Star Wars- In another Life.

Chapter 39- Truce

Rey and Ben found their gunship mercifully intact, having clambered out of the sunken Citadel. The skies of Exegol were a blazing orange flame filled with grey smoke, but the atmosphere was quiet. Several Dreadnoughts and Imperial Cruisers had come to rest their decimated carcasses upon the fissured grey ground. The impact from the weight of the ship's bodies crashing to the ground had flattened vast sections. The air around the smouldering remains of ships rippled with heat, and smoke swirled about it, adding to the already dust and static-filled air. The metallic debris of other vessels, X-Wings, B-Wings, Tie-Fighters, Y-Wings and other Resistance ships lay strewn across Exegol's grey flat plains. This planet was a fitting graveyard for the end of a war that had been raging for three generations. Otherwise, the sky was eerily still and quiet- no autocannon fire, no roar of ships, no screaming Ties.

Aboard the ship, Rey once more took the pilot's seat. Ben's injuries needed attention as he struggled to walk and breathe. He was administering bacta into his side and leg as he opened up their communications.

"General Dameron, this is the last Jedi come in?"

Rey turned to him with a sarcastic smile, "Last Jedi, when did you two decide on that?"

"We didn't; I just felt it was rather fitting, don't you think?" he replied. Rey's amused smile and the disbelieving shake of her head were enough to know he'd gotten away with it.

"Solo, Rey, good to hear you. You guys ok?"

"Yes, we're both fine."

"Is it done? Did you destroy Palpatine?"

"Sidious is gone. What's going on?" Ben was referring to the apparent ceasefire.

"Meet us on the Steadfast. Allegiant General Pryde is dead, General Hux is in charge, and he's surrendered."

A moment of static silence followed as Ben attempted to process what he'd just heard.

"Do you copy?" Poe asked, not hearing a response.

"Could you repeat that, please? Did I hear you correctly?" Ben asked.

"You heard all right, General Hux, skinny guy kind of pasty. He's surrendered, sorry, is negotiating a truce. His words, not mine."

Ben shook his head, astounded. Hux was a coward, but Ben knew all too well the depths he would go to to ensure his survival, often at others' expense.

"We copy, heading to the Steadfast."

Ben and Rey landed in the hangar of the Steadfast next to a Resistance transport. They surveyed the hangar from the cockpit of their gunship. Tie fighter pilots, stormtroopers, and technicians milled about the hangar, many helmetless, looking anxious and confused. Medical droids attended some, and others watched the gunship dock with mild interest.

"Lightsabers ready, you never know."

"Ben?" Rey exclaimed, her tone disagreeing with his potential concerns.

"I'm serious, Rey; you don't know Hux as I do. It could be a well-conceived trap."

Rey and Ben exited the gunship, lightsabers drawn. Now, all of the hangar occupants turned to see the two Jedi who'd made their presence known. The hangar became almost silent as sentient and droid alike stopped what they were doing to watch the pair walk. Hushed whispers followed their steady pace, some recognising the infamous weapons, the fierce red bolted one in particular and the conclusions regarding the unhelmeted man who carried it.

"Is that?" some could be heard asking.

"Not what I expected. I thought he was, you know, like Vader, half man half machine," another whispered.