, the group coming into view. "If you have to ask me that, then I'm clearly failing to make my disdain for you more obvious." Gods, he almost forgot what his voice sounded like with this on.
"It's not about that whole Wookie thing, is it?" she asked, playing it off as if it were no big deal.
"It most definitely is. And don't forget how you betrayed us on that ship."
The first people to catch sight of him gaped, frozen in fear upon seeing the demon they all reviled. He was getting more and more stares as they got closer.
"I've changed since then," she argued, trying to get her petite legs to match his long strides. "I agreed to help you get Finn back, and I succeeded. I haven't taken a bounty job in months, and… while I would've done anything for a credit back then, I do have standards now. I'm a better person."
"How about we both just agree that you're wrong."
"But–"
"In my experience, if someone feels the need to declare themselves a better person, they're not. Kind of goes against the whole 'being humble' angle." They stopped once closer to the group. The doors were still closed, making him start to worry.
"Because you're such an expert on humility."
He tilted his head. "I'm sensing mockery. And general loathing."
A high beeping shrill echoed down the hall they just walked through, BB-8 rolling at top speed straight for them.
Putting aside his surprise that the droid didn't stay on the Falcon, Ren was only able to decipher one word: Ambush.
From the end of the corridor, a small object was hurled their way. Ren stopped it midair before it got to them, seeing that it was a palm-sized spherical concussion grenade. On reflex, Ren Force threw it back down the hall, the explosive activating in a blast of kinetic energy. The blast radius was four meters wide, stunning those in its path.
Ren didn't remember going to the ground and covering Caliiya with his body, shielding them both from the sonic shockwave by using the Force. Was his first instinct to actually protect this woman? What a sickly notion. And yet there he was, taking the brunt of the sonic discharge.
It took a moment for his heart to gain a normal rhythm.
Blaster fire was exchanged down both corridors. "We're being flanked," Caliiya shouted over the foray, her face still in shock over how the events had turned. Or was she surprised he put himself between her and the grenade?
Because he certainly was.
Ren froze the blaster bolts coming at them, allowing him, Caliiya, and the others to scramble the rest of the way to the blast doors… which just so happen to be open.
Rey had succeeded just in time. But as he reached out to her, he was met with a heaping energy of stress. All emanating from her.
Something was wrong.
Chewie howled at them to hurry through as he aimed his bowcaster at the charging targets, his precision still accurate through all the chaos. Ren ordered them all to get to the lift stations as he took the lead, reminding PK to get her squadron to the secondary bridge. Even if it was smaller, the backup command center still had all the same capabilities as the main one.
Ren rushed through the narrow hallways, his boots hitting the hard floor like thunder, his anger in check so it was an engine that drove him forward, not a disaster that spun him out. BB-8 whirled just behind him, the little droid's half-domed head slightly out front, like it would use it as a battering ram against anyone that got in its way.
Ren let the Force direct his blade as he barreled amongst rival blasterfire, redirecting it against the walls, sparks cascading through the air. He cut through a group of soldiers, revealing the entrance to the lift hangar.
The chamber was long and high, a wide platform housing the numerous elevators that lined the high wall. They were met with more resistance upon entering, but the storm of blasterfire ricocheting through the hangar suddenly ceased as Ren concentrated on the life forms, throwing them over the railing and down the adjacent abyss.
And that was when he felt it: a sudden rush of adrenaline, panic, and all about breathlessness. The air left his lungs, making him stumble to the floor and double over as if being punched square in the gut.
Chewie grabbed his arm and made him get to his feet, basically dragging him to the lineup of elevators as Quindon and some other troopers covered their backs.
"Are you okay?" Caliiya frantically asked, running beside them.
He was physically fine, but Rey wasn't. Ren's gut went frigid as he sensed she was on the bridge, fighting for her life and… Finns? What had she done? Why were they there?!
As they neared the elevators, Ren reached into the Force, his mind following the lift mechanism circuitry to locate and unlock their manual boards. While the blast doors and other entryways were protected from such uses of the Force, the elevators were not.
Budget cuts.
They piled into the circular vessels, bodies pushing up against each other to make as much room as possible. The smell of sweat, smoke, and blood circulated the space quickly.
Caliiya's hand hovered over the control panel as they watched the opposing troopers gaining more ground and picking off more of their own.
Ren yelled out for Quindon and his men to get in, but the man waved him off, signaling that they were going to stay. There was no time to argue against his decision. They could use the cover to ensure the lifts made it into the tunnels.
Ren shoved Caliiya aside, hit the panel, and sent the lift soaring upward. "What are you doing?" the woman questioned. "We can't leave them. Those men will die down there!"
"They know that," Ren snapped back. "But our objective is to get to the bridge." Caliiya stared daggers into his black visor before exhaling, realizing that Ren was right. Even with logic, loss wasn't easier to bear.
He eyed BB-8 at his feet, making sure the droid was okay. A few scratches, but nothing that was life threatening.
Then he looked to the faces of the remaining soldiers, none of their expressions showing a tinge of fear or doubt. Once, Ren had viewed these people as expendable, nothing more than a number among many. Now, with them all staring at him, his eyes going to Garreaus, he could see there had been so much more beneath those helmets.
Just like with him. And just like with Quindon and his men as they made a sacrifice.
"We only have a minute before those doors open and are met with more opposition," Ren announced. "I'll take the lead and get us to the bridge. Does anyone have any explosives?"
He held his breath.
"I do," someone in the back responded.
Ren's relief didn't last long. A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of his eye, his mouth forming into a rigid grimace. Darkness crept into his psyche, filling it with pain and hate and vengeance. Rey was losing herself in the theatrics of her own mind, too easily sliding into and using the dark side of the Force.
The troopers glanced among each other as he went quiet for a moment, zoning out and trying to get through to Rey only to be met by a formidable wall. She was emanating too much power to push through.
He needed to get to her.
"Get the explosives ready," Ren ordered, focus coming back.
"For what, exactly?"
The lift began to slow. Ren turned to face the sliding doors, lightsaber ready to ignite. "The doors to the bridge."
()()()()()
Hurrying through the halls of the Raddus, Luke passed swarms of crewmen making their way to the escape pods, a full evacuation already in place. Luke and Artoo were the only ones heading to the command bridge.
Artoo let out a wheedling whir.
"No," Luke responded. "I have a feeling Leia isn't going to be on one of those escape pods." Not this time.
There were only a handful of personnel left in the bridge, those few remaining hesitating to leave their stations. But Casterfo was having none of it, yelling at them to get out of there.
Luke's stare went passed them, focusing on the small silhouette of a woman dressed in her grey robes and hair in a traditional bun. Next to her stood Threepio.
"Leia," he called out to her, rushing to her side. Her gaze stayed upon the destruction happening outside, not even paying her brother any heed. "Leia," he said between heavy breaths. "We need to leave the cruiser. It's already sustained too much damage to jump to–"
"I really thought more would come." Leia's mouth had fallen to an almost scowl, her eyes that reflected the light of the battle conveying none of its warmth or sparkle. "I thought…. Do people not care what happens to the galaxy anymore?"
Ransolm appeared on the other side of his sister, hair disheveled and face taut with purpose. "Most of the crew has evacuated on the transports and escape pods. It's time for us to go, Leia."
"And go where?"
Ransolm frowned. "We're going to try and hide on Jakku–"
"Jakku," Leia scoffed. "I'm done running."
Luke stepped in her line of view. "Leia, the Falcon's in the hangar, and you're getting on it."
The deck tremored beneath his boots as the entire ship shuddered under enemy turbolaser blasts and torpedoes.
She feigned thinking it over. "I think I'll stay."
"And what?" Ransolm argued. "Die with a ship that's already useless?"
"It's not completely useless. The navigational controls still work."
Blanching, Ransolm said almost breathlessly, "You're not serious."
"Vassena had the right idea with the Ninka. If we can't win, might as well take a Star Destroyer down with me. Even Poe understood sacrifice by taking out that blasphemous weapon." Her tone hinted at her gnawing grief when mentioning Commander Dameron.
"Ben and Rey are on the Finalizer," Luke reminded her, trying to persuade her against this plan.
She shrugged. "I have two other Destroyers to choose from then." She met Luke's hard stare, expression softening. "Please leave, Luke. Make sure that my son and Rey live. I… I need him to live."
Luke shook his head and should have felt more surprised by Leia's resolve. But he'd felt down to his marrow that she would try to pull a stunt like this. They were both old and tired, jaded by the continuing circumstances that plagued the galaxy. Done with it all.
The ship shuddered again, more sharply this time, followed by a slight shift in the vector of the cruiser's artificial gravity. They all swayed, keeping themselves up right.
They needed to go.
Ben and Rey sent him to save Leia. Leia wanted to send him to save them. No one actually wanted to leave. Problem was, Leia was on the losing side. And it hurt him to admit it, but he would choose to save his sister and hope that his nephew and Rey could make it out alive on their own.
Ransolm spun Leia to face him, pushing an offended Threepio out of the way. "Whether you stay or leave, it won't change the fact that the battle is a failure. Leia, your name and face has become the very symbol of rebellion and hope. People are inspired by you."
She cupped his cheek, her calm demeanor a contrast to Ransolm's desperation. "Even after my death, hope will live on. The story of what happened here will inspire others to take up the mantle, even if I'm not alive to see it through."
Casterfo let her go, stepping back in disbelief.
"Leia," Luke said softly, tenderly. She gazed at him, expecting this to be their goodbye, eyes beginning to glisten. "I know you're intentions are honorable, but Ransolm's right. You take out a Star Destroyer, the First Order still wins. I'm sorry, but I can't let you do this."
Her eye's widened. Before she could argue, Luke Force stunned her, making her go unconscious. Catching her in his arms, he saw a tear escape the corner of her eye, sliding into her greying hair.
Threepio scrambled back. "Oh dear. Is she–"
"Of course not," Luke bit out before looking to Ransolm. "Help me get her to the Falcon."
Casterfo lifted Leia up, securing her in his hold. "She's going to kill you for this when she wakes up."
Luke hurried next to them out of the room, balancing his steps against the sway of the ship. "As long as she's alive, she can hate me all she wants. Her anger is nothing new to me."
He kept putting one foot in front of the other even as he felt his mind being pulled by the Force, showing him images inside his own head.
Rey falling through a cloud of reddish sand.
Leia screaming in a cavern, the sound slicing and cracking through the rock walls.
Ben walking through a rippling sea of tall grass, his fingers outstretched and touching the green blades and lavender flowers as he went.
These were not images. This was a reality. A memory of something that has not happened yet. A future that will come to pass, even if he tried to stop it. Visions... they always were a fickle thing. Even torturous at times, which was what those were. It was as if the Force were mocking him, reminding him just how weak he really was.
His mind went to his young apprentice and nephew, hoping that on their end, everything was going according to plan.
()()()()()
Nothing had gone according to plan.
Rey and Finn had made it to the circuitry board above the blast doors, but she quickly realized that there was no way for her to control the mechanism. All functionality was coming from the main bridge.
There was nothing she could do.
But as she eyed Finn, taking into view his officers uniform, she got an idea. A crazy, high risk, you-got-to-be-absolutely-out-of-your mind kind of idea. Finn was against it, but with no other options and with time quickly ticking by, he relented and went about helping her.
He even agreed not to comm Ben after Rey persuaded him not to. He would just waste time by arguing with them.
They switched between using the vents and her cutting their way into the waste tunnels, traversing the shafts to cut back on time. Rey understandably preferred the vents and tried to use them the most. Thankfully, they ran right above an officers private quarters, particularly a female's.
The room was vacant, but they still had to be careful with how close the room was to the bridge.
Finn went through the woman's closet, tossing Rey an ensemble of clothes and black boots. She stripped and changed quickly, letting Finn know when she was done. He had to adjust the jacket, fix her hair beneath the hat, and wipe off her face with a damp towel to make her presentable.
She took a deep breath as she went for the door. Finn would stay behind since they all knew his face, but he turned on her comlink and put it in her pocket so he could hear what was going on at all times.
They looked at each other. Finn couldn't hide his worry. Rey couldn't hide her anxiety. Her hands were shaking, heart thrashing to be released from its cage. Finn took her hands in his, giving them a squeeze.
She eyed her saber now clipped to Finn's belt. "I want that back when I'm done." With nowhere to hide the long hilt, Rey had to entrust it with him.
He gave her a tentative smile. "I'll keep it safe for you."
And then she initiated the door and walked out, breathing out her uneasiness and inhaling confidence
With the heels of her boots hurriedly clipping against the sleek black floor, Rey strutted through the corridors, chin held high as she went straight for the entrance to the command bridge. Two stormtroopers stood guard at either side, but neither stopped her. Finn had instructed her to look at them with contempt, that such a stare would work in letting her pass without any questions being asked.
It did.
When Rey walked through the corridor, there was something that made her nervous. Something off putting. And it wasn't the fact that she knowingly stepped into the den of the enemy. It was seeing just how organized and collected every single person was operating, how orderly all the officers and crewmen were behaving. There was a wide scale battle unfolding just beyond the viewing pane and not a single person seemed anxious.
It was almost like they already won. Like the high number of casualties happening on both sides didn't matter as long as the outcome was in their favor.
But it wasn't just the morality of it all that was bothering her.
It was that sense that she shouldn't be here. Instinct told her that she should turn and run and find another solution to the blast doors. But there was no other solution. She'd been over this with Finn already.
While fear hiked up her stress, she walked the rest of the way in regardless. She could distinctly tell the outline of General Hux, hands clasped behind him as he stood and watched the skirmish that would bestow him with a much needed victory. He gave out orders that were curt and precise, the other officers on the officer platform relaying the commands to the subordinates.
Rey hated his voice. And it annoyed her that no one seemed to believe that the stormtrooper rebellion was an actual threat. When asked about it, Hux just laughed, telling the officer that it's being handled.
Handled? Handled how? They must not know Ben and her were on the ship, or else they'd be taking the opposition more seriously.
Ambling down the few steps that led into the control pit, no one glanced at her. While the atmosphere was very measured, everyone was deep in concentration as their hands flew over their regulation desks and their mouths spoke smoothly into their headsets.
All working as a loyal cog in a well oiled, very disciplined machine.
As Finn had inculcated, she needed to act like she belonged there. She put on a scowl, looking down her nose at these people as she walked further along the isle. She stopped at the station Finn had told her controlled the internal corridors, peering at the young man who manned the position.
Rey eyed the others before bending down into the man's periphery, catching eye contact. The flow of power was immediate, the effects causing the man's lids to droop slightly, his cognizance caught in Rey's own mental web of persuasion.
"You will open the blast doors on the lower level discreetly," she whispered, voice steady. "And you will not repeat back what I've just said."
His focus went back to his station, and within a few moments, the screen showed the doors to be unlocked and open.
Rey caught his attention again. "Sit here quietly and keep your eyes on the screen. Talk to no one." Seeing the man's concentration go back to his station, Rey had a hint of a smile on her lips as she casually went for the stairs to ascend out of the pit.
"Sir," a feminine voice called out from the opposite side, making Hux turn. "The blast doors on the lower levels have all been opened."
"Opened?" Hux questioned in shock. In unison, the general and the other officers turned to the man Rey had mind tricked into doing her bidding. She slowed her pace considerably, taking each step with careful mobility as she watched the beratement that followed.
A bead of sweat slid down her temple, her heart thudding with such force she thought it would give her away.
Now looming over the techs station, Hux fumed. "Those doors are not to be opened! Close them immediately," he ordered. But the man remained frozen, much to Hux's consternation. "Did you hear me? I gave you an order–" Hux paused as he scrutinized the man, his eyes going wide with realization.
The general whipped his head around, his stare falling upon Rey. She stopped under his fiery gaze, only half way to the exit as her lungs trapped what little breath she had left.
There was a stillness on both sides, as well as recognition. Hux knew what she had done, and by extension could conclude as to who she was.
If the air could show hatred, it would be painted scarlet.
But before either could react, a searing flash of light and an engulfing wave of smoke tore through the moment, rendering everyone momentarily blind and confused. Rey coughed from the artificial haze and was almost caught off balance as a hand clutched her arm, dragging her backwards.
Her senses told her it was Finn guiding her; that it was Finn who threw the flash grenades into the room so he could help get her out of there. But as their outstretched palms met the denial of escape from a closed entryway, they found it to be locked, no amount of pounding causing it to open.
Something hard was being pressed into her torso, making her reflexively reach up to grab it. It was her saber. Without the use of words, Finn and Rey whirled around, both accepting that if they were to get out of there, it would only be done by leaving bodies in their wake.
In the smoke, it was difficult to decipher which direction to go, the usual landmarks of the room hidden behind the white that swirled so densely. Even Finn, who stood beside her, was little more than a crude outline of a body rubbed out from the haze.
The blaster fire started, mostly random and directionless. But there were a few that would've been lethal if Rey hadn't ignited her saber, protecting herself from certain death. Now, with the yellow glow of her blade, she was a beacon for the enemy to follow as she arched the weapon high, the thick fog swirling with her every movement.
Someone got too close to her, and by the shrill of their scream and the smell of burnt flesh, Rey figured she had taken a limb. In her mind, she had already deemed this day the last battle – them or her, no truce, no captives. Just an end.
There were no holes barred as Rey went into a full on attack, seeking out the shadowy figures of her targets. She Force pushed them across the room, kicked them straight in the gut, bit an arm that wrapped around her shoulders, head butted a nose and heard it crunch under the pressure.
Her screams were wrathful, almost paralyzing with how she amplified it with the Force. But her voice could only last so long, just as the smoke was now starting to dissipate.
A few pairs of rough hands tried to seize her, but she swung the saber outward and back, hearing the gurgle of breaths as the severed torsos fell to the ground. But someone was able to dodge her maneuver, jumping onto her back and making her crumble under the weight. Before she was completely pinned, she twisted and shook herself free, rising quickly to butt her head right into the stomach of the attacker before relieving him of his head.
A twitch in her mind made her turn to the viewport. Fog now completely gone, she could see Finn caught in the vice grip of General Hux, the crazed looking man pressing a blaster pistol to Finn's temple, using his body as a shield.
On instinct, she began to stretch out her arm, but stopped when Hux pressed the muzzle further against Finn's skull, causing him to wince. "I wouldn't raise that hand of yours," Hux warned, eyes jumpy. "Put down the saber, or I put a bolt through his head."
Her eyes glanced to the side, seeing severed bodies and limbs strewed over the ground. The handful of personnel still alive had their blasters aimed right at her from down in the pit, staying as far from her as possible. Her, Finn, and Hux were the only ones on the platform.
She disengaged and slowly lowered the lightsaber to the floor.
Rey held the red headed rat's stare. And by the looks they gave each other, each didn't just want the other dead – they wanted the other demolished, eradicated, destroyed so there was nothing left of the other to bury.
"I'm taking control of this bridge," Rey said, voice low and guttural.
"Are you now?" Hux's face shined with crazed amusement. But he was also nervous. The blaster against Finn's skull was minutely shaking. "Do you think you can kill me before I pull this trigger?"
"Let him go. I know it's me you really want."
"Not quite. What I need is Ren alive, but you…" He shook his head, narrowing his contempt filled stare. "The Supreme Leader wants you dead and disposed of. Throwing your body out of the dump with the rest of the waste should be sufficient enough. It would be an insult to trash, but I understand you're quite comfortable among junk. You might even feel at home."
Pressure began to build in the hinges of her jaw, her clenched teeth getting very close to the point of cracking.
"So how about you go to your knees, put that lightsaber to your chest, and ignite it. Or I kill this traitor right in front of you."
"Because you'll let him go once I'm dead?"
"Guess this comes down to whether you want your friend to die first, or you. Your choice."
But there really wasn't a choice. There was no way she would let Finn die. As long as she was capable, she would never let the direness of a circumstance allow it. Because he was the friend who saw her entirety and still came to her, loving her for who she was. She would tell him of her worries, and he would say everything was okay. She would become the softest version of herself as she listened to him talk of his past life, of his dreams and fears.
He was everything she imagined a brother could be.
As she gazed at a piece of her family, Finn's face already showed the acceptance of what he believed was going to happen. But while his features were strong, his eyes gleamed with untold sentiments and confessions, with loyalty and affection. Just like on Chandrila when he bade her farewell.
So it came as no surprise that Finn had a piece of her heart, and she would do whatever she needed to protect his.
That lurking shadow glided along her nerves, touched upon her mind, and infused her muscles with a power that made her feel invincible. She stretched it out to the living, the tendrils digging deep into their consciousness and allowing her to govern their actions.
Rey's piercing eyes remained on Hux, his face flushed and neck tightening as he tried to fight against her. Gradually, his arm lifted away from Finn, turning the weapon to his face. The crewmen's will power must have been far less than the general's, for they already had their pistols locked and ready against their temples.
Finn scrambled away, eyes wide as he watched the sentence Rey was about to inflict. But he didn't stop her. Didn't say anything. He let her be.
Her face was now a mask of rage, glorifying in this triumphant moment. "Pull the trig–"
The doorway exploded, pieces of the barrier cutting through the air as good as any blade. Rey went to her hands and knees, ears ringing, breath heavy, and all connection to the others now severed.
No! she wanted to scream, but her strength had suddenly vanished. She'd been robbed of what she wanted, the need for retaliation gnawing at her soul like a starved rat, relentless, unceasing. These people couldn't get away with trying to force her to choose between her own life and Finn's. Hux deserved the death she would have given him.
They all did.
The troopers that belonged to the new rebellion rushed in, catching the dazed personnel off guard, forcing them to surrender. BB-8 rolled past them, going straight for Rey, whipping his electric cable out and putting himself between her and any potential danger.
Rey placed a palm to his little arched head. There were a lot of things she could've said to the astromech, but all she could conjure up was a thank you. Caliiya rushed by her, going to Finn as he secured Hux to the floor with his weight.
Rey glanced at the remaining officers, seeing them suddenly tense, their eyes growing wide as they stared at the blown apart entryway.
A dark form came into the command center, a black cape draping over obscure tunics, a sinister mask covering a face and distorting Kylo Ren's voice. In his hand washis saber hilt, disengaged, but thumb ready to ignite it. Chewie stayed close behind, bowcaster at the ready to defend them both.
"Order all squadrons to stop the attack and return to their hangars." That mechanized voice, the deep distortion – Rey recoiled upon hearing it.
At first, no one spoke. But then a woman stepped forward, head held high. Defiant. "We don't take orders from you. The Supreme Leader–"
Head snapping violently, her body crumbled to the ground. The woman's neck was twisted at a comic angle, eyes open and staring. Seeing nothing. Those that were near took a step back, some even tripping over their heels and landing hard on their rears.
"Anyone else?" Kylo asked. Some shook their heads. Others were silent. "Snoke no longer holds any authority over the First Order," he proclaimed. "You all answer to me now. Stop the attack, or join her fate."
It took a second for their brains to reboot, but once they had, the remaining survivors went to work. Their voices were almost shrill as they commanded the First Order units to cease fire and return to the Star Destroyers.
Realizing she was still on the floor, Rey grabbed her saber and stood on unsure legs, eyes never leaving the man draped in black. Ben said something indiscernible to Chewie before coming her way, leaving the Wookie and the others to guard the crewmen. Even though Rey knew the man beneath that mask, it still instilled an involuntary chill up her spine, making her shiver.
Making her want to lash out in instinctive anger.
He eyed her up and down as he came to her. "You were going to kill all these people?"
"Yes," was all she could get out. Ben just stood there, that insufferable mask covering his face, making it hard to read him. She reached out to their bond, but got nothing. Not even a scrap of emotion.
He continued past her.
The floor seemed to sway from under her, the confusion over how he could be so dismissive towards her making her panic.
She followed him to where Finn had Hux pinned to the floor near the viewport, giving a clear visual to the outside. The Raddus was still intact, but severely damaged. And she could already see that the Ties and the other two Star Destroyers were falling back and ceasing fire. The battle was being split in half: one side, the First Order; the other, what little was left of the Resistance.
Rey's view became distorted as Hux's body was fixed to the reinforced viewing glass, blood from the back of his head corrupting the transparency.
The man wasn't dazed for long. Hux smirked as Ben got closer. "You always did look ridiculous in that mask."
"Where's Harter Kalonia?" Ben demanded, voice deep and on edge.
"Who?" Ben backhanded him, infusing a new level of fear into the man. But even though Hux was clearly trembling, he spat a wad of blood onto Ben's boot and let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, you mean that terrorist doctor? I'm afraid I don't know. I gave Phasma the responsibility of choosing what to do with her. And of relocating the Supreme Leader."
Hux grunted in pain as Ben stretched out his hand, hovering close to Hux's face. Rey rubbed her fingers against her thumb, itching to get inside the man's head to tear his sanity apart.
Ben's search didn't last nearly long enough as he took a step back, lowering his arm. "See?" Hux said in between labored breaths. "I really don't know anything."
Finn came forward, eyes darting from Hux to Ben. "What should we do with him?"
"Kill him," Rey snarled, her hand gripping her saber hilt tighter. Ben tilted his head to the side. She gazed into that black visor, trying to search for some semblance of eyes.
"Wise words," Hux quipped. "You should listen to your desert whore."
Ben's hand shot out, Force choking the man till his face blossomed in crimson and the vein of his forehead popped out. The gurgling ceased as Ben applied more pressure, completely cutting off the man's airway. Hux was now turning a purplish blue, head swelling from the trapped blood.
And then Ben let him go.
Hux fell on his hands and knees, gasping in big heaps of air, coughing from the tension. Ben's own chest was rising and falling heavily, his arms quaking at his sides.
Hux sat back on his knees, looking up at the man who held his ire, speaking in between inhales. "You've never had… the stomach to do… what needed to be done." He went into a coughing fit, wiping the saliva from his mouth.
"Carise would disagree."
Baring his teeth, Hux snarled. "Do it. I'm as good as dead, anyway. Supreme Leader will see to that… one way or another."
Ben crouched down on the balls of his feet, getting in Hux's line of sight. "I don't just want to kill you, Hux. I want to throw you in a pit and slowly add shovels of dirt until your mouth is full of filth. I want your end to be just out of reach, because death is a mercy you don't deserve. At least, not at this moment."
Hux's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he imagined what kind of torture was in store for him.
"Someone has to be held accountable for the destruction of the Hosnian system," Ben continued, speaking with a coldness Rey had never heard before. "And it certainly won't be me, or the First Order. But rest assured, since the Republic is dead, you won't have to go through a trial. I'll take it upon myself to come up with your punishment personally."
Hux paled, demeanor going despondent as the realization of his fate seeped into his awareness.
Ben went back to his full height. "General," he said, addressing Finn. Finn pointed to his chest, confused as to whom Ben could be speaking to. Ben nodded and motioned to Hux. "Have him bound and held in the holding cell on this level. Then contact General Organa and request her presence so we can officially put an end to this war."
Ben didn't wait for Finn to respond as he went over to the crewmen in the control pit. "Lieutenant Mitaka." A small, pale man yelped out in surprise at being singled out. "I'll entrust you to make sure no harm comes to the leader of the Resistance. If it does–"
"No harm will come to her, Supreme Leader." Rey waited to see if Ren would correct Mitaka on labeling him with such a title. He didn't. "I swear it," the officer added after a pregnant pause. Ren regarded the man for a moment before striding through the obliterated doorway and disappearing.
Hux was restrained and dragged from the room by Garreaus and some other troopers, Caliiya following with a pistol pointed at the prisoner. Rey could hear the man's indignant screams echo through the sturdy metal walls.
Chewie became busy trying to make contact with Leia and Luke, while Finn was scrambling to uphold his new position by appointing his comrades to posts he knew they were capable of filling. They all looked to Finn with admiration, a spark in their eyes that reflected their loyalty to him.
And Rey… well, she was speechless, frozen where she stood with overwhelming confusion. It all happened so fast that it finally dawned on her that they had won. The war had now drawn a conclusion. But there was no celebratory clapping or yelling or hugging. No, everyone jumped to the next task of working to establish the beginnings of peace.
Where did Rey fit into all of that?
Her eyes roamed over the room, passing the navigation and astrogation stations, stopping when she saw the red smear of blood on the glass.
She ground her molars.
After everything they'd been through, after everything the First Order had taken from them, Ben would allow Hux and these people to live? These people who just tried to kill her a mere ten minutes ago would be allowed to keep working among them?
Rey wanted retribution. The galaxy deserved justice.
But even as she thought it, her belief wavered under her own moral scrutiny, revealing her state of mind and actions for what they were:
Malicious.
Her self-control had crumbled so quickly it was almost comical. After all the provocations and appeals, the compassionate, rational girl had evaporated like a bead of water on Jakku's scorching desert dunes, sizzle, hiss, all gone. And what had surfaced then had been pure cruelty.
She had tried to kill Hux and his subordinates in the most merciless way imaginable. And it didn't end there. She went as far as to tell Ben to kill the man.
What was wrong with her?
People were rushing around as they tried to get the bridge in order, clearing it out of the bodies Rey had so violently left behind. Rey whirled around, darting out of the room and into the hallway, taking a hard right and then a left. She heard the soft ticking of metal against metal as BB-8 followed her.
She skittered to a stop. Ben was leaning against the wall, back flush against the metal, mask off, eyes closed, head down as if in reflective reverence.
Rey went to him. "Ben–"
"When will you stop being impulsive?" he asked, voice low, position unmoving.
She blinked. "I wasn't being impulsive." He pegged her with an oh really? kind of stare. "I wasn't," Rey repeated more steadfastly. "This was the only way to open the blast doors. All control was being rerouted to the bridge."
"You could've contacted me to tell me that."
"There was no time."
He glared at her for a long moment. "You know it would've only taken seconds to speak with me through the bond. But you knew I'd be against the idea, and you didn't want to deal with me telling you not to do it."
Rey glanced away, biting at her lip. "Us arguing would've wasted time. I had no choice. It was either open the doors from the bridge, or lose the war.
"Fuck the war," Ben bit out, pushing himself off the wall so he could stand in front of her. "You're justifying actions that could have gotten you killed."
"Like you've never done that before," Rey countered.
Ben huffed through his nose as his eyes danced along her face. "Fine. Blame my bad example for your poor judgment."
Rey shook her head, letting out a deep exhale. "That's… I didn't mean it like that."
"And if you had died while playing the proverbial hero? What then?"
Rey pointed behind her as she stepped up to him, head tilting back so she could hold eye contact. "I got those doors open. The war is over. That's all that matters."
Ben flinched, as if something she said had offended him. Hurt him. "You still don't get it, do you?" Rey drew her brows together, trying to understand what he was asking. "What do you think would happen to me if you died? You know, because it happened to you when I passed on Lothal. Do you think I could endure such a state?"
Rey hadn't expected the conversation to go this way. She opened her mouth, shut it, then said, "Yes, of course–"
"No," he cut her off. Resolute.
She swallowed as she grabbed onto Ben's arms, her heart fluttering as she saw how lost and small he looked over the prospect of losing her. "Ben, you'd still have your mother, your uncle, the friends you made on Lothal. Hell, even Finn. You wouldn't be alone."
"I grew up surrounded by people, and I'd never felt so alone. Until I met you," he confessed softly, the moment dying down into something more intimate, a warm buzz forming between them. "If I had to choose between winning a war and saving your life, I'd choose you. Every time. But I guess you feel differently."
She squeezed his biceps. "It's not that I feel differently–"
"You'd just choose duty over me. Just like my mother."
A tightness in her chest started to form as everything clicked into place. Rey could now see why he was acting like this.
She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted.
"Hey," Finn called out. Rey jumped away from Ben, startled by the sudden interruption. Finn and Caliiya jogged up to them, stares bouncing between the pair. Finn cleared his throat, feeling the tension. "Hux is heavily shackled and secured in the holding cell. I've left Garreaus in charge of guarding him."
Ben nodded, all the softness from his previous demeanor now gone and replaced with an air of authority. Like his and Rey's conversation never happened. "Good. We should get back to the bridge before anyone thinks they can start a mutiny." He began to walk back toward the command room, Rey staying by his side as Caliiya and Finn kept pace.
"My guys are heavily monitoring the crewmen to make sure something like that doesn't happen," Finn assured Ben. "As is PK and her squadron with the secondary bridge."
"Any causalities on her side?" he inquired.
"Only a few of the personnel, but none of our own."
"Quindon and the others?"
"None of them survived." There as a pause, like a moment of silence for the dead. "If you're concerned with one of the crewmen trying to take back control of the bridge, why did you leave?"
Ben didn't respond. But Rey knew the answer. He needed a moment, probably becoming overwhelmed by being in those heavy tunics again. And that haunting mask.
"Are you really going to let everyone call you Supreme Leader?" Caliiya queried from behind.
Ben stopped so suddenly, Caliiya almost walked into him. He whipped around, neck tight and corded. "I am the Supreme Leader."
"Then… you're really making me a general?" Finn said in astonishment, mouth agape. Rey mirrored him. She had thought Ben was just playing a role to intimidate everyone into doing as he said. She didn't think he'd actually take up the mantle of the most powerful person in the galaxy.
The fact that she didn't think that was what was more shocking. He would never pass up an opportunity like this. She should have known that. She should have seen this coming when he told Finn not to blow up the Finalizer.
"You'll be taking over Hux's position of commanding the First Order army," Ben clarified. "Can you handle that?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"No." Ben continued his trek back to the bridge, his decision final.
"What's Poe's call signal?" Finn asked. Ben froze again, slowly turning, his eyes going to Rey. "I was wanting to talk to him. You know, to let him know that I'm alive." Finn followed Ben's hard gaze to Rey, seeing that she was fidgeting with her fingers.
Finally, the time she was dreading was here. She couldn't halt the truth ebbing its inevitable way into the high of victory, tainting it with grief. Everything hinged on what Rey said next, and once uttered, it could never be undone.
But she couldn't bring herself to say a single word.
"Tell him," Ben ordered, his voice subtle with disdain. He abhorred the way she had lied to Finn about Poe's fate. "Tell him. Or I will." Finn watched her, brows knit together.
Rey's pulse pounded in her temples, her knees becoming weak. She licked her lips and swallowed, struggling to find the proper way to deliver such news. But was there a good way to do this? It all ended with the same set of facts.
"Poe and Jess... they didn't make it." Finn blinked. Refocused. "There was a weapon on Jakku that we needed to destroy and they got caught trying get out and..." Her voice tailored off, not wanting to tell the full story. "They're dead."
By the looks of it, it was as if Finn was translating the Basic in his head letter by letter. "But, you told me–"
"I lied," she confessed, voice cracking, skin hot with anticipation. "I thought if you knew, you'd lose focus and get hurt or killed. I– I'm so sorry, Finn. I know what I did was horrible, but…." She couldn't finish.
Both Caliiya and Rey reached out to him, but Finn raised his hands defensively and backed away, eyes searching the floor. His expression morphed between uncertainty and sorrow before his face completely fell, no mask of denial left.
Finn tried to balance himself against the wall, but he sank to his knees, cradling his face in his hands. His breathing was ragged as he sobbed, tears dripping between his fingers, raining down onto the sleek floor. Caliiya wrapped her arms around him, holding him as BB-8 joined in with soft, melodious beeps.
Ben began walking away from the group, but Rey grabbed his arm to stop him. "Ben–"
With his free hand, he peeled hers off of him. "Stay with Finn," he whispered, eyes glimmering with emotion. Some looks were as articulate as words, and this was definitely one of them.
He didn't want her to follow.
Rey listened to Finn's sobs as she watched Ben's long strides take him down the hallway and through a corridor, disappearing, leaving her behind.
The war was over, but the taste of loss never left her throat.
A/N
So I know in TFA, we see a very different looking bridge compared the typical one found on Stay Destroyers. I really wanted to use the original layout with the officer platform, so the one shown in the movie is the secondary command bridge. The main one is only used for when there is a battle.
I wonder if there is such a thing as having too much angst in a story. I say there is not! I blame my love for Korean dramas on that one. lol
Anyway, thanks for reading! Onto writing the next chapter!