Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the recognisable characters of the franchise. This story is purely for entertainment.

Chapter 22

They were being moved from one planet to another. Rey even stopped asking about the names. The war was now raging in the whole galaxy. Many planets were now free of the First Order but it didn't mean they were winning. Not yet. Not when the main FO forces were still out there. Yes, engaged in war, but still strong and still able to attack them suddenly, still using SRX bombs.

She hated this war. She was forced to use her lightsaber more often than she wished. She much preferred to fight as a pilot because in that way killing was not so personal. She also noticed how differently people treated her now, almost with reverence. And she hated it as well.

If it wasn't for old friends who knew her from before the Crait and Dantooine, she would feel even more lonely. Ben was blocking her and she didn't see him for over a month. It was a long month in which she was dying to ask him questions, to just see him – the only person who could truly understand her. Where was he when she needed him? Despite his promise, she was alone.

Right now, she was trying to focus on her training. Her lightsaber was changing and she tried to keep up with it. She had barely tried few strikes though when she felt the Force moving around and she just knew that Ben was near.

She tried to ignore him for several minutes. Finally, she couldn't take the tension, that was building up in her just by his mere presence, any longer.

She spun around with lightsaber in her hand. He was standing there leaning as if against the wall.

'Why now, Ben?' – she shouted angrily.

'What's with the colour?' – He asked ignoring her question.

'I don't know. You tell me.' – She looked at her lightsaber disappointed. She really hoped he knew what was going on with it.

He pushed himself off the wall and took out his lightsaber. It buzzed in his hand and to her amazement the blade that appeared was dark red instead of its usual bright hue.

'it's getting darker as well.' – She stated the obvious. Her eyes were moving between the two blades comparing them. – 'What is going on?'

'I know of lightsabers changing colour in a case such as mine…when you turn sides…but yours…' – He stopped and frowned. He tilted his head slightly. – 'Your cross guard is getting smaller as well.'

'Yes, I was wondering about it.' – It felt so good to be able to talk to someone about it. She was so relieved.

'Your crystal is healing. Just like mine.' – He raised his lightsaber and twisted it around. She could see it now. The serrated edges of his plasma cross guard were gone and it was slightly smaller.

It was the word healing though that caught her attention. – 'Healing?' – She asked not understanding. They were talking about rocks after all.

He turned his lightsaber off. – 'Kyber crystals were also called the living crystals. Quan reminded me about it when we were discussing it. We believe it means that they can heal…and I think our lightsabers prove it.'

She looked amazed at her lightsaber. She never thought of it as something that was alive. She just knew it was making her more attuned with the Force and stronger. Why hadn't she thought to ask Quan about it when she was in touch with him? Probably because she was asking too many questions about Ben.

Frustrated, she turned her lightsaber off. – 'What does it mean? Is it going to keep on changing?'

'I don't know but I guess, with time, our lightsabers won't need vents anymore. We will have to wait and see.'

'Does it mean you are going to stay in touch this time?' – She tried to hide all the hurt caused by his silence, her anger with him for being the source of it and all the hope that this meeting gave her.

He was looking at her for a long time making her uncomfortable. Finally, he sighed. - 'It seems I may be not able to…avoid it any longer.'

He sounded so torn and defeated that her own anger directed at him, almost disappeared.

'Good.' – She simply stated.

...

'Good.' – Supreme leader Hux waved his hand dismissively. The news from The Core Worlds were encouraging. They were making progress there, slower though than expected. But this wasn't his biggest problem. He waited for the moment he was left alone and then he raised from the chair and started pacing around the room.

The resistance scum were causing havoc all over the galaxy. The news was now spreading everywhere that Kylo Ren was alive and despite Hux's continuous efforts to get rid of him for good he was staying very much alive. He went back to his previous name of Ben Solo and was now becoming the Resistance hero…together with that scavenger girl from Jakku...those two of all the people…

Hux stopped in front of huge panoramic window and clenched his fists. This time he didn't see the view, he couldn't admire his power. He was wondering how it was possible for Ben Solo to survive all of the attacks he personally planned so carefully. And without leaving anyone to tell the story? The girl saved him? But how? Did he underestimate her just like Supreme Leader Snoke did?

He was now more than certain that those two cooperated to assassinate Leader Snoke. How was it possible for them to deceive such a powerful being as Snoke? He never thought much about Kylo Ren's power. Hux always thought about the young apprentice as a show-off and a bully. Yes, his power was real, he knew it better than everyone else but if it wasn't for Snoke, Hux would have got rid of Ren a long time ago.

He thought about all those mysterious accidents taking place across the galaxy. His experienced pilots were reporting unexplainable pain before crashing either into each other or into the nearest meteorite or planet. Many of the smaller spaceships simply disappeared without any trace. On several occasions commanding officers ordered their troops to retreat, later claiming they didn't remember doing it. Stormtroopers were disappearing all the time. They had to order the troopers to move in bigger groups which seemed to help a bit. Was it all Ren's or maybe her doing?

He thought about that time when Kylo Ren was so sure that the girl was all that they needed. Ren was very determined back then to get her into his hands after the Crait fiasco. Maybe Ren was right back then? Maybe he knew back then that the girl was the key to finish off the Resistance. Maybe she was still the key to deal with the uprising spreading across the galaxy?

He turned around. – 'Guard!'

One of the guards entered his room and saluted.

He stood at attention waiting for orders.

'Get Commander Galus. Immediately'

The guard saluted again. – 'Yes, supreme leader.' – And he left the room.

Hux returned to his chair.

He knew what he had to do. He had to get the girl.