Heads-up: I didn't reference any blueprints for Kylo's shuttle, so if you know its layout and are thinking that's not right, you're probably right! Also, if you read the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, you're going to have some more insight into what's coming...

Chapter 26

"So this planet Myrkr, what's it like?" Rose asked after she, Kylo, and Hux entered hyperspace in Kylo's shuttle. She and Hux sat side-by-side in the passenger seats behind Kylo, who had the pilot seat. He had not known what to expect from her when he and Hux smuggled her from Kylo's First Order quarters to the ship, but she was not surprised to see Hux and seemed fairly relaxed around him. Hux must have visited her at some point after agreeing to join them on the mission.

"It's a heavily forested world in the Inner Rim that was largely left alone in the recent wars, though it was a haven for the less reputable types during the Clone Wars," Hux explained. "Seems that those types have established a government and have done fairly well in the last few decades. They largely want to be left alone."

Rose frowned. "Won't showing up on a blatantly First Order ship get us shot then?"

"Money speaks," Hux said with a coy grin.

"Oh, so you bribed them," Rose said. She fell quiet and scrunched her face up in thought.

"It didn't hurt that we are investigating something that troubles them as well. A number of locals have already gone missing trying to discover what it is that Lando Calrissian is hiding out there," Kylo added.

Rose's face cleared, and she turned to Hux. "Since we're friends, is there any chance I could talk you into doing something about the corruption on Canto Bight?"

Hux smiled like the cat that got the cream and leaned back. "I think that might be an option, if you were to join me to make sure I handle it to your satisfaction."

Rose shook her head. "Armitage, we've been through this. I can't join the First Order."

Hux's smile only grew broader. "Of course you can't join the First Order. A challenge of that magnitude would require representatives from both the First Order and the Resistance to prevent the elites of that place from turning us on each other."

Rose blushed but grinned at Hux, who matched her smile and gazed back.

Kylo was glad things seemed to be going well between his two friends, but he also wished he didn't have to witness it. His heart was still heavy from Rey's rejection the night before. The worst part was that he suspected Rey did really care for him and want to be with him, but she didn't know how to separate her own desires from those of the force. If the force hadn't chosen to bond them again when it did…

Kylo sighed. He could not change the past. He could only hope to move forward in such a way that Rey stopped questioning herself.

"Kylo, what's wrong?" Rose asked.

"Trouble in paradise?" Hux asked. "He only gets that moody when it involves his family or the girl, and considering we're in flight to meet his mother… Ren, she is bringing Millie, right?" His question was not without an implied threat.

"Your cat is aboard," Kylo confirmed.

Hux straightened his already perfectly straight hair. "Good."

"Did she never get in touch with you?" Rose asked.

Kylo sighed again. "We connected last night. She asked for distance since the force is interfering with her feelings."

Silence fell in the cabin for a moment. "What? WHAT!?" Rose exclaimed. "Who cares if the force is interfering? She has feelings! She loves you! You love her! Why is she making this more complicated than it has to be!?"

"Ren, I believe I've asked before, but why are you so set on the scavenger?" Hux asked. "You could likely have anyone in the galaxy. Why her?"

Kylo had asked himself that same question several times in the night, but he had no intention of sharing as much with Hux. "You ask me a question you could ask yourself, Hux."

Rose glared at Kylo. "I'm not someone who would make out with a guy only to say I was confused and back out the next day! People don't do that!"

"People also usually don't get sold into slavery as a small child on an unforgiving desert planet by their parents for a few drops of booze, Rose. They don't normally find that the first person who sees and accepts all of them is their mortal enemy. Furthermore, they don't normally have the force interfering with their thoughts. I know it's infuriating, but she's trying," Kylo said.

Hux unbuckled from his seat and crouched down on his heels beside Kylo. "Ren, I understand that you feel compelled to forgive Rey more than another woman given the unusual circumstances, but mark my words, if she breaks your heart again, I will kill her myself."

Kylo dismissed the tempting analysis of how very unlikely it would be for Hux to present a real threat to Rey and focused on the underlying message: Hux was worried for him. "I understand," he said.

Hux smiled grimly and clapped Kylo on the shoulder as he stood. "I'm glad to hear it. How much longer do we have in hyperspace?"

Kylo checked the dashboard readings. "Maybe a few hours, and my mother should be right behind us. Rose, will you be comfortable staying on board with Hux while I go on planet?"

Hux furrowed his brow. "Ren, I won't be staying on board. I can't complete negotiations with General Organa if I'm not with her."

Kylo frowned. "That was not the plan, Hux. This will be dangerous."

"Just because I'm not a magical wizard with a light sword does not mean I cannot hold my own in battle, Ren. Furthermore, this will all be for nothing if you or your mother die out there."

"Then I'm coming too," Rose said. Both men looked at her with clear skepticism and concern. "What? What am I supposed to do if something happens to you out there? Run away on a First Order vessel that I have no right to and pretend I won't get horribly shot? Return to the Resistance when I'm branded a traitor and get shot by them? My best chances are sticking with the two of you."

"Do you even have any combat training?" Hux asked with a sneer.

Rose squirmed and looked away. "No… not really… but I can still help keep a lookout."

"Ren, we have to keep her here. She'll slow us down and distract us," Hux said.

Kylo studied Rose now as a potential soldier. She was very short with soft flesh and a tendency towards nervous panic. She looked out of place in the plain, black, First Order training clothes she had borrowed for their journey. He frowned. Rose was a good friend, but definitely not someone he would choose for the field. Then again, his vision had implied she would be with them on this planet, and she made several good points in that leaving her behind would not outright protect her. Furthermore, she would need the skills to defend herself eventually anyway if she were to continue working with them. "She comes. We'll take turns training her."

"Ren, you're mad, we can't-"

"She's coming. Unless you plan to lock her up on a ship with no access to food or water for the entire time we're gone," Kylo said.

Hux swallowed hard and closed his eyes slowly. "I concede the point."

Rose looked equal parts excited and horrified by this change. "I don't have zero combat experience… I did fly one of the fighters on Crait!"

Hux raised his brow in interest. "And how did you do?"

Rose's face fell. "I could probably use more training."

Hux glared at Kylo before returning his focus to Rose. "Let's get your lessons started. We can practice blaster aim in the bunks. They don't border the exterior, so a hole in the wall there won't mean our deaths."

The color drained from Rose's face, but she obediently followed Hux into the back of the ship.

Kylo found the streaks of hyperspace and temporary isolation soothing. He knew it would likely be his last time alone until this mission was resolved. He meditated and looked for guidance from the force on the mission, but found nothing unusual except Rey's presence on the other side of a closed door through the force. It wasn't blocked today like it was yesterday, but she clearly still wanted distance, and the force showed no interest in bridging them in the moment.

Kylo stopped meditating and opened up the file on Myrkr instead to see if he could get insight that way. The planet was largely dull. Local species of interest included some giant canine creatures who feasted predominantly on some local type of large lizard. Apparently the canines could be domesticated and made good pets. He hoped Rose would not discover this. He could easily imagine the woman insisting on keeping one.

He was surprised that the major political entities had neglected the planet for several generations now. It was not as far from the core worlds as he originally thought, and with the heavy growth, breathable air, and lack of major predators, it should have made a reasonable location for a military base.

Hux and Rose came back in not much later. "Is Rose a soldier now?"

Hux scoffed. "Well, her aim has improved from where she started. Will we have much to worry about on the planet?"

Kylo shook his head. "Looks like the top predator is some kind of canine that eats lizards."

"What of the lizards?" Hux asked.

"Big, but harmless. They live in trees. They don't move much. I'm trying to figure out why there hasn't been more interest from the bigger military groups. It's got resources, it's nearer to the core worlds… it's certainly more habitable than Hoth or Crait, but it's been left alone."

Hux frowned. "That is odd. Well, perhaps we can change that once we sort out this mission. With its neutral history, it might make an excellent location for a middle ground… perhaps a permanent place for peace negotiations."

It wasn't a bad idea. "Perhaps," Kylo said.

The ship beeped, notifying them that they would be exiting hyperspace soon. They strapped back into their seats, and Kylo took them out.

"Pretty planet," Rose said of the blue and green world before them.

"Will we disguise Rose or ourselves, Ren?" Hux asked. "Showing that Rose is with us willingly could present a problem for her return to the Resistance. You saw the reports that came out today."

They all had. Rose was officially a traitor on the run. "They were only expecting me and my mother on the planet, so stay on board when I land. I'll sort out your exit later."

The landing control for their target spaceport contacted them and approved their descent, and Kylo took them down. However, as he neared the planet, he felt the strangest sensation.

"Something's wrong," he said.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

Kylo wasn't sure at first. Everything seemed fine according to the sensors and scanners, but he felt very, very off, almost like he were blind.

The force.

Kylo took a very deep breath and exhaled slowly. "There's no force here." He pulled them into a landing on the planet surrounded by trees and stared in a daze. He tried reaching out but was met with nothing. "It's not there."

Hux snarled. "What do you mean it's not there? Are you sick?"

Kylo shook his head in shock. "I don't know. It's gone. I can't connect to the energy of other living things. Is this what you feel?"

Rose shrugged. "Probably. Is this a problem?"

Kylo didn't know. "I won't be able to sense danger or manipulate minds."

"Or lift rocks with your mind?" Rose asked.

Kylo rolled his eyes. "Or that."

Hux unbuckled and stood. "Lucky for you, you'll have two companions who are used to not having mystical powers to train you in the everyday. I don't see this as a problem. Come on, Ms. Tico, we'll likely need to hide ourselves in case they decide to inspect the ship."

Rose unbuckled and followed Hux into the back. Kylo unbuckled as well and stared at the planet outside. It looked normal enough. Why couldn't he connect to the force?

His com blinked, and he answered it without thinking.

"Ben?" his mother said through the radio.

"Mother," he said.

"I can't feel the force, Ben. What's happening?"

Kylo sighed and his eyes narrowed. He wasn't sick if neither him nor his mother could feel the force. "I don't know. I can't feel it either. It must be some kind of local defense against force-users."

The radio paused. "I'll warn Rey then in case she comes." There was meowing in the background. "I've got Millicent. She's a sweet girl."

Kylo nodded, forgetting his mother couldn't see him. "The other two will be joining us. They want to come."

Leia sighed, and Kylo could almost see her considering this change in plans with a slight bob of her head from side to side. "Perhaps it's for the best. After all, she was in your vision too. Well, better come off board. We'll need directions, and it will go more smoothly if they see us working together."

"Mother, do Finn or Poe know where we are?" Kylo asked. They had been in his vision too.

"No, I know better than to trust those two with my location after the stunt they pulled outside Crait. They're as likely to come flying in to supposedly rescue me from you as anything else with that knowledge."

Kylo cringed as he realized that was likely what would happen, despite his mother's preventative measure of not telling them where she was. But if the vision could be trusted, Rey would come too, and he would see her fall off a cliff where only the force could save her… On a planet where the locals had found a way to block the force.

Dread filled Kylo. "Mother, she can't come," Kylo said.

"You mean Rey?"

"She can't. Mother, I saw her falling… You can't tell her anything. You can't give her reason to come here!" Kylo said.

"Ben, I already contacted her."

"Tell her to stay away!"

His mother went silent.

"Mother!"

Kylo slammed both fists down on the console, remembered she was also in the shipyard, and lowered the hatch to go find her in person. Just as he took a step onto the hatch, the radio buzzed back on.

"Mother!?" Kylo said, throwing himself back onto the dash to answer the call.

"Sorry, Ben. Rey called. She got my message, and she's on her way to join us in the Falcon. Chewie is with her."

"You have to stop her!"

"It's done, Ben. It's too late."

Kylo closed the connection to his mother and frantically called the Falcon. Chewbacca picked up. "Chewie, put Rey on."

Kylo heard a string of rather ruthless wookie taunts followed by Chewbacca's laughter and cringed. "Please?"

"Chewie, is that Kylo?" Rey said in the background. "Give me that." He heard something change hands and then Rey's voice returned, loud and clear. "Hey, we're on our way. Should arrive before sunset."

"Turn around."

"No," Rey said.

Kylo growled. "Turn around, please. I don't want to see you die."

He heard a strange noise, like someone was covering the microphone for the radio and rubbing their hand around to generate a muffled noise. "Bad signal," he heard Rey's clear voice say over the odd noise. "Can't talk." The noise got much louder, and then the transmission dropped.

Kylo stared at the radio. Had Rey seriously just faked a bad signal to get out of a conversation with him? Was she twelve? Then again, his father had done something similar when rescuing his mother from the first death star. He had laughed hysterically when his parents had shared the story to him in his childhood, but the tactic didn't seem so funny now.

"Hux!" Kylo shouted.

A moment later, Hux appeared before him. "Ren." Rose stumbled out a second later.

"Rey has taken it upon herself to join us on our mission. I want whatever geological scans we can get to determine where exactly my vision takes place. Perhaps if we know where it will happen, we can find some way to prevent it."

"I thought you would be using the force to… ah, I see. I'll see what strings I can pull," Hux said.

Rose's eyes were wide. "Rey is coming here?"

"Mother warned her that we were without access to the force here."

Rose's eyebrows shot up and her mouth morphed into a painfully-wide smile. "She must be coming to see if her feelings are real then!"

"What?" Hux asked.

"Rey has been struggling to determine which of her feelings are due to the force and which are her own, right? Then she hears about a planet where the force can't be felt and immediately sets coordinates for it? What else can it be? She wants to know how she feels for Kylo when she can't feel the force!"

Kylo frowned. He had considered the same possibility already, and while he was not blind to the possibility that this might resolve things between them, he still felt little more than dread. "That may be, but it will be for nothing if she dies here."

Rose's delight melted away, and Hux sighed, gazing at Kylo with concern. "I'll go get those reports." He took a step closer. "Ren, we'll find a way to save her, force or not."

I'm on a roll! I hope you're enjoying it. Myrkr, the canines, the lizards, and the force "defenses" are all part of the official Star Wars Legends.

Let me know what you think!