Selfishness in Silence

No Straight Answer

"Just a little farther, Ben," she grits out. "Stay with me."

She hopes it's only a little farther. Panic sprouts in her chest for the umpteenth time, a cruel weed unwilling to yield, and she strangles it with a vengeful exhale, teeth clamped together in a rigid snarl. She cannot fall apart. Not now.

Who's to know if the First Order, or the Rebellion happen upon them before they can get to Maz's ship. What if Maz's ship is already compromised and either side are waiting for her there? What if Hux came back with a second attack to take out her comrades? Her insides twist at each thought, but the cold, logical voice in her denounces them both. Hux exhausted the resources set aside for this strike and Poe will have already contacted their allies.

Hux wouldn't risk a loss, not when he's so close to victory. Besides, he's not stupid enough to overlook the possibility that one, if not both, of his targets survive. And continuing down that vein, he will have receded back into his stronghold with thousands of First Order troops between him and his enemies.

There is a chance he will go for the Rebellion's main base. Rey swallows, dry and painful. But he can't know where that is... can he?

Ben grunts as he attempts to plant his feet with every step, dragging the toes of his boots and his breaths coming in ragged huffs against her cheek. The murky gloom surrounding them makes it impossible to see him, but she doesn't need to see to know time is running out. The blood from his wounds has soaked through her cloak to her shirt, all of its warmth leeched away, and the feverish heat of his skin wanes.

Her free hand skims along the ridged wall of the cave, feeling the direction of her path, and she growls angrily as her feet stumble over the rocky terrain. She succumbs to angry tears again, wondering why Maz isn't with them, why she'd slammed that final door with such totality. She wonders why Poe hadn't listened, why he'd ignored his better judgment, but most of all, she wonders why Finn had stood for her... even after what she'd done.

Her foot suddenly snags on something, she nearly trips and she would have fallen if not for Ben's hasty grip. He leans into her as she finds her balance and she counters his weight, tapping the toe of her shoe against what had caught her foot. Stairs. Then, she hears it. Engines. Her heart leaps at the sound.

"Hold onto me. Don't let go." she orders.

He nods, a soft brush of hair on her forehead.

They start their way up, the engines growing louder and louder, and her excitement bubbling up from her stomach, making her woozy. She grounds herself, clearing her mind of all else except the solid feel of her feet as they ascend each new step, each one closer to her destination, when Ben abruptly trips and she only has a split second to decide which direction they fall. She twists her body, placing herself in front of him as they go down, the stone connecting brutally with her tailbone and she cries out as the blaster wound howls.

Ben moans into her neck, his words incoherent and weak. "I'm... sor..." his voice fails him.

"Come on." she grabs his waist, unwilling to relent. "We have to keep moving."

He sways dangerously as they get to their feet and Rey holds him steady, her own agony doubling. Ahead she spots the first slivers of dancing light through what appears to be a narrow cave entrance. She quickens their pace, forcing Ben to move faster. He has not the strength to protest, nor heed her urgency.

"We're close! Come on!"

As they breach the surface lights cut into her eyes and she shields her face, the storm winds wailing around them and blasting them with sheets of icy rain. A small cargo ship lowers its ramp and an outdated med droid hovers over to them.