Belonging. Star Wars story. Episode 10 X. Sequal to TROS.

17. Memories

As Finn fell asleep while travelling at lightspeed, Ben sat down on co-pilots seat. It was long time he haven't flied this thing. Someone was taking care of this ship. Not like Chewie could, not like Han did.

Rey. Ben smiled. She was something truly special. The smile came so easily now since their first kiss. Ben didn't know what it meant. Had the kiss been just celebration of victory, or did it meant something more serious for Rey too. But he hoped it wasn't the last. However she did bring him back...

Falcon had many new things since he had flown it with his father as a child, but there was something that hasn't changed. The dice were still hanging up in the cockpit.

Ben remembered the Crait and how outrageous he was for Lukes disappearing trick.  How he found the dice in the resistance bunker, how they disappeared and how Rey shut the Force bond.

"Rey is taking care of this junk." Ben thought. He was in contradiction with himself. He knew that Rey perceived this place as home, but he couldn't quiet stop his bad memories too. His thoughts were mumbo-jumbo.

He thought about how his dad took him for some trips in it, but at the same time, he left him for most of the times. How his mother was always up to bringing peace in galaxy and that he learned many things for being a leader of the neverending meetings with princes, politicians, presidents, generals... But for most of the time he was so alone.

His mother so many times had told him that he was prince, that he should never forget that. Prince of Alderaan. Planet, home, that his mother had lost so long time ago. In the end he still became prince. Prince of Darkness.

The dashboard signalised that they will soon be coming out of hyperspace. Ben took a look at sleeping Finn and looked out of the window at lights from the stars passing by. Travelling through hyperspace was always something Ben liked, the flow of the light, the movement, the speed. He was born pilot. He couldn't and he didn't want to deny this legacy of his grandfather and father.

He looked at Finn again and used a little mind trick, to push Finn in deeper slumber. Ben moved Finn in co-pilots seat.

Ben stood next to the pilots seat, with his hand on the backrest and he thought about his dad. How he was just a memory now. And all because of him. He remembered how Rey in Falcon had destroyed all of his fighters on Crait. Ben smiled again and took the seat.

He was greeted by familiar push out of hyperspace and now flew in front of planet Dara, where they were supposed to meet Rey.

"Time to gear up." Ben thought, and looked sideways to Reys lightsaber that was clipped to Finns belt.

///
The Gundark was coming closer and Ben felt adrenaline starting to surge through him. He never had fought Gundarks. Many other species, yeah, in Snokes training he met many species, he killed many species, but not this one.

-"Man, I think we should maybe turn back. Find another exit." There was Finns voice from behind. Bens steps never falthered.

-"There is no other exit." Ben felt that they were closing in. The beast was just around the corner.

-"Give me the saber." Ben spoke low and looked back at Finn. They both have stopped just before the turn in the tunnel.

-"What?! No way! It's Rey saber. I won't give it to you! Here, take this"  Finn whispered angrily and threw Ben his blaster.

Ben caught it with ease and looked at Finn, "If you want it to be this way.."

-"You wont have the saber!" Finn ignited it and walked past Ben.

"Small minded fool", Ben thought but followed ex stormtrooper to meet the Gundark.

Turning around the corner they came in little opening face to face with the beast. Finn took a slow breath in and stood tall with Reys ignited lightsaber in front of him.

Gundark was huge, it stood well up to 3 meters tall. It had four arms with sharp looking claws, huge ears and very, very scary teeth. It was covered in brown fur, that changed colour to almost black around its head and on his arms.

-"Have you EVER fought someone larger and faster than you? Well, besides me." Ben smirked.

-"Don't be ridiculous, I can do this. Rey thought me to fight."

-"I rephrase the question- have you ever fought a beast?!" But Ben didn't get the answer because the Gundark charged.

The beast firstly was going for the one with the shiny thing, it stood out in the darkness of the cave. He didn't want to touch it but owner smelled tasty enough. Then he will feast on the other one.

As Gundark charged, Ben leaped out of the way. He knew that the blaster will do no good in this fight, so he decided that he won't jump in between the vicious Gundark and crazy stormtrooper with Reys saber.

When Gundark reached Finn, it swinged his giant arm to crash at Finns head, at the same time Finn bowed and cut diagonally up Gundarks torso. But Finn had underestimated situation, because Gundark used his small second row arm and crashed at Finns side sending him flying into a wall.

Ben sneaked right behind the beast and looked at the mess. Gundark had no scratch but Finn was lying down, grunting and clutching his side. The lightsaber had slid just out of reach.

That was it, that was everything Ben needed, the Force spoke to him and Ben reached out for the saber. When it flew around the beast and landed in Bens hand, he felt the situation completely, behind him was the exit out of the cave. In front of him was enormous beast ready to eat that stormy. There really was no other choice. He loved the chance for fight, and this was no time for flight.

As he ignited the lightsaber and the cave lighted up again, the Gundark that had almost reached down for Finn, turned around.

That shiny thing was in other creatures hands now. He could strike both of them down and then eat them. It didn't matter who would be eaten first, both of them smelled good. But the shiny thing he didn't liked. The smell was bad, the sound was evil.

Ben walked closer to Gundark and stretched his hand with the saber in front of him in so familiar attack stance. He slowly moved saber to left and right and Gundark charged. That was the moment Ben was waiting for, he felt Force guide him and he used it for his full advantage. So at the moment Gundark was over Ben, he leaped to left side just under the strike of the front paws, and at next moment when Gundark tryed to cage Ben with his small second row hands, Ben jumped to right and swinged saber in Gundarks side, making deep cut in its flesh.

As Ben shifted back closer to Finn, his eyes never left the beast.

-"You fine back there?" There was grunt from behind him that Ben read as I'm alive.

Gundark almost screamed now. The beast was furious and Ben didn't want to wait for it to get more angry, so he ran at the beast swinging saber in arcs in front of him, trying to confuse it.

Gundark roared and this time attacked with all four hands at once and already opened its huge mouth with rows and rows of teeth. Ben didn't wait to be squashed. Using Force he jumped up to the right and gained momentum for next move leaping from the wall. He repositioned saber just behind Gundarks neck and flew past him.

He landed safely on the ground untouched.  The same couldn't be said about the beast. Seconds later its head crashed to the ground and then followed its body.

Finn slowly stood up from the ground and leaned on the wall, "This went well.."

-"Do you need help?!" Ben asked.

-"No, I'm going to be fine.
Give me back the lightsaber!" Finn clutched his side and slowly walked to Ben stretching out his hand.

Ben looked at the saber in his hand. He felt so strong pull. It was a calling. He didn't want to let it go, but also he didn't need to make enemy of Reys friend. So he put the saber in Finns hand.

"I can have it any time I want.
He won't stop me from taking it, if I need it..."