Meant To Be »Reylo

| Part Ten |

     "It's Kylo Ren! Stand back!" A terrified voice cries out, looking to the landing Falcon with fear in his eyes. Cheers had flooded out from the members of the Resistance as they watched the Falcon near the planet, but quickly turned to fear as they realized who was aboard the ship. Ben has already begun his descent towards the ground from the ramp aboard the Falcon- despite our warnings that the Resistance would panic over the supposed Supreme Leader finding the last hiding spot of the cause.

     Ben looks out onto the horizon of the swampy, overgrown marsh that is Dagobah. "THIS is where great Jedi Master Yoda lived? I can't say I'm impressed." He remarks, ignoring the approaching Resistance fighters' expressions of horror.

     The rest of us have stayed inside the ship, repairing the minimal damage that we can. Ben, however, insisted upon seeing the home of Master Yoda at the absolute first chance he could take. Of course, he's taking the chance to have everyone bask in fear of his presence- old habits must die hard.

     "It's alright! Ben helped us escape!" I make my voice heard, climbing out of the ship with a smile. My hair is splayed across my face, and a small scratch makes its mark on my left cheek.

     When they don't appear convinced, I reach to grasp his callous hand in mine. "He's with us," I add, turning back from Ben's soft eyes and scanning the audience in front of me. "He's with me."

     Everyone is silent for a moment. And then, somebody claps. Somebody else cheers. A ripple of applause slowly gains volume, and it crescendos into a thundering celebration as what's left of the Resistance realizes that the tides have just turned. The First Order has a massive regime- but we now gain possession of their most powerful secret weapon.

     Someone who knows the imperial ships inside and out, a powerful force wielder, and someone who knows secrets of their army.

     "This is all wonderful, truly. But truly, how do we know that Kylo Ren isn't using this as an excuse to draw the First Order out and slaughter the rest of us?" A questioning individual asks, looking to the two of us with slight fear in her eyes. She's still young, looking to be about fifteen years old. The cost of war has taken a toll on her, however, and her eyes are tired, weary.

     "Well-" I start off, but I'm quickly silenced. "I'm not surprised you feel that way. I wouldn't be either, if I was in your position." Ben says this sentence calmly, boldly. He's strong, he has this.

     "I know you all probably have resentful feelings towards me. You don't trust me, and you have no reason to. I'm a monster. I've struck down countless, innocent people standing in my way without remorse. I slaughtered Han Solo, my own father. So, what reason would you have to trust me?"

He pauses, and looks out to the captivates audience with a sigh. "Well, you see. There's this girl. But not just any girl."

     I look up from the ground, too mesmerized by his words that I didn't realize where he was going with the story.

     "This girl has somehow, over the course of time, made this burning desire in me to change. However, I never rose from the First Order. I joined them of my own accord. Why? Well, my life was threatened when I was just 17. By none other than Luke Skywalker."

Gasps and murmurs ripple throughout the crowd, and someone cries out about what an injustice it is.

     "Although Luke triggered this feeling inside me, pushed me the extra step to join Snoke, I was the one who went and carried out that plan. I've made a million mistakes, and now I feel the shame rising in me."