Ben and Rey scrambled upon awakening. While Rey took off into the walls of the ship, intent on compromising systems and sending encryptions to the Falcon, Ben made for the bridge.

He sent a transmission to Hux on Starkiller stating that he would be keeping the prisoner on board the Finalizer, so that he could present her to Snoke as soon as possible. He also reported Skywalker's location as the moon of Jedha, but that no action was to be taken until Snoke was notified.

He did not wait for Hux's red-face rebuttal, and as soon as the comm was closed, he relaxed his thoughts enough to press upon his master for an audience.

As he awaited the transmission from Snoke, it took every shred of willpower he could muster to control tumultuous feelings, long enough to at least discern Snoke's location. He didn't know if he was strong enough to conceal their plans if Snoke were to suspect anything and decide to tear apart his mind.

"Well, well, my young apprentice. You come with good news."

"Yes, master."

"You have located Skywalker… but there is something more…"

"A girl. Strong with the Force. I believe, with the proper training, she'd be a powerful ally. She is being held in suspension aboard the Finalizer, to be presented to you."

"You don't say! My, my, you surprise me, Kylo Ren. You have exceeded my expectations indeed. You have come so far, and are so close to completing your training. But we must take out Skywalker, his life is the last ember of hope the Resistance has - snuff it out, and you shall finally be ready."

Ben focused on breathing evenly, being so forthcoming with his news, Snoke was only mildly probing at his mind, sniffing around outside of his carefully constructed walls.

"And what of the girl, master?"

Snoke seemed to think about this for a few moments that seemed to stretch for eternity. Finally, he spoke,

"Bring her to me. I want to see this prodigy with my own two eyes. We will make arrangements to destroy Skywalker afterwards. I will transmit coordinates for a rendezvous presently. Well done, Ren. Well done, indeed."

Ben held his breath until the holo-projection blinked out and the last wisps of Snoke's lingering left his mind.

Kriff , he thought, he didn't send his location.

But he would be there, in person. It could be worked with. This was, after all, most likely a test run. As long as Snoke didn't pick up on Ben's condition and decide to keep him conscious while torturing him for days and days. Not that it would have been the first time.

Ben hoped that Rey had been successful in her attempt to covertly send a message to the Falcon, giving Han the correct location of Skywalker, along with the location of Starkiller and how to bring down the shields. He pushed out with the Force, feeling for her presence, though he couldn't tell where within the ship she was. With a gentle thought, he told her to return to the detention cell he had placed her in after waking her. He felt a nudge of acknowledgement in return, and he proceeded to his quarters to retrieve the coordinates from Snoke. With any luck, they could manage another encrypted message to the Falcon when it arrived.

Ben and Rey managed to take the command shuttle to Snoke's coordinates. En route, Ben gave her a crash course in mental deflection - knowing that Snoke would probe her mind. It wasn't as though they only had one shot at this, at least he hoped that was the case, but he wanted to get close enough that perhaps next time he would be able to find the ship without aid. He had already set the shuttle to record the ship's signature once it was within range, and Rey was standing by to relay that information to the approaching Resistance fleet.

He couldn't tell if Luke was near, but the Falcon had a much better chance of getting to Ahch-to and back to Starkiller faster than they would have in the command shuttle, and that's if his father and Chewie even were able to find Luke and convince him to come out of exile. He figured when they were near enough to the First Order fleet, he'd sense it.

It wasn't long until he felt the familiar press of his master as they approached a large dreadnought. He turned to Rey, who was staring through the view shield at the massive ship, and he could tell by the tension in her shoulders that she felt it, too.

He watched her quietly until she finally turned her head to look at him. They shared a silent exchange before Ben grabbed a set of manacles that had been set aside and roughly pulled Rey closer to him, fitting the restraints on her. He didn't want to manhandle her, but if some discomfort and resistance on her part leaked through to Snoke's subtle investigations, it wouldn't hurt their ruse.

Rey grunted and glared at him, but said nothing. Ben fastened his helmet and guided her to the bay door while the shuttle eased its way through the docking bay of the great dreadnought.

The Supremacy was the most impressive ship in the First Order's armada. It had been designed to be Snoke's flagship, and for all intents and purposes it was, but Snoke often chose to conceal himself in other locations, known only to his Praetorian Guard.

Before the shuttle fully docked, Ben quickly sent a transmission to the Falcon under the guise of an All Clear to the Supremacy. Then he took Rey by the arm and they waited for the doors to open.

The lift ride to Snoke's throne room was tense. Ben stood quietly apart from Rey, focusing all his attention on composing his thoughts. He didn't want to think about their plan, or how many different ways this could go spectacularly wrong, and mostly, he didn't want to think about her. Anything Snoke could divine about Ben's feelings could be used against them, and even though they could get another chance at it, his greatest fear was how effortlessly Snoke could manipulate that to his will as well.

The doors finally opened, and Ben urged Rey out of the lift, guiding her forward with a hand at her back. And with some trepidation, they approached the throne and the figure sitting upon it. At the threshold, Ben knelt before his former master and bowed his head.

"Young Rey. Welcome." Snoke said, "Come here, child, so I might look at you."

Rey didn't move.

Snoke huffed impatiently, casually gesturing with a long finger and pulling Rey forward with the Force. Ben close his eyes as he heard her struggle against the restraints, focusing his breathing and fighting the urge to assist.

Snoke hummed appreciatively as he looked her over. Rising to his feet and sauntering closer to her suspended form, his hold on her constant.

"My apprentice speaks the truth, you do have potential."

Ben watched through his lashes as Snoke circled her like a predator, and he flexed his fingers against his knee. He maintained a vague awareness of the lightsaber at his hip, and the attentive eyes of the Praetorian Guard, as he tried to take in as much of the room as he could, committing as much detail to memory.

How many guards?

How are they armed?

How much distance do they maintain from the throne?

These thoughts he kept low and under a dense fog of duty, admiration, ambition, and a sense of rage.

Snoke was still appraising Rey, murmuring to her about her strength and how powerful she could become with the proper training. She continued to resist, both physically and mentally, and Snoke delighted at her show of will.

Rey's sudden gasp was all Ben needed to hear to know that Snoke had tightened his mental grip on her, testing her resolve. He pressed on her subtly, trying to feel how well she was managing her emotions, even while in obvious pain.

He didn't like this idea. He didn't want Rey being hurt, and nowhere near as badly as he has become accustomed to under the mastery of Snoke. He'd already had to see her broken and mutilated before his eyes numerous times in their attempts to reach Luke. By Snoke's reach, and the Knights of Ren.

She was holding her own, and had even sensed his prodding and swatted him away. Had it been any other situation, Ben may have smiled.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded and the console by the entrance screeched an incoming message. Snoke stood unfazed, still holding Rey aloft with the Force. He signaled at one of his guards and an image of Hux materialized.

"Supreme Leader. We are under attack. Starkiller has been infiltrated by rebel insurgents, the shields are down!"

"Do you not have an entire fleet of ships at your command?" Snoke asked coldly.

"They're... " Hux suddenly looked afraid, then hardened himself, "I ordered several ships to Jedha… to take out Skywalker."

Hux was visibly choking now. Rey tumbled down the steps of the throne as Snoke turned his full attention to the image of his general.

"How… many… ships?" Snoke hissed.

"H-haa-aalf." Hux wheezed, clawing futilely at his neck.

Ben could barely help his surprise. Hux, that ambitious overreaching brown-noser, had sent half the armada to take out Luke against orders. This development would make things much easier for the Resistance, if they came in full force. And with the Supremacy so close to Starkiller, it would not be safe from the slaughter.

He chanced a look to Rey, who was looking frantically between him, Snoke, and the guards. She was close enough to Snoke that, had she been armed, she might be able to take a shot at him. She caught his eye and seemed to get the same idea, as her eyes fell to his lightsaber, and he felt a gentle tug at his hip. His eyes widened as he realized she was trying to call it to her, and before he could even react Snoke whirled on her and hit her with a great burst of lightning.

"Ren," he said calmly, "You are needed on the bridge. General Hux is presently indisposed."

Ben looked at the man and felt a surge of panic. He couldn't leave Rey alone with Snoke. He wouldn't leave her alone with him. As if sensing his hesitation, Snoke turned around to face him, his face unreadable.

"Did you not hear me, apprentice? The Resistance is on our doorstep, and I expect you to do what needs to be done." Snoke's eyes were calculating, and Ben could feel him, sticky and cloying, pressing into his mind. Ben tried to let him in just enough to not be suspect, but his hesitation had cost him.

"You have compassion for her. This… scavenger. No, it's more than that." Snoke pressed harder, and Ben gasped, feeling his thoughts being drawn out like a blade.

"Don't tell her? Don't tell her what, Kylo Ren?"

Ben grit his teeth and pushed back against the invasion. It wasn't the time for this. There might never be a time for this.

Rey had recovered somewhat from the hit and had turned her attention to the two men, Snoke had taken a few steps away from her and Ben could see her watching from just behind the tall man. Then, oddly, she smiled.

"It's not much of a secret, Ben," she whispered, still gasping from the strike.

Snoke turned suddenly to look at her, the surprise more than clear on his face.

" Ben?! " he all but growled, and the man in question took that lapse in attention to draw and ignite his saber, swinging it in a wild arc at the Supreme Leader. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough, missing his mark and only slicing Snoke's arm off. It wasn't enough to kill him, and it certainly wasn't enough to impair his Force abilities.

Pain hit Ben before he could even truly register his miscalculated strike against Snoke. The lightning surged through him, and every nerve in his body was on fire. Snoke was roaring, Rey was screaming, and Ben convulsed helplessly on the floor, his body contorting unnaturally as Snoke's anger translated into him as pain.

Ben drew all the strength he could from the pain and his own stubborn will, reaching into himself with the Force and tearing at his own heart. By the time Snoke realized what Ben was doing, it was already too late to stop him.

Ben smiled at Rey before closing his eyes and dying.