"Come on, Ben, so we can talk a little longer."

Rey smiled back at Ben as she led him up the ramp into her small shuttle, parked in a crowded outdoor public hangar. Ben had insisted on walking her back to her shuttle after they'd checked out of the hotel, his paranoia getting the best of him; he'd wanted to ensure that she didn't run into any trouble on her way back.

As they stepped up into the small craft, Rey released Ben's hand and stepped towards the control panel. The wide window before the panel was covered with a metal shade, blocking the view of the outside. Ben looked around the single room, noting the quality of the finishes. It was evident to him that the Order of Organa had been able to invest in new and improved spacecraft.

Ben remained in place near a circular counter in the center of the craft as Rey flipped a switch on the control panel, drawing the loading ramp up from the ground. He focused on Rey as she strode toward him, the ramp sealing and shutting out the noise of the people outside. He smiled and and brushed the hair from her face, memorizing her features. He remembered what he'd meant to bring up before, and he opened his mouth to speak. But he held himself back, not wanting to ruin Rey's high spirits.

Rey caught onto his confliction immediately. "What is it?" She asked, her brows furrowing. She pressed into his mind, but Ben kept her away from the thoughts he was about to speak.

He shifted his jaw. "If I were to show you a memory...a dark one...do you think you could handle it?" He asked, taking in a deep breath. "It's something I need you to share with Luke."

Rey looked up at him concernedly, and she nodded. "Yeah. Of course I can, Ben. I'll share with him anything you need me to," she assured.

"It won't be easy to see, Rey," Ben warned. "It will upset you." He turned around, looking for a bench, but the only seat in the small space was the tiny pilot's chair. He motioned towards it. "You should sit down."

Rey shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Show me," she said, lifting his hand.

"It—it may change your perspective of me, but it's something you deserve to know. It's something I should have told you more about earlier," he admitted, and nodded towards her chest. "You might just end up taking that necklace off," he teased, meeting her eyes, but he was partly serious.

"Ben, I don't understand—nothing you could ever show me would change the way I feel about you," she insisted, gripping his hand tightly. "Show me," she repeated.

Ben sighed quietly as he stared at her a moment, then lifted his hand and placed it on the side of her forehead. He watched as Rey closed her eyes, waiting patiently. He sent the warmth of the Force through his hand first, hoping to ease the stress of what was to come. She smiled at the feeling, leaning into his hand, and Ben shut his own eyes.

He cleared his thoughts of the present and focused through the Force on one of the memories he'd buried deep in his mind. He didn't consider this just a memory, even, but a nightmare. As the memory formed and came into being, he recalled the thundering sounds he'd heard that appalling day…

Ben stood amongst his fellow Padawans, most of them younger than himself. He observed all of their smiling faces, turned up towards the sky as rain began to fall. His eyes caught on tiny Rey, the youngest of the lot, her fingers reaching upwards as if trying to grasp the clouds themselves. She looked towards Ben and laughed.

"Look, Ben! Ben, water from the sky!" She giggled. Ben smiled at her a moment, warmed by her innocence.

"Rain on Tatooine? Unheard of!"

Ben turned to see his uncle Luke walking towards the group, his hands held out on either side of him to catch the falling drops. Luke's broad smile mirrored that of the children around him. Ben turned his gaze upwards, but he did not smile. No, the rain today was no happiness to him, but a sign of what was to come. It was not miraculous; he thought it an omen of the Force.

Skywalker...you are ready for us now, the distant voice in his head said. We are coming.

Ben shuddered and turned as thunder sounded overhead. He flipped around at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder.

"They are coming, Brother. Soon we'll join the ranks of the First Order," Nodin said, sliding his hand from Ben's shoulder and stepping in front of him. "Soon we'll have the power—"

"The First Order?"

Ben felt as if his heart had stopped as Luke moved towards them, looking between them.

"Did you just say 'the First Order?'" Luke questioned, staring at Nodin, who shrivelled beneath the man's tall stature. "How did you two even know about that?" Luke turned to his nephew, his expression both concerned and mystified. Ben opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.

Do it now, the voice in Ben's head said. Do it.

Ben pressed his hands to the sides of his head, shutting his eyes and shaking his head wildly. "No, no…" he lamented aloud.

Luke's expression turned from stern to concerned as he crouch before Ben. "Ben, what's wrong? Your headaches again?"

A deep rumbling sounded in the sky behind them. Ben knew it was no thunder.

Luke slowly rose, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the sky above.

His hands still on his head, Ben watched as Nodin took out his green saber and ignited it before himself.

"They're coming," Nodin said, looking up at Luke with a smile that Ben thought was nothing short of psychotic. "The First Order. They're coming."

To Ben's surprise, Luke took a step back from Nodin, his uncle's expression turning to stunned realization. Luke looked to Ben, his blue eyes wide. He seemed about to speak to his nephew when a terrible screeching sound grew louder in the sky. Luke reached forward and grabbed Ben's arm, yanking him towards the line of huts behind them.

"Kriff, Come on, Ben! Everyone, run! Get inside, now!" Luke shouted, pointing to the huts, but the children remained fixated on the TIE fighter soaring toward them through the clouds. The children shrieked as the TIE passed overhead, and it released a brilliant blast, destroying several huts and igniting others in swirling flames.

Luke slid to a stop with Ben and looked back at the children, all scattered and panicked. They screamed as the TIE began to circle back. Luke looked at Ben with wild eyes and shoved him away from the huts. "Go, get to the ship, start it up! I have to gather the others!" Luke yelled as he ran back towards the other Padawans. "Go, now!"

Ben staggered back a few paces at his uncle's shove, but then found himself frozen in place.

Fulfill your destiny, the voice in his head said. You cannot escape it.

Ben shook and found himself able-bodied again. He began to run after his uncle, deciding it would be better to help with gathering the children. He chased after two young boys and was about to grab one when a booming, brilliant blast from the screeching TIE exploded before him, sending him flying backwards.

When he rose and swiped the dirt from his eyes, his mouth dropped open in numb shock at the sight before him. Where there were once two Padawans, there was now a dark, steaming crater. Ben held his stomach and hunched over, suddenly nauseous.

He rose and watched in uncomprehending horror at the sight of the TIE destroying the remaining huts, and Nodin driving his lightsaber through the back of one of the older Padawan girls.

Nodin caught Ben's gaze and gave him the same unsettling smile he'd given Luke. "Get them, Ben," he urged, "Fulfill your destiny!"

Ben trembled and flipped around at the sound of more deep rumbling, again too metallic to be thunder. A large silver shuttle landed, and a squadron of stormtroopers rushed out almost as soon as the ramp had dropped down to the sand. They began shooting immediately, taking down the Padawans who had no chance of cover of escape.

Too overwhelmed to react, Ben remained in place and watched the scene unfolding before him. He caught sight of tiny Rey with her three buns running desperately through the sand. Ben felt her fear, her confused panic through their bond. He found himself suddenly sprinting toward her, wanting to shield her from the blasts of the stormtroopers. But just before he reached Rey, he forced himself to a stop, realizing that trying to save her would put her in greater danger of being taken by the First Order along with himself.

Do your duty. Bring the Kenobi girl, find the darkness within you. You cannot resist it! The voice demanded.

Ben shut his eyes and was frozen in place as he felt an icy cold rush running through him. He knew it was the power of the voice in his head, the one who called himself Supreme Leader.

Remember how your parents abandoned you here. You were never their priority. Your father never accepted you. You, the one so strong in the Force! Your parents left you to be your uncle's problem, the voice sneered. They never loved you, and neither does your uncle!

Ben felt physical pain at the words spoken in his mind. Tears stung his eyes and he choked out a sob. I can't do it, he told the voice. I feel the pain but I can't do it.

Then I'll show you the power of the Dark side, the Supreme Leader said, and Ben felt himself moving forward towards a boy that had run past him. Unbridled anger surged through him, and his blue saber was drawn, poised to strike. He did not even breathe as he felt his weapon push through the boy's back.

The icy coldness began to leave Ben as he stood over the prone body, struggling for air. He gasped and staggered backwards, staring between the boy's motionless body and the ignited saber in his hands, not able to comprehend what had just happened.

"Ben! Oh, how could you! Ben!"

Ben flipped around and was horrified to see Luke staring at him from a distance away. Rey was draped over his shoulder, her feet kicking wildly. "Uncle…" Ben began, but he could not even begin to explain himself to someone who had never believed in the voice in his head in the first place.

Luke's face hardened, and after a moment's hesitation he turned and ran with Rey to his ship over the sand dunes amidst the dust and confusion.

"Don't leave me!" Ben yelled, dropping the blue saber to the sand and staggering after Luke. "Uncle, please don't leave me!" His body was weak with nausea and he collapsed forward into the sand.

He didn't know how long he'd been lying there, sobbing and inhaling the dust until he began to be dragged backwards by his ankles.

Now you'll join us, the voice said. Now you will find acceptance. Strength. Power.

Ben yanked his hand from Rey's head, not wanting her to see further, the emotional and physical torture he'd subsequently been subjected to. His chest heaved as he gripped Rey's upper arms. She slowly blinked her eyes open, her expression both confused and pained.

Ben shook his head. "I'm sorry you had to see all of that, Rey," he said softly, swallowing.

"Snoke...he made you do that," Rey breathed. "He controlled you, like a machine..."

"I didn't want to have to subject you to that, but I—Luke needed to know. I didn't intend to kill that Padawan, or join the First Order. I've killed, yes, I'm a criminal, a weapon, but I can't live with myself knowing that Luke thinks this was all by choice."

Rey furrowed her brows and gripped the back of his head, pulling his face down to hers. She kissed him and held his face for several long moments, her breathing intermixing with his. "But...you have a choice now, Ben," she said, her eyes concentrating on his. She took his hand. "Leave with me now."

Ben rose and looked down at their joined hands. "I won't leave and put you in greater danger," he said resolutely. "We've gone through this before. If I join you with the Order, you'll be a much bigger target for the Empire."

"I don't care," Rey said, frowning. "You think I care if they come after me, us? The Order of Organa is strong, it's much larger than it was before—Ben, we can take on the Empire, together."

Ben's jaw tightened, not wanting to argue but needing to explain himself all the same. "No, Rey, we can't," he said, his voice taut. "The Empire is too powerful. Snoke is too powerful."

"We can take him on, Ben. Don't you get it? We're strong enough in the Force, the both of us," Rey insisted, her voice rising.

"'Take him on?' I thought you'd dropped that delusion. Even if we did match him in our combined Force ability, that's still a fifty-fifty chance that we'd beat him," Ben said, struggling to keep his voice and even. "And what then? There's no guarantee we'd kill him permanently—he's cheated death once and came back even more powerful. Who's to say he couldn't do the same again? It's not a risk I'm willing to take."

Rey pressed her hands to her temples for a moment in frustration. "Ben, we have to try. That's the only way that any of this will end, don't you see? We are the only way Snoke will ever be stopped—otherwise, this war could last a lifetime!" Her cheeks grew red, and her chagrin rippled through the bond to Ben.

"You don't know Snoke like I do, Rey. You saw the vision, he can control people when he's at his strongest. And he has something on Mustafar, a power source of some kind—whatever it is, it gives him unnatural power. It's even kept the Force dormant. His power, it's just not something we could ever go against. I don't care how strong we are, I'm not going to risk your life to fight him. That's never going to happen."

"Then I guess we're never going to get married, Ben," Rey snapped, saying the word as though it were a slur. "Why did you even bother bringing that up if you knew it was never going to happen? You know, I got really excited thinking about being together for the rest of our lives, like you said," she scoffed. "At least you have your own family still, I have none. Way to taunt me with that idea, you really got me good."

Ben winced at her pain through their bond, the source of her anger now crystal clear to him. "I still mean what I said before, Rey," he said firmly. "I'm sorry if you don't believe me. But I'm not going to put you at risk by leaving Snoke, or by going against him right now. You saw what happened, he could make me hurt you, Rey, if he knew we were together. I can't risk that, I can't leave—" he stopped himself to suck in a breath. "Being on the side of the Empire, I have all of the strategic and military intel to control the outcome of each battle—I can ensure you and my mother are protected, that the Empire doesn't win in the end."

"But we don't know when it will end, Ben! If you're never leaving the Empire, then why did you make a promise you can't keep?" She slipped the tiny diamond from under her dress and extended it out to the end of its chain.

Ben stared at her dejectedly, waiting for her to break the necklace. He could care less about the ornament himself, but it was the meaning behind it he feared she would sever: the promise of spending the rest of their lives together. After a long moment of tense silence, Rey dropped her gaze and lowered the diamond.

"I just can't live like this, Ben. I can't live with the question of whether the war will end before we die, or if you'll die in battle, or by Snoke's hand—it's all too much." She took in a deep breath, looking to the ground. "I need to go," she said after a few silent moments, her voice quieting.

Ben looked down at his shoes and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath to gather himself, the pain that was welling inside. Rey had gotten upset, that he had predicted, but not for the reasons he'd expected. He nodded and swallowed as he rose his head, meeting her moist eyes. He moved towards her, hoping to kiss her one last time, but she turned her gaze and held a out her palm, blocking him with the Force.

"You need to go now, too," Rey said matter-of-factly. She did not meet his eyes. She turned and went to the ship's control panel, switching open the craft's ramp.

Ben remained in place as the ramp lowered and clanged down onto the floor outside. He stared across at Rey's back, panicking internally. Memories flashed through his mind of the many fights of his parents he'd been witness to, the way his father would end up storming out of their house on Hosnian Prime and leave his mother in tears. Their fights always ended like that, unresolved.

Ben didn't want to make that mistake of his parents with Rey. He took a step towards Rey's chair. "Rey, no...we can't part like this," he said, his voice unsteady.

Rey turned in her chair, her brows pinched together. "I said, go."

Ben averted his gaze, clenching his jaw at the sting. He nodded at the ground and reluctantly turned, taking a few heavy steps towards the craft's opening. As he stood at the top of the ramp, he turned back towards Rey, who still faced the control panel. "I'm sorry this is how you feel," Ben said, dropping his head and struggling to breathe against his tightening throat. He straightened and looked back towards her. "You're the love of my life, Rey, I—I'm not willing to risk your life like that," he said, his voice breaking as he again saw his parents arguing in his mind, their tears and their pain.

Rey turned in her chair, her cheeks stained with tears. Sniffling, she rose from her chair and stared across at him, her gaze doleful. "I know," she said, her voice trembling. She wiped a hand over her eye. "Ben...I'm just so scared to lose you—I'm...I'm s-sorry," she croaked, stepping in his direction.

Ben moved towards her, cautiously at first, but Rey stepped towards him again and he rushed the remaining few steps, meeting her with his arms spread wide to envelop her in a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, so sorry," she cried against his chest.

"It's okay, it's okay, Rey," he soothed, kissing the top of her head and quickly brushing her hair from her damp, rosy face.

Rey's fingers dug into his back as she gripped his shirt underneath his coat. "I'm sorry, Ben, I hurt you," she breathed, wrapping a hand up around the back of his neck. "I felt your pain. Your parents…"

"Shh, it's okay," he soothed, rubbing her back. "I know you didn't mean it. I don't want to hurt you either, Rey, I'm sorry." He tilted her face up and kissed her, flowing the warmth of the Force into her to comfort her.

Rey held his kiss and gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly. She began to kiss him more firmly, and Ben matched her, kissing her open-mouthed as he held the back of her head. Rey slid a hand up to his hair, knotting her fingers in its strands, their lips sliding together in deep, wet kisses.

"Ben," Rey panted, a hint of desperation in her voice.

They broke for mere seconds to pull of their coats, and as their lips crashed back together Rey leaned into Ben. He took a wobbly step backwards. He was simultaneously lightheaded and relieved as he felt the heated passion and urgency brewing between them.

With a motion of his hand, Ben brought the ramp of the craft back up before pressing himself Rey, backing her against the counter in the center of the craft. She released a whimper as he gruffly gripped her hips and lifted her, setting her on the countertop. She was quick to wrap her legs around his hips, locking him against her. Ben slid his tongue in and around her mouth, holding her face to his with his hands. Rey's hands slid through his hair, strands of it falling across his forehead. Quiet, desperate sounds escaped him as their kissing grew hasty and their hands clumsy.

Ben rashly pressed his mouth into Rey's neck, and he felt her shudder. Her arms wrapped around him, her fingers digging into his shoulders through his shirt. Ben pressed into her mind that he wanted to take her here, now, to express his burning feelings for her without words, and Rey responded by squeezing her legs tighter around him, drawing him in.

With one hand Ben brought up the bottom hem of her dress, bunching it at her thighs. He slid his hand underneath her dress, rubbing his fingers hard over the soft fabric of her underwear, and she gasped. He flushed at the dampness of the fabric; she was already ready for him. He curled his fingers over the hem of the fabric and slid them down her legs, dropping them to the floor.

Ben kissed her sporadically as he hurriedly undid the clasp of his pants. He slid down the hem of his undershorts just enough to free his hard shaft. He positioned himself with one hand and gripped Rey's face with the other, crashing his lips into hers as he thrusted himself into her.

Rey whimpered and pulled at his hair as he thrusted into her forcibly, her body jostled by his rough movements. Ben trailed wet kisses up her neck as his hands tightly gripped the sides of her thighs, his fingers digging into her soft, warm skin as he held her in place, stabilizing her to receive his thrusts.

Ben grunted with effort and soon felt the nearness of his peak. He sensed Rey following up the same steep path, her moans resonating in his ears. He buried his face into her neck, sucking hard at her sensitive skin. The structure of the craft strained and creaked in the background as overwhelming warmth encompassed them both, flowing through to the other their shared bond.

As Ben climaxed with Rey, powerful, pulsing currents surged upwards from their contact below. Rey tightened around him, and Ben moaned, shuddering and ducking his head into her neck as he released himself. Rey's own intense pleasure intermixed with and heightened his own, and by the sounds of her quick whimpers it was clear to him that this worked both ways.

As his mind and body settled, Ben rested his forehead on Rey's shoulder, breathing hard. He felt her quivering legs slowly begin to loosen around his hips, and he slid his hands up and down her smooth thighs. He trailed his lips up her neck to find her mouth and he kissed her slowly, intermittently, as they both panted to catch their breath. He traced his fingers down her hot cheek, still damp from tears. Rey's hands slid down his back as they both straightened to meet each other's eyes.

Ben pulled out of Rey and tucked himself back into his undershorts, pulling up and clasping his pants. He lowered to pick up Rey's underwear and she silently guided her feet through the openings as he slid them back up her toned legs.

Rey slid from the counter to slid her panties up her hips, and lowered her gaze as she smoothed her dress back down her body. Ben focused on her reddened cheeks, the marks on her neck from the night before, her plump lips bruised purplish.

"Rey," Ben said, and she lifted her eyes to his. He held her chin between his thumb and index finger as he searched her warm eyes. "At some point, this war will end," he said resolutely. "We'll see the end of it, together. I'll see to that." He kissed her, allowing his lips to linger on hers as he sent the healing powers of the Force through to her. He felt her lips tremble beneath his as he held the contact. When he leaned away, he saw that the discoloration on her lips had faded, and he looked back into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," she breathed, leaning back to meet his gaze. "Of course I trust you. It's Snoke I can't trust."

"I can't say I trust your pilot friend, either," Ben said with a smirk.

Rey bit back a smile and glanced at the ground. "At least my 'pilot friend' isn't going to kill me."

Ben stared at her a silent moment, not wanting to start another argument; he wanted to part with her on a pleasant note. He leaned in and kissed her again, holding her face with his hand, savoring the feeling of her soft lips on his.

"I need to heal you up before you leave," he said, leaning away, and Rey smiled as he gently lifted her and set her back onto the counter. He brushed her hair behind her shoulders and pressed his lips to one of the bruises on her neck. Closing his eyes, he centered himself with the Force, focusing on his blithe feelings to begin healing the spot.

Rey stroked his hair as he held his mouth to her neck. "Ben, I really am sorry about what I said," Rey began again. "I know I hurt you, it wasn't at all fair of me to attack you like that. Especially since you had to relive that memory in showing it to me...it was so horrible, I can't imagine what it must have been like in reality...I'm glad I can't remember it myself."

A few moments after she'd spoken, Ben opened his eyes and leaned away to see the spot on her neck mostly gone. "Rey, it's okay, don't apologize—I know how you feel. I mean, I literally know, because I feel it, too," he said, smiling faintly as he meting her hazel eyes. "I don't want you to feel upset, or sad, because I do intend to keep my promise." He took her hand and squeezed it. "We will be together."

Rey sighed, giving him a wistful smile.

"That is, unless that pilot steps in. There's no saying what I might do to him…" Ben teased, leaning into her neck to heal another of her bruises. He felt her skin shudder beneath his lips as she laughed softly.

"He's the best pilot in the Order, you know," Rey said, running her hands up his sleeved arms. "And you tortured him once already, didn't you?"

Ben waited a few moments to finish healing her skin before straightening to look her. "That I did…" he said, turning his face to the side. "Now that I recall, he did scream…"

"Ben," Rey scolded, but when he looked at her she was fighting a smile. "You're a scoundrel." She slid from the countertop and peered up at him. "Sounds like his interrogation went a bit differently than mine," she said, raising an eyebrow.

The corner of Ben's mouth tugged upwards. "Of course it did—I didn't want to hurt you. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to compose myself around you then? How hard it still is?" He asked, tilting his head. "When I saw your memories then, your loneliness, how much you missed your parents, I saw myself in you. I knew I'd met my match. And on top of all that, you just happened to be Force-sensitive, as well as the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen."

Rey's cheeks turned rosier. "I had no idea what you were going to do to me then, I was afraid," she said, biting her lip. "But as soon as you took your mask off...well, I recognized immediately how handsome you were. You looked like a prince, from one of my fairytales. But I was still afraid."

"So was I," Ben said, raising his brows. He pressed into her mind his memory of how anxious he'd been about making an impressive first impression with her, how he'd worried about whether she liked his appearance once he'd removed his mask.

Rey laughed and hugged him, settling her face into his chest. Ben hugged her back and kissed her on the head. After a few moments, Ben knew what had to come next. "I think it's time, Rey," he said, leaning away to look down at her. His mouth straightened into a line.

Rey's smiled faded as she stared up at him and sighed. She pulled his face down to hers and they kissed for several minutes. Ben stroked his hands through the length of her silky hair, down the fabric of her dress. He lost himself in the moment completely, his mind hazey with his complete and total adoration of her.

As they parted and slowly slid from each other's arms, Ben stepped backwards from Rey, locking eyes with her. He called his coat into his hand with the Force and turned only to draw down the ship's ramp with a motion of his hand.

Rey's face grew red, and Ben felt her heartache mixing with his at seeing the growing space between them.

"Don't be afraid, Rey," Ben said, lowering his brows and gazing at her fondly.

"I'm not afraid," she said, smiling. He sensed that she felt emboldened. Return to me soon, Ben.

I will. Ben stopped at the top of the ramp, tears threatening in his eyes as he stared across at her. "I love you, Scavenger."

Rey smiled, but her trembling mouth betrayed the sadness she was hiding. "I love you, you Scoundrel," she returned. After a moment, she flicked her hand, using the Force to gently shove him backwards. "Now get out of here, go see to your crew."

Ben stumbled back a step and smiled at her one long, final moment before turning and walking the last few steps to the ground. He turned and saw the ramp lifting immediately back into place. He sensed in Rey that this was to keep herself from running down after him.

Ben remained in the crowded hangar as he watched her shuttle start up and lift from the ground. It gained speed as it ascended into the lines of air traffic far above. His heart clenched in his chest as her ship soon shrunk into a tiny dot, mixing with the other crafts above. He continued to watch until he could no longer keep track of the dot that was Rey.

He lowered his head and closed his eyes, sulking in place until a man carrying heavy-looking boxes shoved hard into him.

"S-S'cuse me," the man grunted.

Instead of lashing out at the man, Ben merely stood and watched as he passed, struggling to carry the boxes to his ship through the inattentive passersby. Sighing and shaking his head, Ben moved forward to catch up to the man.

"Do you need help with that?"

….

Here we go, Allan thought to himself as he watched Master Ren board the command ship. He and the other attendants on board pressed themselves flush against the walls as their master passed by, the man's round droid beeping excitedly and following at his feet.

Ren stopped before the attendants, clasping his gloved hands before his chest. "I realize we were on planet longer than expected...I apologize. So let's get going, can you start up the ship?" he requested, nodding towards the pilots. As everyone silently stared at him, he turned and continued on down the main hall with the rolling droid.

Allan and the others stared at each other, taken aback; Master Ren was always in a bad mood when he boarded his ship, especially after battles and meetings with his knights like this one. This time, he wasn't even stomping as he'd come on board. Allan turned towards the other trooper who had been assigned to this mission, WS-4941.

"What's going on?" Allan whispered. WS-4941 shrugged.

"I don't know, AN-838," WS-4941 said in a low voice. "But I bet he's tricking us. Giving us a false sense of security, y'know? And then, when we least expect it—wham, he'll toss someone against the wall with the Force," he said, gesturing his arm in exaggerated imitation of the act.

Allan rubbed his own arm in annoyance at his friend's enactment, still sore from having been forced to battle Ren in a training session. Training session my ass, he thought. It had been a slaughter. Although, admittedly, no one had actually died.

The three pilots nodded as they listened to WS-4941. "I'll bet you're right," one of them said. "Everyone, to your posts. Let's all be sure stay on our guard."

As the crew went back to their assigned stations, Allan remained in place and thought back to when he'd stood guard at the pretty girl's holding cell on the Finalizer—Rey, yes, that had been her name. He hadn't forgotten about her. He also hadn't forgotten how she'd looked at Master Ren.

Poor girl must have been brainwashed, Allan thought, shaking his head despondently.

He wished he could see the Rey girl again. He thought of her quite often. Especially her story of the stormtrooper named Finn, the one who'd left the Empire when it had been the First Order. Allan hadn't believed the girl's story at first, of course, but he'd later managed to break into computer files in Captain Phasma's office when she'd left it unlocked, and he'd found records of the famous traitor everyone had whispered about, the one known as FN-2187.

Perhaps Rey gave him his new name, too, Allan thought. FN. Finn.

FN-2187 was spoken about like a myth amongst the stormtroopers of the Empire. To leave the service of the Empire was treason and punishable by death, everyone knew, so to leave and make it out alive was an unheard-of feat.

So why would Finn leave? Allan wondered, raising his hand to rub his chin, but it was blocked by his helmet. And how could a traitor be happy?

"AN-838, c'mon, let's load up the ramp," WS-4941 said, shoving his sore arm and knocking him abruptly out of his daydream.

Allan grumbled and rubbed his arm, which was hurting now. He just wished everyone would know him as Allan.

Can poor Allan just get a break? Jeez. Just because he's a stormtrooper doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings, too, ugh. At least we know he's okay now after his training with Kylo/Ben. We also know that the story of Finn seems to have inspired and intrigued him, and that he still thinks about Rey. Speaking of whom...

Rey believes that she and Ben are powerful enough to take down Snoke, but Ben disagrees. Is he not confident enough in their abilities? What's that power source that Snoke has on Mustafar? Is our Reylo duo actually strong enough to match this Darth Plagueis?

Aside from all that nonsense, Rey's emotions surrounding the potential of family are fragile, fam. She waited 13 years for her family, just to find out from Maz they're actually dead. That's rough. So I think it's pretty understandable for her to lash out at the potential of losing her one remaining shot at real, solid family. Speaking of which...

Benjamin is determined to avoid both his grandparents' and parents' relationship mistakes. But will he even get the chance to live through the end of the war? Will he be able to keep his promise to Rey? And who was spying on him and his scavenger earlier on Coruscant?

So many questions...*bites fingernails*