Conquer, The Sequel to Connection

Epilogue #1

Ben and Rey walk into the mess hall together. Holding hands. 

Rose notices first. And lets out a whoop.

She points to them, not even able to form words. 

"IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!" erupts a loud voice. That would be Zorii. 

Jannah just drops her head on the table in relief.

Poe smiles, widely. 

Finn smiles just a bit. Like one corner going up. Rey beams at him. 

They sit together, Ben slipping his arm around her, possessively. Rey looks at him strangely and notices him watching someone. 

Leal. 

There's a bit of a staring contest happening. Rey reaches up, grabs Ben's face and kisses him. Not a long kiss. Just a peck. But enough. 

She whispers to him.

"Calm down, tiger. I'm yours, remember?" 

He wants to go back to bed. Now. 

His stomach rumbles and he's brought back to reality. 

Eat. Then back to bed with you…..

You forget, you have a mission today. You're leaving, remember?

Shit! Damn. Maybe I can put it off? 

No. You have top secret stuff to go do. 

You know, there is a bed in the ship I'm taking…..

Rey giggles out loud.

"Okay, enough for me….." Poe says and he's gone. 

"You two weird us all out with the staring and giggling and silent talking thing. You know that, right?" Zorii says. Then she winks. "It's adorable. Fuck! How'd I become a fucking romantic?"

She looks for Poe. 

"Dameron! Wait for your fiance. We have important shit to discuss. In my room. Now!"

The two practically run out of the mess hall. 

"Seems we've started something." Ben points out. "So he can shirk his duties but I have to leave my newly found woman? Hell no."

He pulls her closer, watching her eat ravenously. Her appetite is back. So is his. 

"Give me a bite. So I don't have to let go of you."

She feeds him off her fork. 

"And….I'm out." Rose says. 

"Mmm-hmmm" Rey nods. "I saw you and Rothbert this morning. If you're going to make out, can you do it further away from our window?"

Rose isn't one to blush. She simply puts her hand on her hip. 

"You're one to talk! I heard about you two in the corridors! Did you find Rey's belt yet, Ben?" 

Ben is the one who blushes. Which is always funny because of his ears. He reaches up to cover them when they start to burn. 

"Aww baby, don't cover them! I love them!"

Rey swats his hands away. 

"Yeah, y'all are too much…." Finn says, standing to leave. He pauses and gets serious. Ben and Rey look at him, confused. 

"Hey, listen. I haven't said much to you two lately. I tried to stay neutral. I'm really happy you two worked it out."

Ben and Rey are speechless.