The Falcon wasn't large enough to hold two dozen children for long, no matter how well behaved they were. These children of the First Order- these stolen, frightened children- were quiet and obedient, but their numbers were more than the ship could hold. The sooner they were off the Falcon, the better it would be for everyone.

Kylo Ren-Slayer sat in the cockpit with Chewbacca the Wookie. They were piloting the ship to a rendezvous point while Rose Tico did her best to keep the children entertained. Kylo cursed low and softly to himself while they flew.

But he was not speaking so softly that Chewie could not hear him.

"I let Phasma escape," Kylo berated himself. "I shouldn't have gotten so distracted-"

"Your parents would be proud, Ben." Chewie kept his eyes on the controls. He hated seeing his godson in those unholy black garments but there was nothing to be done until the children were off the ship.

"I failed them. Phasma lives. Snoke lives. I swore to avenge them- but my pull to the Light keeps me from fulfilling my vow. I'm too damn weak."

Chewie growled. "I loved them too. Han would not want vengeance- not at this price." The Wookie laid a furry hand on Kylo's wrist. "You chose to preserve life- every time you do that, you honor Han and Leia. We will bring justice to Snoke-"

"I'm not interested in justice," Kylo spat out. "I want vengeance. I watched my parents die. Snoke murdered the padawans of the New Jedi Academy right in front of me. He tortured me. I will pay any price if it means I can have that scarred monster dead at my feet!"

Chewie sighed. He had had this argument with Ben many times. No matter how hard he tried, he could not seem to convince him to leave revenge- and Kylo Ren-Slayer- behind.

An old Alderaan freighter was waiting for them when they reached the uninhabited star system. "Chewie, send the pass code. We're not going to dock with that thing till we're sure that it's from Admiral Ackbar."

The Wookie hit the transmitter. "Code received, and countersign transmitted."

"Good. Let's get these kids off our ship. We've got more important things to do than play nursemaids to a bunch of First Order cadets. Force only knows when I'll get another shot at Phasma."

"You will find her again. The First Order is up to something."

"The First Order is always up to something."

"Something large. Something specific."

"They want to find Luke Skywalker." And if only Luke would come back, it could make all the difference for the Resistance. They need him badly.

"It's more than that. My smuggling contacts say the First Order has been building something massive."

"Just what the Galaxy needs. Another Deathstar." Kylo snorted.

The Falcon docked with a smooth click.

"Come on. We should help Rose with the children." Chewie stood up and walked out of the cockpit.

The First Order Cadets- the oldest of them no more than ten Standard years of age- quieted down as the tall Wookie and the nearly as tall Man In Black joined them.

"It's okay, kids," Rose said brightly, handing out another bottle of water to one of the children. "They won't hurt you."

Chewbacca knelt down beside one of the children and growled a hello.

The little girl broke into a shy smile and hugged the giant Wookie.

A little boy stared up at Kylo. There was no fear on his face. If anything, there was … a smile?

The boy motioned for the Ren-Slayer to come closer.

Curious, Kylo knelt down beside the boy.

"Hope," the boy said, pressing his hand against the Starbird emblazoned on Kylo's chest. "Hope!"

"That's what it means," Kylo told the boy in his electronic monotone. He was smiling beneath his helmet.

The boy touched Kylo's helmet. He smiled. "Hope."

Kylo shook his head. "Not me, little one. Look to hope in someone else." He gently rose to his full height and stood protectively before the children as the airlock opened.

Rose broke into a run and hugged the first person through the door. "Paige!"

"Rose!" The two Tico sisters hugged each other tightly.

A young blonde woman stood behind Paige. "Hello, Rose. Chewie." Her eyes went to Kylo. "Be- Kylo."

"Ms. Connix." Kylo nodded his head. "We should get the children safely aboard your ship. I am certain that you have many important duties to take care of."

"That's true," Kaydel Connix said with a sad smile. "We brought you some additional supplies- food, medicine, some fuel ..."

"Thank the Admiral, for me," Kylo said, grateful for his all concealing helmet. Kay ...

It did not take long to transfer the children onto the freighter.

Chewie handled most of the fresh supplies that were loaded onto the Falcon. Wookie strength made it no great feat, and he wanted to give Kylo and Rose time to speak to their visitors in private. Han, your son is a good man … if only he would accept it. If only I could only convince him …

"Come back with me, Rose," Paige whispered to her sister as she helped Rose store the goods that Chewie brought back onto the Falcon.

"Kylo needs me."

"He has the Wookie. It's not safe for you."

"Like being a Resistance gunner is safe for you?" Rose eyed her sister. "I'd be just another technician for the Resistance. But here... with Kylo … I'm making a real difference. He needs me, Paige."

"Kriff, you're not in love with him, are you?" Paige demanded in a frightened whisper. "He's a madman, a homicidal lunatic. He doesn't care about anyone."

"You're wrong, Paige. He saved me from that First Order death camp. He and Chewie nursed me back to health." Rose sighed. "I … don't love him the way you mean, but he's in my heart. Kylo needs people to care about- to care about him. It's keeping him from becoming another Darth Vader. He needs me- and the Resistance needs Kylo Ren-Slayer out there helping to keep Snoke busy."

"You can't save him, Rose." Paige laid a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "You can't save him from himself."

"Maybe not." Rose straightened up. "But I can damn well try."

Meanwhile, Kay Connix found herself once more in the company of a man she had never been able to forget or put behind her no matter how hard she tried. "Your mother misses you."

"My mother is dead." Kylo had not taken off his mask. He didn't dare. Not in front of Kay.

"Amilyn Holdo adopted you. She took you in-"

"She took me in because she was in love with my mother, and I was the last thing left of Leia Organa Solo." Kylo didn't look at her. Finally, he sighed. "How is she?"

"She would be better if you came home. The Resistance needs Ben Solo." Kay sighed. "She's trying so hard, but she's not Leia. None of them are. She needs your help, Ben."

"I can do more good out here."

"Ackbar and the others are trying, but they don't have your mother's connections … her charisma. If the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa stood with the Resistance, it would attract so much more assistance … so much more funding."

"It's all about money, isn't it?"

"You know that's not true."

Kylo said nothing.

"I miss you, Ben. It seems so long ago … when we were together. Do you remember?"

"I remember."

"It was right before you went to your uncle's academy. Young love." Kay chuckled wryly. "I thought I was going to marry you someday."

Kylo said nothing.

"But you're married to something else, aren't you? That damn light saber. That black mask. You chose the Dark Side over me."

"I needed to avenge my parents. I couldn't do that as Ben Solo. Once the Academy fell, I knew that I could never be a Jedi. Luke had good intentions, but the Jedi way is too soft. Luke's refusal to bow to Palpatine did not stop him; only the power of Darth Vader did that. That's what I need. This is who I am. This is what I need to be. Ben Solo … he was weak and foolish. I had to destroy him to become the person I needed to be."

"I miss Ben Solo."

"Sometimes I do too. Give Amilyn my regards." He turned to walk away.

"Ben."

He paused.

"Poe Dameron. He's a pilot in the Resistance. He was a few years older than you. Do you remember him?"

"I remember him."

"He's … important to me." Kay looked away. "Admiral Ackbar sent him on a mission to Jakku. He's supposed to find Lor San Tekka. Rumor says that the Church of the Force has a map to Luke Skywalker."

Kylo stood up even straighter. "The First Order is trying to find Luke. If they have heard the same rumors, they could be on their way there now."

"I know." Kay reached out and touched the black mask that she hated so much because of what it kept hidden from her. "Would you go there and help Poe? Make sure he's safe? I … it would mean a great deal to me."

Kylo touched her face with a gloved hand. Memories of Kay as a young girl … of himself as a young man … dreams of what could have been but never was. "I'll do what I can to keep him safe."

"Thank you, Ben." Kay touched his mask one final time. "I have to believe you'll come again some day, Ben. And when you do … I'll be there to be your friend. I hope you know that."

Kylo let his hand drop. "I know. Get back to your ship. I need to get back to my base before we head to Jakku. Goodbye, Kay."

"Goodbye, Ben."

They held each other's hands for a moment longer, and then Kay walked away.

As they both knew she always would.

..**..

"Ben ..."

Rey shook her head. It had happened again. This time while she was awake. A vision of another person's life … a vision so enthralling that she had awareness of her surroundings.

That could get her killed on Jakku.

"These fantasies are getting worse," she murmured to herself. "I have to stop them. But how?"

Even if there had been a doctor on Jakku, she could not afford one. There were a few scavengers who knew something about setting broken bones or stitching up wounds … but Rey had never met anyone who could heal an ailing mind.

She could not go mad. She couldn't. She didn't want to lose her mind before her family had a chance to return to her.

"The Church of the Force," she murmured to herself. "I've heard of that. I've heard of Lor San Tekka. Maybe that's why I dreamed of him. He lives in Tuanul, in the Kelvin Ravine. I can go to him. Tell him about these strange visions. Maybe he can help me."

Rey sighed. It would cost her precious time and portions, but she would go to Lor San Tekka. If nothing else, she could prove these dreams, these visions, were just desert phantoms.

Yes. She would go to Tuanul.

Rey shouldered her staff and made her way to her speeder bike. "The sooner I fix this, the sooner I can get back to my real life."

She got on the bike and took off.