Keep Him There

Fighting

The sight above Ajan Kloss was much like the one Ben had seen above it before, with ships like flies above the planet.

But they weren't the random mass like before. These ships he recognized. TIE fighters. Cruisers. Dreadnoughts. All of which he had once surveyed.

They were pummeling the planet with the high power cannons at the moment, but he supposed that they would be moving to ground assault in minutes. It was standard protocol after all.

Rey was white as a sheet in the Falcon's pilot chair in front of him.

"We shouldn't have left." she whispered to herself.

Ben laid a hand on her shoulder, "Rey, they forced us to go. This isn't your fault."

Huffing, she took her hand away and put her head in her hands. Chewie roared loudly.

"We have to get down there." Finn ran in, "They're dying."

"How? Ben's right, they wanted us to leave. Chewie said he didn't receive a transmission asking for help, only Jacen did. They weren't trying to contact us at all." Rey replied.

"We can't just leave them! Poe is down there, Rey! Our best friend! And Rose-" his voice broke, "Rose is down there too."

"I know that Finn! But please explain how we can go back to someone who thinks we are the enemy too! Not to mention how we're supposed to watch our cargo of the two most powerful beings in existence!"

"I don't know!" the trooper shot back.

Ben remained quiet, silently thinking the plan through.

"I am the biggest threat to the Resistance, they only chased off the rest of you because of me," he started, "So if I stay behind to watch the daughter and son, you should be able to take a pod down to the surface without resistance. It would be better for me to avoid the troopers anyways, I'll just make a bigger target."

"Ben! I'm not leaving you behind with them again! We'll stay." Rey said, speaking to Ben directly for the first time since they had left Lothal.

He shook his head, "No Rey, your people need you. I'll be fine."

"Last time I thought that, you almost left me!" Rey yelled back, "You nearly fell again!"

Ben was appreciative that Finn and Chewie both used the moment to study the Falcon's various buttons and knobs.

"I'm not going back, I told you that before." he murmured, "Go, please. Save what my mother worked so hard to build."

After a few silent moments and glares, Rey finally agreed, stepping up out of the pilot seat and heading to the escape pods. The three men followed right after her, assembling their weapons as they went.

Though crowded, Rey, Chewie, and Finn all managed to fit inside one pod. Chewie volunteered to Captain the pod, telling Rey she would need to be ready once they had landed. But Ben knew that his father's wingman was also helping him by piloting, he would be free to say goodbye to Rey now.

She just studied him for a moment, making him feel like she was picking his innermost thoughts apart. Then she flew into his arms.

"Don't leave." she begged him, "I'll be back, I promise."

"I know." Ben chuckled softly, gently pushing her into the pod with the others.

Her eyes were humorless as she backed away, wide with fear for a sight behind him. Ben slammed the pod shut and launched it in a single movement. He could still see Rey yelling as she was drawn to the surface. She grew smaller and smaller in his sight until the pod was only a dot of red light. Another dot just like it appeared next to it, a perfect match. The dots blinked.