Dawn of a new Force

Chapter 49 - A threat that hovers.

He leaned toward her.

- Are you sure everything is fine? He insisted.

She got up and began to search the tool trunk. She struggled to look natural. Determined, she assured Ben that everything was fine. But he insisted. Classic.

She turned to him, looking angry.

- I told you everything was fine, what more do you want? she said, annoyed.

- The truth.

- The truth is that ...

She bit her lip. He must know nothing of her confusion, she must hide it from him until she is sure of herself. She had to divert his attention.

- Because I think about Poe, she said suddenly.

He shocked without flinching, but she saw a veil of sadness pass in his eyes. He swallowed and lifted his chin as he used to do when he felt uncomfortable. She noticed the fold between his two eyebrows, the one he had when he was upset, or angry.

- No, he said.

- Yes, it is true. He confessed his feelings to me, and ... I can not pull that out of my head. It's ... complicated, she explained.

- I know you're lying, Rey. I see it.

- Maybe ... ends up saying Rey. But you will have to be satisfied.

And she went to another compartment, armed with a key. Ben remained standing in the hallway, inhabited by doubt. Did she really lie? The conversation he had attended a few minutes earlier could make him doubt it ... On the other hand, he was almost certain of Rey's feelings towards him.

No, she would not get away by running away, he decided. He followed her into the compartment where she had taken refuge, and as she turned her back on him, working on a pipe in the wall, he grabbed her arm roughly and turned her over.

- Hey! She protested.

- Rey, I'm not very patient, and not very inclined to play this game. You really have feelings for this man? So you have nothing to do here. But I'm sure there's something else, and you'll tell me, otherwise I'll find out, he threatened.

- Oh yes? Rey quipped. Are you going to question me, as you were used to?

Ben took a deep breath. He had to keep calm, but he could not. It was Rey, it was too important and too affect for him to leave him marble. She excluded him, she rejected him by refusing to reveal what was bothering her. And that was unbearable for him.

- If necessary, yes. You'll tell me everything! He shouted.

- Ben! she shouted back. Do not play that! You know you will not get anything from me that way!

And she gave him a shoulder to pass. He grabbed her by the hips as she passed by him and laid her in front of him.

- Please, rekindled Rey. You have to believe me, I ...

By the time she felt weak, almost on the verge of sharing her doubts, an audible signal came to save her.

- The alpha modulator! she says.

They rushed to the dashboard and saw what they were dreading. The modulator was defective, and they triggered the exit of hyperspace to not risk the explosion. They had not arrived on Jeda, and there was still a long way to go. Without speed-light, the journey would be long, and dangerous, because it would be necessary to stop more often to refuel.

In committing, Ben and Rey went in search of shelter for repairs.

                                                                 ---------------------------------------------

- Supreme Leader, said the officer, bowing, Commander Orin has arrived and asks to see you.

- Let him in, said Hux, sitting on the throne.

The doors opened and let in the man who commanded the commando on Ach-To. Dressed all in black but freshly changed, blond hair perfectly combed, he advanced straight and walking assured. Hux raised his hand to his Praetorian guard. The men understood immediately and left the throne room without hesitation. This fact was rare, for the Praetorian Guard had to remain, until death, with its Supreme Leader.

- It took a long time, Hux began.

- I implore you to excuse this delay, Supreme Leader. I had to burn the bodies of several of my men.

- What become of your men does not interest me! Hux growled. You said it would be easy, you swore to finish this job. And yet, I did not get wind of their death!

Hux rose hastily and began to pace his throne. His dark circles under eyes had grown larger, and his complexion looked even wilder in the faint light scattered by the lights. Hands crossed in the back, he was more nervous than ever.

- Supreme Leader, Orin argued, my men are very precious to me. They are devoted body and soul to our cause. I do not want to "waste" them.

Hux glared at him.

- But rest assured, continued Orin. I ordered our retirement to give them the feeling that they won. The two people we are talking about are too powerful to face together. We have two possibilities for action.

- Ah yes? Tell me everything, Commander, I'm burning to hear your explanations, said Hux, sitting down again.

- We can attack them while on board their ship. All possessors of the Force that they are, an explosion is quite possible.

- And the second?

- We have introduced in their ship a major flaw that will force them quickly to stop. They will no longer be able to use the hyperdrive. This will send us a signal about their location at the same time. And when they land to do their repairs ...

- You will fall on them like one man, said Hux, pensively. Yes ... it's ingenious, Commander. But, you told me that you could not attack them together? he said, raising an eyebrow.

Orin smiled.

- Indeed. On an unknown planet, being refueled, it will not be so difficult to separate them. We have a network that works for us, Supreme Leader.

Hux laughed.

- Commander, you are amazing! I had heard of you, of course, but I never thought you were so amazing! He repeated.

He continued to laugh. Then he was silent.

- Keep it up, Commander. But I warn you: your order exists only because I want it. Disappoint me once more, and I would dissolve you, like all those old things that I find everywhere. Once, commander.

- I will not disappoint you, Supreme Leader. It will be an honor to give you my life in combat.

Hux dismissed him with a wave of his hand. When Orin went back to the door, the Praetorian guard came noiselessly and came to stand behind Hux, who was gloomy, lost in the air.