"RATHTARS?" Rey asks incredulously.
"About 20 of them. The Attendants were well guarded and skilled at diversion. One nearly escaped but I was rather… determined to keep that from happening."
Rey had excused herself from the war room so she and Ben could commune in private. Their connection had definitely grown stronger, allowing them to reach each other at will. The string to his heart was a warm thin signature she could tug on through the cosmos.
"It tried to blow me out an airlock… but that didn't quite work out."
Rey balks, her insides dropping at how close he came to losing his life. They sit, legs crossed, seemingly across from each other on the floor of her regal suite. Ben is only slightly cleaner, blood hastily wiped away leaving smudges of red and sweat and other filth. There's a wound on his head and shoulder but most of the blood was apparently not his own. Whatever species the Attendants were, they were quite the bleeders.
"R'iia's shorts Ben!"
"The rathtars were far more troublesome. You probably don't know, but they are force sensitive creatures on top of everything else. They're these rolling balls of violence, teeth and tentacles…"
"I know them. Han was hauling rathtars on a freighter when I first met him…"
She pauses for a moment gauging Ben's response. It seemingly peaks his interest. He raises an eyebrow giving her a sideways glance.
"We got boarded by two gangs he had swindled. I sort of accidentally let the rathtars loose while trying to help Han escape, and well… I learned a lot about rathtars. We ended up blasting out of the hanger on the falcon at lightspeed."
Ben lets out a great heavy sigh.
"Sounds like my…" he stops. "It sounds like Han Solo."
A pang, sharp with loss and regrets shoots through her heart and she knows it's Ben's. She doesn't know why, but Rey goes on with her story.
"I thought we were goners for sure… and if I hadn't helped to bypass a compressor Unkar Plutt put on the hyper drive we definitely would have been…"
"Who the kriff would put a compressor on a hyperdrive…" Ben mumbles to himself. The fact that bucket of bolts hadn't disintegrated mid-jump by now is a miracle of the force itself. He resents that resilient hunk of junk. Like so much else with his past, it stubbornly endures, refusing to die. He thinks that's why he always preferred the newest and finest fighter tech, writing the specs himself. He longs for his Tie Silencer.
"I know, your father agreed. Called Plutt a moof-milker."
There's a slight chortle from Ben and Rey looks surprised. Then he realizes that he laughed, and frowns turning away from her.
"Please stop," he says barely above a whisper.
Rey feels his heart shattering, the retching of his guilty soul. It seems like a lifetime ago when she demanded to know why he killed his father, screaming at him from across the galaxy while blinking away tears and the sight of his glorious pecs. He never answered, always deflecting, always turning it around on her, keeping her on her toes in their intellectual tête-à-tête.
Why? The question floats from her mind to his, without anger this time, but with pity and concern. You didn't hate him… you… loved him?
He sighs again. Now was not the time for this… he needed to be strong. But the recent battle had left him so drained he didn't think he had the will to deny her anymore. It was all or nothing now. Rey was his everything and if they were going to save the galaxy together, it was becoming apparent that keeping her out of his mind was an exercise in futility.
He closes her eyes and shows her… the power of the dark side.
It's seductive and delicious, invigorating, powerful and alive. With it he could change the future, erase his painful past and have everything he ever wanted. But its promises came with a price. The ultimate price. An ultimate… sacrifice. He shows her Snoke's teachings and the visions from Vader's helmet. The cost of that power was what made you human, what made you weak and foolish…
He shows her Han's dice in the hands of a toddler with jet black curls, a dirty face and a radiant smile, following his daddy the hero… he lets her feel his excitement during his first flying lessons at 10 years old, how he longed to be a pilot like his father… how he loathed his power and the voices and how he never seemed to do anything right… how he cried into his father's chest before being sent away at 15, knowing that his father wanted him to stay and forget all this Jedi business… he was the greatest thing Ben could have sacrificed.
I was wrong. Ben thinks at her and Rey becomes aware of the tears running down her own face.
He didn't just love his father. He loved him best.
Then she's falling, falling, falling backwards into a hopeless dark pit. Rey blinks and her eyes fall open on a memory.
A look of fear crosses Han Solo's face when suddenly - red light - his face contorts in pain and despair and yet - a warm callous hand reaches out for her face. Her skin burns! She's never seen Han's death like this before. She can see every emotion flit through his eyes! It pulses through her body! Regret, hurt, fear, sorrow, love, fear again.
My boy, his mind cries out. I'm sorry Leia, is his final thought as he falls, seemingly tearing her soul from her body as he disappears down the oscillator shaft. Her strength drains from her, her breath catches in her lungs. A devastating loss, total and black, shakes her limbs as her stomach turns and then - PEW! - A flash of light rips her flesh with a physical pain to match her insides.
Rey is swimming in agony when she looks up and sees… herself? Impossible… how?
And then there's him, the traitor, the bastard standing side by side with the girl who should be in her possession. Rey realizes these thoughts and feelings are not her own. She's looking through Kylo Ren's eyes, through Kylo's heart and then there's just rage, Rage, RAGE! Flaming toxic hatred, hurt and pain.
She channels it towards the TRAITOR, uses it to stand though her insides are barely contained from spilling out of the wound. KILL HIM, KILL, HIS FAULT, DIE!
Rey screams and finds herself in Ben's arms. He's holding her tight, shaking with suppressed sobs. They stay like that, holding each other for a long time before she finds the will to speak again.
"He loved you, even after you struck him. His hand…" she sobs then finds her voice again. "We're making it right. You can't take it back, but you can make him proud now. He forgives you." Ben shutters and slides down into her chest, holding her for dear life around her middle.
"I won't leave you Ben. I'm here. You don't have to bare it alone."
"Rey, Rey…" he mumbles into her. "Rey, I…"
"You love me."
She blurts it out because it's true. And now she knows why he didn't kill her.
He wasn't going to sacrifice another person he loved for Snoke's ambition. Rey hears a sharp intake of breath and Ben rises to meet her gaze. There's intensity, disbelief and longing. He denies nothing.
"And you… you too" he rumbles, perhaps still uncomfortable with the word love.
Her heart hammers, emotions swell, and she smiles. And now she knows why she didn't kill him too.
Suddenly it's like they're being pulled into a tunnel of light. They're still sitting across from each other but there is no fear, no darkness, only balance, only love. They smile, invigorated with the confidence of their mutual affection and look around at the rainbow tunnel of light flying around them. Then they're in a totally white space, there is no beginning, no end, only their energy.
They find each other's eyes again and are surprised to see the same eyes, but different faces looking back at them. Padme and Anakin behold each other again, and they laugh with tears of joy in their eyes.
Then it changes. They shape shift between faces they don't remember as well, but the eyes never change. They always find each other.
Rey closes her eyes and when she opens them this time, she finds herself standing in Snoke's throne room again. The praetorian guard lay dead at their feet, flames fall from the burning blood red canvas walls. They look the same as they did that day.
"I wasn't ready to stay," she calls to him, remembering how genuinely torn she was between his sincere please, and the lives of her friends.
"I wasn't ready to leave," he murmurs, approaching her again, extending his hand the same way he had done then.
"Let go," she whispers.
"I'm ready now," he whispers back, removing a leather glove.
She smiles and slips her hand into his.
"I'm ready too."
Ben gives a small smile as he looks upon her hand in his. Then he pulls her into a crushing embrace. She looks up and he captures her lips in a slow, loving kiss, the kind he wishes would never end.
Stars fly behind their eyelids and when she opens them a final time she's back in her suite on Naboo, Ben sitting before her. Tears stain his face but his expression now is anything but weak.
He looks strong and confident, almost cocky. There's light in his eyes and she smirks back at him.
Nothing will stand in our way.
When he vanishes, she doesn't feel alone.
She can hear a tiny, quick heartbeat that isn't her own, strumming along within her and she thinks that maybe it's the force's way of letting her know that her Ben is alive on the other side of the galaxy waiting for her.
—-
The day of the wedding dawns cold and clear. The ceremony is to take place on the newly rebuilt supremacy. The gleaming behemoth hovers menacingly above Naboo's atmosphere, visible even in daylight.
Everyone is playing their roles. Evidence of the resistance encampment is all but gone. It's quiet. The spectacular grounds of the castle are empty. Flowers and fountains, vines and baby animals in the yawning fields all move with the breeze, heedless of the tension.
Today, fate decides if Naboo's way of life endures, or will end in charred rubble and flesh.
In an expansive ornate chamber, nervous hands and frightened eyes dress Rey in her full wedding garb. Shaking fingers paint her face pale, and draw red lines on her lips.
Rey reaches out and grabs one of the handmaiden's hands, giving her a squeeze and a warm glance.
"It'll be alright," she says.
The maiden smiles nervously back and keeps working on the heavy headdress.
Before long she is a vision to behold. Adorned and beautiful and deadly.
The real queen enters dressed as one of her handmaidens and grabs Rey's hands. She looks so young without her gowns and make up.
"We thank you for your courage Jedi Rey. Please, be safe. Be victorious."
"Thank you your Majesty. We will be."
The Queen smiles and departs with her entourage, leaving Rey a few moments to herself.
As they exit, Finn enters. He has to remember to breathe. He hardly believes the impressive figure before him is his friend.
"Finn," she calls.
"It's time," he says walking up before her. He's dressed in a fine gray suit, with a vest and black frills. He'll be one of their well armed ushers.
"Don't you look handsome? It'll be a pity to ruin such a nice suit."
Finn chuckles, playing with his cuffs.
"You're pretty too… I mean for a Jedi…like strong, you look strong."
Rey laughs.
He goes on. "This is it huh? Are you ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
Rey pauses then takes his hands as well. It seems to work as a comforting gesture.
"Finn. We're going to win," she says with confidence.
He's about to respond when Rose opens the door. She squeaks, says something barely intelligible about not wanting to interrupt, and flees.
Rey let's out an amused sigh.
"If you like that girl you should let her know."
Finn stutters, making sounds but no words.
"Now would be a good time. Big battle and all."
Rey can almost see the lightbulb going off in his head.
"Oh yeah," he says feeling dumb.
"Gooo," she sings and he runs from the room after Rose.
Rey giggles, smoothing down her dress… then Finn runs back, surprising her.
"Oh!"
"Sorry. What do I say, what do I do?"
She can only laugh. A flustered Finn goes on.
"What did you and… you know… what did he do?"
"Well that's different," Rey starts, thinking hard. "We were fighting and crying and then I kissed him and we just started making out…"
"What? You kissed him first? After a fight? Why…?"
"Because… I, I… I love him."
Saying the words for the first time out loud feel both alien and cathartic at the same time. Finn looks like his brain has stopped working.
Rey smiles. "Just go, be honest."
He's still not computing. Stunned, Finn just nods and walks out of the room, looking back at his beautiful friend. Love? He'll never understand how this happened, and while it still hurts his heart a little, he vows to remain her most loyal friend forever.
Finn shakes his head and sets a look of determination on his face. They have a war to win. But first things first, he has a girl to go kiss.
—-
A royal procession assembles in the main hall of the castle, preparing to welcome the First Order receiving party. Commanders complete final weapons and communications tests. Wires are tucked into floral arrangements, carbon blasters folded carefully into walking sticks, garters, bosoms and belts.
Poe is the last person to approach Rey before they close the door of her white floral palanquin.
"You're beautiful," he says simply and Rey blushes.
"Make them hurt."
She meets his fiery gaze with one of her own.
"I will."
—-
It's a twisted celebration.
Held in a large docking bay, the room is flanked by hundreds of armed storm troopers. Large guns, walkers and other armaments surround the wedding party. Poe, posing as an usher as well, spots snipers waiting menacingly from the upper levels. They're obviously ready for a fight should there be the slightest resistance.
Rey looks all around her with a steely gaze as she exits the palanquin.
Then she closes her eyes.
She can feel him! He's here, even if she can't see him yet. Her eyes wander as she marches slowly down the aisle.
The Naboo delegation of a few hundred lines either side of her path, standing shoulder to shoulder facing inward as she passes by. They're flanked every 50 feet or so my gleaming white storm troopers. She wonders for a moment whether they had to polish their uniforms for this. Poe gives her a wink. Finn nods. Rose gives her a knowing smile.
Hux is a vision of slime. He stands, a smirk on his lips, his bright red hair slicked back. He wears a long white coat and a thin, black, thorn-like crown on his head.
She arrives before him, turning to face her would-be groom. She notes that the preacher appears to be a wizened old man, not the type she'd think to be a secret fighter.
Hux blows a kiss with his lips and it takes all her mental fortitude to not vomit on his obnoxiously white shoes.
"Beloved gathered. We stand together today to honor the union…" the preacher has only just begun the ceremony, when she hears his voice.
You're gorgeous. Rey hears in her head.
I know. She thinks back teasingly.
It's the smirk that gives her away. Hux's face falls. The woman he demeaned and broke down would not be smiling at a time like this. Something was a foot!
Rey instantly notices the change in his demeanor and her heart races! No sense in waiting then.
Rey lights her saber inside the bouquet. Purple light is reflected in his eyes as the double sided weapon tears forth!
Hux only has enough time for a comical expression of surprise before she liberates him of an arm, and then two!
All hell breaks loose.
Ben Solo emerges not far behind the priest. What Rey thought were tall, gangly black hooded aliens were actually Ben and his Knights, holding up the decapitated heads of the attendants while they hid in the robes below. His hand flies up and so does an armless Supreme Commander Hux.
Troopers open fire from all directions and the knights dive into the fray. Frill, sequence and flowers go flying as rebels reach for their weapons and tear out of their pretty clothes.
Ben squeezes Hux's throat and turns him, relishing the terror in his eyes and the agony of his screams.
"My congratulations on your wedding day. It's quite the riot of fun," Ben's voice is deep, matter-of-fact, yet predatory.
Rey helps to defend Ben's position, deflecting blasters and cutting down enemy troopers as he continues his torture.
"Sorry to crash the party. Did you think me dead? How unfortunate."
Hux struggles against the invisible grip around him.
"The galaxy is in poor hands with a creature as weak as you," Ben says as he kicks a dismembered arm.
"You lack vision," and he's pulling Hux's eyes from their sockets with the force. His screams are like sweet music.
Ben whispers menacingly in his ears, "And obviously you lack a head for strategy," and there goes his head. Hux has fallen and Ben savors his revenge.
"I'll take it from here."
He turns and returns to the fight.
Beside him is a sight even more savory than Hux's dismembered corpse at his feet. Rey has flung off the head piece, her gown apparently designed with a tear away skirt and sleeves. She's left fighting in something akin to a minidress, looking like a dark goddess as she twirls her double ended weapons, cutting down her enemies, blood and sweat on her brow and he thinks he's never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
He's by her side, fighting back to back like they did in Snoke's throne room. He's an animal, joyful, vicious and free.
Together they blow away an advance of troopers with a powerful blast of the force. It gives Ben time to turn and spin Rey around, wrap an arm around her waist and dive in for a passionate kiss. It's always better in person.
A panting Rey pushes back on his chest.
"I could have sliced you in half you know."
Her lovely face is all he sees. His eyes devour her, affection welling, heart racing. Now's the time to execute his other secret plan.
"Marry me," he pleads deeply, pressing his forehead to hers.
It's as if everything stops. Rey stares stunned into his dark, passionate eyes.
"The Queen of Naboo did me a favor," Ben force pulls the terrified elderly priest who had been cowering in a corner. "This is a real ordained minister familiar with the ancient rights, not just a fighter in disguise. It'd be such a pity to waste the ceremony…"
Rey battles a war of emotions.
"Ben…?"
"Marry me. Take my name. Be my family."
Their enemies are back. They swing, the priest cowers and Rey cries tears of joy the more she thinks about it.
Rey. Solo. Organa. Sywalker.
She would have a name. She can't decide which she'd like better. Maybe she'll take them all.
She would have a family. Han would be her father. Leia would be her mother. Ben would be her husband. Her children would have a legacy.
She swings her blades and laughs. It's everything she's wanted her entire life.
Ben grins a big grin and he looks goofy and sweet, even as he kicks his enemies to the ground and slays them with his red cross blade. Rey doesn't think she could love anything more in existence.
"Yes," she whispers to herself. Then she's screaming it.
"YES, YES, YES!"
They turn and grasp hands and the frightened priest begins administering the ancient rights of marriage.
There's a flash and the force creates a beautiful cage of light around them.
They seal their bond with a kiss and emerge victorious to a room full of startled witnesses. The battle is over, the troopers slain, the generals captured. The knights kneel and everyone else follows suit as they emerge from their cocoon of light as rulers and keepers of the galaxy, King and Queen, husband and wife.
—
The waiting resistance forces make their move as soon as there's word of Hux's demise, ambushing the supremacy and surrounding ships. It isn't long before Ben has seized control and ordered a cease fire.
What follows is messy… they summon generals, demand loyalty, those who refuse die. They consolidate power and plan to discuss peace.
But there's something odd, something amiss that Rey hasn't been able to put a finger on since reuniting with her new husband.
Then, in a quiet moment on the bridge of the Supremacy as they look out over the stars, she notices it. She thought the heartbeat she heard within her was Ben's, from across the galaxy. But now that he was standing beside her, and she could feel his pulse… there were three heartbeats.
Ben notices her train of thought and turns to her with a knowing smile.
"What is it?" she asks with big pleading eyes.
He places a hand on her abdomen and smiles.
"Our family."