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"Do it for me, milady. I can't bear the thought of us losing you. Please." The overflowing hypocritical insistence of His Excellency Armitage Hux still echoed in Rey's mind as she descended to the bunker of this accursed new chancellor, who'd only gained this position through nepotism mainly. The young senator wasn't so stupid as to believe that he was really worried about her safety. No, the fact that she had unfortunately been targeted by the enemies of her mentor, the former Senator Leia Organa, and had therefore recently been the victim of an assassination attempt, was more convenient than anything else. Rey had learned early on that hypocrisy and pretense were part of politics. She hadn't been naïve about it for long. But she had to comply, and agreed to hide in this bunker over three hundred feet underground, beneath the surface of Coruscant, because of suspicions of a forthcoming threat against her life. It was for her own protection, and because Jedi Master Ben Solo, her assigned bodyguard since he'd saved her during the attack, incidentally also Leia's son, had insisted on it. He, at least, truly cared about her. He was waiting for her there, at the bottom of the steps, in front of the bunker's huge doors. The Senator joined him, maintaining her proud gait, BB-8 in her wake. The droid of Poe Dameron, a pilot friend. He had given him to her to keep her company underground. As usual, Rey exuded an undeniable class, dressed in an elegant ochre-colored outfit. She'd had to adapt to the ways of this world so that no one would see her as the miserable little desert rat she'd once been. And now, she was struggling to break away from this image of a refined politician. Even if Rey knew she still remained the same inside. Leaning against the wall, Ben kept his eyes on her, with his very own way of looking at her. She thought she caught the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. "Hello, Rey," he greeted her when she reached him. "How are you feeling?" "Like someone forced to hide underground while the others are about to take part in an important vote on Hosnian Prime," she grumbled, barely giving him a glance. The sliding doors opened as she approached and Rey stepped into the bunker, absent-mindedly tapping her short, curly brown hair to make sure it stayed in place. Only the echo of her heels on the marbled floor resounded. Admittedly, it was unfair to subject Ben to her bad mood. She was truly sorry about it. Besides, she could always vote from here, virtually, via Holonet. At least, the Chancellor had assured her of that. She still didn't trust him. Without being able to explain it to herself, a bad feeling had been nagging at her ever since. The interior of the bunker turned out to be even more luxurious than Rey had assumed. A lovely golden prison. Large "windows", if you could call them that, showed holograms of the Pasaana desert under a beautiful sunset. So as not to give anyone trapped here the feeling of being stuck in the bowels of Coruscant. A nearby touch panel even offered the option of changing scenery, should one prefer to admire the forests of the moons of Endor, the lakes of Naboo, the volcanoes of Mustafar and so on. Rey chose the illuminated city of Coruscant. Having grown up on a desert planet, the vast expanses of sand now made her nauseous. And awakened painful memories. The first thing Rey did after changing the holograms was to obstruct every camera she could find, with the help of BB-8. She hated the idea of being spied on. She already felt she was being watched like a prisoner of war... Then she observed the rest of this first vast room in the bunker. A hologram of a star map was displayed in one corner. A majestic desk stood at the far end, in front of the New Republic flag. Creeping plants adorned one wall. An artificial waterfall ran down another. A fine waste of water, Rey mused. She sat down on one of the comfortable sofas and sighed deeply. Then she poured herself a drink, from the Correlian wine sitting on the glass coffee table just waiting to be released from its container. And kriff, she needed it! The doors suddenly opened on Ben. "Rey?" the Jedi called. "I just wanted to make sure everything was going well for you." "Of course," she nodded, her tone softer than the one she'd used earlier. "Please, won't you join me?" Nodding, she pointed to the tray on the coffee table with the glasses and bottle of Correlian wine. Her bodyguard ran a hand through his thick ebony curls, a clear sign of his embarrassment. "It wouldn't be reasonable to leave my post. I must watch the entrance." The young woman rolled her eyes. "Please, Ben, as if anyone's going to show up... You'd better stay here by my side and look after me anyway. Isn't that your job?" He shrugged. "I sense everything that's going on in this room, so if you're in any kind of trouble..." "Please, don't let me empty this bottle in my corner," Rey implored with a hint of exasperation. "It's sad for a lady worthy of her name to get drunk alone, isn't it?" Her remark drew a smile from him. Finally, Ben relented and came to sit beside her, accepting the drink she poured him. He had swapped his Jedi cloak and tunic for a much more discreet black uniform, which suited him better in her eyes, emphasizing his strong build. "I'm sorry, Ben," Rey apologized. "This whole situation frustrates me to no end, but you don't deserve to suffer for it." "It's nothing," he assured her. "I can understand that. Just try to enjoy His Excellency's... underground hospitality and relax a bit before the vote." The ironic way he mentioned the Chancellor made her grin in turn. He didn't hold him close to his heart either. But the smile quickly faded as the unfortunate woman thought back to the vote. The vote in which Hux would try to dissolve the current Council and replace all its members with pawns. Pawns who would never help the issue of slavery and would in no way appease the impending insurrections in every corner of the galaxy. "I just hope that all those I've managed to convince to vote against the Council's reorganization plan won't let me down," Rey despaired. "Why would they?" With a long exhale, she confided: "Because the majority couldn't care less about the misery in the galaxy, the slavery that goes on, the exploitation of miners and the tensions that build up. If I want their vote, I have to haggle. And it's exhausting. This time, I really thought they'd spread the word to drive me crazy. Some wanted me to vote for the tax increase, others wanted me to vote against it. I had the same problem with the deregulation of spaceports and so on. All the compromises and sucking up I had to do to get my way without betraying my values..." Exhausted just thinking about it, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Her shoulders hunched. Ben listened passively, then let out a deep sigh of his own. "That's why I've always left politics to my mother. I don't know how you do it. The more it goes on, the more I feel that senators have no shame or integrity. Everything seems to be fair game and alliances are hanging by a thread. Everyone is willing to backstab and flout their so-called values just to keep a few privileges. It's not good to be honest and unpretentious down here." Rey let out a small laugh, combining nervousness with a hint of hopelessness. If she hadn't been determined to carry on Leia Organa's legacy and fight for good living conditions for everyone in their galaxy, she'd have left this system long ago. "Kriff! You can't imagine how much. You're right, but if that was your way of reassuring me, I'll be obliged to fire you. He chuckled, then apologized softly. Although, in all honesty, he didn't need to. Rey was grateful to him for staying by her side. It was nice to be able to talk to... a friend? The only one she could have in this business, apart from Leia, whose political career had been destroyed because of the Senate's nonsense. All because the identity of her biological father, Darth Vader, who had spread terror across the galaxy during the Empire's reign, had been revealed. While many senators had far worse things to be ashamed of. Just as the young woman was plunging into dark thoughts, Ben's voice called her to order. "Aren't you drinking?" Shortly afterwards, Rey noticed that she still hadn't touched her glass. The Jedi had already emptied half of his. She wrinkled her nose and her hazel eyes sparkled with mischief. "No, I'm waiting to see if this sip will choke you, in case dear Hux has tried to poison me. And if you die, well, I won't drink." Ben rolled his eyes and smirked. "I see... Very clever." Appreciating the complicity between them, the young woman contemplated his smile, the dimples digging into the corners of his fleshy lips, then the amber of his eyes, and suddenly felt a flush of warmth invade her chest. The palpitations of her heart increased slightly. And her cheeks flushed. As she stared at him, she suddenly remembered the feelings he had once inspired in her. When he'd been a young Padawan and she'd been a scrawny little girl whom his mother Leia had taken in on Jakku. At the time, after their first meeting, she had never stopped thinking about him. Even if she didn't see him very often, as he continued his training in the new Jedi order founded by his uncle. And then she'd grown up, started to take an interest in politics and it had become the biggest part of her life. Then she'd seen Ben again at that conference. At the time, she was afraid he would hardly recognize her, or not at all. Or that he'd only see her as the miserable little scavenger from Jakku. But then following that conference, he'd saved her from an assassination attempt. Rey remembered the way he'd pulled her towards him, using the Force, as soon as the ship she was heading for had exploded. The way he'd stopped a blaster shot targeting her afterwards with a gesture, freezing it in the air. The way his powerful arms had wrapped around her, and carried her away from the spaceport platform. The way his large hands had cupped her face, the way his worried eyes had stared at her, as he tried to find out if she was alright. It was then that the sensations she'd long thought dead had revived inside her. Although the young senator had also tried to push these thoughts from her mind. In any case, despite herself, she was delighted that Ben was now her appointed bodyguard. Suddenly, it all went dark. The entire bunker went dark, much to their surprise. The holographic screens in the windows crackled, then faded away completely. The illuminated cityscape disappeared. Ben leapt to his feet, his senses alert. Rey heard him unhook his lightsaber from his belt with a metallic click, then she saw the incandescent bluish glow of its luminous blade shine through the darkness, as he ignited it. A few seconds passed before new lights, powered by the emergency generator, illuminated the room with a reddish glow. A robotic voice then sounded, assuring them that it was just a silly power failure, which should be over soon. The duo resolved to wait a few moments. But after a long delay, the voice announced that the time limit for restoring service had been extended indefinitely. Rey stifled an angry growl. The only Holonet at her disposal depended on the bunker's power supply. In other words, if it wasn't restored in time, she'd have no way of voting with the other Senators. She immediately told Ben what was worrying her. "I knew it. It's probably no coincidence. Hux is trying to keep me out of the vote. He's got to be behind this blackout." At these words, the Jedi stared at her, flabbergasted by this accusation. "Come on, Rey, I understand that you don't like the Chancellor, and it's probably mutual, but that doesn't mean..." "I'm not paranoid," the senator snapped. "I mean, think about it. An ordinary power failure? In an over-protected and over-equipped bunker? Either Hux got ripped off when he had it built, or he planned this out. His attempt to reorganize the Council would weaken me. Now that he's Chancellor, he wants to exclude me from it and replace me and all the other members with anyone who's in his pocket. He has every reason to want to prevent me from voting. Even if he uses more subtle methods than those who tried to blow me up, he'll stop at nothing to achieve his goal." With pursed lips, her bodyguard looked her straight in the eye, then sighed heavily. "Even so, whether this was a premeditated act or an unfortunate contingency, the fact remains that we're not about to have power again." Rey squinted and looked at the wall behind the Chancellor's desk. On one side, she could make out the outline of a back door. On the other, the outline of a removable part that would conceal whatever they needed, next to the safe. Thoughts raced through her head. "That is where you underestimate me, my dear. BB-8? I'm going to need your help." The droid responded with a few beeps and rolled behind her to the far wall. With his help, Rey was able to activate the mechanism of the mobile platform and reveal a control panel. Just as she'd expected. Bingo! "If you want something done right, do it yourself," she mumbled as she began to play with the different wires. "Are you sure you can handle this?" Ben asked, as he watched in awe. The former scavenger shrugged. "For a good part of my life, I had to learn how to fix and reboot all the trinkets I unearthed from the shipwrecks on Jakku. Even though I've long since turned to politics, these electrical engineering skills are hard to forget. Fortunately for us." "Certainly." In the end, everything she'd learned in another life came in handy, because after a few maneuvers, assisted by BB-8, Rey finally managed to restore power, albeit limited. The main lights came back on. The artificial waterfall, which had dried up during the blackout, began to flow down the wall again. The hologram of the star map reappeared, as did the one shown in the windows. This time, it was some interstellar scenery, with thousands of twinkling stars surrounding the planet Coruscant. It was as if they were aboard a starship.Looking around, Ben congratulated her graciously on her prowess. "Well done, Rey. You're definitely full of surprises." The young woman smiled and replied with exaggerated modesty: "What can I say? I live to impress you, dear Ben." With that, she winked at him and gave him a radiant smile. He smiled back, amused. Rey then sighed and decided to check if the Holonet was working properly. She chose to call the Chancellor to give it a try. In any case, as he was watching her closely, he should already know that the power was back on again. Besides, she needed to study his reactions. To determine whether her suspicions were right or wrong. So she called Hux and his bluish hologram appeared in the center of the office, his haughtiness was unchanged, his red hair as impeccable as ever, slicked back, his finery as refined as ever. "Senator! I was just about to call you! I've been warned about the breakdown..." Rey arched an eyebrow at his worried expression. "You couldn't have called me, because of the breakdown." In response, Hux smiled. A smile that told her everything she needed to know. "I assume you were able to restore power on your own?" "You assume correctly. But I wondered: if it should happen again, would it be possible to postpone the vote to another day? A day when I'm not stuck at the bottom of a hole about three hundred feet underground?" "Oh, well, milady, it's too late for that," the Chancellor lamented. "The entire Senate has come out to vote and is already assembled. If it were up to me, I'd do everything in my power to help you. I promise. Unfortunately..." Kriff, everything about him sounded fake. This deceiver spoke to her so theatrically, so exaggeratedly remorseful, that she wondered if he wasn't just openly making fun of her. Irritated, the senator decided to put an end to this charade as quickly as possible. "It's alright, I understand. My regards, Excellency." No sooner had she said these words than she cut the connection and switched off the Holonet. "What a bastard..." Suddenly overcome by deep despondency, Rey leaned against the desk and rubbed her eyes. "I knew it would be pointless to ask him to postpone the date. I tried for a long time to dissuade him from organizing this vote, to make him understand that the Council we now have is essential for the good of the galaxy, but of course he wouldn't give up. He'd rather preserve the status quo so the Senate can do what it always does. Convict with words, never with deeds." Beside her, Ben nodded thoughtfully. Then he commented: "In my opinion, you simply didn't have the right arguments to convince him." "What do you mean?" the young woman questioned. The Jedi didn't answer. He just looked around, arms crossed, seemingly lost in thought. "It's not very clever of him, all things considered, is it? Locking you in his office, where a lot of confidential information about him must be stored. Information that shouldn't leave this place. On the other hand, the poor man probably doesn't know about your mechanical skills, which could fool his security systems." At first, Rey stared dazedly at her bodyguard. When her eyes met his, she finally understood what he meant. Her face fell. She raised her eyebrows and squinted at the wall-mounted safe, right next to the control panel she'd just turned back on. "His safe... Of course!" A mutual smile spread across their lips. Losing herself in Ben's amber irises, Rey felt a delicious shiver run through her. Kriff, what he was suggesting was so exciting! As he had so eloquently put it, in politics, everything was fair game. She had to bend to the unscrupulous rules down here to get what she wanted. In any case, she was pleasantly surprised that a Jedi would come up with such a plan. The senator took a step towards him and pressed her index finger firmly into his chest. "I love this dark side of you, Ben," she enthused. Her accomplice frowned, then took on a very serious expression, and leaned over her, considerably reducing the distance between their faces. He whispered to her in a deep, almost threatening voice, his eyes anchored in hers: "You can't joke about the Dark Side with a Jedi, milady." Rey shuddered, paled, swallowed and moistened her lips. Her belly began to tingle. Her blood heated up. Calling herself to order, she played along with Ben. "Please, darling," the senator simpered in a distinguished accent. "Far be it from me..." She then winked at him again, grinning, and hurried over to the safe to examine it. Before hacking into it, Rey first thought of looking for a possible key in the desk drawers. You never know. So she took a seat on the imposing Chancellor's chair and began rummaging around, subsequently putting everything back in its place. As she searched for the slightest clue, Rey finally became aware of Ben's stare. She looked up at him, confused. "What?" He smiled. "Oh, nothing... Madam Supreme Chancellor," he greeted her with an exaggerated bow. Raising an eyebrow, Rey took a long second before she realized it was because she was sitting at the Chancellor's desk, in Hux's place. She'd hardly thought about it. Was she supposed to feel all-powerful in that seat? She chuckled softly. "Sounds good, doesn't it?" Ben added. Although touched, Rey simply shrugged. "Oh... That's kind of you, noble Jedi Knight, but I'm not aiming that high. It would be a heavy responsibility and I know how to remain humble enough, unlike others, to recognize that I'm still cruelly lacking in experience to aspire to such a position." Especially since the lure of power held little interest for her. All she wanted was to have enough influence to make the galaxy a better place for future generations, and to prevent children throughout all those different worlds from suffering what she had suffered at their age. Misery, hunger, abandonment, loneliness, slavery, exploitation... But there was no need to repeat it, Ben already knew it very well. "That's why you're the only current politician who finds favor with me." A new, more shy smile graced Rey's lips. She lowered her eyes and turned slightly pink. "Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you. It's an honor." Digging deeper, the senator finally unearthed some kind of strange puzzle. She shook it close to her ear and realized that a metal object was hidden inside. The key, perhaps. It was necessary to move the pieces cleverly in order to assemble two of them that would stand out from the rest and fit together. With the help of Ben and BB-8, Rey managed to solve the puzzle after a few attempts. It opened, revealing a key. Wonderful. Satisfied, the young woman grabbed it and hurried to unlock the safe. Of course, it would've been a thousand times quicker if Ben had opened it using his lightsaber as a blowtorch. But if, by some misfortune, they didn't find anything interesting to use against the Chancellor in that safe, they'd be in a lot of trouble later on. In any case, since this was an office in a secure bunker, Hux hadn't bothered to be too cautious about what he hid here. And even less than Rey would've thought. For she retrieved a number of holographic videos that the Chancellor obviously kept as souvenirs, when the urge arose, presumably, to polish his... own lightsaber. Indeed, there were videos of him in charming company, in what appeared to be a brothel, consuming death sticks and enjoying the pleasures of the flesh. Debauchery and drugs. Holy galaxy! It was more than Rey could've hoped for. To celebrate their victory, she and Ben poured themselves another glass of Correllian wine and toasted the occasion. Having transferred the videos to BB-8, the young woman closed the safe, replaced the key and prepared to contact the Chancellor via the Holonet. She still had time before the vote to blackmail him with what she'd just learned about him, with the evidence to back it up. So, if he didn't want her to broadcast the whole thing, he'd better postpone the vote. Or cancel it altogether. But before Rey could call Hux, a shrill alarm suddenly sounded. Startled, she dropped her glass, which smashed at her feet. "Alert. Alert. Security breach in compound. Lockdown protocol initiated. Alert. Alert. Security breach in compound." This is what a robotic voice repeated over and over again. The bunker entrance doors locked. And luminous indications pointed to the hidden back door in the wall as the only escape route. Rey turned to Ben and saw the fear in his pale face. He looked around, as the lights were flashing red, taking the alarm very seriously. He then gave the woman he was supposed to be protecting an apologetic look. "The lockdown protocol must be applied." Then he grabbed her by the arm and urged her to follow him to the back door, which would lead them, at the end of a long downward corridor, to a new, even more armored and secure part of the bunker. Rey shook her head and tried to free herself from his grip. "No! Don't you understand? This is another one of Hux's tricks! Now that the blackout's failed, he's decided to take it to the next level!" The Jedi looked her straight in the eye, on edge. "Please, Rey, this isn't a game! Those who want you dead are still out there! I'd rather not risk your safety!" "I beg you, please! This is just a ploy to keep me from voting!" "Yes, well, if you die, you won't be able to vote either!" he snapped. As the senator continued to struggle, he rolled his eyes, sighed in exasperation, and abruptly took her by the waist. He lifted her in his arms and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, holding her by the thighs. This took Rey's breath away. And made it easier for Ben to enter the secret door, which he opened from a distance with a gesture, using the Force. It closed behind them. BB-8, still in the main room, emitted several alarmed beeps. "Ben! What are you doing?!" "I'm sorry, but you've left me no choice," he growled. Perched on the shoulder of the great behemoth that served as her bodyguard, the young woman began flailing her legs furiously and raining punches down on his back. "Let go of me this instant! Put me down! That's an order!" But her protests made no difference. Ben held her in place with ease, an arm wrapped around her thighs, and the slightest blow she inflicted on him seemed to have the effect of a mere flick. Unperturbed, the Jedi led her to the most secure room in the bunker, even deeper in the bowels of the planet. He typed in the code on the touchpad. "I know I'm pissing you off with this damn vote, but it's important!" Rey exclaimed, still trying to convince him to break the lockdown protocol. "There's too much at stake! The galaxy needs me!" "It needs you alive!" Saying this in a firm tone, Ben finally set her down in her new prison. His amber eyes shone with worry, despair and fear. His large hands lingered on her cheeks for a moment. "I need you alive. I'm sorry, Rey." With that, he stepped back and activated the heavy sliding door, which thus separated them like a thick wall. Shocked and panting, Rey threw herself against the door and pounded it frantically, bruising her fists. "Ben!" she shouted. "Ben, open this door immediately! Ben!" In a calm, poised voice, her bodyguard answered her from the corridor: "They're probably already doing the checks, Rey, and they'll secure the site as soon as possible. You won't be here long. And you're safe. I'm right here. Close by. If you need anything..." "Even if I don't stay here long, it'll already be too much," the young woman argued, trying as best she could to temper her anger. “Kriff, there's no need to check because there's no security breach! It's just a decoy! I understand you have to do everything to protect me, but you're being manipulated! Let me out of here!" She heard Ben let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Rey, I can't. I'd be risking your life and I... If I were to lose you..." "Yes, yes, I've got it," the senator spat fiercely, paying little heed to his apologies whatever they might be. "You have orders and you must obey them. What a perfect Jedi knight you are! So, since you refuse to listen to me, dismissed, soldier! Take a hike!" Then Rey sighed, too, and leaned against the door in despair. Slowly, she looked around. This new room, far less luxurious than the first, looked more like a prison cell. Just gray, quite minimalist, lit by a few neon lights, furnished with a miserable narrow bed, a few armchairs, a table and a shelf filled with provisions. On one wall, a holographic screen announced the important vote that was held today in the Senate. Rey convinced herself that Hux had put it there just to taunt her. He knew she hadn't been able to take the Holonet, affixed to his desk, all the way here. And even if she had, she wouldn't have a connection to anything at more than six hundred feet underground. If she couldn't get out of her prison, the vote would proceed without her and the Chancellor's arrogance would kill her. Sitting down on the bed with her head down, the young woman tightened her fingers on the quilt and thought. Perhaps she really was paranoid, after all, accusing Hux like that. Ben was right; there was still a threat to her life. He couldn't take any chances. There truly could be a major security breach in the compound. She could really be in danger, for that matter. With her anger behind her, Rey blamed herself for shouting at poor Ben, who was only trying to protect her. That was his task. But there seemed to be more to it than that. He genuinely cared about her, and was afraid for her. "I need you alive," he'd said. Had he also added something about "if he were to lose her"? The young woman suddenly thought she remembered that and blushed, infinitely confused, overwhelmed even. As she lost herself in thought, her heart pounding, Rey finally looked up and saw the smoke detector. An idea struck her and she jumped to her feet, approaching it. If she activated it, Ben would be forced to open the door and subsequently... The confined senator looked all around, but found nothing that would light a fire and produce smoke. She was about to abandon her idea of escape when suddenly she heard metal banging near her. It seemed to be coming from the air vent at the bottom of the wall. There were also... beeps. "BB-8!" The little droid, after several attempts to break through the wire mesh blocking his path, decided to extend one of his mechanical arms from his round belly, at the end of which a small blue blow torch was lit. He cut through the fence and joined Rey in her prison cell. She crouched down to him, astonished to see him, and stroked his domed head affectionately. "Clever boy," she smiled. "My hero... My savior..." BB-8 stared at her with his big, single eye and answered with a sorry beep. "I know, we've gotta get out of here. Wait, I've got an idea. Light your blowtorch again." Although confused, the droid obeyed. Rey lifted him up with all her might and, tense, held him at arm's length under the smoke detector. After a few seconds, the latter went off. An alarm sounded and the ceiling sprinklers were activated. The young woman put BB-8 down, thanked him and asked him to roll away to create a diversion, which he did. Then she hid in a corner of the wall right next to the door, when it opened on Ben. "Rey! What's going on? Rey?" Glancing around sharply, he saw only BB-8, which emitted a small interrogative beep. Rey took advantage of his diverted attention to slip out of her prison. Her bodyguard turned and saw her just as she tapped the touchpad. He called her name and ran to join her, but the door closed on him. She had just enough time to whisper, "Sorry, Ben." It was nothing against him. Then Rey looked at the touchpad, took off one shoe and smashed the screen with the tip of her high heel. Just in case the Jedi managed to reactivate the opening with the Force or however it worked. Now, if he wanted to get out, he'd have to cut a hole in the huge, armored door with his lightsaber. That should give the senator enough time to vote. She only prayed that he would forgive her. And that she wasn't mistaken in assuming that this so-called "security breach" was just a charade. Rey hurried back to the Chancellor's office. The alarm had gone silent and the lights were no longer flashing red. BB-8 joined her shortly afterwards, via the air duct, as she tried to connect to the session in the Galactic Senate on the Holonet. As she was unable to do so, becoming increasingly frantic, fearing that Hux had blocked her access as a precaution, the droid helped her make the connection and finally there appeared the hologram of the sphere-shaped interior of the Senate, made up of a thousand repulsorpods, on which stood the representatives of the various worlds making up the New Republic. In the center of the immense hall stood a podium, from which the Supreme Chancellor and the Vice-President led the assembly. "...If all the arguments have been put forward, we can proceed to the vote," Hux proclaimed. "Wait!" Rey called out. She was immediately aware that her hologram must be displayed for all to see in the Senate. Standing up straight, she cleared her throat, briefly fixing her hair and continued: "Senators, please excuse my lateness. I've been enjoying the underground hospitality of His Excellency, the Supreme Chancellor, and hadn't seen the time." A big smile stretched her lips. "Before the vote, I'd like to say just one thing. Dear colleagues, we all strive for the good of our beloved galaxy and to ease the tensions that plague it. But reorganizing the Council is not the way to achieve this. This measure is nothing but a political maneuver. With all due respect to the Chancellor, he and those he wishes to appoint to the Council have no experience on the issues of slavery, the misery and the exploitation of minors. And giving them this responsibility would contribute nothing. Nothing good." Then Rey put on a pained expression, preparing to reveal herself. Her eyes burned. "Dear friends... To be honest, I don't come from a wealthy family. I was born on Jakku in extreme poverty. My parents were filthy junk traders who sold me for drinking money. To survive, I had to reduce myself to scavenging in wrecks throughout my childhood. No one wants to bring about a better life for everyone in the galaxy more than I do, which will therefore prevent any further insurrection from happening. Nevertheless, this motion will only reinforce chaos. Believe me." After a short silence, the Vice-President thanked the late senator and announced again that they would proceed to the vote. Rey voted against. A few long seconds later, the result was in. The motion to reorganize the Council had been rejected by a thousand and one votes to one thousand. Inwardly, the young woman sighed with relief. Kriff, she hadn't been wrong to worry; it had really come down to a vote. So was also convinced that many of her "allies" would have backed out if she hadn't been there. Praise the Force. It was then that Ben appeared in the main room, out of breath, lightsaber still in hand. He must finally have cut his way out through the armored door. Rey blushed and bit her cheek as she met his gaze, her eyes sorry. Then, aware that the Jedi was now visible behind her on the Holonet, the senator had to improvise what to say next. "By the way, Excellency... I'd like to place on record my congratulations to Jedi Master Ben Solo for his determination to protect me despite your humble servant's stubbornness." Grabbing Ben's arm, she invited him to come and stand beside her. He looked confused as he saw the hologram of the entire assembled Senate. "He heroically overstepped his duties to save me from the danger I've just escaped, and I predict a bright future for him after such a day," Rey declared, her eyes moving between her bodyguard and her colleagues. "I know that as long as he's by my side, nothing will happen to me. Let's just pray that no one else tries to hinder me. By, for example, locking me underground and trying to prevent me from voting." Even though she could only make out his silhouette among all the others, the young woman could easily guess the dark look Hux must be giving her right now. Rey's lips curved in satisfaction, revealing her perfectly aligned teeth. "Hmm... Very well, your congratulations have been recorded, Senator," the Vice-President muttered. Then the Chancellor called the end of the meeting and the senator cut the connection. "The... The security protocols have been lifted without explanation," Ben stammered beside her. "Rey, I don't know what to say... You were right. It was just Hux's trickery." His protégée offered him an emotional smile. There was no need to apologize. She had been reckless, because despite everything, it could very well have been a real threat. Hux must have known that the Jedi would do anything to keep her safe, counting on him to lead her into the highly secure zone. Perhaps he also suspected that Ben would act not only out of duty. But also because of his attachment to the senator. Rey flushed at the thought. "On the other hand, I'm lucky to have such a devoted bodyguard. You know... it's touching to think that you were willing to risk sacrificing the whole galaxy to save me. I thought the Jedi only valued the common good." The bodyguard pursed his lips and looked away in embarrassment. "You hired me to protect you. That was my duty." "Was it? Just your duty?" the young woman asked. She flinched at the look he then gave her. He studied her for a long, thoughtful moment, his irises shining with a strange gleam. His jaws tightened. "Well... To tell you the truth... There's also..." He hesitated to continue, and in any case, Rey didn't give him the chance. As her pulse raced, she suddenly felt a great audacity take hold of her. An audacity that drove her to cross the distance between her and Ben, then to place her hands on his broad shoulders, lift her chin and press her lips to his. He stiffened. It was a brief kiss, but a deep one. Trembling, breathless, Rey murmured against her companion's mouth: "...something like this?" A deep sigh escaped him. He sounded desperate. "Like this, yes." At these words, the senator felt all her senses heat up. Her heart pounded heavily against her ribcage. Silence. Then : "How long?" "Too long," Ben lamented. "I see." Smiling, she kissed him again. This time, he shyly kissed her back. She shivered at the feel of his large hands on her waist. Then she pulled away from him slightly. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. I had no intention of trying to... corrupt a virtuous Jedi like you." Ben rolled his eyes before returning the smile. The time when Jedi rejected all forms of attachment and passion, out of sheer stupidity and extreme piousness, had fortunately ended decades ago. His eyes sparkled with mischief. "There's worse forms of corruption, Senator." As soon as he'd said that, he cupped her face and in turn melted onto her mouth. Rey moaned as his tongue crossed the barrier of her lips and caressed hers. She tied her arms around his neck, while Ben's wrapped around her, enveloping her in their warmth. The scent of his skin intoxicated her. Rey buried her fingers in his ocean of black hair, a little damp from the sprinklers. A myriad of exquisite sensations flowed through her. Her emotions jostled. Butterflies spread their wings in the hollow of her belly. A fire crackled in her womb. The kiss quickly became fiery, passionate. As if the two of them were finally releasing everything they'd each held inside for so long, trying to ignore it. Ben advanced, Rey retreated until she found herself trapped between him and the desk, and suddenly, responding to an impulse, her partner grabbed her thighs and lifted her onto the surface of the table. Realizing that he hadn't been able to control the extent of the desire that was gradually consuming him, Ben broke off the kiss and sought Rey's gaze, looking sheepish and ready to apologize. But she interrupted him by shaking her head and crushing her mouth to his for the umpteenth time. Because, truth be told, the fact that he'd lifted her up like that to sit her on the desk had thrilled her to no end. "Kriff," Ben sighed between two ardent kisses. "You'll be the death of me..." His beloved senator chuckled. "I hope so." "You're the most stubborn person I know in the whole galaxy," he continued dejectedly. "The most cunning, too. With an iron will." "But that's why you love me, isn't it?" she simpered. His answer made her shiver even more. "Yes... Anyway, you tricked me well earlier, clever girl. Well done." But as they continued to kiss, they were suddenly interrupted by a few beeps. They jumped and noticed BB-8, who was waiting by the foot of the desk, his single eye focused on them. Rey's cheekbones turned crimson. She swallowed and muttered: "No, no, don't worry about it, BB-8, these are things for adults. Go and stand guard instead, please." A small, positive beep answered her. Helpful as ever, the droid moved away from them and rolled obediently towards the door. The senator and the Jedi shared a dazed look, then burst out laughing and continued their languorous kissing. They hoped they wouldn't be caught again, but on the other hand, there was something exhilarating about this taste for the forbidden. In any case, the cameras were all obstructed, and even if Hux were to reproach them for fooling around in his office, Rey would know how to put him in his place, as she too had incriminating information about him on hand. Elements that could always come in handy later on. Instinctively, as molten lava gradually flowed through her veins, the young woman ran her hands over her partner's massive pectoral muscles, while trapping his waist between her legs. She began to unbutton his collar. His soggy clothes were sticking to his skin, might as well take them off, right? He didn't object, pulling her tighter against him. So much so that Rey ended up feeling, against her intimacy, a hardened bulge that was currently distorting Ben's pants. A shock surged through her. She wanted it just as desperately. And she wanted it now. Also, taking it to the next level on that damned Hux's desk spiced things up nicely. Now they'd have their revenge. So she gradually pulled her lips away from those of her handsome Jedi, so soft, so velvety, so tasty, to look into his eyes. "And... tell me," she whispered. "Would you dare to take me on the Supreme Chancellor's desk, Master Solo? To take your revenge on him for so shamefully mocking you with his stupid schemes?" Her fingers slid innocently down to his crotch, which she gently caressed through his pants. Ben blushed and swallowed hard. His pupils dilated. His irises darkened further with desire. He probably wondered if this was going too fast, only to remember that, deep down, this was all they'd been dreaming about for so long. Why wait any longer? They'd already been circling each other for several months, like two stars sharing the same orbit, in this setting of protection, under the guise of mutual teasing. And as far as Rey was concerned, she'd been secretly in love with her mentor Leia's son for much longer. After all these adventures, she had finally admitted to herself that she still was. And that her feelings for Ben had only grown stronger over the years. She had never really completely forgotten him. How could she? "Oh, he'll have to pay a lot more than that," the Jedi finally grinned. As he spoke, his large hand dared to rest on his companion's knee, then slide down her thigh, pushing back her skirt. Rey sighed with pleasure. Ben leaned over her and affectionately nuzzled his nose against hers. "But... it's a good start. Don't you agree, Senator?" His deep voice rolled over her skin, penetrating it sensually. She smiled back at her beloved. "Come on, just kiss me, Jedi." She didn't need to ask him twice. He obeyed enthusiastically, not caring that his mouth was already smeared with lipstick. As impatient as he was, Rey squirmed to get rid of her already soaked panties, Ben freed his erection from his pants, then tipped his lady against the surface of the desk, lay on top of her and delicately immersed himself inside her womb. A long moan escaped them in unison, as they looked into each other's eyes, trembling, panting, feverish. Ben first made sure Rey was alright, then began an increasingly furious back-and-forth. His dear senator clutched the back of his neck and moaned in his ear, encouraging him to constantly quicken the pace of his thrusts. He even grabbed the edge of the desk to plunge deeper and deeper into Rey, until she cried out. Their sighs and grunts filled the room, accompanied by the steady wet slap of their skins. And so began their delicious revenge, but above all, their love, in this bunker, more than three hundred feet beneath the surface of Coruscant.
THE END