Ben Solo

XXXIII

Ben opened his eyes in the center of a fire. He looked around.

The academy was on fire! His room had become extremely warm, and fires were scattered around his room.

He jumped out of bed, grabbed his green lightsaber, and ran out into the hall.

Averann was running around, opening doors and helping children out of the rooms and towards the outside door, in the back.

It hit him with a jolt. His lightsaber! He had started the fire!

Ben looked around frantically. Where was Mei?

She came out of a room, helping a younger girl, who was coughing ferociously.

Mei looked at him. "Master Ben!"

"Get outside, out of the smoke! I'm going to radio the base!"

Ben sprinted through the halls, dodging children, and got to the communication room.

He switched on the radio, praying someone was listening.

"This is Ben Solo, at the Jedi academy. There is a fire, and we are getting everyone to safety, but the academy may be destroyed." Ben bit a lip, hoping someone was on the other end.

He counted to twenty. No response.

He checked the frequency, and realized it was tuned to the academy X-Wing's radios. He switched it to the Base one and repeated his message.

"Copy, Ben Solo. We will send both teams out to help, as well as an SSP. Have you seen any First Order yet? Could they be the cause?" a female voice came over the radio.

"No, not yet--"

Just then, a bolt hit outside, not lightning, but a TIE-Fighter. He could hear the engines as more flew in.

"Yes!" Ben yelled.

"Alright, Ben, we'll be out there in a bit." This time Ben recognized his father's voice.

Then Ben ran out to make sure his fellow Jedi and padawans, as well as the refugee children were alright.  They were rushing under the cover of the woods on the other side, where Ben hadn't been earlier.

Onya and Ilia were climbing up into the X-Wings, ready to fight back.

But then a shot to the cockpit of Onya's blasted it to pieces.

Ilia ducked her head, then, in shock sat, staring at the embers drifting down where the Twi'lek had just been.

Ben felt his heart being torn out, but Ilia was just sitting there.  He had to get her out of there!

He ran, low, toward her X-Wing, and all but dragged her out of the fighter.

"Onya!" Ilia muttered.

"She's gone," Ben yelled, pain in his voice.  "We have to get out of here!"

He took off her helmet and quickly tuned it to the base's frequency.

He could hear the commands of both leaders as he and Ilia ran for cover.

Somewhere, deep in the woods, there was a system of tunnels, used to hide in during attacks when it was a base.

Now, the academy's residents used it.

It wasn't extremely safe, but if no direct shots were landed, they would be fine.

Averann looked up from the little girl she was helping, and Ben saw that the child had burns on her face, across one eye.  "Where's Onya?"

He shook his head.

Averann looked into his eyes, then reached out for Ilia, knowing that Ben would need to help the Resistance fighters with their strategies.

"This is Ben Solo," he announced, going above ground.

"Copy, Ben.  This is Red Leader," a male voice said.

"This is Blue Leader," a female voice said.

"Where are the fighters coming from?" Red Leader asked.

Ben bit his lip.  He still wasn't sure of the directions.  "I'm standing on the tunnels, and they are coming from seven o'clock."

"Copy.  Thank you, Ben.  We'll be there in a moment."

Then Poe's voice came through.  "Ben?  Are all of you alright?"

"Dameron, no formalities," Red Leader warned.

"Beg your pardon, Captain, but I need to know."

Before Haasa could speak again, Ben told him.  "Averann and Ilia are safe, as are all of the padawans, and Luke."

"What about Onya?"

Ben couldn't bring himself to tell him.  He bit his lip, fighting back tears.

He heard a low breath from Poe.  "She's gone..." he whispered.

Ben nodded, knowing his friend couldn't see him, but not caring.  He couldn't speak, he knew the lump in his throat was too thick.

Poe was closest to Onya out of all of them.

"We'll be there in two minutes," Blue Leader said.

Then, Ben ducked.  A TIE-Fighter's engine had warned him, and he turned just in time to see a green bolt strike just above the tunnels.

The bolt exploded, throwing Ben back slightly.  "No!"

Then he woke up.

Ben sat up, heart pounding, tears running down his face.

There was no fire, in fact, his room was cold with the morning chill.

He got up, threw on his cloak and went into the kitchen.

Onya turned around when she heard him and gave him a smile.

"Thank goodness," he whispered.

"Pardon?"

"N-nothing."

She smiled again.  "How did you sleep?"

"Not well.  I had a nightmare last night, in which you all died.  All of you," he repeated, his voice cracking.

Onya walked over to him and gave him a hug.  "It's alright.  We're all safe, you see?"

When they pulled back, he straightened, and gave a small smile.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome.  Breakfast won't be ready for a bit.  Go take a shower now."

He gave a mock salute, and, in doing so, felt the burns on his hands.

Onya didn't seem to notice.  He went and showered, wincing at the soapy water, working its way into the little sores.

When he got dressed, he wore long sleeves, and gloves, without the fingers, to cover to blisters.

He would have to be more careful now.