Prologue: Crait
The end of the Resistance was drawing near. The battle of Crait left them defenseless, with no other resources left other an old garbage ship known as the Millennium Falcon. Because of the ship's distinct features, it was easy to report whether it was moving throughout the galaxy. A couple of payments to the right people and the Order would soon obliterate the last of the rebel members.
But the galaxy was quiet. Even though there was a lot of bounty money moving around, there was no sight of the Falcon, nor any of the traitors that have been identified. The First Order was at a loss, and General Hux, the head of the military arm of the Order, was more than happier at the events that have transpired. He has seen to it that everything that the new Supreme Leader does would end up in failure. But the General wasn't wise. Sure, he had a good command of his armies, but the Supreme Leader knew his enemies. He hated them to his core, and would do anything to remove them from the face of the galaxy.
Kylo Ren walked around the old rebel base on Crait. After Rey left him and disconnected their connection in Crait, the new Supreme Leader was left with nothing but hate. He would have channeled that emotion against everything. He could throw a tantrum, cut down a stormtrooper or even destroy the now empty rebel base, but he knew better now. His unruly fit of rage caused the rebels to escape. The sight of Skywalker made him lose his cool. He wasn't wise enough to think that it was only a diversion, but it will never happen again. He is the Supreme Leader, and he can longer act like a child. So, Kylo Ren, in the essence of his own maturity, for the first time, properly channeled the hate and rage to the rebels.
Upon the orders of General Hux, stormtroopers flocked the base. He ordered them to find where the rebels escaped. Ren stayed silent as he knew the general's attempts were futile. They were already gone. He saw it, right when the Rey closed the doors of the Falcon in his face. So he stayed inside the communications room, staring at the powered equipment.
It didn't take an expert to see what the rebels were trying to do. A distress signal was sent from the base, one which was received on multiple points, but never answered. Still, the machine whirred and beeped silently, still sending out signals. Every signal sent used the same password, and the cycle went on and on. The password was coded, but utterly familiar. He knew these words, it was a phrase his mother used to say to him when he was a child. It was an old language programmed for a now extinct droid.
"I love you, cookie." The machine kept beeping its droid language.
"Mother…" The words escaped his lips, but it was too low for anyone to hear. Ren felt his heart beat fast for a moment. His mother was alive and well, and even for a short moment, he was thankful. But the emotion was fleeting, he wished he never knew that his mother lived. It was easier to think that she died in that cruiser.
"Master." A mechanical voice said, distracting Kylo Ren from further thinking of his mother.
"Anita." He called for her. Anita Ren, a member of the esteemed Knights of Ren, walked towards her master. Although a foot shorter than Kylo, she stood tall and proud. She wore the same mask and black robes as his master, but distinctively wore two sabers on her waist. Anita was known to be one of Kylo Ren most loyal followers. She had been with him in jedi training, and even at the end, she followed him to the dark side.
"These signals. I need you to trace them." He ordered her.
"Yes master." She replied obediently. "And after the trace?" She continued.
"Kill them all." His master said.