Chapter 10

Rey awoke, groggy and expecting the coolness of the leather cabin chair. As she became more lucid, she immediately recognized that she was tucked in bed and no longer in the cockpit. Laying on her stomach, she turned to the side and saw Ben's familiar figure beside her. Her mind went to the night before, when she was almost certain she fell asleep in the co-pilot's chair. Ben had said he would keep watch in case the Eilupine returned. She figured at some point he must have carried her to bed when he felt the danger was gone for the night. The thought made her smile and look fondly at his sleeping figure. Never in all her life, not even in the Resistance, had she felt safe enough around someone to trust them to protect her while she slept. For as long as she could remember, she had to be vigilant, even in her dreams. Any small, odd noise could wake her up. But yesterday was different. She fell asleep knowing she could relax for once. Knowing tomorrow was a guarantee, and not a hope. It was a release she never knew she needed.

Ben was on his side, facing away from her. The heavy, grey quilt rose and fell with each deep breath he took. Rey reached out and touched his exposed shoulder blade. This time she did not hesitate, instead, she frowned. A massive scar, clearly old, crawled from his lower back to his shoulder. It spread in all directions, flowering across his skin like a tree branch in the summertime. Rey was no stranger to scars, but she had never seen anything like this. She traced the branches, unsure if they were some form of body art or something more sinister. His skin was raised and toughened, confirming her solemn suspicions.

A few minutes passed and Ben stirred beneath her touch. He reached a heavy hand behind him and gently grabbed her wrist. He slowly turned over, looking at Rey through lidded eyes. For a moment, Rey was quiet, her expression soft and sorrowful. Ben could feel her energy; she was feeling the weight of the scars that meandered his body. He let go of her and sighed, closing his eyes. His mind fought the call to wakefulness. Softly, cautiously, Rey broke the silence.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to," she said.

Placid and slow to speak, Ben replied.

"There's nothing to explain. That's what lightning does to you—if you survive," he said.

Rey was pensive as she looked into Ben's eyes. She felt pity for him but saw no indication that he was outwardly burdened by the revelation. For Ben, like the scars themselves, the pain was gone, and only a faded memory remained. Rey wondered if she should just stop asking questions.

"Are those all from…Snoke?" She asked, her voice low.

Ben stared at her, his expression unreadable.

"Yes," he said.

Rey closed her eyes for a moment, then looked back to him. Face to face, their thoughts flowed freely between them. The bridge that connected their minds had grown so strong; it was almost as if they could talk without speaking. Still, she could not hold back the words that escaped her lips.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

At first, Ben wanted to refute her. He wanted to shrug off the sentiment, knowing it was unnecessary. He could handle the memories on his own—he had done so for years. But he realized it was not about him. It was about them. It was about hearing the words he should have heard decades ago. It was about no longer having to shoulder a burden by himself. It was about letting go. It was about healing. He breathed.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that," he paused, "Rey, when we get out of here, when we get off this planet, you'll stay with me, right?"

They looked at each other for a long time. They looked at each other like one might look at themselves in a mirror. Rey cupped Ben's cheek, brushing his dark hair aside. Ben allowed himself to melt into her touch, soothed by the sensation of her skin. The air between them was warm and soft, like the gentle words they shared. It was more humanity than either had experienced in so long. Ben pulled Rey close to him, needing to feel her presence—needing to feel her. She responded with equal passion and possessiveness. They held each other close, silently vowing to never let go. The way their lips locked together was becoming pleasingly familiar. The tastes, the movements, the reactions. The language they spoke seemed to need less and less words over time. The subtle communication became key, as they slipped further down a road of passionate exploration. There was the way Rey dug her hands into his hair, occasionally pulling harder than she intended. And how Ben traced each line of her body, from the top of her hips to the curve of her breasts. There was a new level of comfort in the exchange: no walking on eggshells, no fear of pushing the other away. A social contract had been signed, and both were all the happier for it.

What was this sensation? This unexplainable feeling? This pact that could only be cultivated through trust and affection. Ben had sworn he would never feel it for anyone ever again. He promised himself it would never happen. Rey had never felt it and assumed she never would.

A burning heat.

Breath quickened, lungs pushing harder and harder.

A shared struggle.

Clothes being tossed aside.

Why now? Was it a demand of the universe, or purely of their own will? Two unlikely souls, in opposing worlds. Rey had been hoping for this all her life, never knowing when or if she would see it. She had no word for it, but something in her biology recognized the necessity. The necessity for companionship, for intimacy, for understanding. The day she saw him, she assumed her searching would come to an unceremonious, brutal end. He would snuff out the Light in her, and she would never again have to yearn for those three things, or anything else for that matter.

Tousled hair obscuring sultry expressions.

Delicate skin, laced in sweat, sensitive and warm.

Ravenous kisses, soft moans.

Hands exploring forbidden territory.

Hearts racing, faster and faster, bodies anticipating danger.

A second chance Ben had never asked for, never knew was possible. Who was this woman? What was she doing to him? The Darkness was his life, his maiden, his ambition. This desert nobody was supposed to be a steppingstone, but she was turning out to be a homewrecker of the best kind. His heart was melting day by day, pooling at her feet. It prompted so many questions: What did she want from him? Why him? What did he do to deserve this? At this point, he was content to never receive a single answer.

Anticipation. A pause. A burning question.

Ragged breathing. Coos of need and want. Resounding acquiescence.

Fingers clutching onto tangled sheets.

Unbreathable air, humid and musky.

Bodies aligned—two halves becoming one.

Initial discomfort. A generous pause.

Slow and steady. Encouraging words.

Perfect pleasure, skin on fire.

Unending hunger. Chasing a primal high.

Nails digging into skin. Feral expressions full of lust.

Pleas of yes and faster.

Twinkling stars with each thrust.

Something lost…? A promise that never should have been made.

Serotonin, blinding judgment.

Unspoken declarations. Voices harmonizing.

Something found…? A home in the most unlikely of places.

An energetic peak.

Pure euphoria.

Could this be…

Crashing waves, over and over.

Emotional cascade. A falling high.

Oxytocin, unreserved affection. An unbreakable bond.

…love…?

"Yeah, I can't explain it; some things just turn out better than you could have asked for, especially for being in such a volatile setting," Ben said with a yawn, casually discussing the minutiae of First Order war room etiquette.

"I see. So, was there anything you weren't allowed to do in the First Order? I've always imagined it's an 'anything goes' sort of place," Rey said.

Bodies still touching, Rey and Ben looked at each other affectionately, the heat of the past hour lowering to a comfortable simmer. She had one hand on his chest, the other twirling a lock of his hair around her finger.

"Don't get the wrong idea, sweetheart, any freedoms I had were to be spent doing the most mundane tasks you can imagine. When I wasn't training, I was doing paperwork," he paused, "As far as things I couldn't do, well, for one, I wasn't really allowed to socialize—"

"That's pretty obvious," she said.

"Well, look who's talking," Ben paused, gesturing lazily with the hand he had draped over Rey's bare waist, "feelin' a little bold now that we worked out some of that sexual frustration in you?"

"Shut up, I swear, you're such a piece of work."

"Hey, you're the one calling me unsocialized. You clearly like it though, so I don't know why you're complaining—"

Rey covered Ben's mouth with her hand.

"I said shut up. Pretend I said nothing and go on with your story," she said, stifling laughter through gritted teeth.

Ben said something, his words muffled by Rey's hand.

"What now?" She asked, expecting some sarcastic remark.

Ben grabbed her wrist, removing her hand from his face.

"I said I just think it's funny that you of all people would call me unsocialized," he said.

Rey rolled her eyes, her intuition proving her right. Still holding her wrist, Ben began placing gentle kisses along her palm, down her wrist, all the way up her arm, pulling her even closer.

"Oh, now you want to be nice? After you insult me. What kind of man are you anyway?" She asked, leaning away from him as she pretended to reject his affection.

He pulled her closer still.

"Your man," he said, his voice low and gruff as he breathed hot air on her neck, snaking his arm around her waist once more.

The butterflies in Rey's stomach fluttered once more at his words. She thought they would have been silenced by now, after the events of the morning, but no. This was all still so new. Something about his words felt real, when before they would have been a mere jest. They now shared each other in mind and body; in her eyes, that meant they held a piece of each other. An unbreakable bond, after all.

Your man, she thought.

The words were somehow more satisfying than his touch. Rey made a conflicted face. She did not want to give him the satisfaction of an affectionate response, nor reveal her inner elation at the thought he suggested. Yet, her mind's eye betrayed her; Ben could read her before an expression was even warranted.

"You're cute. You try so hard to pretend you hate me but inside you're completely enamored with my charm. It's okay, I have that effect on people, I get it," he said.

Rey rolled her eyes and licked her lip, accepting that she would never be able to out-talk him. It was times like these she almost forgot he was the same depressed shell of a man she had met months ago. Yet, his penchant for talking circles around her made her, at times, wish that sad, stoic boy would come back. Instead, she had unintentionally awoken the self-indulgent monster with a sharp tongue that was buried beneath his gloomy exterior. Years of pent-up personality seemed to be clawing its way out of him with each passing day.

I wonder if he'll talk circles around this, she thought, licking her lip again.

"Were you allowed to have sex in the First Order? Did your charm work on any of the women—or men, or droids, or whatever species you people recruit?" She asked with a devious grin.

She slid her hand around the back of his neck, lightly digging her nails into his skin: a half-hearted threat if he said something she did not want to hear. He stared, his eyes narrow, with a knowing smile. He could not help but to laugh at the question.

"Is this an elaborate attempt to interrogate me?" He asked, his smile widening as her nails dug a little deeper.

"No, I'm just curious," she said, innocently batting her lashes.

"And if I answer wrong?"

"There are no wrong answers, Ben."

"Entrapment comes in many forms—this is one of them."

Rey simply smiled, focusing on his pupils as they dilated with each passing second. Ben chuckled again as he watched her.

"I wouldn't have pegged you as the crazy jealous type. Would you be mad or something if I said 'yes'?" He asked.

Laying on his side, he propped himself up, so he was resting on one elbow. The other arm continued to hold her waist, drawing aimless circles with his thumb.

"I wouldn't be jealous at all; I'm just trying to paint a mental picture of who you are. You're…not the person I expected. Certainly not when we first met," she said, combing part of his hair back with her fingers.

"Who did you expect I would be?" He asked.

Rey shrugged as best she could while laying on her side.

"I don't really know. You seemed so troubled and…," her thought trailed as she was unable to find a suitable word to describe Kylo Ren.

"I'm assuming you've heard the saying about judging a book by its cover?" He asked.

"Yes, of course. I always knew there was more to you, but you're like a completely different person than I imagined."

"Is that good or should I pack up my things?"

Rey giggled, lightly pushing him.

"No! You really are a piece of work, aren't you? Different is good, I'm just getting used to it, that's all," she said.

"Rey, if I was only an angry sociopath, I don't think either of us would have made it this far," he said.

Rey nodded, suddenly reminded that she was literally in bed with a murderous dictator and not the innocent flame he was masking himself as. Or was the murderer the mask? She really could not tell anymore.

"And, just for the sake of honesty, no, I wasn't getting any action in the First Order. Sex was probably the last thing on my mind, considering the circumstances. There's nothing sexy about miserable people, on miserable ships, doing miserable things day in and day out," he said.

Rey nodded, quietly pleased with his answer. She figured, judging by his performance alone, she was not his first, but it meant there was plenty of time for him to forget about whoever the last person was. Before he could get the idea to ask her about her own sexual history, thus embarrassing herself, she quickly changed the topic.

"You mentioned packing up," she paused, gesturing with a finger, "speaking of that, we should really get moving since getting to that village will take some time," Rey said, patting his chest.

Ben groaned.

"You're still on that? You know we could just stay here? And instead of wandering through the woods with giant Eilupines and shit, I'll just tell you how beautiful you are for the next twelve hours. Doesn't that sound nice?" He asked.

"Ben, you said you'd come with," Rey said, her voice light yet clearly serious.

"I know," he said, running his free hand through his hair, "I was hoping my generous offer would manipulate you into changing your mind. Obviously, twelve hours isn't enough. What about fourteen?"

"Come on, trouble—get up," Rey said with a newfound sense of enthusiasm as she pushed the blankets aside. As she got up and began gathering her clothes from around the room, Ben had not made the slightest attempt to move from the bed.

"The most I can offer is sixteen hours. I'm going to be pretty incoherent beyond that," Ben said in one final, futile attempt to persuade her.

Rey giggled as she exited the room, clothes in hand.

"Get up!" She yelled from the hallway.

Ben let his head fall hard into the pillow behind him. He sighed.

Fuck.

It seemed like no matter how many times Ben and Rey ventured into the frigid tundra, they were never prepared for how cold and unforgiving the environment was. Even being wrapped in every layer of clothing they could find was not enough to stop the air from seeping into their bones, chilling them to the core. The snow had been blown into a reasonable depth for walking, but their feet were still frozen within their boots. Their breath came out in icy clouds with each step, and they held their arms tight to their bodies. And yet, the adventure was fully underway, and neither were willing to give up on the hours they had already spent trekking through the dark wilderness.

They had no navigation tech to guide them, nor a discernible path to follow. All they had was the memory of where the flares came from the night before, and the tracks that remained from the pack of Eilupine. Ben was not at all thrilled about the reckless nature of such a trip but had since given up on his complaints after the first couple hours. Rey, optimistic as ever, chugged along with the determination of someone who knew there was something to be gained from this. Whatever that was would remain a part of her knowledge, and her knowledge alone.

The packs they carried with them had the essentials yet were inherently underwhelming given their dwindling resources. Both hoped and assumed this trip would be a simple "there-and-back", as they could not afford for it to be anything more than that. Despite the poor planning, both felt they were sufficiently prepared, so long as "sufficiently" was loosely defined.

Idle chatter about what they brought, what they expected to find, and how sick they were of this forest was exhausted, opening the door for deeper, more engaging conversation. While Ben was often on the receiving end of Rey's questionnaires, he felt it was time she started to answer some of his questions as well.

"So, you never really answered me when I asked you what you planned to do now that the First Order has been toppled. Can the Resistance even function as a leading body as it currently stands? What do you have, a few thousand people?" Ben asked, adjusting his bag so it would stop slipping off his shoulder.

Rey, walking a few steps in front of him, looked back in confusion.

"Where did you get that number from?" She asked.

"I saw all those ships; that had to have been at least five hundred to a thousand ships alone."

"Oh, those weren't Resistance fighters. Those were just, uh, volunteers I guess you could say. Citizens willing to fight."

"Alright. So, the Resistance has what? A couple hundred people?"

"Twenty."

"Come again."

"We have twenty on Ajan Kloss. I believe some of the citizens' fleet will stay and help, but our numbers are less than fifty total."

Ben shook his head.

"Fifty people isn't enough to hold a single trade negotiation, Rey. You can't honestly expect to run a galaxy with that."

"Yes, we're well aware, no thanks to your fleet," Rey said, struggling to withhold her frustration, "but systems all over the galaxy are rising up against the First Order. There are smaller governments out there who will take back control of their systems. With them and what remains of the New Republic, we can rebuild."

"That's a tall order; you better hope you actually cut off the head of the First Order, and not just a few limbs. Don't forget, our military was built from impossible odds. Even big losses, like the Starkiller, didn't slow us down. I wouldn't underestimate them just because of the events on Exegol."

"Thank you, Ben, you're just such an optimistic voice in these trying times."

"I'm not an optimist, Rey, and I'm not here to lie to you. The Resistance has nothing. Why don't you all cut your losses, pat yourselves on the back for what you did accomplish, and go your separate ways? If the galaxy is meant to overthrow the First Order, it will happen with or without the Resistance."

Rey shook her head and looked at Ben with a defiant smile.

"That's not the kind of people we are—you'll see. When you meet them, you'll understand," she said.

"Tell me about them then, so I can get an idea of who's going to try to beat me up first," he said.

Rey gave a small smile; something about the image of Finn and Poe trying to beat up Ben was not only comical but relatively high in terms of likelihood. Rey could only hope Ben would just use the bare minimum force necessary to hold them off.

"Well, there's Poe. He is our new general, or admiral, I'm not really sure—," Rey began.

"Poe Dameron? The ace pilot?" Ben said, cutting her off.

"Yeah! How did you know that?"

"We've met. I'm sure he'll be very happy to see me again."

"Oh, well then you probably know he's…difficult, to say the least. If there is anyone who will try to pick a fight with you, it's him," Rey said with a subtle but disappointed sigh.

"He's short, I can take him."

"No! You have to promise me you won't get into any fights. They'll never accept you if you're being defensive."

"So, what? I can't even defend myself?"

"No. No fighting. Period."

Ben gave Rey a look, his brows furrowed as he leaned away from her.

Well, that's messed up, he thought.

He wanted to say something to that effect, but kept his mouth shut, seeing how Rey's eyes pleaded with him. Something about the softness in her expression told him she was scared: scared the Resistance would be looking for any excuse to imprison him, thus separating them. He felt a surge of protective energy and sighed. If protecting her meant staying his hand in a fight, then he would be remiss not to.

"Alright, fine. But only because you asked me to. Who's next on your list?" He asked.

"Finn, he's a good friend of mine. I think he's a general now, too. You should be familiar with him, I assume," she said.

"I don't know a General Finn."

"Really? He was a stormtrooper."

"You mean FN-2187? So, he goes by 'Finn' now? Alright, I can't say I blame him."

"'FN-2187'? I've heard that, what is it? A troop number or something?"

"No, that was his name. Clearly, he didn't like it very much. He never told you that?"

Rey shook her head.

"No, he doesn't like talking about his time as a stormtrooper. You're saying you didn't know him, then?" She asked.

"We had millions of stormtroopers, Rey. I barely knew my generals, let alone the foot soldiers," Ben said.

"You knew his number, though…"

"Yes, you're right. There was an incident on Tuanul—he was written up for disobedience. That was the day he left."

Rey nodded. Ben continued to think, his memory reliving that fateful night.

"There was something else about him; it prompted me to look at his information myself. That's the only reason I recognized him. Tell me, has he ever spoken to you about the Force? Or expressed any abilities to your knowledge?" Ben asked, looking at her.

Rey shook her head, looking quite puzzled. Ben thought to himself for a moment.

"Alright. Well, I'll be looking forward to speaking with him, though I imagine I'm the last person he wants to see alive," he said.

Rey rubbed her arm. She was reminded of an issue that had been on her mind for the past few weeks, before Exegol and before Vicondor.

"Yeah, about that…," Rey began.

Ben looked down at her, picking up on the uncertainty in her voice. He raised a brow.

"I'm not completely sure, but I think Finn has a thing for me. Things have been so hectic lately, even before all of this," she gestured to the forest and planet, "and I haven't had the time or energy to talk to him about it. But I think he's been wanting to say something to me for a while."

Ben continued to look at her, his eyes blinking a few times, his expression unreadable. He briefly looked to the sky as if expecting some additional information.

"So, let me get this straight," he began counting on his gloved fingers, "he's the second commanding general, he considers me a war criminal, he's a former stormtrooper so he hates me to begin with, and to top it off, I'm fucking the girl he likes? Just when I thought things couldn't get any better," he said, making a gesture of indignation.

Rey gave him a disapproving look.

"While I don't agree with how you worded that, yes, you are right, assuming he does see me that way," she said.

Ben shook his head.

"I know you're going to hit me for saying this, but you should have just left me for dead on Exegol, because if your hotshot ace pilot doesn't murder me in my sleep, FN—Finn is definitely going to poison me or slit my throat when no one's looking," he said with a resigned laugh.

Rey pursed her lips as she thought, but she did not hit him. His concern seemed valid—plausible even.

"I'll admit, it seems like a bleak prospect, but think of it this way: you two will both have something in common. You can bond over your shared affection for me. That's a nice thought, isn't it?" She asked with a smile, digging to find a hopeful thought in the most troublesome scenario.

Ben just stared at her, quietly questioning her mental stability.

"Yeah, no. That's not going to happen, sweetheart."

They were getting closer to the village; they just knew it. The rocky outcroppings that they first saw near the Falcon were becoming more frequent, turning much of the valley into a stony ravine of sharp rock walls. A ridge in the distance seemed to lead to a suspiciously large clearing in the trees, and Rey swore she saw smoke rising into the night. In the darkness, it was nearly impossible to tell anything apart, save the white snow from a black background. Ben was not convinced of seeing any smoke. Rey suggested he just didn't want to be convinced.

As the trees became scarcer, they also took on a distinctly different form. Even in the poor lighting, one could see the variety of obtuse slices that were scrawled across the tree trunks. Layers of bark rolled away from the tree bodies, having been neatly cut to form delicate spirals. Some of the symbols appeared to have a syntax, but in what language, neither Ben nor Rey could discern.

Rey pressed her hand to one of the intricate symbols, feeling the grooves of the bark and smoothness of each crafted line. She frowned as the memory came to her.

"These symbols," she paused, "I've seen these before."

Ben was quiet as he observed the same tree from a few steps back.

"When we climbed that hillside, however many days ago. I barely saw it, but I felt these same grooves on a tree near the top of the hill," she said.

"Where we saw the carcass," Ben added.

"I wonder if these were made by the same people that shot off those flares."

"Only one way to find out."

Ben started forward again, feeling a sudden uneasiness in the back of his skull.

"I wish I could read what they say," Rey said, her hand slipping from the tree trunk.

In front of them, through the black abyss of the valley, came the distinct sound of a large tree branch snapping. Both stood in place, dead still, as their attention was wholly on the sparse trees before them. Then the sound of small rocks tumbling from the rock wall. Rey took a few steps forward, bringing her shoulder-to-shoulder with Ben. They breathed in unison, the drum of their hearts filling the tense silence.

Like snakes prowling on their bellies, tendrils of dark energy slithered from the direction of the noises, wrapping around Ben like a vice. He swallowed hard as the hair on his neck stood up. He had felt this energy before; he had felt it all his life. The power of the darkness, wielded by a knowledgeable user. His own dark energy bristled at the intrusion, recognizing a rival in the Force. He moved into a fighting stance. Knowing himself, instinct was seconds from taking over.

"Rey—"

A nebulous flurry of white fur and razor teeth flew out from the shadows, bounding towards them in great, powerful strides. It dwarfed them by several meters, getting closer with each second. Both jumped out of the path of the beast, diving to the left and right as the massive creature barreled past them. They quickly regrouped, watching as the creature slid into a scrawny tree, uprooting it with little resistance. Dazed, the beast slowly rose to its six legs and turned towards them. They could hear its heavy breathing, laborious and congested. Its piercing yellow eyes glowed like torches, hungrily analyzing them. Against its pale fur, Rey noticed a dark patch at the base of its throat, where a long object seemed to protrude from its hide, rising and falling with each movement. It opened its gaping maw to utter a terrifying roar, but instead began to hack and contort its body as if in agony.

"Quick—your lightsaber!" Ben called out, watching the Eilupine as it struggled to stay standing. After a few moments of no response, he looked to his side where Rey stood. She was looking between the lightsaber in her hands and the creature. She looked up at Ben.

"It's hurt, can't you see?" She asked, her voice heavy with sympathy.

Even beneath the adrenaline, merciful compassion blazed in her eyes. Ben was beside himself; had it been anyone else, he would have throttled them without question. The Eilupine appeared to regain its footing, looking to them with the intent to charge. He reached for the lightsaber in her hands.

"Rey! This is not the time—!"

The towering creature lunged towards them, its teeth bared and eyes wild. Ben's body reacted before his mind could process his actions. There was no way he could grab the lightsaber in time, ignite it, and be in the position to stab the beast before it ran through them both. Some part of him knew this with preternatural timing. He turned and with a quick gesture reached out his hands, palms facing the charging beast. Like it had been flash-frozen, the Eilupine was brought to a halt. Ben groaned under the intense strain, his jaw clenching.

Rey staggered backwards as Ben was pushed into her, having absorbed the momentum of the beast's charge. She fell on her back, not even having the time or sense to catch herself with the Force. In fact, when she saw the creature charge, all thought of what to do seemed to leave her mind.

She felt like she was in a fog, unable to see or think straight. The pleasing relaxation of a drunken torpor overtook her muscles. The whole situation was starting to lose its intensity as her mind wandered. She noticed a sizable cut on her thigh, leaking blood and unusually warm. The creature must have scratched her on its first pass. She looked up at Ben with just enough mental wherewithal to be in awe of his ability to hold the Eilupine at a distance with the power of the Force. He stood over her, putting himself between her and the jaws of death. He had not hesitated. In such a hazy state, Rey could not place her feelings, but she noticed a profound sense of pride.

Your man, the words echoed in her mind.

Through labored, desperate breaths, Ben looked to her, his eyes wide. His muscles tensed and spasmed as he struggled to hold the beast in place.

"Kill it, Rey! Kill it now!" He commanded.

Rey simply looked at him with a tilt of her head, her eyes as empty as a doll. His voice came through in distant echoes but meant nothing in a logical sense. She gave a small smile, enamored with the pleasure of his tone. Ben recognized her incapacitation, like that of an intoxicated trooper, with concern written in the creases of his brow.

"Rey?" He asked, his voice still urgent but now laced with concern.

No response. She stared at the ground, her head nodding as if she might fall asleep. He looked to the lightsaber next to her in the snow, having fallen from her hand. He swallowed hard, looking back to the Eilupine. It forced a growl despite the paralysis—he was losing his grip. He looked at the weapon again, biting his lip. If he tried to grab it with his other hand, he'd surely lose hold of the beast. His stamina was draining by the second.

A whisper pulled his attention away from the lightsaber. Awful musings spoken in a silent tongue. He slowly looked to the Eilupine, meeting its beaming eyes. There was something hauntingly familiar in those orbs. They penetrated his skin and mind, filling his vision. This was not the darkness he had come to wield in his own right; this was unique, untamed, concentrated for one purpose. His limbs began to shake, his muscles tensing painfully. He realized it was becoming difficult to move, as even his eyes could not drop the sight of the creature. His jaw, still clenched, threatened to break his teeth under the intense pressure. His telepathic hold was slipping, his hand shaking violently. The Eilupine was pushing back, threatening him with a secret of its own. The whispers turned into blood-curdling trills. For a moment, there was him and nothing else, staring into the eyes of a black sun.

What is this…power? He wondered, seeing the end.

Whoosh! A heavy projectile flew overhead, shrouded in black cloth. Ben fell to his knees, barely catching himself from landing face first in the snow. His muscles relaxed all at once, providing an overwhelming relief. The heavy darkness left his body, sucked out into the vacuum of space. Heaving breaths poured from his lungs; he pressed his eyes shut at the stinging pain. Slowly, he looked up, seeing the slumped white form meters from him. Another object like the one they had seen in its neck, a pole wrapped in cloth, protruded from the Eilupine's skull. A thick pool of black formed at the base of the intrusion, flowing forth, and mixing with the pure snow below. The monstrous creature had been slain.

Ben turned, looking behind him. Rey was still sitting quietly, propped up on one arm. She looked at him, her eyes distant and aimless. He went over and knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. A new sense of urgency fell over him.

"Rey, what's wrong? What happened to you?" He asked, gently shaking her.

"I…," the single word fell from her mouth as she looked down at her thigh.

Ben followed her gaze, realizing the gash that cut through her clothes and into her skin. He looked closely, noticing a metallic luster on the torn bits of clothing around the wound. Drops of the shiny substance, reminiscent of liquid mercury, mixed with the clotting blood. He looked into her eyes again, gently pulling down on the thin skin below one eye so he could see the sclera. No discoloration or paleness—a good sign for now. She leaned against him, her breathing deep and slow. He put his arm around her shoulder, unsure what to do now, considering her mysterious intoxication. He took the quiet moment to catch his breath and gather his thoughts.

From beyond the dead form of the Eilupine, came the sound of snow and rocks crunching beneath slow footsteps. Ben turned, ready to jump to his feet if he needed to, the last of his adrenaline reserves kicking in. He watched as the figure, tall and slender, emerged from the darkness. The outline of some heavy contraption loomed behind it, strapped to its back—a weapon of considerable size. Two of the projectiles, the same used to take down the Eilupine, were attached to the unusual weapon. The figure walked around the animal's body, coming to stand a few meters from where Ben and Rey sat in the snow. Ben gritted his teeth, a strong protective urge filling him with violent energy.

"Stop where you are! Or I'll put you down," he spat.

The figure stood still, regarding them with curiosity. It was difficult to glean any details in the shadowy environment, but Ben quickly realized the stranger was no species he had ever encountered before. A tall, isopod-like creature, with a vaguely humanoid stature. One slender, jointed arm held onto the strap across its torso. Three identical arms were clutched tight to its body. Plates of shelled armor formed its head and face, with insect-like mandibles where a mouth would be. Somehow, its limited expression and curious, childlike movements suggested it was not a threat. Ben's shoulders slightly relaxed.

It looked down at Rey, its small antennae twitching as it tilted its head. With one of its three remaining arms, it pointed at her wound, looking at Ben as if to ask what happened?

"It scratched her. I think…," he paused, wondering if he should be revealing any information to this strange creature, "I think she was poisoned or something."

Ben conceded the information, feeling he had no real choice, as he had no idea what to do. The stranger had saved them; the least he could do was be forthright. The stranger immediately reached into the fold of its robes, which covered its shelled body in its entirety. Ben eyed its movements with a heavy dose of suspicion. It presented a small vial with roughly a milliliter of colorless liquid. Ben shook his head.

"What is that?" He asked, his voice firm.

The stranger said nothing, its mandibles making slow, clawing motions. It looked to the vial, then to Rey, gesturing for Ben to take it. Ben surmised it likely could not talk—at least not in Standard. Ben shook his head again, running a heavy hand across his face.

"I don't know what that is. An antidote or what? How do I even know that stuff is safe for her?" He asked.

The stranger continued staring at him with its beady, isopod eyes. It tilted its head, appearing confused that Ben would not take the vial.

"Safe? Is it safe for humans? Do you understand what that means?" Ben asked in frustration, gesturing between him and Rey.

The stranger looked at the vial before removing the cork. It dipped the tip of one limb into the liquid and dropped a small amount onto its mandibles. It made a small gesture of See? It's okay. It then pushed the vial towards Ben again. He sighed, turning to look at Rey's tired expression. She leaned into him further like a dead weight, still looking as though she might fall asleep at any time. Slowly, her eyes met his. They looked at each other for a moment, before Rey's gaze fell to the ground again. Even without words, Ben understood her meaning. It was a look of trust. He sighed and accepted the vial.

Carefully, he helped her raise the glass to her mouth, and down the liquid, making sure not to spill any of it. Rey coughed twice but was able to keep it down. Ben handed the vial back to the stranger. After stuffing the bottle back into its robes, it quickly looked around, rubbing its stubby limbs together like a fruit fly. It looked at Ben again, then waved one arm in a universal gesture:

Follow me.