Chapter Thirty Five: Preparations

Disclaimer: I own nothing here, but I can do this, I can do this!

AN: Points to whoever can guess where I borrowed Maz's "fortune scheme" from (hint: It's from the EU). Also, I'm sorry if the previous chapter seemed a little too awkward for some people, but I felt the need to address the bantha in the room.

Spoiler warning: Major spoilers ahead for Star Wars Rebels. You have been warned.

The circular conference room hummed faintly from all the computer terminals lining the walls and central holoprojector that Maz began to poke at. "First things first, then," the old alien said, pulling up a blank slate-like image for Ben to interact with. "I can make the credit transfer as soon as you sign our agreement, that you will initiate an immediate ceasefire upon your return to power and begin reforming the First Order with Rey's help."

" help?" Rey queried dubiously and watched with a hint of fascination as Ben took up a stylus from the control panel and proceeded to meticulously mark the contract. She sighed in a resigned sort of frustration. "Ben, I you, I have interest in ruling with you."

"One step at a time, sweetheart," Ben replied neutrally, finished his signature and gave Maz a nod before turning back to Rey with a sardonic smirk. "We just need to survive the first phase of this plan. Everything else will fall into place later."

Rey huffed in response, feeling slightly annoyed by his procrastinating on the matter but she let the debate drop as Maz hummed with amusement from across the projector. "That's a fancy autograph you have there, boy. Almost a shame to store it with the rest of my contracts."

"I've seen this before," Rey interjected, reaching tentative fingers towards the intangible marks before stopping short and giving Ben a curious look. "In your mind, I think."

Ben simply shrugged indifferently and waved an impatient hand at Maz to move on to the next matter. "An old hobby turned habit with trite significance."

"Can you teach me?" Rey wondered, hopeful and fascinated.

"I'm afraid you wouldn't have the patience for it."

"Is that so?"

"," Maz cut in, her tone full of authority, her eyes alight with amusement. "I'm making an important call, so you might want to pay attention."

Leaving their playful banter for another time, Rey and Ben turned back to the projector to see a familiar form shimmer to life before them.

"Leia!" Rey exclaimed, relieved to see the older woman alive and well, or as well as her declining health allowed.

"Rey? I'm glad to see you're alright. Poe told me-" Leia's voice and expression froze immediately once her gaze drifted to the tall image of her son.

"General," Ben greeted with a studious nod and a neutral tone.

Leia nodded back, gaze narrowed, her own tone stern with a hint of sarcasm laced around it. "Supreme Leader."

"Not at the moment."

"Oh?"

"A lot has happened in just the past standard cycle," Maz admitted through a weary sigh. "But cutting to the chase, we need your assistance."

"For the record," Ben interceded with an unhappy grumble. "This is not asking for help."

His comment snapped at Leia's attention, though it was Maz that replied. "Indeed," she chirped and smiled, as though he had said something mildly amusing. "This is plan, therefore am requesting Resistance support."

Leia blinked between them, clearly bewildered and probably questioning her own wakefulness. "I think I need to hear the details for this one." Her gaze landed on Rey for a prolonged moment, making the former scavenger feel extremely conspicuous, especially when she noticed how the general's lips turned up into the slightest of smiles. " of them."

"I don't like it," Rey grumbled as she walked side by side with Ben down a long hallway inside Maz's huge freighter. She raised her hands, palms up and frowned down at them. "This new power Luke taught me just feels ."

The meeting with Maz and Leia had given way to an hour long training session with Ahsoka and Katooni in the ship's combat chamber, where Ben had insisted they practice their new techniques against experienced Force sensitive opponents.

Rey considered the session productive, even though the feeling of this new ability unnerved her, the way it seemed to thrum through her veins like a charged current when summoned. It was not unlike the spark she experienced whenever she and Ben shared an intimate touch, making her wonder if the two instances were somehow related.

Ben nodded soberly in response to her comment. "It's a powerful skill, born from aggression yet few can learn it without guidance." Rey could see the scowl on his face without looking, though she wasn't sure if it was due to a shadow of envy or the mention of his uncle. "I imagine Luke entrusted it to you because you have a penchant for holding back at the last second."

She sent him a jealous glare, noting how he didn't have a drop of sweat on his face while she was practically drenched from physical exertion. "That's all fine and all," she said, waving an expressive hand around. "What I'd like to know is why get the convenient technique that involves sitting around doing while the one doing all the heavy lifting."

"It's not ," Ben grumped back through an exaggerated sigh. "I already explained how it works, but if it's all the same to you, I would gladly trade skills with you if it was possible."

"Fine, whatever," Rey replied and flapped her hand impatiently. "What's next on the agenda then?" She sent him a coy grin, amused at the opportunity to poke fun. "Lunch? Another meeting with your mother?"

"Neither," Ben replied with a complacent smirk of his own, though he was not taking the bait about his mother. "During the briefing, Maz mentioned she had a couple starfighters we could use for our assault. I intend to inspect them."

"Really?" Rey could feel her spirits rising as if they were visible entities all around her. Finally, something she understood naturally. Finally, she would have the chance to fly again. It seemed like forever since she had sat in the pilot seat of a thing she could actually control.

When they reached the end of the hall and the door parted to reveal a large hangar, they both came to an abrupt halt to stare at a pair of old Jedi starfighters, one red and one blue.

"She failed to mention they were antiques..." Ben's voice sounded so bemused that Rey quite nearly laughed outright, releasing a contained snicker instead. "Oh, and I suppose you're fine with this?" Ben huffed at her, raising and dropping a hand in frustration.

She grinned at him, feeling mischievous and downright petulant as she darted for the ships. "I call the blue one!"

"I should think the paint job hardly matters." Ben merely scoffed at her immature behavior but followed after her with a dull humor all his own. "But don't worry, I've given up trying to argue with you."

Rey was still reeling with excitement after the test flights as she sat down in the freighter's cafeteria, having chosen a booth where Maz already occupied the space on the other side of the table. She could feel Ben's annoyance at her choice of seating like a rough cloth across her skin but he nonetheless folded his large form to sit beside her.