Poe covered his eyes into his arm, yet the brightness of the stun grenade still left a red after image dancing in his eyes. He blinked a few times, and thankfully he could still see. His hearing was at a loss, there was no way for him to prepare all of his senses when he saw the silver spheres. Stun grenades were temporary sensory inhibitors, and he would get his hearing back shortly. He looked to Rey, her lightsaber was flickering nearby. She was panicking, on her knees. Reaching for anything. She hadn't blocked the grenade he realized, she had lost her senses. He reached her and faced her toward him. Rey grabbed on to him, as if she was drowning and he was all she had to hold on to. She hurriedly touched his face, his hair... trying to recognize him through touch where her eyes failed. Her eyes were wild, unfocused, tears streaming down her cheeks. He couldn't hear her at all, but put his finger up to her mouth. She made the effort to slow her breathing and tears.

He placed her hands on his ears and shook his head, and then placed them on his eyes and nodded. She realized what he conveyed to her and held onto his coat with a death grip. He kept the lightsaber in his left hand to provide light, and grabbed his blaster from where he dropped it. Leading her, he walked over to the the assailants bodies and checked them. The last one wasn't a perfect shot, he was still breathing, albeit raggedly. Poe finished the job with his blaster and left the bodies behind. He had to get Rey to a safe place and lock themselves in until she could hear and see again. The lightsaber lit the hallway, humming. It felt foreign in his hands, but they needed the light. Behind him, Rey was stumbling, her equilibrium was off. He would have to inspect her when they found a room. They made it back to the fork in the hallway and he turned. A room on the right appeared but the door was jammed. He attempted to kick it to no avail, whatever mechanics held the door in place were broken. He kept going, Rey clinging onto his hand. He found another room, thankfully the door wasn't obstructed. Dust layered the room, furniture broken and scattered. He made Rey sit in the far corner and he started to push heavier pieces of furniture and blocked the door. He sat next to her and keeping an eye on the door, he took out his medpack. It would be up to him to protect her until she regained her sight and hearing.

The jade blade lit the room weakly. He took out a towel, wet it, and examined Rey's face and ears and wiped them clean. Sweat, dirt and blood stained the towel. She let him work on her, her chin trembling. The left ear looked fine... then he found what he was looking for. The right eardrum had ruptured, the bleeding had stopped but it was the reason why her equilibrium was off. He wiped the excess blood and gave her tablets with a canteen of water for pain relief. Her equilibrium would mostly come back when her sight did, but she would need medical attention to fix her ear. He took out a new towel and wiped his face and hands. He put his arm around her she she sobbed silently into his jacket. Rey was brave, he knew she wasn't crying about their confrontation, but her fear of losing her senses. There was no way for him to tell her that it would come back. They would have to wait. He hoped that Ren and Finn were in better shape then they were. Poe's thoughts lingered on the stormtrooper that saved him so long ago.

Ren ground his teeth, his agitation feeding the Dark Side. Rey wasn't with him. Ren told himself repeatedly that Poe would look out for her, as if the repetition of the thoughts would make it come true. His pace quickened, he needed to get the Holocron and leave. There were multiple people after them, he heard them behind him and Finn. There was a stairwell ahead if it wasn't blocked off Ren recalled. He sensed Finn's anxiety behind him. The attackers were catching up, whomever they were.

"Ren. We need to fight them." Finn whispered. Finn was right. Ren turned off his blade and put it in his bag, and removed his kyber lightsaber and his helmet. Whoever attacked them was going to pay.

"Get behind me, I'm not going to turn on my lightsaber until they're close to strike." Ren's voice sounded cold, he didn't mean it unkindly to Finn but the Dark Side was strong with him at that moment. Ren put on his helmet, it activated after not being used for weeks. The sensors turned on and they waited.

A robed and masked figure approached, and his comrade behind. The mask was outlined in a silvery metal, the trim making it look like a skull. He knew them. The Knights of Ren. Why were they here? Snoke disbanded their group and started Ren's studies with the Dark Side years ago.

"Kylo Ren. You're back, surprisingly." The metallic voice said from further in the hall. Ren said nothing. The voice responded musingly to Ren's silence. "Some things change and some never do."

"You can walk away Gaius. Just leave." Ren gripped his lightsaber, he was ready.

Gaius responded "We have orders, first to stay here and see if Luke Skywalker appears and kill if possible. Now our order is to bring the girl to the Supreme Leader. Is she behind you?" The robed man peered around Ren, his helmet also would provide data. Gaius nodded to the side and his companion Orez started to retreat to find Poe and Rey. Ren Force Bound him in place.

Ren ignited his red blade, it hummed savagely, mirroring the anger within Ren. "You're staying here."

Gaius responded "Very well." Gaius shedded his robe, and activated his vibro staff. The vibro weapons were from an earlier time, but no less dangerous than lightsabers. They were made as a way to counter lightsabers. Not many were produced in the current times as the Jedi were all but extinct. He felt Finn shift behind him and he signaled for him to stay back. This was between him and Gaius. Gaius used to be Ren's second in command so long ago.

Ren attacked and it began. Ren's anger rushed through him, strengthening him and his attacks with the Force. Gaius was his second for a reason, he was fast. Ren anticipated his attacks with the Force, the vibrostaff meeting Ren's ragged blade hit after hit. Red sparks and crackling were emitted from the kyber lightsaber. Ren tried to get an attack in and was deflected time after time, spurning his frustration. Ren was almost at his full capabilities with the Force, between focusing on his duel and not letting Orez out from his Force Bind. The thought of someone hurting Rey enraged him. Ren attempted to attack and hit one of Gaius's arms or hands to disable him. Unfortunately Gaius' countered and the vibrostaff hit his right shoulder, jolting his nerves and burning him. Ren stepped back, gripping his arm, the nerves twinged in pain. Gaius didn't pause and shifted his attack to stab Ren. He deflected the blow and focused on his burn, empowering him. Ren attacked in a succession of strikes, and finally Ren's blade traveled down the staff, mauling Gaius' hand.

Gaius still held the staff weakly,... and after a moment let it drop to the ground. Gaius said nothing, he knew he was defeated. Ren walked up to him and swung his lightsaber into him. The body fell to the ground. Ren stepped over the body to where Orez stood. He removed Orez's helmet, and saw the reflection of the his red lightsaber in his eyes. Orez stared defiantly back at Ren. Ren forcefully entered his mind, he wasn't going to play nice and verbally ask questions with someone who wanted to hurt Rey. Orez tried to fight back, feebly. He was no Force user. Ren ignored his captive's moans of pain as he aggressively searched his mind. How did this happen...

They were stationed here. Snoke made them, to keep look out for Luke Skywalker. Luke may come back looking for possessions left behind in the temple. A week ago Sicarii appeared and told them to also watch for a girl and to report if anyone was seen coming and to capture her if possible. Gaius saw them land the Falcon from the jungle far away. They had a camp. They reported to Sicarii... she was coming. Ren's blood ran cold. Ren exited Orez's mind and decapitated him.

Ren looked up, Finn staring at him. Ren realized how he may look and took off his helmet. "I'm ... I'm ok Finn. I'm sorry for worrying you. The assassin is on her way here. They want Rey. We need to check to see if the holocron is here and leave."

They traveled down the dark hall and found the stairs leading up, thankfully intact. Luke's office was the third from the right. The door wouldn't budge. Feeling pressed for time, Ren took his lightsaber and hacked the door until a hole big enough remained to go through. Ren reached out with the Force, and he heard the echo. It was in the room. Finn stood at the door, keeping guard to see if anyone else came. Rey listened again, the echo resonating in the over turned desk. He pulled out drawers until finding a secret compartment, they pyramid flashed as soon as he touched it. It was pale white colored with dark grey laquer. He turned the holocron in his hand and found the spot that appeared and pushed it.

A voluptuous woman appeared, with fair hair and yellow eyes. A sultry voice instructed "I am Darth Zannah..." Ren watched eagerly... it wasn't the best ability but it could help him... his mind raced. It would be difficult to perform... The holocron ended.

"Lets go. We're done here." Ren pocketed the holocron and left the office.