Rey had been quiet, whilst Babu Frik tampered with C-3PO's memory. The droid's head hung and the light in his eyes had temporarily gone out. Zorii, an old gang mate of Poe's from when he was a spicerunner, and Poe were chatting together while Babu worked.
Rey had blocked them out and was in her own world.
Finn watched her and felt a wave of empathy wash over him. He could feel Rey's pain. She'd lost her child, she'd killed her child.
"Rey, it was an accident-" He began to whisper to her.
"I lost control."
"Only because of Ren."
"He killed my parents... Palpatine. He killed his own son, and now I've done the same."
"Rey, it was an accident." He put his hand on her shoulder but she shifted away. They all flinched though when C-3PO jumped up, his eyes glowing red.
"Droid is ready!" Babu chuckles.
3PO's voice was dark and more robotic than usual. "The Emperor's Wayfinder is in the Imperial Vault. At Delta 3 6, Transient 9 3 6, Bearing 3 2, on a moon in the Endor System. From the Southern shore, only this blade tells." Then he powered down again.
"That's on Kef Bir." Finn said.
"Then let's get going." Poe began but then there was screams and yelling outside. Rey ran to the door and looked up into the sky. A huge Star Destroyer loomed above them.
"That's Ren's ship- Han!" Her eyes widened.
"What about him?" Finn asked, standing behind her.
"He's alive! Both Han and Chewie are alive!"
"But how?"
She spun around, the joy in her eyes made Finn's heart flutter. "He must've been on a different transport. We have to get up there!"
"We will-"
Suddenly C-3PO sat up again. "Hello, I am C-3PO, human cyborg relations. And you are?"
Poe stared at the droid. "That's going to be a problem."
Babu talked in his funny language but it sounded like he was saying his name. "Why hello Babu Frik!" C-3PO replied happily.
"Poe, take this." Zorii held up a small Imperial captain medallion. With it they could exit the city unnoticed. "Use it to free your friends."
"Zorii I can't take this-"
"You don't have a choice. Go, save your friends." She pushed him forward and forced the medallion into his hand before running off.
"Back to Ochi's ship!" He yelled.
Kylo had left Han in a safe place on the Destroyer, he hadn't bothered to see the Wookie in the cell. Now he had flown his Tie down onto the planet Kijimi, his knights were already there waiting. They'd claimed to have searched the whole of the city but hadn't found her.
Kylo could feel Rey. Her light was impossible to ignore.
"Check the city again!" He ordered before walking off. "She's close." He walked into a pub and all the creatures inside screams, hiding under tables and trying to run to the door. "I'm looking for Resistance spies. Two boys and a girl, where are they?" No one replied they all just shook in fear. Normally he would be overjoyed by this, but he had little patience left.
He wanted Rey and he wanted to return to his son. He'd walked out into the square and had, had enough. He watched the storm troopers searching the area through his mask before closing his eyes. He searched for Rey, through all the chaos and noise. He could feel her conflicted soul, much like his own. The pull to the light had been hard to ignore, but once he destroyed the only thing that tempted him he would be free and could focus on the future.
Then he found her.
"Rey." She spun around, activating Luke's lightsaber. She was standing in front of him, in the city square, be he knew it was just their force bond. "I must say, you are hard to find."
"You're hard to get rid of." She spat back turning back around, her back towards him.
"I pushed you in the desert because I wanted to see it, I wanted you see it. So you'd know for sure who you are. Rey."
"Stop!" Her eyes were like fire as they burned past his mask and into his soul. She had always been able to do that. To see past his visage.
"It is your destiny to join the darkside, you may try to deny it, but you know it's true."
"Stop talking!"
"Palpatine wants you dead, cause he fears your power. Together we could do so much."
"I don't want this!"
"And when the time is right our son will join us too-"
She screamed slashing her lightsaber at him, but he quickly dodged. The fight was wild and he sensed her anger rising with every throw of her lightsaber. The two blades finally met and sparked red and blue against the snow. "Tell me where you are."
"Where is he? Where is my son?" She yelled. Her blade his a vase filled with red berries. The fruit spilled onto the snow, staining it read.
"He's safe. Please, let us both be part of his life."
"He'd be safer with you out of his life!"
"Rey," her name felt so right to say but he saw her flinch. "I'm giving him his best chance. Never will anybody hurt him, he will never be looked down upon nor betrayed by those he loves."
"No!" Their blade mingled again and this time he felt it go through something. Vader's burnt mask landed on the snowy ground.
"So that's where you are. Don't try running, I'll be there soon." He cut off their force connection and turned to a storm trooper. "She was in my quarters, lock down the ship!"
Tears stained Rey's eyes when she heard the cry of a child. He fight with Kylo must've woken him and she followed the cry, grabbing the dagger and Chewie's belongings as she went. Poe and Finn were looking for Chewie as she entered a room opposite Kylo's.
The room was plain, nothing decorated the walls but there was a large window on one side, showing the planet Kijimi below.
A cot had been put together and Rey saw her son lying inside. He was crying loudly and she attempted to soothe him, not wanting any guards to run in. "Sh, sh, sh. it's okay, everything's okay. Mummy's here." He picked him up and hugged him, using her hand to support his head.
Han became quiet, his hand touching hers. "Everything's okay, we're here." She stopped, for a second she'd wished Ben was here. Holding her as she held their son. She wanted to scold herself but didn't.
It was Ben she wanted, not Kylo. This was Ben's son, not the creature that wore the mask. She remembered the moment between her and Ben, when they had touched hands and then became one.
In that moment, the Ben she knew... and loved, had shined through.
But she had lost him back on Crait. No she'd lost him in the throne room, when he had offered her his hand. He'd promised to do the same again, but would she take it? She didn't know.
The darkside had always been a part of her, a part of her family. But what about Finn, Poe, Rose, Chewie, Leia? What would happen to them.
The darkside scared her and she'd never felt more closer to it, but now that Han was in her arms, she felt that pull back to the light. There was light in Han, but also a darkness, she refused to either acknowledge it nor encourage it.
"Rey." She spun around, in the doorway was Kylo. How long had she been standing here?
"Get out of my way Ren, I'm taking him."
"Neither of you are leaving. Please Rey. We could raise him together, all you have to do is join me. I know there's darkness in you."
"But there's light in you. I know you try to hide it but you can't from me." She held Han close, knowing he wouldn't dare hurt her if he was in her arms. He saw this and took of his mask. It once again shook Rey how much he looked like Han. They both had the same angular face, but Han's was a little chubbier and they both had soft black hair. "It's too late for me, I chose my side. Now you need to chose yours." He held out his gloved hand.
Rey felt a familiar sense of Déjà vu. Thinking quickly, she blocked her mind from Kylo and searched for Finn's. She needed to know if they were alright. They were boarding the Falcon and she could feel Finn noticing her presence. It didn't take long for her to send him a quick message.
"You know what you need to do, you know."
"I do."
"We gotta find Rey and Han." Poe said pushing the confused C-3PO into the Falcon. Chewie gave a groan and BB-8 returned with a beep of panic. "We know this place is big but we can't just leave them. Finn come on!" He hurried his friend who was standing at the entrance of the Falcon. His face was blank. "Finn?"
"I know where they are."
"What? How?"
"Just trust me, start the Falcon."
Poe made an unconvinced noise, running to the pilot seat. "Fire her up Chewie!"
The ship whirred and lifted off the ground. Stormtroopers were firing at the vessel. "Poe!"
"Yeah, yeah we're going!" The shot off out of the hangar bay. Finn was standing behind Chewie and Poe pointed to a large window on the side of the Star Destroyer. Rey was standing inside, holding onto Han, and Kylo stood by the doorway, his hand held out towards Rey. Rage glinted in Finn's eyes. "There!"
Poe turned the ship around and the windows shattered when he increase the engine's power. Rey covered her child so he did not get hurt from the glass. "Rey!" Poe had opened the entrance hatch and Finn held out her hand. "Jump! I got you!"
She jumped, with Kylo looking behind her. He watched as the ship vanished, along with Rey and Han. A voice filled his head and he felt disappointed when he learned the voice wasn't Rey's. "The scavenger still lives." Palpatine hissed. "Perhaps you have betrayed me? Don't make me turn my fleet against you."
"I know where she's going, she'll never become a Jedi."
"Make sure of it! Kill her!"
