Force connections

Getting used to it all

Rey stood with her back to me. For a moment I didn't move and then I saw her shoulders slump and lift with a sob. Without thinking I was up and heading over to where she stood. I stopped behind her, unsure what to do. I had never been in these sorts of situations before. I thought of how comforting she was when my mother died and, as another sob left her body I reached out and touched her arm. She resisted at first but then allowed me to pull her against my bare chest, wrapping my arms around her as she cried.

We stood there for what seemed like ages but finally her tears stopped and she looked up at me sadly, "Oh Ben, why does it have to be like this?", I studied her damp face for a moment, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "This was never going to be easy. They will all have to get used to it, give them time" I said softly.  She nodded, resting her cheek against my chest and closing her eyes, "I'm glad you're here Ben" she whispered. A strange warm feeling went through my body then, "Me too" I said softly, kissing the top of her head.

I pulled my vest back on and we left the hut heading down through the base. Everywhere we went people stared at us, whispering behind their hands. By the time we reached the main control room I was angry, trying desperately to hold my composure. I wasn't used to being treated so disrespectfully. Rey had stayed silent the whole walk and now as we went inside, I could see she had been crying again, that didn't help my already fraught mood.

The traitor was stood just inside the door and I watched his posture stiffen as he saw me and then his eyes fell on Rey, "Rey, what's up? What has he done to you?" He spat, his eyes on me, "Finn, don't. He hasn't done anything to me, I'm fine". Finn's eyes stayed on me as he nodded. "Do we have anything on the scanners?" Rey asked sniffing.  Finn shook his head slowly, "Nothing" and then he looked at me, "So what can you tell us about the First Order?  Because all I know is that they are a lying bunch of murderers" Finn said looking at me again. I returned his gaze, keeping my voice level as I spoke "They are building a huge army of thousands and they are currently looking for you. We need to destroy their new base before the army is ready to leave. You might want to think about how you speak to me since I am the only one who knows where that base is and how to destroy it". Finn stepped closer to me then, his dark eyes menacing, "Maybe you have to watch how you speak to me since you are on our base, surrounded by our fighters", I didn't flinch but held his gaze, a smirk playing at my lips. Rey stepped between us, her hands up, "Stop it, both of you. Finn, Ben is here to help us, you need to give him a chance. You heard what he said. If we don't work with him then we will be wiped out and all of this " she said gesturing around her "will be for nothing. I am going to work through a rough plan with Ben and then we will speak to you all. I need you on side Finn, please" she said, taking his hand. Just as Poe had previously Finn nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing as he looked back at me and then he turned and left.

We sat together at a long table and I mapped out all I knew about the location of the base, the weapons they had and their strategies. Rey listened carefully, nodding solemnly. She looked so sad that I wanted to hold her again but I felt that it wasn't the right time so instead I moved slightly closer to her so that our thighs touched under the table. She looked at me and smiled, taking me by surprise. I looked back at her and then she leant her head on my shoulder. I smelt her soft hair and kissed her head, an action which I realised I did often now without thinking.

"Thank you all for coming" Rey said, standing at the front of a long hall. I stood behind her taking in the cold eyes that studied me. "The First Order have a new base located at Iridonia. It is basically a disused mine, similar to the one on Crait. They have all of their troops there training , almost all of their fighter ships and also a lot of their top people. We need to destroy that base before all of those troopers become fully operational. Ben has shared with me a location where the First Order are currently producing bombs. If we are able to infiltrate that location then we will have enough power to blow the base sky high and half the First Order with it. Over the next couple of days we will be sending out Scout droids to the bomb making location so we can make a detailed plan of how best to access those bombs. Ben says that we have at least two weeks before the troops on Iridonia are fully trained, this will give us time to do this properly, resulting in fewer losses. Thank you for listening, I will call another meeting once we hear back from the Scout droids."

We headed back to the hut then in silence.  My mind was spinning, it had been difficult to sit there with the resistance, plotting against everything I had worked so hard for, but I had known when I looked at Rey stood in front of me that I would have done anything for her. 

The hut was cool and a relief from the hot, dense forest.  I sat down on the bed and watched as Rey busied herself preparing food for us.  She looked as tired as I felt.  We sat next to each other on the bed eating.  I watched her curiously, realising that I had never seen her eat before.  She pushed the food into her mouth roughly and in a hurry, as though she were afraid someone would take it from her.  I ate slowly, adjusting to the bland food.  "Soon my people will be looking for me" I said quietly dropping my eyes.  I said it as if I had just thought of it but really it had hung like a ticking time bomb in my mind since I had left that morning.  Rey looked at me, a piece of food hovering at her lips, "Are you worried about it?"  I shook my head, "Not really, just thinking about it.  My General will know I'm with you, he will want me back so he can torture me" Rey put the food down and squeezed my arm, "Well he can't have you back.  You belong with me".  I felt that same warm sensation run through my body and then she leant over and kissed my cheek tenderly.