Star Wars Episode VII: The Search For Skywalker

Use The Force

Ben opened his eyes to see what almost seemed to be an endless drop beneath his feet. He moved his feet back and forth, trying to find some kind of stable ground beneath him, but there was none.

It was then that he noticed for the first time the sharp pain in his arms. It felt as if they were being torn off. He looked to see the shackles on his hands, he was bound to a chain that hung from the ceiling overhead, keeping him suspended.

He looked in front of him to see a chrome figure standing on a ledge.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, tell me where the map is Solo."

"Never," he answered.

"The hard way it is," she replied.

She reached her hand out towards him and attempted to search his mind for the map.

He felt her attempting to search his mind, but he blocked her easily. She pushed harder and his walls seemed to crumble. He realized that it would take something stronger than the Force to stop her from finding the map. He thought of Rey and his parents, and how much he loved all of them.

After a moment, Phasma groaned in frustration as she saw nothing but his affection for his parents and the scavenger girl. "Your love for them is strong, but not strong enough. You may be able to block me from finding the map, but I will break you. And if that doesn't work, I'll take you to the Supreme Leader and he'll pull it out of you."

Just then, a tall thin man with red hair walked in with a group of stormtroopers. "We could always get the information out of him the old fashioned way," said General Hux.

Phasma nodded, the cruel grin on her face was obvious even through her helmet.

General Hux returned a smile that was equally cruel. Then he nodded to the stormtroopers.

The stormtroopers began to beat him with metal staffs. The pain was excruciating but Ben refused to speak.

Finally one of the stormtroopers landed a blow on his head, knocking him out so that he would be free of this pain... at least for a few hours.

"That's enough!" Phasma yelled as they continued to beat Ben even though he was unconscious. "Maybe when he wakes up he'll talk."

Hux nodded and gestured for the stormtroopers to leave. "Supreme Leader Snoke wishes to speak with us."

Phasma nodded and followed him to the throne room.

The shuttle landed on the First Order Base, StarKiller. Rey waited until all of the stormtroopers had exited the shuttle. She listened to their footsteps, as they walked across the hard floor of the landing bay. When the sound of their footsteps had become faint and distant, she quietly crept out of the shuttle. She looked around the landing bay, when she was sure that no one was watching her, she slipped into a hallway.

Now that she was out of sight she stopped and closed her eyes, reaching out through the Force to Ben. She could sense his presence and she could feel waves of pain washing over her. She didn't know what was causing him to feel such pain, but she had to do something to stop it.

She opened her eyes and followed the feeling in her heart that came from their connection. She wandered through the halls for a while as she tried to pinpoint his exact location.

Finally, feeling of his presence seemed to grow stronger as she approached a set of doors. She knew that he must be in room behind them. She pressed the button on the control panel and the doors slid open.

She went into the room and saw Ben chained to the ceiling. She gasped in horror as she saw the blood on his face. His shirt was torn and wet with blood. She hurried over to the edge of the pit.

"Ben?" she whispered.

He opened his eyes just enough to see her. "Rey? What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you," she answered.

"Rey, it's not safe."

"I know, but I couldn't let them take you and I'm not going to let them hurt you anymore," she replied. "I have to get you out of here." She began to look around for a way to free him. There was no way that she would be able to reach him. "I just don't know how."

"Use the Force, Rey," he answered.

"The Force?" she breathed.

"Yes, I know that you can. I feel it inside of you."

She reached her hand out towards him and tried to move him towards her. He swayed on the chain slightly, but she lowered her hand in frustration. "I can't, I'm not strong enough."

"You're stronger than you know. You just have to feel it," he answered. "Close your eyes."

She closed her eyes slowly.

"Take a deep breath," he instructed.

She inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled.

"Feel the Force within you... can you feel it?"

She nodded.

"Now reach out from your heart. Can you feel my presence?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Try again," he said gently.

She extended her hand towards him, keeping her eyes closed and concentrating on his presence.

She opened her eyes as she felt something touch her hand. She had pulled him towards her. She wrapped her arms around him so that he wouldn't fall backwards. She moved her hand, using the Force to unshackle his hands.

He hugged her. "Thank you, Rey."

"I can't believe I actually did it," she said.

"I knew that you could," he answered.

Rey looked up at him. "You need a doctor," she said as she saw the blood on his face.

He smiled. "I'll be alright as soon as we get out of here."