Rey is glumly slumped behind her desk when her assistant arrives with a small package. "This came earlier from the Palace by messenger. Something about a speeder? I didn't open it. It looked personal."

"Thanks," Rey replies absently. She's still preoccupied with obsessing over her speech to introduce her new legislation to ban super weapons.

"The speech was good. Really good," the young woman is sincere. She's not sucking up. "I'm First Order through and through, but I had family on Hosnia. They didn't deserve to die. They had nothing to do with the Republic."

Rey nods. "There were a lot of innocents killed that day."

"And so many dead on Starkiller Base, too," her assistant loyally laments the heroic First Order dead.

"It was a horrible day," Rey replies, mostly remembering Han Solo. Han was one of billions who died when the long simmering cold war suddenly became hot. But he is always who Rey remembers when she thinks of Starkiller Base. Han was brave to confront his long-estranged son, but he died for it.

"That was a good speech," her assistant cheerleads some more. "Don't let those boos get you down."

It's too late for that. This fighting the good fight thing is harder than it looks, Rey has learned. She thought she was used to scorn from her experiences on Jakku, but apparently not. Even with her unusually thick skin, pointed personal criticism gets through.

"Anything else for today before I go?"

"No. Thank you," Rey replies. She smiles her dismissal. "See you tomorrow."

As her assistant leaves, Rey tears open the envelope from the Palace. It's the new license plates for her speeder. Kylo must have had his people pull strings to expedite this with the local authorities. Rey turns the plates over and reads 'JEDIGRL.' She laughs out loud. It feels good. There hasn't been much to laugh about today.

"You'll make the newsfeed highlight reels tonight," Army announces as he breezes in without a knock. The Chancellor makes himself at home in her office these days. "Idealistic young regime critic makes impassioned plea for a ban on Death Stars," he summarizes. "I thought it went great until you rushed the end," he critiques. "You need to learn how to handle the hecklers because you're going to continue to get them. Don't let them put you off your stride. Your voice got shrill and you started talking too fast. You blew the big finish. No one even heard my great closing line about Alderaan," he complains.

"There were a lot of hecklers," Rey grumbles.

"Did you expect any less?"

"No, I guess not," she grumbles some more.

"What's that?" Army picks up one of the license plates. "Jedi Girl?" he sniffs. "That's nothing to brag about. Why would you ever put that on a license plate?"

"It wasn't my idea."

"Well, someone at the Department of Motor Vehicles knows you well. I guess it could be worse," he reasons. "It could be RBLGRL."

"It's for my new speeder," Rey explains.

"And here I was about to offer you a ride home. Now, you can fly me home." Hux considers the license plate again. "I don't think that particular moniker would be my first choice. How about TR8TOR?"

Rey shoots him a look. "Very funny."

"4SBITCH? Or even better, RBLSCUM."

"Too many letters," she corrects him. "You only get six."

"STRKLR?" Hux asks coyly. He's having fun.

Rey answers testily. She's not in the mood for this. "Haven't I told you enough with the Starkiller jokes?"

"You're right. And today's a bad day for that. Plus, you didn't actually kill the Starkiller. Some other rebel did. So, that one is misleading. Maybe SNOKKLR instead?" he suggests.

"Too many letters."

"I have it! H8TREN."

"I don't hate him," Rey grouses. She likes him against her better judgement just like she likes Army Hux. What is it with her and these First Order men?

"Of course, you hate him," Hux counters. "But people like you don't admit to hate. You say annoying things like 'I'll pray for you' instead of 'I hate you' but it's the same sentiment." He thinks another moment. "How about HUX4EVA? That's a good one."

Rey chuckles despite herself. "It's too many letters. And wrong, so wrong," she objects.

"But you like it anyway," Army accuses. "Admit it."

"I admit nothing," Rey declares.

"How is it that you are impervious to my charm?" the Chancellor demands, looking amused. "Is something wrong with you? Because you clearly did not get the memo."

"What charm?" Rey asks cheekily as she starts gathering up her things to leave. She knows darn well that Armitage Hux's high opinion of himself is matched only by others' high opinion of him. Especially women. Women regularly throw themselves at the young very single Chancellor, a fact that he seems to take for granted. He eats up all the fawning attention like he relishes the pomp and circumstance of his official position. The man thoroughly enjoys being the Senate Chancellor.

"Well, where is this new speeder? And is it as nice as your apartment? Because if you bought some nasty used model that smells like fast food, I refuse to ride in it."

"Who offered you a ride?" Rey raises an eyebrow coolly.

"You were about to."

"Er . . . right. Well, go get your stuff and let's go. I'm done here." Rey is more than happy to declare this day over. "I'm parked out back on the Senatorial Landing Platform."

"I'm surprised they let you park there, Jedi Girl."

"They almost didn't," Rey admits. "I had to show my official ID for them to believe me."

"How scratch and dent is this ride?" Hux worries aloud.

"You're going to take back those words when you see it," Rey promises.

And, sure enough, the flashy luxury speeder makes an impression. "Impressive. Most impressive," Army is a bit incredulous. "I wasn't expecting this. This is nice. Too nice for you. Were you living in that slum so you could save up to afford this?"

"Actually, I moved this weekend," Rey admits. "That's why I needed a speeder. I'm not near a transport stop now."

"Ah, so you listened to me after all." Hux looks smug. "I knew you were not entirely impervious to my charm. Well, drive me home," he commands as he seats himself on the passenger side. "My security can follow." He waves away his usual trio of bodyguards and consigns them to fly escort in his official armored speeder.

Rey slides in behind the controls and lobs her work satchel into the back seat. "Are you sure they can keep up? This thing is pretty fast," she boasts.

"Let's see. Take off," Hux orders like he's on the bridge of a star destroyer commencing an attack. "Set course due west. Full speed ahead, Jedi Girl."

Rey complies and they liftoff to exit the Senate complex. "How's the Empire Day speech coming?" Rey inquires once they are aloft.

Army makes a face. "It still hasn't gelled yet. There's no big news for this year. The State of the Empire is status quo. Bo-ring," he complains. "We're into the implementation phase of the reforms, and that's the dull part between the big rollout and the victory lap. Ren will get all the showmanship this year when he beheads all those Rim drug dealers," Army gripes. "Everyone will be asleep during my speech wanting me to get it over with quickly so the blood sport can begin. Half the viewers will put me on mute, mark my words."

"I hate Empire Day," Rey sighs. The First Order's annual pageant of death turns her off. Each year, the Supreme Leader convenes his bureaucrats, military leaders, and Senators plus tens of thousands of lucky citizens in the giant Coruscant pod racing arena for a pep rally. It starts with a slick video of accomplishments, then the Chancellor gives his State of the Empire speech, and finally Kylo Ren pulls out his sword for the big finish. A cadre of condemned prisoners are presented to him for mercy. Some receive clemency, but others get put to the sword.

Officially, it is crime and punishment in real time broadcast live on the holonet courtesy of the law and order loving First Order. But Rey considers it to be a bloody spectacle designed to pander to people's worst impulses. And not coincidentally, it reaffirms Kylo Ren's image as the strongman leader who will do whatever it takes to hold the rambling galaxy together. Everyone gets to see the Supreme Leader do his own dirty work. Every year, a few random prisoners are pardoned in a show of magnanimity. But most die gruesomely. Rey hates it. It's like a day of Darkness as far as she's concerned. The military parade that follows the pep rally has all the hallmarks of an insecure despot, she thinks. And the showy fancy evening party at the Palace to commemorate the day is more grim than glitz in her assessment.

"Love it or hate it, you're front and center this year," Army warns her. "The Palace sent over the seating chart today. You're on the dais with the A-list attendees."

"Really?" This is not welcome news.

"Yes. Wear something that's good on camera. You're going to be on camera a lot. I can't imagine why. As a newbie Senator, you don't belong there," Army sniffs. "I suppose Ren is trying to look tolerant. And maybe give the viewers at home some eye candy. We don't have any women currently in the high command."

Whatever. "I'm not going to Empire Day." Rey refuses to take part in that annual ugly ritual.

Army is scandalized. "You have to go. It's a command performance. If you don't go this year, you risk being next year's star as one of the condemned. And don't think I'm kidding."

Rey scoffs. "Ren isn't going to behead me."

"Are you sure?" Army levels her a serious look. "He took out a general he was displeased with last year. No one saw that coming. Least of all the general."

"Yes, I'm sure," Rey digs in. "I don't want to go."

"Well, you need to go. All Senators go. It's part of the job. And you need to attend the party at the Palace afterwards. That's important too. You have to swear fealty to Leader Ren with the rest of us."

"I hate parties."

"Everyone hates the Palace party. It's stiff and formal and awkward. It's more protocol than even I can stand. And Ren is there glowering from behind his mask as the ultimate buzz kill. At least Leader Snoke liked a good time," Army recalls.

"You're not selling this well," Rey observes pointedly.

"I'm getting to the good part. The real party is the after-party. As soon as Ren leaves, everyone flees the Palace and the after-party starts. Now, that is a good time," Army attests. "Not as good as my birthday party, of course. But it's still decent."

"Where is it? And why have I never heard of it?" Rey asks.

"It's strictly need-to-know. And it's a media-free zone. Last year, we held it on a star destroyer in orbit over Coruscant."

"And this year?"

"It's at the Imperial War Museum." Army squints into their surroundings. "Hang a left up ahead. Right past the esplanade," he instructs.

"The Imperial War Museum," Rey repeats. "Is that the place with the giant Vader statue out front?"

"Yes. We're lighting him up with red lights for the night. Take another left up ahead at the light. I'm the third building on the right."

"You live right near me," Rey realizes.

"Well, there goes the neighborhood," Hux quips. "However did you find a place up here? There are bidding wars for apartments in this sector. I only scored mine after Ren executed the Resistance sympathizing hyperfuel magnate who owned it. I bought it for a song from the estate," Army brags. "I think the widow feared we would imprison her as a co-conspirator."

"Er . . . I'm a sublease," Rey improvises.

"Yeah? Don't let the coop board know that. You'll get evicted. Which building?"

"Over there," Rey points. "The one that looks like a wedding cake."

"Really? That's a prestigious address. That's old school rich right there." Hux's eyes narrow. He starts putting it all together. "New slick speeder. New uptown address. Got a sugar daddy I don't know about, Rey?"

"I'm offended by that remark," she retorts.

"Last week you were living in the ghetto. I'm not stupid." They are approaching their destination now. "You'll have to pull up in front," Hux instructs. "Some of us don't have our own private landing platforms." He turns to Rey as she halts the speeder. "Do I detect the hand of Ren in this? Because you didn't move up here on your own. Tell me the truth. Is our mysterious depraved Leader bankrolling you?"

"It's Ren's apartment," she admits. "This is his speeder, too. He wanted me to move just like you did," Rey explains defensively.

Hux frowns. His disapproval is severe. "What is it with you and Ren? And don't tell me to ask him. Who is he to you?"

That's a good question. Rey hesitates.

"You and Ren aren't together, are you?" Hux asks, looking and sounding horrified. "Like together together?"

"No!"

Army is visibly relieved. "I didn't think so. You're smarter than that. So . . . what are you and Ren? And don't pretend that you are friends because Ren doesn't have friends. Everyone hates him and always has."

Uh . . . Uh . . . What is Kylo to her? Rey can't decide, so she punts. "This is about the Force. We share the Force."

Army gives her a knowing look. "And now a speeder and an apartment too?"

"It's not like that—"

"If we skip my place and head to yours instead, would I happen to meet our Supreme Leader dropping by to borrow a cup of sugar?" Hux asks.

Er . . . well . . . maybe. Kylo didn't come around last night. So odds are good he'll make an appearance tonight, Rey thinks.

When she doesn't immediately answer, Hux gets very serious. "Be careful, Rey. He's unstable. Prone to violent tantrums and irrational decisions. He's a mess. You lead him on and cut him loose and he will get revenge. Trust me, I know. He's not the stalker type. I'm the stalker type. Ren's the serial killer type. He'll filet you with that laser sword of his."

That characterization seems a bit harsh but Rey dutifully nods.

"He's never been one for women. We all just assumed he was the monk type because the Jedi had him too long." Hux purses his lips and fixes her with a hard stare. "Are you sleeping with him?"

"No!"

"Is he trying to sleep with you?"

"No!" Well, not exactly. She wouldn't let Kylo kiss her. But he had tried.

"Then what is Ren getting in exchange for all his munificence?"

"The Force."

"That is a very unsatisfactory answer," Army informs her. "Well, now you definitely need to go to Empire Day," he decides. "Otherwise, you will get evicted by your Supreme Landlord."

"It's not just that it's Empire Day," Rey grumbles. "I hate events like that. I'm not good at parties, Army. It's so awkward to be there by myself," she admits miserably.

"Get your boyfriend Ren to escort you. Well . . ." Army reconsiders, "Actually, please don't."

"I told you—we're not together. And what's it to you if we are?" she demands.

"You're my protege. I have high hopes for you. You will disappoint me if you get your head turned by Ren. I expect much better of you," Army lectures sternly. "Rey, you and I agree on very little politically except we both concur that Ren has to go."

"This isn't about him personally," Rey frowns. "I just don't like his policies. I'm trying to change his mind, not depose him." She gave up on that Resistance stuff years ago. She's no longer a revolutionary fighting a fight she cannot win. "I hate parties," she grumbles again. Social settings like that bring up all her insecurities.

"Fine. Be my date for the Palace party," Army suggests. "The press will love it. They'll have a field day speculating and Ren can eat his eunuch Sith heart out about it."

"Oh, Ren won't care."

"Good. Then it's settled. Make sure you look good," Army specifies. "I only get photographed with beautiful women."

Rey rolls her eyes. "Duly noted, Chancellor."

"Neighbor," he corrects. "We're neighbors now." Hux exits the speeder and leans over to drawl out his sarcasm, "Tell Ren hello when you see him."

Not two minutes after Rey arrives at her new apartment, Kylo shows up. Has he been waiting on her? Rey looks up to see him striding in from the terrace where he has parked a Palace speeder. "I thought you might drop by," she nods hello.

"I liked your speech."

Rey flushes. "I flubbed the end."

"Those guys were being rude. They won't do that again," Kylo promises without elaborating. "How are you settling in?"

"Fine. I did a little exploring around the neighborhood yesterday and I went grocery shopping."

"More water?" he teases her with a smirk.

"Some food too."

"Good. What's for dinner?" he asks.

"Protein bars. I . . . uh . . . never got in the habit of eating much fresh food. On Jakku . . ."

"Yeah, okay," he cuts off her uncomfortable explanation. "You grab a bar to eat while I eat real food. Come, keep me company."

"Alright," Rey agrees as she purposely shoves Army's warnings out of her mind. They both hop in Kylo's speeder and head for the Palace.

Twenty minutes later, Rey is comfortably ensconced in Kylo's private office sitting sideways in the one armchair that doesn't have datafiles piled all over it. She's munching on her protein bar with her feet dangling over the side. Opposite her seated behind his cluttered desk, Kylo is devouring his newly delivered burger and fries. It's a casual, comfortable evening that betrays how far she and Kylo have come. The awkward intimacy of the Force bond began this unlikely relationship over two years ago. Now, she and Kylo are something approaching friends, Rey thinks, but with a strange mix of trust and misgivings due to all that has transpired.

"Army tells me I'm on the VIP dais for Empire Day," Rey broaches the topic that Hux felt so strongly about.

Kylo nods. "You have a front row seat."

"I don't want one," Rey does not mince words. "I hate Empire Day."

"Why?"

"Do I have to explain this? Public executions are not my thing."

"No, but mercy is," Kylo counters. "I usually pardon about half of the death row inmates I see on Empire Day. And every one of those prisoners got a jury trial before they ended up on that stage."

"Not that General last year," she points out.

"Yeah, well that guy had it coming. The point is that Empire Day is about mercy and compassion as much as it is about justice."

Rey raises an eyebrow. "It sure doesn't feel that way."

Kylo sits back as he informs her, "This year I'll be executing drug cartel kingpins mostly. They are violent men who prey on the addictions of others. Don't feel too sorry for them. They have lots of blood on their hands. Spice ruins lives, Rey."

"I know that. And I don't feel sorry for them," she grumbles as she wads up the wrapper of her protein bar and stuffs it in her pocket. "I just wish it weren't so lurid."

"The public spectacle serves a purpose."

"I know. But I still don't like it." Rey swings her feet over to stand. She paces the room pensively while he watches her in silence. "I saw a lot of spice smugglers on Jakku. Spice is an ugly business for sure. It's been tolerated for far too long. I'm glad that someone is finally cracking down . . . "

"But?" he prompts.

"But hyped up public executions before cheering mobs make me nervous."

"This is about deterrence. Like the super weapons. People will think twice about filling those dead men's shoes afterwards. That has real value. Because in the past when the Republic made attempts to clean up organized crime, all they did was create opportunities for other criminals to enlarge their scope of business. They busted one crime syndicate and another promptly took its place."

"I know . . ." she agrees reluctantly. "I just wish there were a better way." Rey turns now to stare out the panoramic window opposite his desk. It shows an incredible view of the Coruscant night. She contemplates it glumly.

"I want you there on the dais, Rey. It will give you credibility and visibility. Plus, you are on the public record as supporting our cleanup operations in the Rim."

She is noncommittal, so Kylo continues. "Dark and Light coexist. That is the nature of things. Governing the galaxy can't be all hearts and flowers and truth and mercy every day."

"I know. But I wish it were," she says softly, her back still turned to Kylo.

"If I could give you a world where everyone was good, I would. But I can't. Sometimes it takes Darkness to hold other Darkness at bay. I'm far from perfect," Kylo admits—the man is somewhat surprisingly self-aware—"but trust me there are others who are far worse options."

"I know," she sighs.

"Your friend Hux is one of them," Kylo remarks as he stands to his feet. Oblivious Rey is still lost in thought contemplating the Coruscant skyline when she feels Kylo's hand snake around her waist. It's an intimate gesture that catches her by surprise. Rey instinctively turns into Kylo and that's when he plants a soft kiss on her upturned lips.

This isn't like on the shuttle on the way back from Jakku. There isn't any lead up or chance to pull back. It all happens unexpectedly before Rey can think to stop it.

"Oh," is all she says. Did that actually happen? Yes, it did. And it happens again as she stands there flustered by her very first kiss. Kylo leans down to steal another. Slower this time, more lingering.

He pulls back and whispers, "Don't ever lose your idealism, Rey. Because that's an innocence you never get back."

She nods blankly, not really understanding. Rey blinks at Kylo, unsure how to feel about what just happened.

But the moment ends as soon as it began. "Come, there's something I want to show you," Kylo invites. Relieved that he isn't putting more moves on her, Rey goes along. She follows Kylo down the hall to what is unexpectedly his bedroom. That realization has her pulse racing nervously. But the bedroom doesn't seem to be their destination because Kylo keeps moving into an adjacent room.

It's kept locked with the Force, she notices. And that's the first indication that she is seeing something extremely special. When the door opens, it reveals Kylo Ren's most prized possession. Rey's eyes fall on the unmistakable relic displayed on a plinth.

"Oh." The word doesn't convey her reaction so much as her sudden intake of breath.

"Recognize it?"

"Yes." Rey turns amazed eyes to Kylo. "I forgot you said you had this. Where did you get it?"

"I dug it up on Endor years ago," he reveals. "Darth Vader died on the second Death Star but my uncle saved his body and built a funeral pyre for him on the Endor moon." Kylo shakes his head at the insensitivity of it all. "Only dogmatic Luke Skywalker would cremate a man in death who had been burned in life. But my uncle was tone deaf like that a lot. The Jedi tradition was to cremate their dead and so Luke burned his father a second time. The were no exceptions to the Jedi way for Master Skywalker," Kylo gripes bitterly.

Rey is fascinated by the slightly twisted, now grey-black mask. "Wow." Rey shoots Kylo a wary look. She's almost afraid to ask. "He's not—"

"No. He disappeared into the Force. Many of the most powerful Force-users lose their bodies upon death. They literally become one with the Force. It's where the old saying comes from."

"I think that's what happened to your mother."

"That wouldn't surprise me." Kylo turns back to his grandfather's mask. "He was the best star pilot in the galaxy and a cunning warrior. A Jedi hero and an infamous Sith Lord. I wish I knew him." Kylo half-whispers his words with a choked longing that speaks to the depths on his loneliness.

Rey can instantly relate. For she spent many long years yearning for her own dead family members. Wondering about them. Fantasizing about them. Creating stories to explain them.

Kylo looks so woebegone now, his long face slack and sad. "I have spent much of my life being torn apart between warring sides of the Force. Torn between the pull to Darkness and the call to the Light. Veering first one direction and then another. Vader was the same way. My uncle said that when he first met his father, he could sense the conflict within him. It was plain as day, apparently."

Rey nods. "I sense the same in you. Here. Now."

"Vader could have helped us. He would have ruled this Empire much better than I am. And he would have known how to balance the Force." Looking vulnerable, Kylo confides, "I go to him with problems. He sends me visions sometimes." Kylo's eyes find hers as he softly urges, "Touch it. See if he speaks to you."

Rey takes a step back and shakes her head. She has no connection to Lord Vader. Why should he speak to her? And, honestly, Rey has no desire to meet a Sith Lord. Meeting Snoke was enough.

"Go on," Kylo croons at her. "Touch it."

"But I'm nobody—"

"Not to me."

"I'm nobody to him," Rey yelps.

Kylo leans in close, his face and his voice so earnest. "Rey, you do not yet realize your importance. You are part of the future, whether you like it or not." She frowns and he presses again, "Touch it. Do it."

She does. And as she feared, this relic of Anakin Skywalker affects her just the same as her first touch of his old lightsaber on Takodano. For just as soon as her tentative fingers make contact, Rey's consciousness dissolves as the Force overtakes her mind. The vision rushes up in a jumble of fast impressions that are hard to comprehend.

"Son of Darkness." The voice is Snoke's gravelly baritone and it makes the hair on Rey's arms stand on end. But when the images start to appear, they are not of Kylo Ren. The Force reveals a different man, similarly tall and lanky, with a mane of unruly hair and a tendency to sneer. This man is a famed Jedi hero before he becomes a feared Sith. Rey sees him swinging a blue sword for truth and justice, giving his right arm and his innocence for the cause of the Republic. But in the end, after much disillusionment and loss, Anakin Skywalker switches sides. It is a cataclysmic event. See him marching with an army at his heels to burn a Jedi Temple to the ground. See him hunt down the guardians of peace and justice with a dogged determination. He will destroy completely his old ideology. But none are safe because this man also turns on his allies. He slaughters them on a volcanic world and declares the war over. Both sides have lost. There's a lesson here: this violent man is not to be trusted. He turns on friend and foe alike. In time, his Sith Master will learn that truth the hard way.

"You were the Chosen One!" Rey doesn't recognize the voice but she does recognize the horror and deep, deep disappointment. For she felt that way once herself in a ruined throne room.

The images now show a different man. He is a Jedi, like his father before him. This is Luke Skywalker, the new hope for the galaxy to emerge from Darkness. With that Skywalker hair, his father's Force, and his mother's good looks, he is dashing in his youth. He too swings a blue sword for truth and justice, giving his right hand for the cause of the Rebellion. For a time, he convinces himself he has found balance. But he's wrong. Everything he believes is wrong. And so, in the end, after much disillusionment and loss, he quits. He walks away from the fight and cuts himself off from the Force that he has grown to hate. Witness him attempt to murder his star student in his sleep. See him bitterly intoning that it's time for the Jedi to end. Watch him light a torch to burn down the first Jedi Temple. He will destroy it all in a vain hope to end the conflict. But, in truth, this violent man blew his chance and self-destructed. In the end, he wasn't a wise man. Luke Skywalker knew nothing and taught nothing. And he too is not to be trusted. Because when you need him most, he lets you down.

"Amazing. Every word of what you just said is wrong." It's Luke Skywalker's voice, condescending and harsh. And, oh how ironic.

Rey sees Ben Solo now. Like it or not, he is to be a Jedi, like his uncle before him. He has his grandfather's height, those Skywalker locks, and the family's trademark Force. He too swings a blue sword, but this time it's in self-defense. For Kylo Ren was the victim long before he became the aggressor. He is frantic and instinctive in his will to live that fateful night at the Temple. It culminates in a contagion of Force unleashed that kills friend and foe alike. Is it possible to learn this power? Not from a Jedi. And so, after utter disillusionment and loss, young Solo flees to a Dark Master. He thinks Snoke will have the answers. But he doesn't. And so, the trusting boy is trapped as the Apprentice. His power grows and along with it his frustration. He vents his rage in legendary violence. Watch him oversee the destruction of an entire planet. Witness him slay his father in cold blood. See him threaten to destroy everything and everyone in a public meltdown of humiliating nihilism. This violent man seeks to burn down the galaxy so he can rule it. And why not? It's the family tradition. He's merely finishing what his grandfather started.

A woman's voice sounds now. "There is no father. I can't explain what happened." A doomed Jedi Master thinks he can, and he convinces his brethren the fatherless boy is special. But a Sith Master has a different explanation that he is equally certain of. The sly Sith makes sure to mentor the budding prodigy as he matures. No one knows who this man truly is, but both the Jedi and the Sith secretly fear him. Is he the Chosen One? Could he be the Sith'ari? Conceived in the Force, Anakin Skywalker's destiny is revolution. He will betray them all, disappoint everyone, and he and his progeny will upend history forever. Because the bloodline of the Skywalkers cuts a deep fissure through all the conventional wisdom. They are a mystery to everyone including themselves. And yet, each in his own way is shockingly altruistic. Because . . . they are unnatural. Part man, part Force, and all hubris.

There is so much, too much, in the vision for Rey to pick apart. And she lacks much of the critical context for it all. But she's perceptive in ways others are not, having a finely attuned survival instinct. And right now, her gut is warning her of danger. Extreme danger.

Whether it is fair to fault Kylo Ren for his actions and his attitudes is beside the point. Because all that matters is that he is the latest scion of the first family of the Force. The race of demigods begotten, not made, in the energy that binds the universe together. Are they the favorites of the Force? Or are they cursed by it? Rey can't tell. But members of his family are the ultimate agents of change for the galaxy, veering from one extreme to another. As instruments of the cosmic Force, their will is not wholly their own and their choices decide the fate of countless others. But most especially, the people closest to them. Rey sees now that the Skywalkers are very, very dangerous. And she has managed to cross paths with three of them already. Her instinct now is the same as her instinct when she saw the vision from the saber on Takodano: Run!

Frantic Rey elbows past Kylo and takes off at a sprint.

"No, wait! Wait!" he calls after her.

But Rey doesn't look back. She is through the bedroom and out into the hallway with her long Senator dress plucked up in her fingers as her feet pound fast.

"Wait!" Kylo is giving chase now. "Tell me what you saw!" he demands.

Rey pauses briefly to slam open a door locked from the inside, and then she flees past a startled pair of praetorians as she exits to the public areas of the Palace. They take one look at the charging Supreme Leader and join the chase themselves. Brandishing their weapons, these men call for reinforcements to intercept the threat. Two or three turns through wide deserted corridors and abruptly Rey is cut off.

Kylo and two praetorians pursue her from behind.

Four praetorians rush up to meet her.

Rey is at a distinct disadvantage not knowing the Palace layout. But she's not one to be taken easily. Still acting on instinct, she opens her right palm and the Force pike of an incoming praetorian flies into her grip. Rey doesn't even attempt to aim it. She just hurls the spear. It crashes through the red armored chest of her would-be capturer. Rey throws the other three men hard with the Force before they can get a shot off. It's pure adrenaline combined with the Force.

"Hold your fire!" Kylo bellows from behind. "Don't hurt her!" he orders.

And Rey, who has been the one to escalate the situation, is suddenly uncertain. She halts and stands spooked like a cornered animal. Ready to fight. Ready to flee. Ready for anything.

Kylo stops ten meters behind her and starts talking her down. "Don't run!" he pants. "Don't be afraid! Do not fear the Dark Side. Embrace it!"

She just blinks at him blankly.

"Rey, you cannot run from Darkness. It will find you! You will be drawn to it. That is the nature of balance. The Light and the Dark are dependent on each other. Darkness rises and the Light meets it. That's you, Rey! It's you!"

He's talking Force but she just wants to escape. She needs to get as far as possible from that creepy mask.

"You're monsters—all of you!" she shrieks. "Luke was the same."

"It's true. It's why I need you."

"You Skywalkers are capable of anything!" Rey accuses. "I can't trust you!"

"Then trust the Force. Come," Kylo beckons her towards him. "Tell me what you saw. Help me understand what has you scared."

But Rey of Jakku knows a threat when she sees one. Call it the Force, call it a gut instinct, call it a will to survive, but Rey declines. She calls a blaster dropped by one of the guards to her hand and announces her intentions plainly. "I'm leaving. And I will kill anyone who tries to stop me." She looks Kylo squarely in the eye and orders "Do not follow me" in her best Jakku bluster voice.

Kylo nods slowly his acceptance. He looks resigned. Disappointed, too. He orders his guards to stand down. "Then go in peace," he calls to Rey. "And may the Force be with you."