The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

25

Gasps lingered in the throng of Resistance members, but Poe kept going on, unfazed--or at least trying to be--as he continued explaining the truth of this phenomenon. He unleashed everything that Ben had told him. To Poe's relief, not one person asked a question during the onerous explanation. But once he finished, the air became inundated with questions. The crowd went wild; many speaking all at once in fast slurs. A few others were silent, pondering the appalling verity of it all. Poe was grateful for the silent ones. Not so grateful for the noisy ones.
"Please, one at a time, people." He said, a tone away from impatience. No one paid him any mind; he was invisible at this point. The crowd continued, picking up sound every second that stretched on. Their questions muddling together in incoherent garbles.

Ben could hardly stand to hear it. Sure, everyone was eager, everyone had one hundred compressed questions to blurt out all at once. But it was pointless now, not even he could decipher a sentence from out of the jumbled mess of words being hurled at them. Poe curled his hands into fists and he was just about ready to use them. Ben sighed. Though he was no longer Kylo Ren, they still shared the same level of patience, which was quite low.
"Everyone," Ben finally spoke, gazing out in the mass of men and women, humanoids and near-human species. Their voices fell in an instant. Astonished by the ex-murderer's voice out loud, crisp and clear. Maybe now because it was softer, saner, possibly even kind.

"I don't blame you," Ben continued, "I know you can't understand any of it. If you are uncomfortable near me, I understand. If you hate me still, I understand. And I'm sorry for causing you all this. I'm sorry for. . . my past. But it's dead now--dead along with Ren."
"Thank you--Ben." Commander D'Acy was suddenly standing beside him. She was intimidated, yes, but she covered it adequately. Silence painstakingly followed before she added, "We trust you."
And whether that was true or not, she spoke it was the truest veracity. "I trust you because I trusted General Leia Organa for everything she did for us. That is why we all must find trust." Commander D'Acy said, then turned to Ben. Hesitation momentarily flashed in her eyes, but she recovered. Softly, she added in a hushed tone, "And I also trust Rey. She brought you back, and I respect that of her, so I respect you as well."

***

The mandatory assembly was soon called off after Poe, who became great at feigning calmness at this point, thanked Commander D'Acy and everyone's vocal participation. He then swiftly concluded everyone's dismissal. Many still had their share of questions, but did away as Poe ordered. The concern was still freshly plastered on their mouths in deep frowns. Their eyebrows--those who had eyebrows--were scrunched together in tight creases. A few glanced at Ben as they began to saunter off, keeping a scrutinizing eye on him, as if they studied him long enough maybe they would start to see him as Ben Solo. Or maybe they would only see him as Kylo Ren. Maybe there would never be a distinction between the two. There was a chance Ben would always be the villain to them, redemption or not.

Once the crowd had cleared, Poe and Finn stood with Ben.
"I think that went okay." Finn said to no one in particular.
"More or less." Poe replied. He placed a hand on his hip and turned to Ben. "I saved some of your skin, bud, but you'll have to do the rest. These people, they're stubborn."
Ben knew, without a doubt, that these people were stubborn; Kylo Ren didn't slave over terminating them for no reason. Their inability to comply was outrageous.
"Thank you, Poe." It was all Ben could say, but he meant every word.
Poe curtly nodded, as if to say just-doing-my-job, then strode away, calling at a friend in the distance.

Ben glanced around the operation base. It was dilapidated, portions of it covered in fallen, deteriorating palm fronds. The technology slightly outdated, but new-enough to suffice. He caught sight of the inoperative radar screens. No doubt those screens did their fair share to snuff out the First Order's ships. The mechanics probably studied Kylo Ren's TIE Whisperer, among the other First Order fighters. It was an immaculate starship, one of the most impeccable pair of wings Ren had ever flown. Configured by master-craftsmen. Let alone the top speeds that it would reach. . .
Suddenly, Ben missed flying. He missed the cockpit. He missed the throttle. He missed every second of the electrifying experience only aviation could bring. And immediately, he knew what ship he wanted to see. The memories he wanted to revisit. Ben began walking.

"Hey, where you going to?" Finn asked somewhat sternly, as if he was still restraining himself from becoming friendly just yet. Hours ago, the mere sight of Ben conjured hate, but now, he was beginning to feel different. Trusting. Possibly admiring. And he hated to admit that. Finn naturally liked everyone--it was a blessing and a curse. And if Rey loved Ben, the least Finn could do was like him. But that would take a little more time.
"The Falcon." Ben replied. His mouth involuntarily curved into a grin. Eagerness was already sneaking into his soul, childlike and fervent, just like when Ben was a boy, when Han was still his living father. The Millennium Falcon. The first ship Ben ever flew.