Even Stars Can Die

Old Memories Die Hard

^this picture is an idea of what Tenaega Bitae looks like!

...

Generals Finn and Poe followed Solo out of the holding facility, trailing behind his footsteps nervously as they walked throughout the base.

"What do you think he wants?" Finn glanced over at Poe, being careful to whisper softly. 

"It's probably about that girl.  Who is she anyway?"

"I don't know, but she sure has pissed him off.  I haven't seen him like this since..." Finn's voice drifted off, remembering how Ben used to be, when he was still Kylo Ren. 

"You know I can hear you guys, right?" Solo called over his shoulder, his tone softer but still menacing. 

"Uh right, of course you can." Poe shot Finn a dirty look before stepping past him and following Ben into one of the enormous tents. 

The two of them stopped just inside the mouth of the tent, watching their fellow leader pace back and forth, absentmindedly picking up objects off of tables and putting them back down randomly. 

"So uh," Poe cleared his throat and took a tentative step towards Ben, "What did you want us for?"

He finally stopped pacing and stood behind a table covered in various plans, placing his hands on it and leaning forward.  When he looked up at the two men in front of him, he felt a small ache in his chest: seeing them everyday was a reminder of Rey, a reminder of what they all lost. 

"And who's the girl?'

Ben shot Finn a nasty look, causing Poe to nudge him and shake his head disapprovingly. 

"Tenaega is one of my former students, a girl who's been heavily trained in the Darkside."

"But why is she here?" Poe's face was etched with concern.  "Did- did she just come here to kill?"

Ben looked down at the table, nodding his head sadly.  "To put it mildly, she's angry that I 'abandoned' her."

"Why did you? Why did you abandon her?" Finn immediately regretted asking this question, Ben's expression making it clear that this was something he still felt guilty about. 

"Because, dumbass, I came here to help you twats!"

"Hey, none of us asked for your help,"

"Oh really? Because you guys weren't doing too hot until I showed up." Ben bared his teeth and crossed his arms over his chest.

Poe pinched the bridge of his nose, grimacing.  "Come on guys, this was three years ago, we-"

"Rey could've handled it!" Finn seemed like he was spitting fire, his lips trembling when he said her name.

"You weren't there, you had no clue what she was up against!"

"Well maybe she would still be here if you hadn't decided to 'help'."

The air seemed to immediately grow colder at Finn's words, the heat from their anger being replaced by the chill of their sorrow. 

With a sigh, Poe stepped in between the two of them, pushing their snarling faces away from each other.  "Look, guys, we all miss her.  But what's happened, it's not going to change." 

Ben turned his back to the two of them, fighting the urge to start slicing something with his lightsaber, something he hadn't done in a long time.  He just couldn't seem to shake the feelings that Tenaega had forced him to remember: that troubling anger, loneliness, the power of the Darkside.