IX Make Your Choice
"Ship incoming, west," Clara turned around.
"It might be Aelin," Rose hurried over.
"No, I'm here," I looked up from my conversation with Poe.
"Get eyes on it," Leia looked worried.
"Already done,"
"Well, who is it?" Leia was getting increasingly more concerned.
"I can't quite tell, but it looks like BN-847 small transporter,"
"That's the First Order," Poe's eyes widened. "Close the door!"
"No, wait." The whole of the resistance looked at me expectantly "It doesn't make any sense, they know if you close the door they can't get in. That ship is small, it might contain 1 squad of stormtroopers at the most and next to no equipment. They're not here to kill you,"
"How do we know?"
"Look at it, it's 5x18 metres at most, that's including the cockpit and anything else, there's barely any room. It's a negotiations vehicle,"
"Do you think Ren is onboard?"
"Probably,"
"I know you two talk on a regular basis. What are the odds that you knew about this," Rey looked at me.
"I'm a neutral party. We don't talk about plans and all that, that's just dumb. We talk about, you know, sibling stuff," Rey still wasn't convinced. "You're just looking for a way to bring me down."
"I am not!"
"Okay, I don't care about whatever problems you two have, but we have bigger," Finn broke up a potential argument.
It was then a voice came over the intercom, it was Ben, of course it was. "Rebel base, do you read me? Rebel base, this is the First Order, do you copy?"
"First Order, this is Rebel base state your business," Clara took control of the intercom.
"I'm here to negotiate,"
"Land your vehicle, come out and remain where we can see you. Come alone,"
"Naturally," The comms shut off.
The rebels grabbed their blasters and headed out.
"Ben..." Leia stood about 5 metres away from Ben.
"General Organa," he gave her a nod. All the rebels had their guns trained on him.
"What do you want?" Rey stepped forward.
"You," both Leia and Rey paled "In return for a truce. All you have to do is give me the scavenger,"
"No!" Finn was angry. I stood watching from the sidelines.
"Fine, I'll just have to destroy you all and take her for myself," The sound of blasters charging filled the air. "Both you and I know those won't do a thing,"
"Fine! Take me! Do what you like," Rey stepped forward.
"No, Rey. You are the Last Jedi, the spark that will start the flame of the resistance, we cannot give you up," Leia caught Rey's wrist.
"Aelin!" One of the rebels called out. I looked over. "It's time to make your choice. There's no room for neutral parties in this war,"
Leia nodded. "We've waited long enough. Make your choice,"
"If your worried about fitting in, don't worry you can be a pulpit with me!" Poe called out. Everyone expected me to side with the rebels. Leia stretches out her hand.
"Come back to me," I stared blankly at her. How could they make me choose?
"Aelin..." It was Ben, his voice barely above a whisper. "Please," He offered me his hand, too.
My mind raced. Who do I choose?
"Aelin," my mother was getting impatient. Ben said nothing just looked at me with his eyes, filled with an intense loneliness. I had seconds, but at the same moment all the time in the world. "Aelin, come on honey," She was pushing me into this. Ever since I got to the resistance she'd been pushing me into this. Always pushing, subtle words and hints dropped all the time. Pushing me into the resistance. "Aelin, can you hear me?" I nodded vaguely. "Aelin, you need to make a decision," my mother said with quiet confidence.
It was time to make my choice.
YOU ARE READING
The Mechanic
Fanfiction"I thought you thought that you were doing the right thing," "I am," "Then why are you painting yourself as a bad guy?" "Because that's what most of the galaxy thinks," "So? Just because they think it doesn't mean you have to. So how do you know I s...
