Saving the Monster

Chapter 64

They flew mostly in silence, only conversing in order to swap coordinates or the status of the ships fuel supply. Rey's heart was thumping wildly and she knew Bens was too, she could feel it acutely through their bond.

Finally Eadu came into view and then the base, squat and grey against the lush landscape. Suddenly a unmistakable sound rang around them. Rey rose from her seat at the same time as Lando, both leaning forwards, both straining to see.

"Tie fighters, they're escorting us in" Ben said, the tension unmistakable in his voice. Sure enough in another second came the visual proof as two ties screamed overhead, guiding the shuttle into the hanger. Rey dropped back heavily into her seat and watched Ben as he flipped a procession of switches and the shuttles engine fell silent.

Rey looked out of the window and swallowed hard, all around the shuttle storm troopers had appeared, and behind them a man that Rey didn't recognise, dressed in a stiff black tunic and starched trousers. Next to her Ben sighed deeply, his hands running through his hair, his eyes moving from the welcoming party back to Rey.

Landos voice, far stronger than his physical form rang out from behind where Rey and Ben sat, "Let's go give the crowds what they want, don't want to disappoint them". Rey turned to look at him, nodded and then stood, her fingers resting on Bens shoulder. Bens hand rose to grip hers and he squeezed it gently before standing and leading Rey and Lando down the ramp.

"Our triumphant leader returns!"

Rey, who had been staring at the rows and rows of faceless troopers jumped and spun to look in the direction of the voice. The man that she had seen as they came into land was making his way through the troops now, parting them with his mere presence. Rey glanced up at Ben. His expression gave nothing away and yet she saw his jaw clench and felt waves of his anger through the force. He knew this man Rey realised, but this man had never spoken to him like this before and it angered him, just the faintest hint of Kylo Ren returning within him.

The man studied Ben for a moment, standing right in front of him, goading him it seemed. Ben said nothing, his head held high, his eyes staring at an invisible point in the distance. Then the man turned sharply and signalled to the trooper nearest to him, "Take the prisoner to interrogation room four". It took Rey a moment to realise that he wasn't pointing to her but to Lando.

Lando left without a struggle, turning once to look at her and Ben, before being roughly shoved forwards, almost losing his balance before a second trooper caught his arm and he was led away.

"And the scavenger..."

Rey's eyes met the mans as he walked slowly over to her. He studied her for a long moment and then laughed, "and what to do with the girl we've all heard so much about?"

"Hurt her, you die" came Bens voice, solid and unwavering.

The man spun quickly, his brows raised, his mouth in a sneer and then he burst into laughter, clapping his hands together as he walked back over to Ben, "My my, so Hux wasn't lying about something, you really do have a soft spot for scavenger scum Ren"

Bens face was dark but he still didn't move.  The man shook his head, still laughing and turned back to Rey. 

"Quite a reputation you've got considering that you're just a scavenger, we've had all of our best troops out looking for you"

It was Reys turn to laugh now, but it was completely without humour, "Ironic really that the only one who actually found me was your traitor, General Hux"

The man before her stared blankly at her, biting at the inside of his cheek and Rey noticed for the first time that he was holding a cane in his gloved hand.  Suddenly he brought it down on the steel floor with a bang, making both Ben and Rey jump,

"And look what happened to him!  You and Ren may meet the same fate if you do not show me some respect!" He shouted, his face becoming red.

Rey squared her shoulders and looked him straight in the eye, "His name is Ben, son of General Leia Organa, Kylo Ren is dead"

Another burst of mocking laughter and the man stepped so close to Rey that she coukd feel his breath on her face. 

Next to her Ben tensed.

"Well I am General Pryde and you are both liars and traitors and will be dealt with accordingly".

To the other side of Rey the stormtroopers parted, just the noise of their boots on the concrete as they stepped aside, allowing a group of masked figures, dressed all in black and brandishing brutal looking weapons to come and stand next to Pryde.  Rey glanced at Ben and saw him swallow hard.  He was scared, she felt it, and she knew then who the masked men were, the Knights of Ren.

Pryde watched the knights for a moment and then turned his attention back to Ben and Rey "So you've brought us Calrissian and you've brought us your precious scavenger girl, but there's a problem, a big one"

"What problem?" Ben asked, his voice hard, his eyes harder.

Pryde walked up to Ben and smiled, "The problem is, I don't think that you'd really turn over your girlfriend to save your mother.  I think you're going to try and do both, try and be the hero who's going to save everybody.  Trouble is, I don't like hero's, and neither do they".  Pryde signalled to the knights then and stepped aside, allowing them to advance on Ben, surrounding him.

Panic flooded Rey as she watched the knights close in on Ben, where were the resistance?

Almost immediately Rey got her answer.

BOOM!