Plans were unfolding across the Galaxy and Kylo could feel it coming together as he stood late one night months later, staring at the light board with the ship's movements marked across the fleet. Reconnaissance put the First Order in the Dagobah system and the Resistance just starting their runs in the two sectors his mother had selected. Unbenounced to most of the others in attendance at the League of Rutan signing, there was a third strike being sent to one of the Core planets later that morning.
Kylo stood unmasked, barefoot, in only one of his thin shirts, and pants, with his hands folded behind his back, Rey noticed as she approached. She could see the outline of his body through the shirt as the light shone from the board. She'd woken in the night, feeling something was off and noticed the light coming from the makeshift CIC from her room and had decided to join Kylo as he stared at the board.
"Can't sleep?" She asked coming to stand next to him.
"Never on the eve of battle."
"All contingencies have been seen to?" She motioned to the board.
"As far as I can see. Tell me where you see the problems arising." The rumble of his voice carried in the still space. He looked at her then not as the woman he'd shared a bed with but as his apprentice and maybe his teacher all in one. Rey pursed her lips looking at the configurations of the fleets.
"This one is too close to a hyperlink." She motioned to the third mission.
"That is the point." He said. "Quick in and out."
"Yes but it gives them an easy way to call in reinforcements."
"True." He moved another ship to the area.
"What is the point of that one?" She asked wondering if even she had enough clearance.
"Intelligence. Smash and grab. Don't worry, it will be Poe and black squadron. They're fully capable."
"Ok, then there is this one." She pointed to Er'Kit. "There is a militia within a parsec of there that could easily be bought by the First Order."
"They're almost broke." He said then.
"The First Order is? Are you serious?"
"Yes." He looked sidelong at her then.
"Then there is always the possibility that we're walking into traps carefully laid by the First Order. How did the interrogations go? How many spies were found?"
"Three. They were allowed to escape with false information."
"How do you know?"
"Because only myself and General Organa know the actual locations of the attacks. These aren't even in the correct place." He pressed a button on the light screen and the stars moved. Rey frowned. "And now you know where the real attacks will be played out." He stood back from the screen looking at their true targets.
"Then why have me strategize about the other locations?"
"To see how believable they were. Now what is wrong with these?" He motioned to the new board. Rey squinted at it. The changes were subtle: the intelligence was still in the Core planets but across the Core by at least two or three parsecs.
"Better." She said standing further back and imagining how everything would be playing out. "This one is a good length away from where they think we'll be attacking. It is a stronger position and not quite as close to the hyperlane. And these two are far enough away that it would take almost a full day to get reinforcements. Where will the rest of the First Order fleets be stationed right now?"
"You're looking at it. They're down to 36 destroyers. No more than two or three are together at one time."
Rey thought about that for a moment, wondering how they thought they'd control the galaxy with so few vessels. It was clear that an end was in sight, either for the First Order or for everyone else involved. It seemed like something that should be a joyous occasion, instead it felt bogged down with logistics.
"Do the rest of the Knights know who I am? That I am the last of the Rens?" She asked as they continued to stare at the battle plan.
"No." Kylo said quietly.
"Why haven't you told them?" She asked moving to stand in front of him. He looked down at her then, squinting against the light from the board and sighed.
"They would follow you."
"Afraid to give up your power?" She asked tersely.
"No. Afraid that you don't know where to lead them." He answered honestly.
"And you do? What happens after all this, if the plan works and we set up a new Senate? What will you and the Rens do then?" Rey could feel her temper rising.
"Disband." He said simply as if it was the only thing that made sense.
"What?" She asked trying to picture Kylo Ren going about his business as a banker or farmer, the anger from her argument completely gone.
"I am not installing myself as a new Chancellor or leader. For the demarchy idea to work no one can stay in power, so even if I serve on the senate once, I will never again serve."
Rey stood in shock allowing the feeling to wash over her. She had gotten to him. The dark side only wanted to reach for power, but here he was telling her that his ultimate plan was to leave the galaxy in peace once they were finished. Not even offering to patrol the galaxy. "What will you do then?" She asked quietly.
"I have no idea." He breathed, voicing finally what he feared the most: the unknown. "My skill set isn't particularly suited for much. It is likely that my banishment will remain in full effect. Otherwise I will have to answer for war crimes."
Rey pondered what he was saying and gave a thought to her future. All the times she'd sat on Jakku, watching the ships break orbit, all she had wanted to do was join the Resistance, never truly understanding that the ultimate goal, if achieved, would mean the Resistance was no longer needed. Crossing her arms in front of her, she frowned deeply wondering what she would do. Clearly rebuilding the Jedi was against what she felt, especially since at the moment she and the Knights of Ren were in balance with the Force: neither all good or all bad. Maybe it wasn't the worst idea to have them disband. Rey's thoughts began to speed into the future, and she watched in her mind's eye as small factions of Knight of Ren popped up all over the galaxy and they would want power. "Before we disband, we should all take an oath not to form a new faction as we spread throughout the galaxy." Kylo just nodded, feeling alone as he stood there with her, neither of them reaching for each other as they realized that today was the beginning of the end, that their ultimate goal was within reach. "Will you stay with me, wherever I end up or wherever you end up?" She asked then reaching a hand out.
"Try and stop me." He said taking her hand and bringing it to his chest, feeling his heart expand further than he ever thought was possible as he committed himself to them, to their future life, whatever that looked like.
Fin
AN: Okay so this sort of feels like the end so I'm going to mark this completed. Thank you everyone for continuing on this journey with these characters, they have been a delight to write. Unfortunately my muse has left me. I might *might* continue with their adventures after the demarchy is put in place, maybe after the DVD is released something will come to me. Thank you for your enjoy this journey with me!