Ben POV
I was in my quarters trying to figure out what to do with Aster, and how her knowing the scavenger directly linked her to the rebellion. How was I supposed to make sure she stayed uninvolved? Being part of the Rebellion in any way shape or form was dangerous. She could be captured, hurt or killed by any First Order troops, and I would not always be there to help her. To make sure no one layed a single finger on her.
I sighed to myself. I would have to keep her here, with me, for now. I couldn't risk her life out there, not when I had just gotten her back.
I came to the conclusion that while she might hate me for making her stay, it was better than her getting hurt out there, when there was a knock on my door. I sighed and walked over, opening it to see a stormtrooper positioned outside.
"What is it?" I asked, annoyed at being interupted.
"General Hux has requested your presence down in the holding cells. He says it's urgent."
Just hearing his name made anger flow through me. He was such a frustrating man to have to deal with, and while he was my highest ranked general, I couldn't stand him. The only thing he could do without messing up, was war.
I followed the stormtrooper down to the hull of the ship and approached Hux, who was waiting for my arrival. He looked furious, his face was red, almost the same shade of his hair and his shoulders were tense. I nodded in greeting and Hux stiffly nodded his head back.
"What seems to be the problem, General Hux?" I drawled.
"An escaped prisoner claims you have set her free and refuses to tell me why. I believe she should be interrogated and kept here." My mind immediately goes to Aster, but she is in the hospital, so she couldn't possibly been mistaken for a prisoner there.
"Bring me to her." I demand.
Hux takes me to one of the cells and my heart stops when I see who is sitting in the far corner with a flimsy hospital outfit on and her knees tucked into her chest, tears streaming down her face and a few bruises visible on her legs. The thought of Hux seeing her in such clothes infuriates me. Before I go to help her a horrible though hits me. Young prisoners are sometimes taken advantage of when in holding cells. The General is one of the ones participating in such horrible acts. I turn to him and try to keep my cool. I have to make sure before I help Aster.
"What happened to her?" I demand.
Hux looks taken aback by the question. He looks at me confused before looking at the girl again.
Out of the corner of my eye I see Aster lift her head at my voice. She must have recognized my voice although it is distorted by the mask I wear. She still looks fearful which drives me to get this over with quicker so I can get her out of here.
"HUX!"
"I told you, she wasn't compliant. She wouldn't tell me why you set her free. But of course you didn't possibly set her free, so it doesn't really ma-" I cut him of my reaching out with the force. I imagine Hux choking before me. I stop before too long and he falls to the ground. I have to get Aster out of here. I'll ask her instead. I don't know what I might do if I find out Hux or the prison guards tried to do what I hope they didn't.
I turn away from Hux's coughing form and over to Aster.
"Aster, are you okay?" She nodds silently and wipes her tears away franticly.
I gently lift up her small figure and leave the cell as quickly as I can, all thoughts of our previous argument forgotten for now. The whole way back to my quarters she doesn't say a word and I feel my worry and fear start to grow.
I lay her down on my bed once I enter my quarters and she sits up on her own, legs crossed on the bed. I hastily remove my helmet and find something warm for her to wear as her skin was cold as ice. I quickly find a cloak and make my way back over to Aster. I place the cloak around her shoulders and go to kneel on the floor in front of her as I gently take her hands in mine.
"Did they do anything to you?" I ask, adjusting the cloak to keep her warm. She grabs onto it tightly and looks at me with such sad eyes. I see no reason to hide my worry for her.
"Not really." is her short and quiet reply.
I hastily look down at her body to see where exactly she is hurt, because I can tell she is. Her left cheek has a bruise and her wrists and her shin. I can't see anything else, but I fear the damage may be elsewhere.
"Did they-" I swallow nervously, scared of the answer, "-did they tr-"
"No. I'm fine." I let out a sigh of relief and pull her into my arms. She was trying not to cry, but after rubbing my hand up and down her back, I could hear her stiffled sobs.
"I'll make sure they know who you are and I promise they wont hurt you again. I'm so sorry, Aster, for letting them get to you." I couldn't believe she had been hurt on my own ship, when I had told myself to take care of her.
"Thank you."
They sat there, rocking back and forwards on the side of the bed, his arms wrapped around her small frame and hers wrapped around his broad back.
"Ben?" She breaks the silence that had engulfed the room. She removed herself from his hug and sat back, a worried look on her face. I nod to acknowledge her.
"Yes?"
"Did you kill all the padawans at your uncles temple? Is that what you meant by being attracted to the Dark side? Is that how you became the Supreme Leader?"
I had never seen Aster like this before. She looked like she was going to break. Her face was pale, making her bruise even more visible and her hands were trembling in her lap. She looked heartbroken and even slightly scared all over again. I couldn't let her suffer like this, so I gently took her small delicate hands in mine after removing my gloves.
"No, I didn't kill them." She lets out a ragged sigh. "There were two of us from my uncles Jedi temple that were.... seduced by the Dark. Former Supreme Leader Snoke had manipulated our young and corruptible minds into doing his bidding and it was the other apprentice, Dorian, who was responsible for the killings." I make a fist, anger bubbling just beneath the surface at the memory of Dorian Ren. "I must admit I did kill Dorian after he killed Snoke. That is why I was named Supreme Leader, there was simply no one else who could take that title, apart from Hux, but I would rather die then let that man have more power than he already has." I mumble.
The look on her face relaxed. She looked almost relieved. She reaches her arms out and I welcome them. To feel her body in my arms was comforting. She had such a warm aura around her now, her touch calmed the storm inside me. I gently wrap my arms around her soft form. As her head rests and my shoulder she whispers into the dark room.
"I was so scared that you might have killed all those children." She whispers. " Words can not describe how horrid I feel for thinking the worst of you. I hope you can forgive me, Ben." She looks up at me with wide eyes and I can't help but be surprised. She's asking me for forgivness?
"Of course I'll forgive you, Aster. I am aware of the reputation I have instilled upon the galaxy and how such conclusions might easily arise." I say while hesitantly leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Her cheeks is warm, and I fell the corner of her lips lift into a smile as she blushes.
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Aster POV
"Ben, can I leave this place?" I ask once I have collected myself. I was lying in Bens bed with his arms wrapped warmly around me. It reminded me of life on Chandrila, all those years ago.
I turned to Ben to cauge his reaction, and he looks torn.
"I have to know where the girl is, Aster. If she is with that BB- unit, I need to find her." He sighs deeply. "Also, I dont know if I want you to leave. I just got you back."
I look at him, and I mean really look at him, and all I can see is the boy I fell in love with six years ago. But I can also see the darkness within him, and I'm scared that loving him won't be enough.
" I really missed you, Aster. " he whispers, touching my cheek with his hand.
"I missed you too, Ben." I say, covering his hand with mine. "But I can't stay here."
Ben frowns. "Aster, please. You cant leave. Its too dangerous."
"So, I'm a prisoner?" I ask, removing myself from his arms and sitting up. Ben follows suit while I try to think of a way out of this.
If I left to try and find Rey on my own, I would first of all have no idea where to start, but if I somehow did manage to find her, I would lead the First Order right to her.
"No...yes... maybe. I don't know, Aster." Ben sighed. "You have information the First Order needs, and I can't let you go until I have it. And if you dont want to tell me, fine, but then you have to stay here. With me."
"But what does it possibly matter if you know who Rey is, she doesn't know anything either." The moment the words come out of my mouth, I feel my stomach drop and I slap my hand over my mouth.
"No. No, no, no" I whisper in horror.
"Her name's Rey?" Ben says, eyes wide.
"No, you cant tell anyone, Ben, please. You can't! They'll kill her. Please, she's all I have. You can't let anything happen to her." I say franticly trying to collect myself. "I'm begging you, Ben." I say, grabbing his hands and looking into his brown eyes. "Please."
"Aster." he sighs, looking so torn.
"Rey knows nothing. I swear. She's not the one you're looking for. We lived together for two years, and I've known her for four years before that. Rey has nothing to do with this. Nothing to do with the droid." I plead desperatly.
"Why was she with the droid, then. Come to think of it, why were you with the droid?"
"We came across it one night. A Luggabeast was trying to catch it and we saved it from being sold for parts. It didn't want to leave, so we let it stay with us. Three days later, we get ambushed by Unkars Thugs and your Stormtroopers. I swear Rey knows nothing. I know nothing either."
"It truly was just a coincidence?" He asks. I nodd franticly.
"You know, ever since you were captured, this ship has been flying through the galaxy trying to find your friend." I step back in horror.
"What?"
"The First Orders top priority is to defeat the Ressistance. The BB-unit has a map to my uncle, which directly links whoever is with that droid, to the Ressistance, you and your friend included."
"But your parents are part of the Ressistance how could you want to destroy them?" I ask horrified.
Ben ignored the questions.
"Don't you see, Aster. You are somehow involved in this, and I know you are hiding something because if what you say is true and neither you, nor your friend are involved, how come I got a message after leaving the hospital an hour ago, that Rey has been spotted with a known Ressistance fighter and the BB-unit on Takodana."