Last On: Hux claims Supreme Leader Kylo Ren was murdered and has promoted him with his last breaths. Ben agreed to go to the Resistance, because he doesn't have anywhere else to turn.

Chapter 14

When the Falcon lands in the Resistance base hangar, the room is quite full. Finn had used the comm almost an hour ago to let them know about their arrival, and who was on board. Leia stood in front of the crowd. Though many of those present had blasters, no weapons were drawn, as was her order. She wasn't going to have her son agitated into leaving again, or shot by someone's itchy trigger finger.

When the ramp started to lower, she jumped from the crowd and ran to it. Finn and Rose walk off first, and joined the crowd behind her. Rey looked back for a second, then walked down the ramp smiling a shy smile at Leia as she passed. Then Ben walked down the ramp. He didn't stop, even to look Leia in the eye. His face was a scowl, and he fingered his lightsaber, clearly uncertain of his future here. Chewy followed off last, and knowingly looked Leia in the eye.

"Debriefing, conference room three, in five," Leia ordered. "All of you," she added looking straight at Ben. Then she walked past them and out of the hanger. This wasn't the place to have an emotional moment between mother and son. She shoved all that aside as she had work to do. She only hoped he'd be willing to talk to her later.


Leia sat in the conference room waiting for them to file in. Beside her sat Poe, Lieutenant Connix, and a few others whom she had promoted to various positions of leadership after escaping Crait.

In truth, she hadn't yet told any of them the details about the secret mission she sent Rey on those few days ago. Though they all did see the news-holo with her about Kylo Ren's demise. She, at the time, didn't know how much of it was true, only that she hadn't felt his or Rey's death in the force. And then, when her team found out he was on his way here, they became excited with plans on how to use the situation to their advantage.

When the door opened, Leia was surprised to see Ben enter first. His face was still a scowl as he suspiciously eyed the room. He was followed by Rey, Rose, Finn, and lastly Chewbacca. They all sat on the opposite side of the table, in the order they arrived in.

The room was silent for several moments, before Poe finally broke it. "So mission success!" Poe said with an enthusiastic voice. He winked at Rey and on his face was a sly grin.

Rey looked around her confused and asked, "Why is he looking at me like that?"

"He's an adolescent," said Leia with a glare in Poe's direction. She felt like elbowing him too, but it wouldn't be appropriate. Instead she took control of the room and directed the conversation. "Several days ago I became aware of an odd type of Force occurrence between Rey here, and Ben. They switched bodies, and I chose to allow my source to have free reign over how to deal with the situation. Can I assume you've switched back?"

Ben's eyes met his mother's for the first time. They held a look of suspicion.

Rey answered, "Yes, General Leia, We switched back right away. Then we couldn't get either of the ships to fly. They were suddenly missing their Cole-Noss Hubs."

"Rey, you spent time with the First Order, in Kylo Ren..." Connix eyed her General. "Ben's body. What did you see while you were there?"

Rey's nervous eyes looked down before she answered. "Not much really. I saw his quarters, and a few hallways leading to the hanger." Rey answered.

"Did you see any signs of this mutiny when you were there?" one of the others asked.

"No, I mean, I just walked right past a whole bunch of stormtroopers. Lu...Leia's source got me to the hanger. I climbed in one of the shuttles, and flew off when the rest of them did. I saw Hux at a distance sending off a battalion."

Ben eyed Rey again, "That part doesn't make sense. We were in a First Order System. There was no one around to fight. Especially not without consulting the Supreme Leader first."

"That day several of the First Order Command Generals were murdered. We have the reports of a team of Stormtroopers led by a man in black." Connix pulled up a report on the screen.

"That was not me!" shouted Ben, when she brought up an image of a man in Kylo Ren's old mask. "I destroyed that mask."

"Initially there was an accusation of treason against you, but before the command voted, they changed reports to state it was the assassin," Connix added.

"Wait," said Poe. "General, your source in the First Order. Did they say anything about this?"

Leia was about to respond when Ben spoke up. "The source is her dead brother's ghost."

"Jedi can speak to us from beyond the dead, we call it a Force Ghost." Leia explained. "Rey, why don't you continue where you left off, when you noticed the part missing?"

"Well, we were approached by a woman who invited us to their village, which turned out to be inhabited by undead bloodsuckers," said Rey.

Leia almost laughed, but had to contain herself. Poe, beside her, did not. "Wait, Wait. First there are Ghosts, Now there are Undead Bloodsuckers! This has to be a joke. Finn. Buddy?"

"If it were a Joke, would I be here?" Ben pointed out.

"I do remember your unique sense of humor!" said Poe.

Ben made a motion to get up, and Rey's arm flew out to stop him. "I know It's hard to believe, but those people! They did not have reflections. And they swarmed us when we decided to leave. If we didn't run when we did, I don't know what would have happened." Ben looked down at Rey's arm by his chest, and relaxed while she spoke. Chewy and Leia shared another knowing glance, seeing it all. Rey, when she finished, looked to Leia.

"Yes, Continue," said Leia.

"Later we found a junkyard which had the part we needed, and the radio comm, which I used to contact the Falcon. They showed us the news-holo and we persuaded him to come here." She gestured towards Ben beside her.

"And Ben," said Leia, "do you have anything to add to her account."

"Only that I'm not here to join your Resistance. I'll probably leave in a day or two," said Ben.

"Do that and your dead!" Poe went right to the point. "That news-holo went everywhere, and with it went the order to shoot on sight. Sure you may have a couple supporters out there, but getting to them will mean a fight to the death with countless troopers and more."

Ben looked away, and Leia wondered if it would be a mistake to intervene.

Connix spoke up next. "We do have a couple new reports from our spies." She pulled up another image on the monitor. "They say this was the scene of your supposed murder."

Ben looked back at the screen. "Yes, that's my bedroom. Minus the blood."

She pulled up a few more images. Rey held up her hand to stop her at one of them. "Stop, that one there. That was me." It was a photo of the lightsaber hack at his door panel.

"They are saying that's how the assassin got in."

"No, I did that to conceal the fact I hacked the door getting out."

"What do you mean, you hacked the door?" said Ben.

"It was locked," insisted Rey, confused again.

"And that didn't strike you as strange! Why would I lock myself in my own room?" Ben was getting agitated again.

Then Rose raised a hand. When all eyes were on her, she spoke. "If Hux had a bunch of people killed by a look-a-like, then submitted a report accusing you of treason. He'd want to know where you were at the time. So he locked you in your room so you wouldn't have an alibi. Then when he found you gone, he had to improvise."

"Clearly we don't know everything about what went down there," said Leia. "But even if Rey realized what was going on, there would have been little she could do about it. We're glad she got out and to safety in time to bring you here." Leia stared right at Ben with a very stern face, and he looked down to acquiesce. "And you three, do you have anything to add?" Leia looked to where Rose, Finn, and Chewy were sitting.

They all looked at each other. "No ma'am." Finn started.

"Wait, there were other parts Rey scavenged from that junk yard, loaded on the Falcon. We also have Kylo, Uh, Ben's Tie Whisperer onboard too. And the shuttle we sent Ben, uh Rey there in will need some serious repairs before it's operational. Other than that, no, nothing to add," said Rose nervously.

"Well then, you are dismissed," said Leia. "Go, Go." She motioned to her leadership team to leave too. When she and Ben were the only ones left in the room, she took a step closer to him.

"I don't want to do this now." he interrupted her.

She nodded. Then put her business face back on. "You'll go down to the medical wing where you'll submit to whatever tests it takes to prove your identity. Then we'll give you quarters. While you are here, you will obey all orders by my command team, and conduct yourself as the man I raised you to be. No more Kylo Ren! Here you will answer to Ben Solo. Do I make myself clear?" On her face was a look powerful enough to make a Rathtar cower.

Ben rolled his eyes around the room trying to avoid her stare, before finally acquiescing with a nod and a "Yes, Mom."


Unheard by any in our relm, there was another conversation going on in that room.

"Who knew, the infamous Kylo Ren, feared throughout the systems, would stand down to his mommy giving him 'the look.'" Luke's Force Ghost chuckled.

"This is a beneficial turn of events, if I do say so," Anakin mused.

"Well, It's not over yet. All of this, is not for a change in address. No, we still need to bring his heart home." Luke said, and Anakin smiled an agreeing smile.

Alright, I know a lot of this chapter was recap, but I couldn't see any other way than to do it this way. I hope it is still enjoyable. Thank you to all who have been leaving Reviews, I love reading what you post.