Forgotten, But Not Lost

Chapter 68

The Falcon touched down on the humid planet of Ajan Kloss. Rey and Chewie noticed General Poe and Finn standing with a handful of Resistance guards as they finished their landing sequence. Rey knew this was going to be tricky and she had to deal with defending Amar and Ben, when they could not defend themselves. Something in the back of her mind reminded her of Ben's usual behavior and made her feel a little better about him not being able to talk this time. Ben would more than likely get under Dameron's skin, causing Poe to react and feel good about his decision to keep him locked up.

Rey was nervous for another reason, Maru had made it abundantly clear that Ben was not going to be sent off to the brig. Rey needed to keep the peace between the respective parties, but in the end, this was her family. The only family she was going to get and that made her need to protect them trump the peacekeeper role.

Rey rushed down the ramp to meet the Generals.

Finn rushed to her side like he always did and embraced Rey. Quickly, Poe figured it wouldn't hurt after all and followed suit. At least, Rey could hope that their friendship would help her in negotiations. Rey looked between the both of them and sighed.

"We need to talk and no one is exiting or entering the Falcon, until we do." Rey said as she stood tall and confident in front of the two men she had learned to love as friends.

"Rey, he is the enemy still. He may have been redeemed in your eyes, but not in the Resistance nor the New Republic." Poe tried to explain to Rey the circumstances, but she was already a stubborn girl, he knew he wasn't going to get far.

Rey felt a presence behind her, she looked back to find Maru. Maru slid her hand up to Rey's shoulder and pulled on her to take a step back from the young gentlemen who were too eager to be the new Generals for the galaxy.

"I was told that you want to detain my Son in law?" Maru bluntly asked both Finn and Poe, looking between the both of them.

Rey looked down to Maru, she was now already claiming Ben to be her own family, which made Rey's heart swell.

Finn and Poe looked flustered as they took turns gawking at each other. Finally, Finn spoke first.

"Ma'am, Ren has done terrible things to us all. He must be held accountable for his actions." Finn seemed confident in his line that he spewed at Maru.

Maru dimmed her eyelids and took a moment to respond.

"Funny, coming from an Ex-Stormtrooper, who is now one of the top Generals for the New Republic. Did the Resistance not give you another chance?" Maru questioned Finn.

Poe interrupted Maru.

"Lady, this man, here never did anything to amount to what Kylo Ren did to the galaxy..." Poe trailed off as Rey grabbed his arm as he spoke. Poe looked to Rey in surprise. Rey shook her head at him to tell Poe he was being disrespectful.

"I see. I am under the impression that Stormtroopers were trained from birth and programed. Is that not what happened to Ben Solo? Was he not manipulated since birth by Emperor Palpatine, my Father?" Maru firmly stood in front of them with her hands on her hips as she questioned their authority.

Finn and Poe seemed stumped for a response to give. They had not realized really who Maru was and how she fit into this story, but now they did and they were talking to another descendent of Palpatine. Her questions were certainly getting harder and harder to answer. Since the boys couldn't seem to respond, Maru continued.

"My husband Ezra Bridger who you have met, died in order to see Ben Solo come back from his redemption as Kylo Ren. I will live to see that his dying wish was granted. I will not allow him to sit in a cell to rot and waste away his life. Figure something out Generals, that will allow him to be with his family that he was taken away from." Maru saluted to them both and stomped her way back up the ramp on the Falcon.

Finn and Poe's mouth hung open in astonishment. Rey looked back at them and chuckled.

"Still want to be Generals?" Rey asked as she snickered more at them.

Finn hung his head low and spoke softly to the both of them.

"Poe, Maru is right. We need to figure something out, but for now let them all get treated together and keep guards at the door of their room, if it makes you feel better." Finn placed a hand on Poe's back.

All Poe could muster was a quick nod in agreement as he motioned for the rest of the guards behind him to retreat and relax.

Finn turned to Rey,

"I trust you Rey, you know that. This will be a challenge, but I hope that we can figure it out." Finn turned to follow Poe back into the hanger of the Resistance base.

Rey turned to the personnel outside of the Falcon.

"We need a medical team, please. We have four injured on board."

"Right away Ma'am." A Resistance member said as they ran off to go and get the medical team.

——————

Rey watched as the Resistance made their way with Ben, Amar, and the twins to the medical wing. She celebrated her small victory, but there would still be more to accomplish and she was far from the end.

Maru came into the medical wing to try and find where they had placed her family. Rey waved over to her and she made her way over. Maru came to stand besides Rey. In front of the women, Ben and Amar were submerged in a bacta tank to fully heal their bodies from whatever damage they had taken from the experience. The twins were merely in a self induced coma to protect their young minds, they would come around when they were ready.

Maru looked up to Rey.

"Rey, are you sure you don't need to be seen?" Maru expressed her concern over Rey and her health as well, she was just as important to her as her Daughter and Granddaughters.

Rey grinned down at her Auntie.

"Seems to me, I was the one hit the least with the draining of my force. I cannot even imagine what Amar went through, let alone you through the force." Rey's face fell slightly as she said the words aloud to Maru, remembering what also had transpired in the portal.

"Do not let the sacrifice of Ezra bring you down, he is at peace now. He is still here." Maru motioned at her heart and eyed around. Rey was relieved to know that Maru had made peace with the passing of her husband.

Rey wrapped her arm around Maru in comfort.

"Rey, thank you for helping to reunite this family. You will always be apart of us, no matter what." Maru knew Rey still saw herself as an outcast, but there was no longer any need for that. Rey was her blood along with Amar, Tana, and Iris.

The droids pulled Ben and Amar from the bacta tanks and settled them into their respective beds next to each other. Maru had asked for them to be placed next to each other, hoping their dyad would help each other heal faster. Maru didn't know exactly how all of that worked, but it didn't hurt to try.

Rey remained in the room with Ben and Amar and Maru placed herself in the twins room to watch over them. Rey was exhausted from all that had transpired, she pulled an armchair closer to between their beds and laid her head on the arm and swung her legs over the other side of the other. Rey's eyes grew heavy with sleep consuming her body.

Suddenly, Rey could feel a tug in the force. Rey's eyes snapped open. Rey reached out with the force. Someone was awakening. Rey stood from the arm chair and looked between both Ben and Amar. Time felt like it slowed as Rey readied herself.

Ben's body snapped up instantly, his unruly hair sprung with him and covered half his face, he was panting like he had been holding his breath underwater for the longest time. Rey rushed to his side. Rey touched Ben's arm and he flinched away from her grasp and his eyes met hers.

No one said anything as both of their breaths finally slowed. Their eyes never left each others and all that came to Rey's mind was the last words she had said to him.

"Ben?"