The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

35

Every single member on Ajan Kloss, from humans and non-humans alike, made it their mission to clear every last piece of equipment from the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss. Everyone had a job they pledged to follow through with, as Poe had made sure of. Unmistakably, he was tasked with having called a third mandatory assembly where he painstakingly addressed every detail for their eventual, and permanent, departure from Ajan Kloss. The officials on Coruscant would be waiting, and Poe's goal intent in life was never to disappoint--or try not to, at least--and he swore to himself for this mission, he would not let that happen.

Rey and Ben situated loads of equipment in the storage compartments of the Millennium Falcon. And surprisingly, the job wasn't over yet. The day of departure from Ajan Kloss had come, and everyone was in a flurry to check and recheck their ships, conducting any last procedures before taking off. One week, Rey recalled from when Beaumont Kin had announced the eager invitation to Coruscant, has it really been one week?
She found it nearly impossible to believe that those seven days had elapsed so speedily.
Rey huffed, sweat was already tickling her neck as it slid down, soaking the rim of her shirt. One thing's for sure; I won't miss this terrible humidity—
"Hey, a little help over here!"

Rey swiveled on her heels to see Rose's face, exerted and reddening with each step she took. Her arms trembled as they gripped tautly to huge, wooden crates. Finn had already scrambled to meet her, grunting as he took the load in his own hands.
"Ah--thanks. I'm exhausted," Rose huffed, wiping away at her sweaty face.
"Geez--what's in here!? Feels like I'm carrying Chewie or something." Finn exclaimed, making his way inside the Falcon before he dropped the hefty crates.
"They're old fighter parts," Rose grimaced, tenderly rubbing her back. "Never know when we might need them."
"Is that it?" Rey asked. Afternoon was approaching, which meant every ship was required to have been completely deposited hours ago.

"I think so--oh, no." Rose groaned. Rey turned in time to catch Poe striding their way. She imagined him impatiently snapping his fingers.
"I talked to D'Acy. She's made sure everyone is getting into their designated ships--" A pilot cut right in front of Poe, earning a pestered expression from him --"We almost done here?"
"Almost," Finn replied, hopping down from the Falcon's unlatched ramp, "anymore cargo, Rose?"
"Cargo?" Poe questioned, characteristically snapping his fingers, just as Rey had envisioned. "We don't have time for anymore loading. Golo's spoken with the officials on Coruscant--they're ready for our arrival, which is going to take time considering we've gotta travel from the Outer Rim--"

The reverberation of the Falcon's mammoth thrusters suddenly blared with noise--and heat. Everyone lurched forward, startled. Before Poe could continue on his spiel, Ben descended from the Falcon's ramp, unfazed. "I've run all protocols, engines are stable. We're ready for takeoff," he gestured at the burning thrusters for emphasis.
"Uh-huh. Thanks, those thrusters nearly charred us." Poe shook his head.
"Do we have everyone?" C-3PO piped up in his mechanical, monotonous voice. Poe and Finn had been less than thrilled to have the protocol droid along board with them, but it wasn't a journey without C-3PO's prating pontification.

Rey mentally checked off the group one by one. Ben, Poe, Finn, Rose, C-3PO, BB-8, D-O--No, that wasn't everyone. Just as her mind rang with the missing crew-member, Ben reassured her prediction.
"Chewie. He's saying goodbye to Lando," Ben sensed, viewing the Wookiee visibly through the Force, "I'll get him."
Poe nodded, waving his hand in dismissal. "Yeah, hurry."

As Ben had sensed, Chewie was hugging his old comrade, Lando Calrissian. Their embrace ended as Ben approached the two. Lando's eyes lit up with the kind of love for Ben Solo that had never quite diminished, even despite his years as Kylo Ren. And Ben couldn't fight the familiarity of being in proximity to the man he considered his unrelated uncle; Lando had visited the Solo family countless times in the past.
"Take care of my ship." Lando clapped Ben on the shoulder, just like he had when Ben was a boy.
"Your ship?" Ben found himself grinning, then nodded reverently, "Count on it."
"Good." Lando's classic smile grew to something sympathetic and tender. "You know, your father would be proud."

Ben remembered his father's ghost all too vividly, standing there beside him on the Death Star's wreckage in Kef Bir. A chill of nostalgia pricked at him, but it was more satisfying than somber. "He is proud, I know that."
Lando jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the distance where his luxury yacht 3000--the Lady Luck--sat, glistening in the soft yellow of the late morning sunlight. It was a glorious ship, and Ben was silently amazed every time he saw the beast of grandeur, completely unscathed.
"See ya 'round, kid." Lando bowed his head at the Wookiee and Ben, then turned and walked into his ship.

***

"Setting course for Coruscant," Ben said as he punched in the coordinates, overviewing the flight deck of blinking control buttons and switches eager to be activated. "Should be approximately six hours until our arrival."
Rey sat beside him in the copilot seat that Chewie had willingly given up; he hung back with Finn in the turrets, in case of any unexpected enemy fire.
Ben turned to glance at Rey, who was hitting switches left and right. "Are you ready?"
He watched as Rey's eyes unfocused from copilot-mode, to a sincere glimmer. "Absolutely."

Ben exhaled as he felt the Falcon's worn throttle in his hands. The paint it once used to have, now completely devoid. A ginormous wave of remembrance pierced his heart. Lando was right, Han was proud, and Ben felt his father's honor so strongly that he shifted in his seat. Han was with him, and there was no denying the surreality of flying the Millennium Falcon again as Ben Solo. He squared his shoulders, pressing the communication piece on his headset. "Millennium Falcon here, giving flight access to those standing by. Take our lead, I repeat, take the Falcon's lead."

"Will do, Benny Boy." Lando replied through the intercom. Ben suppressed a chagrined laugh. A flash of old memories washed through his mind yet again; all those Force-forsaken moments Lando would deliberately embarrass Ben in front of his friends at the New Academy on Chandrila. Those were the times, he thought to himself as the intercom exploded with bursts of static-packed replies.
"Falcon, we read you."
"Reading you loud and clear, Falcon."

Ben nodded, dismissing the dozens of replies that filled his intercom. The determination to fly his father's freighter into the atmosphere raged inside of him. Ben turned to Poe and Rose who sat behind him and Rey. Poe nodded assertively, confirming Ben's desire to launch the throttle. Something giddy and childlike entered his veins, and an exuberant smile laced his expression.
An eager pair of hazel eyes met Ben's, and Rey smiled, giving her pilot initiative to take full control of the ship. Ben activated the repulsorlift, feeling the sensation of liftoff stir inside his stomach. And with both eyes on the horizon, Ben launched the throttle, sweeping off of the jungly soil, where soon, they would be far, far away from Ajan Kloss.