A/N: A big thanks to SirenBanshee. You are one amazing beta!

xXxXxXx

"Has a transport been sorted for Reor Lance?" Kylo asked Derek the next morning.

"Communications is working on it, sir," he answered. "They're hoping to get him here in three days, four at most."

"How long will it take to get the medical equipment here after that?"

"A week at most if he chooses standard equipment. If he requests something more specific, it will depend on the equipment itself."

Kylo frowned. "And there's no way of speeding that up?"

"Not unless we already tell him what is expected of him."

"After what happened yesterday, that doesn't seem like such a good idea," Rey piped up.

"Indeed," Kylo agreed.

He wasn't happy with the delay. Now that they'd found a medic, he wanted to get started. He knew it was irrational to be unable to wait a few more days given how long the situation had already been ongoing, but still.

"What about the research team?" he asked Derek.

"It seems they have quite a bit of equipment to pack before they move," Derek answered. "They're now scheduled to arrive in seven days."

"And the student from the Academy?"

"The directors have confirmed he's in his final year. They're discussing the matter with the student and have promised to get back to me soon."

"Have him arrive after the research team so that they're fully installed when he joins them."

"Yes, sir."

"How's Hux doing with the housing? Has anything come up between the day before yesterday and now?"

"Not that I've heard of. Shall I double check?"

Kylo contemplated for a bit, then decided against it. He trusted Hux to take care of the Base as best as he could, which meant he would come forward if there were any problems that required Kylo's attention. Shaking his head at Derek lightly, he mentally ticked off all the topics he'd planned on asking his administrator about.

"The extra staff Hux has arranged for," he continued, "when will they arrive?"

Derek took a moment to swipe through his tablet. "They have been contacted," he answered after a moment. "It seems they will come separately in the course of the next month." There was another pause. "Two of them need replacements at their current location before they can leave."

That caused Kylo to look at him in surprise. "He didn't select ones that were available?"

"Apparently not, sir. I don't know on which criteria they were selected."

Kylo mentally shrugged. It didn't really matter. He was surprised when Rey suddenly stood and declared that she had to go.

"To where?" he asked.

"Shadow is going to teach me how to, well, shadow."

"Why?"

Rey shrugged. "Seems like fun."

Kylo knew it wasn't the entire truth—they couldn't really lie to each other over their bond—but he let it be. He trusted her to tell him when she wanted to.

Realisation hit him and he sat back for a moment, blinking. He had people he trusted; if not fully then at least enough to not feel the need to follow up their every move. That he fully trusted Rey was less of a surprise and he'd already come to grips with how much he trusted Phasma, but he came to realise that he trusted Ember just the same. He'd come to trust Hux to do his job despite not trusting him with the changing politics. There were others on his base's team that he trusted in their jobs too, like Elisa. And then there were the two Academy directors.

And it had all started the moment Rey had returned after the disaster that was Crait. It truly made him wish he could proudly tell the entire galaxy how important she was to him. He inwardly cursed at how sluggish the process of change was.

He jolted out of his headspace as Derek repeatedly called out his name. With a sigh, he returned to his paperwork, ignoring how envious he was of Rey. If he were honest with himself, he wanted to know how Shadow shadowed as well. No doubt he could needle the details out of Rey later that evening.

xXxXxXx

Three days later, Kylo stood in the hangar awaiting Reor's arrival. Rey was standing by his side but they'd decided to introduce her simply as 'Miss Rey' and not as the Supreme Duchess just yet, thinking seeing the chipped knights would be more than enough shock for Reor on one day.

Phasma was at his shoulder, as usual, and Ember was standing at Rey's, temporarily replacing her Guard. Hux had joined their group as well; his position as base leader prescribing that he would greet such an important guest as well.

Rey had offered him a tentative nod at his arrival, causing Hux's eyes to widen momentarily in surprise before answering with an identical gesture. It was an improvement to the constant avoidance between the two so Kylo counted it as a win.

He could feel a sort of nervous anticipation throughout the group as Reor's transport ship entered the hangar and settled down. Soon after, the loading bay opened. Reor walked out, posture stiff and expression guarded.

Even though Kylo had already seen him both on the surveillance feed and as a hologram, he still studied the medic. Despite his age, the man's back was ramrod straight. His age was visible in the wrinkles on his face and a few scattered age spots. The uniform he was wearing accentuated his willowy build, making him look taller than he actually was.

Once at the bottom of the ramp, Reor performed a perfunctory greeting. "Supreme Leader." His eyes flickered towards Rey, who was standing next to him and not at the customary, polite, one step behind him. "Miss?" Reor asked.

"Rey. Just Rey."

"Miss Rey," Reor simply agreed. His eyes flickered to regard her once more, the curiosity he must be feeling well-masked, before turning his attention back to Kylo. "I have come as summoned."

Kylo smiled at him. "Reor Lance," he said. "Welcome to my main base. Before we proceed, I must warn you that everything you hear, see, and learn here is to be treated with secrecy of the highest degree. You will soon find out why. Do you agree?"

The look Reor threw him could only be described as wry. "I expected as much," he said. "And I agree." The 'I don't have much of a choice' was clearly implied in his tone of voice.

Rey grinned, clearly amused. On his other side, Phasma sighed a long-suffering sigh. Kylo knew her well enough to realise the tone was something akin to 'not another impudent one'.

Ignoring the reactions around him, Kylo started his round of introductions.

"You've already greeted Rey," he said. "Meet Commander Phasma, leader of my Guard and my right-hand woman. This is Ember of Ren, my most trusted Knight, and that is Hux, this Base's Leader. He will make sure your belongings will find their way to your room and walk you through this Base's rules and regulations later today. Together with my Administrator Derek, they will get you the medical equipment you'll need."

Reor politely greeted each and every one of them. His formal behaviour betrayed exactly how wary and on edge he was.

"Come," Kylo said. "Let me show you why I've summoned you here with such haste."

He turned and walked away, trusting everybody to follow. Hux walked onto the ship to take charge of unloading Reor's belongings, one of the maintenance crew popping up and a droid rolling closer to help carry everything.

Nothing was said as they made their way to Building K where Quicksilver had collected the Base Knights in the main training hall. They were standing in four rows of five, eyes as blank as ever and completely unmoving.

"You have a lot of Knights here," Reor commented.

"I do," Kylo agreed. "These, however, are…" He hesitated, not wanting to use the word 'special' because that would imply a positive attribute which wasn't the case.

"Different," Rey supplied for him.

"Indeed," Kylo agreed, sending Rey a thankful nudge over their bond. "Different. But not in a good way."

"Different, how?" Reor asked. There was a note of suspicion in his tone.

"They only listen to me," Kylo explained, "unless I give others the explicit right to order them around. I have given Quicksilver of Ren and Phasma that right, and Hux to a limited degree. Anybody else is entirely ignored. Their obedience overrules their sense of self-preservation. If I were to order either of them to stop breathing, they would stop breathing. If I were to place them somewhere and the roof were to collapse, they would keep standing there and have it collapse on top of them.

"This extends to areas other than military order as well. If left alone, they will do nothing. We had to give them the explicit order to see to their own needs. They don't remember their past and don't seem to have a sense of self or identity. And, as you can see, their behaviour is rather eery. Like droids or statues. They don't move or twitch like a normal person would. Another eery quality is their synchronicity."

He fully turned to the Base Knights. "Greet," he commanded.

As one, the Knights fisted their hands over their hearts and exclaimed 'Supreme Leader'. Reor flinched slightly in surprise, eyes widening at the display in front of him.

"And you don't like this?" Reor asked.

"It is inhumane," Kylo exclaimed, angered.

"Ben," Rey hummed at him. "He does not know you."

It sufficed to calm him down. Reor was gazing at him with surprise in his eyes. Kylo took a breath before speaking again.

"We searched for quite some time before finding someone who might solve this," he said. "This person turned out to be you."

"Where did they come from?" Reor asked. "If you're not the one who did this to them?"

"Have you heard rumours about a sacked base, by any chance?" Rey asked when Kylo reigned in his temper at the insinuation that he would have reduced the Knights to what was standing in front of them.

Reor looked at her. "I have," he said. "A base that was so secret barely anybody knew it existed until its supply ship discovered it completely sacked," he added. "Only dead staff inside, nothing stripped or stolen, no dead enemies to be found. There's word that our Supreme Leader knew about the attack on the base but cared very little about it. There's other rumours that the attack was an inside job, maybe even done by the Supreme Leader himself, although nobody knows why nor what the base was for."

Kylo frowned and turned towards Phasma. "Do you think Efren can influence the rumours so they turn into a more accurate depiction?" he asked.

"I will discuss it with him, sir."

"May I ask what the accurate depiction might be, sir?" Reor asked.

"I was there," Kylo said. "And I lead the attack." He motioned to the Knights. "To get them out. We didn't know yet that they were affected like this back then."

Reor frowned at him. "What is this place?"

"All in due time, Reor," he said. "For now, you only need to know that this is the new training base for the Knights."

"New," Reor mumbled, seemingly coming to a conclusion.

Kylo didn't doubt said conclusion was at least partially correct. His records made clear that Reor was a highly intelligent man.

"And how do you expect me to help you with these Knights?" Reor asked.

"Sahrsa of Ren," Kylo called out. "Come here."

Without preamble, one of the Knights walked up to them to stop in front of Kylo. No words were spoken, no extra greeting given. Her eyes remained blank. She didn't even glance at the people standing in front of her.

"Turn around," Kylo said.

A sharp, 180 degree turn. Feeling slightly wrong for simply touching her but realising that giving orders wasn't any better, Kylo brushed aside Sahrsa's loose hair and revealed the back of her neck. The small scar had healed somewhat but was still clearly visible. Next to him, Reor paled.

"They have been chipped," Kylo stated, causing Reor to explode in a surprisingly colourful assortment of curses.