The Art of Broken Pieces

The Last Porgs Standing

He knew the question was coming, but it was still hard to hear. God, where was Rey when he needed her? Sliding down the wall to sit along it, Ben sighed and met her defiant red eyes.

"You know we can't." He said frankly. she could handle the truth, it was harder when adults dissembled and apologized. "Not this time."

Ari'Li didn't ask why. She frowned, seeming to search for some way to argue. "I can't fly the ship yet," she said. "But I can help keep it maintained. And maybe Rey could teach me how to fly it. I've been in danger many times before." She scrunched up her nose. "I didn't think being safe would be so...hard."

Ben snorted. "Tell me about it. Being safe is shit, and boring as hell." Reaching into the compartment, Ben ruffled her short hair. "Don't worry, Kid. We won't make you stay safe forever. Promise."

Snagging the edge of the blanket, Ben tugged it out of her arms, spilling Spoon onto the floor where the tiny porg screamed up at him. The battered spoon from the Falcon's dining set clattered across the floor as well, and was quickly snatched up. With a venomous swipe at Ben's hip, Spoon scampered off in a huff.

"We... care about you..." Ben managed awkwardly, the words surprisingly difficult. "You could be used against us. And Hux, well, that's exactly what he'd try to do."

She'd been looking at his knee, but at those words she glanced up. There was a strange mix of vulnerability and understanding on her face. "But you won't leave me behind forever? I'll be deadly. I'll learn to be. I'll learn to protect myself so you don't have to worry, and I'll learn to be a pilot so I can fly..."

She looked around. "Did you choose a name for her?"

"The Orphan." Ben said with a smile. "And I have no doubt you'll make a great addition to our team in the future."

Sighing, he held his arms out to her as she pulled her pack over her shoulder and climbed reluctantly into them.

"And don't you ever tell Dameron I said this, but there's probably no one better to teach you how to fly." Ben grumbled, standing and tucking the small armful of child onto his hip. "And someday we'll have the best pilot in the galaxy flying us around."

Rey broke off speaking, a smile broadening on her face. She nodded toward the Orphan's open hatch and Ben's tall frame, which dwarfed the tiny Chiss girl in his arms.

"See," she said, voice rich with humor. "I told you we'd find her if she was aboard."

Walking down to join them, Ben walked up to Poe, the two meeting eyes with a careful tension.

"Dameron." Ben acknowledged stiffly, looking down at the shorter man.

"Solo." Poe couldn't help straightening his shoulders, refusing to be intimidated.

"This is yours." Ben said with faint amusement, depositing Ari'Li into Poe's waiting arms. "Try to keep better track of it, will you?"

Sighing, Poe shook his head at Ari'Li. "We were looking for you, scoundrel." Adjusting his grip on her he paused as something hard pressed between his arms and her back. Setting her down he snatched the blaster out of her waistband, pinning her with a glare. "What the hell is this? Where did you get it?" He paused, glancing up at Ben with dark eyes.

"So, where are you guys headed to first!?" Rose practically shouted the question at Ben, hoping to dissuade the two men from a competition of paternal ideology.

Rey plucked at Ben's shirt, encouraging him to answer.

Still engaged in a decidedly tense stare-off with Poe, Ben's answer was somewhat distracted.

"We have several more leads from the Aurelian chamberlain to track down, follow the money and it will lead to Hux eventually. We may have also made a... contact... on Aurelia that can give us more intel."