Author's Note: Internal thoughts are in italics.
Chapter 10 - Just take it
Rey's eyes flicked to her outfit. She realised she was still wearing the dark attire that Kylo had given her. As she searched her room, she discovered that her tan clothing and the Jedi texts were now missing. She was internally debating whether to go back and retrieve them when she heard heavy footsteps outside her door.
Poe was calling out her name. "Rey? Rey?" The door to her room began to open. Rey swiftly reacted by using the force to slam it shut.
"Kriff, Poe! I'm getting changed in here. Have you ever heard of privacy?" she shouted. That was close. Too close. She couldn't let him see what she was wearing.
His desperation could be felt on the other side of the door. "Well, bloody hurry up! We just got intel on a supply shipment that is being moved right now," he hollered. "You have 30 seconds. I'll meet you in the hangar. We can't miss out on this opportunity." She could hear his footsteps disappearing back in the direction he came from.
Rey quickly took off her boots, pants, and top, shoving them into the bottom of her cupboard. She hurriedly put on the ensemble she wore when she met Luke, slipping on the white shirt, grey vest, pants, and armbands, pairing them with her brown boots. Then she flew out the door, holstering the blaster that Han had given her.
She skidded into the hangar, almost tripping over BB-8. "Sorry, buddy," she said as she looked up at Poe, who was already in his X-wing performing pre-flight checks. "What's the plan?" she shouted up at him.
He gestured to another T-65B X-wing they had found within the Rori base. "Jump into that one and follow me."
She glanced over to see another Resistance pilot, whom she didn't recognise, climbing out. He was wearing a flight jumpsuit. "Your pre-flight checks are complete," the man said."You're good to go."
She nodded. "Thank you," she said, then peered up at Poe again. "Where's my jumpsuit?"
"It's right behind you," he pointed to BB-8, who was holding it.
She quickly slid it on and zipped it up. "Thank you, BB-8." She tapped the droid on the head. He happily beeped in response.
"We don't have time. Just hurry up and get in," he hollered at her. "Sorry, BB-8. You're going to have to sit this one out."
A series of sad beeps escaped the droid, and he lowered his head, rolling away to a safe distance for Poe to take off.
It wasn't long until Rey was strapped into the Starfighter, and they were both blasting out of the hangar.
The comm in her helmet buzzed to life with Poe's voice. "Solo, come in. Can you read me?"
"Solo here. I read you loud and clear," Rey chuckled. "You realise that's the first time I've been referred to by my new call sign."
"I knew you'd love it," he replied. You could hear him smiling.
She checked her scanner and saw no other ships following them from their base. "Why is it just us?" she asked.
He sighed. "These are the only two fully operational ships left." "What do you mean?" Her surprise was evident. "We had five that worked only a couple of hours ago."
He was quick to answer. "The canopy on one has jammed," he explained. "The hyperdrive on another is malfunctioning, and the engine of the third won't even fire up. What I wouldn't give to get a new X-wing," he moaned.
Rey smiled to herself. Little did he know that a new batch of ships was coming to them soon. "Where are we heading?"
"Takodana. A supply run is passing by there," he replied as he placed the coordinates into his radar. "The intel wasn't clear on a destination."
"We don't need to land there, do we?" she asked. "The last time I stepped foot on that planet, I ended up being held by Kylo Ren." If only he was holding me right now. "You wouldn't want me being whisked away by the First Order, do you?"
Poe had no idea of the double meaning in her words. "Oh, Rey, I'm so sorry," he responded. "I didn't even think this planet would hold such painful memories for you."
"Not painful," she tried to soothe him. "More like... life-altering."
She couldn't really tell him that she saw her memories differently, since falling for the man beneath the mask. She could only imagine how it looked, being carried delicately by Kylo Ren while she was unconscious. Finn told her all about the moment they got separated. He had expressed concern as to why Kylo didn't have any of the stormtroopers drag her onto the ship.
Rey knew better; he was completely fascinated with her even then, and he refused to let another soul touch her. In truth, the only thing that had changed was his feelings had only deepened. He would still kill for her, but she knew that he was more than prepared to die for her now. She had assured Finn that Kylo didn't hurt her, but nobody believed her. They all thought she was trying to suppress horrible memories, and it didn't help that Poe had been a recipient of Kylo's mental torture.
Before Leia passed away, Rey revealed the truth to her. She disclosed not only about the interrogation but also everything else: the force bond, her feelings, and her son's offer to join him. She couldn't let Leia think that he had attacked her. He wasn't the monster he pretended to be. This revelation brought the two women closer before Leia's tragic passing. Leia told tales about Ben's youth and even about their family lineage. Knowing about Darth Vader and his fall to the dark side was difficult to hear.
It was sad to realise that he lost the love of his life in exchange for power. It made sense to Rey now why Ben was afraid that he would never be as strong as him. Deep down, she knew that if given the choice, he would choose love over power. He would never truly embrace the power of the dark side and become a Sith. His compassionate heart and inner light would see to that, and so would she.
Rey had promised Leia that she would never give up on Ben. It's part of the reason why she didn't block him out when they had reconnected through their bond. Leia advised her to trust in the Force and let it guide her. What would Leia think now? Would she agree that it's necessary to lie to the Resistance? The end justified the means, didn't it?
The only thing Rey is certain of is that Leia approved of her, saying so herself. She only wanted Rey and her son to be happy. She found it romantic that two lonely souls were bound forever by the Force. Secretly, Rey knew she was excited about the possibility of their union, not just bringing Ben back to the light, but also the prospect of marriage and children.
It was becoming evident that Ben felt the same way. He spoke about his dream of having a family with her. Even when they were training, he seemed pleased with the idea that she might want a child with him. Rey shook her head. She needed to keep her concentration on the task at hand. Children were a future she didn't need to worry about right now.
Rey addressed Poe, "What happens when we drop out of hyperspace?"
"It should be relatively easy," he replied. "The log suggests they are mostly hauling food. They aren't moving weapons; realistically, they shouldn't have an entourage. We will threaten them with destruction," he explained. "Get aboard and bring the loot home. Easy peasy."
She grumbled. "You make us sound like pirates."
"It's survival of the fittest," he confidently declared. "We can't burn the First Order down without supplies."
"So, we're stealing supplies from the organisation you hope to bring down?" Rey asked.
"You got it, Solo. Steal from the greedy First Order and give it to the needy Resistance," Poe quipped.
"I'm not going to argue with that," she replied. "You are quite needy." She was only slightly joking.
"Better than being greedy," Poe quipped.
They dropped out of hyperspace and were confronted with a medium-sized cargo ship. He was correct; there wasn't another ship in sight.
"Can you sense how many lifeforms are on board?" Poe asked.
Rey reached out with the force. "There appears to be only two." Seriously, Ben, you couldn't put more people on board?
He scowled. "I was hoping for more. It could be a trap."
"Maybe..." Think, Rey, think. She needed to come up with an excuse fast. "He might be planning for the supplies to get intercepted," she offered.
"Why would he want that?" Poe sounded puzzled.
"To play the innocent victim and gain attention through a public press conference," Rey suggested.
"That makes sense," Poe agreed. "A way to discredit the Resistance and get himself noticed," he chuckled. "But little does he know, these supplies will help the Resistance take him down. Let's do this."
Poe signaled for the transport. "This is General Poe Dameron of the Resistance," he stated. "Prepare to be boarded."
"Roger, General Dameron," a female voice responded. "Can your accompanying ship please identify itself?"
Rey took a deep breath. "This is Rey Solo, Jedi of the Resistance."
"Roger, Jedi Solo. You are cleared for landing," came the reply.
The side doors opened as they both landed inside. They hurried out of their ships and started to inspect the cargo, but there was not a single person in sight.
"This is eerie," Poe whispered. "It's so quiet." Drawing his blaster and scanning the shadows for movement. "I have a bad feeling about this," he said, turning towards Rey. "Are you sure it's only two?"
"Yes, it's fine. They're in the cockpit," she said, pointing to a door on the side. "That way."
Silently, she hoped that her bond mate wasn't lurking around the corner. She couldn't sense him, but that didn't rule out the possibility of him being there. He was more trained in the ways of the Force than her, and his presence could mean the end of Poe, especially since he witnessed Poe's advances on her earlier that morning. She really didn't want to go back to the Resistance and have to justify his death.
They managed to reach the cockpit without incident. However, upon arrival, Poe was shot with a blaster bolt by a stormtrooper standing to the side. Rey was unfazed by the development as she could sense the soldier's intent before she entered the room. Poe was thrown back against the wall and crumpled to the floor.
She looked down at Poe's unresponsive form. "You didn't kill him, did you?" The question was rhetorical.
A uniformed officer answered, "Of course not, Lady Ren." She bowed low before standing up tall. "The Emperor made it clear that we couldn't harm anyone, unless it was absolutely necessary."
Rey looked over to the stormtrooper, who tilted his helmet before standing back to attention. She noticed an orange shoulder pauldron that stood out against his white armor. Is he some kind of leader?
"You know who I am?" Rey asked, turning back to face the officer and taking in her appearance.
The officer had caramel-colored hair pulled back into a low bun under her peaked hat. Her blue eyes sparkled in the low light, and her skin was a similar color to Rey's. She had full lips and a curved nose that hooked down at the end.
"Our Lord briefed us on you and our mission," the lady chirped in response.
She seems happy to be here. "We better make this quick," Rey commanded. "My companion can't discover my true allegiance," Rey pointed from the soldier to Poe. "Make sure he stays that way, even if you need to hit him again." She felt slightly guilty over her command, but there was too much at stake.
"Yes, my lady," came the modulated reply.
The lady officer stepped forward. "If you'll follow me, please." The lady began walking to a side door and opened it, signaling for Rey to go first. Rey marched forward and found herself on a glass bridge.
"Who are you?" Rey inquired.
"I am Captain Parlux," she gently replied. "Emperor Ren thought it was important for you to be briefed on the cargo before it was turned over to you."
Rey nodded. "Proceed." They strolled along the bridge, which revealed heavily packed crates below, the same ones that Poe and her had navigated their way through earlier.
"Our Lord has included the food stores that you requested, under the assumption that the Resistance numbers remain less than three hundred," Captain Parlux explained. "The stores will last for approximately six months."
Rey nodded again. Captain Parlux continued and gestured to the crates as she listed their contents.
"There is a crate of twenty toolkits, one for every ship that has been ordered. He wanted me to inform you that they will be delivered as an anonymous donation in three days," she explained. "There will be nineteen T-70 X-wings, in the standard coloring of grey with orange accents. Your ship will be a black T-85 X-wing."
Rey snorted. "I knew he'd make it black," she grinned at the private joke. "Go on."
Parlux smiled at her amusement. "I can assure you, it's going to be beautiful, my lady. He wants only the best for his Queen." They continued walking forward. "Can I ask you something?" Parlux swallowed. "Completely off the record," she added.
Rey halted. "You may." What could she possibly want to know?
Parlux nervously glanced from side to side before whispering her question. "Are you and the Emperor already married?"
Rey furrowed her brow but kept her posture friendly. "What makes you ask that?" She inquired.
Parlux relaxed. "It's just the way he talks about you. He didn't make it clear, and it had me wondering," she explained. "Of course, you don't need to answer." She was beginning to ramble. "If I'm out of line, just say so."
Rey considered the question. "We've been bound for over a month." We have been connected by the Force for that long. This officer didn't need to know specifics. If Ben didn't tell her that piece of information, then she clearly didn't need to know. Rey would stick to being vague with her answers, leaving it open to interpretation.
Parlux was excited by her answer. "Permission to speak freely?" Rey felt the tug of a smile again. "You can speak freely anytime we're alone," Rey responded. She was starting to really like this woman. Her outgoing nature was becoming infectious.
"If you don't mind me saying so, your husband is a very intimidating man," Parlux whispered.
Rey openly giggled. "He certainly has that effect," she said. She found herself wanting to know more about this woman. Maybe I could make friends within the First Order? "What's your first name?"
"Samantha, but my friends call me Sam," Parlux said. "You could too if you wish." She shyly glanced away at the cargo below them.
Rey stepped closer. "You can call me Rey," she said, adding the last part as an afterthought. "But only when we're alone." Who knows how often that would be?
Sam bit her lip. "I would like that."
Rey smiled. Maybe joining the First Order wouldn't be so bad. "Are you married? In a relationship perhaps?"
Parlux shook her head. "I'm not married. My work takes up most of my time," she explained. "I do have something casual going on with someone, though."
"So, no children then?" Rey internally scorned herself. Why would I ask that question? I shouldn't have that on my mind.
"No children," Sam added curiously. "What about you?"
Rey swallowed. "None... as of yet."
"As of yet? Are you and the lord trying?" she gasped. "Are you already expecting?"
"Not at the moment." Rey said, needing to change the subject quickly. I should be discussing this with Ben, not her. "We should continue logging the cargo," she suggested.
"Sorry, my lady," Parlux replied. "I love babies and children. I tend to get a little enthusiastic about them," she cleared her throat. "There are a number of medical supplies, including bacta patches. He has included a medical droid for your personal use too," she pointed to another crate. "There are multiple sets of clothing, all minus the First Order insignia and there is some lingerie too."
"Not the frilly, lacy kind?" Rey interrupted.
"Only practical and comfortable," Parlux explained. "He didn't want you getting distracted on the battlefield. Your safety is his number one concern."
"That's all I ordered, isn't it?" Rey asked.
"There is a case of alcohol too. Our Emperor has only one request – he doesn't want you to drink too much," Parlux said, beaming. "We can't have our Empress making a mess of herself and spilling all her secrets."
Rey shrugged. "I don't drink," she stated. "I wouldn't even know what to try."
Parlux noticed her hesitation. "May I suggest the Moscato? It's light and sweet and not as heavy as some of the other liquors," she explained. "You'll be able to drink more and be less intoxicated."
"Thank you," Rey said, touching the side of her arm. "That certainly helps."
"You're welcome," Parlux replied. "We should probably head back before your friend wakes up." They turned around and started making their way back to the cockpit. "He's quite cute," Parlux added.
Rey smirked. "He's well aware of that."
Parlux laughed. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Rey."
"The pleasure has been all mine, Sam." Rey suddenly remembered that Parlux would need to leave soon. "How will you be getting off this ship?" she asked with concern.
"We'll be taking the escape pod," Parlux explained. "But before we do, we'll fire some blaster shots around the place. We need to make it look like you made us retreat. We wouldn't want the Resistance to question your loyalty."
They made it back to the cockpit, and the soldier was standing over Poe, who was still in the same position.
"It's time to go," Parlux told the stormtrooper. She then turned to Rey. "Until we meet again, my lady." She bowed and then straightened up.
The soldier copied her. Parlux began shooting some blaster bolts before disappearing from the room. Rey heard shots in the distance, and then the escape pod's alert sounded.
Rey returned to the pilot's seat and set a course back to the Resistance. The journey back was uneventful. It wasn't until Rey had landed back in the hangar on Rori that Poe twitched awake.
"Welcome home, sleeping beauty," Finn said as he loomed over Poe's face. "Trust you to sleep while you were on a job."
Poe was blinking back the effects of being zapped. "Where's Rey?"
Rey answered from behind him. "I'm about to head to dinner. Your mission got between me and my food."
Finn chuckled. "Oh, no, hangry Rey is here. Everyone run for cover."
"Ha, ha," she retorted. "I'll have you know, I'm more dangerous when I've eaten. It means I'm at my full strength."
She made her way to the exit. "Once you boys are finished playing with each other, I expect a full inventory of the cargo. Who knows what hidden treasures we might find?" She darted out of sight.
"Since when did Rey start giving us orders?" Finn asked Poe.