A/N: A big thanks to SirenBanshee. You are one amazing beta!

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"She'll arrive this afternoon?"

"Yes. I wanted it to be informal—a question, not a command—so I summoned her back here, to the Supremacy. If she's interested, we can always pay the facility a visit later on."

Rey nodded. "What are you going to say to her?"

"I don't know." Kylo dragged his hand through his hair, pacing, while Rey sat on his bed and watched. "She probably doesn't trust me, which will only get worse when I bring up the Force. She won't allow me to simply snoop around in her head, and ordering her to let me do so won't help with the trust issue at all. Besides, I don't think her mind will tell me anything useful. I don't know how to prevent Ember from thinking it's a trick to get rid of her."

"By sympathising with her."

"I do what?"

"Or you tell her you disagree with Snoke's vision considering the Force; but that might anger her further about you killing him, no?"

Kylo frowned.

"And treat her like an equal. Be honest. If you want her answer to be genuine, you need to make sure she feels the answer is wanted."

"How is this so easy for you?" Kylo questioned.

Rey shrugged. "I used to barter a lot. I'm guessing this is the same."

Smiling, he walked over to touch her face. "You are a treasure."

She blushed. "I need to get going; the kids are waiting. Let me know how it went?"

"I will."

After Rey's departure, Kylo busied himself with reports and the general decision making that was needed to keep the First Order running, until he was notified of Ember's arrival.

"Get her settled in her quarters," he ordered Phasma, "and bring her here afterwards."

She nodded and walked out, leaving him to pace his study. The room had a magnificent view of the stars, but the endless void couldn't calm his nerves. He thought about contacting Rey again but then decided against it. He was still the Supreme Leader—he was strong and powerful; he could do this on his own.

When Phasma returned, he was leaning against his desk—trying to look calm and collected. Ember immediately saluted but left out the accompanying 'Supreme Leader'. It wasn't a good start. Kylo inwardly sighed and turned to Phasma.

"Please wait outside."

"Sir?" she answered. He could hear her hesitance.

"Outside," he repeated.

With a last glance towards Ember, she nodded and left.

"You allow her to question your orders?" Ember said with a sneer as soon as the door closed.

"No," Kylo answered, giving her a level look. "She wasn't questioning my order; she was questioning your loyalty."

Ember blinked. "I see."

He studied her. She was a woman of average height with short, brown hair. Her stance was straight and rigid, but he knew she could snap into action in a blink of an eye—like a wire that was strung too tight.

The armour she wore seemed fairly simple, which was quite deceptive. It had reinforcements on her back and chest. What seemed to be reinforcements on her arms were fold-out knives and hidden weapons. The tips of her boots could produce knives as well. On her back she carried her primary weapons: two swords whose razor sharp edges could be enhanced with both lasers and fire. All in all, she was a deadly woman.

"Good," he finally answered, before taking a deep breath and deciding to get down to business. "I've summoned you here for a specific reason, namely to ask you a question. It's one I'm planning on asking all the Knights if your answer is positive." He looked at her to let his words sink in.

"Why me?" she asked.

Kylo snorted. 'Be honest,' Rey had said. "I am well aware of the … displeasure amongst the Knights about my coming into power," he answered. "It seemed you were the least likely to immediately try and kill me."

Ember didn't respond. Taking another deep breath, Kylo continued. He kept a close eye on her; after all, she was a dangerous opponent.

"I hate to admit that there were things Snoke never deemed to enlighten me with," he said. "One of them was Base Z." Ember twitched. "I was certain that, apart from Snoke, I was the last Force-sensitive alive. I was proven wrong when the girl showed up. After I became Supreme Leader, intel told me I was wrong again. Base Z finally confirmed just how misinformed I was. It seems that all Knights are Force-sensitive."

Movement of Ember's hands made him face her full on. It took all of his willpower not to reach for his saber. He needed her trust.

"I disagree with Base Z," he stated, blunt and head-on.

Ember froze and stared at him. He thought he detected uncertainty in her eyes, but her neutral mask was trained to such perfection, it was impossible to say for certain.

"You will leave this place alive, no matter what you say," Kylo continued, hoping it would settle the woman. This time, Ember actually frowned. It felt like victory.

Taking a deep breath, Kylo decided to take a leap of faith. "You, as all the other Knights, were once in touch with the Force. It was beaten out of you. Now, I want to give it back."

The laser enhanced sword clashed with his saber, inches away from his head.

"Lies!" Ember bellowed.

Phasma immediately stormed into the room.

"Phasma, halt!" Kylo commanded. The woman stopped, looking at him completely bewildered. Ascertained that his order was met, he turned his attention back to Ember. "Put your sword away and I'll forget that you attacked me. I promised you would leave alive no matter what you said; actions were not included." He modeled his voice to sound cold and in control.

Ember took a step back, sword still in hand. "You betrayed Supreme Leader Snoke."

"Former Supreme Leader, and yes, I did. He misjudged me and threatened something I could not afford to lose. He made a mistake. I refused to remain his pawn and so I killed him, taking his seat in the process. He thought he had broken me, but all he did was make me stronger."

"The Force equals death."

"Snoke was scared of Force-users. As a team, he knew they could destroy him. Given Base Z, I guess he figured you were too precious a resource to throw away. You see, even if you don't feel the Force anymore, as a Force-sensitive, it still flows through you and makes you stronger. So he beat and tortured the Force out of those who were strong enough to deny it, and killed the ones who weren't."

"The Force equals death," Ember repeated, a hint of something in her voice Kylo could not decipher.

"I am not Snoke."

Her eyes narrowed and the hand around the sword handle tightened again. "You would be a fool to give us your power."

Kylo contemplated that for a second. "Perhaps," he finally answered, "but it would take you years to get there, if it's even still possible. In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure that putting you back in touch with the Force is even possible, but I'm willing to try."

"What about those in Base Z right now?"

"I am yet to find a way to help them. That's all the information you will get." Silence reigned the room. After a while, Kylo spoke up again. "Put away the sword, Ember. I'm not going to attack you and you have no reason to attack me. You are free to return to your quarters to contemplate what has been said. You are not my prisoner. As always, you have your Knight's privilege to freely use this ship's facilities. I only ask you not to contact your fellow Knights about this matter."

Slowly, Ember sheathed her sword. Without a word, she thumped her chest in greeting, turned, and walked away. Once she was out of hearing range, Kylo nearly slumped in relief.

"That went better than expected," he muttered.

"It did?" Phasma replied.

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"Barely." Kylo gave her a sharp look. "Sir." It didn't sound convincing.

Shaking his head, Kylo grunted and sat back behind his desk. "I need to finish this ruddy paperwork; then I'm going to burn off some steam."

"All hail the Supreme Leader and his paperwork."

"What's gotten into you today?" he asked, staring at Phasma.

"Just glad you're still alive, sir."

With a small bow, she turned and walked out. Kylo stared at the closed door for a long time, trying to figure out what had just happened. Phasma cared? Deciding to mull it over later, he returned to the reports on his desk.

It was more than two hours later when he leaned back and called it quits for the day. Had he known being Supreme Leader came with so much paperwork, he might have had doubts about taking the position.

Phasma fell into step behind him as he left the office, heading for the private training grounds—only himself and a few elite were allowed to use it. He looked forward to some training to loosen up the muscles that had cramped from sitting behind his desk for so long. He wasn't made for sitting still.

The door hissed open and he immediately tensed as he caught movement in the corner of his eye. Ember stopped halfway through her form to bump her hand against her chest in greeting. She studied him like one would study prey. It made him wary of her.

"I was unaware of your presence here," he stated.

A curt nod, and she returned to her forms. They were fluent, controlled, and precise. The thought crossed Kylo's mind that she would be a good teacher for Rey.

After some warm up exercises, he fell into his own forms, one movement flowing freely into the other. It calmed him down immediately, just like Rey's presence did. He controlled his breathing, lunging and slashing invisible enemies. He caught Ember watching him. 'Treat her like an equal,' Rey had said.

Kylo stopped and turned toward the Knight. "How about we spar?"

Ember blinked. The lack of other tell-tales of her emotions was unnerving, just like how still she kept herself.

"I attacked you only a few hours ago," she finally stated in response.

"Are you planning on killing me, Ember Ren?"

"No."

"Then I suggest we spar."

"No lasers, no Force."

"Agreed. No fire."

"Agreed."

"I'll just inform Phasma, before she storms in thinking we are truly fighting."

"She's dedicated?"

"She is," Kylo answered, moving to the door. Stepping out into the hallway beyond, he informed his commander.

"Is this wise, sir?"

"I hope it will earn me some respect," he answered, his mind already halfway through the bond. "Rey," he said with his mind, searching her out.

"Ben!"

The joy with which she greeted him never failed to put a smile on his face. "I'll be sparring with Ember, so don't freak out."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He snorted. "You're starting to sound like Phasma," he said in response. "It will be fine. She'll be brutal but won't do any lasting damage."

Rey blanched. "What?"

He belatedly realised he shouldn't have said that. "Don't worry about it, Rey. Look at it as a different form of bargaining. Trust me."

Slowly, she nodded. "Let me know when you're finished. Let me know that you're okay."

"I will. I have to go."

"Stay safe."

He reeled a bit when their connection broke. 'Stay safe'? She wanted him safe? Had he reason to hope? Shaking his head, he stepped back into the gym, focusing his mind on the fight to come.

"I thought you might not come back," Ember sneered.

Kylo glared at her. "A minor incident that needed my attention," he lied smoothly. Walking to the armory at the back of the room, he selected a sword that was about the same length as his saber. Without the Force to aid him, he realised he would have to block physically. Foregoing an actual shield, he clasped arm guards over his forearms.

Ember was already standing in the sparring circle, eying him, studying him. Both her swords were in her hands, the knives that were usually hidden in her arm guards deployed. They stared each other down as he moved in to face her. In a blur of movement, Ember attacked.