There was a time when the name Kylo Ren held meaning. He was a man both feared and revered, hated and respected, by many across the galaxy. The name invoked the image of a masked Sith cloaked in black, unpredictable and brimming with the power of Darth Vader.

Now, that same man lay in the cellar of a pub on a planet whose name many couldn't even pronounce, without the faintest notion of what was going on outside the four enclosed walls. All Ben knew was the laughter of those above, having a grand time socializing while he bided his life in solitude.

When he began his first phase of relocation, Ben considered his time on Endor to be a form of punishment. For him, being stuck in a colony of primitive teddy bears that hardly spoke Basic was bad; now, he would give anything for some silent interaction with Ewoks, or at least the opportunity to stretch his legs in the woods. But he'd remained on that planet long enough, and Uncle Luke decided it was time for Ben to be moved to a different location, both for his and the Ewoks' safety.

Uncle Luke. Ben thought about how time made the Jedi older and wiser since he'd last seen him. The Ewoks had rejoiced when Luke returned to Endor, but the only emotion Ben could feel upon their reunion was shame. Ben knew what pain he'd caused his uncle, what he'd done to the two people closest to Luke. No words Ben could think of would accurately describe his guilt. "I'm sorry"? "The dark side forced me to commit such acts"? "I have wronged you in every way possible"? All those phrases sounded insincere.

The words still clung unspoken in Ben's throat when Luke finally approached. As soon as their eyes locked, Ben saw the look of betrayal shining brightly in his uncle's eyes. Unable to stand knowing he was the source of that agony, Ben turned his gaze away, wishing to see anything else but what was in front of him. It was in that moment Ben felt Luke's arms wrap around his body, securing him in a reassuring embrace.

All was not lost.

And then there was Rey, standing silently in the background while the scene unfolded like a surreal dream. She stood as still as a statue, with a humbled expression etched onto her face as the former Sith slowly put his arms around his uncle in return. Clutching Luke tightly, Ben stared at Rey in wonder. His life was like a puzzle whose pieces had been cut into tiny fragments and strewn across the floor, but somehow this girl was slowly rearranging the mess into something beautiful.

The memory felt like a constriction on Ben's chest. He did not miss commanding the First Order, nor barking orders at those below him. All he longed for was the girl from Jakku. Without speaking a word she never failed to reassure him, even if she didn't know it. All the darkness of the Force could surround Ben, but Rey's light was somehow bright enough to clear a way for even a dark soul such as himself.

The sounds of shouting from above pulled Ben from his thoughts. Clearly the bouncers had taken on more than they could handle that night. Ben felt a slight twinge of guilt for Ki-ah, the Rodian who'd agreed to take Ben in for a few weeks. Even though Ki-ah had confined Ben to this small space and locked the door during operating hours, the alien's heart was in the right place, even if part of the creature's intrigue was in obtaining additional finances.

Ben reached out with the Force, thinking he could manipulate one of the patrons causing the problem. When dealing with the hazy fog of drunkenness, almost any species was easy to influence.

But it was not weak minds Ben felt above the floorboards. Far from it, whoever was causing the disturbance was in control of himself. Themselves, Ben realized. There was more than one behind this struggle.

There was also anger, far beyond that of a bar fight or someone getting cheated out of a deck of cards. This anger had simmered for a long time, searing with a white-hot hate that made even Ben shudder.

And it was coming closer.

Glasses began smashing one by one, and there was a loud thump as a table overturned. Footsteps thudded as people ran back and forth, trying frantically to get away. Ben stood up and began to strain his concentration even harder, when suddenly he felt like a thousand eyes had turned on him.

A shot from a blaster narrowly missed Ben's head. The door leading to his small sanctuary ruptured in a fit of splinters, sending bits of wood around the room. Using the Force as a shield, Ben deflected some shards from hitting his face.

"You already have a scar," a female voice said. "I don't see how a few more could make any difference,"

The gray armor of Captain Phasma walked through the door, her black cape billowing as she descended the small staircase. Stormtroopers followed behind, raising their blasters as Ben came into their view.

"I'd like to keep the other side unmarred, thank you," Ben said. He looked around for anything he could use as a weapon, but there wasn't much he could work with. Aside from his cot, a desk, chair, and a few barrels of ale, there was nothing that could put him on the defensive. Of course, Ben could easily use the Force to swipe a few blasters from the hands of the Stormtroopers, but with the white guards quickly flooding the cellar and extending out into the pub, Ben would have been overpowered within moments.

"It wouldn't make a difference," Captain Phasma replied. "The Jedi girl has marked you either way,"

Ben felt his insides grow cold at the prospect of what might have transpired while he was in hiding.

"What have you done to her?" he growled, a hint of Kylo Ren audible in his voice.

"The girl will receive her punishment in due time," Captain Phasma said as a Stormtrooper with a different type of blaster raised his rifle. "Right now, you are the First Order's main focus,"

As the Stormtrooper pulled the trigger, Ben let out a silent scream, hoping against hope that Rey would somehow hear him.