Star Wars Episode 9: A New Order by J.R.Wittig

Chapter 13 Kellin

The next morning Ben wakes to Rey tending the fire and serving up breakfast.

"Well this is a welcome change," She laughs, "For once I beat you out of bed."

Rey hands Ben some food and he looks at her a little differently.

"What?"

"I'm glad you're here."

"Me too, especially since without me you probably would have been blown up."

The intercom beeps and Rey answers.

"I'm about three clicks east of the wreckage. See you soon."

Rey practices her hovering move and lands with a slight Force blasting thud that Ben notices but she doesn't.

"If even half the Jedi I've known learned a fraction as quickly as you, they would never have gone extinct."

"You think they're extinct?"

"The last one was raised on this planet. They have no masters."

"What about you?"

Ben scoffs and kicks a rock.

"I believe you could be."

"What? A Jedi Master? No...The Chosen One? Snoke knew I wasn't."

"He was wrong about other things."

"You rose from nothing to meet the darkness in me. Balance the Force."

"'Refined Jedi sight like the prophesy?"

"Oh please, more ancient mumbo jumbo."

"That's exactly what Han said."

Rey pulls a flat rock to balance on the middle of one on the ground and piles one on each end like a scale. Ben watches curiously as she does this.

"There's balance," she explains. She rearranges the rocks so that the flat rock sits firmly on the three spaced evenly beneath it, "...and balance. Or are your followers the Knights of Ren for nothing? When something is balanced enough, nothing can shake it down."

She jumps next to it and nothing happens.

"Is a prophecy only true once? Or is there a cycle to it? Like, does the same thing keep happening?"

"I don't know," He is thoughtful.

Their ride arrives. Ben and Rey stand ready to board Snoke's old ship.

"Just fair warning. I didn't tell him you were with me."

Rey enters excitedly, Ben walking in behind her. Chewbacca freaks out, strangling him before he has a chance to let go of his precious thought. Ben wakes up tied up to his chair with Rey sitting next to him and Chewie steering. The seat is ripped next to Ben's head and on the armrest.

"Oh good you're awake. I was afraid he wouldn't come if I told him before, and I begged him not to kill you, so..."

Chewbacca gives Ben an angry earful.

Ben is defensive, "Chewbacca I'm sorry! I promise there was no other way!"

Chewbacca trills louder.

"Well I was alone for fifteen years! I was just a kid."

The Wookie lectures Ben again.

"I know." He answers to the floor.

Chewbacca moantalks again gesturing.

"The Falcon wasn't my fault! I'm sorry!"

His father's big hairy friend trills longer. Ben looks away sharply.