Rey and her friends raced down the dark, empty halls. Where were all the Sith Troopers? Just how big was this place?

The facility was a maze. Finn lost count of how many passageways - preexisting or custom built into the metal shell - the four of them passed. Only a madman could make sense of the layout. But Rey surged on ahead of them, guided by an unmistakable darkness that only she could sense.

Every once in a while the station rumbled, not as though it was settling, like the ruins on Kef Bir. It was as though the structure was moving...

Ben Solo stood stock still as he looked up. A massive dais of indigo crystal spanned the room, and on top of it was the dark figure of a man. He was dressed all in robes, which were held aloft by a wispy aura surrounding his body. A pair of brightly shining eyes peered down at Ben from sunken eye sockets. It was the deformed, gaunt face of Sheev Palpatine, and when he spoke, his voice - old and twisted as it was - boomed across the chamber with a powerful echo.

"Tell me, boy. What has moved you to travel this far, to seek out the lair of this old phantom?"

Ben knelt before the shadowy form above him.

"An audience with Darth Sidious, the strongest and most terrible of the Sith Lords. I have studied under the great Master Snoke in the ways of the Dark Side, but he was no Sith."

"Indeed…" Palpatine hissed. "And now he is nothing at all. Snoke is dead, cut down by the lightsaber of Anakin Skywalker."

The boy gulped. The strength of the Dark Side he had boasted to Rey about not being able to feel on the surface now held him to the ground with an impossible gravity.

"Snoke was… an obstacle. A simple apprentice could not survive the journey - to follow your trail and stand before you. So he had to be destroyed."

Hux's lip trembled with rage. He had always suspected, but he never had proof. Surely even Kylo Ren wouldn't be so craven.

Sidious cackled, a sound of nightmares. The crystal dais flashed in time with his mirth.

"Such is the way of the Dark. The disciple always wishes to destroy his master,"

The specter grinned.

"Just as he now means to kill me."

Kylo Ren froze.

"Did you think that mask would conceal your intentions from me, boy? I, who even in death command powers you could never know? You are Ben Solo, the renegade pupil of Luke Skywalker. The boy whose ambition lead him down a path of blood, from the previous leader of the Knights of Ren, to your father, to Snoke, and finally to me."

"Your Empire is gone. I am the Supreme Leader now. The past must be left in the past!"

The boy was nearly trembling in the thrall of the Emperor's gaze. He shouldn't be admitting his intentions so easily, but the truth was dredged up within him like a sickness.

"The past - your past - frightens you. You fear the past coming back to haunt you. And you are right! I'm afraid, young Solo, that you will soon follow in Snoke's footsteps - as the Supreme Leader of nothing!"

Ren's body was forcibly spun around so that he could see Hux and the Troopers standing in the doorway. Hux's eyes met his with a mix of fear and revulsion, before he bolted back up the tunnel. Kylo reached out his arm.

"Move, move!" The Stormroopers called to one another. Then the whole party began to choke.

The first Trooper was pulled back into the darkness far enough that his comrades could no longer hear his screams. The second fell to his knees before - with a terrible crunch inside his armor - he flopped limply to the ground. The third one was nearly up the stairs and into the next corridor. Hux watched as his body was slammed against the wall, then the ceiling, then the floor, again and again until he stopped making sounds. The sound of the Emperor's grave laughter flooded the general's mind.

The final soldier managed to crawl over to the antiquated door console and slam his fist down. Hux watched the hatch shut before their renegade leader could finish the pair of them off.

He struggled to recapture his breath as he jammed the buttons on his radio.

"This is Hux to all points. Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren have betrayed the First Order. I repeat, Kylo Ren is hereby relieved of his command of your forces. Fire on the Knights' vessels at once! They are enemies to the Order."

His message sent, he fell to the ground. Despite the circumstances, a wicked grin crept across his face.

"We have to get you topside, sir," the surviving Stormtrooper stood over him.

Hux could only wheeze out a laugh.

"You are too late, Kylo Ren. All your strength, all your gifts, have at last failed."

The first bolt of lightning struck Ben squarely in the head, splintering his helmet into dust. His ears rang and his vision went fuzzy as he fell to the ground.

Sidious leapt down from the dais and blasted Ben with another bolt.

"You are nothing. And you come from nothing. A pretender to the legacy of Skywalkers. A legacy of sand and servitude before I created Darth Vader. I am the legacy of the Skywalkers."

The boy staggered to his feet and ignited his saber.

"Darth Vader ended you. Just like I ended Snoke. When I kill you, the Skywalker legacy won't matter anymore."

He thrust at the Sith Lord, who jumped back and out of his reach. His attempt was rewarded with another shock to the system.

"But you cannot kill that which is already dead," Palpatine sneered. The aura expanded outward from his body, shrouding him from Ben's view.

Ben fought through the pain and swiped at the Emperor, but he wasn't there. The old man instead appeared behind him and sent another wave of lightning through his back. Then another. And another. And another. When the fog cleared, the fabric of his cape was smoking.

"Still you fight," Sidious' voice creaked. "But your tenacity will provide no cure for your arrogance. I am not some mere 'obstacle' in your path to power. I am its end!"

The screams of Ben Solo echoed through the domed chamber for several seconds as lightning arced into him from several sections of crystal at once. When at last the pain won out over his resilience, he fell to the ground. Sidious leaned over him, full of contempt.

"It is time for the ascension of this Galaxy. I have no more use for you. Let this place be your tomb. A monument to the Skywalkers and their precious "legacy" at the bottom of the sea."

Sidious vanished, and the light left the crystals in the room. As the light faded, the Resistance finally reached the lower chamber.

"Ben!" Rey shouted, running to the fallen man's side.

"What is this place?" Finn asked aloud.

"Look at him," Poe said, running his shoe through the layer of char around Ben's body.

Rey knelt at Ben's side and closed her eyes. She allowed her pulse to slow to meet his - he was barely breathing. She felt the Force flow into her, through her arm and into Ben. This was a deeper affliction than the Vexis. It required more of her to heal. She felt the current increase in speed, threatening to sweep her away. But she fought her way back, and the flow faded. When she opened her eyes, the dark-haired figure's complexion looked much healthier.

"He's stable. Chewie, can you carry him?"

The Wookiee nodded, and slung the unconscious Ben over his shoulder.

A tremor rolled through the chamber, as the ceiling began to raise. Poe could distinctly hear the roar of rushing water.

"Guys?"

"Run!" Rey shouted. She rose gingerly to her feet. "Get to the Falcon. We'll catch up."

Chewie and Rey ran for an exit as the water began to rush in. Rey threw out her arm and slammed the door shut through the Force, providing a brief respite. Seawater continued to spray through the seams in the barrier. The girl slouched against the door, grasping her head.

Chewbacca growled, concerned with her condition.

"I'm fine. We have to keep moving."

The station continued to rumble as they climbed. About halfway to freedom, Ben opened his eyes and recoiled against Chewbacca's grip. The Wookiee roared at him.

"Calm down, Ben," Rey said weakly. "I don't have the energy to argue. You can be angry when we're on the surface."

"Where is Palpatine?"

"Didn't see him."

"You should have left me down there. I couldn't even scratch him."

Rey rolled her eyes.

"If you're strong enough to swim, you're free to jump."

Ben looked down at the swirling waters.

"Don't drop me, Wookiee."

Rose, Babu, and their new droid friend opened another door to find the hangar in chaos. Stormtroopers ran back and forth while TIE Fighters screamed overhead. Outside flashes of green could be seen reflecting off the conning tower of another nearby ship. At times the whole ship would rattle.

"Okay," Rose sighed. "Lots of Troopers, but all pretty distracted. Clearly the Destroyer is in a fight. Maybe we can use this as a chance to steal a ship."

"That would be delightful," C-3PO said brightly. "However, if I might make a suggestion..."

He pointed to the Night Buzzard, whose ramp was down and out in the open.

"The Knights' ship. That will work. Uh, guard the rear while we make a break for it. Lethal force is authorized if anyone you don't like gets too close."

C-3PO looked at her for a moment.

"In the interests of fairness I will give you a chance to rephrase that."

"If you see a Stormtrooper, and it looks like it's going to blow your head off, exercise your self-preservation routines," snapped Rose, annoyed. "I want that body intact so that I can put the real Threepio back in when we're done here."

"Excellent. I'll just be off then. Oh, me. This unit has a distractingly unpleasant lack of knives."

The gold protocol droid wandered out in full view of the control booth. A small squad of Troopers jogged over to investigate. At the same time, Rose, with Babu in tow, sprinted towards the Buzzard. Another blast, more powerful than the last, nearly knocked everyone off their feet.

"Leave the droid," one Stormtrooper shouted. "We have bigger problems!"

The console was dark as Rose entered the bridge. She punched some buttons to open the communications grid.

"Falcon, this is Rose, I repeat, this is Rose Tico on a commandeered First Order frequency. Connix, Chewie, are you there?"

Connix ran over to the console. Rose! Thank goodness you're alright! Where are you?"

"I'm on Ushar Ren's ship," Rose's voice floated out of the speakers, "I'm going to steal this shuttle, it's Hyperspace capable."

"You're right over our heads, Rose. We're on Exegol."

"Exegol?"

"But things are crazy up there. The First Order just started firing at one another. If you go out there in a command craft you'll get shredded."

Rose blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness.

"Let's see, this thing has to have a defense system. Shields, guns, any- eep!"

Rose gasped and accidentally cut the feed. She wasn't alone in there.

"Rose? Rose what's happening?"

"Damnit!" shouted Connix as she punched the console.

"Can you reacquire the signal?" Jannah asked.

Connix typed frantically. "She used a First Order signal, I can backtrace that into their network, contact any ship I want."

"Any ship?"

Connix looked at the scavenger, who bit her lower lip.

"I have a really stupid idea."

Connix laughed.

"Welcome to the Resistance."

With a loud scream, BB-8 came speeding over a nearby hill. The terrain behind him was rising and falling in layers, a fallow violet light emitting from the cracks between.

"Start the ship?" Jannah asked, eyes wide.

"Start the ship!" Connix said quickly.

"There they are!"

By the time Rey, Chewie, and Ben emerged from the wreck, the sky was completely black. Occasionally a flash of lightning would drown the world in a sinister blue.

Rey ran her hand along the melted remains of the doorway. This was the same place that Ben had first entered that hellish place.

"A lightsaber did this?"

"The metal conducts the heat from the blade," Ben managed. "You can put me down now."

Chewbacca allowed Ben to regain his footing. Poe and Finn jogged over.

"Connix, we have everyone. Bring her around. And uh, we're taking Kylo Ren with us."

"Really? Well, that actually makes this next part much easier. Rose is up on one of the Knights' ships, which are currently on the brink of getting blown to bits. And I just so happen to have hacked the communications array for all of them."

Poe looked at Kylo Ren. In for a penny, he thought.

"Alright. It's worth a shot."

"Give Captain Canady my regards. He may just be a better dreadnought captain than his brother after all."

Ap'Lek watched the first of Hux's ships crumble into the Nebula as the Obedience drifted across its prow.

Cardo Ren seemed less impressed.

"Thanks, Ap'Lek, but the numbers still don't look good. And the shields won't hold out much longer."

"I know that tone. We're not leaving without Master Ren. If that means we go out fighting, then find something to burn on your way down."

"Yes, sir," the Armorer Knight grumbled as the feed cut.

A woman on the bridge held her headphones tighter to her ears to hear more clearly.

"Knight Ap'Lek? We have a priority call from the Resistance. They're on Exegol right now."

"How'd they get this channel?" Ap'Lek shouted. The last thing he needed was another problem. "Hell, how'd they get on this planet?"

"Looks like the signal worked its way in through the Intimidator's hangar. Patching it through now."

"Destroyer Unending, this is General Poe Dameron of the Resistance. I repeat, this is Poe Dameron with urgent information for Ap'Lek Ren on the Star Destroyer Unending."

Poe held his breath as the image of Ap'Lek Ren appeared in the projector.

"General Dameron! Always a pleasure."

"Yeah. Listen, we have Kylo Ren in our… custody."

Ap'Lek visibly deflated.

"If you're interested in bargaining, I'm afraid you're about twenty minutes too late. We are somewhat lacking in negotiating power at the moment."

"I noticed," Poe said. "Which is why I have a proposition instead. You could use a place where the First Order won't find you, and I could certainly use the extra firepower of five Star Destroyers and a Dreadnought."

"You're asking for a truce?"

"For the record, I don't think you Knights are my friends. I think you're a gang of psychos, and I don't trust you. I don't imagine you trust me, either. But you are the enemy of my enemy, and that's about as good as I can get. So for the sake of your crew, and your men, I urge you to listen."

"Ap'Lek," Ben came to the helm.

"Master Ren? It's good to see you in one piece. What's the situation?"

"As bad as you think. You heard Hux's transmission. It's over. Do what they say."

Ap'Lek paced across the bridge a few times.

"General, you make a compelling argument. Where exactly are you taking us?"

"Do you know the planet Ajan Kloss?"

After the coordinates with his navigation staff, Ap'Lek contacted the other Knights.

"Gentlemen. It's official. We are defecting."

"Hell yeah, boys, off the grid! Been waiting for this the whole time!"

"Shut up, Vicrul," Ushar growled.

"Are you sure this is a good call, Ap'Lek?" Trudgen Ren asked. "We don't historically play well with others."

"It beats staying here and dying," Cardo argued. "Plus, we have more than enough firepower to waste them if they try anything funny."

"None of that, Cardo Ren," Ap'Lek snapped, "The First Order has decided we are an enemy. Rendezvousing with the Resistance is the tactically sound move. Leader Ren agrees."

One by one the Destroyers began fleeing the battlefield into Hyperspace. Scores of destroyed TIE hung in their wake.

Back on the Millennium Falcon, the Resistance began their own escape.

"So you're the famous Kylo Ren, eh?" Jannah sized Ben up with a surprising degree of confidence. She had never met him with his mask on, so seeing him without it wasn't very affecting.

"You have a lot to answer for."

"It's a little crowded, up here on the bridge," he muttered, and limped down to the crew quarters.

"Look out there! Finn pointed.

All around them, rising at an unnaturally even speed from the depths, were the old Star Destroyers crewed by the Sith Eternal. There were hundreds of them - perhaps even a thousand. Lightning let loose from the clouds, and Rey was suddenly transported back to her vision so many nights ago. It was all coming to pass.

Then a voice came over the radio.

"Lieutenant Connix? This is Black Two. We're here for the exfil. And apparently not a moment too soon."

"It's good to hear your voice, Snap," Connix wiped her brow. Temmin "Snap" Wexley was technically a veteran of the original Rebellion, taking part in the Battle of Jakku as a teen.

"Prep for the jump. And don't freak out, but we're gonna have company. A lot of it."

The Falcon rose higher, and the station to meet it. It was folding in on itself, creating an almost spherical geometric shape. The whole assembly, huge and glowing purple, heaved itself out of the ocean. The Cult Destroyers orbited around it like moons.

"Oh, man," Finn looked down at the behemoth structure.

"It's a holocron," Rey breathed. "A giant one."

"What's a holocron?" Jannah asked.

"It's a receptacle for information," Ben said, dragging himself to the window. "For thoughts. Or in this case, for a whole mind."

"So that whole thing is the Emperor? How do we fight that?"

"We regroup, and we launch a counterattack," Poe replied. He bowed his head, weary. "But other than that I'm open to suggestions."

The Millennium Falcon exited the atmosphere and immediately jumped to Hyperspace.

"Enter, young one."

"A part of me didn't believe it was true," Hux said as he looked up at the Emperor. "How could the most public figure in the Galaxy keep a secret like this? But here, all is laid bare. I know the truth, and I know my purpose."

"Tell me," the timbre of Darth Sidious' voice grew to rattle the entire chamber.

"I am Armitage Hux. Son of Brendol Hux, of the First Galactic Empire."

Hux felt something approaching a high from the sheer level of fear and anticipation washing across his body. It was a feeling he'd never truly be able to articulate.

"As my father served you in the old war," Hux knelt before the specter before him, "So too shall I, in the new."

The spectral figure grinned, showing a mouth full of crooked, decayed teeth.

"Good."