Betrayal: A Reylo FanFic

Forced Interaction

Diaima was a small, barren planet in the Outer Rim that she had never heard of before. It was a desolate place with nearly constant solar winds and flares that made the surface habitable only for short stretches of time. The rocky consistency of the planet's surface, though, was ideal for digging, and a vast network of subterranean caves and tunnels housed its population.

The Resistance had come here, landing the Falcon on the thin hope that one of Leia's diplomatic contacts might be willing to help them, rather than immediately notify the First Order to come and wipe them all out. It had been a tense few days, the several dozen remaining members of the Resistance on high alert for any sign of deception or cause for concern until, at last, Leia returned with the news that they were to occupy an abandoned machinery factory. There were no ships or equipment there, but at least there was ample space and shelter for the Falcon and its occupants to escape detection from the First Order's long-range scans. It wasn't ideal, but at least it was more than they'd had several days ago. And it would give them a base from which to go about the task of rebuilding their forces.

Even with the severely depleted numbers, private bunk space was at a premium, and Rey quickly found she was considerably more comfortable in the Falcon. It was eerie there deep in the night cycle, the bright instrument lights penetrating otherwise shadowy darkness, and the silence deep and heavy in contrast to both the mechanical and corporeal commotions that had always reigned whenever she'd been in the ship before. Now, sitting on the admittedly small but comfortable bunk in the ship's lounge, Rey found herself staring wide eyed into the shadows, imagining the ghosts that inhabited this space. Luke and Han in particular occupied her thoughts, knowing how prominently this ship figured in both their legends. And, perhaps for the first time, she found herself at leisure to truly mourn the loss of both these men whom she sensed could have been so very important in her life, if only they hadn't been taken from her so soon. Fathers. That's what Ben had accused her of searching for in each of them, an effort to fulfill a void left by her own parents' absence. And it occurred to her now for the first time that it was he who had robbed her of each of them.

"Rey..."

She shrieked and scrambled back into the corner of the bunk in alarm at the intrusion. She had been so preoccupied with the outpouring of her grief that she hadn't noticed the distinctive thickening in the air until after his voice had intruded upon her. And now, much to her dismay, Ben stood before her, watching as she attempted to both stem the flow of her tears and wipe the evidence of their existence from her cheeks.

"Go away, Ben," she moaned, turning her back to him and refusing to give him the satisfaction of witnessing her misery.

"What happened?" he said, and she sensed him taking a step or two closer to her.

"You happened!" she cried out, the floodgates of her anger suddenly releasing the torrent of her emotions. "You are bent on destroying everything I care about and breaking my—"

She stopped herself just in time, before admitting the calamity he'd caused her heart when he'd asked her to join him in ruling the galaxy. She had sprung to her feet, rounding on him with what intent she did not know. Having come to her senses, though, she merely glared up at him, standing only inches from him, as his dark gaze studied her intently.

"Breaking your what?" he asked, his voice low, harsh, and yet somehow tender at the same time.

She stared, mesmerized by his gaze a moment longer, then broke away, muttering "Spirit" in answer to his inquiry. She retreated wearily to her bunk, pulling the solitary blanket over her huddled form as she closed her eyes and attempted to shut him out of her consciousness. She could feel him there, his own distinct presence in addition to the changes in sound and air that accompanied this strange connection they evidently shared through the Force. But she couldn't seem to do anything about it, couldn't close it off or move it in any way. It was as if his presence was an immutable part of her, which was, of course, a distinctly terrifying thought.