Chapter 6: How To Injure A Heart
Supreme Leader Armitage Hux made his way through the halls of the Finalizer. Two Knights of Ren joined his side along with an officer, Mitaka.
"Has Kylo Ren been found yet?" Hux asked, voice crisp as plans stewed in his mind about how to proceed with crushing the Resistance once and for all.
One of the Knights, Kuruk Ren, spoke up, voice distinctly deep and harsh underneath the distortion. "We received word from Ap'lek Ren of his possible location."
"And what of the Last Jedi?" Hux probed farther.
"She's with Ap'lek. Willingly."
Hux raised an eyebrow. "How peculiar. This will certainly crush the Resistance's spirit."
Kuruk Ren looked to his comrade, Cardo Ren with a silent nod.
"What is Trudgen Ren's status?" Hux asked Mitaka.
Mitaka looked at his datapad, trying to contain his nerves around the new Supreme Leader. "Still in the medbay for his leg. It will take a few days for his new leg to be implanted."
"Of course our former leader had to cripple one of his own Knights. Kylo Ren is still on the loose, I want him dealt with quickly. Where is his location?"
"A desert planet called Pasaana," Mitaka answered. "Ap'lek Ren is headed there now."
"And how is the weapon coming along?"
"It will be completed within a week with the added labor, Supreme Leader."
Hux breathed in and out, smelling success. "Good. Bring me to the Executioner. I want to personally look over the progress."
Mitaka nodded.
The two Knights of Ren made their leave, and Mitaka continued to follow Hux.
It was difficult to maintain a sense of calm around the new Supreme Leader, not after how Mitaka seemed to grow comfortable the usually volatile Kylo Ren.
Ren as Supreme Leader was surprisingly not as terrible as the idea seemed. He was quieter and less violent in the time after Crait. Mitaka noticed he thanked him for delivering information or messages. It was usually an emotionless thank you but still, a thank you regardless.
Then Mitaka was taken aside and sworn to secrecy. Ren didn't pull any of his usual force tricks—the memory of nearly being choked to death by him was still fresh in Mitaka's mind—but instead, Ren was asking for one favor, politely.
"I want you to report to me any information on the Resistance's locale or any of their actions, no one else is to be informed. Not even General Hux."
Mitaka nodded, sweat forming on his neck in fear. "Yes, sir. But why?"
Ren stared at him and Mitaka thought he was going to be choked to death at daring to question it.
"That is none of your concern."
And he just began walking away.
Mitaka didn't know how to respond to that, but he did as he was told. Every time he noticed something out of the ordinary from the First Order's usual routine, supplies missing, a note of a specific jungle moon planet, possible allies the Resistance had, he would inform his Supreme Leader before Hux even had a chance to see any of it.
"Thank you, Lieutenant Mitaka. No one knows?"
Mitaka nodded. Months had passed already and Mitaka had done as asked, Hux not knowing for the most part. He noticed nothing was done with the information, so he only came to the most logical conclusion that Ren was destroying the reports and anomalies, keeping Hux and the other generals in the dark.
Or so he thought. "Yes."
He was used to the more docile Kylo Ren but was still startled when his emotionless expression hardened into a glare. "No," he said.
Mitaka's hair stood on end. The old Ren was back no doubt. "Pardon Sir?"
Ren looked at him and answered. "Hux has it all figured out for a while now but he does not know who is the messenger. You are safe if that's what you're concerned about."
That he did not expect.
Mitaka cleared his throat. "Sir, I thank you for trusting me like this, but why? Why ask me to keep any information regarding the Resistance a secret?"
"I saw the way you reacted to the Hosnian Cataclysm," Ren answered simply.
Mitaka quickly reflected on that disaster months ago. He held no emotion on his face when he had witnessed the Cataclysm in the same room as Ren. Ren was too busy staring out the windows, unreadable as red light streaked the stars.
"But if you wanted to no longer fight the Resistance, then why not say so? If peace is what you want?" Mitaka asked, feeling bolder to ask these daring questions to a man who was known for his violent temper.
"In a short matter of time, you'll see."
Now he knew why Ren insisted on secrecy. Hux had overthrown him a week later and once the tracking of the Millennium Falcon led them straight to the Resistance Base, Mitaka's gut twisted. He didn't want war anymore. He didn't see it as a means that is necessary. Of all people, the Master of the Knights of Ren saw this.
Kylo Ren wanted peace but couldn't get it because of the likes of Hux and other generals.
Mitaka had to keep calm around the Knights of Ren. If Kylo Ren was anything to go by, Force Sensitives could read his mind and he would be dead in an instant.
Keep calm. Don't give anything away.
When they left, all he had to hide now was his mission to convince First Order members to listen to him. To continue Kylo Ren's work.
Merely a day before Hux's coup, Mitaka found a datapad in his quarters. It wasn't his by any stretch of means. It had to have been Kylo Ren's. Within he found written notes of names of Resistance spies on the ship. The supplies the Resistance had stolen. Orders Ren had given to lower the number of guards. The refusals to add numbers to their military, via either clones or forced recruitment. Cutting off communications and offers between the First Order and cartels, even going as far as to send squads to clear out gang activity. The squad that FN-2178 was in was noted as well.
Along with notes of how to run the First Order as a peace-keeping force.
He understood, somehow.
Mitaka followed Hux to the bridge, nodded to the new Supreme Leader and then turned on his heel to leave to tend to orders that Hux had left him with.
But he wouldn't be doing that. Instead, he went to check on the squad sent twice to Ajan Kloss. He personally sent them there himself when the Knights of Ren ordered to attack in a small skirmish to test defenses.
And to his surprise only the squad leader and a few troops remained. Mitaka steeled himself and asked to talk with the leader privately in a room over. Once alone, he began his questioning. "What happened to the rest of your squad?"
The squad leader took off her helmet and spoke. She was sweating, her hair sticking to her face. "They betrayed the First Order and went to the rebel scum. On persuasion of two other traitors."
"FN-2187 and TZ-1719," Mitaka said, rolling over his options in his head. "Captain, if I might inquire, why do you think they deflected?"
The woman looked at him, considering the question with care. "They think Kylo Ren was the better leader."
Mitaka let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Interesting. Do you think there's any truth to this claim?"
She was hesitating.
He added. "I won't inform anyone of your opinion."
"Yes. Many other good soldiers do. We don't want war. We want a new order that isn't destroying planets and ruling under an iron thumb. Supreme Leader Hux increased our missions and training to the point we have no room to breathe now. Kylo Ren was the better leader. I'd rather clear out gangs and free starving children from slavery than fight the Resistance."
Mitaka nodded. "Continue as you are then. Reassignment of your remaining squad will be official tomorrow."
The captain nodded. "Thank you, sir."
"And…" He took a breath, which did nothing to alleviate his light-headedness. "Find others who are dissatisfied."
He was really doing this, all because of Kylo Ren.
Now for the next step, figure out which other generals were not onboard with Armitage Hux.
Mitaka really was not good with this, not good under this much pressure and scrutiny. It was easier just to take orders and grovel. Kylo Ren was a terrifying man, but Hux would utterly destroy him if anything got out about his treason.
A blast to a stormtrooper's shoulder brought Finn back to reality.
He sprinted over to the wounded soldier, kicking their own blaster out of their hands.
"I'm not letting you die yet!" Finn declared, picking up the soldier by their good arm and shoulder. On their feet, Finn led them towards the entrance to the base.
"They got shot and need medical attention," Finn informed anyone who was listening. Two medical personnel rushed over to him and pulled the trooper away and began walking towards the medbay. "They aren't armed," he added.
"Go then Captain," one nurse said. "Find more, they're pulling out."
Indeed they were. Finn looked to the sky, wiping sweat off his brow as he observed the First Order fleeing the planet, including a black ship among the group of TIE-fighters.
Finn was still reeling from observing Rey, his dear friend Rey, follow a Knight of Ren with silver hair onto her ship. She didn't even look to be in any danger, she was completely controlled and willing.
This had to be a trick of some kind. Finn remembered how helpless Rey was when Kylo Ren took her away on Takodana. Limp and being carried in the arms of the monster in a mask. It disturbed Finn when he finally saw the face of Ren, he expected a disfigured inhuman beneath the mask, but he saw a man. Just a man who had to hide his anger and rage under an air mimicking an old Sith lord.
It was most terrifying seeing just a man instead of a monster.
Finn felt his eyes water and panic rising in his chest. What happened that Rey would follow? Was she blackmailed? Threatened? Why was she with the Knights of Ren?
When the skirmish was fully over, Finn tried to focus on helping the remaining stormtroopers who had given up in surrender, but couldn't. He stopped mid-work on pressing a bacta patch to a troop's arm to think more about why Rey would leave without even saying goodbye.
Dizzy with questions, Finn sprinted through the halls of the Resistance Base to get to General Leia.
When he got to the main communications room, Chewie was already there, his shoulders sagged and hugging Leia.
"What's wrong Chewie?" Leia asked as her dear friend pulled back.
He said something in a soft whine.
Leia's brows tightened and her lips flattened in a line.
Finn rushed over. "Rey is gone, we got to go get her back!"
Leia nodded in agreement. "I fear what may have happened to her is something I couldn't prevent."
Chewie spoke again.
"She still has the tracker on her bag? Does she have her lightsaber?" Leia asked.
He answered with a short somber syllable.
Leia sighed. "It's still on the Falcon."
"Correction, Anakin's lightsaber is still on the Falcon," Maz said as she walked in, holding the fractured saber in her hand. "Rey made her own."
Leia reached into her pocket, pulling out the same device she left with Rey months and months ago when the young woman went to bring Luke back. "Rey took her bag with her but left everything else. The tracker will lead us to her."
Leia handed the device to Kaydel. "Please trace the source signal."
Kaydel nodded and walked to her system to open up the tracker's location. After a few minutes of silence, Kaydel pulled up the ship on the large map in the center of the room. It was tracking her ship through the system, heading straight towards Pasaana. "Found her."
"Why would she even leave?" Finn questioned. "Is she under dark force tricks or something?"
Maz sighed. "Rey is strong in the force. Her only equal is Kylo Ren, so no; she left of her own accord."
"But why?"
"I don't have all the answers but the short one? She's gone to the dark side of the force. I felt it while she was here, I'm sorry to say that I didn't notice it was her specifically until too late."
Finn crossed his arms. "I refuse to believe she would have fallen. Rey isn't like that. It had to have been one of the scum Knights of Ren."
Leia looked down, not willing to meet Finn's eyes.
Maz was growing ever exasperated, her small eyes squinting at Finn. "Then you shall go with Chewie and save her then. You know where she is, you go to her."
"Find who?" Rose asked from the doorway.
Finn turned around to face his friend, who was still shaken with puffy red eyes from her sobbing earlier. "Rose…" Finn said, shoulders falling as he brought himself to explain the dire situation. "Rey is gone. She left."
Rose's eyes glistened over. Wiping her nose with her sleeve, she spoke. "Then… We need to go get her. There has to be an explanation for this."
Leia nodded. "Thank you. Rose, you've flown ships before?"
"A few times yes."
"Chewie will appreciate the co-pilot."
Chewie indeed approved of the help, following Finn and Rose out of the room.
Leia sat down, leaning her forehead against her hand. She let out a shaking sigh. Maz put a hand on Leia's arm.
"Any ideas as to why she would be going to Pasaana?" Maz asked.
Leia took her hand off her forehead. "Because that is where my son is."
Maz ran to the ship, seeing Finn walking onto the ramp.
"Finn!" Maz called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. She ran up to him and held out Anakin's lightsaber.
Finn eyed it with confusion. "Why are you giving this to me?"
"Leia wanted me to give it to you to pass to someone important," she explained. "It's imperative he receives it."
Finn's brows furrowed. "Who?"
"You will know who when you see him," Maz said, taking Finn's hand and shoving the lightsaber into his grip. "Find Rey. See the truth."
Finn could only nod, confused by the strange and vague request. His back ached in phantom pain as his brain tried to think about who Maz could be referring to besides the obvious. "Alright."
Kylo Ren cracked open his eyes, blinking away the sand and dust. The blazing sun was hanging low in the sky. Sweat formed underneath his shirt and on his neck, the fabric sticking to his skin.
He didn't have any nightmares. He didn't even have any dreams, but he slept soundly even if it was only for a few hours.
Sitting up, he brushed strands of his dark locks out of his face. He put on his gloves and his tunic, brushing his cape out of the ridiculous amounts of sand. Lightsaber clipped to his belt, Kylo stepped out into the hot desert sun and began walking to his ship.
He contemplated how he was even going to approach the Resistance with his ship basically being a dead giveaway. Their forces were much larger and their base was still hidden to a degree. No doubt the First Order has found it by now but Kylo didn't know the exact location himself.
The memories of seeing a depraved Rey falling to the dark side made an involuntary tear drip down his cheek. He wiped it away with the back of his glove, unflinching as he kept walking.
Then he stopped in his tracks. A dark presence in the force loomed about, but one so achingly familiar. And it was coming closer.
Kylo looked around and behind a rock stepped out a woman with a hood drawn over her head.
He recognized the way she walked when she was angry. It was with stilled and controlled, forceful movements, her shoulders rolling with rage. But he didn't care. Rey was here, in the flesh. Not a force connection.
He began walking closer to her, to close this painful distance. Then reality hit him.
Rey was wearing black robes, a cloak to match, and held something in one hand that made Kylo take pause.
A golden pyramid shimmered in the distance in her palm. Horror, realization, and flashbacks of Snoke's voice came crashing to Kylo. All those years of hearing Snoke's voice, being used as a tool of destruction, being torn apart by pain between the light and dark conflicting within were like a slap to the face to the current reality he saw before him.
Rey stopped several feet away from him, her expression a hard glare. "Kylo Ren," she spoke his name, lacking her usual fiery disposition whenever she spoke his self-chosen name.
"Rey, what happened to you?" he asked, choking on some of the syllables as he tried to swallow the picture before him.
"You did this," she responded. "You insisted I make a choice, well here's the result!"
The pyramid in her hand still shimmered in the light. He glanced at it and his breathing hitched. "A Sith holocron… Rey, no."
He recognized the shape from his history studies with Luke. Easily it could affect people just having a Sith artifact if the ghosts on Exegol were any indication. Kylo resolved to get that cursed object away from her. Lifting his hand up to Rey, he took slow steps closer to her. "That holocron is affecting you. This isn't you."
Rey lifted her other arm up, a long metal rod in her grip. "I went to the dark side for answers and it gave me them. I can sense the light in you."
Kylo swallowed his dry throat. "You hear voices don't you?"
That did nothing to faze her.
He continued. "Rey, listen to me, those voices aren't helping you, they're using you." He kept his voice calm and gentle, like a caress to her ears.
But it still wasn't getting through to her. "You're lying!"
"Rey," he said.
"Stop saying my name!"
Each sentence, each word she spoke toward him broke his heart a little more each time. "I would never lie to you."
"You told me that my parents didn't want me, they were nobody. That I'm nothing!"
He mentally winced at that awful attempt to sway her to his side. Not one of his proudest moments, but he meant everything with awkward sincerity. "But you're not, Rey, not to me."
"Stop it! Stop trying to manipulate me Kylo Ren!"
Rey still wasn't listening. It was like his words were being twisted somehow by the darker side of the force.
No, he knew the dark side very well. This was beyond just dark. This was evil messing with her head.
With no other choice, he tried yanking the holocron out of her hand, but it froze in mid-air, halfway between her and him. Her hand was outstretched, her teeth gritted in concentration.
She ignited her lightsaber, dropping the holocron on the sand. Kylo's eyes widened as he saw two beams of crackling red form from both ends of the lightsaber. It was unstable, like his own lightsaber.
Rey charged at him, leaving hardly any time to react as he pulled out his own lightsaber to parry her first strike. Her charge forced him a step back. She went in for another swing with the other end. He parried.
It was a struggle to keep up with her. Each strike was quick and she was fully in her element using a staff. He cursed himself for ever putting this idea into her head, but he couldn't really just sit there and let her squander her full potential. Each strike was met with a parry and he had to take another step back each time. She was driving him farther and farther back from the holocron.
She twirled around, blade clashing against blade in a locked hold. Kylo pressed back against her, concentrating on the force and pushing into her mind.
He cannot get his hands on the holocron! Use your full potential and make your mark! Stop Kylo Ren; save Ben Solo.
He had to shove himself out of her mind, shaking from the voices he heard going on inside her head.
She broke the hold and knocked the saber out of his hand, flying in the air and landing in the sand. She raised her staff to stab him in the shoulder but he sidestepped it.
No saber to defend himself with, he reached out with his hand and called it back to him but she charged at him again. She refused to let him get on even ground. Instead of swinging her saber again she kicked him in the gut, knocking him down. She stalked over to him, the look she had in her eyes in the forest of Starkiller Base returning. She called his lightsaber to her free hand.
"Rey!"
Suddenly she was on her knees, clutching her side in pain.
Kylo didn't expect that. He reached out with his hand and rolled over out of her saber's reach. Standing up, he saw FN-2187—Finn as he once heard Rey call him—and a woman with him, blasters out and in their hands.
"Take this!" Finn said, throwing a very recognizable lightsaber in the air. Kylo called it to his hand and ignited it, the calming blue hue pulling him into the light.
With no time to waste, he sprinted towards the holocron, reaching out with his other hand to lift it up towards him. Raising the lightsaber up he intended to destroy it to pieces and free Rey.
Rey had other ideas. The holocron went flying towards her, nearly hitting Kylo square in the gut in the process. He turned in horror to see her bewildered expression while she cradled the holocron in her own hand.
"No…" She muttered. "You're not him. That lightsaber does not belong to you!"
Her eyes darted from him to Finn and his companion, weighing her options. She rose and shoved the pair down using the force and sprinted away.
Kylo desperately wanted to chase after her. The duel wasn't over and he had to destroy that damned holocron. It had to be the source of the voices inside her head, or at least the enhancer of said voices.
But he couldn't. Nothing he said got through to her, and she was sorely convinced he was actively trying to harm her, that he was still the same monster who killed Han Solo in Starkiller Base. Which, he believed he still was.
He watched her run off in the distance before going over to her friends.
They were groaning in pain at the sudden shove to the ground. Finn sat up, gasping for air. "Maz was right…" he said, cracking his shoulders and wincing at the pain.
The woman rolled onto her side. "That… Was that her?" she asked.
Kylo extended a hand to her to pull her up. He thought about how to answer the question with his heart aching. "That was…"
That was not Rey.
She will never be Rey.
He truly lost her this time.
A/N: Whew this one was difficult to edit haha. A lot of risks were taken.
Dark Rey pls Ben just wants to be your boyfriend unconditionally and love youuuu!
I had a lot of thoughts and notes on this chapter but after like 6 rounds of editing for 3 days my brain has turned to mush lol.
The title came from this quote.
"True we don't have hearts. But we remember what it was like. That's what makes us special."
"What do you mean?"
"We know very well how to injure a heart."
Shiranai Atsune: You're welcome! :D
maushaushase: Thank you so much! Yoda was the struggle to write so I am glad I pulled it off. I was wary of using Luke so soon to talk to Ben but I felt it was necessary esp with Leia's involvement with everything.
See you next chapter! :D