With a click and a twist, the lightsaber in Rey's hands locked together. She held the weapon close to her body.
That was it. She had done it. She had built her very own lightsaber.
A spark of glee made her smile as she felt the weapon almost vibrate under her touch. It was perfect for her; not too heavy, with a simple cloth handle that reminded her of her own quarterstaff back on Jakku, and a rotator that kept the plasma blade hidden. It was vastly different from Luke's original lightsaber, but it felt right.
With a sigh, she brushed herself down and stood up, her back aching from the hours lent over her desk. Now for the moment of truth.
Before she had locked away the kyber crystal in its casing, she had stared at the yellow crystal. Its white-gold depths brought joy into her heart, along with worry. What did that colour mean?
She knew blue meant using the Force on a more physical level, and green meant peace. But yellow? And what if its meaning meant something to Kylo and the Knights? Would they care?
Rey couldn't control what was in her heart, and what colour the crystal changed to, but the fear of the unknown played on her mind.
Not for the first time, Rey wished she had the Jedi Texts. But they, along with her friends, belongings, and memories had been flown to Crait. She knew they would have all the answers.
'Stop being a coward,' Rey whispered, her thumb pressing along the mechanism and alighting her weapon.
As predicted, yellow light bathed her room, radiating off from the bright blade that Rey held in her hand.
Beautiful, Rey thought, smiling through her worry at the weapon. Deep in her mind, Rey knew that whatever the colour meant, she couldn't change it, and it was a part of her.
Working on the crystal had taken a few days of mental exhaustion, in which Rey had meditated, her hands wrapped around the gem, and collapsed into bed night after night, her body too tired for anything else. She hadn't even seen Kylo, but heard him pass by her room a few times, each time his footsteps slowing as he did so.
But now it was done, and Rey suddenly found herself curious about the world outside her confined quarters.
Extinguishing the weapon, Rey pursed her lips and she glanced to her bedroom door.
A sudden feeling of nervousness passed her as she reached out to touch the door panel.
What if Kylo was there? Sitting in their shared living room. Her closeness with the Supreme Leader played on her mind frequently, confusion mixing with something far more unsettling, and yet… enticing. She thought about his hands on her face.
Since accepting his hand, so many emotions had been shared, but Rey didn't find closure or comfort in anything. She felt as though they were dancing around something unspoken. Something that demanded to be felt, tasted, thought, and dreamed about.
Rey sighed, placing her weapon on the table and rubbing her forehead.
What did he mean to her?
If she could work that out, surely everything would fall into place? There wouldn't be this worry, or anticipation. She needed clarity.
Ben...?
She called through their bond, feeling his mind on the ship, but with no response, she knew he was probably occupied.
Was he deliberately ignoring her? Since their interaction over the memory, he hadn't visited her, preferring to work long hours all over the ship, and then quietly retreating to his room.
But then, Rey hadn't even asked Tee-Cee about him when the droid brought her food. Her actions over him simply cupping her face confused her. She felt embarrassed at how she had leant her face into his grasp, silently wanting him to hold her longer. This wasn't her. She wasn't the type of woman to swoon over the first man to give her attention.
But… Kylo Ren wasn't a regular man. He was a juxtaposition, a puzzle. Something that intrigued her, and infuriated her.
'If he's out there, you'll just have to deal with it,' Rey whispered. Grabbing the lightsaber, she slotted the weapon into a loop in her belt and pushed open the door panel.
Silence greeted her. As usual, the living space was clean, and bathed in the low lamplight that Tee-Cee kept alight throughout the day. She had to admit, the room was cosy. An entirely different dynamic from when Rey lived on Jakku. In that disused Walker, loneliness was her only companion. But here, even when she was the only person in the room, the overwhelming presence of Kylo Ren saturated the space. She couldn't make herself relax, or lie on one of those comfortable looking couches. Not when there was the slightest possibility that the Supreme Leader could catch her unawares.
In her short time on Jakku, Rey had known romance, and even sex. But the confusion that she felt over Kylo - or Ben - was entirely new to her. She felt as though every cell in her body was attuned to him, and alive with an electrifying current whenever he touched her. Was that normal? Or did their bond amplify something?
As she pondered this, she walked over to the door that separated The Silencer from their living quarters.
A few times now, Vicrul and the Knights had called her 'Empress', and Kylo had reminded her of her elevated status... so why was she hiding away like a frightened girl? She had to face up to who she had agreed to be, and sooner rather than later. And how could she possibly rule the galaxy when she didn't even know the layout of her ship?
What could go wrong with a simple walk? And almost unconsciously, her hand drifted to her lightsaber, the metal a comforting presence in her hand.
Was it left… Or right?
Rey peered down another sterile corridor, cursing her own stupidity as she stared blankly at the walls.
She had to admit it now, she was lost. 100%.
At first, her cautious jaunt had excited her. The ship was larger than she had first thought, and stark in its beauty. For Rey, it was interesting to see how it differed from the broken and run-down interior of the Millennium Falcon. But at some point, she had taken a wrong turn, and now had ended up somewhere new.
She swore quietly. This was an embarrassing situation to be in. She wasn't even sure if she had permission to walk around the corridors, or even if Kylo had told anyone about her. What if they tried to arrest her? And took her to Kylo for interrogation? Her cheeks flamed red.
She had strayed too far. Her walk abruptly over, she turned around to retrace her steps.
Marching down the hallway again, she increased her speed, wanting to get back to something that looked vaguely familiar.
But in her anticipation to return to her quarters, she took a corner too swiftly, and found herself slamming into the back of an unfamiliar man, her body teetering sideways as the force knocked her.
The man gasped in surprise. 'Wha…? Who?! Clumsy oaf,' he exclaimed angrily, turning to face the scavenger.
In that instant, Rey recognised his ginger hair and scornful expression. Armitage Hux reached out to steady Rey, his hands clasping the top of her arms. He stared down at the girl in front of him.
'Hux,' Rey snarled, shrugging herself free of his hold. To her frustration, she felt her cheeks flaming with embarrassment as she straightened herself.
The last time Rey had seen the general, he was pointing a blaster at her face abroad The Supremacy.
Stay calm, she thought as she stared at the soldier, waiting to hear his biting retort. Rey doubted he would ever properly trust her, or even tolerate her. But as Kylo had reminded him aboard Snoke's fallen ship, Rey had joined their side.
'... Ah... Mistress Rey,' Hux simpered.
Rey frowned at the general. Usually, the red-haired soldier was looked polished and unfazed by the world around him. But today, Rey could see something was amiss. A large bruise covered his eye, and he sported a fresh bandage around his arm.
'What happened to you?' she asked.
The commander laughed, wincing slightly as he raised his hand to his face.
'Just had a small chat with Master Vicrul. Nothing to worry about, Mistress Rey. Are you lost?' he answered, taking a deep breath as he plastered a very unconvincing fake smile on his face.
Distrust radiated in Rey's stomach as she heard the false politeness seep out from his tone.
'No. I'm just… exploring. Why, is that not allowed?' Rey snapped, not for one second being fooled by Hux's sudden change in demeanor.
'Not at all. But this corridor takes you to the staff canteen, which isn't interesting at all. Are you looking for anything in particular in your travels?' Hux asked.
Rey's cheeks flamed as she looked at the corridor behind Hux.
'Maybe that's where I wanted to go!' she retorted.
'I'm sure you did, Mistress. However, if you're getting bored 'exploring', I can escort you down to somewhere more… fitting.' Hux said, his tone never wavering as he smiled at Rey.
'Where? The interrogation room, or the prisoner hold? That's where you think I belong, don't you?' Rey shot back.
Hux exhaled noisily, irritation clear in his eyes as he watched the scavenger. Rey felt a savage pleasure in her gut as she watched the struggling soldier. Her defiance was clearly getting to him.
'I was thinking more about the training hall? It's not large by First Order standard, but I believe the Knights are down there,' he said. 'Come, this way.' Hux beckoned Rey to join him.
After a beat, Rey nervously began to follow, her eyes never leaving the soldier as he guided them down the labyrinthine corridors. With interest, she watched him as he walked. He was limping quite badly. What had Vicrul done to him? And why?
'Where's Kylo?' Rey asked, cutting the silence and tension with her question.
'The Supreme Leader is busy, my lady. But I can make sure he knows where you are?' Hux answered, the sweet tone finally getting on Rey's nerves as he turned to fake a smile at her again.
'Stop this. Why are you being nice to me?! You hate me!' Rey said, pausing in the hallway. The commander stared at her.
'Nonsense, my lady. We simply got off on the wrong foot.'
'You're lying. You hate me. And I can see through your bravado, and it's sickening. So let's drop the act and talk openly. Or are you too scared?' Rey snapped, the taunt making Hux flinch.
Rey watched as the hostility grew in Hux's eyes as the smile slipped from his face. With a glance around to confirm they were alone, the general lets his guard down and leant forward.
'Hate isn't even close to how I feel about you, scum. You and I aren't even on the same level,' Hux sneered quietly.
Finally. Rey smirked as she squared up to the general. To her surprise, the anger that was bubbling in her stomach felt good. She had been so reserved, so conflicted over the last few weeks, that having a strong feeling about anything other than worry or confusion was a luxury. She was almost itching for a fight.
'Then why don't you do something about it? Surely your loyalty to the First Order is stronger than your cowardice?' Rey asked. She could feel her heart pounding in her throat as she stared down the general.
'I'm not a coward,' he snarled angrily. 'I'm just smart. Defiance will get me nowhere. So I'm going to play the long game. Because in the end, the outcome will be the same. Your destruction is guaranteed.'
'What do you mean? My destruction? You're not liked by the Supreme Leader, or by me. You shouldn't be waiting for my demise, but keeping an eye out for yours,' Rey warned.
Hux laughed coldly. 'You still can't see it, can you? I know my time with the First Order is coming to a close. But I don't care. Because, before I go, it's going to give me great joy to witness you crash and burn when we attack Crait, and your precious Resistance family gets wiped out.'
Abruptly, Rey took a step back as she felt the shock crash over her.
No.
All the faces of her friends flashed before her. The small salt planet was lightyears away. So why turn back? Why couldn't Kylo just leave that straggling bit of the Resistance alone? It posed no threat to them.
'Oh... he hasn't told you... Interesting. I wonder what other juicy snippets he hasn't mentioned yet?' Hux's teasing tone made Rey look up.
'What do you know?' Rey demanded.
Hux smiled at her gloatingly. 'That's not my place to say, I'm afraid. But I think I've told you enough. I'm sorry, Mistress, I was taking you down to the training hall. I let my emotions get the best of me,' the general turned away from her.
'Hux!' Rey followed suit, jogging slightly to keep up with his long strides.
His revelation had left her winded, but she knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Hux knew something important, and he was thoroughly enjoying holding it over her.
The silence stretched as he led Rey down the hallways before finally coming to a stop in front of two large double doors.
Faintly Rey could hear the familiar hum of lightsabers battling, and laughter coming from the training hall.
'I'll let the Supreme Leader know you're here. But I am curious about one thing, before I leave you...' Hux trailed off.
Rey raised an eyebrow, staring down the general that stood before her.
'When Kylo Ren asks you to be his consort, as are his plans, will you let me walk you down the aisle?'
Hux laughed as Rey felt all the colour drain from her face.
His consort? Rey's head started to spin at the title. Instantly she felt heat coiling in her stomach, and her cheeks flushed red. She felt both freezing cold and boiling hot.
'His… what?' Rey stammered out, automatically taking a step back as she stared blankly at Hux.
'His consort. Or are you unfamiliar with that word, you uneducated piece of Jakku scum?' Hux sneered. Rey could sense he was enjoying this, his posture poker-straight as he stared down at the scavenger. 'It means his wife. You know, his life partner, little woman, lover, bed-sharer? Or did he forget to mention that? Because when he announced it to Pryde and I, he seemed very sure of himself.'
'I… I...' Rey started, her head shaking as she tried to think past her confusion.
He would've told you. He wouldn't have made this decision without you. He wouldn't assume… Couldn't know...
Would she agree? Or say no...
There were so many questions to ask, and so many answers. In that instant, Rey knew that her relationship with the Supreme Leader needed addressing. They couldn't hide behind their bond anymore, and not speak about the feelings that were slowly developing. She had to dive into this head on, or not at all.
She looked up, meeting the soldier's triumphant gaze as he stared down at her. She wanted him gone, immediately. The time for teasing was over. If she was going to be an Empress, she needed to start acting like one.
'Thank you for escorting me to the training room, Hux. I can take it from here,' Rey whispered.
Hux scoffed, folding his arms over his chest.
'Is that it? Where's the spark I'm so used to? Or has my little announcement got you shaken up?' he taunted.
'Leave. Now,' Rey said, her voice firm as she flicked her wrist, urging to Force to give the soldier an unmistakable shove.
Hux wobbled, sucking a breath in as he landed on his bad leg.
'You can't tell me what to do, filth. You're still nothing to the First Order,' he shot back.
Rey sighed, closing her eyes as she drew her strength and energy inwards. She could feel the Force twisting through her being, taking over her rational mind as she took a deep breath in. She hated this soldier with her entire being, she hated the situation she was in, and she truly hated how confused she felt over the dark-haired man who occupied her waking thoughts.
Without a second thought, she pushed Hux harder, pinning the soldier against the wall with a thud. All the confusion and worry of the last few minutes raged through Rey, adding another edge to her grip on Hux. And with a harder push, her arm shot up, causing an invisible hand to grab Hux around the throat, cutting off his airways as he remained pinned to the wall.
Rey's eyes opened slowly, gasping as she felt something dark pull at her mind as she watched the struggling man.
Is this… the dark side? Is that what it feels like to really let go?
She stepped forward gingerly, never lowering her hand or relaxing her grip on Hux's throat. She stared at the red-haired soldier as he gasped fruitlessly for air. For the first time in a long while, she was calm. She was in control of something. The power was hers alone, and nobody was forcing her hand or swaying her decision.
There weren't any Jedi morals tugging at her brain, or no Luke Skywalker urging her to reconsider her emotions.
The dark side was… freeing.
And that's what makes it so dangerous, Rey thought, immediately dropping her hand and letting Hux fall to the ground.
'I said, leave,' Rey warned. 'Before I change my mind.'
Turning away from the slowly retreating man, Rey took a deep breath in and pushed open the training hall doors, her eyes immediately drawn to the Knights battling in the centre of the room.
They were bathed in light, and circling each other in a perfectly synchronised movement. Rey had to blink as she watched the dueling Knights. For a split second, the scavenger thought Vicrul and Cardo were locked in some sort of dance. She frowned as she watched them, her eyes almost not keeping up with their movements as they sparred. She had never seen such speed. They made battle look easy: their lightsabers were like natural extensions of their arms as they charged at each other.
Clothed in their helmets and armour, Rey couldn't see their faces but knew that their focus was solely on each other. She watched their antics, impressed by Cardo's swift footedness, but truthfully drawn to Vicrul's brutality. The blonde Knight was a terror as he brought down a flurry of attacks that drew Cardo away, causing a familiar burst of laughter to explode from the near side of the room.
Moving her gaze away from the sparring Knights, she caught Trudgen's eye as he stood up. The room they were in was sparse and large, with barely any furniture apart from a few wooden benches and a portable weapons armoury. The rest of the Knights were sitting on these benches, all leaning forward to watch the battle, their helmets resting on the floor.
'Rey!' Trudgen called in surprise. She felt a blush heat her cheeks as she walked towards him.
She hadn't seen the Knights since their escape from Madame Meione's, and almost felt embarrassed as she reached the benches. They were all watching her approach, and she averted her eyes from Ap'lek's interested gaze.
'I hope I'm not intruding on anything?' she asked, her eyes drawn to the weapons lying on the floor.
'That's ridiculous. This is your ship, we're just your humble guests.' Trudgen retorted. 'Come, sit down.'
Trudgen gestured at the empty space beside him. Rey smiled weakly, the cold bench hard beneath her as she studied the battle in front of them.
'Impressive, aren't they?' Trudgen said, his eyes trained on the battle with interest.
'Very,' Rey answered. And it was true. She had never seen such a fluid fighting style. No wonder the galaxy feared the Knights.
For a while, Trudgen and Rey watched as Cardo and Vicrul continued to spar. It became clear to Rey how violent Vicrul really was, and how ill-matched Cardo was when it came to keeping up with Vicrul's stamina. The blonde Knight never seemed to tire.
Under his breath, Trudgen laughed as Vicrul used the Force to flip high over Cardo. 'Now he's just showing off.'
'In his defence, I'm not sure I could do that. I'm sure Vicrul is just using years of training to score points. I doubt he even realises he's doing it.' Rey mused.
From behind her, she was conscious of footsteps moving close to where she was sitting. She didn't think much of it, until a disturbance in the Force made Rey freeze. A gentle hand stroked across her shoulder from behind.
'What a diplomatic answer, young Empress,' Ap'lek said, his cold voice making Rey flinch away from the contact.
In her short time aboard The Silencer, she hadn't spent much time around Ap'Lek, but she didn't really want to. There was something about Ap'lek that made Rey's skin crawl. She didn't know why.
'It wasn't diplomacy, it was just giving him the benefit of the doubt,' Rey countered.
'And that's an unnecessary thing to do, girl. Vicrul just enjoys playing with his food. But it is interesting how you take that middle-ground approach with everything. You try to see good in even Vicrul. I think Kylo's right, you're going to be a fine leader,' Ap'lek teased, leaning forward to catch Rey's eye.
'When Kylo Ren asks you to be his consort, will you let me walk you down the aisle?'
Hux's words rang in her mind, making Rey frown as she looked down at the floor. There it was again, her future being planned out for her, without anyone asking her opinion. Was she just meant to be a pawn, moved around a board, without any thought of what she may want, or feel?
The feeling made her stomach swoop.
'Oh dear. You seem troubled, Empress?' Ap'lek asked, his voice soft with concern. To Rey's horror, she felt her throat close up as tears threatened to spill over her eyes. Don't cry, she scolded herself. She had to appear strong in front of these Knights, not weak. And not like a scared little girl who didn't know her own mind.
'It's nothing,' Rey snapped back, hastily rubbing her face with her hands. She couldn't cope with these questions. She wanted it all to stop. She needed an outlet.
'Just leave her, Ap'lek. You're clearly creeping her out,' Trudgen said.
'Rude, Trudgen. I was simply voicing my concern. I haven't spent a lot of time with the new Empress. Well, not when I'm conscious anyway,' the Knight laughed.
What… What did that mean?
'Yeah, that's not weird at all. If that's a joke, it hasn't landed.' Trudgen said sarcastically. 'However, with your track record, I wouldn't put it past you. Just give her some space,' Trudgen warned.
The hand disappeared from Rey's shoulder.
'Of course. I wouldn't want to upset our new Queen now.'
Rey took a deep breath in, not turning her head as she heard Ap'Lek moving away.
'What a freak,' Trudgen said disparagingly. 'I would say sorry about that, but that's just his personality.'
'It's… fine,' Rey responded, her voice uncertain as she shrugged the feeling away. 'What are they doing now?' She asked, trying to distract Trudgen by pointing at Cardo and Vicrul as the two Knights stopped fighting.
'Cardo surrendered, and it looks like Vicrul's waiting for his next opponent. I guess it's my time to get my head kicked in,' Trudgen groaned, bending down to grab his vibrocleaver.
'No… I'll challenge him,' Rey responded quickly, standing and pulling her lightsaber out.
'You've got to be kidding me? He'll destroy you!' Trudgen said in horror. But Rey ignored his warnings as she sped towards the centre of the room.
'Rey? REY! Kuruk, get Kylo. Now.' Trudgen's voice became faint as Rey reached the centre of the ring where Vicrul was removing his helmet.
A fight. A good blood-in-the-mouth, sore-bones feeling fight was exactly what Rey needed. The outlet she was craving was right here.
Here, she could come into her own. Use the Force and pound some sense into a target. Here she didn't have to think about loyalties, or titles, or who she was. All she had to do was rely on her body. Perfect.
As she approached Vicrul, she smiled up at the Knight. Vicrul's face was red, his blonde hair sweaty and flat to his head, but he returned her smile.
'Well, this is a surprise. How are you, little bird? Recovered from Wasskah? And is that a lightsaber I see in your hands? Don't tell me you've finished it already,' Vicrul asked.
'It is. Want to see?' Rey taunted. Pressing the ignition, the yellow blade hummed to light. Rey watched as Vicrul's eyes narrowed, his own red lightsaber bathing his face in scarlet as he brought it close to his face.
'Yellow… Interesting colour. Very interesting. Has Ben seen it yet? Or do I have the pleasure?' Vicrul asked.
The scavenger and the Knight circled each other, their footsteps quiet as they tuned everything out and concentrated on the dual blades of light.
'Did I hear a tone of worry in your voice earlier, Vicrul? When you asked me how I was? How kind,' Rey taunted.
'Well, of course I was concerned about my favourite Empress. Couldn't let you bail out of the trials, or our eventual fight, could I? In fact, if Solo hadn't saved you, I would've easily done it myself.'
'Who saved who, Vicrul? Because my recollection of Wasskah was me bringing down Meione's alone, and not Ben. But that's a good point actually. Tell me, what was it like, getting your arse saved by a girl? Can't have been easy,' Rey retorted.
She stretched as she tracked Vicrul's movements.
Oh, this feels good, she thought, her body loosening up as she moved her saber around.
'You know, you are the most interesting and yet boring opponent I've ever had to challenge me. You should be honoured,' Vicrul said.
With a quick movement, he struck out. Rey reacted defensively, bringing a smile to Vicrul's face.
'Boring? Yet interesting? How does that work?' Rey asked.
Vicrul laughed. 'Interesting because I have no idea of your skill set, or what moves you favour. But boring… Boring because I'll kill you so quickly, I'll never find out.'
With that, the battle started in earnest.
And for Rey, it was one of the fastest and most overwhelming experiences in her life. Vicrul was like a charging animal, all his attacks were wild and vicious. She could see a wild glint in his eye as he brought down hit after hit on her, which soon turned to fury as she met every blow with a defense.
As she retaliated, her gut began to churn. Through the Force, she could sense Vicrul's anger at her refusal to die, and her speed that she used to hold off his attacks. She knew that soon, he was going to play dirty. And that part worried her.
Because, although she was trained in the ways of the Jedi, Vicrul had mastered the darkness of the Force.
And that power was something that Rey wasn't sure of at all.
With a gasp, she staggered as Vicrul whipped the lightsaber across her thigh, causing a red burn of pain to halt her movements.
Not good, she thought.
With a short laugh, Vicrul saw his movement and swept his leg out, knocking Rey onto the floor and scattering her lightsaber out of her reach.
She hit the ground with a sharp thud, wincing as she felt her skull collide with the floor. And to her horror, she was helpless. Vicrul straddled her wriggling form, pinning her arms under his legs and holding his lightsaber close to her face.
'That was far too easy,' he crowed, pushing the lightsaber closer to her skin. Rey reared back, already feeling the blistering heat as he held the deadly blade near her cheek.
He's going to take my eye out, she thought, panic blinding all her senses.
'And this is the second time I've pinned you in a week. I thought you would have learnt,' Vicrul said.
'Get off of me,' Rey snarled. She didn't dare move her body, her eyes still locked on the deadly weapon Vicrul held close to her skin. But she could sense that all his fury had gone, replaced with joy at her failure. She was safe, for now.
'Happily. You're not my type,' Vicrul said, clambouring off her, and extinguishing his sword. 'Plus-' he looked at the door, 'your knight in shining armour is here.'
The doors to the training hall flew open as Kylo stormed in, dressed in full Supreme Leader regalia. Rey was glad he was wearing his helmet so she didn't have to see his furious expression as he found her prone form.
With a slight gesture, she found herself lifted onto her feet, her lightsaber flying back towards her hand.
'I'll give you five minutes to get off the ship,' Kylo said, turning his body as he addressed the Knights. 'Rey, follow me.' The fury in his voice was evident as he barked his command at her. He swept out of the room, his cloak fluttering behind him at his dramatic exit.
Rey rolled her eyes as she clipped her lightsaber back to her belt.
We need to talk.
His voice filled her head as he projected across their bond. She could feel his anger and worry as clearly as her own emotions.
Yes, we do, Rey answered. And to her grim pleasure, she felt a little jolt of apprehension radiate from the dark-haired man as they made their way back to their shared quarters.
Author's Note: So at over 5,000 words, this is a doozy of a chapter. Hence why it's late. However, I won't apologise. Sometimes my schedule of 2 weeks each Saturday might fall a bit late - especially when I'm trying to fit this much detail in one go. I hope you understand.
A huge thank you to my editor 'Across the Stars' - can't wait for our dinner this week.
Please keep reviewing. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!