Chapter Text
A creature stood outside the cave, bigger than anything Ben had seen yet. So big he couldn’t spot its head lost among the tops of the trees. Yet again, he cursed the meteor shower that landed him and Rey on this monster-ridden planet.
He crept towards the mouth of the cave, crouching down for a better look. The animal was immense, the size of a house, its head rising high into the night sky. It appeared agitated, and he could guess why.
He reached for his jacket pocket and tapped a remote, turning off the screeching motion sensors. Pushing Rey behind him, he kept to the shadows. His instinct was to attack first, to attempt a blaster shot at the animal’s head, but he held back. He waited.
What if the creature’s thickly scaled skin was impervious to blaster fire? Letting off a shot would only announce their presence and aggravate the beast.
With the sensors now silent, the animal’s thunderous roar quietened to a low growl. It moved up the trail towards the cave, its powerful body strangely graceful, its hide a mottled reddish brown reminiscent of dried blood. In dappled moonlight, he could clearly see the thick muscles of its haunches.
The beast moved quickly, without any sign of fear or hesitation. Ben could feel its footsteps, the earth shaking beneath his feet, Rey swaying beside him. He raised his rifle in readiness, but in the end the creature ignored them.
Continuing at a rapid pace, it moved swiftly past the cave. They hardly had a chance to register its full presence before the big head and body disappeared into the forest once more. A thick counterbalancing tail followed the departing creature, that tail some seven feet in the air, swinging back and forth with each step the animal took.
“Kriff,” Ben muttered under his breath, wary about making too much noise and drawing the animal’s attention again.
He turned to Rey and was relieved to see her looking pale but determined. Memories of their night together filled his head, and a strange kind of wonderment came over him. Spending time with Rey had eased the weight of guilt that plagued him since the news of Nevine’s passing away. It was quite incredible. Just like the young woman before him.
She caught him staring and blushed. He couldn’t help a teasing grin at the reaction. After everything they’d done, he was surprised she felt shy at all. But their connection was still brand new. Hell, they’d only just met.
She took his hand, and a fierce protectiveness swelled his heart. He had work to do, a mission to complete. They needed to escape this planet.
Already the sky was becoming lighter, and Ben made up his mind. Time to go.
It took another three hours of hard climbing before they reached their destination. The escape vessel lay wedged amongst a copse of trees, so beautiful in his eyes that it might as well have been a priceless jewel nestled in a green velvet case.
Rey squealed when they spotted the small craft, and Ben grabbed her in a hug that she happily reciprocated. They were going home. He’d done it.
No- they’d done it. Together.
It took several attempts before he was able to pry open the shuttle door, but eventually the hydraulics responded. Ben clambered into the cockpit, Rey by his side in the co-pilot’s seat. He turned on the ship’s computer and gave a fist pump of victory when it flickered to life.
Rey beamed at him, his excitement contagious.
He began typing commands and checking gauges. “Life support is working. Navigational charts are up and running.”
Distress signal received, the ship’s AI announced. Interception point coordinate 101356.2.
“Hell yeah!” Ben yelled, turning to face a startled Rey. “Someone out there heard our call. They’re coming to save us.”
She laughed and clapped, and he kissed her on the lips. He couldn’t wait until they had time to learn each other’s languages and really, truly communicate. Their connection was already pretty damn spectacular, but he wanted more.
Down, loverboy. Focus.
Ben entered the coordinates where they’d meet First Order’s rescue ship. He turned to Rey. “Ready to go? Move now?”
She nodded, firming her lips.
Checking launch sequence.
Ben grabbed Rey by the hand and placed it on a prominent silver circle. “That’s the launch button.”
“Launch?”
He made a rumbling engine sound and used his hand to imitate a starship taking off.
“Ah. Launch,” Rey repeated in understanding.
The roar of an animal was their only warning before a monstrous mouth bristling with jagged teeth gripped the escape vessel by its carbon fibre nose.
Ben shouted and Rey screamed as the ship was tipped onto its side, sending it sliding over the edge of a cliff. He smacked his head on the corner of a consul and blacked out.
The next thing he knew, Rey was shaking his arm and yelling his name. He took a second to orient himself and realised they were hanging upside down, their seatbelts the only thing keeping them in place. Another roar shook the hull of their vessel.
“Ben!” Rey gasped.
He punched the silver button, and his heart stuttered when nothing happened.
Launch sequence failure. Vessel orientation inoperable.
“Kriff!” he swore just as the huge rust red beast they’d spotted outside the cave once more grabbed the ship by its teeth and shook it bodily.
Rey cried out, and Ben reached for her. The animal tossed them to the ground when it realised the shuttle wasn’t good for eating.
Ben took a steadying breath, checking to make sure Rey was alright.
He realised he was useless inside the vessel.
Unbuckling himself, he landed unsteadily on his feet. Popping open a window, he fell onto a thicket of bushes, his limbs at an awkward tangle. Rey passed him his blaster rifle, and he gave her a tight grin.
Time to face the beast.
He took off running. The animal spotted him and turned its back on the ship in favour of a more interesting target. As the red beast approached, Ben fired his weapon.
Nothing happened.
He shook the rifle, but it had jammed, damaged in the fall.
Ben backed further away from the escape vessel, away from Rey, drawing the beast with him. He moved slowly, and the animal did the same, huffing curiously as it stalked him.
He could see Rey through the window of the vessel, frantically beckoning at him to come back. He shook his head, his mind made up.
Wait- what was she doing?
Rey popped open the same window he’d used as an exit and dropped something on the ground. A holovid began to play and the monstrous creature froze comically. Multicoloured pixels formed a picture in the air.
“I did it, dad,” Nevine beamed, dressed in her favourite rainbow octopus pyjamas. “I made it work.” She cupped her hands and blew into them, creating a sweet melody. “What d’you think? Am I as good as you?”
Ben watched his daughter in bittersweet gratitude. She’d always been the best of part of him.
Her smile faltered, dark eyes growing serious. “I love you.”
He choked on a sob.
The red beast snapped at the holographic image before turning to attack the ship once more. Grabbing the blaster rifle in desperation, Ben aimed and pressed the trigger.
Bright blue plasma lit up the animal’s side, but its skin was too tough to be seriously wounded. Ben aimed for its leg, and this time he drew blood.
The beast roared and charged.
“Launch the ship!” Ben yelled at Rey.
She shook her head, petrified.
“Go!” he ordered. “Launch!”
Ben turned and ran, intending on drawing the creature away so Rey could escape. His life for hers. It seemed a fair exchanged.
I couldn’t save you, Nevine, but I’ll save Rey.
He led the beast deeper into the forest, occasionally releasing plasma shots at its body. The animal roared and kept coming, not even pausing to take stock of its injuries.
The beast was too big, too quick. A predator in its element. The end was nigh, and Ben tightened his grip on his blaster rifle. This wasn’t a suicide run. He intended on going down fighting.
Out of nowhere, a figure ran screaming into the clearing. Rey.
The animal roared, turning towards her.
“Rey, no!” he shouted. What was she doing?
Ben opened fire, hoping to distract the beast, but it ignored him, making its way towards the slight figure with her resolute face.
Rey held her ground, allowing the creature to draw closer. It gave a deafening roar, and at the very last second, she lobbed a plasma grenade in the air.
The blinking blue sphere detonated near the creature’s head, turning one eye bloody. The creature roared, the sound higher pitched, a scream of pain. This time, miraculously, it began a retreat.
As the animal’s quaking steps disappeared into the forest, Ben stared at Rey in disbelief. What the kriff had just happened?
She ran towards him, throwing her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck. “Ben,” she said breathlessly.
He held her tight, both of them shaking with adrenaline. So close. He’d come so close to losing her.
At long last, he drew back and produced a wondrous smile. “Thank you for saving me, sweetheart.”
She accepted his kiss as her due, but they couldn’t waste any more time.
Clutching Rey’s hand, Ben ran for the escape shuttle. He wasn’t about to tempt fate and wait for something else to attack. Knowing their luck, this time it would be an entire herd of the huge creatures.
Once inside and buckled into the pilot’s seat, Ben did what any good captain would do. He turned the ship’s consul off and on again.
Vessel orientation restored. System reboot initiated.
“Thank kriff,” Ben muttered. “Time to go, sweetheart.”
“Move,” Rey agreed from the co-pilot’s chair.
He hit the launch button, the force of take-off sending them slamming back against their seats. Seconds later, the pressure was gone as they pierced the planet’s atmosphere and entered the uncanny silence of space. The dark expanse with its sprinkling of stars felt like an embrace.
Ben breathed easier as the escape shuttle sped towards pre-set coordinates.
Home. They were going home.
At last.
A small hand gripped his bigger one and he looked over at Rey. His Rey, as gorgeous as she was strong. Courageous to the very end.
What kind of woman risked her life to rescue a man she barely knew? She’d saved him in more ways than one, and he promised himself he’d spend the rest of his life making sure she was safe.
A new mission. He liked the sound of it.
Rey smiled as if she’d read his mind, and Ben wouldn’t be surprised if she had.