Father was seldom angry with her, but Kyla Ren could feel it now as she made her way into her father's throne room. Hux was already there, looking as smug as a krayt dragon that had stumbled across a baby bantha. "Here she is now, Supreme Leader."
"Father," Kyla nodded her head in deference. She might have bowed or been more enthusiastic in her greeting but for the presence of Hux. She knew Father's anger would dissipate once she told him who she had found.
"General Hux informs me that you ordered the withdraw of our forces before we had secured the droid. This put it in the hands of the Resistance, my daughter. I trust you have a good reason for this rash decision?"
"The prisoner we secured has the map in his memory, Father. I simply have to withdraw it from his mind."
"And have you done so?"
"Not … yet, Father. He has formidable mental defenses."
"Indeed?" Father's eyebrow raised. "General, have we located the main resistance base?"
"Fortunately, yes. We were able to track their fleet back to the Ileenium System. It's only a matter of time before reconnaissance provides the exact location of their base."
"We don't need it. Prepare the weapon. Destroy the system."
"The system? Supreme Leader, there are three habitable worlds in that system. It seems to be a waste of resources to destroy that many planets... especially so soon after destroying the Hosnian System. Once the Resistance base is destroyed it would be a simple matter for the First Order to claim those worlds. We are always in need of supplies ..."
"We cannot wait- even for hours. Every moment we waste is a chance for the Resistance to assemble the data from that droid and locate Luke Skywalker. The Jedi must not rise. We cannot take the risk at this point in time. Destroy the system."
Kyla Ren could barely repress. Father had warned her in advance of the Hosnian destruction. Otherwise it would have hit her mind like a physical assault. The thought of so many lives snuffed out was enough to give even the Master of the Knights of Ren pause. "Father, this is not necessary. I can obtain the map from my prisoner and that will be the end of it. I simply need to speak to you privately about it."
"Daughter, you promised me that you would not fail to destroy the Resistance. So far you have not accomplished this goal. The only way to be certain of our success now is to destroy the system. We will wipe out the leadership of the Resistance in one blow, and even if the map does make it to another base, any survivors will be reluctant to tempt our wrath. If it finally puts an end to the specter of Luke Skywalker returning, then the destruction of a single system is a small price to pay."
"Yes, Father." Kyla looked down. She felt the bitter sting of her Father's disapproval. It hurt, reminding of the time when she was once nothing …
"General, prepare the weapon. You have done well so far. I am pleased."
"Yes, Supreme Leader!" Hux was practically bouncing on his heels as he left.
"Now, daughter … talk to me. Tell me of this man." There was a slight frown in her Father's holographic image. "I sense you have not told me the entire truth. Just how has this man been able to resist you? I sense you feel … passion for this man."
"It's him, Father. The lost one. Ben Solo."
"Ben Solo?" The look on her Father's face was hard to read. Was it possibly … fear? "You're certain of his identity, my daughter?"
"I've touched his mind, Father. He's closed himself off from the Force. That explains why he has remained hidden for so long."
"After all this time my old pupil returns." Father was silent for a moment. "His will must have gotten stronger if he has been able to remain hidden so long. Are you certain you can handle him, Kyla Ren? His power was … formidable."
"Yes, Father. I know. He has locked it away … afraid of what he might become." She paused. "He feels compassion for me." She removed her helmet. "And attraction. I can bring him to heel, Father. I can bring him to his knees. And with his power on our side, we would not need to fear even Luke Skywalker."
"If you can capture his heart, I have no objection, Kyla Ren. It would be good to see him again. But if you cannot, there are … other ways he can serve us."
"Father?"
"Lie with him, daughter. Even if you cannot compel his allegiance, you can secure his genetic material. A child of Ben Solo and yourself could have power to shake the stars. Such power would be useful to the First Order."
"Yes, Father."
Kyla Ren felt a strange twist in her heart at those words. She was honest enough to admit to herself that she fully intended to bed Ben Solo at the earliest possible opportunity. There was something about him … something about his mixture of light and darkness that appealed to her. But coupling was quite different from carrying the child of a man she might have to kill.
I would see his face every time I looked at the child … and to be used as breeding stock … like some animal that was not what Father has promised me …
But it might not come to that. Once she had the map, once she had Ben Solo's allegiance, Father would give her time. And perhaps having a child- a husband – would not be such a bad thing. Father was loving in his way, but it was a cold, distant way. He often sent her on missions where she spent weeks without being in his presence.
She could have someone. She could have Ben.
And with that thought warming the coldness that always seemed to lie within her, Kyla Ren made her way towards the interrogation room.
Earlier …
"Ben, you have to escape."
"Unless you can reach from beyond the grave, I don't see how, Anakin. I can't move anything to even try to break free."
"We both know you have other ways available to you." Anakin paused. "Or perhaps you do not want to escape now. The girl. She is in your thoughts."
"I don't know her."
"You want to. You think you do. You see the lost girl crying for her parents and you want to save her. You want to be there for her as you think no one was there for you."
"Snoke took her. He took her like he tried to take me. This isn't her fault."
"Your compassion does you credit, Ben, but now is not the time. You cannot help the girl as a prisoner. She is not ready to stand against Snoke. If you try to make her choose between the two of you, she will choose Snoke. Search your feelings. You know it to be true."
"There is still Light in her. So much Light. She isn't meant to serve Snoke. She's meant to be free."
"To be with you?" Anakin smirked.
"She's just a child," Ben replied with less conviction than he wanted.
"She's not so young that she isn't already bewitching you, Ben. You are in more danger now than you have been since Luke freed you from Snoke's grip. You have to get out of here. You aren't strong enough to face her now. Not yet."
"I told you. Every time I use the Force-"
"I know, Ben. I know. But you can't stay here, Ben. Others are coming for you."
"Others?"
"Finn. Your father. The Wookie. They are coming to rescue you and stop the weapon from destroying the Resistance Base."
"How do you know that?"
"I can feel them approaching. The love they have for you- I can feel it through the Force. I have read of this weapon through the minds of the Guards. Ben, if you remain her, the girl will come for you- and you may turn. Your father- your friends- they may die searching for you. You have to escape. And you know what you have to do."
Ben closed his eyes. "I know."
"Do it for your family, Ben. Do it for the girl- if she is to ever be free of Snoke in the future, you must be free now."
He was afraid. He had been afraid for so long. He would rather die than become another monster. But Dad … Chewie … Finn. They were all depending on him … and they didn't even know it yet.
"Guard!" he finally roared. "Guard! Please! I'll talk! I'll talk! Just get these restraints off me! I can't stand it! I can't stand it!" And he struggled in his bonds.
The door slid open and the guard walked in. "Master Ren said you had to remain silent." He raised the gun to strike Ben with the butt …
"Stop."
The guard froze in place.
"Release the restraints."
The guard did so.
Ben sat up, rubbing his wrists. The guard was too short for him to wear his armor. Pity. That would have made escape so much easier. "You will remember none of this. Give me your weapon."
"I will remember none of this."
"Give me your weapon."
Numbly, the guard did so.
Ben checked the weapon over, set it to stun, and blasted the guard. "Thanks."
The guard slumped to the floor.
"What did you do that for?" Anakin asked him.
"Hopefully to save his life. They might take more pity on him if it looks like someone overpowered him."
"Now what?"
"This weapon. If it's powerful enough to destroy an entire star system, it has to be huge. Before I go, I've got to try to put it out of commission. Force knows when they're going to use it again."
"I thought you were going to escape."
"That's what I thought too."
"What changed your mind?"
"I remembered who I am."
And earlier still …
"This is an insane plan, Han. Do you really think you can get through the shielding, find Ben, destroy the weapon, and get out?"
"Yes. Yes I can. Finn knows the layout. We've got the explosives. And I'm going to find Ben."
There was no doubt in his mind. Not this time. This time he was coming back for his boy, and Force help anything that got in his way.
"You have to get those shields down, Han. We'll never be able to destroy the Starkiller weapon if you can't clear a path for the fighters."
"It's just a monstrous weapon of destruction, Leia. It's not like the first time I've done this." Han smiled at her, trying to hide the fear in his gut. He knew that everything was at risk here- Leia, the Resistance- his son. He couldn't fail them. Not again.
Neither of them say what the other is thinking: The last time we had Luke.
"The shields have to be your priority, Han." She hated herself for that. Hated having to be General Organa rather than Ben Solo's mother. Ben had not chosen the Resistance. He had tried to live his own life- and now she was willing to sacrifice that life in order to save the Resistance.
Would there never be a time when she could put her son first?
"I'll take care of it, Leia." He made the promise like he was still the young man he had been when they first met. Cocky. Arrogant. But with a heart of gold underneath that scoundrel's exterior.
"I know you will. And, Han?"
"Bring our son home. Please. Bring our son home." She leaned into him, giving herself permission to feel again. "I miss him. I miss Ben so much …."
"I'll bring him back, Leia. I'll bring him back." He kissed her with a young man's passion. "I'll bring him back, and we'll be together. We still have time, Leia. It seems like there's always going to be war, but I'll bring Ben back home. We'll be a family again."
Leia returned his kiss, feeling young and strong again for the first time in what felt like forever. She wanted to remain this way forever-
But she couldn't.
Han had a mission.
There was always a mission.
"Go get our son, Han Solo. And get your ass back home as soon as possible. We have a lot of time to make up. You, me, and Ben." She kissed him one last time. "And you and me."
"We'll be back, Leia. Both of us." He hugged her and then headed back to the Falcon. "All right, Chewie. Let's ride to the rescue- one more time!"
The Falcon took to the skies.
Leia watched it go. She clutched her son's lost light saber to her. "Please let them both come home. Please let them both come back to me."
Author's Note: I'm trying to avoid just copying paste Ben and Rey in this story. The events are similar but not identical because Ben and Rey are different people. Han and Leia are different because their son was not lost to evil, but he was lost to them. A similar loss, but the scars are not quite the same. I have to admit I was disappointed that Han and Leia didn't get at least one kiss together in their final appearance. And Snoke used a different carrot for Rey because it wasn't some grand destiny she wanted- she wanted a family. And I like the idea of a Smart!Snoke.
