DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THIS STORY, DISNEY AND LUCASFILM OWN ALL CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN THE PLOT. I DO NOT MAKE MONEY FROM THIS, THIS IS PURELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES.

Description: SPOILERS FOR TROS! An AU for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Rey is a scavenger from nowhere when she is found by an agent of The Final Order. She is taken to a planet called Exegol. There she will learn the truth of her lineage and ascend to take her grandfather's place. With The Final Order backing her, she will not be stopped. GREATERGOOD!LUKE DARK!REY, REYLO!

Pairings: Rey Palpatine/Kylo Ren AND Rey Palpatine/Kayla Ren.

Rating: Rated Mature. Contains Language, Violence, Descriptions of Sexual and Intimate Actions, Mentions of Rape and other content not suited for some of those under the age of eighteen.

Fonts:

Normal dialogue and script(Normal.)

Thoughts(Italics.)

Telepathic speech and abilities/visions(Bold.)

Previous chapter:

—Leia Skywalker POV—

Silence falls as Luke thinks before he says, "I am sorry, sister. I can sense that Ben Solo is still gone. Kylo Ren is still the one in control."

Leia sighs but nods her head. She closes her eyes, wishing her son would return to her. Then, the most intense pain she has ever felt washes over her. The cries out, as do Luke and Ahsoka. Leia senses a death that she hoped she would never feel. "Ben…" She whispers, a sob escaping her throat.

Chapter 15(Annihilation)

—Rey Palpatine POV—

As Rey exits her personal shuttle into the hanger of the Ultimus, her rage creates a storm cloud of dark energy around her. It resonates around her in pulses of dark energy, causing all of those around her to back away. Kayla and Maul walk close behind her, Kylo's body floating on a stretcher between the two of them. Maul limps a bit on his metal legs, the legs making clanging sounds as he walks. Both of them keep their distance from Rey, the aura of dark power causing a void of light to hide Rey's appearance.

Rey storms through the metal hallways, Sith Troopers scattering as she walks. When she reaches the bridge, she orders, "Guide the ship out of atmo and prepare to jump to light speed. The Hosnian system will be the first test for this superweapon."

She gets affirmative answers and watches through the viewport as the massive Super Star Destroyer makes its way past the thousands of Star Destroyers and into the void of space.

The stars blur together as the ship makes its jump into light speed. Rey finally allows her emotions to simmer down and opens a mental link to her grandfather. "Grandfather, something has happened."

He quickly responds, "I know what has happened, dear child, and I know what you plan to do. It may work though it has never been done before. The power taken from the Ultimus' superweapon combined with your own power should be able to transfer a sufficient life-force to jumpstart the heart of Kylo Ren. There may be side effects of using part of your own life-force to restart his but we won't know them until after you try."

"I understand. How does this superweapon work?" Rey asks.

"It is very tough to explain. There is a central chamber deep in the hull of the ship, one that contains a massive power cell. You will get into the power cell. Once the weapon is fired, a massive wave of radioactive power will be emitted from the weapon, killing every living thing on the surface of the planet. Once that is done, an influx of energy will draw the essences of midi-chlorines into the ship where it will be flooded into you. It will then be your job to guide the power into Kylo Ren's body."

Rey nods, her heart hammering at the upcoming task. "Is there any risk to me?"

Her grandfather sighs, "Unfortunately, yes. The massive influx of power may overload your capacity and cause a Force Explosion that would kill anyone within the sector and the entire ship."

Rey chuckles without humor, "Of course. So, if I succeed, Kylo lives, if I fail, I die and the Ultimus will be destroyed."

"Correct. I do not tell you this lightly, Rey. Your death would mean the end of both the Palpatine bloodline and the Sith themselves. You possess the knowledge of every Sith to ever live. If anyone could pull it off, it is you." Darth Sidious says. "This is your destiny, Darth Rhaelyx. Let nothing stand in your way."

Rey sighs, "I won't fail you, grandfather. Thank you."

The connection disappears and Rey is left staring out the front viewport at the blue swirl of hyperspace. Kayla walks up to her side, placing a palm on her shoulder, "What are you going to do?"

Rey takes a deep breath, "What I have to."

She turns and walks passed Kayla, not saying another word to her girlfriend. She feels Kayla's eyes on her back but refuses herself from turning around. She walks over to where Maul stands, Kylo's body floating next to him. She turns to two Sith Troopers. "Take him to the central chamber. I will be there soon."

The troopers nod and guide Kylo's body out of the room.

Rey walks over to the Holo-table in the center of the room and orders, "Get me a map of the Hosnian System."

A few moments later, a three-dimensional map appears. Rey's eyes instantly focus on the larger planet as it glitters with life. The planet looks a lot like Coruscant. "Hosnian Prime. The perfect planet to be the base of our test."

"The moment we exit hyperspace, begin charging the superweapon and target Hosnian Prime. Do not fire until I give the order." General Pryde walks forward to stand at her side.

"Are you sure about this, milady? Doing this will reveal your capabilities to everyone in the Galaxy." Pryde asks.

Rey nods, "Exactly. I want them to know. Let them fear me."

She turns to one of the bridge commanders and says, "Send a communication channel to General Hux of the First Order. I will speak to him."

"Yes, milady."

A few moments later, Hux appears on the Holo-table, his eyes widening when he sees her. He seems to want to lash out at her but thinks better of it, "Good day, General Hux. I am Darth Rhaelyx. Your Supreme Commander is dead. Do not think that this is an opportunity for you to seize power. I killed your Supreme Leader. I could crush you."

Hux has to hide a sneer, "Yes, Lady Palpatine. What can I do for you today?"

"I am arriving in the Hosnian System with a new weapon to test. I want you to bring a fleet here to support my test. Upon your arrival, I will be handing command over the First Order Navy to my General."

Hux's face turns red in anger, "You presume to control my army?! The Supreme Leader is dead, we have no ruler!"

Rey raises one gloved hand up, tightening her telekinetic grip around his neck. "The Supreme Leader…is dead…" She hisses.

Hux chokes out, "Long live…the Sith Empress."

"I will be expecting you, General. Do not disappoint me." She says, voice a cold, dangerous warning.

Hux nods and the comm-link ends. "How far are we from the Hosnian System?"

"An hour out, milady. We are having to chart a course around a star that is dangerously near its supernova stage."

Rey nods, turning to Pryde, "This is your opportunity to prove yourself to me, General. I know that my grandfather trusts your capabilities, but I do not yet. I am going to send you to the Supremacy to take command over the First Order fleet. I want you to use the large flagships to divert the attacks that will likely come from the Resistance."

Pryde nods briefly, "Yes, Lady Palpatine. I will not fail you."

Rey nods, her eyes flashing a brighter shade of red briefly, "See that you do not."

Rey nods and, with her cloak swinging with her, she turns and walks out of the room, heading to the central chamber. As she walks, a cruel smile appears on her lips as she comes up with an idea.

—Luke Skywalker POV—

Luke runs a comforting hand down his sister's back, his sadness for his sister's loss mixing with his own sense of failure.

Silence reigns over the occupants of the ship. Han looks confused and saddened. Mara faces away from them, her eyes looking out the viewport of the Falcon.

Suddenly, the silence is interrupted when the comm beeps. Luke walks over and accepts the comm.

"Master Luke," Mace Windu says.

"Master Windu, it is good to see you. Is there something you need?"

"Yes. I have a spy in the First Order and he has informed me that the granddaughter of Darth Sidious is making her first move. She has some sort of superweapon and plans to use it on the Hosnian System. We must stop her."

Luke nods, "What is your plan, Master Windu?"

"I do not know what kind of weapon she has so we cannot work on a plan to stop her yet. All I know is that she now controls the First Order along with her own faction. She ordered a high-ranking First Order general to send a fleet of Star Destroyers to aid her. She will be prepared for our arrival."

"How can we possibly stop her? I know you have a small fleet, but not nearly enough to stop a superweapon and a fleet of Star Destroyers." Leia asks, seemingly looking better.

Master Windu shakes his head, "We may not be able to but we still need to try. We can't just let all of those people die without trying to save them."

Leia nods in agreement until Mara steps forward, "You have mentioned the Sith Empress multiple times but I have yet to hear you mention her grandfather. Why is that?"

Mace sighs, "If my report is to be believed, Darth Sidious stepped down from his position of power to allow his granddaughter to take his place."

Mara's eyes widen, "There is no way that is correct. My former master would never willingly give up power."

Master Windu sighs, "I don't know what to tell you, Mara Jade. It is possible his granddaughter forced him down. But we must also consider the possibility that she has her grandfather's support to do as she pleases with his resources. If that is the case, we need to figure out more about the powers she possesses."

Luke sighs, "Master Windu, haven't their been rumors in the past that the Sith Empress would be the one to destroy the light forever?"

Mace sighs, "According to the Archives when I was studying at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, yes…We cannot put stock in legends though. I mean, look where the legend of The Chosen One got us."

Luke feels a bit of fury flood through his blood but he keeps himself silent. Leia on the other hand says, "Our father sacrificed himself to bring balance to the Force. Just as it was foretold he would."

Mace's eyes darken and Luke can tell his sister had found a sore spot. "As it was foretold…? Your father turned to the darkness! I had Darth Sidious defeated and on the ground at my feet! I decided that he was too dangerous to be left alive and tried to kill him. Your father chose to slice off my right hand…" Mace holds up his cybernetic right hand. "…and then allowed Darth Sidious to blast me out a window using Force Lightning. So, no. Your father did not do as was foretold. I mean, he didn't even kill Palpatine!"

Luke walks forward, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. "Not now, Leia." He whispers.

Leia is almost shaking with rage, the air around her crackling with tension. Luke walks back over to Mara, standing at her side.

Mace shakes his head, "We do not have time for this. The superweapon his going to arrive in the next few hours. We need to jump our fleets to form a protective formation in front of the planets in the system."

"But we don't even know what the weapon is! Besides, our fleet cannot handle the firepower of a fleet of Star Destroyers. There is nothing we can do, Master Windu."

Mace turns his eyes to look at Luke, "What would you have me do? Huh? Let the entire population of the Hosnian System become test subjects under the Sith Empress?"

Luke flinches, "I…I don't know."

Mace's expression darkens, "You…don't know. How helpful, Master Skywalker. Thank you so much for the input."

Luke takes a step back, surprised at the Jedi Master's crass attitude. "Come to the Hosnian System. We will at least attempt to evacuate as many people as we can before she arrives."

Han steps forward, "Whatever this superweapon is, there has to be a way to blow it up. There always is."

Leia nods at her husband's statement, "Han's right."

Master Windu nods, "That is most likely true. However, we don't even know what kind of superweapon it is. Until we see it, we cannot develop a plan of attack."

Luke nods, taking a deep breath. "Alright. Do we have any idea why the Sith Empress has chosen now to do this test?"

Mace nods slowly, "I believe it has to do with the untimely death of one of her enforcers, Kylo Ren."

Luke's eyes widen, a sense of sadness and self-loathing flooding through him. A sob exits Leia's mouth. "What? Why?"

Mace sighs, "If my intel is to be believed, she believes herself capable of bringing back Kylo Ren from death."

Luke shakes his head, "That isn't possible." After a moment, "Is it?"

Master Windu shakes his head, "No. That would defy the natural order of things. I do not believe she will succeed. However, in order to even attempt such a thing, she would need an immense amount of life-force."

Lando steps out of the shadows, "Well, what if that is what the superweapon does? Harnesses the power of the dead?"

Windu looks thoughtful, before a look of horror crosses his face, "He did it…" He mutters.

Luke frowns, "Care to clue us in? Did what?"

Mace looks up, his eyes fearful, "Darth Sidious may have successfully recreated the design of the most devastating ship ever built. If he did, may the Force have mercy on us all. We will not stand even the ghost of a chance."

Leia takes a deep breath, "What is this weapon, Master Windu?"

As Mace goes to respond, his hologram begins to flicker. "I think it is—."

He is unable to finish. His hologram vanishes entirely, leaving the ship in silence.

For a moment, no one says anything. The ship is eerily silent, the only sounds being that of the breathing.

"Luke…" Leia says softly. "Do you think there is any chance that my son will…"

Luke sighs, taking a deep breath. "Leia, I am sorry, but Ben is gone. Even if somehow the Sith Empress is able to bring him back, he would likely be twisted as she will have to infuse him with her own essence. He wouldn't be the son you knew."

Leia nods slowly, a tear rolling down one cheek. Luke runs his hand over his sister's back again, looking around the ship. Han walks over to them and Luke nods to him, taking a step away from his sister to allow Han to comfort her.

Luke walks over to Mara, wrapping one arm around her and pulling her head onto his chest. His lips press against the crown of her red hair, inhaling her scent. "What do we do, Mara? If the Sith Empress truly does have a superweapon as powerful as Master Windu was making it out to be, we don't stand much of a chance."

The woman sighs, "I don't know, Farmboy. If the Emperor's granddaughter is anything like him, then I fear we have already lost."

The ship falls silent once more, Han's whispers the only audible sound. Then, the air around them grows colder. Luke's eyes widen in horror and terror when a sound he never wanted to hear again echos through the ship. A sound his mind has long since concluded could only mean bad things. A sound that brings up many bad memories, including the faithful day on Cloud City when he found out the truth. He remembers the words his father had said, "No, I am your father."

The terrifying sound of breaths echoing past a black mask, the modulator altering them into a sound that many heard as they died.

Luke's eyes dart around the small room, searching for the source of the breathing. Everyone in the ship rises to their feet, hands reaching for blasters. Luke and Mara both ignite their blades, the lights colluding as they light up the room.

The air grows even colder, the doorway that leads towards the cockpit darkening. The cloaked figure of Luke and Leia's father appears, though it isn't Anakin Skywalker. No, Darth Vader's ominous figure appears, the light from Luke and Leia's sabers reflecting off the reflective black material of his mask.

"We meet again, at last," Darth Vader says, his voice coming out in his terrifying, dark drawl.

"Father…" Luke and Leia say as one.

A dark chuckle leaves the black mask, "Hello, children."

"This is impossible," Luke mutters. "You can't be here. I saw you die! I burned your body! I spoke to your ghost!"

The dark figure walks closer to them, "I find your lack of faith, disturbing, Luke." The altered breaths become spaced close together, "You should know by now that the Force makes anything possible."

Luke doesn't buy into it, "No, you are not my father. You aren't. My father could never…be as vile as you."

The dark figure laughs again, turning towards Leia. "What about you, daughter?"
Leia snarls, her eyes flashing with barely restrained anger. "You are not my father."

Darth Vader's gaze sweeps around the ship, coming to a rest on Ahsoka. "And what about you, my former Padawan?"

The Togruta ignites two white blades, lowering herself into a ready position. No words leave her lips as she glares into the fearsome black mask. "What the fuck are you?" Han asks, eloquent as always.

The dark figure laughs again, "Ah, the smuggler speaks." A pause, the dreaded breaths echoing around the ship. "I…I am your doom."

Darth Vader summons his lightsaber into his right hand, igniting the red blade. It hums with dark power, sending a shiver down Luke's spine. Instead of making any move to attack the ship's occupants, Darth Vader turns the blade off and points the emitter directly at his heart. With a snap and a hiss, the red blade empales itself through his black armor and through his heart.

Instead of anything happening, shadows race forwards and cloak his figure. Luke almost gasps at the amount of dark, evil power surging through the room. After a moment, the shadows recede, leaving a much smaller figure dressed in a black cloak in its place. The cloak appears to be made of darkness, red lightning flickering across the surface of it. A hood shrouds the figure's features, but the features of the cloaked figure clearly define her as female. A laugh leaves her hooded lips, sounding exactly like the laughs that had left Darth Vader's mask moments before.

Slowly, the laugh becomes higher and pitch and clearly feminine. However, if anything, this laugh is far more frightening than the one that Darth Vader had given. This one sounds cold, cruel, evil, sadistic. Any way Luke can think to describe the sound doesn't even compare to it. "Greetings, Master Skywalker." The figure says.

Luke brandies his green blade, "Who are you?"

The figure laughs again, "Master Luke, I am hurt. You don't remember me?"

Her eyes trace their way across the room's occupants, coming to a stop on Lando and Mara. Her red eyes flash brighter for a second and Mara gasps, a sob leaving her lips.

Luke quickly disengages his blade, turning to Mara to comfort her. "What is it, my love?"
"She…is his granddaughter…" Mara mutters. "She stole my daughter from me!"

Luke's eyes widen, "What did she do to our daughter, Mara?"

The dark figure laughs again, "I did many things to her, you will have to be more specific."

Gasps sound around the room at the implications of those words. Luke looks at the figure in horror at what she insinuates. He turns to Mara, praying that it isn't true. The look on her face instantly destroys any hope he had. "You…you…"

The figure cocks her head, a mocking laugh leaving her. "Yes, Master Skywalker. Your daughter and I have enjoyed our time together."

Luke glares at her, for the first time in years losing all control over his anger. "You…raped my daughter?"

The figure laughs, though it has a dangerously annoyed edge to it, "Far from it. I would never do anything to Kira she did not wish to happen. Besides, she, ah, returned the favor."

The cloaked figure reaches up with one hand, gently tugging the hood off of her head. Slowly but surely, all the pieces fall into place and Luke stumbles backward a few feet. Standing before him is Kira, the same girl he, Leia, and Ahsoka had begun to place confidence on."

"I think it is long past time I properly introduce myself. I…am Rey Palpatine, the Sith Empress. I am Darth Rhaelyx."

Luke merely looks at her in horror, unable to even think of how to react to the horrific news. The hood falls all the way off of her, revealing her features entirely. She is beautiful, there is no denying that. Her skin is extremely pale, her black hair slicked back and pulled into a ponytail. She has high cheekbones that accentuate her pink lips and delicate eyebrows.

However, her glowing, red eyes take away from that and the bags under her eyes confuse Luke. "I apologize for my dishonesty, Master Skywalker." She sneers at him, her beautiful features twisting into a cruel expression.

"I am expecting you to arrive in a futile attempt to save the Hosnian System, and I will be ever so disappointed if you are not all there to witness the beginning of my rise to power. After all, you are the Resistance, are you not? How many of your people survived Endor? It can't have been many. Kylo followed my orders to perfection."

Leia's features twist with fury as she says, "Don't you say that name!"

Rey cocks her head, Luke gasping when he sees a brief flash of sadness on the evil figure's features. "What name? The name of my most loyal man?"

"The name of my son!" Leia snarls.

Rey laughs, "I am afraid your son is dead. And he won't be coming back. However, rest assured that his death was avenged."

"Who killed him?" Ahsoka asks.

Rey's grin becomes even colder, "Why, your other apprentice, of course."

Luke shakes his head, "My daughter would never kill…" he trails off.

Rey laughs, "Figured it out, did you? Yes, Luke. FN-2187 met the fate he has deserved for a long time. That fucking traitor shouldn't have taken a breath."

A furry fist swishes through the air towards Rey's head, only to sail right through it. "Oh please, you dumb, brown creature." She says disdainfully. "As if the likes of you could ever even touch me."

Chewbacca lets out a loud roar, clutching the fist that slammed into the bulkhead of the ship. Rey turns away briefly before returning her focus to them. "Well, I am sorry to cut this lovely conversation short, but I really must be going. I have a planet to destroy."

The shadows around her rush to cover her body and she vanishes, leaving behind no evidence that she was ever there.

Silence reigns over the ship, every occupant of the Millennium Falcon looking at the spot which moments before was occupied by the Sith Empress.

A/N.

I am so sorry for how long this has taken. I gotta be brutally honest, I have lost much of the interest I held for the Star Wars fandom and that is the reason I haven't been updating this.

Special thanks to RyannaRiddle for sticking with me and constantly asking me to update this!

THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THE TESTING OF THE ULTIMUS and Rey's attempt to save Kylo Ren.

Explanations:
Rey is truly evil. If you haven't gotten that by now, then I am sorry. She is purposefully showboating her power to the remnants of the Resistance, knowing that there is nothing they can do to stop her.

Mace Windu is changed, years of vengeance twisting him from the man he once was. His anger towards Luke and Leia's father is well-merited.

AS ALWAYS, thanks for reading. I love you all...3