𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

𝟎𝟏𝟖. 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫

018. BROKE BEYOND REPAIR

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Although the sudden excitement from the Jawas alerted Evangeline that something was going on, she certainly didn't expect what she saw to come next: The pair of spies she had run into on Jedha entered the cave that passed as the Jawas' encampment.

Although not prime living conditions, the cave did what it needed to do by blocking out the harsh sun while keeping the sandy wind at bay. The Jawas at one point had gathered some of the local flora, as rare as it was, and used the foreign plants to cover the cave entrance. They had also gathered several lanterns to provide light amidst the natural darkness. Even though she was displeased to see the pair, her frown increased when Ben was carried in by a pack of five or six Jawas.

She had been asking about him for the past hour; however, that didn't mean she had looked forward to seeing him again. The resistance spies looked just as surprised to see her as she had been when they first entered.

"Eva?"

"Excuse me?" she raised an eyebrow, incredulous, "What did you call me?"

The spy hesitated before answering, "Eva... that is your name isn't it?"

"Maybe you misheard him," the other spy whispered, "He was babbling after all."

"It's Evangeline," she corrected them as she introduced herself, "I haven't been called Eva in a long time."

"Poe," the first spy spoke up.

She raised an eyebrow remembering that she had threatened him at knife-point earlier. He seemed to remember as well as his hand subconsciously drifted to his throat. She internally hid the smug expression that she wanted to wear.

"And this is Finn," Poe introduced the other spy who had been cautious since the moment he laid eyes on her.

"Uh huh," she nodded her head in avoidance of formal pleasantries.

"Oh," Poe lit up as if he had just remembered something, "And that—"

Evangeline interrupted him before he could continue, "I'm well acquainted with Ben Solo."

They looked at her confused before realization dawned on them and Finn spoke up, "I keep forgetting that his name isn't Kylo Ren."

"A stupid name if you ask me," Evangeline nodded her head, "But I should check on him to make sure the Jawas don't start scavenging... keep an eye on your pockets."

She left the pair of spies with the Jawas and entered the "room", really just a pocket within the cave, that she had seen Ben carried off to. She pushed aside some of the vegetation that acted as a curtain and sat down on a large rock as she waited for him to stir. Several of the Jawas seemed to fuss over a variety of wounds that he had acquired. As she waited, she allowed her thoughts to drift off to a time where she didn't feel the need to worry or feel concerned about her survival. She snapped out of the moment of nostalgia after a small groan broke the recent silence of the area. She looked over at the slab of rock where Ben had been placed and noticed as he lifted a hand to his recently bandaged head. She stood and approached him quietly, but almost withdrew in shock as his hand brushed hers.