Force connections

Back home?

Once on board we were pushed down onto our knees by the troopers. Ray was at my side and I glanced at her. Our eyes met for a moment. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears.  I felt her hand brush mine where it rested on the ground and I carefully linked my little finger with hers just as a tear slid down her cheek.

Once we arrived at the First Orders base we were roughly led inside, my blood leaving a trail across the polished floors. Hux noticed, his pale face twisted with irritation, "Get his arm dressed, I'll take the girl". I made a grab for Rey with my good arm and she tried to get hold of me too but we were pulled roughly apart by the stormtroopers. Hux laughed "My, my you really do care about each other, Ren I'm disappointed in you, I never realised how weak you were".  Hux headed over to Rey and slid an arm around her waist. Rey resisted and a blaster was held to her head. I wanted to kill Hux but I knew if I did anything he would hurt Rey, or me and either scenario would mean she would suffer.

I was taken to the familiar setting of the medical room. Two troopers forced me into the chair and then the medical droid began cleaning my wound. I winced at the pain knowing that Rey would feel it too. The troopers held me roughly by the shoulders as the droid began to stitch up my arm. The pain was unbearable. Usually you were given anaesthetic but now there was none, all part of my punishment I guessed. I writhed under the Troopers tight grip, biting my lip, desperately trying not to show any weakness to the men I had commanded only a day before. My head felt light and, despite the cool room I felt sweat bead on my forehead. When my arm was stitched the troopers pulled me out of the chair, marching me down the familiar corridors and finally into Hux's private quarters.

Hux was there, kneeling in front of the bed. He stood as we entered and that was when I saw Rey. She was curled up on the bed, tears streaming down her face. I took a step forwards but Hux kicked me in the stomach, causing me to fall to the ground. Rey had cried out in pain as I fell down and the very notion of her suffering through me caused me to stumble straight back onto my feet, my eyes on Hux. "What is it you want?" I said through gritted teeth, my whole stomach aching, everything in me wanting to crush Hux.  Hux smiled, "What do I want? You left the First Order for a scavenger Ren! A scavenger! You killed our Supreme Leader! You are a traitor!  Traitors are tortured and executed by the rules of the First Order!".  I looked at him and spoke as calmly as possible.  "Did you kill the resistance?", he looked irritated at this question and waved his hand dismissively, "They had left when we got there.  Seems they somehow knew we were coming and left you two lovebirds to your fate".  I looked at Rey and saw her face crumple, "No,no that's not true, they wouldn't do that" she sobbed.  I looked back at Hux thinking quickly, "If that's true then we have no hope of rescue.  Do not waste our force powers by killing us.  Keep us here and use the skills we have",  I felt Rey's eyes on mine but I didn't look at her, I kept my eyes trained on Hux.  He considered this for a moment before he spoke, "I would keep you contained in one of our new cells where your force powers wouldn't work and only bring you out when needed, it's been done before I suppose with traitors.  But surely Ren death would be better?".  When I said nothing Hux stepped closer to me "Are you doing this to save your neck or hers?" "A bit of both" I replied my eyes never leaving his face.  Hux nodded then, "Very well, take Ren down to the anti force cells and make sure his hands are cuffed behind his back, we don't want to take any chances.  The girl can stay with me, I could use the company".  At hearing this Rey sprang to her feet, kicking Hux in the back of the legs before being tackled to the ground by the troopers, "Ben!" she cried out hoarsely.  My emotions churned inside me at the thought of her alone with Hux but I knew that this plan was the only thing that had a shot at working.  I didn't believe for one moment that the resistance had abandoned Rey.  Me yes, but not her, I knew they would come, I just had to buy us some time.  I looked at her as I was roughly pushed towards the door, "It's ok, it will be ok" I said just as the door closed behind me, trapping her inside.

The cell was cold and already my arm ached from having it pulled behind my back and fastened there with hand cuffs.  I slumped down on the floor, my back against the metal wall.  What was he doing to her?  Was he touching her?  I scrambled to my feet again, screaming out in frustration.  How long would it take for the resistance to find us?  What damage would have been done to Rey by then?  My stomach rumbled noisily reminding me that I hadn't eaten.  I paced the cell, thinking about last night, it seemed a world away now, that peace, that pleasure, that closeness.  Again the thought of Hux alone with her evoked a shout from deep within me and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block it out.  It was going to be a tortuous wait.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because I was woken by the cell door opening.  I sat up squinting in the half light, my bad arm throbbing and there she was, like a vision from a dream, Rey.  The troopers pushed her roughly inside and she fell.  I caught her shoulder just in time and stopped her from hitting the floor.  The cell door slammed shut and she pushed herself forwards, neither one of us able to embrace the other due to the cuffs we wore.  We sat next to each other, nuzzling into each other's hair and neck for a moment. "What did he do to you?" I asked, desperate to know, my stomach flipping, my heart thudding.  Rey looked up at me with teary red eyes, "Nothing".  I frowned, I couldn't believe that Hux had had this beautiful girl at his disposal and had not taken advantage "Tell me the truth Rey", she shook her head, "He tried but he couldn't.   You know how you put yourself inside me last night?"  I nodded, feeling relief wash over me "Well he couldn't, his didn't work.  He got very angry and then told the stormtroopers to take me away, get me out of his sight". A range of emotions ran through me then. Pleasure at hearing that he had been unable to perform but mainly a feeling of relief that he had not managed to take advantage of her. I lent down and kissed her cheek and she turned her head into my shoulder. "I'm sorry that I brought this on you" I whispered. She shook her head against me, lifting her eyes to mine, "I would do it all again Ben if it meant I could be with you". I felt a lump form in my throat at her words and I swallowed hard. No one had ever loved me like this. I was a monster and yet she saw past all that and just saw me. I kissed her cheek again, feeling tears there. "Oh Ben What are we going to do?" I moved back from her then so I could look at her, "Search your heart Rey, do you really believe that your friends at the resistance have abandoned you? Something obviously happened, they had to leave and weren't able to tell you. They will come for you." "And you Ben" she said anxiously, "I won't let them leave you here". I shook my head slowly then, making Rey freeze, her eyes boring into mine, "You need to leave me here Rey. If I am with you then Hux will never stop hunting me". Rey struggled to her feet, her eyes wide, "Ben no, there is no way I'm going to leave you here, this isn't your home anymore, you belong with me". I felt a stab of pain looking into her eyes that were overflowing with tears caused by that familiar feeling of abandonment that we both knew so well.  "Rey, do you think your friends are going to want me around, knowing that I will constantly bring the fury of the First Order to their door?". Rey let a sob escape her lips, "Ben please don't do this, I can't live without you, not now, I don't want to". I felt the hot sting of tears and didn't even bother to try and hide them from her as she crouched down at my feet. I shook my head and a tear rolled down the side of my nose, "It's the only way". I knew she knew I was right but the sudden reality of what I was saying hit us both in that moment and, as her lips touched mine, we both choked back tears.