Saving the Monster

Chapter 29

As the crowds left, talking excitedly amongst each other, Rey stayed. 

What she had heard scared her.  It shouldn't have, but it did.  If this happened then Kylo Ren would be killed, Ben Solo would be killed.  The man that she was just starting to uncover, the man in her vision.  She had to talk to Leia.

Finally only Leia and D'Acy remained, talking at the front in hushed tones.  "Excuse me, but General may I speak with you?" Rey said, managing to keep her voice steady despite the blood pumping in her ears.

Leia glanced first at Rey and then back at D'Acy.  "Would you excuse me Commander?"  D'Acy nodded first at Leia and then at Rey before turning and heading out of the room. 

"What is it?" Leia said, turning back to Rey.

Rey breathed deeply and wetted her lips, "Let me go to him, to Ben. I believe that I can turn him, I really do......I ...."

Leia sighed, "No Rey, I can't let you do that, it's too dangerous, if you get captured by the First Order then we will have to attempt a rescue and that has the potential to cost us dearly in both people and weapons"

Rey felt tears prick her eyes as she spoke, "General, please? We're talking about your son!"

Leias face became stern, "He can't be reached Rey, his attack on Crait showed that. No, I'm sorry Rey but I have to do what's right for the resistance. You are under no circumstances to go anywhere near him, that's my final word on the subject".

Rey blinked back tears. There was no point arguing, she knew that. The General might be physically weaker but mentally she was just as strong as legends had told. "Thank you for your time" Rey managed, before heading out of the hall and allowing the tears to fall.

Rey didn't go to the mess hall that evening, instead she ate a ration pack alone in her room, pouring over the smallest and by far the most interesting of the Jedi texts.

She re-read the section on Dyads, feeling that now familiar fluttering feeling when she thought of him, of her bonded.  That feeling was quickly replaced by a deep, hot burst of fear which spread through her stomach like a wave.  He was going to be killed, the resistance were going to kill him.  More panic and then a thought, clear in her mind, she could stop this, she could warn him.  Rey sat back in her seat.  Could she do that?  Could she betray the whole resistance, her friends, her family? 

Rey closed her eyes, trying to visualise Finn, Leia, Chewie, everyone she held dear but all she saw was him and the future she'd glimpsed and suddenly with a gasp Rey realised that she held him dear too, she could no sooner hurt him than any one of her friends.  The realisation made Rey's eyes open wide.  She knew what she had to do.