Chapter Text
The scorching rays of the desert sun seared into his skin as he kicked the durasteel hull of his shuttle. Ben wanted to break things, cut them with his lightsaber or shoot something, anything he could do to calm down, but his ship was already damaged enough and he couldn’t risk damaging it even further while still trapped in the middle of nowhere.
Well, not completely in the middle of nowhere. Though Jakku was pretty close to being that.
He had been lucky enough to crash only a couple or so klicks from an outpost, assuming his navigation system was still functioning correctly. He might still need to walk through the desert as he had no idea how his speeder bike had fared in the crash.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself down a bit, Ben went inside his ship to check his speeder. As if some of his prayers had been answered in the mess he had found himself in, the speeder was thankfully in good enough condition for travel.
Now he just needed to get it out of the shuttle.
It took Ben longer than he had wanted as the cargo doors had gotten stuck in the crash and he had to force them open manually. Once he was finally done getting the speeder out and shutting the doors again, the sun was lower in the sky and it was quickly getting colder.
Without having any time to waste, he rushed to prepare his water canteen and threw on a poncho and some goggles to shield himself from the wind blown sand as he rushed through the dunes and made his way to where Niima outpost was supposed to be.
He made sure that his blaster was secured in its holster strapped to his thigh and his lightsaber clipped to his belt before he mounted the speeder. The sand puffed up in a flurry behind him as he sped forward, the wind blowing grains of sand into his hair.
Thankfully his navigation system was still accurate enough, and after a short trip on his speeder he saw the small outpost come into view. He grumbled as he saw exactly how small it was, he needed to be sure that he could get what he needed to get off this dustball and hopefully never come back.
What gave Ben some hope was the fact that it was Hutt territory which usually meant that there should be some things of value in the dingy outpost, though he did hope it wasn’t just the living kind of merchandize the Hutts often favoured.
He pulled his goggles down to hang around his neck as he parked his speeder, he scanned his surroundings, no one seemed chained and instead he saw people cleaning and trading parts, which was a great relief to Ben as he dragged his fingers through his hair. He could tell that some parts were old, possibly from the Clone Wars even, but the only thing that mattered to Ben was if it would work. He could get more recent parts on Corellia or Fondor once he’s off Jakku.
With the outpost being so small, it didn’t take him very long to find a concession stand. It looked like it was the only one so he imagined that the Junk Boss was pretty pleased with that, considering it gave him a monopoly over the outpost. Now Ben just had to hope he would have reasonable prices, which wasn’t very likely.
There was a line in front of the stand, although it was short, thankfully. Mostly occupied by older scavengers, Ben noted, and was certain that it was because Jakku didn’t get many travelers. There was a reason why it was considered to be pretty much nowhere despite it being in the Inner Rim.
As the scavengers in front of Ben traded in their finds for portions, he noticed that they never really bartered with the Crolute junk boss. With a subtle glance around the stand, he spotted the thugs standing close.
That would explain it. Ben thought, the junk boss didn't only have a monopoly over business in the outpost, he had a stranglehold over the scavengers as well.
“Not many off-worlders come to these parts.”
Ben was pulled from his thoughts as the blob of a man in the concession stand addressed him. The scavengers in front of him were already gone and he mentally kicked himself for not paying enough attention.
“I’m not here by choice.” Ben stated, he mostly just wanted to get this over with. “I need parts.”
“For what?” The Crolute asked, a glint in his eyes at the prospect of profit.
“ Upsilon -Class Cargo Shuttle.” Ben explained, making sure to keep a close eye on the thugs standing close just in case. “Modified.”
“And what parts do you need?” The blobby man said as he leaned forward.
“A SJA-S compatible Hyperdrive Power Feed most importantly.” Ben began before he listed some of the smaller parts he didn’t need as urgently.
“Hmm that’s quite an important part you need.” The Crolute said as he stroked his massive chin.
“But not rare.” Ben shot back with narrowed eyes.
The junk boss took a moment to think of a price, one that Ben just knew wasn’t going to be cheap.
“Eight-hundred credits for the whole lot.” He finally said after some time of thinking.
Ben’s eyes might as well have shot right out of their sockets at that price. “That’s ridiculous! this is second hand crap that might not even work that well, I’ll give you three-hundred at most.”
“You’re asking for quite a lot and I have limited stocks.” The Crolute defended himself.
Ben ran his hand through his hair in frustration, he had enough credit to pay for what he needed but not enough if he wanted to get it properly fixed later on. His last run didn’t go well and was the reason why he was now stuck in the first place. Plus the bastards hadn’t paid the rest.
“Five-hundred or no deal.” Ben finally said, he still didn’t like paying that high an amount for those parts.
“No deal then.” The junk boss said before he closed his shutter, leaving Ben standing more frustrated than before.
If the shutters hadn’t been shut in his face, he’s certain that he would have pulled the pudgy creature out by his chin. Instead he settled with hitting the shutters hard enough to leave a small dent for not even bothering with bartering.
Ben noticed that the thugs that had been standing around the concession stand had moved and a couple he couldn’t see anymore. He didn’t trust the situation not to turn bad if he stayed so he quickly moved towards where he parked his speeder, being careful to keep an eye out for anyone who might want to follow him.
He didn’t want to waste time checking over his speeder before he left Niima outpost, only giving it a quick glance over and not seeing anything out of the ordinary. He just barely remembered to put his goggles back on before he was speeding away and back to his shuttle.
As much as he wanted to take a longer way back to his shuttle, his speeder didn’t have a navigation system of it’s own and he’d rather not get lost. So Ben went fast, fast enough to hear his speeder groan from the strain.
It didn’t take him long to reach his shuttle and he was immediately on guard as he saw a speeder parked by. It was red and bulky, definitely custom made, and judging by the amount of scrap hanging from its side, it wasn’t one of the thugs.
But even if it was just a scavenger, that didn’t mean it was any better. He couldn’t afford to lose any more of the ship than he already had.
Ben carefully stopped his speeder, trying his best to make as little sound as he could. He couldn’t see anyone outside the shuttle so he suspected that the scavenger was inside. Which he didn’t like at all since it probably meant that his security system was busted now too.
As he suspected, the blast doors were wide open, some sand having already blown inside. He carefully brought up his blaster, not wanting to use his saber in such a tight space.
Each step was careful, he had no idea how the person inside would react to his arrival. If they would realise that he was the owner or if they would just think him another scavenger.
With some help from the force, Ben managed to find where the scavenger was in the shuttle and he slowly made his way there. As prone to violence he himself could be, right now he wanted to avoid it.
When he finally saw the scavenger, she was sitting with her back away from him. Hair tightly bound in three buns at the back of her head and wraps of cloth cascading off her. There was something about her that intrigued Ben and he hadn’t even seen her face, nor by the looks of it had she noticed that she wasn’t alone anymore.
It was then when he noticed that she was holding something familiar, his mother's lightsaber. The one she had given him when he had begun his Jedi training so he’d always have her with him. He wasn’t sure why he had kept it, but now, seeing this scavenger marvel at its elegance, he was glad that he did.
The blue glow of the lightsaber being lit brought Ben out of his thoughts, he had to be even more careful now in notifying her that she wasn’t alone anymore. If he startled her she could cause more damage or possibly hurt herself.
He quietly holstered his blaster, taking careful steps as not to startle the scavenger in front of him. “Careful there Swee-”
The scavenger turned around quickly, obviously on guard and Ben hadn’t realised that the lightsaber had been close enough to touch him until the blade was at his forehead. The smell of seared flesh hit his nostrils before the pain did.
“MOTHER OF-- kriff!” Ben cursed as he held his face, trying to ignore the burning feeling as his now ruined poncho fell to the ground. The burning pain shooting through him from the cauterised flesh stretching from his right shoulder to the top of his forehead.
“I am so sorry, I didn’t..I’m sorry!” The scavenger apologised as the saber deignited and dropped to the floor.
“Oh I’m sure you are!” He shot back a little more aggressively than needed.
“You startled me!” She defended herself.
“Then maybe don’t sneak into ships that aren’t yours!” Ben yelled.
“Maybe don’t leave your damaged ship on a planet full of scavengers then!” She yelled back.
“I’m not here by choice!” He hissed back.
“Just tell me where your bacta patches are!” She said as she began looking around the room.
“Down the hall right before the cockpit!” Ben said as he pointed in the general direction of the medpac. Realising a little too late that she might just grab it and run.
Thankfully she came back quickly, medpac in hand. “Sit down.”
“Why?” Ben asked, giving her a sceptical look.
“Just let me help you.” She said with a sigh. “I owe you this much after cutting your face open.”
“Yes because I should trust you after that too.” Ben said sardonically.
“You are so frustrating, I’m just trying to help!” She said, ready to throw the medpac and just leave.
“Fine!” He said as he begrudgingly sat down on the ground like she had instructed.
“Thank you.” She sighed as she crouched down next to him and placed the pac next to them. “I’m Rey.”
“Ben.” He replied, watching her closely as she began rummaging through the medpac.
“I am really sorry.” Rey said as he gathered what she needed. “But why do you have a lightsaber.”
“It was my mother’s.” He stated.
“Why did your mother have one? Was she a Jedi?” Rey asked with an excited glint in her eye.
“No, she wasn't a Jedi.” Ben answered her, hoping that she wouldn’t ask more questions.
“But I thought only Jedi had lightsabers?” She questioned him as she gathered up the antiseptic.
“Not necessarily.” He said and unclipped his own saber from his belt to show her.
“Why would you need a lightsaber?” She asked before she began cleaning the wound with antiseptic.
Ben hissed at the sting, trying his best to keep his face from scrunching up due to the wound itself. “I have one, that’s it.”
“Does that mean you can use the Force?” She finished cleaning the wound though, because despite having been cauterised it would still look gnarly until someone could stitch it properly.
“Yes.” He simply answered, glad that she was done with the antiseptic.
“Then why aren’t you a jedi?” She questioned as she picked up the spray bandage. “How’s your eye?”
“My eye is fine.” Ben said even if he was seeing spots from the bright light as well as ignoring her first question.
“If you can use the Force, how did you crash?” Rey asked before signaling him to close his eye.
He did as she said so she could spray the spray-bandage over his wound. “Are you going to keep asking questions?”
“They’re valid questions.” She defended herself as she packed up the medpac again.
“It got shot.” He explained with a sigh. Trying to to think back to the mess that had resulted in his current situation.
“And your ship getting shot busted your hyperdrive power feed, landing gear and thrusters?” She said, catching Ben off guard.
“How did you figure that out?” He asked her, wondering how long she had been here.
“I know starships.” She explained as she stood up with the medpac in hand. “Is that why you left?”
“I needed parts.” Ben said and stood up with her. “Bastard overcharged though so, no parts.”
“Why didn’t you just use that Jedi control thingy?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“It’s not that simple.” He stated and held out his hand for her to give him the medpac.
“Seems that simple to me.” She shrugged as she handed him the pac. “But Unkar Plutt isn’t just going to let you go.”
“I figured.” He sighed. “And I’ve wasted enough time already.”
“And what are you going to do?” She asked as she followed him towards the cockpit. “It’s not like you can fly this thing as is.”
“And what do you suggest I do?” He turned to face her again. “Sit tight and wait for him or his thugs to show up?”
“I can fix it.” Rey stated confidently. “It won’t be permanent but enough to at least get off Jakku...I think.”
“You think?” Ben scoffed. “And what if you’re wrong?”
“What other options do you have?” She shot back, she knew her ships and was sure of her skills. She could fix it.
Ben looked at her for a moment, noticing her resolve, she had some doubts but was certain about something. “What do you want in return?”
“What?” Rey said with surprise.
“I don’t suppose you’ll fix my ship for free.” Ben sighed. “What do you want?”
Rey stopped to think, she knew what she wanted. She just didn’t expect him to accept as quickly as he did considering he’d been so frustrating so far. “I want off this planet.”
“Where to?” He asked, not surprised by her wanting to leave the dirtball.
“Anywhere, I don’t care.” She said with more conviction.
“Deal.” He said as he turned back around to head to the cockpit and put away the medpac. “What will you need?”
“I have most everything on my speeder but do you have an Arc Welder?” She asked with a grin.
Ben nodded and went to get it while she ran to her speeder, being sure to look at the horizon. The sun was low in the sky now and she could start seeing the pin pricks of stars in the sky. But no sign of Plutt’s men yet.
She got the parts she needed from what she had scavenged that day, no point in keeping them to trade if she was leaving Jakku. She patted the bag hanging off her belt to make sure it had her tools in them and went back inside the shuttle.
“I didn’t see anyone.” She shouted to let Ben know while she found the latch on the floor to reach the Hyperdrive and quickly got to work.
Ben ran to where she was in the ship, handing her the welder as he saw her hand shoot up from the floor. “I’ll keep an eye out.”
The power feed was pretty busted so Rey really had to be careful in fixing it. If she did it wrong the thing could blow in the middle of Hyperspace and send the ship careening into some random part of Realspace and no one wanted that. Using the tools to make a makeshift patch for the pipe.
When she was happy with it, she jumped out of the latch and shut it with her foot, ready to go for the thrusters.
“They’re coming!” Ben shouted from the Shuttle doors.
“I still need to do the thrusters!” She called back as she ran past him.
Ben then noticed his speeder, still sitting outside in the sand. Cursing to himself as he knew that he’d have to leave it behind since the cargo doors were still bent and he had just managed to close them before he left earlier.
“You’ll have to live with the busted landing gear!” She called from behind the shuttle.
“It’s fine!” Ben shouted as he watched the sand trails from Plutt’s men come closer.
“Done! Get the ship ready!” Rey called.
Ben didn’t hesitate to run to the cockpit and crashing down in his chair. Quickly flipping switches to activate the ship. It shook as the thrusters heated up and the ship slowly began to move, the sand that had collected on top of it shaking off.
“Hurry!” Rey yelled as she shut the shuttle doors behind her.
“I am!” Ben yelled back, the ship lifting up with more of a shake than he liked. “Strap in, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Rey did as he said, quickly strapping herself into the seat next to him. Watching as he flipped more switches and the ship shakily flew higher before the thrusters began doing their thing. The strain of the patched up durasteel audible throughout the ship.
She was nervous about leaving, she had her connection to the planet but had realised that it was time to move on. And now she had the chance to do it so... long as her patchwork held during proper space travel, that is.
The ship jerked suddenly.
“They’re shooting at us.” Ben said, a bit more calmly than he expected.
“Time to go then?” Rey asked.
“Time to go.” He confirmed as the thrusters kicked in and they were gone, leaving Unkar Plutt’s men in the dust.
The sandy dunes flew past beneath them before he steered the ship upwards. The ship groaned and shook as they shot through the atmosphere of the planet, the shaking finally stopping as they were through.
Ben looked at Rey as she marvelled at the planet below them, though she had a look of amazement but there was something else behind it, something sombre.
“I did it…” She whispered, eyes still glued to the sandy planet below.
“We’ll go to Corellia.” Ben said as he prepared the ship for Hyperspace. “Hopefully your fix works.”
“It will!” Rey affirmed, she trusted her skills, though granted she had rarely had the chance to see her fixes in action.
“We’ll see.” He said as he pushed the throttle and the stars streaked around them.
The ship shook more than normal as they travelled through the Hyperdrive lane, it worried Ben but it looked like it would hold for the time being.
“We’ll be a few hours.” Ben stated as he leaned back in his seat and ran his hand through his hair.
When Rey didn’t respond, he looked at her, she had the same amazed but sombre look on her face. He was curious as to why and gently reached out with the Force to see what was in her head, making sure not to go deep enough for her to feel any pain.
He saw two people, fuzzy and vague, he could barely tell their features.
“Your parents…” He blurted out.
“What?” Rey turned to look at him, suddenly noticing something off.
“How did...you’re in my head!” She realised.
Ben was surprised she had noticed so quickly, it usually took a lot longer for others to realise he was probing, if at all. Yet she had done it instantly, something he had only experienced with Jedi or his family, even his father surprisingly enough.
“...Solo?” She suddenly said.
“How did you…” Ben wondered before he realised it.
She was now in his head.
“Skywalker...your family…” Rey unknowingly probed further, causing Ben to violently push her out before she went too far.
“You’re Force sensitive.” He said, his eyes wide in shock. Of all the people he managed to run into, it had to be someone Force sensitive.
“I’m what?” She furrowed her brows, giving him a questioning look. “That’s impossible.”
“The Force isn’t exactly picky.” Ben said as he began rubbing his face, stopping as he irritated his wound.
“I don’t...I don’t understand.” She said as she leaned back in her chair, staring out the transparisteel window.
“You’ll need a teacher.” Ben stated with a sigh, realising where he’d need to take her once they were done on Corellia.
“And are you going to teach me?” She huffed, unsure of what to think.
“Believe me, you wouldn’t want me as your teacher.” Ben said as he scratched his head. “Besides, I don’t need another reason for the Jedi council not to like me.”
“So, what then?” Rey asked, still staring at the rushing blue of the Hyperdrive lane.
“There’s a Jedi Temple on Coruscant, I’ll take you there.” Ben explained to her, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the yoke tighter.
“But aren’t I little old?” She gestured to herself. “I thought Jedi start training really young.”
“They usually do.” He began as he looked over to her. “They started making exceptions a long time ago though, they’ll probably accept you.”
“Probably?” she quirked a brow as she finally looked at him.
“Probably.” He confirmed with a nod.
“What’s Coruscant like?” She curiously asked, admittedly trying to keep her thoughts away from the whole Jedi thing.
“The whole place is a city so it’s crowded.” Ben said, thinking back to the massive ecumenopolis. “The opposite of Jakku I guess.”
“Sounds intense.” She said as she tried to imagine something like that.
“It is.” He agreed, the corner of his lips twitching up. “Think you can handle it?”
“I’ve never shied away from a challenge before.” She smiled, though the challenges she had grown used to would be nothing like the one ahead of her.
“Have you been there a lot?” She wondered, having noticed how his expression changed when he talked about Coruscant.
“Not in a long time.” He admitted, desperately wanting to change the subject but unsure of how, as his conversation skills were lacking.
“Why not?” She asked.
“Because.” He said through clenched teeth.
Rey looked at him, his short answers beginning to get on her nerves only to finally spot his clenched fists around the yoke and tense jaw. She realised that she probably should change the subject.
“Earlier, the Force thing.” Rey began trying to steer the conversation in a different direction. “You’re Han Solo’s son? The smuggler.”
Ben couldn’t help but roll his eyes, of course she’d know who his father was. “Unfortunately.”
“Why unfortunately? Is he the reason why you’re a smuggler?” The questions simply spilled from her.
He didn’t want to answer her, he didn’t want to think about his family most likely waiting back on Coruscant. Their disappointment in him or what had led him to leave in the first place. But this random girl from the desert was bringing it all back up in only a few minutes.
“Did you fly with him?” Rey finally asked.
This was the last straw for Ben and he snapped. “Stop asking questions!”
Rey was startled by his outburst and didn’t know what to say or do. She realised that she must have struck a nerve and her curiosity had gotten the better of her.
He didn’t move, his hands still tightly wound around the yoke and his teeth still clenched together as he tried to control his breathing to calm himself down.
They sat in silence for the rest of the trip to Corellia. Neither one daring to speak up again and so were left with their thoughts as they rushed through the Hyperdrive lane.