Author's Note: I am unforgivably late in posting this chapter. Please accept my sincerest apologies!
The Senate dome is abuzz with all manner of noise.
Rey can hear a gaggle of clicking sounds to her left. Low, beastly grunts just below. What can only be described as honking just above. If she wanted to, she could pick out every individual noise in this room.
So that's exactly what she starts to do.
Rey closes her eyes and reaches out with her Force senses. She stands tall, shoulders back, feet planted firmly on a hovering deck positioned in the dead center of the dome. It's the perfect spot for this.
Whispers to the right. Hushed. Worried. Smooth, gliding tongues next to them. Louder. Nonchalant. Emphatic remonstrating below them. Angry. Imperious.
She touches on the voices one by one, lightly, each fragments of conversation. She doesn't know most of the languages being spoken yet she understands the words nonetheless— in spirit and intent. So many individuals. So many stories. So many lives.
In a strange way, this helps settle her nerves, those butterflies in her stomach that just won't go away.
Of all the challenges Rey has faced in her young but battle-worn life, public speaking is perhaps the most terrifying. She's not cut out for this sort of thing. Not in the slightest. Politics. The art of persuasion.
But she's had to learn. And luckily, her teacher was one of the greatest diplomats this galaxy has ever seen.
At this, the memory starts to play in her mind again involuntarily. It was the night before Rey's first appearance before the Senate. She remembers sitting on the floor, anxiously rubbing her hands together, sharing her survival strategy with Leia. She told her that she intended to look up and around but at no one in particular during her speech, trying to blur out all of the faces. The plan was to think of the audience as just a nameless mass.
Leia had huffed. "Do that, and what's the point of speaking at all?" She'd challenged her. "When you speak, even to a large crowd, you're still speaking to someone. So, speak to them. Look at them. Pick out individuals and look them in the eye. Try to read them. Sense their response to your words. Make them feel heard."
Ever since that night, this is the philosophy Rey brings with her to the Senate floor. Make them feel heard. Teasing over these fragments of conversation prime her for what she's about to do. They remind her that she's speaking to individuals today. And she wants them to know that she's been listening.
There now. She's starting to relax. A little.
Rey will take whatever relief she can get. She has many reasons to be anxious besides her fear of public speaking.
Because today is not just another appearance before the Senate. No, today is the first day of the rest of her life. It's the culmination of her destiny. Their destiny.
Today is the day that the New Age really begins.
A rush of affirmation surges through her… affirmation mixed with excitement, trepidation, and a fluttering anxiety.
Ben has finally accepted it. Their destiny. Co-leaders, two halves of a whole. That's why she's here today. To share his plan. To show the Senate how they will work together to manage this New Age, to allow Force use to grow while also protecting the galaxy from its dangers.
Of course, the Senate has to approve this plan. That's the tricky part. If this isn't granted, Ben could spend the rest of his life rotting in prison.
His words echo ominously in her mind. "Whatever happens to the Knights, happens to me."
He was very clear on this point. Part of her admires him for his devotion to them. But another part is terrified about what could happen if things go wrong. What about Irenie and Soya? What about her? Rey starts to feel sick again.
NO.
She closes her eyes and focuses intently, drawing herself deep inside the folds of her consciousness, down, down, down… Ah. There it is. She surrenders herself to her connection to the Force, becoming enveloped in the warm calmness of absolute certainty. It feels like… Balance. Destiny.
No, the Force didn't guide her all the way here only to dash everything she's worked so hard to achieve at the crucial moment.
Suddenly, her eyes snap open when she hears the rhythmic chimes— bong, bong, bong— that call the Senate to order. She immediately looks behind her to the left. Finn's standing tall, feet firmly planted. He looks calm but she senses he's just as nervous as she is. He gives her a nod of encouragement. She turns forward again.
Finn's fully behind this plan. At least, he is now. First, he had to recover from his blinding rage over exactly how Ben put this plan into motion. Thankfully, Jian is much better at persuasion than she is.
The cacophonous medley of noises begins to die down. It disappears completely the moment the Supreme Chancellor steps forward in front of Rey, raising both arms high above her head, palms turned up towards the ceiling.
The dome falls silent. Completely hushed.
The Cerean woman releases her hands gently to her side. She takes another step forward, her long, grey robes swishing softly as she does. She juts her chin up, the sharp tip of her elongated head dipping back towards Rey.
"The Senate is now called to session." Her voice is strong and confident. It reverberates across the expanse of the dome. "Per the request of many here today, we will begin straight away with a report from the Committee on the Management of Force Use." The Cerean steps back and to the side, turning her body to gesture towards Rey.
She steps forward, looking up and around, catching the eyes of individual senators peering at her expectantly from their hoverdecks. The room is thick with tumultuous emotions— hope, anger, curiosity, fear, anticipation. They blend together and surge through her body, like electricity coursing through her veins.
Her heart starts to beat uncontrollably as though it's about to burst from her chest. Her breath quickens, becoming short and shallow.
She tries to take a deep inhale, but it's jagged and superficial.
Suddenly, she feels a tinge of warmth from within. It grows, slow but steady, banishing the fraying, contradiction of emotions wracking her body until only one is left— love. Pure love. Selfless. Everlasting.
I'm with you, Rey, she hears his voice in her mind. You can do this.
She takes another breath, this one long and satisfying. Then she takes a step forward, elbows bent, hands clasped lightly in front of her.
"Honored Senators of the New Republic," she begins. "I will not hold you in suspense. I've come here first and foremost to confirm what you've already heard— we've captured the Interloper. He is no longer a threat to you or the galaxy."
Several gasps, murmurs, and a sparse round of claps shoot across the room.
Rey pauses for a moment to let the noise die down.
"What about the Knights?" A nasally voice suddenly calls out from below.
She looks down towards the source, a small yellowish man. "They've all been neutralized. They're in custody here in Coruscant," she informs him evenly.
"Neutralized?" A gruff voice cuts in the right. "By that, I hope you mean imprisoned"
"Enough." Rey raises a hand, surprised at the authoritative tenor of her own voice. "Your questions will be answered in due course, today." She catches the eye of the Bothan senator who just spoke.
"There is much for me to share with you," she begins again, "But before I start, there is something else I must say first. Something long overdue." Rey gulps and looks around the dome. "I must ask you all… to accept my sincerest apologies." A wave of murmurs sweeps across the room.
Rey lets out a long exhale, relaxing her shoulders.
"When I did what I did three years ago… when I brought this New Age into being… I did it with purpose. I did to open up new possibilities for using Force power to improve life in the galaxy. And I went straight to work." She gestures with both her hands on either side of her.
"I searched the galaxy for new Force-sensitives. I built relationships with powerful people who discovered ways to use Force power that I never could have imagined. I secured funding, built their schools, recruited students to learn from them and from me. As soon as I could, I put these new skills to use. I was so eager to create, to build, to grow…" She lets her voice trail off. A few seconds of silence pass.
"I was so eager that I couldn't see the hole right in front of me. And I fell right into it. I was so focused on all the good I could accomplish through expanding Force use that I didn't fully account for the dangers. And for that… I apologize. I apologize to you all." She pauses again and looks down.
"Unbridled creation… unchecked, unchallenged… that is not balance." She looks back up. "All this time I've been missing something. My other half. The one that knows all too well how dangerous Force power can be." She looks up and around the dome, catching the gaze of several senators as she does.
"You all have helped me realize this. By challenging me. By bringing your concerns to me. By showing me your fears. I needed to hear it. I needed to hear all of it." She looks out, solemn and confident. "And I want to demonstrate to you now that I have been listening." She brings her shoulders back and down, standing tall.
"The Interloper has been captured, but the larger question remains. How can we keep the galaxy safe from those like him, from people who would use Force power to destructive ends?" She pauses for a few moments. "I'm here today to share with you an answer to that question— a plan, one that that directly addresses concerns that you have raised." Rey feels a wave of anticipation wash over her from the senators.
She looks to her left to an older woman with long, white hair cascading down her back. "The last time I spoke to the Senate, someone reminded me that the Jedi operated in the galaxy under a code, a code that facilitated trust by communicating the Jedi's values to the public." She looks to another Senator below, a Rodian woman with slick eyes.
"This New Age needs its own code," Rey continues. "This is the first part of the plan. I've scheduled a summit to take place on Cantonica a few weeks from now. Leaders from all of the Force schools will come together and create a code of ethics that we all share, a code guided by a respect for life and sense of responsibility to the galaxy." She pauses to take a breath.
"But a code alone is not enough," she starts again. "There must be a way to enforce the code. That's the second part of the plan. Enforcement. Enforcement and much more." Rey feels her heart start to beat faster.
Here we go.
"Right now, there are three Force schools," she continues. "I'm here to discuss the establishment of a fourth school, a school with a specific mission founded on one undeniable fact." Rey's face grows solemn.
"Force power is dangerous." She articulates each word as she speaks. "This galaxy has been brought to its knees, twice in one century, by beings powerful in the Force and determined to use it to bend others to their will. It's happened before and if we're not careful, it will happen again."
The dome is hushed, dead silent. Several senators are leaning forward in their seats. The air's so thick with anticipation it's practically suffocating. Rey glances up to the highest level of the dome, lined with empty hoverdecks.
"In an age with more Force-sensitives than ever before, we need an entity that's sole responsibility is to bring those who abuse Force power to justice, and to do so in a manner that strongly discourages others from even attempting such a thing." Rey pauses, heart thumping wildly in her chest.
"Which is why… we need the Knights."
The moment the words leave her mouth, three black-clad, masked figures emerge from the shadows in the uppermost level of the dome. The trio steps forward onto an empty hoverdeck in the center, one figure in the lead, two behind.
Immediately, the senate erupts into chaos— gasps and cries, several senators shooting up to their feet in terror.
"Stop!" Rey shouts, raising both palms up. "They are not here to harm you; they're here to serve you." At this, the Knights take a knee and bow their heads.
The chaos subsides into feverish commotion, the senators all speaking wildly to each other.
"How dare you bring these monsters to the Senate floor!" She hears a Mon Calamari man rage at her in a deep, gurgled voice from above.
"They're not monsters," Rey shoots back almost reflexively. "And they're here for a reason." Rey gestures firmly with her right index finger pointed. Then she drops her hand by her side, pausing to collect herself.
The noise in the room begins to die down, though several senators still stand, looking up intently at the Knights kneeling at the top of the dome. Rey senses waves of intense emotion throughout the room— a complex mixture of anger, curiosity, and shock.
"The Knights you see above," Rey begins confidently, "have come here today as representatives. I speak on their behalf to ask you to accept a proposal—"
"A proposal!" The blustering voice of a turquoise-skinned blubreen woman interrupts from below. "From a pack of murderers! Are you mad?" A wave of assenting voices sweeps across the Senate floor.
"Quiet!" Rey shouts this so loudly her voice reverberates across the dome. The commotion begins to die down. She closes her eyes and bows her head for a moment. Then she looks straight at the blubreen senator below her.
"Trust me." She gives the woman a knowing nod. "If I were in your position, I'd think I was mad too." She lets her gaze linger for a moment before she begins scanning the room with narrowed eyes. "But I know something that you don't." She pauses, continuing to scan the room.
"I know that all of you here have much more in common with the Knights than you'd ever imagine." At this, she sees a few senators' heads jerk back in surprise.
Rey looks solemnly to her right and her left. "Firstly," she begins with confidence, "Like you, the Knights are victims. Victims of the Interloper's manipulation. They've had their memories tampered with— changed or erased all together. They've had their will violated, forced to agree or disagree on a whim. And they've been treated like animals, given a mental collar of sorts so that if any one of them every tried to betray or harm the Interloper, they'd immediately become trapped in their worst nightmare." Rey looks around the room, letting these revelations settle.
"Secondly," Rey continues, "and perhaps most importantly, all of this time, since the very first moment the Interloper made himself known…" Rey stops, letting anticipation hang thick in the air, "the Knights and the Senate were nothing but pawns, unwitting instruments in the Interloper's hands." At this Rey, hears several scoffs. She feels a low rumble of anger sweep across the room.
"Pawns!" The Bothan man to her left blusters, rising from his seat. "I am no pawn!"
"Yes, you were," Rey assures him in a strong tone, gesturing emphatically. Low murmurs fill the dome around her.
"I know this because now that he's been captured, we know what the Interloper was after." Rey pauses to let the murmurs die down. "It wasn't to destroy the Senate or the New Republic. It was to frighten the Senate into banning the training of Force-sensitives across the galaxy." Immediately, Rey feels the shock of this revelation rip through her like a barrage of blaster fire. Several senators are gaping at her.
"The idea was to give the Senate the impression that a new group of Force-sensitives, just like the Knights of Ren, were on the rise to overthrow the Republic," she continues. "The point was to inspire fear, which would then inspire the most extreme action. And once he achieved his goal through the Knights, the Interloper planned to murder them." Rey notices many of the senators are staring distantly into space, trying to process everything they're hearing.
Rey sighs and looks down for a moment. "This shocked me too, when I first heard it." She shrugs her shoulders in disbelief, then looks up and around the room. "It's troubling, deeply troubling…" she lets her voice trail off. "But here's the thing that really troubles me, the thing that's been keeping me up at night since I first found out about it..." She lets out another sigh, this one heavy with emotion. Then she begins to gaze out at the room with pleading eyes.
"Would it have worked?" Several senators stare back at her unblinking. "Would it have worked?" She repeats, articulating each word. "If the Interloper were still at large, if the Knights were still under his influence, if they were still carrying on with this charade… would the Senate have eventually given the Interloper exactly what he wanted?"
Rey shrugs again, at a loss. "I don't know." She shakes her head. "I just don't know."
For the first time since she arrived, the Senate floor is absolutely hushed. Rey's not sure she's ever heard it this quiet before. Every single living thing in the room seems to be consumed by the question she just asked.
Rey closes her eyes and for a few seconds and reaches out with her Force senses, feeling the emotional tide of the room. There is some denial. Some anger. But mostly there is acceptance. And regret. And shame.
"You know," Rey starts to speak again, eyes downcast. She surprised by the way her voice sounds… so relaxed, so open, as though she were talking to Finn and not a dome full of the most powerful people in the galaxy.
"If that had happened… if the Senate eventually gave the Interloper what he was after…" She lets out a great exhale. "I can't help but feel that I would've been the one most responsible for that outcome." She finally looks up, making eye contact with several individuals. They look back at her… Quiet. Solemn. Surprised and almost relieved at this admission of guilt.
"Because I think about you." Rey continues to scan the dome. "I think about the position you've been in. Hearing about all of these new Force-sensitives, new abilities, new schools… watching the Interloper and the Knights emerge from the shadows to terrorize you and threaten everything you're working so hard to build…" Rey's shoulders drop and she looks down, shaking her head. "And all the while, feeling so frustrated that I, the leader of this New Age, didn't seem to fully understand your fear, your concern of what all of this could mean…. to you… to your people. Those you've sworn to protect." She looks up again, eyes intense.
"I didn't give you enough reason to have faith in me, to have faith in my ability to grow a new community of Force users without putting your people in danger. And the truth is…" her voice trails off for a moment. "I've learned that it's not in my nature to think in the way that is necessary to keep this galaxy safe. To me, the Force will always be a gift. Given my past, I can't help but think of Force power as first and foremost a good thing. It's hard for me to consider all of the ways the Force can be used for evil," Rey puts a hand over her heart, "to truly feel that to the point where I'm constantly on guard for the dangers." She pauses for a moment.
"But it's not hard for them." Rey points up to the trio of Knights still kneeling at the top of the dome. "Not at all. Because every single one of the Knights is a victim of the abuse of Force power in some way. Betrayed by Snoke. Attacked by the Knights of Ren. Homes and families utterly destroyed. Thanks to the First Order, they have nothing left, nothing but a deep, aching desire to keep what happened to them from happening to anyone else." Several of the senators are standing at the edge of their hoverdecks, peering curiously up at the Knights.
"They truly are my other half." Rey brings out her hands, gesturing to either side of her. "They're what this New Age has been missing since it began. A group of people who know through lived experience exactly how dangerous Force power can be, and through this experience have the drive, the will, to devote their lives to keeping the galaxy safe from it." Rey feels all eyes in the room on her, absolutely captivated, hanging on her every word.
"I'm here today to ask you to let them do that." She continues to gesture with her hands as she speaks, almost without thinking. She's starting to feel strangely at ease, surrendering herself to the moment. "Let them create a school devoted to training an elite team of knights charged with hunting down abusers of Force power and bringing them to justice. Let them be what I cannot be— the fire and judgement of the New Age. Dark warriors with an intrinsic desire to stop those who would use the Force to hurt and destroy." Rey can't help her heartbeat from quickening with excitement when she sees several senators nodding their heads as she finishes speaking.
"Wait here now," a raspy voice from below suddenly interrupts. Rey looks down to observe an elderly man with frizzy grey hair and brown robes. "When you say these Knights will bring people to justice, what do you mean?"
"Remember that code I mentioned earlier?" Rey looks down at the man. "The code of ethics that all Force schools will share? The Knights will deal with the more serious violations of that code. They'll determine and execute the appropriate punishment. They'll operate from a maximum-security prison where those, like the Interloper, who've been deemed too dangerous will be locked away." Rey hears a scoff from above.
"And how exactly is a prison going to hold a man like the Interloper?" A tall, green-skinned woman with a narrow face sneers over her hoverdeck. "Can the man not simply enter the Knights' minds once more and set himself free?"
"No," Rey replies with a sharp turn of the head. "Not anymore. The Interloper won't be entering anyone's mind ever again." The green woman's head jerks back at the boldness of this statement. Rey looks out at the other senators.
"Just like the other schools," Rey begins, confident, clasping her hands in front of her, "the Knights will be founded upon a new Force ability. They will be the only ones who learn it. In fact, this ability was how the Interloper was captured in the first place." Several senators scoot to the edge of their seats.
"As it turns out," she continues, "the boy from my school in Cantonica who discovered a way to enhance one's connection to the Force can do the opposite as well. He can sever the connection entirely." Every senator in her view visibly reacts to this, eyebrows shooting up, heads rearing back, bodies leaning far over the hoverdecks.
"Is it permanent?" A disembodied voice calls out from far above.
"It will be," Rey answers, stepping back, looking up in search of the voice. "Once the boy fully develops the ability and teaches it to the Knights, they'll use it to varying degrees, temporary or permanent. But that will be up to their discretion." A pink-skinned Zeltron woman leans far over her hoverdeck above, nodding in approval down at Rey.
"Well this certainly changes things." Rey turns to face an elderly Cerean woman in purple robes walking to the edge of her deck. "I like this plan, girl." She cocks her head. "You have a code, you have enforcers, and you have a means to enforce the code. Best of all, the Senate won't be bothered with matters related to Force abuse. I only have one question for you." Rey nods her head towards the woman to continue. The senator looks up at the Knights kneeling at the top of the dome. Then she looks back to Rey.
"Why are they still wearing those damn masks?" The woman purses her lips wryly.
Rey looks down for a moment, then looks back up. "Senator, when you see that image, the menacing figure in that mask and black robes," she points up to the Knights, "what do you think of?" The Cerean woman scoffs.
"Kylo Ren," she answers caustically. "The Knights of Ren. Fear. Destruction. Terror. The whole galaxy in flames—"
"Exactly," Rey cuts her off. "That image represents the worst that can happen when someone powerful in the Force chooses to use that power to dominate everyone else. It's why the Knights chose it. It's why they still choose it. Because that image inspires fear. And from this day forward, it still will, only in a different way." Rey pauses and clasps her hands in front of her.
"The Knights," she starts again, "their mission, what they'll be doing… it's about much more than enforcement. It's about deterrence. It's about sending a message to every single Force-sensitive in the galaxy."
"And what message is that?" An Anlari man with a horned head looks up at her from below.
Rey looks down at him for a moment, then looks up and across the dome. "If any one of them dares to use their power to harm, violate, or manipulate, the Knights will show up on their doorstep." Rey's tone darkens. "And trust me when I tell you—"
Suddenly, an electric crackle fills the expanse of the dome. All eyes look up to see one of the Knights now standing. He's tall with broad shoulders and a very distinctive lightsaber— fiery red with two flames jutting out on either side of the hilt.
"No one will want that to happen," Rey finishes.
Whispers and murmurs rise across the dome. Several senators are standing, looking up at the Knight with the red lightsaber. He switches it off and resumes kneeling with a bowed head.
"It's time." The Supreme Chancellor stands behind Rey on the hoverdeck. Rey turns towards her and bows, then turns to take a place next to Finn, who nods at her confidently.
"You're really getting the hang of this, you know," he whispers in her ear. She looks over at him with nervous smile.
"We're not there yet," she mouths the words at him. His expression grows serious and they both face the front.
"The Senate will now vote on the following motion," The chancellor announces with authority. "To allow these Knights to establish a school devoted to teaching the ability to sever one's connection to the Force. That this school be allowed to operate in the galaxy under a code of ethics that will be designed and presented to you within the next six months. That this school be allowed to determine and execute punishment for violations of the code. And that its members remain anonymous to all but a special committee of the Senate which, should the motion pass, will be formed directly." The dome fills with a low rumble as the senators all review the tenants of the motion on the screens in front of them, consulting intently with one another.
Rey casts a glance of to the top of the dome. The Knights are still kneeling, perfectly still.
Time seems to stretch on infinitely. It's only a few minutes, but to Rey it feels like several lifetimes. Finally, she hears the rhythmic chimes— bong, bong, bong— that indicate it's time for the senators to submit their votes.
Her heart seems to race right out of her chest. She feels Finn grab her hand and squeeze it. She squeezes back, still looking straight ahead, her body stiff with anxiety.
Another lifetime seems to pass…
"The votes are in." The chancellor declares abruptly, clasping her hands together and stepping forward. "By a two/thirds majority, it is the will of the New Republic Senate that the motion proposed by the Committee on the Management of Force Use shall be..." The chancellor pauses dramatically.
Rey closes her eyes and holds her breath.
"You're doing it wrong."
"Shut up, boy," Lohse commands, eyes closed. She's sitting cross-legged on the floor, her tangled mass of curls swept over her shoulder, one hand extended, hovering just over Anh-Li who sits directly in front of her. Lohse tries to seem relaxed, nonchalant, but she's clearly frustrated.
Jian sits to the side, one knee curled in his chest, watching both women intently. They're in a large room, rented living quarters with white floors and walls, sparsely furnished with a few couches and chairs, a kitchen unit attached to the right, a long hallway of bedrooms to the left.
Jian begins to grow impatient. He starts shaking his head.
"You're being way too intense about it," he says abruptly.
"I said shut up." Lohse visibly clenches her jaw. She takes a sharp inhale and holds it in. Then, she drops her hand and opens her eyes.
"You're thinking about Vikander," she announces decisively. "You're worried about him, still trapped in his worst nightmare and all that." Anh-Li slowly shakes her head no, expression neutral.
"Well…" Lohse starts again, "then you're thinking about Solomon. You're glad he's with us, that he's on board with this whole defenders of the galaxy business." Anh-Li shakes her head no again. Lohse exhales sharply, like she's pushing out fumes.
"Then you're thinking about your new best friend Rey, about her school, about all your little walks together on Cantonica." Lohse leans forward intently. Anh-Li shakes her head once more. Lohse groans and curses, uncrossing her legs, fighting against the black robes bunched at her feet.
Jian scrunches his face, still sitting on the floor next to them. He starts shaking his head in mild disapproval. "Ben's really got his work cut out for him," the boy announces with a heavy sigh.
Lohse groans again, louder this time, and shoots to her feet, stomping to the other end of the room, kicking a chair out of her way as she does.
"I'm just saying, I'm glad I'm not the one who has to train you," Jian calls after her.
"Well that makes two of us because you are the worst teacher." Lohse whips around, gesturing emphatically with her right hand. "Besides, none of it matters anyway," she continues in a defeated tone, turning to face the back wall, peering through the large window to the open deck where the rest of the Knights wait nervously. "We'll all be in prison by the end of the day for sure."
"No, we won't." Anh's head shoots up. "The Senate's going to approve. I have a feeling."
"Oh yeah?" Lohse grunts, turning towards Anh slyly, one hand on her hip. "You have a feeling," she says in a mocking tone, raising both hands in the air and wiggling her fingers. "You're not even Force-sensitive, so excuse me if I don't put a lot of stock into your feelings." She turns back to face the window again.
"You don't have to be Force-sensitive to have intuition," Anh retorts, still sitting on the floor.
"Don't worry." Jian scoots closer to her, his demeanor relaxed, chipper even. "You'll be Force-sensitive soon enough. I'll see to that," he assures her with pride in his voice. At this, Anh-Li's expression darkens and she looks down, suddenly lost in thought.
"Hey," Jian says softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looks up at him, guarded. "Don't be scared. It's your destiny." His face is bright with certainty. Anh smiles in spite of herself.
"Besides," he continues in an upbeat tone. "Ben says you're the most important member of the team." Immediately, Anh's head jerks back, surprised at this.
"Why would he say that?"
"Because," Jian declares matter-of-factly, "you're the only one that didn't just vote not to kill me but actually defended me."
"Hey!" Lohse sounds offended as she calls from the end of the room, turning slightly towards them. "I didn't vote to kill you. I abstained." She says this as though it were an accomplishment.
"Thanks, Lohse," Jian replies dryly, not looking at her. Instead, he maintains his attention on Anh-Li beside him.
"So," the boy starts, scooting even closer to Anh, like he's about to tell her a secret. He lowers his voice. "How are you feeling about… you know…" his voice trails off for a moment, his face solemn. "About Ben," he finally continues at a whisper, "training under him considering… what he did." Anh-Li looks away for a moment, her eyes distant, as if lost in a memory.
"He's…" she begins thoughtfully. "He's shown that he's not the man he was. And…" She sighs heavily as her voice trails off. She stares down into space for a moment, then glances up at Jian. "My mother would have forgiven him." The boy gives her a half smile, eyes soft with admiration.
He leans towards her to speak again but stops abruptly, tilting his head as if listening for something in the distance.
"Lohse." He turns towards her.
She doesn't move, still from standing with crossed arms in front of the window.
"Get the others. Rey's coming."
She immediately twists towards him, wide-eyed, a bit stricken, then charges headstrong to the deck entrance.
Jian turns to Ahn-Li, whose face is calm but eyes wild with fear. He gives her a reassuring nod then rises swiftly with her.
Five black-clad Knights file into the room quickly, heads down, eyes furious with worry. The red-skinned Zeltron looks most nervous, visibly clenching and unclenching his fists. Ty and Mouse look like Lohse, young faces white with fear. Solomon, ironically, looks the calmest of the lot. The dark-skinned man strides forward, arms crossed lightly, the only one looking up, expression neutral, seeming as though he could easily accept either outcome.
Anh-Li stands with Jian closest to the entrance to the room, hands clasped in front of her, back straight, eyes forward. She takes a deep breath as the door whirs open.
Jer'ah ducks his head slightly to enter the room then straightens, squaring his broad shoulders, eyes their usual piercing red, telling nothing of the news he's brought with him. Ekemma follows, walking easily, hands at her side, relaxed demeanor seeming to give reason to hope.
But the real tell is Rey, who walks in with her face absolutely beaming, like a soldier returning home from war. Anh-Li exhales, not realizing she was holding her breath, and immediately runs to Rey, embracing her.
Finn follows Rey, eyes sparkling, eagerly looking for Jian as he walks into the room. The boy smiles as his dad approaches, looking happy but not surprised by the outcome.
The rest of the Knights let out a chorus of exhales and embrace one another, relieved yet charged with nervous energy.
"Alright, what's next?" Ty steps forward with a boyish confidence, eyes intent, alight with readiness. Jer'ah looks down at him dispassionately.
"We meet with the Senate committee," he answers in his deep voice. "Now. Come." He gestures towards the door. The young man's eyes widen, surprised with the immediacy of this answer.
"What for?" Solomon juts his chin up, his tone suspicious.
"To prove we're not murderous nut jobs, of course." Lohse begins striding to the door with a slight swagger. She stops halfway there and looks around the room, seeming confused.
"Is that not it?" She puts a hand on her hip.
"Something like that." Ekemma rolls her eyes as she answers, extending an arm towards Mouse and gesturing towards the door.
"Wait, where's Ben?" Anh-Li asks, turning towards Rey.
"Yeah," Lohse chimes in. "He's supposed to be out fearless leader, is he not? He should be with us."
Rey looks at Anh, opening her lips to answer but hesitates. She glances up to Jer'ah.
"He has business to attend to." Jer'ah looks down at Lohse then Anh-Li, crossing his arms. "And we both decided it was best if I present as our leader to the Senate."
"Well, isn't that nice for him," Lohse remarks under her breath, turning towards the door again.
Solomon grunts. "If the rumors about his temper were true…" He begins to follow Lohse, "then I'd say that's a wise decision."
"It's because someone could recognize him." Ekemma sounds exasperated, as though she's explaining this to children. "There are a few in the galaxy who know his face." She walks to the door with Ty and Mouse.
The Knights begin to file out of the room one by one. Anh-Li is the last to exit. She turns around towards Rey just at the door.
"Are you not coming with us?" She asks expectantly, clearly assuming Rey would accompany them.
"No, not this time," she answers coolly, shaking her head. Anh's eyebrows knit in confusion.
"But shouldn't we go with a representative from your school, to show we're working together?" She steps towards Rey.
"Oh absolutely." Rey nods her head emphatically. "You definitely should. It's just not going to be me." She looks down at Jian next to her. It takes him a second to realize this. When he does, he jumps and his eyes widen with a flash of horror.
"Huh?" He gapes up at Rey.
"Weren't you the one so eager to fight the Interloper all by yourself?" Rey looks down at him with a glint in her eye. "A room full of senators should be nothing for you. Besides, once you take over the school, you'll be the one dealing the Senate. Better start learning now." The boy still gapes up at her, not quite sure if she's serious.
"Go on." Rey nods curtly towards Anh-Li at the door. Jian's eyes roll to Anh then back at Rey, trying to figure out if she's just playing with him. He doesn't move.
"Jian," Rey says gently but firmly, kneeling down next to him. "You're the one who's been begging me for more responsibility. Well, here you have it. Go to the meeting. Answer questions about what you can do. But most importantly," Rey brings her face closer, lowering her voice, eyes fixed on his. "Show them who you are." She gives him a deep nod of encouragement.
Jian nods back, determination registering on his face.
"Yeah," he says slowly, looking like he's talking himself into it. "Last week I was a warrior. This week I'm a politician. I can do that." He starts nodding his head more dramatically, as though the movement helps him conjure bravado. He turns and starts towards Anh-Li, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders, as if trying to seem taller.
Rey grunts softly as he goes, smiling to herself. Part of her still can't believe how powerful and brave he's becoming. He's so much stronger than she ever could have imagined. She turns to Finn and for just a moment, their eyes mirror one another, a look of pride mixed with gratitude. They're both pleased with the work they've done to shape this boy's life, and yet they both sense it's Jian's destiny to be the brightest star in the galaxy, regardless of anything they do. They're just happy to be part of his journey.
Rey lets out a satisfied sigh then turns away and begins looking around the room. Suddenly, her eyebrows knit and her head snaps towards the door.
"Jian!" Rey calls urgently. The boy turns back just outside. "Where's Irenie and Soya?"
"Oh." Jian says this like he'd forgotten about them. "Soya was annoying everyone, so Clea took them both to the springs." Rey scoffs and nods her head. She can see how an energetic six-year-old girl would be ill company for a nervous group of Knights. She turns her head towards Finn to share a knowing look with him but her face falls when she sees concern in his eyes.
"Are you sure…?" He starts tentatively, pointing to the door after his son.
"Go with him." She nods. "He's more likely to be himself if you're there, anyways." Finn assents to this readily, uncrossing his arms and heading swiftly towards the door.
As it whirs shut behind him, Rey's face softens and her shoulders visibly drop, as though shedding an invisible weight. She stares at the door for a few moments, not really seeing it, simply lost in her own thoughts, then turns absently to walk towards the bedrooms.
She needs to lie down. She needs stillness and silence, an opportunity to release the stress of this day, the tension that's been building inside her for a week.
It's not that she isn't overjoyed at the outcome. There are no words to describe the kind of satisfaction she feels. It's just that her body is weary from the emotional back and forth, the extremes of the past few hours, the past week, the past several weeks, if she's honest.
She's waited three years since Mustafar for Ben to accept their destiny together. Most of that time she's just patiently harbored a quiet faith in him, faith that events would play out exactly as they needed to. Then the gears were suddenly set in motion when Leia passed, and everything moved so quickly, so unpredictably. She's so happy to be here, at the end of it all, but weary from the unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Rey reaches the door to her and Ben's quarters, then presses a panel. It whirs open and she walks through, breaking from her thoughts long enough to feel a rush of excitement at the sight of a bed. She walks towards it immediately and sinks onto the mattress, leaning over to remover her shoes and overcoat then lying back to roll to her side and curl her knees into her chest. She lets out a long, satisfied sigh and closes her eyes.
She tries to clear her mind, to just focus on relaxing her body, giving in to the peace of silence, but her mind wanders in spite of herself, as though propelled by an unstoppable momentum.
She can't help it. It's been this way since Ben returned to Cantonica with a defeated Zax in tow. Her mind just can't stop reviewing the events of the past few weeks, analyzing them, reliving the shock and the joy of everything that lead her right here, to this moment.
She'd been so furious with him, waking up to find Jian missing from the school. He wants to use an eleven-year-old boy to fight a psychopath? It was unconscionable.
But then she heard what happened. And when she saw him step off the ship with the Knights behind him… she understood what she'd seen in his mind the last time she saw him. The vision so similar to the one when she first touched Skywalker's lightsaber on Takodana. The figures in black robes and masks.
It was the image he built but in an entirely new context. It was his way of reckoning with his past, repurposing it to forge a new legacy, still one of destruction, but in a very different way.
Rey takes in a long, deep exhale, feeling the oxygen nourish her lungs. She holds in for a moment then sighs it out in a calm, even stream.
They've done it. They've finally found how they fit together.
She couldn't have possibly guessed that this is how it would happen, what it would look like. Yet it feels so natural. So right. For both of them.
Her mind instinctively drifts back to Achc-To, back to her very first lesson with Luke Skywalker. The memory is so vivid she might as well be there all over again.
Her eyes were closed. She felt the ocean breeze all around her. He told her to reach out, reach out with her feelings. And she did.
"What do you see?" He whispered.
"The island... Life. Death and decay... That feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence."
"And between it all?"
"Balance."
Over time, she's grown to understand what she felt that day, what she always feels through the Force.
Tension. Between life and death. Creation and destruction. The instinct to grow and the instinct to kill.
She and Ben… They are the balance that maintains this tension. She will grow, create, nurture. And he will kill, in his own way, when necessary. They are the creative and destructive forces that will lead this galaxy into the future, that will build the foundation for a lasting balance.
Rey smiles to herself as she shifts on the bed, turning over to her other side, knees still curled into her body. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply once more. She continues to think, reviewing the events of the past few weeks and planning for the future. As she does, the smile slowly fades from her lips.
She and Ben have finally found their place together in this New Age, but this doesn't mean that everything is resolved. There's a lot of work to do, a lot to figure out.
Like establishing a home base for him and his New Knights. They'll need to secure funding to build it, and considering it will function as part training base, part maximum-security prison, that will be a challenge in and of itself.
Then they'll need to figure out where to build it.
And of course, they'll need to figure out what to do with Irenie and Soya.
This is what worries Rey the most. She hasn't brought it up to Ben yet because the past week has been such a whirlwind, so much to learn, to do, to prepare. And they had no idea whether or not the Senate would approve his plan at all. It just didn't seem like the right time.
But now, they'll need to talk about it.
Rey opens her eyes and scoots closer to the edge of the bed, gazing down at the floor below.
He's definitely not giving up the girls. Definitely. Not with both of them calling him dad. And even before that, she knew that he'd begun to think of them has his own. She's known that since the day before Leia's funeral.
She remembers lying in bed with him that night after he tucked them in. He was feeling so overwhelmed by the shock of Leia's death. She casually suggested that she could arrange for someone else to foster the girls for a while.
He'd looked at her as though she were some sort of monster for even considering such a thing.
That's when she knew that Irenie and Soya were here to stay.
But… a maximum-security prison is no place for little girls. He can't raise them there. Wherever they decide to build the prison, the location is sure to be somewhere remote and it's time for the girls to have an opportunity to re-engage with people, be around kids their own age. They can't spend their days in a prison with adults undergoing intense martial and Force training.
They'll just have to stay with her on Cantonica. It's the only option that makes sense. They've already gotten comfortable there. They know Jian and have made friends with some of the other students. Clea will be there for a few more weeks to ease the transition.
The only problem with this plan is that the girls do not listen to Rey at all. They don't think of her as their parent. Why would they? They've only seen her off and on since moving in with Ben. And they've seen him almost every day. He's the only authority they truly recognize.
Well, that will have to change.
Rey takes a deep, nervous breath.
She's not sure she's ready to be a parent. She definitely doesn't feel ready to do it on her own. She needs Ben. But who knows where he'll be? And considering how much work he has to do with the Knights, how much time will he have to go off visiting her and the girls on another planet?
These questions have been eating at her. But they'll figure them out soon enough. Now that they have the Senate's approval under their belt, it's time to come up with a plan for all of this…
Rey continues to obsessively think over these things in her head, playing with various options, various versions of their future. She's not even aware of it when her consciousness begins to drift… drift away into a deep sleep…
She's awakened by a warm touch at her cheek. She stirs, drawn from her slumber by fingers gently caressing her skin. She opens her lids and is met by dark eyes gazing softly into hers. She gazes back sleepily, her lips slowly turning into a smile.
Ben kneels next to her at the side of the bed, continuing to brush her cheek with his thumb. His fingers slip into her hair, still tied in a loose bun for the Senate hearing. His lips descend towards hers and she closes her eyes again as they connect softly, one gentle kiss, followed by another, then another.
"Where were you?" Rey murmurs between kisses. He pulls back slightly, impatient, clearly more interested in focusing on her than answering questions.
"An errand," he replies dismissively as his fingers curl to the back of her neck, his thumb still at her cheek, pulling her lips towards his.
Normally, she'd be annoyed by his vague answer. But it's hard for her to concentrate on such things when he's being so distracting.
No, she can't think of much else right now except for his hand cupping the back of her head, the warmth of his thumb at her cheek, his lips on hers, kissing her, tenderly at first, then growing more passionate.
Their mouths open into one another, taking in each other hungrily, like indulging in a feast after a long famine.
Suddenly, his lips start to travel, kissing her cheek, making his way up the curve of her jaw until she feels a warm stream of breath at her ear.
"You did it," he whispers, lips tickling her skin. She immediately jerks back to catch his eyes.
"We did it," she corrects him. He nods gently in assent before leaning in to capture her lips once more, resuming an endless chain of kisses.
She'd love nothing more than to just pull him on to the bed with her and melt into him right now, melt into his embrace, his warmth. But those gnawing questions at the back of her mind are starting to surface again…
"Ben," she murmurs between another kiss.
"Yes," he responds, lips travelling to her neck again.
"We need to talk."
"We are talking." His lips graze her ear briefly in response before he begins kissing the soft skin under it.
"No." Her tone is firm but she can't help smiling as she brings a hand to his shoulder to push him back, creating a little space between them. He sighs lightly, eyes impatient, as though she were keeping him from important business.
"Talk about what?" He asks as though he's ready to listen, but he's clearly still amorous, eager to get this over with and resume his progress.
"Irenie and Soya."
At this, his face instantly falls serious. He twitches his jaw and casts a glance to the side, resigning himself to the necessity of the conversation. He sighs heavily, then slips his fingers from the back of her head and rises to his feet. She pushes herself up from the mattress and swings her legs over the bed, looking up at him. He crosses his arms, looking down at her, waiting for her to begin. She takes a deep breath.
"I think the girls need to stay with me on Cantonica," she announces decisively. He narrows his eyes at her for a moment, then looks away and turns to walk to the opposite end of the room.
"Ben, it just makes sense," she continues, shifting on the bed towards him. "You're going to be operating out of a prison. They can't stay with you there. That's not the right place for him. Surely, you know that."
He sighs, his back to her, staring at the wall for a moment. Then she sees him start to nod his head.
"You're right," he says turning towards her. His looks decisive and unfazed.
Rey straightens a little, bringing her hands to her lap, surprised at how easily he agreed to this. He loves those girls. Loves them. She's seen how attached he's become to them and visa versa. It's strange that he would assent to being parted from them so readily.
"Ok," Rey looks down, trying to hide a pang of disappointment. "That's settled, then." She presses her lips together and wraps her arms around her body. She sits silently for a few seconds, eyes downcast.
"So…" she begins again tentatively. "The next thing we'll need to do is get funding to build the prison."
"That won't be necessary," he responds nonchalantly. Her head snaps up, eyebrows knit in confusion.
"What do you mean?" She demands. He purses his lips and turns to walk to the other side of the room.
"There's no need to build a new structure when the most state-of-the-art prison in the galaxy lies unused," he declares evenly.
"What?" Rey flits her head. Now she's really confused. Ben doesn't turn to face her but looks out the small window overlooking the bustling city.
"The First Order built a prison years ago, one of our more expensive projects," he starts, arms crossed, still staring out of the window. "It was secret. Even I never knew its exact location. That was the purpose of my errand today. To get the coordinates." Rey sits up, enlivened by this news, eager for him to continue.
Finally, he turns from the window to face her. "It was meant to detain diplomatic prisoners— senators, royalty, anyone we didn't want the New Republic to know we had in our possession." He maintains a neutral expression as he speaks. "But then we destroyed the New Republic… and we had no use for it anymore."
Rey listens quietly, impatient for him to continue. He begins to walk back to her side of the room.
"Several locations were considered before we built it. The structure needed to be somewhere remote. Beyond remote. It needed to be somewhere where there was no chance of finding it. For a while, the plan was to build it in a planet in the Unknown Regions…"
Rey finds herself focusing on her breath to calm her nerves. Get to the point, Ben.
"But then we were contacted by a major player in the corporate sector. He was struggling to finish a project, a very ambitious one. He'd built a casino on a desert planet but needed funding to create the largest man-made ocean in the galaxy."
Suddenly, Rey shoots up from the bed, eyes wide.
"Wait a second," she begins, breathless with excitement. "Are you saying…" her heart starts pumping wildly in her chest, "this prison is on Cantonica?"
He turns his head towards her slyly. "We built it in the desert then covered it with an ocean."
Rey immediately squeals with delight, racing over to Ben and leaping into his arms. He catches her and holds her up easily, doing the galaxy's worst job at suppressing a smile as she wraps her arms and legs around him.
"Are you telling me…" she's so excited she can barely get the words out, "that we're going to be living on the same planet?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying." He winks at her, clearly enjoying her reaction.
"The very same one!?" She squeals again, feeling like's about to burst with joy.
"The very same one." He barely finishes his response before she kisses him passionately, deeply, squeezing her thighs into him like she never wants to let him go. He begins making his way over to the bed with her still latched onto him.
They collapse onto it awkwardly, Rey giggling as Ben crawls on top of her, pulling her up further. She wraps her legs around him again as his body envelops hers, encasing her in his warmth. He pins her forearms to the bed on either side of her as they open their mouths into one another once more, losing themselves in each other, in the passion of the moment.
He slides one hand down her arm, continuing along the curves of her body and she reaches up with her free hand to run her fingers through his hair. He stops at her waist, slipping his hand under her shirt, gripping her bare skin.
His lips begin to move from her mouth, kissing her cheek, her neck, her chest, as though he were trying to cover every inch of her. She giggles a little when his lips tickle the soft curve where her neck meets her shoulder. She tries to pull her other arm free, his hand still pinning it to the bed, but he won't let it budge. In fact, he grabs her other forearm and pins it back to the other side of her, rising enough to look her in the eyes, his face hovering just over hers.
For a few moments, they gaze into one another, breathing heavily, blood running hot through their veins. Suddenly, a strong, steady warmth rises in her core, that everlasting fire she feels every time he thinks about how much he loves her. The sensation of it is all the more intense because as she looks into his dark eyes, she feels the exact same thing in him, the depth of her own love reflecting back to her through the bond.
"Are you happy?" He asks her softly, eyes still locked on hers.
Rey takes a deep inhale, her body filling with a satisfaction the likes of which she's never known.
"I didn't know it was possible to be so happy," she whispers in response, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. He immediately descends to kiss her once more, releasing her arms, sliding both of his hands over her body as she embraces him, pulling him into her, legs still wrapped around him.
Suddenly, she pulls back a bit, fixing her eyes on his.
"Are you happy?" She asks him in earnest. He grunts softly and brings his lips to her ear.
"Rey," his voice is low and full of emotion, "Regardless of what happened today, or three weeks ago, or three years ago, or what will happen tomorrow, or all the days after that…" he pauses to exhale heavily, "As long as you're mine, I'm happy. Don't you know that?"
She squeezes her eyes shut and pulls him tightly to her, nuzzling her head against his.
Suddenly, she thrusts upwards and pushes him onto his back, straddling him and pinning his forearms to the bed. She smiles mischievously as she leans down to kiss him deeply, pressing her body to his, grinding against him. She feels his heart start to race as he grips at her hips, pulling her hard into him.
She begins to run her hands along his sides, stopping to slip them under his shirt. She starts to lift it, rising to pull it over his head and arms, revealing his bare chest. He looks up at her, mesmerized, breathing heavily as he watches her practically tear off her own shirt and descend upon him again hungrily, grinding against his groin, pressing her bare chest to his.
He sits up abruptly, wrapping a strong arm around her lower back, pulling her into him harder as they kiss passionately, her hands gripping his broad shoulders, thighs squeezing his body. They begin to sweat, the heat between them rising as they grasp and grab and pull, each trying to consume the other.
Rey pushes him down again and begins to kiss under his jaw, travelling on to his neck, then to his chest, her bare skin pressed against his, crawling progressively downward over his body.
Suddenly, she rises, tilting her head as though she heard something. She looks up at Ben. He heard it too.
"Dad!?" Soya calls in the distance.
Rey's eyes immediately widen in panic. "Did you set the door to lock?"
Ben's gaze drifts to the ceiling as if trying to remember.
In an instant, she scrambles off him to the floor, desperately searching for her shirt.
"Dad?" Soya's voice is in the hallway now. Ben almost trips over her in a mad dash for the door. She finds her shirt just as she hears the door whir open.
"Dad!" The girl exclaims brightly. "Ew, why are you sweaty? Where is your shirt?" Rey pulls her own shirt over her head before she rises and turns.
"Uh… I was changing." Ben scratches the back of his head, blocking the doorway with his body. "Why don't you go in the main room and I'll meet you there soon, ok?"
"But I needed to ask you something really important!" Soya whines.
"It can wait a few minutes," he tells her, stepping into the hallway and ushering her a few steps down it.
"No, it can't!" She insists. "I need to know now! Irenie says you won't be taking care of us anymore!"
"Whoa, what?" He crouches down before her instantly, his voice full of concern.
"Irenie says you're going away, going to train the people in the black robes. Is that true?" Rey steps closer to the door and sees that the girl's eyes are beginning to well with tears.
"Well," Ben hesitates to begin with, "That is true, but that doesn't mean I won't be taking care of you. It just means that we're moving."
"Moving where?"
"To Cantonica. To Rey's school." At this, Soya gasps and her eyes brighten
"Yes!" She exclaims. "That ocean is so much better! So, you're moving to Rey's school with us, right?"
"Partly," he answers honestly. "I won't be there all the time during the day, but I'll be there in the evenings and in the morning when you wake up." Soya cocks her head, as though considering whether or not to protest this. She soon shrugs her shoulders, apparently finding this arrangement acceptable.
Suddenly, the girl's eyes drift up to Rey standing not far behind Ben. When she catches her gaze, Soya immediately looks back down. She leans towards Ben, voice dropping to a whisper. Rey reaches out with her Force senses, curious.
"Does this mean I should start calling Rey mom?" She asks.
"Only if you want you," he replies in a low voice. He pauses to shift his head slightly to the right, as if to signal that he knows Rey is listening. Then he draws his face closer to Soya.
"But make her work for it first."
Rey immediately rolls her eyes to the ceiling, shaking her head as she hears the girl giggling in the hallway.
"Now, go," he tells her firmly. "Tell your sister she was wrong. I know how much you love that." At this, the girl's eyes widen, pleased at the opportunity. She turns and races back down the hall.
Ben sighs, shaking his head for a moment then stands and turns to Rey. She's glaring at him with crossed arms, half-teasing, half-serious.
"Make her work or it first?" She repeats in disbelief. He shrugs his shoulders, stepping towards her, a slight smirk on his face.
"Hey," he says, his hands slipping around her waist. "I took care of those girls for ten months before they started calling me dad." Rey smiles up at him, shaking her head and curling her fingers around the back of his head. She begins to draw his face down to hers as if to kiss him but stops just before their lips meet, eyes fixed on his.
"And yet you're the one who forgot to lock the damn door." She raises her eyebrows.
"Ugh." He closes his eyes and rests his forehead to hers, irritated with himself for this mistake. Rey smiles and rises on her toes a bit to whisper in his ear.
"Later." She draws away and winks at him. He grunts softly and leans in to catch her lips with his for a lingering kiss. He pulls at her waist, bringing her body closer to him. Eventually, she begins to gently push him back. He finally releases her, though clearly reluctant, slipping his hands from her waist slowly.
Rey reaches for his hand. "Come on." She cocks her head towards the door.
"Let me get dressed first." He looks at her wryly.
She nods her head, a smile still tugging at her lips, then turns to exit and walk down the hallway. When she enters the main room. She sees Clea puttering around in the kitchen and the girls sitting on a couple of chairs not far from her.
"That's what dad said." Soya's in the midst of informing her older sister of the news.
"Are you sure?" Irenie asks doubtfully. Suddenly, she perks up when she notices Rey has entered the room.
"Hey Rey, are we moving to Cantonica with you?" She asks swinging around in her chair.
"Yes, you are," She answers smoothly as she glides over greet each of them with a side hug, then moves on Clea in the kitchen.
"See!" She hears Soya insist smugly behind her. "You'd think you'd be happy about it since you have a crush on Jian."
"I do not have a crush on Jian!" Irenie protests in horror. Rey turns back to glance at the girl and notices her cheeks are scorching red. Clea and Rey briefly exchange a knowing look.
"Whatever you sa-ay," Soya returns in a sing-song voice.
Clea suppresses a smile and starts to turn away, but Rey puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey," she says softly. "You've been with them all day. Go take a break." She nods her head to the bedrooms. Clea's eyes widen, clearly grateful at this opportunity. She mouths a "thank you" before turning to walk swiftly away, as though she's hurrying before Rey changes her mind.
Ben emerges from the hall almost as soon as Clea disappears down it.
"Dad!"
The girls both immediately jump up and run over to him at once, pulling on his hands, talking up to him excitedly, pestering him with a million questions. They lead him to a seat in the center of the room, not bothering to give him any time to answer one question before they move on to another.
Rey brings a hand up to her lips, covering a chuckle, amused at the scene playing out before her. Irenie and Soya sit on the floor in front of Ben, still chattering incessantly. He's trying to make sense of the chaos, mediating between the questions.
Rey drops her hands and continues to watch, her expression slowly changing from amusement to a kind of awe.
Finding balance is a strange thing.
The idea of balance always seems to conjure images of equilibrium, creating a calm center in the midst of competing forces. But the strange thing is how creating that center often requires one to go through extremes. In fact, now that she thinks about it, finding balance feels a lot less like discovering a middle ground and a lot more like coming full circle.
She looks at Ben now, and she thinks about where he was five years ago. He was Kylo Ren, the terror in the black mask, one of the most feared men in the galaxy, a harbinger of destruction.
And now? Well… he's on the road to becoming that again. But not in the way he used to be. Because now, he's also a partner, a father, a mentor. These experiences, with her, with the girls, and now with the Knights, have transformed him into a different man.
Before, destruction was about power, domination, and control. It was about himself. Now when he dons the black mask and goes out into the galaxy to destroy, it won't be about him. It will be about everyone else. It will be about her, facilitating her vision for the future. It will be about Irenie and Soya, about their family, protecting them and others like them. It will be about the Knights, ensuring what happened to them won't happen again.
And for Rey? Five years ago, she was a scavenger living on a desert planet, spending her days finding and repairing broken things, creating things like her speeder out of junk.
Now… in a strange way, she's doing the same thing, only with people this time. The students at her school, all of the things they've endured, all of the things they've seen… they've come to her to be mended, to put themselves back together again and become something better, something stronger.
When Rey thinks about it, her journey mirrors Ben's. Just like destruction was once only about himself, creation was once only about herself, about her own survival. Now she creates to help others, help them not just survive but thrive. She creates to make a better life for people living on planets like Jakku, to bring them resources and care, but most of all to bring them the hope that their lives can improve.
Her experiences with Ben, with the Resistance, with Jian and the slave rebellion… they all lead her right here, to learning how to take her instinct to create things and turn it outward, so that it serves others more than it serves herself.
Maybe this, at the end of things, is what finding balance is all about. It's about finding a way to be you are, who you can't help but be, to the benefit of everyone around you. And it's about finding a partner to help you become this, one who will enhance your strengths while also making up for your weaknesses. Yes, maybe this is it…
"Rey!"
She's suddenly jerked from her thoughts by the sound of Soya's voice. The girl's running over to her with wide, earnest eyes like she has the most urgent question. She barely stops herself before running into Rey, who crouches down before her.
"Can we have a voorpak on Cantonica?" The girl looks up to her, bright and expectant.
"A what?" She flits her head in confusion.
"A voorpak!" Soya repeats as though annoyed Rey doesn't already know. "They are the cutest things! We saw one with Clea today and it was sweet and fluffy and can I have one pleeeaaase?!" She draws out the last word as though she's in agony, bobbing up and down where she stands.
"Uh… let's talk to Ben about it, ok?"
"Ugh!" The girl rolls her eyes. "But he just said to ask you about it."
Rey stops herself from rolling her own eyes. "Well, we're a family now, so we'll need to make these kinds of decisions together, with Irenie too, ok?"
Soya nods her head briskly. "Oh, Irenie wants one more than I do. Come here, she'll tell you."
She grabs Rey's hand and starts dragging her to the center of the room. Rey follows the girl with a smile and settles on the floor where Ben now sits with Irenie, listening to her chatter on excitedly all about voorpaks. He glances over at Rey briefly, grateful for reinforcements, then turns his attention back to Irenie. As she continues to prattle on, he reaches out to take Rey's hand and squeeze it.
Then the four of them sit in a circle on the floor, laughing, listening, and planning their future. Their future together. As a family.