The forest moon of Endor wasn't the ideal planet for recreational expeditions.

The climate was friendly enough, and the weather was fairly mild, especially around the equator. There were no carnivorous plants, no blood-thirsty fauna, no poisonous water sources that a basic purifier couldn't handle. But the sentient life forms were the problem: the Ewoks. Finicky, stubborn, and surprisingly vicious.

Kira had resolved if at all possible to avoid them on her artifact hunt. She'd landed the TIE Whisper several clicks from the nearest Ewok settlement to avoid detection. While it wasn't unheard of to befriend the Ewoks, it would be tedious. She didn't need tedious. Neither did she need someone to remember her presence here to tell to those that followed.

She extended bare hands to the flames and watched the sparks drift up towards the TIE's fuselage until they became twinkling cousins to the stars above. It was impossible to not recall the stories of the Battle of Endor while being here. Ben hadn't cared much for battle retellings or romantic tales, but he hated it even more when Han teased him that he'd likely been conceived under the trees on Endor. Leia promptly told Han to shut up as young Kira frowned at Ben's scarlet face. She understood enough about adult relations and reproduction to understand the jesting implications. It was confusing, though, because Ben's birthday and the date of the battle from San Tekka's contemporary history lessons didn't add up. When she presented Ben with the math that proved Han's claim false, he understood the attempt to ease his embarrassment. With a small smile, he assured her he already knew.

But these recollections were nothing more than ghosts. While it was undeniable that events on this moon had a significant impact on her life, she was here to recover a different connection, something unreachable otherwise.

The woods were eerily quiet aside from the occasional rustle of undergrowth, and the pungent woodsmoke masked any scent from the trees. Sleep seemed a distant possibility yet, so her eyes fell shut and her mind opened, seeking.

The planet was full of Light but speckled with pockets of Darkness in an untampered, natural way that eased the lingering rubbed-raw feeling of Mustafar. While the forest moon was not a stranger to the presence of Force users, they hadn't lingered or altered the world's equilibrium, leaving only the faintest footprints. Except –

There. Something Dark, an echo rebounding on itself. An impression of something potent, something... powerful.

The cool forest breeze caught in her lungs. It was near enough. Leaving early in the morning she could reach it by midday and hopefully return before nightfall, assuming there were no issues.

A tickle against her consciousness drew it inward. It was the bond, but not like before. The awareness of him was a constant, but now his presence was like a stone dropped into a bucket of water, creating displacement and sending ripples over her. Although her eyes opened, she couldn't see a physical form, but he was there. Her heart would have ached if not for the deep, soothing sound of his voice that resonated in her mind as though he spoke into her ear.

"Rey?"

She could imagine his warm breath feather over the side of her face. "Ben. What is this?"

A pause. "The bond, still. It's manifesting differently."

Searching the shadows with narrowed eyes, she commanded, "Don't hide from me."

The Force exhaled, the flames shivering before it, and caught its breath. Ben stood across the fire. The faintest shadow of a smile flickered in the fiery light, his shoulders sloped in lines of relief.

"I wasn't hiding," he said.

"Then why wouldn't I be able to see you?"

He came forward and lowered himself to the ground, not quite opposite her, but still where he could study her face without turning his head, as if he couldn't commit to their proximity. "I think our perception of it grows stronger. We're more expectant of its coming."

"Or maybe we are accepting it more fully?"

"Maybe."

"Hmm."

"If anything, I think you'd be hiding from me."

She smirked, her gaze dropping to the fire, more coals now than flame. "Why?"

"Because I'm against your... plan."

"You think that I'd be afraid that you would stop me."

"...Yes."

"When have you ever stopped me from doing anything, Solo?"

He let out a pained chuckle. "You act like it's a joke."

She sighed, shifting to cross her legs. "I don't understand why you are so opposed to a balanced perspective."

"You're close to it, aren't you?"

"I haven't found anything yet."

"I'm too late, then." He ran anxious hands through his hair. "Kriff, Rey, why are you doing this to me?"

She glared, inching onto her knees and leaning forward. "What. What am I doing?"

He tipped towards her, hand stretched out as if pointing to the past. "You've done this before. You leave without explaining. Like that night. You didn't explain what was wrong –"

"You make assumptions."

"How can I not? You tell me you're seeking Vader –"

"To convince you that the Dark Side is not what we've been led to believe –"

"– and you're hiding your location –"

"– but you are still so stuck in the past –"

"– and there is a massive bounty on your head –"

"– that you won't even give up my old name!"

"– and I don't want to lose you!"

They were standing, facing off over the fire, breathing the smoky air in hot panting breaths. After a moment, a smile crept onto her face. "Worried about losing me?"

He pulled back. "Is that what this is about? Your name?"

Her smile faded. "No. It's about what that name means to you. That you're still holding on. Or rather, holding out for what we used to be. It can't be like that, Ben."

"So you've told me."

"I can't believe you're this willfully ignorant."

"The Dark Side is all-consuming, Rey, you know this. That much passion, that much anger, hate, fear – it hollows your heart and mind and fills them up to the exclusion of everything else. I know that's not what you want."

"Ah, yes, because you've proven to be such an expert about what I want."

"Rey. Kira." Ben choked a little, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. He took her hand and she jerked involuntarily before stilling. "What I said was wrong. I said you left, but that's wrong. I left you, alright? I made a mistake, I made assumptions. But this was true then, and I think it's true now: you're afraid. You're afraid of being alone. Of being left behind. Of not having a choice, when they walk away." Slowly, he lowered himself onto his knees, his wide, strong fingers pinning her hand and wrist in place with the gentlest of holds. "Please, I don't want to make that mistake again. Don't let me make that mistake again. Tell me where you are."

His face was almost invisible, the embers failing to illuminate his features. His eyes were black with just a dim spark reflected in wide pupils.

"Endor," Kira said. "The forest moon of Endor."

"This is great!" Poe exclaimed.

"No, Dameron. It's not. It's the exact opposite. She's going to find Vader and she has a head start and I can't stop her." Ben paced the jungle clearing and ran harried fingers through his hair.

"I'd take this for the win that it is," he observed. "You know where she's going now. Sure, she has a head start, but we have the Falcon, and I'm a pretty great pilot –"

"I am a great pilot, Dameron."

"– and we'll meet her there and then... I don't know. Do something."

"She said that I couldn't stop her."

"Who said what?"

Poe and Ben whirled. Finn stood at the edge of the clearing, swatting a cloud of the omnipresent native bloodsuckers.

Oh, kriff, Poe thought. "Who said who said what?" he blustered.

"Ben said she said that he couldn't stop her." He found a large rock-like fungus and sat. "Even though that definitely applies to Rose, I think that's not who we're talking about here."

"Welcome back," Ben said in a strained voice. "How did your mission go?"

"Icy and kriffing cold, but successful." He glanced between them. "Is this confidential, or is it something else?"

Poe and Ben shared a glance. "It's your call, Ben," he said.

Running a hand through his hair, Ben slumped against a tree trunk overrun with vines. "You should probably know."

Finn chuckled nervously. "To be honest, you're both starting to freak me out a little bit."

"Hold that thought," Poe muttered.

Taking a deep breath, Ben shared the situation, or rather, his life for the past year. He left out the intimate details, staying clinical and factual. He didn't tell about Poe and Silyana, except that she was on base, as that was Poe's to share.

"I've said this to Poe already, but I am sorry if this feels like a betrayal," he concluded. "I haven't been sure how to deal."

"How would she react to this? I mean, you telling us about this bond?"

That was not the question that had first popped into Poe's head when Ben had spilled to him and Silyana. Then again, unintended side effects of contact with Darksiders probably never crossed Finn's mind, but Poe was less and less inclined to envy Finn's ignorance. Especially when his thoughts returned to a snarky, blonde Knight of Ren locked in the Resistance's basement every other second.

"She doesn't know. Why do you ask?" Ben said.

"Well, if we're to believe Silyana Ren, she wasn't aware of the bond either directly or indirectly from Kira, so seems like Kira is keeping it very close to the chest." He gestured to Ben. "You didn't tell us for a whole year, and I don't blame you. That's... it sounds intensely invasive."

Ben grunted. Poe would bet he didn't think of it as invasive. Intimate, sure.

"And you're really the only ally she has, that we're aware of, right?"

Ben nodded.

"I'd keep it that way for now. Don't tell anyone else if you can help it, and I say that appreciating your confidence in me. If you were worried that we would feel betrayed, I think she is the one who would have grounds to feel that way. Maybe not, but it does sound like there's a lot of room for misunderstandings."

Staring off into the jungle canopy, Ben said, "That's why I need to find her, so we can come to a true understanding."

Finn scuffed his boot along the ground. "And here I thought my life was complicated."

Meeting each other's eyes, the men shared a brief chuckle and fell into silence. Leaves rustled as some unknown critter ran through the undergrowth. A bird called, shrieking dominance.

"I'm surprised you're looking at this so analytically," Ben admitted. Poe nodded in agreement.

Finn set elbows on knees and clasped his hands. "It's been a weird couple days, and I was expecting much worse based on your expressions. Having a Knight of Ren on base is much more concerning to be honest. This bond almost seems like it could be a good thing, though it'd probably terrify me if I thought about it too much."

Patting him on the shoulder, Poe said, "Don't worry, I freaked out enough for the both of us."

A slow grin broke over Ben's face and he snorted. "You had a regular meltdown, Dameron."

"Okay, okay, I'm trying to be vulnerable here and you take advantage," he grumbled.

"But seriously, Kylo, what's your plan with this?" Finn asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you have an objective? Remember when we first met and neither of us had plans... it turned out pretty terribly. I mean, we both lived, but you were captured and I botched the Starkiller Base mission to rescue you. We were both running away from something, but we weren't going towards anything. It seems like you're in the same situation."

"I'm not running away. I'm going to face this – I am facing this."

"Yeah, no, I see that. But what's your goal?"

"I think what Finn's saying is what are you going to do if you find her?" Poe said.

"When."

Poe waved a hand. "Sure, when you find her."

"I'm going to talk to her. Come to an understanding."

"And?"

Ben ran a hand through his hair, mumbling, "I don't know."

"And?"

"I don't know," he snarled.

"I know, man. That's okay. That's why I'm asking, because I think unless you have a solid objective, this will blow up in your face, again. The First Order is a messed-up organization, but they always gave me an objective. Without it, I was lost. Sure, you can improvise or adjust your course when things come up, because they will, but if you have an outcome in mind, it'll keep you on track."

"Damn, Finn," Poe said. "When did you get so wise?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe I've always been wise."

"Fair enough."

Glancing around, Finn said, "Hey, where's Beebee-Ate? I haven't seen him."

"Beebee-Ate? Oh, uh, he's checking on the, um, prisoner."

"Ah. He's just always under your feet; it seemed too quiet."

"Oh, yup. He's around, don't worry." BB-8 was checking on Silyana, but it was more for Poe's benefit. Though her presence was still a secret, her well-being concerned him and BB-8 was a willing emissary between them. Even though Finn would have to be Force-sensitive to guess his secret, Poe was dancing on hot coals with bare feet. He shot Ben an SOS with his eyes.

Ben sighed and pondered aloud, "I don't know, Finn. Anything I want is too vague, or unimportant, or irrelevant, or... selfish. I don't see a realistic outcome that benefits the Resistance."

"Well," Poe faltered, "it doesn't have to be about the Resistance. You're more of a contractor, anyway, so you could just meet whatever terms you have with Leia or Kaydel and call it good."

Finn's lips twitched in a smile. "Who are you and what have you done with Poe Dameron?"

"Give it a rest, Finn." He rolled his eyes. "I've learned that life doesn't begin and end with the Resistance."

"I can't imagine life without all this." Ben gestured skyward to the galaxy at large.

"Says the guy who ran away from the Resistance for, what, four years?"

"Shut up, Dameron."

"Too soon?"

"Too soon," Finn agreed.

"I could use a distraction, though. Maybe a game of sabacc after dinner?" Poe suggested.

"I've never played," Finn said.

"Ha, well, you're going to have to learn fast if you want to play with Solo here. I'm sure he's picked up a few tricks."

"It's going to have to be on the Falcon," Ben said. "I'm leaving for Endor as soon as I can get clearance."

"We've gotta talk to Silyana first. She'll kill us if we don't," Poe insisted.

Finn stiffened. "You sure that's smart? She might try to do something."

"She won't," Ben growled.

"Yeah, come with us. If there's intel you need, she might have it," Poe offered, immediately wishing he could smack himself on the forehead.

Finn slapped hands on his thighs before standing. "Might as well. I've already met one ghost from my past today, what's another?"

"What?"

"Top secret stuff." Finn clapped Poe on the back. "Tell you about it later."

Hux had discovered that standing on the bridge, staring out the spotless transperisteel viewports with his back to the crew, was a great way to get a respite from the interminable list of tasks he had to attend to night and day. By standing before them, his policy of visibility was uncompromised. An illusion of accessibility through proximity, but they didn't dare disturb the Supreme Leader's reverie.

Snoke had removed himself from their reach entirely. The throne room was lost in the Supremacy cataclysm and Hux never ordered a replacement built. Theatrics had no place in his rule. He could have them come to him, but he didn't demand worship. He demanded obedience. And occasionally, a moment of peace and quiet.

Damn if he didn't need it after Silyana had slipped through his fingers once again.

"Supreme Leader, sir!"

His reflection drooped in resignation. Chin up, he told it. Maybe Stynnix has solved all your problems this time.

"Is now an acceptable time for a report, Supreme Leader?"

Facing the lieutenant, he raised an eyebrow. "Is the content sensitive, Lieutenant?"

"I've reserved briefing room 4-667, sir."

Her efficiency soothed his sleep-deprived nerves. "After you, Lieutenant."

The Knight of Ren that was his shadow-of-the-day – not Tirian, thank the stars, but... Ymiré? That sounded right – slithered behind them. Stynnix hadn't said anything about research, so he presumed this update was about the search for Kira, something the Knight could join them for.

As Hux settled into a seat, Stynnix swept the room for listening devices – something she had initiated on her own. He tracked her progress around the small space, wondering when her paranoia had reached this point. Maybe the new project partner he'd assigned her in the Security Bureau had opened her eyes to just how fragile security was. Ymiré stepped aside when Stynnix inspected the floorboard by her boots, but otherwise had no reaction.

"I'm sorry, Supreme Leader, I had someone check prior to our arrival, but this intelligence is still so new and if the Resistance were to learn –"

"Very reasonable, Lieutenant, assuming your news is as of great importance as you make it out to be. Although your lack of faith in the First Order's loyalty is a bit disheartening."

"Apologies, Leader Hux."

The flush on Stynnix's cheeks never failed to amuse him, although with his pale skin he shared the same weakness for visible emotion. "Is the room secure to your satisfaction?"

"Yes, sir." She returned to her datapad and searched for something before handing it to him. "This was from an hour ago."

It was a gritty, fractured image, but there was a darker blur against white that held a vague resemblance to a TIE fighter.

"Care to explain what I'm looking at?"

"It's an orbital surveillance image taken over the planet Hoth. One of Kira Ren's accounts was used to make a purchase somewhere on the planet's only settlement. The Order's financial division notified our intelligence immediately, of course, and we were able to communicate with an old Imperial-era satellite that hadn't lost its functionality."

Maybe it was obvious, but he was too burned out to get his hopes up. "This isn't an Imperial-era TIE fighter, is it?"

"No, sir. The analysts have compiled the images and the ship's structure is consistent with First Order design. And likely, any wreckage of older craft from the Battle of Hoth would be buried in the ice."

He stared the image. "It'll be too late by the time we send a Destroyer there." He looked up at Ymiré's mask. "Won't it?"

"Kira is not foolish. She'll have already realized her mistake in using a First Order credit chip, or she is trying to lead us off on a false trail."

Hux nodded. "Have a squad dispatched to canvas the settlement, confirm her visit."

"Yes, sir." Stynnix made a note in her other datapad – of course she had two, like she had at least three commlinks attached under the collar of her starched uniform jacket. That flush was still on her cheeks; perhaps she was running a fever. He doubted she got enough sleep or time in the mess hall, but her zeal with every task allowed him to repress his worry. If she worked herself to the bone, at least he wouldn't be alone. Although...

"It's about time you were promoted, Lieutenant."

That startled her. "Sir?"

"Your contributions to the Order have gone unrecognized for too long." Those contributions had gone unrecognized because her 'research' would have gotten her skewered on a lightsaber if the former Supreme Leader had found out, but that was irrelevant now. "I believe the rank of captain is more appropriate for your current duties."

"Thank you, Supreme Leader," she murmured. Her smile was tight, but that determination in her eyes grew bright. She knew the game; the higher your rank, the more people wanted you to fail. Still, to maintain order, he should have validated the authority she'd exercised to obey his orders. He doubted many commanders appreciated a lieutenant bossing them around even if she was merely relaying his words.

"I want hourly updates on the situation, Captain. Keep me apprised of any developments. If the scouts discover anything about her flight path, I will know immediately."

"Of course, Supreme Leader."

"Dismissed."

Saluting sharply, Stynnix made a hasty exit. The door snicked shut.

"She's going to vomit," Ymiré observed.

"If she didn't, I might be more concerned that she wasn't fit for the position. Fear is a natural response to great responsibility."

"True enough, Supreme Leader." The mocking edge to her voice was faint enough it could be credited to the vocoder's distortion. "This could be resolved much more efficiently if Tirian and I were allowed to participate."

Hux picked up the datapad Captain Stynnix had left and stared at the blurry image of the TIE. "I've already lost enough of you Knights to Tirian's ill-advised ambushes. I intend to be more careful about how this game is played."

Curiosity brushed against his mind, but Snoke had taught him the basics of shielding through vicious discipline. The pressure vanished.

"You are wise, Supreme Leader."

He wanted obedience, not worship.

Standing, Hux swept out of the room. "That remains to be seen."

A/N: So I don't want to declare an official chapter count, but right now I'm thinking this story will be about 20-ish chapters? Anyway, let me know what you think! Leave a review and be sure to follow :) Next update October 25 CDT