Below the Radar: Part 2 (A D&D AU Fanfic)

I Will Protect You

There was a number above her head, a big number, enough zeroes that Remii still couldn't properly fathom it. The moment her eyes had landed on her wanted poster she knew she would need to proceed with added caution. Her spontaneous connections to Ben made this task exceptionally more difficult but Remii had learned to keep disguise pieces on her when off-base. Undo the braid, replace with the mask. Remove the mask, replace with the hood. She knew the bounty was also putting the people around her at risk too, which made this particular trip inside a Star Destroyer that much more stressful.

Remii getting captured and brought onto First Order ships had been happening more frequently than she would've liked to admit. The group were aware of it, but Remii's powers had grown to a comfortable enough strength that she often could manage her own escapes -- if not, Mind Tricking a trooper was a reliable backup plan. And being hunted down by the Supreme Leader meant most troopers would recognize her which gave Remii a perk -- being hunted down without any blaster fire. The repercussions of carting her onto a Star Destroyer dead would be unfathomable, even Remii knew that. Kylo Ren had made his motivations clear to anyone within ear shot. Find Remii.

In most of her escapes, Remii never even came close enough to encountering him in person. It had been three months since and admittedly, it did sting. She was actively running from him not because she wanted to but because the timing wasn't right yet. But something about today's capture (other than the plus one with her) made Remii begin to suspect otherwise.

The child walked silently behind her, his tiny hand gripping tightly onto hers. Remii had asked the boy his name but Star Wars locals were given the strangest names bless them, she couldn't even remember which letter it started with. Remii didn't beat herself up too much seeing as she'd taken her signature forgetfulness with her into this universe. So she'd landed on calling the boy Pon (at least in her head), his large poncho both resembling hers and being his most defining accessory. She'd positioned Pon behind her, shielding him from the trooper accompanying them. They'd cooperated thus far which in turn encouraged the trooper to walk ahead of them rather than corral them like cattle, as he had been.

The trooper nodded toward the open lift at the end of the hall, Pon now holding Remii's hand with both of his. Remii tried consoling the boy quietly but the trooper barked at them to enter, scaring Pon more. Remii glared at them.

"He's scared, show some empathy," she hissed. The trooper just scoffed, motioning again for them to move. It was a weak attempt but still an effort nonetheless. Remii had too high of hopes of finding a middle ground here but she had to. She wouldn't let anything happen to Pon. 

She and the boy moved into the lift, the trooper following closely. Again he stood ahead of them, at an angle so he could keep an eye on them as they began climbing the levels. Good that he did so that he could watch Remii stare daggers into him. She was in mama bear mode, her heart pumping furiously as her blood did. Though her heart also raced for an ulterior reason -- Ben. The lift was rising quickly, and Ben felt closer and closer.

Finn was proof that stormtroopers could be Force-sensitive so it was possible this trooper had read her mind as he took a step towards her. Remii immediately sheltered Pon closer to her as she took a small step back. "Mind the child," Remii warned, her free hand hovering at her empty holster. 

The trooper took another step. If there were any signs of the slightest hint of nerves, he didn't let them show. Remii glared through her brows now, arching her back like a cornered hound. Only one person was allowed to corner her.