Supreme Leader Kylo Ren stood on the bridge of the Finalizer. Soldiers of the First Order hustled and bustled behind him, creating a dull buzz that he ignored as he gazed out the viewport.
The stars seemed to float by him as he stared into space. His thoughts burned through his mind faster than the streaks of light that surrounded him.
Is she safe?
He whispered it like a prayer. Ever since he had killed Snoke, he had been terrified of the consequences that would befall their connection.
He felt a twinge at the back of his mind, pulsing like a heartbeat, and took that as confirmation from the Force that Rey was okay.
If she wasn't, he would have felt something.
He just knew it.
It had been four months since the battle of Crait, since he had last seen her. Lots of things had changed during that time. The First Order grew stronger under Kylo's control. Between his recklessness and Hux' cunning, they were vicious.
The Resistance was faltering like a bantha with a bad knee. Their numbers dwindling, their support fading. It would be only a short time before the Resistance completely disappeared into the rich blackness of the galaxy. One swift move would erase them from history.
And yet.
He couldn't do it.
Weeks had passed since their last meeting through their Force bond, and though he would never admit it, he missed her.
Even though they were never truly together those first couple of times the Force had bridged their minds, he found himself comfortable in the warmth and the light she emitted. She was like a sun in her own respect. Now, without her, he was cold and shrouded in darkness.
Kylo Ren was no stranger to darkness. But there was a saying his mother had shared with him some years ago: "once people have a taste of something better, they'll never want to go back to what they had before."
"Sir, we are approaching Sem-Vi," a cowering lieutenant informed him, dragging the Knight from his musings.
He always felt exposed without his helmet; he thought it added a certain sinister aspect to his appearance. His chest swelled with pride as he realized that his army feared him enough without it. A moment later, a wave of disgust at himself swept across his mind. Whatever light Rey had left behind still nagged at him.
Kylo turned to face the soldier, who squirmed where he stood as he stared at the polished black floors. "Go," he announced with a nod, his rich voice booming in the pristine silence of the room. "Prepare the transports. I want troops on the ground when we arrive."
"Yes, Supreme Leader," the lieutenant squeaked, turning and marching away as quickly as possible.
Sem-Vi was an Inner Rim planet, with a climate not much unlike that of Kashyyyk or Takodana. It had been an insignificant speck in the galaxy for centuries, filled with farming communities and woodland too dense to navigate or even attempt to cut down. But they had received an intelligence report that the settlers were harboring fugitives of the First Order. That could not go ignored.
General Hux strode up the walkway, casting a look of revulsion at the young man who crossed his path. His pale skin and orange hair were somehow even lighter in the stark lighting of the ship, and Kylo couldn't help but think he looked like a ghost. A sour-faced, contemptuous, pompous ghost.
"Supreme Leader," Hux muttered through gritted teeth, standing stick-straight, staring at the blue and white lines of light that streaked past them.
"General," Kylo acknowledged him with a tilt of the head. He may have been the embodiment of the dark side, Leader of the Knights of Ren, but he wasn't petty.
"Approaching the planet, sirs," a monotone voice announced from one of the control trenches on either side of the elevated walkway.
Kylo cast Hux a sidelong glance before swiftly turning and stalked down the platform. "Ready my ship."
_SW_
He could feel the humidity in the air as soon as the shuttle's airlock depressurized. It hung over him like a thick blanket. It stifled him.
The rolling farmland was a rich verdant green, with towering trees standing like sentries around the perimeters. A lazy breeze slipped by, causing the edges of his black cape to flutter, like the wings of a raven attempting to fly.
His hair was plastered to his forehead by the time they set out on their trek to the nearest village. They had landed in the closest clearing, and that was seven kilometers away from their destination. He was flanked by a row of stormtroopers on each side, every one alert, weapons at the ready.
They ventured into the thick underbrush of the forest, and didn't speak until they reached the community.
By sundown, the neared the tree line at the edge of the colony. Captain Phasma's replacement, an over-achieving lieutenant with excellent marksmanship and a strict dedication to the rulebook, signaled for her squad to assume their positions. She waited for Kylo's nod of confirmation, and turned back to her troops.
"Go, go, go!" they burst from the foliage, and fanned out to surround the few houses that sat in a circle around a large firepit.
They had struck at the perfect time. The villagers had just returned home from their work in the fields, and they were tired and had slow response times. Ren instructed the troopers to gather up the leaders of the group.
A moment later, three men and two women were tossed at his feet, their hands and ankles bound.
"Where are they?" again, he missed the metallic rumbling voice his helmet had provided.
A Human, with golden hair and blazing green eyes that matched the planet she inhabited, stuck her chin out and hissed, "We don't know what you're talking about, you scum!" she spat on the matte leather of his boot.
His lightsaber sprung to life. Its crackling red blade hovered inches from the woman's neck, close enough so she could feel the blistering heat. "Reconsider your answer."
A male Togruta with pale yellow skin and bright blue markings on his lekku and montrals, shuffled forward and whispered through a quivering mouth, "They're gone, my Lord," he kept his head bowed, but couldn't hide the fear in his voice.
"They left yesterday," a young female Twi'Lek added, her shoulders shaking.
Kylo glanced up at the crowd that surrounded them in the small circle, all of the settlers on their knees, holding hands, freely shedding tears. He felt his heart turn to ice.
"That's rather unfortunate," he said, and decapitated the woman in one swift stroke. Screams of horror rang out around him. He turned to the captain, who snapped to attention. "Finish the rest."
He pivoted and marched toward the forest as the trooper's blasters began to mow down the hordes of people. The sharp wails pierced the air, and were cut off abruptly by the sound of blaster fire.
He had just stepped onto the damp soil of the woods when he stopped short. It was liked someone had tied a rope around his torso and yanked him back. He spun around, his eyes searching the area. He was alone. The only thing accompanying him was the sounds of carnage forty paces to his left.
It was then that he noticed a small hut, covered in ivy, like it was being reabsorbed into the forest. He took a tentative step towards it, and then was struck with the overwhelming strength of the Force. It hit him hard; he nearly fell to the ground. The shack was practically oozing midi-chlorians.
"Impossible," he muttered, as he felt himself drawn to it. It would take a being with a Force-sensitivity that rivaled his and doubled that of Luke Skywalker. He had only sensed something like this once before…
He broke into a run, his boots sticking in the thick mud that surrounded the village. As he neared the hut, the feeling intensified. He flung the door open, and was met with the glowing edge of a green lightsaber.
_SW_
"Don't move." Her voice was sharp like a blade, her eyes blazed like a fire, and yet, she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"Rey," he breathed, unable to process what he was seeing. "You're…here?"
She reached through him and slammed the door shut. "No." she deactivated her lightsaber and attached it to her belt. "For some reason, I'm saving your life. Although, stars know that you don't deserve it." She moved comfortably around the small interior, as if it were her own home. She settled into a rickety chair and watched the emotions shuffle across his face.
Her words felt like a punch to the mouth. "I don't—how are you—" he was stuttering. He was Kylo Ren. The Supreme Leader. He did not lose his composure. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving your hide, if I didn't mention it earlier." She rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat. She frowned at his confused expression. "You haven't caught on yet? Some Supreme Leader you turned out to be." His gaze shot up to meet hers, and she sighed. "The Resistance planted that information. We wanted to lure you here. It's a trap, Ben." She stood and moved toward him, causing him to backpedal so quickly he rammed into the wall. She couldn't hide her smirk, which faded back into a grim line. "I couldn't let you die. Not like this."
"You left me." The words escaped his mouth, and he wished he could reach out and grab them and stuff them into a pocket. He couldn't appear weak. He wasn't weak. "You turned away a life of power, the chance to rule the galaxy. For them!" He waved a hand, gesturing to whoever was out there, blowing his soldiers sky-high. The sounds of battle barely filtered through the room's thick walls.
Rey was taken aback. She took a moment to compose herself, and when she spoke, her eyes were sad and her voice quiet. "I didn't want any of that, Ben. I wanted you. And I wanted you to want me. It was clear that there are things you want more." She paused, clearing her throat. "You said I needed to let the past die. I will. Starting now."
"Rey," he reached a hand out to her, and felt electricity jolt through his body as he touched her face. He wiped a stray tear away. "I—"
"Goodbye, Ben." She offered a watery smile, and disappeared.
The darkness consumed once again, squashing out the light he had absorbed during his short time with her.
He was Kylo Ren.
Ben Solo was gone.
A/N: this was a weird thing I had bouncing around my head for a while and I was sick today so I wrote it I hope you enjoyedddd its super angsty i know but its reylo so what you expecting